Permit (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"permissible" |"permissive" |"permit" |"permits" |"permitted" |"permitter" |"permitting"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk -- October 18, 1968, Seattle:

Guest (2) (older woman): Divine Master, I came to pay my respect and I'm most distressed that I need to leave, but there is series of people who are waiting for me, for a spiritual meeting also. So permit me to bow to you.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Please come again.

Guest (2): Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Take some prasādam.

Guest (2): Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: So you did not question anything, if you have got any doubts?

Guest (2): I beg your pardon? (devotees explain Prabhupāda's question) Do I have any doubts? Divine Master, you have made me able to read my heart. I have no pretensions to speak one way or another. There is no doubt.

Devotee: She said there is no doubt.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1970, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Guest (4): So this is (?) Kumar Sharma. He's an, a learned(?) man. He has brought this tape recorder. He has come to tape your interview. Last night we met Mr. Ja.(?)

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Guest (4): And he has permitted us to take your interview for our paper. So if you don't mind we shall ask some questions.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (4): And we'll finished before you go there.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion with Indians -- January 18, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): In that case, you will have to satisfy everybody.

Prabhupāda: I am satisfying everybody. I am preaching that. But it is not possible... I am preaching in Europe. Christians, Mohammedans, Jews, they are surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. So I am doing my duty.

Guest (1): If I would be permitted, I would very humbly submit that...

Prabhupāda: You may not. You have not to surrender, you may bring some argument, but where I am preaching, they are surrendering.

Guest (1): You are doing a very wonderful work, there is no doubt about it, but the thing is that...

Discussion with Indians -- January 18, 1971, Allahabad:

Guest (3): Kṛṣṇa was body incarnate.

Prabhupāda: Then you mean to say that Kṛṣṇa contradicts.

Guest (3): No, not Kṛṣṇa contradicts.

Prabhupāda: Then why you bring this question?

Guest (3): The Gītā, the Gītā is... Sir, if I may be permitted to continue?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (3): Gītā jñāna itself is given by Lord incorporeal, not to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, it is told, at the time the jñāna was given had a body which became divya Vedānta(?).

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1972, Madras:

Prabhupāda: Yes...

Guest: We know for a fact.

Prabhupāda: ...and therefore I, as far as possible, I get them married.

Guest: Yes. But that doesn't prevent permissive culture. It acts as a sort of guarantee (Prabhupāda laughs), as a sort of insurance against scandal. But scandals do come out.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and that is a...

Guest: So you are left with, that is another crude problem...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:

Indian man: Russians running it?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Russians. Russian young boys are as good as Americans. By artificial means they have been checked. The Russian government is not good at all. Suppression. Simply suppression.

Indian man: But they permit this kind of thing?

Prabhupāda: They do not permit, but they are holding class.

Indian man: Holding class.

Prabhupāda: Yes, reading Bhagavad-gītā. And I am getting that boy married with my one French girl disciple. Then he will be strong. (laughs) We are also playing politics. You know that...

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: The cows.

Cardinal Danielou: Oui, the cows.

Prabhupāda: One thing is...

Danielou: It is not permitted to kill a...?

Yogeśvara: Cow.

Cardinal Danielou: ...a cow to give him to children who are hungry and the...

Prabhupāda: No, no, from any other consideration, cows' milk we drink. Therefore she's mother. Is it not?

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: Oui.

Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: They give this example that: "You also kill vegetables, just this grass blade is broken. It is killed. So it is equal to maintaining a big slaughterhouse." You see? This is going on, under the name of re... They, they were Christian nuns. In London they come to me, talk some time. So... And in India also, we see now cow killing is going on, regular slaughterhouse and... What can I say? You are government man. (laughs) You may take some wrong views about me. What is your opinion, personal?

Ambassador: I'm afraid I'm a very democratic person. If people, if they sincerely believe that they cannot exist without meat, they should be permitted, and once that is granted...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Ambassador: ...you have to organize slaughterhouses.

Prabhupāda: Then, then that is the, our misfortune that we have lost our Indian culture.

Ambassador: Because...

Prabhupāda: Indian culture.

Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: All right. That's all right. Then I shall... Otherwise, useless. If you officially forward, and they reply, it will be... No.

Ambassador: Yes.

Prabhupāda: I do not know why. The Christian missionaries, they get missionary visa.

Ambassador: But I would... If you permit me, I am still, if I find a rule, rights, I'll do it. Otherwise, I'll be very happy to write a very strong letter to the Deputy Secretary concerned and also...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, in whatever way you can help. This is a difficulty for me, that there are chasing after our men.

Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The way it's written...

Devotee: Why was, why was Lord Rāma letting Rāvaṇa live in Laṅkā?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: Why was He permitting him to live there? He was irreligious. He did not trust in God. Why was Lord Rāma letting him...?

Prabhupāda: No, no. He was killed therefore. He was not allowed to live there. Therefore Rāmacandra went there to kill him. "You rascal. You must be killed." Why do you say that he was allowed?

Devotee: Well...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 18, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is for spiritual culture.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Spiritual culture. Right. So for that purpose it makes no difference the center of the city or elsewhere.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...dependent any condition. We are independent. And you are criticizing. Permit has not been obtained. And if you think that there is no possibility of temple being sanctioned, then we start hotel. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: All right, that is already there. But if the sanction is not there, what we will do? Keep the land vacant? (break) That I am trying to get sanction, "Is it all right." If you don't, then hotel.

Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:

Guest (1): But self-discipline alone is... nobody.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the plan. And now no sanction of temple. That was the plea, that "It is temporary. It should be broken." And when we asked for permanent approval, "No sanction." This is clear.

Dr. Patel: Have you got the... Have you received the, renewed the temporary permit.

Girirāja: Well, we've applied.

Prabhupāda: Every year we have to apply.

Dr. Patel: Yes, every year it should be applied.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: You can't serve two masters at the same time. (break)

Prabhupāda: That is not possible.

Dr. Patel: As a matter of fact... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...minute quantity. (break)

Guest (5): Why does God permit all these sins and offenses?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Dr. Patel: That is the eternal... That a madman created all this.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Cardinal Pignedoli: Yes. Did you talk with people there? Were you permitted, were you allowed to talk with the people in the streets and so on?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Cardinal Pignedoli: You were.

Prabhupāda: No, not on the street. Some of the boys, they came to my hotel. So so far I saw, the people, they are very nice. They are very nice, but the government supresses their sentiments. Everyone has got religious sentiments. The people is as good as in other places. I don't find any difference.

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: But if you cannot understand lower knowledge, how you can understand higher knowledge?

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Swiss Man (1): (French)

Yogeśvara: He says that he agrees, he accepts this elementary knowledge, but he says you must have in your teachings some higher knowledge which will permit everyone to do away with this nationalism, to do away with this false ego, and this pride. What is that knowledge?

Prabhupāda: So that knowledge is God consciousness, that just like in my body, your body, his body, what is the important thing? The important thing is the living force. So just like you are a person, I am a person, he is also a person. But what is the important thing in you, in me, and in him? What do you think?

Yogeśvara: (translates) Is that right? Did I translate?

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Paramahaṁsa: If God is all-good, why does He permit so many wars to go on?

Prabhupāda: Because you want to be finished. You create war to be finished. God does not create. Just like you have created this weapon. In the name of finishing your enemy, you'll be finished, also. Is that very good credit? And God has created like that? You have created. Why don't you understand this?

Yogeśvara: Well, why has God permitted me to do such a horrible thing?

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Devotee: But more and more the people, especially in America, they are seeing how these politicians are cheating. Because every year, in every campaign, the same politician is saying, "I will do this, I will do that," and when he gets into office, he never does anything. But maybe now this time, when our Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees are running and they are showing the people what rascals... Just like Balavanta on TV, he was saying "How can these people be leader, when they are themselves permitting slaughter, drinking, smoking, having illicit sex life."

Prabhupāda: That is a fact. That is a fact. But why the leader? The public also drinks. They also encourage slaughterhouse. So if you say to the public that they cannot be leader, then there is no leader. They cannot find out any leader. The public will understand that "I also eat meat, I also drink, do the same thing. Why the leader should be something, saintly person? After all, he is our leader. So we are of the same character. So why the leader should be something different?" They cannot understand it.

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Professor Durckheim: As soon two, two men who are realized, there is no war. There is a very wonderful story. When the Emperor of Japan took over the leadership again after having been for six hundred years only the High Priest. Now he wanted to be again the emperor. And he was submitting one dainu (?) after the other one. Only one resisted in Tokyo. General of Tokyo did not submit to the emperor and didn't allow anybody to come in to negotiate. So the emperor was very troubled. He said, "Should I burn down Tokyo? I wouldn't like to do it." And then his young sword (?) master asked him—he was a realized man—"Do you permit me to just ride in this town and see the great general?" And he said, "Yes, you know the guards do not permit." "Let me do." He sat on horseback and just rode through. The guards, like this, let him pass. He announced himself to the great general. General said, "Yes, with him I am going to talk." And the general himself, being a self-realized man said, "Well, all right." In twenty minutes things were in order, and they submitted gently, and without a single shot, peace was established. Because two men of a high level of self-realization met.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is our point, that if we understand, every one of us realize that we are all servant of God or sons of God, that everything belongs to God, so we can use our father's property for our maintenance as much as we require, not more than that, so if we think like that, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and there will be no more war, everything peaceful.

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

German Lady: Excuse me. Would you please explain for some people who don't speak English here in German because we don't know all of your words.

Professor Durckheim: Yes, but I didn't want to interrupt the master.

Prabhupāda: No. I have no objection if somebody translates into German.

Haṁsadūta: Vedavyāsa can translate. (German)

Professor Durckheim: Do you permit me to repeat it in German? For those who are present here?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. (German) (break) So Kṛṣṇa begins the first understanding,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Yes. What is the translation?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He's saying that with his psychology he cannot accept that there should be some clue, some key, that could permit him to accept it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That psychology is perfect where there is clue. Otherwise you will speculate all your life.

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): Then he's asking, he's humbly asking you to give him a little bit of the clue.

Interview -- March 5, 1975, New York:

Prabhupāda: This is the best humanity's service. They were all fools and rascals and we educated them for spiritual understanding. The material... If I think "I am this body," then I am no better than cat and dog. That is going on. "I am American." "I am Indian." "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am Christian." Only this bodily relationship. But suppose you have come to me, can I ask you whether you are body or something else?

Reporter: Swamiji, perhaps the deficiency is in my question. Let me rephrase the question, if you'll permit. And I realize there isn't much air to breathe. Hare Kṛṣṇa. But I will make the question brief. My question has to do with karma-yoga in the outer world, for instance, in New York City. From what I understand, your disciples do not pursue the professions. Is that correct?

Prabhupāda: No, we are also, we are also karma-yogī. We are also eating, we are also sleeping.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Prayer five times?

Yoga student: Well, it's the Islamic prayer five times a day, but the Shiist compress it to three times. It's the same prayer.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Yoga student: Because they are permitted to say two of the prayers at noon and two of the prayers in the evening at one time, rather than spreading them through the afternoon and the...

Prabhupāda: So why they are disobeying the order of Muhammad?

Yoga student: Yes. The... They follow... It's essentially the same practice as the...

Prabhupāda: No, you cannot amend on the words of Muhammad if you are a true Mussulman.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: ...fact is that if you have got different views about Kṛṣṇa, then you cannot prove that from the Bhagavad-gītā. That you cannot prove. If you take Bhagavad-gītā, then you must present it as it is. Don't distort it. You may have got some idea, but you explain that idea in your different book. But don't place it as the explanation of Bhagavad-gītā. That is not very good. If you have got different theory, you can write in a different book. But we cannot permit or do not like that as the commentary of Bhagavad-gītā you will place something different. That is not very honest. You put your own theory. Why should you try to put your theory through Bhagavad-gītā? That we protest. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said that "There is no superior authority than Me." Therefore He is the God. Mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Don't mind. All the work is going on. It doesn't matter. (break) ...prayer, five times?

Guest: Well, it's the Islamic prayer five times a day but she is compressing it to three times. It's the same prayer.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Guest: Because they are permitted to say two of the prayers at noon and two of the prayers in the evening at one time, rather than spreading them through the afternoon and ...

Prabhupāda: Why are they disobeying the order of Mohammed?

Interview with a German Girl and Assorted Devotees -- March 30, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: They do not know. What can be done. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti (BG 7.25). They do not know that behind everything there is a supreme power. He'll punish. "Never mind, we shall be punished." You'll become dog. "Oh what is the wrong if I become a dog?" They say like that, "What is the wrong?" He thinks that "I'll get good facilities for sex. There will be no need of apartment. I'll save the rent. To become a dog and have sex life on the street, it is good facility." This is going on.

Guest (2): I have some few questions which I have come here to ask. Permit me to ask, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: What is that question? Who can answer.

Guest (2): I came in your temple first time in 1970 in Toronto. And, that time, I was just like other Indians, what I think, but I...

Room Conversation with Alcohol and Drug Hospital People -- May 16, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we accept what is eaten by Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa wants these things: fruits, flower, vegetable, grains, milk. So we offer them and eat.

Guest (2): Why not animals?

Prabhupāda: He does not say, "Give Me animals." Because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, we cannot take anything which is not accepted by Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (2): Are blood transfusions permissible, Swami?

Paramahaṁsa: He says, "Are blood transfusions permissible?" When one is in an accident or cut and he loses blood, they take another man's blood and put it it. He says...

Prabhupāda: Well, that is not bad. Because if one life is saved by transfusion admission... He is not dying. He is living. He is contributing his blood. So if he is contributing, you are saving some life, there is no harm.

Morning Walk -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Madhudviṣa: Where?

Prabhupāda: In Australia.

Madhudviṣa: Yes, we had some suffering.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Now you have seen that letter? We have been permitted by the federal government to sell our books in the airport.

Madhudviṣa: Yes, that is a major breakthrough.

Prabhupāda: The judge might have seen our literature, "It is such a nice literature they are selling, they must be given permission." (break) No husband, no children, one dog. (laughter) Just see. Children-contraceptive. And dog-welcome.

Morning Walk -- June 27, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: What is the position of Bhagavad-gītā? Macmillan, you are not taking supply, so they have stopped?

Jayatīrtha: We've informed them that the..., we want to make the..., because they no longer have it in print, that the abridged edition, we want to break the contract.

Prabhupāda: No, that is already, they have permitted. Anyway, you can...

Jayatīrtha: But as far as the other one is concerned we have a stock on hand.

Prabhupāda: What they are doing?

Brahmānanda: They're picking the papers.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:

Bahulāśva: Out here on the campus, Śrīla Prabhupāda, different people come with little carts and they sell food things.

Prabhupāda: Food?

Bahulāśva: Food. They get a permit. We were thinking to have a little car and sell Bengali sweets.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bengali sweet selling is not our business. We should not waste in that way. Our business is how to make him Kṛṣṇa conscious. If we find such opportunity by selling Bengali sweets, then we can sell. Otherwise it is useless. You should always remember this. We are not for selling Bengali sweets or any such thing unless it is connected with preaching our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You should remember it.

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhṛṣṭaketu: Oh. So that means that we just get a glimpse of...

Prabhupāda: (to passerby:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Dhṛṣṭaketu: ...Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited; His pastimes are unlimited.

Indian man (1): Could I permitted to take a Bengali class one hour daily, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust room for foreign and also Indian boys?

Prabhupāda: They are interested in learning Bengali?

Indian man (1): Yes, some of them are interested.

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Morning Walk -- October 20, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Hell. (laughter)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (break) Anyone who is thinking that they're happy is simply a rascal. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...saying the black man is not allowed to marry a white woman?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Oh, no. Neither vice versa also. There is no intermarriage permitted here.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Acyutānanda: But that means He knows everything in advance.

Prabhupāda: He knows. He knows that you are a rascal, you'll fall. Therefore He says that "Do this. You'll not fall."

Acyutānanda: And they don't seem to take that answer, and they're very...

Sudāmā: No, they become very embittered: "Why He permits us...? If He is all-loving God, why He permits us to suffer?

Prabhupāda: No, He's not permit... He forbids, but you...

Acyutānanda: You insist.

Meeting with Bankers -- April 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Indian (1): So if about the bankers, if you permit me, I'll give you another interesting story. There was a man who was very ill in America and he had a heart trouble. In fact he had no heart, I would say. So, you know, they can replace the hearts nowadays. He went to a hospital, and the doctor offered him two or three hearts, "Which one would you like? One is of the general, the other is of a big businessman, and the third is of a banker. What would you like?" So he thought, "Let me have the heart of a..."

Prabhupāda: Banker.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You, first of all you GBC think, then and (act?) Make one room, smoking room, that's all right. Just like a, that kind of restriction is there in the airplane, smoking, not, non. So you keep a room separately, a smoking room.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One time when I was staying in the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma mandira, I saw a man smoking a bidi in his room. If that happens—in the bedroom—should the managers go and say this is not permitted?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They should. They should go down to the smoking room.

Prabhupāda: "Kindly go to the smoking room."

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There is process how to go to moon planet. In the Bhāgavata it is stated. Those who are karma-kāṇḍīya, very, discharging the Vedic ritualistic ceremony, karma-kāṇḍa, they can go to the moon planet or sun planet. There are millions and trillions of planets they can go. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). The same thing. Suppose if you want to go to India, you prepare yourself, take the visa, the permit, the passport and necessary money and permission, so many things. You go there. Yes.

Dr. Wolfe: I think so much of going to India, I would certainly be born in India.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) No, this is an example that anywhere you want to go.... Therefore one qualification of living entity is sarva-ga. Sarva-ga. Ga means can go, this ga, ga and go. Sarva-ga. Sthānur acalo 'yam... Where is Bhagavad-gītā?

Hṛdayānanda: Nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇuḥ.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: No difficulty. We can try.

Prabhupāda: Our society is here, and we give this man our guarantee for maintenance. So what is the objection? By law there is no objection. And if the immigration department allows, "Yes, you can come and live," then where will be...? Immigration means that here government should be satisfied that this man is coming, he will have no difficulty, government gives permit.

Kīrtanānanda: Should be like that, anyway.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll show you the picture when he brings the magazine. They show a person very seriously meditating on two halves of a ping-pong ball. You have to pay for it. (laughter)

Devotee (1): Would you like to go up on the roof today, Prabhupāda?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda said the sun is too much. Toṣaṇa Kṛṣṇa, he's been doing all of our, he's practically done the whole arrangement for the Ratha-yātrā. Jayānanda is building, and he has done all of the permits, advertising, publicity, the poster, working at least fifteen hours a day for the last month very hard, to make it a very successful festival. I was thinking, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that Haṁsadūta was telling me that he is planning to make...

Prabhupāda: I think this article was dictated by Haṁsadūta.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: As his movement grew, he found backers among his converts. Hare Kṛṣṇa centers were established in Boston, Buffalo and San Francisco, and an appreciation of Prabhupāda's Vedic translations by American university authorities, Columbia, Princeton, Yale professors among others, permitted the establishment of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in Los Angeles. The Trust launched a promotion of Prabhupāda's translations and original works under the logo of the Living Library of Transcendental Knowledge. Remarkably, in the face of a worldwide economic recession, the Trust's book and magazine sales reached nine million in 1975, up 34.5 percent over 1974. Some of this was due to the determined promotion of groups such as the hundred-man Rādhā-Dāmodara group which criss-crosses the country in six Greyhound-type buses and ten vans giving lectures and kīrtanas at college university campuses. Now eighty-one years old, Prabhupāda still works at his writings and the spiritual direction of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. His translation of Bhagavad-gītā, the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, the most widely used in the Western world, is in great demand by professors of Indology and Vedic literature."

Prabhupāda: He has given advertisement for our books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, very favorable.

Rādhāvallabha: The amazing thing is that he's an impersonalist.

Prabhupāda: Impersonalist?

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: Are you going to march?

Rāmeśvara: He asks if you are going to participate in the Ratha-yātrā Parade.

Hari-śauri: This is the parade that it's based on.

Rāmeśvara: This is a photograph of what takes place in India every year. It's a traditional festival in India, we are bringing it to New York. We've got our permits and everything.

Prabhupāda: We have already got in San Francisco, in Chicago...

Rāmeśvara: Philadelphia.

Prabhupāda: In Philadelphia.

Rāmeśvara: In London.

Prabhupāda: London.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a good location for the festival, very important place, Washington Square Park. It's the center.

Prabhupāda: Best thing would have been to keep the Deities for a week there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That would not have been permitted. They only permitted us legally two hours for everything. That's why we were rushing everything. We only had two hours legally for the whole program.

Prabhupāda: Yes, then there is no need.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Drinking is prohibited.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No, absolutely not. The modern Muslims drink.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say drinking is prohibited.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Prohibited. Yes. It is not permitted, prohibited.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I say prohibited.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Muslim religion, it seems to me, is closer to Vedic culture than Christian. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...given to the modern scientist one proposal, egg proposal. You explain.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: We are distributing millions in English.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We got a new import permit to import books for five lakhs. I think I wrote that to you. And also the government is going to let us...

Prabhupāda: I saw your wife in New York.

Conversation with Seven Ministers of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: This idaṁ guhyam, this confidential knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, should be spread all over the world. People are suffering. And that is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He advises that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So it will be glory of India if we preach the message of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā. They're accepting. And I wish that the Bālajī's estate, Bālajī's money, should be spent for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not for any other purpose. That is my request.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Indian (1): Please permit...

Prabhupāda: Your question is?

Indian (1): Yes, varṇāśrama, I wanted to, Swamiji...

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: I wanted to work in India by spreading saṅkīrtana provided I get little cooperation of the government.

Krishna Modi: That we will talk. That we will talk.

Prabhupāda: One cooperation is that we can bring immediately a small vans or buses so that we can go village to village, town to town. If I get government permit then... Because here the buses are very costly, and at the same time they are not very good. But foreign buses... India hasn't got to pay anything but simply let us have and work in India. This much facility wanted.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Can read it, yes.

Hari-śauri: My son Daniel, Sravananda Das, entered the Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement almost 5 years ago. The only request that he made of me and my husband was that we read about the Hare Kṛṣṇa philosophy and try to understand his new way of life. My husband and I have read everything we could find about the movement and the philosophy. We have visited the Hare Kṛṣṇa Centers in Philadelphia and New York frequently, always speaking to the devotees and having our questions answered. Evidently these youths feel a revulsion towards the sense gratification of forbidden permissive values of our society. When I see how happy the devotees are..."

Prabhupāda: Haṁsadūta, Haṁsadūta?

Hari-śauri: Haṁsadūta?

Prabhupāda: The Ceylon is educated and if they are receiving, why not open a branch?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Assam.

Gargamuni: Yes. They're all Vaiṣṇava. They worship Lord Caitanya.

Prabhupāda: Especially in Manipur.

Gargamuni: Yes. Especially in Manipur. There we could not go, though. Our men were not allowed to... They could not get a permit. They got as far as Shillong. They did fifteen standing orders in a few days there. They were only there for a few days. That used to be a British capital.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Gargamuni: Shillong.

Prabhupāda: Shillong, yes.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They are appreciating in foreign countries also. Otherwise why these European, American boys would join? They are not fools and rascals. They understand that "Here is the genuine movement."

Guest (Indian man): Then, Prabhupāda, let us take leave, and I'd like to prostrate at your feet if you will permit me.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Guest: And you bless us to have the same consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Please come here, take care of the center.

Guest: We belong to a hundred miles from this place.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: If I go, they will have objection?

Brahmānanda: No, I don't think so. You mean the immigration? I don't know.

Prabhupāda: No, no, last time... Not last time. Before that.

Brahmānanda: Before that there was. Nava-yogendra Mahārāja, he got a work permit. He got for one year.

Prabhupāda: Oh. He's intelligent. Doing nice?

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: And in the beginning, when science began, modern science, the scientists would say something against the Bible that was different than the Bible. Then they would torture him. The church would torture him, this Galileo, big scien... So they point these things out, that the church is not tolerant.

Prabhupāda: That is not our point. We want to understand God through philosophy. "Through philosophy" means logic. Blind faith is not our business. (break) "...such date I have posted. You have got the literature. If you permit me, then I can show some of the books." Then our local representatives advise, "You go and see this gentleman." In this way contact him and leave some book with him, that "You first of all see. Then decide." Very honest business.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So I'll go to Delhi tomorrow and...

Prabhupāda: Go.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...arrange with the Home Minister. Minister of Home has to give the permit.

Prabhupāda: And then come back to Bombay?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Then I'm coming to Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Now work very strenuously. You are all young men, and somehow or other, dead horse, you have given life. Otherwise the last fortnight I was thinking I am dead now. I was thinking like that, 'Now life is finished." Life can be finished at any time. That is not wonderful. To live, that is wonderful. If my life is finished, that is not wonderful. Nobody will lament. "Oh, he was old man, eighty-two years old." But if I can live for some days more, that is wonderful. If I die, that is not wonderful.

Room Conversation -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No. Gargamuni did not say anything.

Hari-śauri: Well, he remained in Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: No, no, he came here, but he did not say.

Hari-śauri: Who did Gargamuni speak to?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He spoke to me. He said, "Yes, but they have not yet got the permit."

Prabhupāda: That means there is no hope.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is near pandal, Kārttikeya's house?

Girirāja: Well, it's about a fifteen or twenty minute drive.

Prabhupāda: That is also good.

Girirāja: Because, I mean, if your health permits and if you could come every day, then we could arrange very leading people for all of those days...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Girirāja: ...and it would enthuse them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bombay is good place for propaganda, for making any movement popular.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Satsvarūpa: So today the presidents had their meeting and they went over all our resolutions. This year it went very smoothly. They finished their whole meeting in a couple of hours. The president of the meeting was Girirāja. And they made some amendments to our proposals. I don't think I have to read all of them. Some of them are just minor adjustments. But some of them are... One was... We read the other night that we would not do the Santa Claus dress any more for saṅkīrtana, but they changed that at their meeting. They felt that the publicity was not actually so detrimental around the world, and that the advantage for book distribution and collecting was very great. So they said, "Do it." And then we had our final meeting this afternoon, the GBC, to review their meeting, and we agreed this time with them. But we put an amendment on it that they could dress in Santa Claus or other costumes only after getting permission from the local authorities by permit to do that. So there wouldn't be illegal.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: Many of these other points are very minor. Also the committee you requested was formed for investigating the Hyderabad farm, of the three Indian GBCs, Balavanta, and Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja to go after the festival. So are these resolutions in order, Śrīla Prabhupāda? These resolutions that we passed...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is all right.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: ...for myself? That boy who was with me from Australia, I've sent him back this morning. He's gone back this morning. There is actually two or three major things going on there, so I have to try to get back as soon as possible. There is a purchase of the farm, eight hundred acre farm, which comes up in about seven or eight days, and then we have to consider whether to buy that building in Sydney. You've seen that picture already. And also there's a big court case coming up in Melbourne. The deprogramming thing is going on there also. But this time the court case is being pressed by... It's a civil case. The police wouldn't take it up. So the girl who was kidnapped, we are pressing charges, but through her against the parents. So this is going to be a big case also. So that's coming up in the end of April. So I have to see what the presentation is like and get more information from Ādi-keśava and make sure that we will press it very strongly, the whole issue. Someone just sent a newspaper clipping about the whole thing. I expect to be going to Delhi in about two days, to try to speed up the process of getting a re-entry permit. Then once I do that, I can go on. (long pause) (break)

Girirāja: This evening, the chief guest is going to arrive at about a quarter to seven.

Prabhupāda: Who is the chief guest?

Girirāja: His name is Dr. Dattrey.

Morning Talk -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is religion or no religion. Suppose there is university, and if some religious sect says that "In our religion we shall not take university education."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We shall not take any education from the university?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So will the government accept?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In United States there is a group in Pennsylvania, and they say that they will not undergo any kind of normal education, because it is polluted, and they have their own education, and they are permitted. Even from six, seven years old, from first grade. They are called the Amish people. (some noise in background) That's not a door, Śrīla Prabhupāda. That's heavy dropping of heavy items.

Prabhupāda: Another point, in secular, the scientific knowledge, two plus two equal to four. If somebody says, "No, in our opinion it is five," will it be accepted?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I didn't hear what you were saying.

Prabhupāda: If two plus two equal to four. If somebody says "In our opinion it should be five..."

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This will be amended now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Explaining one of the main objects of the 43rd amendment, he said that the articles... He said that the 43rd constitution amendment bill was significant in that it sought to remedy the excesses permitted by the previous ministry. He said that the article 31d of the 42nd amendment which provided the power in the legislature to make laws for the prevention and prohibition of antinational activities remained, and the previous ministry continued. There is no doubt that laws would have been passed in regard to illegal national activities. It was apprehended with reason that those laws would provide for preventative detention among other things as a remedy. It says there was no need for introducing article 31d unless it was to enlarge the field of preventative detention and enforcing it. Since there was enough laws already on the statue books which dealt with activities specifically detailed in article 31d and by trial in the ordinary manner." (pause)

Prabhupāda: She has misused the power, and nobody was to check. It is very dangerous constitution.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Your Manipur is being intimately connected with our movement.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They liked it very much, especially... Everybody wants to see the devotees coming to Manipur, but the Home Ministry is giving us little difficulty in getting the permit. All the Manipuris, including the Chief Minister, they all want to have especially American devotees in Manipur. They want to see. But...

Prabhupāda: If the Home Minister is changed now...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. I was told that this Karan Singh is very favorable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he just gave us his house in Kashmir for using.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So then it will be a very good time for...

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, he's the Home Mi...? Oh. So we can...

Prabhupāda: But we can influence him.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So in any case, I made a first application for September, and I'm going to request our life member in Manipur along with the Chief Minister and the Members of Parliament to try their best so that we get a permit.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many people did you apply for?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Fifteen.

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Bhakti-caru: Charan Singh (Hindi) "Ninety murders in one district. 'There was a constitutional breakdown in the states,' he said. The chief minister of Maratha states had admitted to him that his government's reach was no longer running the way it had done earlier. He was receiving many complaints from the U.P., Rajasthan, and Haryana. Fifty murders have been committed in one district in Bihar in one week. Mr. Charan Singh's statement, which was preceded by the (indistinct) meeting earlier in the morning, led to a spate of questions. He was asked whether he was going counter to the spirit of the federal structure which permitted different ruling parties and centers and states, whether the ruling party M.P. would be asked to resign if a state..., if the states they came from turned down his party government and whether the central government would not invoke the power of an article which stated by the Constitution despite capitalism in the Janata party election manifesto."

Prabhupāda: So what is this yoga? (laughs) Sanjay Gandhi's yoga, just see. A rogue, devil, he is practicing yoga. His mother was practicing also yoga, the same.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: One lady lives in Vṛndāvana...

Mr. Dwivedi: He has written books also on tantra-śāstra. And I understand most of these ministers, they were going to seek his blessings. I did not know to whom he gave his blessings, but what I know is that most of these people were going to him. I only... One day I asked him. He's very kind towards me, so I go to him and dine with him. So I told him one day, I said, "Mahārāja, you speak to mahatlal (?) people to give some money to our institution." He said, "Mr. Dwivedi, I do not ask any friends or anybody to do anything for me or to anybody." So then I said, "Mahārāja, then I put one question to you if you permit me." He said, "All right, I permit you." So I asked, "Vivekananda has said that 'Service of God... Service of humanity is service of God.' Do you think it is correct or it is incorrect?" He said, "This is correct." Then I said, "We are running educational institution. Whatever good or bad, leave that aside. But in our own little small way we are rendering little service to humanity. And..."

Prabhupāda: But I may interfere. The... In the Bhagavad-gītā is there such statement, that "Service to humanity is service to God"? Is there any statement?

Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Kārttikeya. He... Nobody should speak when I am speaking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Unless he's permitted. That is the etiquette. It is not ordinary talk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Everyone should take note of this, and you can privately say, "You never speak like that. The etiquette is: when you are permitted by Guru Mahārāja, you can speak," not that "He is speaking. I know better than him. I shall speak something." That's very licentious. It is not ordinary talk. The system is unless he is ordered that "You explain," then nobody can talk. And outsider, they may do. They should not... They also should not, but that is the system. And Viśvambhara may... If possible, he can come for one or two days.

Room Conversations -- July 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just see. For cutting the throat of cow, he's going thousands of miles. This is the civilization. He's an expert butcher, and he has got service in Australia, and he'll go. This is livelihood, personal duty. What a nonsense business, and he's going to... Mā jīva vā māra. A butcher is advised, "Don't die; don't live. If you live, it is a horrible business, and if you die, you'll go to hell. So don't die; don't live."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has a question to ask. He says, "Is it permitted to use shells for making jewelry, crowns, etc., for Deities? Or is it to be considered as the bone of an animal?"

Prabhupāda: No, you can do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 'Cause they're very beautiful.

Prabhupāda: The bone of animal is the conchshell, and that is used in Deity room. It is... The conchshell is nothing but bone of an animal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. He says that he has a plan. "We want to inlay the thrones for the new temple with beautiful shells if it is permitted."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's says he's trying to increase the book distribution by arranging a big door-to-door program.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says if it's not possible for you to come, then he'd like to make a film and bring it to India to show it to you. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "One point," he says... "One point I would like to clear up in connection with our distribution of mūrtis. I have had many requests and inquiries about placing the form of Your Divine Grace on the vyāsāsana along with or instead of on the altar for worship. Is this permissible? In some temples the altar is too small and will not accommodate the present size of the..."

Prabhupāda: No. Vyāsāsana is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So either one is all right.

Prabhupāda: No. If there is picture in the middle and vyāsāsana.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I don't think. It is past nine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You don't think they'll come now. No, I also don't think. I mean it's not good etiquette to come at this hour for business. It's nearly nine-thirty, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I mean I don't think that... If you'll permit me to request them, even if they do come now, that we do it on another day, then I would prefer to do that. Oh, I hear Bhagatji. (goes and returns) So they're all here, Śrīla Prabhupāda. So we can go to Māyāpur now. (laughs) So I better... First I'll have to go through all the documents and see that they're in order. Then I'll bring them in here and we'll finish this business.

Prabhupāda: Then let us go.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Can you... If you are able to... (mic moving) Subscribe within our jurisdiction so much land. Otherwise they will sublet(?) it. Why you have purchased agricultural land?

Jayapatākā: We will purchase in the... We'll get a permit from the government to hold more land. And until that time, then we'll purchase in the name of Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We can also purchase in the name of Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Turn me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) ...passing is not a very big amount, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Practically it's hardly anything at all. But because it requires for you to be cleaned, therefore you're a little bit bothered by it. Otherwise, in proportion to what you're drinking, it's not unusual. Rather, it's a little healthy, because if you weren't passing it, then we'd have to make it come by giving douche or something. So the kavirāja explained, though, that gradually he has to work on each thing. I'm hopeful, Śrīla Prabhupāda, even though you say you're hopeless. Of course, it's our duty to follow your lotus feet; so whatever your view is, it's our view. But you have to kindly permit us that in this one instance we can have a disagreeing view that although you are hopeless, we should remain hopeful, although it's always our duty to have the same view as you have. Are you desiring to have some kīrtana, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Or would you like to rest for a while.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I want rest.