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Places of pilgrimage (Conv. and Letters)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Fortunately, if by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and if he gets one good spiritual master, then he learns about devotional service. So He taught him about the science of devotional service. That is the importance of meeting Rūpa Gosvāmī. So here the scenery must be mentioned. It is on the bank of Ganges. There is a nice ghāṭa, just like... You have been to Benares? No. You have been to Hardwar?

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You have seen many ghāṭas, bathing places.

Hayagrīva: Oh yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, there are ghāṭas in Benares, Prayag, and all, I mean to say, Vṛndāvana. That is the specific significance of Indian places of pilgrimage.

Hayagrīva: Yes. They bathe there every day I noticed.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So similarly, there is a ghāṭa which is called Daśāśvamedha Ghāṭa at Prayag. He instructed about the science of devotional service to Rūpa Gosvāmī.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: So in those ages people used to live one hundred thousands of years, and they were very pure, there was no sinful activity. In that stage, meditation was possible. Meditation requires certain principles. You have to select a solitary, sacred place. You have to sit alone. You have to close your eyes half, not full. If you close your eyes full, then you will sleep. And you have to concentrate on the tip of your nose, and you have to sit straight under posture, and then you have to exercise the breathing. If your inhalation is going this side, then you have to breathe this side. There are so many processes. So these things are not possible. Because our mind is so disturbed, we are engaged in so many outside work, it is not possible to concentrate on... You cannot find out a solitary place. The so-called meditation going on in a class. That is not meditation. Meditation cannot be performed in that way. It must be very solitary place, sacred place, and you have to do it alone. You see?
Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Oh, I was born in Calcutta. But after my acceptance of this renounced order of life, I am inhabitant of Vṛndāvana.

Caller: Of where?

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana. V-r-i-n-d-a-v-a-n. Vṛndāvana is a sacred place. It is about 90 miles south of New Delhi, capital of India.

Caller: Yes, yes, I see. One thing I just wanted to clarify, did you... are you are follower of Lord Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1968, Montreal, With First Devotees Going to London On Evening of Their Departure:

Prabhupāda: Virāṭa rūpa, yes. That is also nice, right, that through fire He eats, yes, or through the mouth of the brāhmaṇas and devotees. Two things are there. Therefore, according to the Vedic religion, the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas, devotees, are invited to take food in some ceremonies. In śraddhā ceremony they are especially invited with great honor. In pilgrimage somebody goes to Vrndavana, Prayag, Mathura. They invite the brāhmaṇas and Vaisnavas so that through them Kṛṣṇa is eating. They have come to satisfy Kṛṣṇa in a place of pilgrimage. These are the systems. So for the purpose of eating, so many brāhmaṇas have sprung up. Because brāhmaṇas are invited, so so many so-called brāhmaṇas there. They'll be present when eating, and when there is chanting of Vedas they are not present there. (break) Baby has also tilaka. (chuckles) She is very happy. You see? I never seen such small child not crying. That means she is always happy. She's not crying means... Because baby cries when there is discomfort. And with her face shows that she is very happy. (laughs)

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: First of all, a boy is trained as brahmacārī, spiritual life. Then he is advised not to enter family life. But if he is unable to control his sex life, he is allowed, "All right. You get yourself married." Then he remains in family life. So he marries at the age of 24 or 25. 25 years, let him enjoy sex life. In the meantime, he gets some elderly children. So at the age of 50, the husband and wife goes away from the home and they travel in all places of pilgrimage just to detach them from family affection. In this way, when the man is a little more advanced, he asks his wife that "You go and take care of the family and your sons, grown-up, they'll take care of you. Let me take sannyāsa." So he becomes alone and preaches the knowledge which he has acquired. This is Vedic civilization. Not that a man should remain in family life from birth to death. No. In Buddhism also there is compulsory regulative principle that a Buddhist must become a sannyāsī at least for ten years. Yes. Because the whole idea is how to attain spiritual perfection. So if one remains in his family life, encumbered, he cannot make any spiritual advancement. But if the family also, whole family is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then it is helpful. But that is very rare. Because the husband may be Kṛṣṇa conscious, the wife may not be. But the culture was so nice that everyone remained Kṛṣṇa conscious.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:
Prabhupāda: The, dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca. The father of Duryodhana is asking his secretary, Sañjaya. His secretary's name was Sañjaya. "Sañjaya, my boys..." Māmakaḥ. Māmakaḥ means "my sons," and pāṇḍava, "the sons of my younger brother." His younger brother's name was Pāṇḍu, and therefore his sons are known as Pāṇḍava. So mamaka, pāṇḍava. "My sons and my younger brother's sons, they assembled together for fighting." Yuyutsava. Yuyutsava means "with fighting spirit." And dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1), on the place known as Kurukṣetra, which is a place of pilgrimage, dharma-kṣetra. Kim akurvata: "After assembling there, what did they do?" That was his question. Now, this Kurukṣetra place is still existing in India.
Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: Oh, Hrishikesh. Hrishikesh is also one of the pilgrimage. And there is similarly Kurukṣetra near Delhi. Still that place is there. And that is a place of pilgrimage from the Vedic times. In the Vedas also it is stated, kuru-kṣetre dharmam yajayet. If you want to function in a religious ceremony, just go to Kurukṣetra. So it is a place of pilgrimage. Now the name is there. The adjective dharma-kṣetra, it is from Vedic age. Then the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, they are historical persons. The history is there, Mahābhārata. Then where is the question of interpreting Kurukṣetra as "this body," and the Pāṇḍavas as "the senses"? Where do you get this opportunity to interpret? So these things are going on. But we object, "Why should you interpret in that way when the facts are there?" That means Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Pradyumna: "The seat should neither be too high nor too low."

Prabhupāda: Yes, everything is there. "It should not be too high nor too low." Then?

Pradyumna: "And should be situated in a sacred place."

Prabhupāda: A sacred place. Just like formerly those who were practicing yoga, they were going to Gaṅgotri where the Ganges is coming down, in the Himalaya, in the Haridwar, in a secluded, sacred place. These are the condition, first condition. So where you are getting these conditions fulfilled? You cannot practice yoga in a hotel or in a club. That is not possible.

Student (2): How do you decide whether a place is sacred or not?

Prabhupāda: Sacred place, generally we take as a lonely place, solitary place. If it is not solitary, it is not sacred.

Student (2): Is sacred the same as solitary?

Prabhupāda: Yes, they used to sit down in the Himalaya where the Ganges is coming. That is a sacred place. If you go simply on the Ganges side on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā, you will find immediately purified your mind, immediately. Or on a seaside where there is nobody disturbing. These are sacred places.

Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Then he has to practice meditation for controlling the mind and the senses. First of all āsana place, sacred place, now, āsana, secluded place, alone. That is stated. These are the yogic process.

Student (3): What do you mean by control your mind, I mean, control your senses? If your senses are controlled, can you see anything you wish or hear anything you wish? Or taste anything you wish?

Prabhupāda: Just explain what is control, mind and senses.

Interviews with Macmillan and various English Reporters -- September 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: No, I like.

Reporter (2): Oh, you like it. Do you always go...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, but because I am old man, it is little troublesome for me. Otherwise, I like travelling.

Reporter (2): What, what were you doing, what did you do before this, before 1966?

Prabhupāda: I was retired from my family life. I was living in a holy place called Vṛndāvana. I retired from my family life in 1954. Then, in 1959, I took sannyāsa order. This is called renounced order of life. No family connection .

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 6, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So our, this institution, that is our ambition, that we are giving, trying to give facilities, at least to some intending person, especially retired person, to take advantage of this institution. As far as possible live, for we have got rooms like that. Live there and take little prasādam and fully devote time how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is success of life. So it is authorized by the śāstras, pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Therefore you'll find still. But now the things have changed that every holy places there are so many men retired.
Room Conversation with Biochemist, Dr. Sallaz -- June 4, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: The real purpose of going to holy places is to find out there the holy man and take knowledge from him. That is real going to the holy places of pilgrimage. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says that his members, who have gone to India, they themselves are considered to be holy men.

Dr. Sallaz: And he went not there as tourist or to inquire. He went to speak, to try to speak about the truth, not about..., for questions.

Prabhupāda: So some of you have gone. So what truth you have seen? That is... What is the truth? What you have learned about the truth? (French)

Yogeśvara: That we must continue to look for it.

Prabhupāda: But that is... They have not looked. Or they have not found out.

Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Karandhara: Still, that doesn't make it valid. Hitler, Hitler lived amongst the public too. And he was a...

Prabhupāda: No, I'll give you example that mass of people in Jagannātha Purī, in Vṛndāvana, many thousands, ten thousands, twenty thousands people, every day come, to worship Jagannātha, to worship Kṛṣṇa, but there is a Ramakrishna temple in Belurmath, or somewhere else—nobody goes. So how do you say the mass of people are attracted to Ramakrishna? And similarly, recently, our foreign students went to Vṛndāvana, went to Navadvīpa, by thousands, but nobody goes to Ramakrishna Mission temple. Then other point: Ramakrishna Mission is working in the western world almost one hundred years. Find out their disciples so many we have got. So your statement, "It is meant for the mass of people," it is false. I have given you proof from India and from here also. That means throughout the whole world. In India nobody cares for Ramakrishna. That I have given you proof. You go to Vṛndāvana. There nobody cares for Ramakrishna. You go to Jagannātha Purī, Haridvar, so many holy places. Nobody cares for Ramakrishna. So your idea, that it is for the mass, it is false.

Room Conversation with Russian Orthodox Church Representative -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: So in the Vedic language, one who has taken this body as self, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13), and sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu, and own men, the family, society, community, national, not outside that, sva-dhīḥ, "They are my own men." sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ, and the land of birth worshipable, nationalism, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit, and holy place, to take bath in the water of Jordan or Ganges, such persons are considered as go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, kharaḥ means ass. That means animals. What is your conception of the soul? Do you believe in the soul? (French)

Yogeśvara: He understands English.

Church Representative: I understand. My conception of soul?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: Shraddhananda Giri.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He said that "Swamiji, you are doing the greatest work, that God's name you are distributing." He said like that. And when the record was going on, he was very rapt attention, he was very... So actual yogi means he'll be attracted by bhakti-yoga. And these gymnasticians, what they'll understand about yoga? That is a process to control the mind. Those who are too much bodily concept of life, for them that exercise is required. But that is also not properly done. They must find out a very sacred place and practice yoga alone, not with group. Group is possible in bhakti-yoga, not this haṭha-yoga. That is not possible. The first attempt is condemned. Therefore all the yogis in India, actually those who are practicing yoga, they'll live outside human society. They never live in the city and get students to get them practice. And take thirty-five dollar fee. These are all bogus.

Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 14, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is stated in the śāstra. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā. Because a pure devotee carries Kṛṣṇa within his heart, therefore wherever he goes he makes a holy place. It is said in the śāstra. So not me, but every one of you, if you are pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then wherever you'll go, that is a holy place. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ... To become sannyāsī means that, that he'll be pure devotee, and wherever he will go, he will purify. That is sannyāsa means. Mahad-vicalaṁ nṛnāṁ gṛhināṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahātmās, they'll travel so that the householders, who are cripple-minded and full of sinful activities, they'll go there and make them purified. This is the idea of sannyāsa. And in the Vedic civilization a brahmacārī and a sannyāsī has open door. There is no restriction. No "Beware of dog." (laughter) But now they are prohibited. I have got practical experience. After my sannyāsa, when I was touring India, so in Ahmedabad, or Baroda, I was entering one man's house. So he was standing on the balcony. (laughter)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: When we call them rascals, they become angry. And actually they are rascals. They do not know the problems of life.

Haṁsadūta: So she... Her next question is that in the last few days, approximately five hundred devotees have assembled here from all over the world. She says that she knows that this is the birthplace of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So therefore they have come. She knows that it is a holy place. She wants to know that even before Lord Caitanya's time, was it also considered to be a holy place?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is perpetually holy place, but it is known since the birthday of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Conversation with Indian Guests -- April 12, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Interpretation, first thing is that: why interpretation? If the meaning is straight, just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). And someone is interpreting dharma-kṣetre means this body. Why this interpretation? Eh? The dharma-kṣetra, kuru-kṣetra is still existing, the station is there. People are going as dharmakṣetra. Kurukṣetra (indistinct) ācāret... This is the Vedic instruction that everyone should go to Kurukṣetra and perform ritualistic duties, that is being done and it is written dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1), why interpretation?

Conversation with Governor -- April 20, 1975, Vrndavana:

Governor: Any elaboration of what you refer to as vānaprastha college?

Prabhupāda: No, varṇāśrama. Vānaprastha, just like we have got this building. Now, if somebody retires and engages himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they are welcome. They can take prasādam and stay here. It is not possible at the present moment that gentleman will live in the forest. That is not possible. Then here is a place, Vṛndāvana, holy place. We have constructed this building, and people should take vānaprastha, or retirement, and may come here and live peacefully and cultivate spiritual knowledge.

Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Hari-śauri: Our temples, they are considered to have the same atmosphere?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Hari-śauri: To be just as potent as the holy places in India?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You can create that potency anywhere within this planet.

Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were saying yesterday that the rains, by the rains all good things come, and the rains come because of good yajña. So in this planet everybody is meat-eating, or in this country everybody is performing sinful activities.

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is decreasing. The more you are becoming sinful, the rain will decrease.

Garden Conversation with Dr. Gerson and devotees -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The Vedic civilization, therefore, teaches the student, brahmacārī, how to remain without sex life. Those who are unable to continue that, they are allowed, "All right, be married life." And that is also for twenty-five years. A student remains brahmacārī up to twenty-five years, and if we wants to take this sex license-household life means sex life—so he can get the license for twenty-five years more. So at the age of fifty years, fiftieth year, he gives up voluntarily. He keeps his wife with him just to assist him to advance in spiritual life, and they go from one holy place to another. And then when they are practiced, then the woman is sent to his elderly sons to take care and the man takes sannyāsa. This is Vedic civilization, varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas: the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... And the sannyāsa is especially meant for the brāhmaṇas, not the kṣatriyas or the vaiśyas because they are not very much advanced. But the brāhmaṇa is advanced from the very beginning. Therefore sannyāsa is for the brāhmaṇa. The system that without being a brāhmaṇa nobody can take sannyāsa. So I am criticized by others in India that I am giving sannyāsa to them. Of course, according to the principle, they are not fit for sannyāsa, but because Caitanya Mahāprabhu also took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years... Śaṅkarācārya took sannyāsa at the age of eight years. He lived only for thirty-two years, Caitanya Mahāprabhu lived for forty-eight years. So for ordinary man, sannyāsa is difficult. But for preaching work, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's footprints we are trying to follow.

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian guest: This has been over the... I don't know how it can be corrected, those holy places.

Prabhupāda: So you see, they are living within the sand... (laughter)

Morning Walk -- November 4, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: He goes to some holy place and takes bath. They go to Hardwar. The same Ganges in Calcutta, and the same Ganges in Hardwar, but he will go to Hardwar to take bath so that he may think that "I have come to some holy place." The holy place is Ganges, but Calcutta is not holy place and Hardwar is holy. Yes. Bhauma idya-dhiḥ. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Actually Hardwar or Vṛndāvana, such places are meant to see great saintly persons, to take some knowledge from them. To take some knowledge from them, that is the purport of going to the holy place. But without consulting them, without seeing them, he simply dips into the water and he takes, "My pilgrimage is finished." Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit janeṣv abhijñeṣv. There are many saintly persons, very experienced. They will not go there. So eva go-kharaḥ. These are asses. This conception of life is go-kharaḥ, animal. Go means the cows and asses. This is the explanation of the verse. All religionists think. They go to Mecca, they go to Jerusalem—to the water. They are not eager, searching out that "Where there is some saintly person in this holy place?" No. They have no search out. They do not want to consult. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). And this is further explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja... What is that? Tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "All these things happen when one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious."
Morning Walk -- November 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This body. And in body relationship, "She is my wife, she is my child, she is my countrymen, she is my race." So this is dehātmā-buddhiḥ. Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ... "This is my country." In this way one is thinking, and little more religiosity, he is going to holy place and taking bath in the river but not to the person who knows things. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). There are. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. This class of men are grouped among the cows and asses.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: He would die when he liked. That was the benediction upon him. And Gandhi will say dharma-kṣetra means this body.

Indian man: Balarāma and Subhadrā month, is that on the same, the next month, He came?

Prabhupāda: He came one sūrya-grahaṇa occasion. (break) ...in America. That is better than calling a government. What is the government? I don't care for them, these politicians. In America I never attempted to see the politicians, secretary and... Never attempted. I was sitting down under the tree and playing my dundubhi.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If one is serious to learn, he can learn. There is no difficulty. No, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Now, if he inquires, "The word is dharma-kṣetra. Why it is written kṣetre?" then it is grammar.

Dr. Patel: That is what I say. That is the way I learned.

Prabhupāda: So that, if he likes, he can learn it. Saptamī, adhikaraṇa saptamī, sthāna, kṣetra, kṣetre, dharma-kṣetre. If he simply tries to learn the nominative case, the objective case, or like that, then he'll learn.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No, no. You want to, but practically what you are giving?

Guest (2): What am I giving now?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I mean to say, anyone. Here.... Here is a process. Just like in our temple they have dedicated everything to God, the life.

Guest (2): Well, we likewise went through a temple, a sacred place, and in there we have made covenants to give everything.

Prabhupāda: So love of God means six things. This is the difference between other literature and Vedic literature. Here it is said, "love of God," but in the Vedic literature you will find the process of love,

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
(SB 7.5.23)

Nine different processes. First of all you should hear about the glories of God, śravaṇam. Then you should preach the glories of God. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. You should always remember God, smaraṇam. Pāda-sevanam: you should worship the Lord by worshiping, giving service to His lotus feet.

Press Conference -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Prabhupāda: I was householder. And I retired, and I was living in Vṛndāvana, a holy place in India. My Guru Mahārāja asked me to do this. So I could not begin earlier. So I thought it wise to begin at seventy years. So somehow or other, Kṛṣṇa has given us some opportunity to get cooperation of these young boys, and they're helping me.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: In the Fifth Canto, you've quoted from Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that the most sacred place in the whole universe is Śrī Māyāpur-dhāma.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: In all the universe.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In each universe there is a Vṛndāvana and a Māyāpur. That means in each universe there's a planet earth like this planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are so many planets. Each universe full of planets. Koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam. There are millions of universes, and in each universe there are millions of planets.

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:
Prabhupāda: Our business is to go to you and request you, "Please read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Don't try to interpret it." That is our preaching. Very simple. Because Bhagavad-gītā, the instruction is there, and we haven't got to manufacture anything. So as a peon, we carry only: "You please read it as it is." Or you try to explain as it is. And where is the explanation? Everything is clear. The beginning is,
dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
kim akurvata sañjaya
(BG 1.1)

Sañjaya is asking, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is asking Sañjaya, that "My sons and my brother's sons, both of them assembled together for fighting, then what did they do?" And they assembled in the dharma-kṣetre, Kurukṣetra. That place is still there, Kurukṣetra. You have been in India. And the Kurukṣetra station is there, and people are still going by thousands to Kurukṣetra as a dharma-kṣetra. So where is the difficulty to understand the meaning of these two words, dharma-kṣetre, kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1)? Why you should interpret "Kuru-kṣetre means this, dharma-kṣetre means this"? Why? Mislead others and mislead himself.

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Modern yogic society. "Transcendental Meditation." Whatever nonsense they like, they do. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that yogis should sit down in a secluded, sacred place, and they are seeking after America's big, big cities. Hmm? They find out yogic class in America's big, big cities, hotels. This is their program. The prescription is that one should sit down in a solitary sacred place, alone, and these rascals are holding class. All smokers, drunkard, woman-hunters, (laughs) they are yogis. Hmm? What do you think? Is it all right? This is going on. And they are accepted, "Yogi this," "Yogi that." This is going on. In India they cannot find out because people are not so fool as yet that in big, big cities, in a big, big hotel, "yoga practice." India, although so fallen, they will not accept. They will at once detect, "Here is a rascal." But here, their dhana-māna, their qualification... They have got money. So whatever they accept, that is all right, because they have got money. No other qualification required. They have money; they can pay. That's all.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: There is no fundamental difference. The same. Bhagavad-gītā recommends that you should select a very secluded place in a solitary sacred place, you should make your āsana, sit down perpendicularly, don't close your eyes completely, half open, and concentrate on the tip of the nose. Everything is there. "And then think of Me." But Arjuna said, he said, "Oh, it is not possible." He was a frank gentleman. He was not a hypocrite. He said that "You are recommending all these yoga practice, it is not possible for me. I am a politician, I have to execute so many other businesses. I cannot go to the secluded place and sit down like this. So you are recommending me for yoga practice, but I say I cannot." But at the present moment, they have become more than Arjuna. (laughs) What Arjuna denied, they want to practice. This is another hypocrisy. Arjuna was not an ordinary man. He was so exalted that he could speak with Kṛṣṇa directly, and coming from royal family, and he's famous as great fighter. He refused, "I cannot do that." And we are taking to yoga practice. We have become more than Arjuna. This is going on. He does not think himself that "Arjuna is such a great personality, he thought himself to be incapable to practicing yoga, and we are making a show of yoga, paying somebody large amounts of money"? That's all. This is going on.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: There is nothing doubtful; everything is very plain. But we, by our rascaldom, we make it doubt. By our rascal interpretation. Everyone can understand. Just like dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). The Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra. Still Kurukṣetra is there in India, and it is dharma-kṣetre. People go there for performing religious ritualistic ceremonies. So where is the difficulty to understand? And five thousand years ago the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas, they assembled there for fighting—that is clearly stated, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Who were they? Māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva: "My sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu," Kuru-Pāṇḍava. So where is the difficulty to understand? But by misinterpretation they'll write volumes of books and spoil the whole thing. This is going on. This business should be stopped. Then we will be benefited. Everyone is misinterpreting. Is it not a fact they are misinterpreting? What do you think?

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

Interviewer: Was it difficult for you to give up what you had been doing in order to devote full time.

Prabhupāda: No, it is the Vedic system that at a certain age they should give up family connection and completely devote for God consciousness. In the beginning, twenty-five years, he should learn from guru about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then, if he is able, he does not become a family man, but if he is unable or circumstantially, he may become a family man. So he can remain a family man up to fiftieth year and then he retires from family life. He travels in holy places with his wife, and sometimes he comes home and sometimes he goes home. In this way, when he's practiced to give up family attachment, then the wife goes back home to the care of her elderly children, and the man takes sannyāsa, and he remains alone simply for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Vedic system.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Not at all. What is the difficulty? Suppose

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
kim akurvata sañjaya
(BG 1.1)

So dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre. Kurukṣetra is still there, and it is a dharma-kṣetra. From Vedic order, Kurukṣetra is dharma ācaret. Still, people go there by thousands and by millions as pilgrimage. So where is the difficulty dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1)? Unless you make difficulty. But as the literature is, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1), where is the difficulty to understand it? Kurukṣetra is there and it is dharma-kṣetra. Where is the difficulty? Unless you make it difficult.

Ali: What is the meaning of "as it is."

Prabhupāda: "As it is" means Kurukṣetra is Kurukṣetra, dharma-kṣetra is dharma-kṣetra. That is "as it is."

Ali: Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: We want to become bigger than Kṛṣṇa, than Arjuna. This is our folly. But the process is, as recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). You have to understand from the higher authorities.

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
(BG 4.2)

As soon as you give up this line of understanding, then it is lost. Yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Then you are dealing in not Bhagavad-gītā, something else, something rubbish. Yogo naṣṭaḥ, it is naṣṭaḥ, it is spoiled. As soon as you interpret, it is spoiled. First of all, why you should interpret? If the meaning is clear, there is no chance of interpreting. If the meaning is not clear, then you can interpret. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1) is clear. Why should you interpret? Baliye (Hindi) If dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra is clear, why would you interpret? When things are clear, interpretation means you are playing joke. So our, this movement presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So they are being accepted all over the world, and we are getting good devotees, sincere devotees. All parts of the world.

Room Conversation -- August 16, 1976, Bombay:

Yaśomatīnandana: In other words, first one should understand Bhagavad-gītā. Then gradually the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then ultimately Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Without that, simply taking Caitanya-caritāmṛta...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhagavad-gītā is the entrance. Then Bhāgavata is graduate and Caitanya-caritāmṛta... This is the step by step. But if one is sincere everything becomes revealed. He does not commit mistake.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Some devotees, especially in Vṛndāvana, who will always try to run to Hardwar, Jagannātha Purī, always parikrama of holy places.

Prabhupāda: It is good to go to holy places.

Acyutānanda: They go independently.

Yaśomatīnandana: Unauthorized.

Acyutānanda: They go more to avoid service than to become purified.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But there's no harm if they just...

Prabhupāda: You see you can become independent, nobody can check you. Everyone is independent. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). But one who wants to be regulated, he has to surrender. That is voluntary. Otherwise, everyone is free to do whatever he likes. And those who are surrendered souls, they will wait for the instruction of guru and do accordingly.

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: For feeding. Feeding. Give them sumptuous food so that they may become healthy, nice food. (laughter) Yes. That is also wanted. Children, they must eat sufficiently. Not overeat. Even overeat, that is not wrong for children. And that will be exercise, by going to Yamunā and coming? That will be bodily exercise. This is nice. Do that. Strictly follow. There is no scarcity of space there, yes. Vṛndāvana is holy place. And there is no government interference, so increase it. Bring more student from all over the world. Then it will be unique. And you also make scheme to get Indian children from aristocratic family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Those who are born in high-class, rich family or brāhmaṇa family, they are not ordinary. But there is no brāhmaṇa family now.

Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Literally, yes. The thing is the interpretation is required when you cannot understand. If, if I say, "This is a stick," everyone knows it is a stick. So I say, "Here is a stick." So if you say, "No, I do not accept it is stick." So what is that interpretation? Everyone knows it is stick. Similarly, Kurukṣetra means that the place, still existing. And in the Vedic śāstra it is ordered, kurukṣetre dharma yajayet. You go... From time immemorial it is a place of pilgrimage. Even Kṛṣṇa, during solar eclipse, Kṛṣṇa with His family, He came there, Jagannātha. The ceremony is there, Ratha-yātrā. Because Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadra came in the same chariot. That is being performed. So Kurukṣetra, dharmakṣetra, at least five thousand years ago the system was that people used to come to Kurukṣetra as a place of pilgrimage, dharmakṣetra. And Kurukṣetra, the place is there. And the the two family members, the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, they fought. The Battle of Kurukṣetra took place. These things are evident. Then why there is need of interpreting? That is the first point.

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: One thing is that you have to become intelligent. Just like Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Now why I shall accept interpretation on these plain words? That is my foolishness. If somebody says dharma-kṣetra means this body and Pāṇḍava means the five senses, why this nonsense interpretation? If you are not intelligent, then you will accept such rascals interpreting unnecessarily. Interpretation is required when things are not very clear. But when the things are clear, why you should accept interpretation? That is my foolishness. There is no need of interpretation. (break) ...is it still there? Why, if the rascal interprets Kurukṣetra means this body, why shall I accept it? Kurukṣetra is still there. There is no difficulty to understand. And if somebody interprets... (break) ...interpretation, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that as soon as you interpret, the whole thing is lost. So why shall I be so foolish, I shall accept something which is lost.

Room Conversation -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no. First of all let us settle, that Bhagavad-gītā begins

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
kim akurvata sañjaya
(BG 1.1)

So Mahābhārata is the history and there was Battle of Kurukṣetra. And that Kurukṣetra is mentioned there in the Bhagavad-gītā, and it is dharma-kṣetra since Vedic age. So the word used, dharma-kṣetre and kuru-kṣetre, it is completely understood. Why should you interpret unless you have got a motive. And why a sane man accepts that interpretation? If you have got a different philosophy you can write your own book. Why should you cheat others, taking Bhagavad-gītā and interpreting in your own way? This has spoiled the whole thing. And Kṛṣṇa says that as soon as you deviate from the disciplic succession system then it will be lost. So what is the use of reading something which is already lost? If I want to supply you something food, it must be fresh and palatable. Then you'll enjoy. But if it is rotten, decomposed, and if we supply you that foodstuff, what you will enjoy and what you will get benefit out of it?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is actually a religious conference. All the different groups, they gather in that holy place, and they propagate their philosophy, discussion, like that. India is country of religion. They know how spiritual life more important than this material life. That is India. Now they are diverting their attention to the material; otherwise whole India, they are for spiritual life. They don't care for material ... This material life is brought from Western countries, these railways, these..., so many things, bridges and so on, so on.

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: That's where they're going, Karanak. It somehow is a holy place.

Prabhupāda: Karanak is a holy place. That I know.

Satsvarūpa: But I will arrange with Gaura-Govinda Mahārāja that we should have classes every morning.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise, idle brain, devil's workshop. You should not remain idle. Either chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or read books. Have class. This is not good.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: But Japanese are very intelligent, Bengalis are intelligent, by taking fish and rice. In Bengal ninety percent people, they take fish. Here also, Orissa, cent percent, even the Jagannātha pūjārīs. In Bihar also, fifty percent. The more you go towards Western part of India, you get more wealthy province, just like Uttar Pradesh, very wealthy province, enlightened. All the big cities are there: Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra, Lucknow. Every hundred miles you get a very nice city in UP, the best province in India. All the holy places-Vṛndāvana, Prayāga, Hardwar, Ayodhyā, many celebrated holy places. Ganges and Yamunā flowing, two sacred rivers. Both of them through in Uttar Pradesh. And all the cities are either on the bank of the Yamunā or Ganges. And that is the best province, state, in India. It has got fifty districts. And fifty districts means fifty towns. Little more or less important. But the Kanpur is the third important city in India. First Calcutta, Bombay, and next, Kanpur.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no. First of all come to the practical point. How he'll make it more easily understandable. Dharma-kṣetra is a place. Māyāpur is a place. There is...

Rāmeśvara: That cannot be changed.

Prabhupāda: So everything is like that. Why do you endeavor to make it easier?

Rāmeśvara: I think their point is like this, that sometimes in Back to Godhead...

Prabhupāda: Give me some example that "This is difficult, and if you put it in this way it will be easier."

Room Conversation -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is the duty of ācārya. Otherwise he is not... Not that three dozen ācāryas in Māyāpur. Each one has a temple and a few dozen... Not few dozen—one dozen disciples. Bring some rice and eat. They are ācārya. That day I said that, khāi laya khasi bhaja,(?) then everybody became angry. Collecting some money, taking to the holy place, collecting fifty rupees and keeping twenty rupees and spending thirty rupees. This is... In this way they are making livelihood, ācāryas. They say, "Whatever is in our capacity, we are doing." The capacity means when they are speaking that the cockroach is as good a bird as the Garuḍa. Cockroach is also a bird and Garuḍa is also a bird.

Conversation with Tamala Krsna about Yadubara -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm? What shall I advise? I have no experience about this. You do. But this scientific film should not be done independently.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His reason for coming to India this time was to give you that film and to now make a film about India. He proposes to travel to holy places and festivals to show people engaged in the nine processes of devotional service. "My first immediate trip," he says, "would be to Trichur, Kerala, to show the Puram Festival, where thousands of people join in a procession through the streets. A Deity of Kṛṣṇa is carried on an elephant. At some of these big festivals there may be many non-Vaiṣṇavas. Is it all right to show these people? Or should we only show Vaiṣṇavas in this movie?"

Prabhupāda: No, no. But what will be the benefit of our taking photograph of other procession? There are so many processions like that. So what will be benefit?

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

Prabhupāda: River and temple. That's all. All our holy places are on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā, temple.

Kārttikeya: Except Bombay. Bombay has no river.

Prabhupāda: Bombay is big river, this... (laughter)

Conversation: Bogus Gurus -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha. The weak and the fools, they will be victimized. What can be done? Tīrtha-guru, the pāṇḍā is accepted tīrtha-guru... That... But he takes to Jagannātha temple and other holy places, gives him instruction about the holy places and so on, so on, shelter, food, in this way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. There is such a thing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because I am unknown, so he helps me in every respect. So Vaiṣṇava accepts everyone as guru, śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru, then tīrtha-guru. This is no harm. But what is this rascal, "No, no, you cannot sit down here. You take the flag and pay me hundred rupees?" if you are so rascal, who can save you?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tīrtha-goru.

Prabhupāda: Tīrtha-goru, that is called. That risk is there because in India there are so many places, holy places. If you are not expert, you'll be victimized.

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is luxurious. (break) ...the āṭā dough. So after it is cooked... They have got ghee. That ball soaked in ghee and the ḍāl, it is so nice when taken. That is called baṭī. Very quickly made. And after eating, with that ash the two or three utensils, mean the loṭā and the plate, they'll cleanse it very nice and walk away. And that food is sufficient for twenty-four hours. Within twenty-four hours he will not be hungry and feel very strong. The two things. And you can cook anywhere without any difficulty. In India, especially in village, you can get so many dried cow dung. So fuel is ready. The āṭā is packed up. And ghee in a pot. That's all. How simple life. Simply they'll sit down where there is water, and they'll take water. Then everything is arranged. No hotel. Or even there is no āṭā, they keep their own ghee, homemade, pure. Āṭā can be purchased anywhere in the village. There is no need of carrying āṭā. So this preparation for tourists... Tourists, Indian tourists, means going to some holy place. They have no other sightseeing, no program. All villagers, they are still... The pilgrimage in holy places, now no educated man goes.

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: This tīrtha-sthāna, this is recommended. General public is recommended to go to the tīrtha-sthāna so that he may have some spiritual atmosphere, saintly person. If somebody thinks that tīrtha-sthāna means—just like this Hrishikesh—to take bath in the Ganges and go away, that is also good, but that is not the purpose. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. In every pilgrim, pilgrimage, there is Gaṅgā, there is Yamunā. At least in India we have got so many holy places on the bank of the pious rivers. But if we take simply the advantage of the pious river, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile, but we don't care for the persons who are living there, very experienced, spiritually advanced persons, then we remain animals. "So we have gone to such holy place. I have taken bath in the Ganges and Yamunā. Bas. My business is finished." Then go to the shop, purchase some plate, toys, go back home.

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: You can find out some fault. But Kṛṣṇa says that "Never mind there is some fault. Still, he is sādhu." "Why?" Now bhajate mām ananya-bhāk: "He has taken Me as everything." So sādhu descriptions are there. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇaḥ. A sādhu means ultimately bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. So tīrtha-sthāna, one should try to associate with sādhus. This is the purpose to go to the tīrtha-sthāna. Otherwise, if you simply go to the tīrtha-sthāna and take bath in the Ganges and Yamunā, and if you think, "My business is finished..." Everywhere, all tīrtha-sthāna... In Gayā-actually, begins from Gayā—there is Phalgu River. Then Benares, there is Ganges. Then there is Prayāga. There is also Ganges, Yamunā. Then go to Mathurā, Vṛndāvana. Everywhere there is the sacred river. So if we simply think that going to the holy place and taking bath... In Kali-yuga it is general hobby.
Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Dūre parjakanam(?) tīrtham. If gaṅgā-jala is pure, it is pure here and there also. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tīrtha-yātrā pariśrama, kevala manera bhrama: "It is simply satisfying the mind." Otherwise, wherever there is Ganges, there is Yamunā, that is sacred place. Delhi also, sacred place. There is Gaṅgā. Anyway, so, we should take advantage of the knowledge of sādhu. And that is real progress. So catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ. Four kinds of men, they come to God, Kṛṣṇa. God means Kṛṣṇa, not ordinary... Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

Kṛṣṇa also says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). To approach Kṛṣṇa is not so easy thing. After many, many births... We are rotating... (break) ...superintendent of this egglike aṇḍa, universe. It is all Brahmā's. And there are innumerable planets. That we can see.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gargamuni: And we can put some stone plaque, that "This place is a holy place."

Prabhupāda: I think there is already.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is one. In the room there's a marble plaque with Your Divine Grace's name.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: We will have devotees stay, and it's a regular... It's a holy place.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not a... If you're going to get that building, then you rent it to people, not to devotees. There's no need for devotees to rent it.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Well, the upstairs we can rent to people, and the place where Prabhupāda lived could be a pilgrimage.

Prabhupāda: As soon as you rent, it become botheration.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It means you have to collect the rent.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No, your apartment can be a place of pilgrimage.

Indian man: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Ha. As soon as you rent out, then botheration.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, so many houses, they are lying vacant. Nobody goes there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But what to do with it? Prabhupāda's saying... You're going to have someone just sit there?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: For ten, twenty years we may keep it, and in future we may... It may be a great place of pilgrimage for the whole world.

Prabhupāda: That future hope (laughs) you cannot invest money in, waste. That's not good.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Do something positive. (pause) If you have got preacher, then never mind what is the quarter. Have kīrtana and distribute prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have... We can do that.

Prabhupāda: Then you can do anything.

Morning Conversation -- June 23, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: For children one anna tiffin is sufficient. One anna. (looking at monkeys) You see?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, a whole family of them. This is their feeding place, the garbage can here. They don't come when they see people, though. Around all the holy places I always see a lot of monkeys and cows in India. Is there some reason, special, about... I mean, cows, there's obvious reason, but what about the monkeys? Why are they around the holy places?

Prabhupāda: Because they are fed by the visitors.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is the way.

Kīrtanānanda: And everyone feels when they come in there that it is a very holy place.

Prabhupāda: You are worshiping Rādhā-Vṛndāvanacandra very intelligently, and the place is being developed very nicely.

Kīrtanānanda: We have some nice pictures here of your Palace. Can you... Do you feel like seeing them now, or would you rather wait till some other time?

Prabhupāda: I can see them.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not very many, but you can come and go back.

Jayapatāka: Which holy places you would like to visit, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: India is full of holy places.

Jayapatāka: Kṛṣṇa-līlā, Mahāprabhu-līlā.

Prabhupāda: And gradually you go to Māyāpur. Is someone here?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I...

Bhavānanda: He has heard everything.

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Jayapatāka: By you going to the holy places, you will purify the holy places.

Prabhupāda: There are two things, life or death. So if I die where is the wrong? And if there is death, that is natural.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So how many carts you require?

Pañca-draviḍa: Just one.

Lokanātha: One for now. We also had a meeting, and we were discussing that if we go around just in Vṛndāvana, all will go. But if we keep going from holy place to holy place, then we have to decide whether everyone goes or just a few of us go.

Prabhupāda: So you are hiring for how many days?

Lokanātha: This is only for one day it is hired now, but we could continue to hire the same cart for several more days by paying extra money.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Since a long time I have got a desire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Prabhupāda's had this ambition for a long time.

Lokanātha: Travel in the holy places. So you'll be doing in...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we can discuss.

Jayādvaita: Lord Balarāma, He did that. He went to all the holy places. So in the same way, if you can get a little strength from Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma here in Vṛndāvana, then you can... Lord Balarāma was going to all the different places.

Prabhupāda: I give you idea. Where is Lokanātha?

Lokanātha: Yes, I'm here, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: What is called? Front party.

Page Title:Places of pilgrimage (Conv. and Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:17 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=61, Let=0
No. of Quotes:61