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Prabhupada and Govinda devi dasi (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

Govinda dasi: Earlier you said you wanted it.

Prabhupāda: Huh? So he is recording there?

Govinda dasi: Oh, I thought you wanted a dictaphone? If not, I can...

Devotee: It must be better if you recorded it, something I...

Prabhupāda: Hm? Hm? What is that?

Devotee: I think a tape recorder is better than a dictaphone because I think a tape recording is better.

Prabhupāda: Tape recording is going on?

Devotee: Yes.

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

Janārdana: If they pay, then they will have to get something out of it. They will force themselves to get something out of it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone paid. The Massachusetts Technical College and Eastern University. Eastern University there is...?

Janārdana: I think so.

Prabhupāda: Then Harvard University and Boston University, and one church. They have paid, yes. And one church, Arlington Church, in that church... I think you were present there? Arlington Church?

Govinda dasi: Unitarian?

Prabhupāda: No. You have not been in Boston. Some girls from temple, they were present.

Govinda dasi: Annapūrṇa?

Prabhupāda: Annapūrṇa is always present wherever I go. (laughing)

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

Prabhupāda: That's nice. (break) Your golden cup is very nice.

Guest: Thank you. I'm glad you like it.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...gold plate. What did he cost?

Guest: Twenty-dollars.

Prabhupāda: So I'll offer one day sweet rice to Kṛṣṇa in this pot. I have asked already Govinda dasi to make little sweet rice and offer to Kṛṣṇa. Then the pot will be used. Yes.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation -- March 28, 1969, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Govinda dāsī: I was going to turn it on without you knowing it, but you noticed.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Govinda dāsī: I was going to turn it on so I could tape what you were saying without you noticing, but you noticed.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Oh. Now you can stop.

Conversation Including Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.1-34 Recitation & Explanation -- April 1, 1969, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Govinda dāsī? Where is Govinda dāsī? You take these two fruits, offer, cutting, and distribute prasāda.

Room Conversation -- April 11, 1969, New York:

Prabhupāda: As soon as there was some slacking in Hare Kṛṣṇa the māyā struck. (laughs) Yes. Yes.

Govinda dāsī: Swamiji?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are asking at the last moment. You are very much careful about time.

Govinda dāsī: Oh. I didn't know.

Prabhupāda: No, you ask me.

Govinda dāsī: No, I won't ask.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no, you ask. Yes. Yes.

Govinda dāsī: Could you describe Kṛṣṇa's pastimes as cowboy whenever He goes out in the morning with the cowherds boys?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can... Because... Have you seen how the... You have no experience here in your country. Have you got any experience? But in India we have got experience how in the morning the cowboy takes some food from the mother and with the cows he goes to the field. The cows are let loose on the grazing ground. They are enjoying, and this cowboy is sometimes singing. The flute, Kṛṣṇa's flute is because He is cowboy. The cowboys still play in that flute. In India you'll find. Because the cows are let... They are doing their own work, and what this boy will do? They are playing. There are many cowherds boys, they are playing. Sometimes playing on flutes, sometimes sporting, sometimes eating. So Kṛṣṇa was exactly doing like that. All the cowboy friend went with Him. Kṛṣṇa was, of course, a very rich man's son. His father was very rich. So He used to take with Him very nice foodstuff, lugdoo, kacaurī. And other, His poor friends, they were taking capātīs, dry capātīs. (laughs) So they were enjoying, dividing, "Your food, my food, his food." And sometimes there was some trouble in the forest because Kamsa was after Kṛṣṇa to kill Him. He was sending his assistants. So some asura would come, Bakāsura, Aghāsura, and Kṛṣṇa would kill. And the boys would return and narrate the story to their mother. "Oh, my dear mother! Such and such thing happened and Kṛṣṇa killed it! Very..." (laughter) The mother will, "Oh, yes, our Kṛṣṇa is very wonderful!" (laughter) So Kṛṣṇa was their enjoyment. That's all. The mother is speaking of Kṛṣṇa, the boy is speaking of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore they did not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Whenever there is some trouble, "Oh Kṛṣṇa." When there is fire, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa." That is the beauty of Vṛndāvana. Their mind is absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. Not through philosophy. Not through understanding, but natural love. "Kṛṣṇa is our village boy, our relative, our friend, our lover, our master." Some way or other, Kṛṣṇa. That is the beauty. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing the playing of the boys.

itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtya
dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena
māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa
sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ
(SB 10.12.11)

"Oh, these boys playing with Kṛṣṇa, they have attained this position, oh, after, I mean to say, accumulating many, many births pious activities." Kṛta-puṇya puñjāḥ. Just like a man collects dollar, dollar, dollar, dollar, dollar, and one time he amasses money, say, millions of dollars. Similarly, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing that these boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, they have amassed their pious activities for millions and billions of births. Because with whom they are playing? They're playing, itthaṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtya... Satāṁ. The stalwart philosophers who are after brahma-sukha, brāhmaṇanda. So that brahmaṇanda is here, Kṛṣṇa. And dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para daivatena. And for the devotees, He is the Supreme Lord. And māyāsritanam nara-dārakeṇa. Those who are covered in māyā, for them He is ordinary human boy. And with Him these boys are playing. They have amassed pious activities of many, many millions of births. Otherwise it was not possible. So they do not know Kṛṣṇa is God. They do not know. But their affection for Kṛṣṇa is so great and nice that it is inexplicable. They were playing, Kṛṣṇa is defeated. Oh, Kṛṣṇa has to take the friend on His shoulder. Yes, because He was defeated. So Kṛṣṇa is accepting, "Yes, come on My shoulder." So this Kṛṣṇa-līlā, that also one who tries to understand and understands, they are also like those boys who have amassed pious activities of many, many births. It is not ordinary thing. Yes. And māyāśritānāṁ nara dārakeṇa. Those who are under the clutches of māyā, they will think these Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, "What is this? What is this? Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, they are enjoying about Kṛṣṇa's going to the field with some cows?" Yes. Just like one of our students, that Raṇacora. He asked me, "Swamiji, how is that God has become a cowherd boy?" Yes. Because ordinary people, they are thinking God must be so great, so great, great, that they cannot conceive. And that great personality, how He becomes a cowherd boy playing with cowherd boys? Yes. Brahmā also became astonished, and therefore he came to check "Whether He is my Lord or not?" (laughter) Yes. Bewildered. Muhyanti yatra sūrayaḥ. The Bhāgavata says therefore, even the great personalities like Brahmā, they are also bewildered to understand the personality. He, Brahmā also heard that at Vṛndāvana Kṛṣṇa has appeared and He is acting as a cowherd boy. He was also astonished. "Oh, my Lord? He has become a cowherd boy?" So he came to check. He, I mean to say, took away all the cowherd boys and cows and everything. And after a few seconds he came, he said Kṛṣṇa is playing in the same way. And although the, I mean, stolen cowherd boys and cows they, by the, I mean to say, energy of māyā, by influence of Brahmā, they were kept in a secret cave. They were sleeping. But Kṛṣṇa is playing. That means He has manifested again with the cowherd boys and cows. Then he was convinced, "Yes, He is my Lord." Then Brahma-stava is there. Ānanda cinmaya rasa pratibhāvitābhis tābhirya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). So Kṛṣṇa can expand in many, many thousand times. What Brahmā will do by stealing His... No, that is not possible. So Brahmā was also convinced. These things you'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Brahma-vimohana. Even Brahmā is bewildered, what to speak of ordinary men like us. So Kṛṣṇa-līlā, to understand... There is no need of understanding. Simply you love Kṛṣṇa, then the whole business finished. Just like if you touch fire, if you understand it or not understand it, the warmness is there. Similarly, either you understand Kṛṣṇa or do not understand Kṛṣṇa, it doesn't matter. Simply if you love Kṛṣṇa, then your life is perfect. That's all.

Room Conversation -- April 12, 1969, New York:

Prabhupāda: And what about the guest?

Govinda dāsī: Oh, the guest? It's coming.

Room Conversation -- April 12, 1969, New York:

Devotee: I came into San Francisco looking for a spiritual teacher and I came to prasādam and I never left.

Gargamuni: I think that's what hooked all of us. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Prasāde sarva-duhkhānāṁ hanir asyopajāyate. (pause) Thank you. Govinda dāsī has become very good housewife. Yes.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Yes, the place where now Govinda dāsī is staying, a very nice place, just on the seaside. And the house is two stories, entire house among the fig trees. There is nice arrangement. So you have any correspondence with her?

Jadurāṇī: A little.

Prabhupāda: So what does she say?

Jadurāṇī: She said the flowers weren't out yet, but that was months ago. We have some mail for you. One letter is from her with up-to-date news.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Some devotees are coming. And in Honolulu, two boys, they are also doing. In Hawaii there are two branches now. Yes. One at Honolulu, one at Kauai. Kauai. That island's name is Oahu. Hawaii has five islands' stretch, and this is called Oahu. Oahu island, one side, Honolulu, and one side... This island means hill. And the valley of the hills are utilized for residential purposes. So all sides, Pacific Ocean. And there is ample production of sugar cane and pineapple. I was chewing sugar cane as it is. Yes. And there is so many coconut trees, palm trees, and mango. In mango season they throw away mangos. So I have asked Govinda dāsī that "You make mango pulp and dry it and send it." So they are doing nice, husband and wife, Gaurasundara, yes, trying their best. I do not know whether they are working now.

Himāvatī: Govinda dāsī is working.

Prabhupāda: Working. She can work. She can earn $400 at least.

Haṁsadūta: Typing?

Prabhupāda: Yes. She is good typist.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was preaching Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting by His childhood activities.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What are some of the things that He did when He was a little boy? Some tricks or things?

Prabhupāda: Sometimes He would play with snakes. One day, when He was crawling in the courtyard... Indian house... As, just like here is compound outside. In Indian house there is courtyard inside. So He was crawling in the yard, and a snake came, a snake. And He began to play with the snake. The snake will do like this and crawling, and He would see it, He would strike. In this way the snake was playing and the mother became so much afraid. They cannot touch. If the snake bites... So they simply saw that the child is playing with the snake, and after some time the snake went away. And they took up the child, "Oh, God has saved this child, otherwise He would have been killed. Such a venomous, big snake."

Govinda dāsī: It was a big snake? Very big? And was it Śeṣa?

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. It may be understood that he was Śeṣa, but that was the incident.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So, what was the last thing? About the pot?

Govinda dāsī: "Mother, these pots are very, are pure."

Prabhupāda: He, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, taught that anything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, it is not impure. That was His purpose. "You should not treat these pots as impure. Ordinarily, when such pots are used for household purposes, that may be impure. But because in these pots prasādam were prepared, that is not impure." That was His... (pause)

Govinda dāsī: I don't know what letters you want.

Prabhupāda: There is one letter from... Let me see.

Govinda dāsī: From Karandhara?

Prabhupāda: No. We don't hear anything about, from Śivānanda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Berlin? Kṛṣṇa dāsa?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: One letter is left here?

Govinda dāsī: Ah, yes. I got that. I got that one out. It was from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Keep that.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So it's, it's fifteen.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Govinda dāsī: Stop now? (break)

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe... Can we show him after Lord Caitanya (and) he talk, they both come out and everyone has kīrtana or is this not correct?

Prabhupāda: No, you can do that. Kīrtana, that's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean the Kazi, he can be in the kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Out of jubilation, yes. That's all right.

Govinda dāsī: Did he stop this cow killing thereafter? After talking with Caitanya Mahāprabhu?

Prabhupāda: No. Because that is their religious ceremony. Caitanya simply criticized their process, but he replied that "In Your Vedic there is cow sacrifice." Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "That sacrifice is not killing. That's giving new life." So that much.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. We'll go now.

Prabhupāda: No. You just have ārati? Ārati?

Govinda dāsī: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And that Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. This... Let them hear.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: (more devotees enter) Come on. How is Govinda dāsī?

Devotee (3): She is improving.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Śrutakīrti: ...talking in the car on the way over, the other day you said that Govinda dāsī, she had asked you if in general that we would have to take birth in India before going back home and you said yes. So we were wondering (laughter) how that's possible that we have to take birth in India. Because we see that they're not very strict Vaiṣṇavas there. So what is it...

Prabhupāda: The land is there.

Śrutakīrti: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Land is... Just like this land, Vaiṣṇava is there. This land is not meant for spiritual culture but still the Vaiṣṇavas are there. Similarly, in India, no, there are many Vaiṣṇavas there. The mass of people, they are all Vaiṣṇava.

Paramahaṁsa: So by joining this movement we come to the platform where we can take birth in India in a nice brāhmaṇa family?

Prabhupāda: No, you can go directly also, if you want to finish your business. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41). This is a consideration, who, one who fails in executing. But if you become successful, then you go directly where Kṛṣṇa is there.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Siddha-svarūpa: The Philippinos mostly eat dogs.

Prabhupāda: He said, Govinda dāsī.

Siddha-svarūpa:. Who?

Prabhupāda: Govinda dāsī.

Siddha-svarūpa: I don't think she knows the difference between Hawaiians and Philippinos.

Prabhupāda: Oh, there are Philippines here?

Siddha-svarūpa: Yes, there are many.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Siddha-svarupa -- May 3, 1976, Honolulu:

Guru-kṛpā: Then there is someone who's not doing it properly according to the...

Prabhupāda: There is (indistinct), that should be settled up. Suppose you are not doing properly, I can say, "This is this," do, show you how to do it other way. (break) Where is Govinda dāsī? Where is the Deity information? She is manufacturing some (indistinct).

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: One girl saw me in Los Angeles. No? Hawaii.

Hari-śauri: Candranibha?

Prabhupāda: So she's not getting facility in Hawaii. She can come here with two, three assistants. There is so much place here. So correspond with...

Mādhavānanda: Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Or ask our Govinda dāsī. Write one letter to Govinda dāsī, I'll sign, that "You can come with your assistants. Here is a very good scope for doll making and exhibit. And the place is very nice. You'll like." So many other girls they can also learn. Doll making is very easy. It is not difficult.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: So Govinda dāsī, you are feeling all right? Like this atmosphere?

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: These two pictures show dolls being painted.

Prabhupāda: Why not engage Govinda dāsī?

Rāmeśvara: If she will come, she can be engaged in many ways.

Prabhupāda: She is also very expert.

Rāmeśvara: She doesn't like the weather in Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Doesn't like? Why? What is wrong there? Los Angeles is very nice. I like Los Angeles.

Rāmeśvara: Only the spring and summer. I think it's in her mind.

Prabhupāda: Los Angeles is very nice.

Room Conversation Gaurasundara, Dr. Kapoor -- July 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why not stay here for some time? (pause) Where is Govinda dāsī?

Gaurasundara: She's in Hawaii.

Room Conversation Gaurasundara, Dr. Kapoor -- July 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Govinda dāsī is not willing to live with you?

Gaurasundara: No. I think she's... I have heard that she's married again. But anyway, she has not been in touch with me.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Never mind. These are all material things. It should be more than that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means forgetting material things, coming to Kṛṣṇa. Now forget your past misdeed and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness gradually.

Page Title:Prabhupada and Govinda devi dasi (Conversations)
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:02 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=24, Let=0
No. of Quotes:24