Prabhupāda: For this purpose we request every one of you that you study Bhagavad-gītā very seriously as it is, apply it in your practical life, and teach it to others. That is perfection. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... He says that "You become guru, everyone." (break) You simply repeat. Don't misinterpret. Boliye. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Every one of you become a guru, not a bluffer, but a guru, real guru. "How real guru? What can be done? I have no qualification." Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You simply take the words of Kṛṣṇa and preach." Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). You simply repeat, "Sir, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being, God." What is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no superior authority than Me." You simply say, "Kṛṣṇa is the supreme authority." That's all. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām... You preach, "Come here in the temple. See Kṛṣṇa's Deity and always think of Him." Where is the difficulty? Now, these Europeans and Americans, what I have done to them? I have not given any bribe. I say, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. He is God."
Preaching (Conversations 1977 May - Nov)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So we are preaching that "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa." Our preaching is simple. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme." We say, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme." That's all. We repeat. We don't manufacture. What is the use of manufacturing? I am imperfect. Whatever I manufacture, that is imperfect. So better to repeat the words of the perfect. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He said, "Every one of you become guru and deliver your surrounding persons, either you are in family or in neighborhood or in society or in nation, as much as you can." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So whatever limited circle, you just become guru and deliver them. Deliver means deliver from the ignorance.
Prabhupāda: We are teaching that "You always think of Kṛṣṇa. You become a devotee. You worship Him and offer your obeisances." It doesn't require that you become very learned scholar. Anyone can do. A child can do. That's it. We are teaching. Where is the difficulty? Hm? Is there any difficulty? Why don't you do that? Why you are making so big, big program without any effect? Take the simple thing, program, and preach everywhere. That is being done. We are preaching this philosophy all over the world, and they are accepting. You know that. In Europe, America, Australia, in everywhere, in all parts of the world they are preaching. Even the Africans, they are chanting name. So if I have manufactured some theory and with a limited circle I am satisfied, that is good? Or Kṛṣṇa's program, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's program, it is being accepted all over the world—that is good or this is good? Which one is good? So everyone is manufacturing some concoction, and he's satisfied with few followers. But we have got Kṛṣṇa's program, and it is being followed all over the world.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā. Ah, Vṛndāvana. So we are publishing these books, altogether about eighty-four books, to prove that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. This is our... There is God, and the Supreme Being, Supreme Lord, is Kṛṣṇa. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). This verdict of Vyāsadeva we are preaching. You can speak something about Kṛṣṇa. Hm?
Pradyumna: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Stand up.
Pradyumna: Stand up?
Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll hear.
Devotee (2): Just for few months.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (2): As tourist people.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Three months. Utmost, six months. And we are losing five to six lakhs of rupees per year for this injustice. I have pointed out the government that "In America they give permanent residentship to so many Indians. I am also. I have got that blue card, formal residence in America. So why don't you give them permanent residence? They are my assistants." "No." This is our misfortune. I am preaching Indian culture all over the world, and I am bringing at least ten lakhs of rupees, foreign exchange, for my Indian activities, but there is no help from the government. This is our position.
Indian man (4): So now the government has changed.
Prabhupāda: But the machine is the same.
Prabhupāda: Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. And before that, there is... Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. These are the description of sādhu. Sādhu titikṣavaḥ, very tolerant. For preaching work they have to meet so many obstacles, and still, they go on, titikṣavaḥ. Titikṣā is the qualification of brāhmaṇa. Śamo damas titikṣā. So a sādhu... Titikṣavaḥ. He has to meet so many obstacles. Just see this judgment. We have to meet so many obstacles. But we cannot give up. Despite all obstacles, we have to go on. So titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ, suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. A sādhu is not a friend of a particular community, person or religion, no.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) "I will explain." And "Who cares for you?" (Hindi conversation) Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). (Hindi) Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate. He is a rascal who is thinking, "I am independent," rascal number one. Everyone is thinking, "Ah! I am independent." What is their independence? Hm? (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) (break) (Hindi conversation) We are preaching Bhagavad-gītā as it is. (Hindi) ...compromise and interpretation... (Hindi) (Hindi conversation)
Sita Ram Singh: So all, all over world...
Prabhupāda: All over the world.
Jayapatākā: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, everything is all right. But your health is not all right. But preaching is going on. Very receptive field in Bangladesh.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Jayapatākā: There has been no sādhus there for many years, and the people there are very eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Wherever I went, thousands of people gathered. One time ten thousand people gathered. It was the biggest function held in the history of the town, either Hindu or Muhammadan. The Muhammadans are also very interested. They don't know anything about Lord Caitanya. Many have asked, "Do you have any books about the life of Lord Caitanya?" They like to read. And the person who arranged...
Prabhupāda: So give the book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Jayapatākā: Also Tīrtha Mahārāja has given him a power of attorney from before. He said Tīrtha Mahārāja had tried to sell the temple several times to other people.
Prabhupāda: That I checked.
Jayapatākā: But he had stopped it. So the potential looks very good. Some devotees I sent there for visa extension to come back to India, and they have requested to stay there and preach because it was such, such receptive. Many young men are coming and asking very intelligent questions. They ask questions about Deity worship, about guru, about hari-nāma, very intelligent questions. There's no CIA rumor. There's no any type of bad talk about us there, no envy at all. Very open-minded. And because they are a little bit oppressed, so they're always being challenged about believing in Kṛṣṇa, so that's why they're eager to understand.
Prabhupāda: What about the Muhammadans?
Jayapatākā: The Muhammadans... At one place the Muhammadan who heard my lecture in Dacca, he came and approached me and said that "What you are preaching," he said, "this is very applicable for the modern day and..." He lives in Mymensingh. He said "In Mymensingh there is really a majority of Hindu, and they have their sādhu-saṅga and priests there, but it's very, very old-fashioned, and we find it very unacceptable, but what you are saying we find very enthusing." So he arranged the program for me at Mymensingh, the Muhammadan. And every Muhammadan I met, discussed with, ultimately they became interested, just because it was represented in a way acceptable to them. They say, "You are Hindu?" I say, "No, we are Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means we believe in only one Supreme God, and He has got no equal and no second." "So you...? We believe in the same."
Prabhupāda: There is a... Asamaurdhva. There cannot be anyone equal to God or greater than God. Then He is God.
Prabhupāda: And Deity worship.
Jayapatākā: Yes, and Deity worship everywhere. They are very much eager. Actually if we don't preach there now, in a few years, gradually, time, time, Kṛṣṇa consciousness will fade there because of the Muhammadans' presence. But once they see us, never they'll switch. Never they'll lose their faith, just to see how foreigners have taken. That I have seen.
Prabhupāda: This is our thesis.
Jayapatākā: And educated young people, they're very... They're very susceptible to being devotees. When we traveled in one city, two people joined with us and traveled with us and said they'll be shaved and everything. Very easily they give up. Even when I returned in Māyāpura about five or six new young men had joined. In the twenty days I was gone Bhavānanda Mahārāja had enlisted about five or six men and about fifteen gurukula students and two families. And they were all very enthusiastic. They want to go and preach also. Things are improving.
Prabhupāda: So building work is finished?
Jayapatākā: They're just finishing the top waterproofing, jalja(?). They're building that now. That'll be finished in fifteen days.
Prabhupāda: Others things are going on.
Bhavānanda: We're getting lots of lemons.
Prabhupāda: Hm. What you are doing with them?
Bhavānanda: Nimbu pāni, and all the devotees get piece of lemon with their main meal. We have now... Everyone has gathered. All of the preaching parties have come back, and we've... They're all dispersing again on Friday. So when everyone is there, we have close to 275 residents.
Prabhupāda: Everyone is satisfied.
Bhavānanda: Everyone is satisfied.
Prabhupāda: Anyone.
Prabhupāda: Ātreya Ṛṣi can go for some time, Bangladesh. They... He went there. Both Hindus and Muslims, they have regard to our society. And explain.
Jayapatākā: I went to Bangladesh, and even the Muhammadans, hearing the philosophy we were preaching, they thought it was so appropriate for the time that they've sponsored a program. First they approached some of the Hindus to sponsor a program, the Muhammadans, saying that it is much more in line with their own preaching and what they felt was more needed for the world. And generally over there the young people, both Hindus and even some Muhammadans, they are very receptive to our philosophy as presented by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that sometime you can visit there.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya. In Tehran the royalty, the court, is very interested in your teachings and philosophy. There is a prince and princess, very high and very rich, and they are regularly hearing, and they are now recently visiting our Bombay temple. They have come to Bombay, and they are really seeking for a teacher. And there is many intelligent people who are very interested. We are actively preaching and giving them Śrīla Prabhupāda's books.
Prabhupāda: It is plain fact. God is one. Why God should be Muhammadan, Christian, Hindu? That is not God. God is God. Gold is gold. This example I give always. Because a piece of gold is coming from some Muhammadan gentleman, does it mean it is Muhammadan gold? It is gold. It may come from any source, but one must know that it is gold, not imitation. That is wanted. If it is imitation, then it is Muhammadan gold, Hindu gold. And if it is real gold, it is neither Muhammadan nor Hindu.
Prabhupāda: You haven't got to think over, "What shall I do now?" Never forget. So our first business is preaching. You should always remember. This is the education. These rascals, they have no father-mother-orphans. They may think as well-educated how to earn money. We have no... We are rich man's son. Economic problem is already solved. That is already taken. Tal labhyate yad anyataḥ sukham. We don't care for all this so-called improvement. That is already settled up. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Just see how to become a man of character like Nārada, Vyāsa. That is our goal. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Not for any other.
Jayapatākā: The local committee, they want to give. They're coming June 4th to see him. I said, "There's no use to see him."
Prabhupāda: No.
Jayapatākā: They said, "But we feel, etiquette, we should give him the chance. We'll tell him that 'You've not done anything forty years. You're not going to do anything. Why don't give it to Śrīla Prabhupāda of ISKCON? Let them develop,' 'cause we need the preaching. And if he denies, then we'll come back to Dacca, pass resolution and give it to ISKCON."
Prabhupāda: That's all. That is... That will be glorious. They are very mean-minded. All mean-minded class, they are assembled together. That's all.
Prabhupāda: That "Some way or other, we're keeping some position." And if Samvit kicked him out, then where is his position? That is another problem. This Rādhā-Govinda Mahārāja, what he can do if he's driven away? In this age he cannot have his own institution. And in this age where he'll go? They are... "These politicians, these old men, they cannot do now. So give them some false position, that 'You are president, ācārya.' They will not rebel at least." And as soon as they do something against them, "We shall drive away: 'No, you cannot be president. Another president.' " That's all. They had no love for him, neither he has any love for them. It is simply official. This Samvit dāsa one, Samvit, also not very intelligent. Tīrtha Mahārāja's son, he wants to keep the property in his name and utilize it for his personal... That way... Preaching and preaching and..., they don't care for. And you said that there is some, still some strength amongst themselves.
Prabhupāda: The meaning, that "I am taking this sannyāsa for the purpose of crossing over the ocean of nescience." Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām. Parātma-niṣṭha, Bhagavān, Paramātmā. Simply to serve Kṛṣṇa... So here are three daṇḍas. One daṇḍa, person. There are four daṇḍas. He is person, "I am." And the other three daṇḍa—my mind... Kāya manaḥ vākya: my mind, my body and my words. "So I dedicate my mind, my body and my activities, parātma-niṣṭha, only for the service of the Supreme. So being situated in that position, following..." Pūrvatamair maharṣibhiḥ. It is not that I have introduced something new. All big, big ācāryas, they took sannyāsa for this preaching work-Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Śaṅkarācārya even. And that is pūrvatamair maharṣibhiḥ. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow maharṣibhiḥ. So "All ācāryas of India, they have taken sannyāsa, so I am also taking sannyāsa. The business is parātma-niṣṭha." So what will be the benefit? Ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāram: "This ocean of nescience is duranta-pāram. It is very, very difficult to cross over. But I'll cross over." How? Tamaḥ. This is darkness, tamaḥ. Mukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva: "Simply by serving the lotus feet of Mukunda." Mukunda means "one who can give liberation, mukti." Mukunda. So chant again this.
Prabhupāda: Simply the drunken negroes, call them, "Take prasādam and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can put Bhaktijana there 'cause he's always very fond of preaching. You know, Bhaktijana. He's always wanted to go to Harlem. So...
Prabhupāda: Yes, then we can deliver them. They are, after all, simple. These negroes, they are, after all, simple. We have to claim them. You have got now experience in Detroit. They are very good-behaving negroes. They come to our temple. Nobody could drive there. Therefore we could acquire that house so cheap.
Prabhupāda: Make just this garland... (break) ...keep hair. Look very beautiful by keeping hair. What is that explanation?
Bhagavat: I was advised that because I was going to the European countries for preaching for some time, that...
Prabhupāda: But they, they, they...
Bhagavat: ...it would be required to keep these hairs.
Prabhupāda: ...owned victory with the court by keeping shaven hair.
Prabhupāda: You have brain. You are not afraid of anything...
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya.
Prabhupāda: ...that we are preaching something which not is acceptable by scientists or philosophers. He must have to accept.
Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhakti-prema Mahārāja is not here now. He's gone out.
Yaśodānandana: There was a discussion today that in some time, after this preaching to the scientists starts, if we get exposed, it will be a very, very big world news item, especially with jagat theory of the universe, to explain how all the planets are exactly together, how life comes from life. It will be a very shocking news to the whole scientific world. They have so many misconceptions which are simply due to ignorance.
Prabhupāda: They are simply making false propaganda to keep their prestige. Useless. Now here is a scientist. He'll confirm it. What do you think?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Er... I think it's going to be very interesting. We are prepared for it, and it will be a great challenging, challenging field, if all the scientists and all over...
Prabhupāda: We have got some background. They have no background.
Prabhupāda: No, I request you all that you keep this building always busy with some conference, with some meeting, with some... It shouldn't remain vacant. And for expenditure, I shall arrange. There is no want.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: And we'll try to attract more Ph.D.s.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: As soon as we go out and preach, I think we can get...
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) You are all qualified. I can give you ideas. Now I am doing. So I wanted to see that you are all busy. That I want because now I am becoming invalid. I cannot move very swiftly here and there. But if you move, I take pleasure. There is a Bengali proverb, na pajimane na jamai datta(?). A old lady, so she has lost her husband. She cannot joke. Husband, wife, they exchange some joking word. So with whom she will joke? Then the grandson-in-law, grandson... So in our society, Bengal, the grandson-in-law... I have got experience also. When I was newly married grandson-in-law, so my grandmother-in-law was joking with me like anything, more than husband. (laughter) And granddaughter-in-law. So we sit down and she talks very openly everything.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Hrishikesh, when he saw how strongly you were preaching, especially to his, you know, his student teachers, he sent a message that "As you are not feeling well, you should take complete rest." He was a little worried. Prabhupāda was preaching so strongly in Hrishikesh, and he was there also.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, Maharishi?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: Hm. He wanted to invite me. I refused, "I cannot..."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then he sent a message that "You should take complete rest and not do any preaching."
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Recently I saw a book in Boston. It was from England, that book. The title was called The Origin of Johnny. Johnny's the name of a little boy.
Prabhupāda: Johnny Walker.
Girirāja: Is there many of them?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And I also started telling him little bit about what the significance of this conference will be. (describes own preaching activities and plans for scientific conference for some time) And I requested him to participate in this program and... It will be very meaningful as a normal...
Prabhupāda: So you are listing all the men who will participate?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. I'm going to have all the... I'm leaving tomorrow in the morning, and I'm leaving for Bombay. From there I'm leaving to the States on Friday morning.
Prabhupāda: I want to give you the best place in Bombay.
Prabhupāda: So much land is lying vacant because there is no worker, and all the rascals have gone to New Delhi or big cities. And overpopulation? "Give them sterilization." Here there is no men to work and they're sterilization... How the leaders... And who is leader? Another debauch number one, Gandhi, Mrs.... And she has produced a Sanjay Gandhi. Very precarious si... So there will be no scarcity of simple living and eating. We shall give nice food, milk, and place. So bring student and teach them. Then gradually increase. They will preach throughout the whole world. The defect of the society, modern—the rascals are worshiped. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has given all in his moral instructions. He said, mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante: "Where rascals are not worshiped..." But at the present moment rascals are worshiped. And he says. He was experienced politician. He said, mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam. "In the society where rascals are not worshiped and food grains are properly stocked..." Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam... Another... Dampatyo kalaho nāsti: "And where there is no quarrel between husband and wife," tatra śrīḥ svayam āgatāḥ, "all fortune will come there automatically." Svayam āgatāḥ. You haven't got to pray, "Mother Lakṣmī, please come to my house." She'll come. Three things wanted. You should not give unnecessarily honor to rascals, and you should keep your food grains very nicely, and don't quarrel, husband and wife. Then you become fortunate. Just see. Check how these instructions are there.
Prabhupāda: So much land is lying vacant because there is no worker, and all the rascals have gone to New Delhi or big cities. And overpopulation? "Give them sterilization." Here there is no men to work and they're sterilization... How the leaders... And who is leader? Another debauch number one, Gandhi, Mrs.... And she has produced a Sanjay Gandhi. Very precarious si... So there will be no scarcity of simple living and eating. We shall give nice food, milk, and place. So bring student and teach them. Then gradually increase. They will preach throughout the whole world. The defect of the society, modern—the rascals are worshiped. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has given all in his moral instructions. He said, mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante: "Where rascals are not worshiped..." But at the present moment rascals are worshiped. And he says. He was experienced politician. He said, mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam. "In the society where rascals are not worshiped and food grains are properly stocked..." Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam... Another... Dampatyo kalaho nāsti: "And where there is no quarrel between husband and wife," tatra śrīḥ svayam āgatāḥ, "all fortune will come there automatically." Svayam āgatāḥ. You haven't got to pray, "Mother Lakṣmī, please come to my house." She'll come. Three things wanted. You should not give unnecessarily honor to rascals, and you should keep your food grains very nicely, and don't quarrel, husband and wife. Then you become fortunate. Just see. Check how these instructions are there.
Prabhupāda: How humble he is!
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Spiritual life means to please the Gurudeva..."
Prabhupāda: He was a principal somewhere?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This boy was the top of his class in Yale University. He's the president of the class, top man in the entire graduating class. (continues reading letter describing preaching activities and book distribution in Communist Yugoslavia) Sometimes my life is being threatened or sought after by the authorities. Still..."
Prabhupāda: It is very dangerous work.
Prabhupāda: The sales report, book report.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Book sales report?
Prabhupāda: Hm. (background conversation about Ghanaśyāma and preaching in Communist countries)
Surendra Kumar: Actually, what you are doing nobody else has been doing in the past.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Surendra Kumar: Everybody is aware of our great heritage except ourselves. That is the most unfortunate thing.
Prabhupāda: The sales report, what is?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is sales report we just received. It's as of March 6, 1977. It reports the book sales in each language up to date. (reads book distribution figures)
Surendra Kumar: Can I have a copy of this?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.
Surendra Kumar: Your Divine Grace, when I will write the personal letter to...
Prabhupāda: Give him whatever he wants.
Prabhupāda: Hot water? There is... (pause) (break) ...advertised here. Why thousands of Americans come here, did not inquire about Vivekananda? They never inquire. Do they? Eh?
Devotee (1): No.
Prabhupāda: Then what kind of preaching he has done? Nobody knows him. This common sense they haven't got. And here it is advertised, "Vivekananda has converted whole America into Vedantist." (laughs) And they take money for that. (pause) Pradyumna may see me ten minutes a day. That will be simplified. He comes after week.
Prabhupāda: That means they are rascals. They are going all wrong.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mahātmā Gandhi.
Prabhupāda: No. Nothing. Simply false life, that's all.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And these are the people that we are preaching to.
Prabhupāda: That is our duty.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You preach to us.
Prabhupāda: In the distinction between two civilizations, they, they want to increase the bad qualification; we want to decrease them.
Śatadhanya: And yet they say we are bad.
Prabhupāda: They'll say. That is natural.
Bhakti-caitanya: He can help us. He can help us.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bhakti-caitanya: If he will come and help us, that will be a very... But if I will be in Delhi, I can preach. I can go with them for preaching. We have to set a...
Prabhupāda: It is not that he is prohibited to enter Delhi. It is not...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, as an organizer, he takes pleasure in, you know, developing a center, so he's worked on that center. Now...
Prabhupāda: Center is already there. There are... Not that center is no center. So that center may be taken up. We have got already a place. Now take.
Prabhupāda: Centers were meant for that purpose, for giving knowledge, not for show, a church, a show. What is knowledge?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now we have our centers established.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we can concentrate on...
Prabhupāda: Giving knowledge.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...vigorous preaching.
Prabhupāda: So I am not in favor of sending... They are not receptive at the present time. Here in Europe, although they are Communist, they are now hankering after some knowledge. These rascals are very uncivilized.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Chinese.
Prabhupāda: China, Japan. They are not taken as civilized.
Mr. Myer: We need in this country very much, in every city, in every town. For twenty years I was searching for something like this, and I think something exactly what I have dreamt of. And I think there are some very few problems that might come up, because most of the people are sannyāsīs. They are doing lot of preaching work. They aren't necessarily bothered with lot of administrative work. And if their administrative work is done by some other people, then they can concentrate more on preaching, which is very necessary.
Prabhupāda: Yes, sannyāsī, brahmacārī, means preaching. They are not meant for material management. They have dedicated their life for spiritual-although this material service is also spiritual—but they are doing on such a strength. You cannot expect a very expertly management and... But they act. Simply ask them to do the needful.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Simply some allowing our men to be there like that. Simply allowing our men to remain in the country...
Prabhupāda: That is our request for them.
Bhakti-caitanya: That is why if people appreciate us, then automatically...
Prabhupāda: They are appreciating all over the world.
Bhakti-caitanya: Yeah. No, in India now, when people are appreciating, you are preaching, and when it will catch little fast, then automatically they have to accept it. Sometimes accept the voice of the peoples.
Prabhupāda: That they are already presenting. We want this help. Let us see how the judgment... It is a test. And if there is no sympathy, then who would approve? Because we have to mix with these politicians very carefully. They can do more harm than good.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, anything. It doesn't matter what it is. For example... I was reading a report about them. So just like we have our saṅkīrtana parties and each, like five or six men in a van go out, they also have vans like that. But each van they have one Korean woman with each van. They say she keeps the accounts. That was the explanation. But it's obvious that she's a prostitute. It's very clear. So they do anything. They have no scruples or principles. So at any rate, the thing I feel about this is that we take pride in saying that we are on the streets now and we'll always be on the streets because our business is selling books. We're not going to depend on some big business and then stop our preaching. They are not preaching. This proves that what they do on the street is not preaching. They're simply collecting money.
Prabhupāda: They have nothing to preach. What they have got to preach?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "We have a model of saṁsāra on display in our shop window, and all day long we are getting dozens of curious passersby from the street who inquire submissively and listen attentively to the philosophy. I remember Your Divine Grace telling me emphatically..."
Prabhupāda: Try to sell them Bhagavad-gītā, which explains.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I remember in Bombay in 1974 that this would make our preaching successful all over the world."
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am practically..."
Prabhupāda: Without reading books they'll understand the philosophy. That is the advantage. Mass of people, without education, they will understand the philosophy.
Bhāgavatāśraya: Hm. Everyone compliments his cooking. Everyone.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "We have a great debt to repay you and we are perplexed how to repay. At least Your Divine Grace may stay as long as we try to repay till the debt we owe to you. I think if we work hard and preach and the world recognizes this movement, then you may want to stay here longer."
Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "I am constantly filling this into the minds of the members of the Library Party. We are now emphasizing your books as a library of Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge, and I am herewith enclosing reviews from the biggest Marathi, Gujarati, and Sindhi scholars."
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is very nice. He has done quite efficiently.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa men. They want Bengal completely godless.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's interesting to see how the Chief Minister Basu, he concentrates on only one point—"They have entered India illegally, which means now they must be asked to leave." That's the only thing he's pointed on, this one point. It's like it indicates his whole motive: "Get them out somehow." Oh, it's a very clever plan. They knew we would defend, and then on the pretext that we're taking the offense, arresting. And they knew already that we were entering with these passports changed. They already knew. Very clever plan. The thing is that this is very, very much harmful to our preaching work for the time being in Bengal.
Prabhupāda: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think any village will receive us nicely now. They'll think that we're...
Prabhupāda: No. It will be in our favor.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In the long run.
Prabhupāda: No. Very easily.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very what, Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Very soon.
Upendra: I'm saying the emphasis of marriage responsibility, I don't know if it's preached that strongly. Generally it's preached that one should not...
Prabhupāda: No, if he marries, why he should not take responsibility of maintaining? Why he should marry if he has no power of maintaining?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does that mean, "power of maintaining," Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: He must maintain his wife, children nicely. Otherwise why he should marry?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He shouldn't expect the temple to maintain him.
Prabhupāda: That is not possible.
Prabhupāda: They gave to the Vallabhācārya. But somehow they are maintaining the status quo.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Still very opulent. They do very elaborate. That Pushti Marg group, they do very elaborate Deity worship.
Prabhupāda: Very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of course, they don't preach very vigorously, but at least their Deity worship...
Prabhupāda: That is also preaching. Arcanam. One of the... If they maintain the Deity worship gorgeously, that is also preaching.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So the guiding principle should be that under no circumstance should anyone become lost.
Prabhupāda: Then what is the preaching? Alexander the Great? He was conquering, and as soon he went to conquer another place, the last place lost.
Prabhupāda: Hm. In my maternal uncle's house I was called Nandadulal. Nandu.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nandadulal. It's always very nice for the devotees that we celebrate your appearance day just following Janmāṣṭamī. Guru and Kṛṣṇa, both together. Actually, when this book is written properly, I know for a fact that it will actually attract people to join this movement, because I read once a biography of a very bogus person, but I was so much... People become so much impelled or attracted when they hear of a great personality and his activities. It makes them want to link up with such a person. So this book will have preaching effect, no doubt, and it will be filled with philosophy also.
Prabhupāda: How people were happy in those days. A small income, they were satisfied. Nowadays they simply want money. Nobody was unhappy even if he had very small income. He would adjust, and develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These things we have seen. I have seen that even the maidservant, what to speak of gentlemen. Where those days gone? And nobody was hungry. What is this nonsense civilization? Simply want of money and unsatisfied in every step. Especially in the Western countries they're becoming hippie. Why? The training is different.
Prabhupāda: High place. There is no need of big see.(?) Deity is small Kṛṣṇa or big Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. When Kṛṣṇa was child on the lap of His mother, the same Kṛṣṇa killed Pūtanā. And when He was killing other demons in His young age, the same. Avyaya. He does not change. Acyuta. These are the names of Kṛṣṇa, you'll... So it does not make any difference. So you have got small Deity. Very nicely... So you can bathe them nicely, decorate them nicely, give Them... And big Deity will be difficult to handle. Better keep this Deity and increase the devotional. That will be... More time devoted for taking class, for cleansing the... About Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam consider. That is main business.
- arcāyām eva haraye
- pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate
- na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu
- sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ
If you simply worship the Deity in gorgeous way and do not preach, see to the interest of devotees and other common men, then you'll remain in the prākṛta state, material stage. You should go further, see the interest of ordinary people, how they are understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tad-bhakteṣu. To give worship to the guru and honor them. Simply to worship Deity is material platform. Gṛhasthas, we want, this preaching. And not like ordinary.
Prabhupāda: But looks good, that's good. (laughter)
Abhirāma: I know I would like to have one in my house.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is good.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Playing the karatālas, preaching.
Prabhupāda: Nobody's going to see what is within. He looks good, that's good. Just like they are making statue very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Los Angeles, Bharadvāja.
Prabhupāda: So do nicely, quickly, and spend money. That's all. (laughter) I want to see things are done very nice. Never mind money is spent.
Prabhupāda: Ah!
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah. He's exposed now. "...whereas these men have actually qualified themselves in bona fide institutions of learning by submitting their theses for Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Kovoor boasts that for over twenty years he has challenged holy men to show him God or the soul, and no one has ever dared to take up his challenge. But now someone has come forward to challenge him. I have rented the Ramakrishna Mission Hall on the 20th of August, Saturday, 6:30 PM, and invite him to accept my challenge on the stage before the public to produce life from chance biochemical combination. All are invited to attend. Admission free. Bring some chemicals if possible." He rented a hall. He's put out a challenge in the newspaper. Now we'll hear what the public is saying. I think he gave a good reply.
Prabhupāda: Very good. This is preaching.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "On the 28th and 29th of July we held Hare Kṛṣṇa festivals at one prominent hall and spoke on the origin of life and matter. The second evening this Dr. Kovoor showed up with seven or eight of his followers, all doctors and scientists of some sort. By your mercy and the mercy of the Lord-teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10)—the lecture which somehow emanated from my mouth was so brilliant that the audience, about one thousand people who were all aware of Dr. Kovoor's presence and sensed the intention of challenge in the air, unanimously applauded as we spoke the last sentence." They unanimously applauded. "I then asked for questions, but the Dr. Kovoor and his friends did not make a peep, while everyone waited in dead silence. It was clear that he was defeated, hands down. After I came off the stage, he was still sitting in the audience. I went to him and gave him my garland so he might not feel bad." So anyway, that's what happened there. He says, "Now we have exhausted all possibilities of extending our visas here. We were not able to meet the Prime Minister again, so he is very busy rewriting the constitution of this country. So I thought the most inexpensive move is to come to India, and then I could also see you and perhaps be visiting secretary for some time, then return again. Or I could go to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, etc., in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and try to preach there, touring different cities to see the prospects."
Prabhupāda: That is very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nice?
Prabhupāda: Anyway, all blessings of Kṛṣṇa upon them. They are doing very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "Bali-mardana was there years ago, and he seemed to be doing well. It is just that with all these countries, visa is a great problem. They demand always so much foreign exchange. Please let me know what I should do. I have also six other men who have to leave. If I go to the Far East, I could not take them all, just one or two. If possible, telegram as mail is slow. I have three weeks as of today. By 30th August I have to go. Please reply this letter immediately." So we'll tell him to go to the... "Yes, I need my own field, perhaps due to my obstinacy, as Your Divine Grace pointed out. I cannot seem to blend in someone else's field. I am really engaged here and very happy by your grace. You will be pleased to know that we have made another devotee. Shree Lanka is definitely a first-class field for preaching..."
Prabhupāda: So maintain the branch by local devotee.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "Shree Lanka is definitely a first-class field for preaching, and we are being accepted by Sindhis, Gujaratis, Tamils, and Singhalese, Christians and Buddhists alike. All kinds of people are becoming attracted to the movement. It is very encouraging. Only the government policies are a nuisance. We now have twenty-five life members." Why can't he just go out and get a visa and go back in there? Just like we go out and come right back, why can't he come to..., get a visa and then go right back in?
Gargamuni: He can do it in two days.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If he can do that, is that best?
Prabhupāda: That would be very nice. Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: English. One British physician has proposed that now all old people should be killed to make room for enough young people.
Balavanta: He says they are useless in society. Actually they haven't taken sannyāsa, they're not preaching, so these old people are simply useless.
Prabhupāda: Actually they are useless. (laughter) So our challenge to this science society is all right? Hm? What do you think?
Satsvarūpa: Challenge them to produce even a small living being? What can he do? He can only say, "In the future."
Prabhupāda: That is useless. Then kill them. No future. Immediately. Why future?
Haṁsadūta: Yes. It's an amazing coincidence. This woman prime minister of Śrī Lanka, she follows everything Indira does. When Indira Gandhi held elections, she also held elections. She lost; she lost. She's coming back; she's coming back. They're very friendly, two ladies running these two countries. Sometimes when preaching I tell the public, "What kind of country is this? The land of the rājarṣis and some lady is running the government."
Prabhupāda: Hm, don't touch politics.
Haṁsadūta: Oh, all right. We should stay clear of the government. They are too dangerous.
Prabhupāda: Cultural... We, our culture and philosophy. To be arrested is not new thing for politicians.
Haṁsadūta: She also said in that speech that in India it's not a shame to be arrested. In India this is not considered something bad. It's acceptable. And it's a fact.
Prabhupāda: Everywhere.
Haṁsadūta: No. It's a house. Quite a large house. Large area.
Prabhupāda: What foot is area?
Haṁsadūta: It's forty feet wide by maybe three hundred feet long. It's ten minutes from the center of the city. That particular piece of land is worth about two lakhs. There's another man, very rich man. He saw the Bombay project, and he promised to give us a piece of land right on the beach for which he already had zoning permission to build a hotel. It's also a very nice area. But the most important thing is we're trying to get some books published in Tamil and Singhalese languages. And we do a lot of preaching. Is there something special you want me to do there, Prabhupāda? Do you have some...
Prabhupāda: No. There is every chance of making it successful, and the... As Kīrtanānanda has developed New Vrindaban, similarly you can do.
Haṁsadūta: Something along that line?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: I was just visiting in Tehran with Ātreya Ṛṣi and Parivrājakācārya Swami. They are successfully preaching to the most important people in that country.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Rāmeśvara: Actually, just yesterday Parivrājakācārya met the king.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Shah.
Rāmeśvara: The Shah. Very briefly. And he is allowing Parivrājakācārya to visit the court. Practically every day they send a car to pick him up, chauffeured car. And he goes every day to the palace and he preaches to different members of the royal family.
Prabhupāda: He tries to understand the philosophy.
Rāmeśvara: Not yet the Shah. He is simply smiling that he's... He's happy that he's coming. But the other members of the family, some princes and princesses, they are taking it very seriously. They are eager to help us.
Prabhupāda: That's good news.
Prabhupāda: How many things we have to do for preaching, for teaching. And live hundreds of years. That is jijīviṣo śataṁ yaḥ?
Yaśodā-nandana: Jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ.
Prabhupāda: We are receiving very good report from Iran.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The royal family is taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I think even your Guru Mahārāja would have been surprised to hear that.
Prabhupāda: Everyone, if one is actually gentleman. So we have this Gurukula, good chance for teaching future preacher. Here is Yaśodā-nandana Mahārāja and others. You can do. Prepare, send. Prepare and send.
Prabhupāda: Two things. Viṣaya chāṛiyā. Material motive should be given up, and everything should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's..., whatever favorable. Then it will... (break) ... Ṛṣi is doing nice. Who is that Mahārāja?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Parivrājakācārya Swami.
Prabhupāda: Very nice. Good combination.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's been there now, Parivrājakācārya Swami, he's been there now for, I think, two or three years now. He's worked pretty faithfully there. He tricks them. In the guise of teaching a little haṭha-yoga, then he teaches bhakti.
Prabhupāda: That is preaching.
Brahmānanda: You also tricked us, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when you came to New York. You were just chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and speaking on Bhagavad-gītā, and we came and we listened, and then you took everything. You took our lives, took all of our money... (devotees chuckle) We left our families.
Prabhupāda: There is a Bengali word, "Enter like a needle and come out like a plow."
Prabhupāda: I understand that you go to the royal family and talk with them for hours. So it is very good sign.
Parivrājakācārya: Yes. There's... Some people in their family are very good, and they're very interested in learning about Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They can do... They can do very good things for the world if they simply have knowledge of what to do. So we're trying to preach to intelligent people.
Prabhupāda: Yes, intelligent. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). What intelligent man takes up, so ordinary man, ordinary generally follow. Bhagavad-gītā is meant for rājarṣi, not for foolish. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Not for a so-called loafer class. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham. That is being mistaken. Bhagavad-gītā should be taught to such royal family, and if they take up, others will take up.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We had two meetings today. One meeting was the BBT meeting for the completion of the Bombay project. And then another meeting was about our community Gītā-nagarī. Describing how it will be... Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja has come with his brother, who's the architect. And we're having a meeting for planning this ideal community very exactly, everything. The people present at the meeting are Bhavānanda Mahārāja and Paramānanda, Vāmanadeva, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja, Tripurāri Mahārāja, Balavanta, Rūpānuga. All these people have experience with..., you know, like Bhavānanda in Māyāpura. Balavanta has two farms, Rūpānuga, all of these people. In other words, we're just trying to plan out... And Surabhī Mahārāja. And Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja's brother is an architect. In fact I've just been told that his architectural firm is the same one that's designing the... What is that? Designing a big thing in Tehran for the Shah of Iran. It's a very big architectural firm. So we're just trying to plan a very ideal community. We don't want to make a hodgepodge of it. I mean it should be so ideal that it becomes one of the most wonderful preaching tools for our movement, to show that "Here is an ideal community based upon Vedic principles, and it's perfect in every respect." So it takes a little cooperative thought and planning. That's why we've invited so many people to sit in the meeting.
Prabhupāda: I was very happy when I heard, respectable gentlemen, out of love, they are washing dishes. You know that? Ātreya Ṛṣi told me.
Hari-śauri: Yes. In Iran. Some important people in Iran, just out of some... To do some service, they're even going in the restaurant and assisting by washing the dishes, and they're bringing things here and there.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's really devotional.
Prabhupāda: They are so gentle.
Prabhupāda: Very good. Make the body centered.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Make the body centered? Which place is not centered, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: More.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that all right? You said to the devotees who came to came to see you from the Gauḍīya Maṭha, you said you were mahā-patita. But they said, "Mahā-patita-pāvana." We all appreciated that, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I don't think that your Godbrothers really have any bad feelings. If, as you describe, because you had to preach amongst such fallen persons as us, the offense is really on our part, not on yours. I think actually they know that. Of course, they're a little sorry that they could not do what you did, but actually the offense is ours. We are not very trained up. It is not your fault. It is just that we are so fallen that we are only now beginning to learn a little etiquette. So sometimes, not purposely, but because we're very fallen, we sometimes make mistakes and offenses. And because we've taken shelter of Your Divine Grace, you are always giving us protection. (Yaśodā-nandana chants Brahma-saṁhitā) (break)
Prabhupāda: ...they will appreciate tomorrow.
Prabhupāda: Up-to-date gentlemen, they hate to come, Vṛndāvana. They know it is a place for guṇḍās. Pāṇḍās means guṇḍās. (laughter)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are expert at preaching to the guṇḍās. Therefore everyone becomes converted by your preaching. We were all guṇḍās. I think that your coming to America was no less fearless than Lord Caitanya when He went into the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest to preach, Śrīla Prabhupāda. In fact, we were worse than the animals that Lord Caitanya had to deal with. At least an animal keeps to his nature. Just like you described that boy that who was taking... You were staying in his loft, and he was taking intoxicants. He was acting like you could not calculate what he would do. Animals you can expect something. And you were there alone. Single-handedly, you were walking around in the streets. Sometimes New York is called a jungle.
Prabhupāda: It will continue up to six.
Hari-śauri: Yes. Mādhava dāsa is speaking right now. Mādhava dāsa. He was speaking when I went there. There's not so many people there right now. Only about a half a dozen of the visitors were there. (break)
Śatadhanya: So we all became very much enlivened from this conference. I think that it has very great potential for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, because they cannot challenge. Even Svarūpa Dāmodara, he asked, "Can anybody debate?" And all the scientists were quiet. They could not offer any challenge. So it's very effective, a very good means to preach, and we all became enlivened by attending this conference.
Prabhupāda: What is the time now?
Hari-śauri: Five past six, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why don't you come around this side? They are all dressed in their shirt and ties, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They looked just like the scientists.
Prabhupāda: Give them chair.
Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Acyutānanda Mahārāja has come.
Prabhupāda: Here?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Acyutānanda.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Where you are preaching now?
Acyutānanda: I was in Calcutta during the Māyāpura affair. Then I went to South India. Now I'm going to America. My stay in India may be terminated. And I received American passport. I'm able to travel now. Rāmeśvara Prabhu is sending me a ticket.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Rāmeśvara?
Bhavānanda: Rāmeśvara Mahārāja is sending a ticket for him to go.
Prabhupāda: Oh. So you can go now, America, eh?
Bhavānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That's good. You attended the conference?
Acyutānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: American? No. The company originated from America?
Dayānanda: Yes, yes, American company.
Prabhupāda: IBM also American, eh?
Dayānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes, when there is opportunity you can go for preaching. But here you are situated nice, Tehran, eh?
Dayānanda: Yes. Ātreya Ṛṣi would rather have me stay. Ātreya Ṛṣi wants me to stay at least for this, for now. Maybe in the future I can go to some other place for preaching.
Prabhupāda: That is good. Jaya. Jaya.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: The fruit came. It was the pomegranate and lemon.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dayānanda brought it.
Bhavānanda: No, before then. The fruit came.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: And the letter wished you good health by the royal family.
Prabhupāda: No, preaching also, it is going on. I know that. Where is the cotton sweater?
Pañca-draviḍa: We brought one sweater from Peru, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) (loud kīrtana)
Prabhupāda: I'm not tired.
Pañca-draviḍa: Now only one thing is needed, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Pañca-draviḍa: To have you sitting on the vyāsāsana and preaching like a lion.
Prabhupāda: Yes, I wanted to say something. Let us see. (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We had no father, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: That is another thing.
Bhavānanda: ...over there. We drink fresh gaṅgā-jala every day. Sweetest. When I was on the boat preaching, I never drank anything but gaṅgā-jala. I took my bath in the Gaṅgā three times a day. So spiritually enlivening.
Prabhupāda: Three times you were taking?
Bhavānanda: My bath.
Prabhupāda: Oh. When is your date for appearing in the court?
Bhavānanda: Twenty-ninth of December, which is the appearance day of your Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. We have to appear that day.
Prabhupāda: Twenty-ninth December.
Prabhupāda: That we are giving. This Bhāgavata discourse...
Brahmānanda: I think now that our books are coming out in the Indian languages and are being distributed, I think this will cause young Indians...
Prabhupāda: Young Indians are not... They have already published these things. Scientific investigation of matter.
Brahmānanda: Yes, they appreciated that we are preaching to the scientists. They liked that, that we're the only ones who are doing this, because the scientists are amongst the biggest atheists.
Prabhupāda: This Gītā Pratiṣṭhāna is a good proposal, transport(?) Bhagavad-gītā As It Is all over the world.
Bhavānanda: Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda, another view is that we've constructed such attractive facilities here, and the purpose is to attract people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if we let out this auditorium in Bombay and here in Vṛndāvana, so those people will come. They may be Māyāvādī... Actually everyone is Māyāvādī today. So it's a good opportunity for preaching if we're strong.
Prabhupāda: Preaching means to convert Māyāvādīs to Vaiṣṇava. Otherwise where is the need of preaching?
Bhavānanda: Preaching also means risk.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No risk. We take money from them. So we get some money. That is our gain. So anything, do very carefully.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you said we should have a sign, "No Māyāvādī Meetings Allowed."
Prabhupāda: No. If this is allowed free.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Well, this wasn't free. They're paying for being here. They're paying to be here.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's called Preaching is the Essence. "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." It says, "Compiled by Rāmeśvara dāsa Swami and Śubhānanda dāsa Brahmacārī." It says, "A note of explanation. Every word of the text of this book is taken directly from the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-ācārya of the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. The text appearing in boldface type is Śrīla Prabhupāda's translations of verses from the Vedic literatures. The text in regular roman type consists of excerpts from His Divine Grace's summary studies and purports. Contents in brief: 1) The mission of the Lord—to give all living entities the benediction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 2) It is the duty of the devotee to preach." Each one of these subjects, then they give verses or purports.
Brahmānanda: All about preaching.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In other words, a devotee can use this book to learn these verses which substantiate the following points. These are the points. "3) Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest welfare activity. 4) Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be distributed to everyone without restriction."
Prabhupāda: How many copies?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This was printed strictly for the devotees, two thousand copies only. It's meant as like a preaching weapon. "5) One who preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness is dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa and is protected by the Lord. 6) Kṛṣṇa empowers the preacher. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement spreads by the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya. 7) Preaching is based on compassion. 8) The preacher should practice tolerance. 9) To be effective in preaching, the preacher must be pure and follow the regulative principles. 10) Conditioned souls benefit from hearing Vedic literature, kṛṣṇa-kathā. 11) The future of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." Should I see what it says under that?
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Śrī Bajaj: (Hindi) Excuse me. We are just talking alone with him. (break)
Prabhupāda: "...after you, who will take the leadership?" And "Everyone will take, all my disciples. If you want, you can take also. (laughter) But if you follow. They are prepared to sacrifice everything, so they'll take the leadership. I may, one, go away, but there will be hundreds, and they'll preach. If you want, you can also become a leader. We have no such thing, that 'Here is leader.' Anyone who follows the previous leadership, he's a leader. 'Indian,' we have no such distinction, 'Indian,' 'European.' "
Brahmānanda: They wanted an Indian to be the leader?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) "Everyone, all my disciples, they are leaders. As purely as they follow, they become leader. If you want to follow, you can become a leader. You are Indian. But you don't want." I told them that.
Prabhupāda: Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. (break) This is understanding of Bhagavad-gītā. But they'll not do that. What can be done? They cannot preach Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). Next line?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yan māṁ vadasi keśava, na hi te bhagavan vyaktiṁ vidur devā na dānavāḥ.
Prabhupāda: Ah. (Hindi) "I have come personally." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya (BG 4.7). Bhagavad-gītā. (Hindi) ...as it is. (Hindi) Bhagavad-gītā as it is, never say. (Hindi) ...imagination... (Hindi) Simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. (Hindi) Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti (BG 16.23). (Hindi) There is good demand all over the world. (Hindi) Nobody can turn them now. Jaya. Thank you very much.
Prabhupāda: Their aims and object is superficially good, that "We altogether preach." But they do not know the ways. That is their defect. Neither they'll take up as it is. So it will be failure.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is already failure.
Akṣayānanda: It is failure.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The only success they had here is that they got your darśana and the darśana of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. In that sense it was a great success.
Prabhupāda: They do not want anything. They want to assemble together and have some excursion.
Jagadīśa: No more than croaking frogs.
Brahmānanda: He was very envious, that Auroville, of what is going on.
Jayādvaita: They're nothing.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are nothing. No one ever heard of them outside of India.
Prabhupāda: Aurobindo never preached in Hindi.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) He was speaking in English?
Prabhupāda: Um hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You should have said that. "Why don't you follow your master? He spoke in English." That would have been a good point. You could say, "We are following our spiritual master. He speaks in English. Why don't you do the same?"
Prabhupāda: He wrote all books in English.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some people came here to the temple from Manipur today, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Did you preach to them, Svarūpa Dāmodara?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. They are very impressed. They said they'll come many. They told me they're going to come in many numbers.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about that temple in Manipur?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I was thinking that we can start...
Prabhupāda: Receive them nicely. The Manipuri is devotee. Receive them nicely.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Didn't some Manipur devotees visit Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Jagannātha Purī sometimes?
Prabhupāda: They go.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jayapatākā: In Malda district at Rāmakeli, where Lord Caitanya first met with Rūpa and Sanātana, there is a temple of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa that... Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmī used to worship those Deities. Bhaktisiddhānta Ṭhākura Prabhupāda has put a lotus feet of Mahāprabhu there. So we have gone there on two occasions for preaching, and they..., some local people came and said they would like us to take some..., to either take over management or somehow be connected with that because they felt that it required preaching there. They're very favorable at that place.
Prabhupāda: Purchase it.
Jayapatākā: When you say Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, that means any of the līlā places of Lord Caitanya.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not just Navadvīpa.
Prabhupāda: No. No, in Bengal.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa dāsa? Who said that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: I do not know, but it is said. (Hindi bhajana—Hindi)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We got some news of some preaching. I was wondering what was a good time to read to you.
Prabhupāda: Here.
Bhakti-cāru: (Bengali)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like to hear it, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I could come later on if you think it's better.
Prabhupāda: No. (break) (Hindi) Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Give facility for him, ten rupees.
| Page Title: | Preaching (Conversations 1977 May - Nov) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 02 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=72, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 72 |