Presiding (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"preside" |"presided" |"presides" |"presiding"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: You do not stay here?

Hayagrīva: Yes. I don't want to stay.

Prabhupāda: Unless you become president?

Hayagrīva: Unless I am in charge, I don't want to stay. I mean there are too many responsibilities that I've already assumed, and not to have the decisions as to what to do with the vehicles, what to do with this, what to do with that, I'd rather not have any part of it.

Prabhupāda: No, anyone who can manage everything, he should be in charge of the whole thing.

Hayagrīva: Well, factually he's in charge. Actually we very seldom have any disagreements on things.

Prabhupāda: All right. That's all right. Then you remain president. And let him become vice president. That will be all right? In case of your absence he will preside in the meeting. Will that be all right?

Hayagrīva: No, that's all right as long as I have final decision in certain matters, as to what to do with my vehicles, what to do with this and what to do with that.

Prabhupāda: No, you will hold meeting and decide in that meeting. If you form a committee, then whatever you do, something serious, you should consult the committee and do it.

Hayagrīva: Well, you make the final decision. You can have anybody you want in charge here. I just make a request, personal request, that I not stay here. That's all. So I mean you can put anybody you want in charge. What I have given of the place is yours. I don't even care to have it.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) This is not a good proposal. Then where you want to stay?

Hayagrīva: I'd like to go to India. Well, maybe I could travel with you. That would be nice.

Prabhupāda: No. That is not good idea. You have started this New Vrindaban. You must finish it. So you must be in charge of this place. We have to do so many things. So...

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 30, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...prajña. This point must be clearly understood. Then you go further. A kṣetra... This body is kṣetra. Kṣetra means "the field of activities." Just like a kṛṣana works in his field, and he reaps his result. As he works, he gets the result. Similarly, this body is kṣetra, and we are working with this body. And we are reaping the result. Karmaṇa daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Karmaṇa. So this is the kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Now... And next He says that "I am also kṣetra-jña. I am also kṣetra-jña." How He's kṣetra-jña? Because He's Paramātmā.

Dr. Patel: He's the presiding...

Prabhupāda: Therefore... Therefore there are two kṣetra-jñas: one, the jīvātmā, and one, the Paramātmā. The Māyāvādīs do not accept it. They say the only kṣetra-jñaḥ. Jivātmā and Paramātmā the same.

Chandobhai: Dvau suparṇā...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is confirmed by the Upaniṣads.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: So you have got to look after that kṣetra, or what the kṣetrajña will be happy there to live there? I think I am not wrong.

Prabhupāda: No, you are right. Kṣetra is changeable. Kṣetrajña is permanent.

Dr. Patel: Permanent, but changing kṣetra may be kept till the kṣetrajña is there, presiding over it.

Prabhupāda: However you may try, antavanta ime dehāḥ.

Dr. Patel: Antavanta ime dehāḥ, that is right, but the anta may not be got too quickly.

Prabhupāda: No, it is not.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Also, he also. He also takes. So if it is practiced, it keeps health very nice. I was taking all along. Since I was attacked, heart, they said you should be kept from catching cold.

Hari-śauri: You wanted that description of Vāmanadeva as the dwarf brahmacārī? It says, "Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and the demigod of the moon, who is the king of the forest, gave Him a brahma-daṇḍa, the rod of a brahmacārī. His mother, Aditi, gave Him a cloth for underwear, and the Deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella. O King, Lord Brahmā offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead. The seven sages offered Him kuśa grass, and mother Sarasvatī gave Him a string of rudrākṣa beads. When Vāmanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, the king of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms."

Prabhupāda: In Kanpur there is a brahmacārī aśrama. Sometimes gṛhasthas, they invite the brahmacārīs to feed them, and when a brahmacārī is initiated, they give them this pot. So that brahmacārī aśrama, the man who is maintaining, he occasionally collects these pots, so, and he sells all these pots to a brass merchant. People give sacred thread, a pot. As they give in charity to the brāhmaṇas, they give in charity to the brahmacārīs.

Hari-śauri: It says, "Kuvera, the king of the Yakṣas, gave Him a..."

Prabhupāda: Another system is: during the initiation time, somebody becomes godmother of the brahmacārī and gives some money.

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

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Kārttikeya... He's your son? No.

Mr. Dwivedi: No, he's my nephew.

Prabhupāda: Nephew. Good boy.

Mr. Dwivedi: And he's his brother-in-law. I came with one request and also a suggestion, if that is appealable to Your Holiness. When I had been there in the night at home I has pondered a little, and I thought I am on very good terms with Mr. Jetthi, easily approachable for me. Even in spite of the ministerial crisis on the 22nd, he met me. On the 2lst evening I went to Vṛndāvana. So I saw the, our Mr. President, Akṣaya Mahārāja. He wanted me to stay. I said, "No, I am going away. I'm going with Mr. Jetthi for tomorrow." And I think if he is just a little free from government engagements, he would like to preside or inaugurate this function, and I would call it the inauguration of the Krishna Consciousness Society branch in the state of Madhya Pradesh and at this place. And therefore, as soon as I'll get permission from Your Holiness, I shall try to contact him tonight on telephone.

Prabhupāda: It is... I think it is a good proposal. If President comes, it must be very successful. It is very good chance.

Mr. Dwivedi: So if I have your permission, I'll do this.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. I... For mine, that... You told that "You gain your weight, increase your weight." That induced me.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, just see the, how they have functioned. It is our place. We should guard. So, and all the men were accommodated in their room?

Akṣayānanda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They could all fit in the meeting room?

Akṣayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And who was presiding?

Akṣayānanda: The Aurobindo.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That guy's a pakka Māyāvādī. That Aurobindo man?

Prabhupāda: Aurobind.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He had a big argument with Brahmānanda. Not a big argument, but he was challenging Brahmānanda that "Kṛṣṇa means the divine consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is not a person. He is the... It is divine consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Māyāvāda.