Ratha-yatra car festival of Lord Jagannatha (Conversations)

Prabhupāda: So you'll not remain here after Ratha-yātrā.

Sumati Morarjee: No, I have my company's Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Oh, I see.

Sumati Morarjee: At home.

Prabhupāda: I see.

Sumati Morarjee: So I today only wrote a very big letter what to do, how to do, I'll go there.

Prabhupāda: At Juhu?

Sumati Morarjee: Yes, my house.

Prabhupāda: I see.

Sumati Morarjee: So (indistinct) Ratha-yātrā. My (indistinct) must be waiting.

Prabhupāda: It is taken outside, No.

Sumati Morarjee: No, inside, in the house.

Prabhupāda: Within the compound. That's right.

Sumati Morarjee: Here I have seen Ratha-yātrā, the first time in (indistinct). I had no idea. That day I arrived (laughter) . So I said, "What is all this?". There were so many people and all animal and all that, what is coming? So then I saw Ratha, I said, "This is Ratha-yātrā", near this place.

Devotee: Marble Arch?

Sumati Morarjee: No, no, no. I was passing Marble Arch, I (indistinct). I saw all the people. I said what, then I found out, I thought...

Prabhupāda: In San Francisco, we hold, very gorgeous.

Sumati Morarjee: Ah.

Prabhupāda: Three rathas.

Sumati Morarjee: I have seen those pictures.

Prabhupāda: Three rathas, and thousands of.... oh, they're very much, I mean, enthused to take prasādam and dance. So this year they asked me to come here. Therefore I have come to see the Ratha-yātrā.

Sumati Morarjee: Ah, I don't know that, (indistinct) (laughter) I, this time, I asked, I said Jagannāthaji has got, then, No, when the Kalki avatāra takes place, there is a Śambhala town somewhere near, small village, and...

Prabhupāda: So you'll not remain here after Ratha-yātrā.

Sumati Morarjee: No, I have my company's Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Oh, I see.

Sumati Morarjee: So (indistinct) Ratha-yātrā. My (indistinct) must be waiting.

Prabhupāda: It is taken outside, No.

Sumati Morarjee: No, inside, in the house.

Prabhupāda: Within the compound. That's right.

Sumati Morarjee: Here I have seen Ratha-yātrā, the first time in (indistinct). I had no idea. That day I arrived (laughter) . So I said, "What is all this?". There were so many people and all animal and all that, what is coming? So then I saw Ratha, I said, "This is Ratha-yātrā", near this place.

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Three rathas, and thousands of.... oh, they're very much, I mean, enthused to take prasādam and dance. So this year they asked me to come here. Therefore I have come to see the Ratha-yātrā, how they...

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Śyāmasundara: Yeah, "A Rival of Nelson." Just before, maybe two months ago, the boy who was in charge of Ratha-yātrā, Mahā-viṣṇu, we were, he was in so much torment because where was the money going to come from to create such an extravaganza. He wanted to have the best festival ever made. And suddenly he got a letter in the mail: "Your aunt has died, has left you eight thousand pounds." (Prabhupāda laughs)

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Guest (2): Religious people are recognizing that this is very important. They say "the world religion," and this is the tool. They say, well, the tool. "Here is the new tool for religion education in the secondary schools." So they are recognizing this fact.

Prabhupāda: Without canvassing, people join.

Guest (2): This is the fact here, see.

Prabhupāda: And the world religion... The Ratha-yātrā, we did not ask any particular man. Everyone came and joined. You were there?

Guest (1): No, I was not.

Prabhupāda: Everyone came and joined. Everyone took prasādam. And they were in Trafalgar Square from five to eight, continually. And Guardian published that...

Devotee: Several pictures...

Prabhupāda: "Rival to Nelson." Our Ratha-yātrā is rival to Nelson. Actually world religion. There is no doubt about it. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. And we have no restriction. They, so long they, our so-called Hindus, they restricted. But now this is open.

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Anyone can take. It is not difficult at all. Anyone. They are gṛhasthas. It is not that one has to become a sannyāsī. No. All my, these disciples... Here is a gṛhastha. Here is a sannyāsī. Here is a brahmacārī. So all together, they are serving the same purport. And we are getting good result. You have seen our Ratha-yātrā?

Guest (1): We were with you.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Guest (1): We were with you. (indistinct) ...at your feet while you were...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So...

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: If you increase your devotion, then you'll be not interested in ordinary things. Just like our devotees, they are no more interested in the worldly topics. They do not like to go to the cinema. That is no more interest. We can see the film of Ratha-yātrā, but we are no more interested to see ordinary film.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Professor: You had a yātrā, I guess, in San Francisco, didn't you?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Ratha-yātrā, yes.

Professor: That was for the first time in '68, I guess.

Prabhupāda: This time I was present in the Ratha-yātrā. Yesterday, they were showing me the film. It was very successful. Ten thousand people participated.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Guru-gaurāṅga: Next year at the Arch of Triumph.

Professor: Well. Wow, it must be something, a kind of happening.

Prabhupāda: And Ratha-yātrā, when we hold Ratha-yātrā, many thousands join. Without becoming our disciple, they chant and dance.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: And they published it, "Rival of Nelson. The great rival of Nelson." They appreciated. Yes.

Professor: Sure, I know...

Prabhupāda: Everyone, everyone appreciated. After Ratha-yātrā, wherever our men went, they were received very well.

Professor: And what was the attitude of the Indian colony in London?

Prabhupāda: I do not know what is Indian colony.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. And we had very gorgeous Ratha-yātrā ceremony in Australia. In London also. You know that? Ten thousand people participated, and we distributed prasādam.

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

Haṁsadūta: That is another meeting. Our Ratha-yātrā is held on July 8th in London.

Ambassador: Yes, that's right.

Haṁsadūta: July 8th. And simultaneously in San Francisco and in Sydney, all over the world.

Prabhupāda: And during Janmāṣṭamī, the...

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 6, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...by my sister. And you have seen in the Mullick Ṭhākura-bhati(?) Ratha-yatra?

Guest (Indian man): Yes.

Prabhupāda: So after my festival of Ratha-yatra the other boys in the Mullicks, they began. My ratha was, I think, this much high, very nicely made.

Acyutānanda: When we had Ratha-yatra in Calcutta we stopped in front of your house and they had that ratha decorated in the doorway. And we turned the ratha towards the house, and they came out and did ārāti, the Mullick family, Śyāmasundara.

Prabhupāda: So there was good festival, saṅkīrtana, and procession. We all little children enjoyed. And eight days, my mother was cooking different foodstuff for Jagannātha. Then return ratha-yatra. Ratha-yatra means...

Yaśomatīnandana: Fifteen days festival.

Prabhupāda: No, eight days. From dvitīya to daśamī. Ratha-yatra...

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be taught from the very beginning of life. The more younger, you capture it. Just like we were educated from the very birth by our father. The same thing, what I am doing now in larger scale, I did in my childhood, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa worship and Ratha-yātrā, the same thing.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, I am coming from Vṛndāvana of course, via Delhi. Then Rome, then Geneva, then Paris. Then I shall go to Frankfurt. And from there I shall go to Sydney, Australia.

Professor La Combe: Oh, this is not the direct way.

Bhagavān: We have a Ratha-yātrā Festival. You have heard of this festival, from Jagannātha Purī.

Professor La Combe: Yes, of course. I have been there.

Bhagavān: We have this festival in very big, in the same scale, in Australia, London, San Francisco, Chicago.

Prabhupāda: Where is that poster? Australia? Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: In Chicago also. Philadelphia. There will be Ratha-yātrā. this is the...

Satsvarūpa: This is for Melbourne, Australia, Ratha-yātrā parade, (shows a poster), picture of the parade last year.

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

Professor La Combe: And the festival in Sydney will take a long time?

Yogeśvara: Sydney festival is for how many days?

Prabhupāda: On the 29th.

Yogeśvara: One day, 29th of June. Ratha-yātrā festival like in Jagannātha Purī.

Morning Walk -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Actually we cannot give any service to Kṛṣṇa. He is unlimited. What is the value of our service? But He takes it seriously: "Oh, he is trying to give me some service." Otherwise what service He needs from us? Suppose He has created these big universes, what service we can give? By His will, He can create millions of universes. What service we can give? We... No. These are the chances of service, this Ratha-yātrā. God is so great, so big, how we can pack up in the ratha. But this is a chance, that you get Him sit on the ratha and prepare it, manufacture it.

Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: ...have discrimination because the British government, they think that the Ratha-yatra is becoming very popular.

Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Bali Mardana: In New York also, we have to do negotiations very secretly because if they find out, they would not want to sell to us. They would be afraid.

Prabhupāda: Oh, New York, there was Ratha-yatra?

Bali Mardana: No, no. For purchasing the church.

Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Protest meeting must be there. How to organize? At least, a protest meeting should be done in such a way that the whole world may know that the British Government stopped the yearly Ratha-yatra ceremony of the Hindus. That should be organized. What can be done? You are not very strong GBC's. There must be vehement protest meeting.

Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Do it. Ratha-yatra ratha is there, but the police did not allow to move. That's all right. We shall not move. The Deities, three palanquins, taken together, procession will go to the Trafalgar... That is, that is allowed. But the ratha must be exhibited. It will not move. So what is their objection. If the ratha stands in the same place, without movement, then they cannot have any objection. As they have passed, the Deities will move, and we'll come back again.

Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: As soon as it gets opportunity, it will bite you. So this tendency of artificial supremacy means material life. That is material life. So how you can stop it? That separation is going on. You see in the spiritual life also. My Godbrothers, they are trying to suppress me. They are writing articles that in foreign countries these things..., Ratha-yātrā is going on, so many temples have been, but they will never mention my name. They have suppressed. They want to... They write articles in such a way that Bon Mahārāja has done so much and they have done so much, and my name is not mentioned. This spirit, "Oh, this man is going so high." Therefore, Bhāgavata says nirmatsarāṇām. You know the meaning of nirmatsarāṇām?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Devotees -- March 31, 1975, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: As an example, last year at Ratha-yātrā, two thousand dollars were spent to hire a professional group to assist them in making up the advertisements and other things, giving them guidance, general assistance...

Prabhupāda: If you get really assistance, there is no harm. Just like sometimes we go to the court; we pay to the lawyer because we are not expert. In that sense, it can be spent.

Morning Walk -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Amogha: One man who joined us about Rathayātrā time last year was a solicitor. He used to buy our books but he never read them. But he would keep them on his bookshelf. And he used to always think, "Those are such beautiful books." He used to think like that.

Prabhupāda: This is appreciation.

Morning Walk -- May 31, 1975, Honolulu:

Bali-mardana: You were desiring to worship... You were worshiping Jagannātha, weren't you?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Rathayātrā.

Bali-mardana: You wanted to go and visit Purī?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. They are in the make-up, not yet fully civilized. (break)

Devotee: I was thinking if you would like to stay here for Ratha-yatra we can make it big Ratha-yatra here.

Prabhupāda: Ratha-yatra?

Devotee: Yes. (break) ...different places, you like to stay here in this nice place, you can translate. Everyone wants you to stay here. I heard one of your letters quoted in Śrī Govinda's letter that you like Ratha-yatra very much. So I think you would like to go somewhere. So if we can have it here, you can attend here.

Prabhupāda: What he is doing?

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: If you can build it, do it. I may be here or may not be here, but you observe the Ratha-yatra. (break) ...trying to make Ratha-yatra in Kurukṣetra. That is the origin of Ratha-yatra. (break) It is light?

Devotee: Light. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...introduce in India two places: one at Kurukṣetra, one at Bhuvaneśvara. Ratha-yatra. (break) ...the cost of one house like this?

Morning Walk -- July 7, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Yes, he can organize (laughs). Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...Philadelphia to see you at the Rathayātrā.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Break) When important talks will be, I shall say. You can record.

Morning Walk -- July 7, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Yes, he can organize (laughs). Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...Philadelphia to see you at the Rathayātrā.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Break) When important talks will be, I shall say. You can record.

Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Bhaktadāsa: ...photograph, we'd like to introduce the founder-ācārya spiritual master of the entire Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who founded this movement in 1966, coming here to America from Calcutta. Now His Divine Grace has very kindly once again come to San Francisco to lead us in this holy Rathayātrā Jagannātha cart parade. And we will ask him the questions that you have written down, and he will answer those questions, like that. So the first question, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is "What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?"

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that every one of us is in some type of consciousness: "I am American," "I am Indian," and, "It is my property," "America is my property," "India is my property." But we say that "Everything is Kṛṣṇa's property." Kṛṣṇa is the... Kṛṣṇa, God, when we say Kṛṣṇa, we mean God. God is the original proprietor. And He is, therefore, the supreme enjoyer, and He is everyone's friend.

Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Bhaktadāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, one press man wanted to know what is this Rathayātrā festival? Why is it going on over here in the western world?

Prabhupāda: Well, that is the mistake. If God is the proprietor of everything, He is also proprietor of the western world. Is there any dispute? If we say, "God is the proprietor of the western world," what is the wrong there? Is there anything wrong? Who will answer this.

Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:

Bahulāśva: I have been trying to arrange a meeting between Your Divine Grace and that astronaut. He was going to come to Rathayātrā, but he had to go to Florida for some space project.

Prabhupāda: What does he say, astronaut?

Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans:

Prabhupāda: Convert them into curd or ghee, and ghee and curd sent to the city, they have got regular price for that. There is no question of waste of milk at any stage. One must know how to do it. So you can keep as many cows as possible and collect as much milk from them. You can utilize. And if some of the villagers trained up, they can open nice restaurant in the city. Utilize the ghee, curd, for making nice confectionary. People will purchase like anything. Just like in our Rathayātrā festival, whatever sweets they prepared, all sold at good profit. Your countrymen, they did not see such nice things. And when they taste it—"Very nice."

Morning Walk -- Durban, October 13, 1975 :

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the propaganda always. That is going on. That I already explained, that this was the propaganda of the Britishers, "Anything Indian is bad." You see, they wanted to stop our Ratha-yātrā in London as soon as they saw that it is becoming popular. Even in India the government doesn’t want that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should go ahead. It is the demonic principle—Kṛṣṇa should be cut down. That is the way of demonic civilization. Stop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now we are preaching, "No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating." Do you think people like it?

Morning Walk -- December 23, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (to passerby) Hare Kṛṣṇa! (japa)

Lokanatha: All over the world, the Ratha-yātrā attracts thousands of people, but in Bombay we'll not have Jagannātha Deities, so how could we have Ratha-yātrā and attract people? (indistinct) give some correction.

Prabhupāda: ...our temple then.... (break)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Vivekananda Road. Propaganda. The other day I saw some stamp, postage, "Vivekananda." You have seen it? But never they will publish Kṛṣṇa or Caitanya Mahāprabhu. "Kṛṣṇa is fictitious." What is called? Mythology. "Kṛṣṇa is mythology." (Bengali) The government saw, especially the police department, and they became so popular. Within two, three years, thousands and thousands of men, not only Indian. Kichu āchen. All Europeans, American, Englishmen, they are following Rathayātrā. Jaya jagannātha, jaya hare kṛṣṇa.

Talk at Radha-Govinda Mandir -- March 24, 1976, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Whatever I was eating, I was offering, and I was following the ceremonies of this Rādhā-Govinda with my small Deity. That Deity is still existing. I have given to my sister. So then I introduced Ratha-yātrā. So I.... My Ratha-yātrā was being performed very gloriously. My father used to spend money. In those days ten rupees, twenty rupees was sufficient. I hired one kīrtana party and a small friends, they..., I think the brother of the present generation, and there was another De family here, so we performed this Ratha-yātrā ceremony. According to our children's imagination, it was very gorgeous. So I think our present Manmohan.... His name is? Gabhur Bhavana? (Bengali) Gopishvara Mullik. That Gopishvara Mullik was my father's friend. So he was criticizing my father that "You are performing Ratha-yātrā ceremony and you are not inviting us." So my father said, "That is children's play. What shall I invite you? You are very big man." "Oh, so you are avoiding. In the name of children you are avoiding us." On the whole, this Ratha-yātrā festival was very gorgeously.... Then imitating me, the other, my brother like, Kangalu(?), he also introduced Ratha-yātrā. And.... Kangalu. (Bengali) So all of them introduced Ratha-yātrā, and the destination was this Thakurbari, from there. So practically what I am doing now, the same thing, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa worship and introduction of Ratha-yātrā. I am not doing anything else. You know very well. We are now performing Ratha-yātrā ceremony practically in all big cities of the world, in San Francisco, in...

Talk at Radha-Govinda Mandir -- March 24, 1976, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Paris. So the same thing, the same Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa worship temples and same Ratha-yātrā, in a bigger scale. But the same thing was begun as play from this quarter, this Thakurbari.

Talk at Radha-Govinda Mandir -- March 24, 1976, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: And after so many years, still Rādhā-Govindajī has dragged me. So it is His kindness. So the beginning was the same thing—worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity and introduction of Ratha-yātrā. That is I am doing in a bigger scale and a wider scale all over the world. So it is nothing new.

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They lost their culture.

Jagat-guru: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we were thinking that this is 1976, and in July there is Ratha-yātrā. So by next year, '77, we hope to be able to have Ratha-yātrā in Durban. There may be a quarter of a million, half a million Indian people. One cart and three deities on one cart.

Prabhupāda: And whether government will allow?

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Devotee (1): (indistinct) ...United States, they have taken eight million Catholics in Philadelphia. Just before the time of our Rathayātrā I think...

Pañcadraviḍa: When they took Rādhā-Dāmodara down to Mexico, all the Catholics thought it was Virgin Mary and Jesus, and they all came to offer their obeisances. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Which way I shall go? This way?

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1976, Melbourne:

Devotee (2): We have word from the Melbourne City Council that they intend now not to let us have our annual Rathayātrā festival.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee (2): They want to stop our Rathayātrā festival.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Devotee (2): So concerning the temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I talked to some boys, and the one boy, Dhūmra(?), he used to be in Australia, he made a fifteen-foot-high Lord Caitanya. Do you remember at the Ratha-yātrā?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Hmm.

Devotee (2): And we're going to build a temple with nice domes, Indian style, and with sculpture like the elephant heads...

Prabhupāda: Make in Vṛndāvana style.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Three.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Ratha-yātrā in New York is taking place on July 18th.

Prabhupāda: So if I go earlier in New York, my place is available?

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: This Ratha-yātrā is in memory of Kṛṣṇa's coming there with His brother and sister during one eclipse, to take bath, coming from Dvārakā.

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: And when Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī met, that Rādhārāṇī lamented that Kṛṣṇa—He was the same Kṛṣṇa and the same Rādhārāṇī—so "this is not a good meeting place. So, if You come to Vṛndāvana, then I shall be happy." So it is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. That is the feeling of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Ratha-yātrā. He is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So in Jagannātha Purī still the same feelings are there. Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha, from the temple goes to Guṇḍicā. So, Lakṣmī is angry that "Kṛṣṇa is leaving me, He has gone to Vṛndāvana." So she was, she is punishing. That is called Herā-pañcamī. Punishing the servants of Kṛṣṇa. The maidservants of Lakṣmī chastising them, threatened them, "Why without permission?" So they, out of very fearful condition, offering their respect to Lakṣmī, "Mother, you don't be sorry (indistinct), we are (indistinct)."

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: So this, this is the play performed, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu associates they saw, and they enjoyed very much when the maidservant of Lakṣmī was slapping the servant of Viṣṇu. That is mentioned Caitanya-caritāmṛta. All the servants arrested, brought before Lakṣmī, and they are punished. But they came to invite Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī and other gopīs. And actually they do not go at that time. But this Ratha-yātrā ceremony means Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: Everyone in the country.

Prabhupāda: And the Rathayātrā also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it will be like going to the ball game.

Prabhupāda: Rathayātrā, introduce in every city. You have already got some national holiday?

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs)

Ambarīṣa: Yes, it is not far. We're having Ratha-yātrā in Boston for the first time this year, and we're going to take the Ratha carts down to Commonwealth Pier in honor of your arrival.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) There is one A.P. store?

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: You may read that.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "One of India's biggest and most ancient religious festivals, Ratha-yātrā, the festival of the chariots, which has been enacted in several Western cities in recent years, is to be staged in South Africa in July. The festival in honor of Lord Kṛṣṇa is planned to be held in Durban next month by the local branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Based on the thousands-of-years-old annual parade of the three main deities of the Jagannātha temple on huge chariots through the streets of Purī, Orissa, the festival has been staged by devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa in major world cities such as London, Paris, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal and Melbourne, following the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst thousands of Westerners in the decade since the founding of the movement in 1966 by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Almost a million devotees participate in the chariot festival held every summer at Purī, where they offer oblations to Lord Kṛṣṇa; lend a hand, tugging the ropes, to pull the huge chariots; line the grand route; or simply attend to see the color and pageantry from high vantage points. Jagannātha-The three colossal chariots from which the term Jagannātha is derived carry the three Jagannātha Deities of Lord Balarāma, the Lord who gives spiritual strength and pleasure; Lady Subhadrā, one who is the auspicious one; and Lord Jagannātha, the Lord of the universe,"—with a capital L—"on the three-kilometer journey symbolizing Lord Kṛṣṇa's visit to the town of His childhood pastimes. This year ISKCON will sponsor Ratha-yātrā festivals in ten cities worldwide. Durban, however, is not amongst them, as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is fairly new and has not yet established itself on a firm basis and increased its following in Durban. Branch members are enthusiastic and are hoping to organize a procession of their own through the streets of Durban to coincide with the festivals which will be held in several major cities."

Prabhupāda: They are arranging like that or not? Our branch there?

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: This paper is conducted by the Indians?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. This is produced once a week. All of the Indians in Durban read it. Durban has half a million Indians.

Prabhupāda: But two things are very important: condemning this Sai Baba and welcoming our Ratha-yātrā.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We have two copies.

Prabhupāda: Our names are also there. Indirectly.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is mentioned, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: This is our farm up in here. Lord Jagannātha is staying there now while He is ill. Our big Lord Jagannātha is going to Cleveland tomorrow for Ratha-yātrā festival.

Prabhupāda: Oh. It is the first time?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. They have a big cart, and they will go down the main street.

Prabhupāda: How far it is?

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (1): These are publicity for the Ratha-yātrā. This is the article about the building, how it's the most attractive real estate in Cleveland. It's in the paint and flowers and gardens.

Prabhupāda: This year's?

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Is this Cleveland?

Devotee (1): Yes. There are many skyscrapers, tall buildings, there are many tall buildings, and people were looking out at the Ratha-yātrā cart and at Lord Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: Here, the daytime is...

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: ...in all these cities would be very advantageous, and all the book distribution...

Prabhupāda: And therefore I said that introduce Ratha-yātrā every city. At least wherever we have got our centers. Bring Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa. They have received some testimonial from Indian...

Hari-śauri: Oh, yes, Indian reviews?

Prabhupāda: You can open this file. I don't want, but...

Devotee (1): Prabhupāda, how should we have these Ratha-yātrā festivals. Should they be big? Should they be big festivals? Should I plan on having three carts next year, just one, or a small cart?

Prabhupāda: As you can afford. Minimum one cart. Otherwise, three carts. In India the Ratha-yātrā festival is going on, according to rough estimate, for the last two thousand years, and the crowd never diminishes. One secretary of Parliament or something like that.

Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That you say. Or you can write, "Spiritual Science." No. That will not ring for them. They will not understand "Spiritual Science."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: How about "perfect science," "complete science."

Devotee: "Absolute science."

Rūpānuga: "Science of the absolute." So I'll be coming to New York, but first I have to go to Ratha-yātrā in Philadelphia. They are having Ratha-yātrā on the tenth. Then I don't think there will be any GBC meetings earlier than that, so I'll go there first. (to devotees:) Any other scientists have any other questions they'd like to ask Śrīla Prabhupāda while we have this time?

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fifty-ninth. They don't want to turn here, huh, Jayānanda? Do you? Go up Fifty-ninth it would be nicer. This is where the parade begins. From here down straight. All the way down Fifth Avenue.

Prabhupāda: The Ratha-yātrā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. From here all the way down, we go all the way down to the park. Washington Square Park. All the way down, three rathas. It's the biggest avenue.

Prabhupāda: Is there any hour limit?

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Hari-śauri: And then Subhadrā's then Jagannātha at the back. That's the way they do it in Purī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What's that cart, Jayānanda?

Jayānanda: This is a little Ratha-yātrā cart from last year. We use it as an advertisement for the Ratha-yātrā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it's a good advertisement. Quite an improvement from last year to this year.

Prabhupāda: The whole go-down is rented.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Ādi-keśava: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there's one of our posters for our Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What they are doing here(?).

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Rāmeśvara: About two to three hours.

Hari-śauri: The parade, Ratha-yātrā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two hours. (break)

Prabhupāda: Lord Rāma's, what is this?

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

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

Prabhupāda: I think this article was dictated by Haṁsadūta.

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

Prabhupāda: He does not stick anywhere.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Whew! This picture of Ratha-yātrā in London is very impressive.

Prabhupāda: With smaller rathas.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So this Paul Murray... Haridāsa left New York, he went to San Francisco. His name was something else. What is this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a steel factory. This is near the Ratha-yātrā carts.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Steel factory, but very good house?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Paul Murray, he was the boy that went crazy?

Prabhupāda: Yes, he was LSD man.

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

Interviewer: Are you going to march?

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

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

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

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

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Calcutta, all aristocratic buildings, they are made according to English pattern, London pattern. Just like our temple, it is made London pattern. It was designed by one high-court judge. (pause) The land acquisition at Māyāpura, no news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No news. (break) ...who are building the Ratha-yātrā carts and who help in the temple construction? (break)

Prabhupāda: Ah, this is so cold.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Very learned scholar in Sanskrit. Titles in Sanskrit.

Hṛdayānanda: (break) ...Ratha-yātrā, "No Parking. Sunday Parade."

Prabhupāda: You convince the authorities of America that my logic, andha-paṅgor nyāya. Who will explain this? Andha-paṅgor nyāya, lame and blind logic.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Hṛdayānanda: They are showing paintings from a museum in Spain.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...posters advertising Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Yes. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...pure devotee will also come here and therefore he's (indistinct) bringing for you.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Caitanya Mahāprabhu goes with His associates, He does not go alone. Sa-pārṣadam. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam.

Prabhupāda: Yes, at least three, four you can do. On Janmāṣṭamī, one; Gaura Pūrṇimā; for Śrī Rāma-navamī; and one, Ratha-yātrā.

Bali-mardana: We can do New York for the spring, summer and fall.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bali-mardana: Because the weather is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That coincides. Rāma-navamī is spring, Ratha-yātrā is summer, and Janmāṣṭamī is fall.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But not on carts, not on big chariots.

Prabhupāda: No. Chariot, only Ratha-yātrā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We'll make a big advertisement. We'll call it "Fall Festival." This festival, we called it "Summer Festival." People respond to that. If you say Ratha-yātrā, they can't even pronounce the word. So we call it "Summer Festival," and they came.

Bali-mardana: This could be like Lord Caitanya used to invite all His devotees to come and see Him at Ratha-yātrā...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bali-mardana: Similarly, if you come here, we can invite...

Prabhupāda: I'll come.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: What about the reporters? They have published something?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it'll come.

Bali-mardana: The transcripts have been sent to them, so within the next week they should be coming.

Hari-śauri: I think one or two were waiting until after Ratha-yātrā to give a report on the festival as well.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There were a lot of reporters, and they said that next year... They told us next year they're going to have full television cameras. We're going to have to erect a news, er... What is that called? Press, not a table, but a platform where they're going to put their cameras, and their reporters will sit above the whole crowd. They want to cover it, full. They were very amazed to see such a gigantic festival in New York itself. They never imagined such a thing in New York.

Prabhupāda: The Christians cannot organize. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You saw them. The only thing they were carrying was one sign like this. The sign said "Turn or Burn." It means turn to Jesus or burn. Turn or burn, burn in hell. That's their conception of God. Either God or burn in hell. We could give you a good rest here, also, Prabhupāda, because it's very easy to not... If the devotees could see you on Sunday, just like in the old days in Los Angeles... I mean everything could be nicely done, and you could still visit the European centers when you finally return to India. I mean they are not making such a big thing that you couldn't come later on. Oh, boy.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) Good determination.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nicely written. "With everybody pulling together and everybody puffing together, a huge float is tugged down Fifth Avenue yesterday during the first Ratha-yātrā Parade of International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The parade moved south from Central Park to Washington Square Park, where a free feast, music, art, dance and theater festival was held. According to a spokesperson, Ratha-yātrā is a time when people come to dance, sing and feast amidst a sublime atmosphere of bright flags, festoons, banners, garlands, flowers and incense, simply to feel the poetry and blissful nature of life.' "

Prabhupāda: Very good, this is blissful nature.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This one is not, it's not bad, but it's not so accurate. "In size it was dwarfed by 'Operation Sale.' In popular concern it was outweighed by the Democratic National Convention. But for hundreds of Hare Kṛṣṇa followers, including many Indian immigrants to New York, yesterday's Ratha-yātrā festival was by far the most important event in an eventful month. Pulling three brightly-colored chariots down Fifth Avenue from Central Park to Washington Square, the religious group's adherents were celebrating one of the oldest holy days of the Indian calendar, the feast of Jagannātha, the Lord of the Universe, according to Kṛṣṇa doctrine. Most of the participants in the parade were young Westerners, followers from as far away as Caracas and Montreal. But the crowd included hundreds of Indians who brought the basic Kṛṣṇa faith with them from Bombay and Calcutta."

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ninth Avenue turns into Amsterdam Avenue.

Rāmeśvara: Next year at the Ratha-yātrā they are planning to have a press box, so that the newspapermen and television cameras can come and film the activities on stage also. They can film your lecture, they can film the play.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're also thinking to have a press box along the parade route, so that they can stay in an elevated position and take photos. We collected a total of about seven thousand dollars, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: And what you spent?

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Return Ratha-yātrā. Ulṭā-ratha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is it called?

Prabhupāda: Ulṭā-ratha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ulṭā-ratha.

Rāmeśvara: Should the actors perform the Herā Pañcamī ceremony?

Prabhupāda: That is in the middle.

Car Conversation -- July 21, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: And I've been told that all the TV stations showed our Ratha-yātrā. That means millions of people saw the ratha cart. And everyone has seen it in the newspapers.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: That Newsday also had coverage. We didn't get that paper for Prabhupāda, but they also... This is even before their interview.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Sunday we have about five hundred to one thousand.

George Harrison: :So they must cook for days to feed all those people.

Gurudāsa: No, day before, night before.

George Harrison: Do they bring food as well?

Gurudāsa: They bring grains or something like that.

Prabhupāda: We had a very gorgeous Ratha-yātrā ceremony in New York last Sunday.

George Harrison: Hm?

Prabhupāda: Sunday, eighteenth.

Pusta Kṛṣṇa: A week ago yesterday.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Vans. (child crying outside) "Prabhupāda?" (laughs)

Bhagavān: We brought the Jagannātha Deity here from Paris for Ratha-yātrā, and He stayed here for eight days and then went back. And when He went back all the Gurukula children, they were all crying and running after the truck.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā (laughs). So... It is natural affection.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: The little boys also, they were crying, little girls.

Prabhupāda: So Ratha-yātrā was functioned here?

Bhagavān: Oh, yes, very big, two hundred devotees here. It was very ecstatic. Nice prasāda and nice procession. When He came, all the cows came up and they were looking. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: The villagers joined?

Bhagavān: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They are finding something new

Hari-śauri: The Times of India gave a very good report of New York Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: You have got it?

Hari-śauri: It's in the room, I thought you'd seen it.

Bhagavān: They cannot publish anything bad about us. They try to find, sometimes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: They are younger. They are all my childhood playmates. Their older brothers, the eldest one was my very, very intimate friend, Siddheshvar Mullik. We used to ride on the same perambulator when we were three, four years old. And Ratha-yātrā ceremony was performed with all these guests. They were about, in our neighborhood there were four, five houses. So all the children of the same age, I was the leader. (laughs) Yes. I organized this Ratha-yātrā. I was performing Rādhāṣṭamī and Janmāṣṭamī, and I was learning how to dress the Rādhā-Govinda. Yes.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Driver: They distribute about fifteen hundred on Ratha-yātrā day.

Prabhupāda: Fifteen hundred on?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Ratha-yātrā in Ahmedabad. Now we are distributing these books for one rupee each or 1.50 in Vṛndāvana because now we've got the cost of printing down to sixty paisa...

Prabhupāda: Our Ratha-yātrā in New York was very successful.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: You also explain, that British Empire expanded by military strength. And we are expanding by Ratha-yātrā. We are expanding our empire simply by Ratha-yātrā.

Hari-śauri: East meets West.

Pradyumna: Singing, dancing and chanting.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We introduce three chariots in big, big cities, and conquered them.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: They admitted, "Rival to Nelson Column" in Guardian even. So who is strong enough? We are stronger than British Empire. Simply by Ratha-yātrā we are conquering. And actually that is being done. What I have got strength? Forty rupees beginning. Simply Hare Kṛṣṇa and Ratha-yātrā, that's all. That's a fact. They can see, they have got eyes.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: Then they don't know what to say. They say, "You mean you don't know that Chicago Address?" We say, "No. What? Oh, when Prabhupāda went for Ratha-yātrā? Yes, that we know."

Prabhupāda: That Chicago Address was the worst. He is defying, "Why you give credit to God?" This is the... We have seen that Chicago Address. Now they are eliminating. Most blasphemous. One Christian priest, he was surprised, "What kind of nonsense these Indians are..." He asked him, "How you are speaking in this way, 'Why you are giving credit to God?' " He said like that,

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁśa: Sunday Chronicle. Deccan Chronicle. The biggest distributed English paper in this area.

Prabhupāda: What is this, Ratha-yātrā?

Hari-śauri: In New York.

Gargamuni: The Ratha-yātrā conquering.

Prabhupāda: I told you Ratha-yātrā, it is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Conquer the world.

Prabhupāda: ...the eyesore of the Communist party.

Hari-śauri: It says underneath, "Ratha-yātrā in foreign lands." That's the caption underneath the picture.

Prabhupāda: Where is it?

Gargamuni: Ratha-yātrā in foreign lands.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa swamis. Read it. Read it.

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

Prabhupāda: You have got that picture New York temple?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The Ratha-yātrā picture? Ratha-yātrā, the New York paper. New York Times, Newsweek, all the Indians came. They said, "East Meets West."

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

Krishna Modi: Ah, Indian culture is... You... Nobody has done these things.

Prabhupāda: The Ratha-yātrā festival, where is?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, the news of Ratha-yātrā. "New York Celebrates Festival of Chariots." Even at the U.N. conference we were there. They welcomed Vedic... We presented a Vedic reply to the U.N. conference.

Prabhupāda: Wherever possible we are presenting Vedic culture, Indian culture. And I have no support from the government.

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

Prabhupāda: In America, in Europe. They have got facilities, full facilities. And government appreciates. Some of the governments they have given public holiday of the Ratha-yātrā.

Paramahaṁsa: This is from the Mayor of San Francisco proclaiming that Ratha-yātrā is a public holiday.

Krishna Modi: In America.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: So the, at the present moment I am trying to spread this movement all over the world. But we have no means. So let America supply the money, and let them take our direction for the culture. That will be United Nation. And actually it will become. How they are dancing, black, white, Indian, American, European, in Ratha-yātrā? There is no politics. It is out of really spiritual ecstasy.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: This was the New York Ratha-yātrā. This was in New York Times.

Indian man: The Ratha-yātrā is held on 7th Avenue... (several talking at once)

Prabhupāda: They admitted: "This is the East and West meeting."

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Last year we introduced Ratha-yātrā in Philadelphia. It was very successful. And this year we have introduced in New York. It is also very successful. Everyone, government official, police, public, all enjoyed. And the Fifth Avenue is the most important avenue in the world, Fifth Avenue. So our procession was how many miles?

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have already suggested, that they should take signature from all Indians that this is genuine Indian cultural movement and it a great fortune for Indians. They were bereft of their own culture and now we have got this culture again. The Ratha-yātrā is going on, we are so much enlivened. In this way they should file petition.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like in England they would not let you do the Ratha-yātrā, the Indians...

Prabhupāda: Ah. This is discrimination against sect...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Against minority.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Against minority.

Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: 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:

Mr. Malhotra: People must be very curious in California when this Ratha-yātrā, Jagannātha, they must be very curious.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But they enjoy very much. They enjoy very much. Those who are even not my students, they also come to me, "Thank you, Prabhupāda. Thank you, Prabhupāda." They say like that. They enjoy very much. Dance like anything. When the Ratha-yātrā goes. They say, "It is life." They are dancing. "This is life. We do not know what is happening, but we are dancing." They say like that.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Their politicians are thinking that "This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is spreading like epidemic." Actually it is so. "And if it is spread so quickly, within ten years they'll take our government." They say like that. And that is possible because these young men, they have taken seriously and they're pushing on. If the majority is after them, they can take over. It is democratic, America. And how they are after this movement... If you see our latest picture of Ratha-yātrā... You have seen that film? Ratha-yātrā?

D. D. Desai: Yes. So many thousands of...

Prabhupāda: Fifth Avenue.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Rāmeśvara: One thing they will like to see in this movie is many different temples, beautiful temples from South India, and also Vaiṣṇava festivals.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Like Ratha-yatra in Jagannātha Purī.

Prabhupāda: And the stories also, that how by executing one of the items a devotee became perfect.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: And what you can do? You can show some temples or you can show some meeting of Bhāgavata recital. That's it, two things.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. And also festivals like Ratha-yatra, millions of people coming, big public festivals. I was thinking that Bhargava and Yadubara can travel together in India, because Bhargava has been to many places.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I had a question about the prasādam distribution money that I am hoping to get from the record sales.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: I would like to know if some of it can be used for distributing prasādam in America.

Prabhupāda: Why not?

Rāmeśvara: Say, at Ratha-yātrā time.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: Big parades.

Prabhupāda: But America has money. Here they have no money. So preference should be given in India. They're poor.

Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And they were fully satisfied. So in all our temple at least for ten men, twenty men.

Rāmeśvara: That the temple can support.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: But I'm thinking of, say, a big festival like Ratha-yātrā. They want to distribute prasādam. Maybe we can take a few... Little bit out.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if required. Yes.

Rāmeśvara: If required. That's the point.

Prabhupāda: But this prasādam distribution should be introduced very vigorously.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Nanda-kumāra: Some of our devotees have got that spirit, some of our men. Keśava has sometimes taken ten men at a time. Once in San Francisco at Ratha-yātrā some men were attacking the Deity, throwing rocks.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? When?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The whole profession is crooked. She told that they have a cure for cancer. There's a cure for cancer. It comes from a natural herb available in South America. But the American Medical Association has forbidden the importation of this herb, because if they import it, then all of their cancer work is finished. And they're making billions of dollars doing cancer research. So they won't allow this herb to be imported. It has no bad effect, but they will not allow its importation. So one of our devotees, Jayānanda, you know he has cancer now.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Oh, he has very severe case of cancer.

Brahmānanda: They say he will die from this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All over his body these nodule protrusions have come, big lumps growing out, cancerous growths. After Ratha-yātrā this happened. So he went into the hospital, and they nearly killed him in the hospital. Practically they killed him. They put so many tests on him that he was nearly dead. He lost fifty, sixty pounds, he was practically dead. Then when I heard, I got him out of the hospital. There's no purpose. I could understand they didn't know what they were doing. They were just testing. So then he went... He's now in Tijuana, Mexico, and since taking this medicine all of the growths have gone away. Now, how long he will live, that is another matter. But immediately all of these symptoms, outward symptoms, they're gone simply by taking this medical...

Prabhupāda: Herbs.

Prabhupāda: They oppose our Ratha-yātrā.

Jayatīrtha: Our Ratha-yātrā, yes. I don't think they'll ever stop opposing. This year when I went to the Ratha-yātrā, when we had the Ratha-yātrā, I saw that their feeling is so strong about it I don't think they'll ever let us have a good cart on that route. I wish they would, but I don't think they will. They told us that they only way they'll let us have a big car is if we change the route. So actually that's one thing I wanted to discuss with you while I was here, whether... If we had the Ratha-yātrā in the Indian district, like Wembley...

Prabhupāda: No.

Jayatīrtha: Then we could have a big cart.

Prabhupāda: No.

Jayatīrtha: Otherwise not.

Prabhupāda: That is not...

Jayatīrtha: The trouble is, with a small cart, people are not very attracted to the Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Jayatīrtha: With a small cart there's nothing so exciting about the Ratha-yātrā that people will come for miles, at least English people. They won't come just to see this small cart. In San Francisco these three huge carts makes it so exciting and colorful that people come just to see the carts.

Prabhupāda: They will not allow.

Prabhupāda: We can make another Ratha-yātrā from Bhaktivedanta Manor to Wembley and other places.

Jayatīrtha: ...Liverpool-Manchester area.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will be nice. Take the Ratha-yātrā along—we have this bus program—do publicity with the bus program, and then, at the end of the month, have a Ratha-yātrā somewhere in the city. I think if we keep the small cart, do at least three Ratha-yātrās this summer... Our big car is there?

Prabhupāda: Simply by Ratha-yātrā, you can attract many people. So still we are going to that Trafalgar Square?