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Review (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:

Interviewer: Were there any followers before you came to this country?

Prabhupāda: No. In this country, of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there was none. It is the first time. I have introduced. But in India it is very, very old, since the advent of Kṛṣṇa, and at least since last five thousand years. So Kṛṣṇa is very popular in India. In every home, Kṛṣṇa is worshiped, and there are many millions of temples of Kṛṣṇa in India and followers also. Followers means almost all Hindus are followers of Kṛṣṇa. They read this Bhagavad-gītā. So I have recently published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It is published by Macmillan Company, and this book is very nicely being received. It is being reviewed by several papers. I have got many others books. They are being gradually introduced. Perhaps you have seen in our counter. We have got books, magazines, calendar, and other literatures. So it is a very scientific movement. It is not a sentiment, bogus hoax. Anyone who wants to understand this movement philosophically, scientifically, they will be very much satisfied with this. The idea is that any religious movement without philosophical basis, it is simply sentiment or fanaticism. And philosophy without idea of God is simply mental speculation. Therefore religious principles combined with philosophy, that is perfect. So the younger section become attracted to this movement because we are giving some religious principle based on philosophy.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Hopeless life. Māyā-sukhāya. Because they waste their time simply for flickering happiness, in future everything is zero. Śūnyavādī, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. Śūnyavādī means whose ultimate goal is zero. Pāścātya-deśa, Western countries. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. (chants japa) Every one of you should take this movement very seriously and save your country. Misguided. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānas (SB 7.5.31). (laughs) Blind men. This Nixon is a rascal number one, and he's the president. Just see. They have no other selection. All the people are rascals, and they must select one rascal to become their guider, another big rascal. (devotees chant japa) (break) ...from Māyāpur?

Devotee (Karāndhara?)(3): Yes. The one you've written, from the old Book Trust?

Prabhupāda: No, no. They have sent one account.

Devotee (3): Oh, yes, I reviewed that.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (3): I reviewed it. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Do you think it is all right?

Devotee (3): Appears to be in order.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (3): Everything appears to be in order.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Anything irregular, you should immediately ask them to explain. At least there must be some check.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: All the professors are very impressed with your books.

Prabhupāda: Impressed?

Bahulāśva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is nice.

Satsvarūpa: We just got a review published in a magazine called Choice which is used... It's very important. It's used by all the libraries all over the country, and the review was excellent. They didn't say one bad thing. You should see that review.

Prabhupāda: Where? You have got that copy?

Rāmeśvara: We have copy. I can bring it in today.

Satsvarūpa: That one review does more work than we could do by traveling all over the country for a year. Because the librarians, when we go to them, they say, "Well, we usually order our books from this Choice magazine." But now we're in it. So...

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is helping us. Take advantage of it. (break) Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for this purpose. Anartha upasamam sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaja. These lokasya ajānataḥ, people are suffering on account of ignorance, so to give them proper knowledge, he made this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (break) Who can become more learned than Vyāsadeva? Therefore he is known as vidvān, the most, supreme learned. He made this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to help these rascals who are spoiling their life only in sense gratification.

Morning Walk -- June 29, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: ...first came to America, Butler, one quarter, is exactly like this. You have been in Butler?

Brahmānanda:. No.

Prabhupāda: Like this.

Brahmānanda: I noticed that one review of your books was written by Mohanlal Sharma of Slippery Rock College. He wrote a very enthusiastic review.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. He claimed to be the first one to receive you at a college.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is very nice gentleman. He came to see me in New York also, with his family.

Brahmānanda: His wife is Sally?

Prabhupāda: No.

Brahmānanda: That's another girl.

Prabhupāda: He is Gopal. He came to learn electrical engineering.

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Everything identical. Now, this grass grown here and this grass grown there, there may be some difference, but they are identical. Harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21). (break) ...that professor who has reviewed Caitanya-caritāmṛta?

Brahmānanda: I think it was J. Bruce Long. Cornell University, very respected university.

Prabhupāda: Oh. And what he is there?

Brahmānanda: Professor of Asian Studies. Kirtirāja says that he is considered one of the authorities.

Prabhupāda: Of Indian. Indology.

Brahmānanda: Yes. And his reviews are published extensively in various journals. So they are going to try to get this review published also. (break)

Prabhupāda: Charity box daily counted?

Dhanañjaya: Yes. Daily counted.

Prabhupāda: So how much it is?

Dhanañjaya: Pūrṇa-candra, how much was collected?

Pūrṇa-candra: 120 rupees.

Prabhupāda: So you write separately.

Morning Walk -- November 7, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: First of all you have your place; then make dolls. But dolls should not be exactly like this, in the same way. But when you make actually, then I will give you how the models should be made. Now, how to do, where to do, that, it is your business. You decide, some of yourself, and do the needful. You have not yet done any plan for the big temple?

Saurabha: I have been asking Jayapataka for about one year to please send me some plan of the land so that I can place all these buildings, because there is no...

Bhāgavata: The blueprints are done. Jayapataka is revising them now. They are in māyāpur. He is reviewing all the blueprints. They are all done. And when they are finished... When he finishes reviewing them, then we'll have them sent here immediately. I just sent them to māyāpur.

Saurabha: As soon as I get the plans, I will make immediately, finish everything. We can make a master plan for the whole situation.

Prabhupāda: So ask him to send immediately site plan and begin.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 26, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Paying hundreds and thousands of dollars. Where is the...? He has lost all capacity, but still, he'll go. Still, he'll go. This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). In the club, the son is also dancing with the girl, and the old father is dancing, and by chance, they come in contact. The Western civilization is for this, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna, eat voraciously, and all become diabetics. They have got diabetes club, association. That means... What is this? Diabetes is the result of voracious eating. That's all. In old age it becomes very prominent because he eats voraciously, but he cannot digest. And all these foodstuffs becomes... What is called? Glucose?

Hari-śauri: Right.

Prabhupāda: And then diabetes. The beginning-āhāra, eating. That gentleman, that doctor who has given us that review, he has. He's very learned man.

Indian man (1): Mr. Shannam?

Prabhupāda: No, no. From France.

Devotee (2): The professor.

Prabhupāda: Hm. He has mentioned, "From the Vedic standard, we are all uncivilized. We Westerners are uncivilized." He has admitted that. Actually they are.

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: "Artistry. But the poem is a symphony in which God is seen in all things. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is, of course, profoundly sympathetic to the theme. He brings to it a special interpretative insight. Here we have a powerful and persuasive presentation in the bhakti tradition of this dearly beloved poem. The Swami's introduction makes clear at once where he stands as a leading exponent of Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is my actual...

Devotee (1): (break) ...not only have your books there in the New York Public Library, but the head librarian of that Oriental division did the review also.

Prabhupāda: "...government(?) of postgraduate college..." Oh, O.B.L. Kapoor. (break) "It is an exhaustive plan of original Sanskrit text in Devanāgarī, then a translation, English synonym... What practitioner of philosophy cannot but be attracted to this serious student and scholar of Sanskrit language and Hindu religion and philosophy? The viewpoint of a devotee cum scholar has the advantage of making the philosophy meaningful to any practical-minded person."

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Devotee (1): This is the largest professor in Sanskrit in the whole United States, from Harvard University.

Satsvarūpa: Most distinguished of all men.

Ghanaśyāma: He never writes reviews for anyone, Śrīla Prabhupāda, but he wrote for you. He just refuses. He hides himself, you know.

Prabhupāda: What? Tell me. What does he say?

Satsvarūpa: "I can recommend Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta as a source of rich insights for every serious student of consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Allen Ginsberg.

Satsvarūpa: Sometimes there are professors of English, all different departments, appreciating.

Devotee (1): This man was selected to the World Council of Churches for the representative of Hinduism in their large meeting, and he just recently did a review on your Bhāgavatam.

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Ghanaśyāma: Sometimes... (break) ...they say the exact things, you know. It's so nice that people...

Prabhupāda: Sometimes I myself read my reviews.

Devotee (1): This man here, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he has just recently, Dr. Bardwell Smith... He's a professor. He has just recently written a letter to us that he's going to bring his students. He's in charge of an India tour program for students in India. He's going to bring his students on a regular scheduled program to Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Yes, invite them.

Rādhāvallabha: Madhudviṣa Mahārāja, if you can keep everyone from banging into those... They break very easily.

Prabhupāda: So why not make a small booklet of all these, thin paper, so that we can send.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh. (Bengali) (break) ...be print in a booklet, that will help us.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Immediately.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have all the reviews with me.

Prabhupāda: Ha. So immediately...

Rādhāvallabha: You want the BBT to print, Śrīla Prabhupāda, or Gopāla Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Rādhāvallabha: You want Gopāla Kṛṣṇa to print in India or you want us to print in Los Angeles?

Prabhupāda: No, India.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can print in India.

Prabhupāda: What is the wrong in India?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...reviews from big, big people in Delhi, that will be very helpful in Russia. Like the head of the Lok Sabha Research Library is giving a review on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and other Sanskrit scholars have also been approached, and they've all agreed to give reviews.

Prabhupāda: Take these reviews. You print.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Guru-kṛpā: Every university in America takes complete book. Every book Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, there is standing order. Oxford, Princeton, Harvard, UCLA, University of California...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: All of the leading professors also have written very favorable reviews, citing these...

Prabhupāda: Where is that book, Professor Judah's book? Hare Krishna and Counterculture.

Carol Jarvis: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: You have read that?

Carol Jarvis: No, I haven't.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he has written big book, Professor Judah. He has very much appreciated. And he has given statistics and everything, very scholarly book. Hare Krishna and Counterculture.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Karnataka. Karnataka province, educated province, Karnataka, South India, Karnataka, very educated. So he has immediately ordered thirty sets of books in different libraries. He has appreciated so much.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The professors in Bombay, some of them are already reviewing Prabhupāda's books very favorably.

Prabhupāda: So you just touch the topmost men. But if, somehow or other, if you see some of the topmost men of the China, "You kindly read our books at your leisure."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can't approach those men.

Prabhupāda: Then give it up. If it is too difficult, don't waste time.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: They're all German. All first-class machine you'll find. This Mercedes motorcar, they're all German. They don't manufacture third-class thing. Everything they manufacture first class. Still, the Germans suffered so much, but when I was in Germany I saw they are very prosperous.

Hari-śauri: Now we have to get them interested in your books.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hari-śauri: Germans.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: I don't think we have any reviews from any big German scholars yet.

Prabhupāda: But if they have ordered for their textbook, that order will be...

Hari-śauri: East Germany, yes.

Prabhupāda: Their order itself will be a testimony. If they order in their own form, "Supply this." Max Mueller was German. So long we are in this material world, this competition, animosity.... Even in the higher planetary system, there is no peaceful condition.

Morning Walk -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Satsvarūpa: ...professor who's going to see you tonight, Professor O'Connell, he wrote a book review of Dr. Judah's book about our movement. And he said it was a very sympathetic book, Dr. Judah's, he said, and a little bit too sympathetic on one point. He made his statement. He thinks that our movement, the way we deny the flesh, he said, he called, "denying the flesh," it tends to make us a little cold in our relations to each other, and people in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement are denying the natural affection that is somehow connected with the flesh.

Prabhupāda: No, we want to, what is called, reject that society. We cannot become sympathetic with everyone. That is not our policy. Asat-saṅga-tyāga vaiṣṇava ācāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was asked what is the general behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, He said that the first thing is that you should give up bad company. So these are bad company. We cannot have any sympathy. We cannot make any compromise with everyone. That is not possible. The modern scientists, they have made quarantine? Quarantine? What is that?

Hari-śauri: Separation.

Prabhupāda: Hah.

Hari-śauri: If someone has a disease, they separate.

Prabhupāda: Those who are infected, they should be separated. You cannot make any compromise.

Morning Walk -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: No, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is explanation, what is the difference between lust and love.

Satsvarūpa: I told him if you observe the devotees, you'll see they have very affectionate loving dealings with one another, but it's not based on the flesh. We don't have to...

Prabhupāda: That is lust. Sahajiyā. Lust is going on as love. (break) ...reviewed Dr. Judah's book?

Satsvarūpa: Yes. Basically, he said it was a good book and that our movement is an important movement. But he made that one objection.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Rūpānuga: This is Professor Dr. Sukla. He has written a very favorable review on your books.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. (laughs) Yes, I've seen you. Thank you very much. I'm just explaining that sense gratification, different types of bodies differently... So that is arranged by the superior arrangement. Sarvatra labhyate daivāt. So it is available everywhere according to the body arrangement. Prahlāda Mahārāja says... Where is that book, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Seventh Canto? Tat-prayāso na kartavyo, don't waste your time for that purpose. Tat-prayāso na kartavyo. Why not? Yata āyur-vyayaḥ param. Simply wasting the valuable duration of life. Yata āyur-vyayaḥ. But practically we see that the whole world is spoiling the life simply for sense gratification, especially at the present moment. Yata āyur-vyayaḥ param.

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

Prabhupāda: One letter should be written to him that "You have taken so much trouble to describe Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, so thank you for your patience. Now we shall request you to read our books and review it. That will be real presentation of the Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement. Now you have studied superficially, and if you seriously study our books, you'll get more knowledge and you'll be able to give description of the movement more definitely."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to hear what else he has to say?

Prabhupāda: Umhm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Others insist that the style of shaving the head identifies devotees of various spiritual orders. The long śikhās marks a man as a follower of Kṛṣṇa. Still another group says that the head-shaving simply stands for renunciation of the material world, its values and its pleasures. One or more of those reasons may be the true one. Possibly all of them have a multi-determined, have multi-determined the Kṛṣṇa cut. The how of the cut is simplicity itself. Commonly two men cut each others hair. Our pictures show how. Phase one of the cutting, known as the buzz-off, is done with ordinary..." (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Buzz off? (laughter)

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So you have reduced the price?

Devotee (5): To forty-five rupees. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa made it very, very reasonable for them that they can partake.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. They are taking the book. That is wanted. We don't want much profit.

Devotee (5): Many, many reviewers also from those big Sanskrits, the largest in the world (indistinct) professors here they also read the reviews and very much appreciate the books. All of the different parts we visited, from north to south, east to west.

Prabhupāda: They're welcome. That's fine. So make world party.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda:

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande
śrī-gurum dīna-tāranam

Mūkaṁ karoti vācālam: "A dumb is a great orator." Mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ. Paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim: "The lame man, lame man is jumping over the mountain." Mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim. Yat-kṛpa: "By the mercy of guru it is possible." So let us cooperate and do this business. Higher authority will be pleased, and that is our success. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If the higher authorities are pleased, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. That is our success. What about that French professor who has written an elaborate review?

Hari-śauri: The one that mentions about Aurobindo...

Bhagavān: I sent you this summer.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Yogeśvara: This is Professor Francois Chenique and his daughter. They drove from Paris this morning to see you.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. You can come forward. I have read your review of our book. It is very nice. (translation is given) Very nice. Your study about this tradition, Indian tradition, I think he has mentioned. Indian tradition, the whole Vedic literature... He understands English?

Yogeśvara: Yes, but I should translate, he's asked me to translate.

Prabhupāda: ...is to approach God. This is the Indian tradition. But, as you have mentioned Aurobindo's name, Aurobindo's idea was to make a better situation of this world. He wanted by yoga practice, a better situation of the world. But our tradition says that is not possible.

Bhūgarbha: He asks what is meant by the situation in this world.

Prabhupāda: The situation is you have to suffer. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is a place for suffering, and that also you cannot stay here. Even if you make compromise, "All right, I shall suffer and stay," Kṛṣṇa says no. You suffer, and after you make adjustment, you will be kicked out.

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

Prabhupāda: Why don't you print the opinions? Several times...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have printed.

Prabhupāda: Where is that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, I have it. We have printed the reviews in all, and the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is Authorized.

Prabhupāda: That is a simple thing, but all the reviews you should print them in...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In a book form.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are hundreds of reviews.

Krishna Modi: And you should also supply that to at least your interested members. Interested Parliament only.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We'll design a special booklet just for...

Prabhupāda: I am asking you for so many months that you publish all these opinions.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have all the opinions, but we presently have them in sheets. Not in a book form. We can put it in...

Prabhupāda: Where is that? Where is that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In the sheets? Oh, I have. Yes I have most of the reviews, book reviews, with me.

Prabhupāda: So, where is that? Bring it.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Prabhupāda is doing the same thing in America now.

Prabhupāda: America we have nine, eleven centers like that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Farms. This is a review from a local, from O.P. Baradraj, Principal of Government College for Men, Chandigarh.

Prabhupāda: One minute. Perhaps you are, any representative of Novara Times?

Interviewer: Yes, he is here.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you published I think two years before, about our New Vrindaban. And you stated that it is a wonderful land, that... What is that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) It is your remark. You have seen. Your representative went there and saw it.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In October '74.

Interviewer: Yes. Along with photographs.

Prabhupāda: In big, whole page article.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct) published a series of four, three articles and last year's Janmāṣṭamī. This review from Mr. Baradraj...

Prabhupāda: We are giving cow protection in the country where they are eaten by the people. Their staple food, beef, and they are accepting this movement, giving cow protection.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Between now and Māyāpura it's very tight.

Prabhupāda: Very prestigious papers like Time, Reader's Digest. Reader's Digest is the highest circulation.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, in the world. Śrīla Prabhupāda, the Sunday New York Times has a big section just on books, and that's the most respected in the world, their books section and their book reviews. That is very prestigious. All the leading people read it.

Prabhupāda: But wherever you advertise, it must be prominent. It must immediately come to the notice. You can spend little more.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, this advertising will also increase our college orders, because even college professors and librarians read papers. So when our salesmen go there, they'll say, "Oh, I saw your advertisement in the papers."

Prabhupāda: On nice pages(?) you just give your... Another proposal was that, some New York or somewhere somebody is proposing to sell individually. Who was that?

Jagadīśa: Encyclopedia?

Prabhupāda: Like that.

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Telephone number, I think, Vrnda has also.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he just got a phone. Lever Brothers, they've been experimenting with couponing in India. Not very...

Rāmeśvara: This man invited us to have the books reviewed.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I saw that. We're going to work on that now, even get these books reviewed by Times of India and all... So this is free publicity, and this is respected publicity. They also have a telephone number now. I have seen in the news. I have it in my office.

Prabhupāda: Telephone number?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: I think I have got. Yes, 617796

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: That book can be expanded with more references.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. When I reprint it I'll do that.

Gargamuni: Those European reviews.

Prabhupāda: With a covering letter: "Sir, there is much agitation about Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. You'll kindly read this following pamphlet, and you'll understand the value of the movement." And it is good that you have given the heading, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is fact. Because we are part and parcel of God, therefore there is illumination.

Hari-śauri: But what they describe is that as they were hovering on the subtle platform, this being came to them, and, it describes, it showed them their past activities during their lifetime. But he discounts the...

Rāmeśvara: Here's the description of that. "The initial appearance of this luminous being and his questions are the prelude to a moment of startling intensity, during which this luminous being presents to the person a panoramic review of his life. It is obvious that this luminous being can see the individual's whole life and he doesn't need the information," but he is getting the dead man to reflect on his past life. It says that "The remembrance is extraordinarily rapid. Everything appears at once and can be taken in with one mental glance. Yet despite its rapidity, all the..."

Prabhupāda: That is happening in dream also. So many remembrances come together; it becomes topsy-turvied. Therefore we see all of a sudden: "Oh, it is done long, long ago."

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They say that the review, even though it's very quick, is incredibly vivid.

Hari-śauri: Find out where it discounts about punishment and reward.

Prabhupāda: One idea, another idea overlaps. Therefore it appears mysterious.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: The light is the rays. The person is there.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They just could not see.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Who is he?

Hari-śauri: Somebody stuck his head through the fence. Why not read about the..., about a review of the past life? There, this section here.

Rāmeśvara: But again, that's just subjective. These people who encountered this luminous being, they did not feel that they were being judged. They just felt that he was their friend coming to help them. That is their description.

Prabhupāda: And how they can feel they are being judged? That very, very subtle thing, they cannot imagine it.

Hari-śauri: They get shown this review of their life, but they don't feel that they're being judged on their sinful activities.

Prabhupāda: Then why different types of forms? Who is giving them different types of forms?

Hari-śauri: Well, the thing is these people have not reached the point of death because actually they came back to life. So it's not in their karma that they were going to die at that time. So we couldn't figure out who this luminous being is.

Prabhupāda: When the judgment will be given... There was time still to live in their particular body. So after finishing that karma, then the next body.

Room Conversation with Sannyasis -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: He wants that you... He said, "The translator frequently adds comments containing information from other Vedic scriptures, for instance, ancient astronomical calculations referred to by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. It would be highly interesting to have a compilation of such astronomical texts translated into English. One can only hope that the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust endeavors to do this to the great benefit of the historians of science."

Prabhupāda: We shall do it. I am searching after some astronomer.

Rāmeśvara: There is also a review from one Indian professor, how this science...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, they have become interested in our literature.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. Whether he completely agrees or not, he's fascinated by it.

Prabhupāda: That is another thing.

Room Conversation with Sannyasis -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: This is also... This review is a great praise that your writing is so clear that they cannot miss the point. He has understood the dif... You are forcing them to see a difference...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: ...between the Māyāvādī and the actual philosophy of Lord Caitanya. And that review is a credit that your writing is so clear that they cannot fail to understand the point.

Prabhupāda: He has written that "Bhaktivedanta Swami has very convincingly presented." He said that.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. That was the first one.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: Then, in years to come, like five years, ten years, twenty years, how will we be able to keep up our relationship with the universities that we have now? Now they think highly of us, that we've published these books, and they've written all these reviews that "This is a great contribution." We won't be able to... Well, they'll just have them in their libraries, and then we'll switch fields. We'll go to the common man.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hm. Let them... If the university authorities agree to teach students...

Satsvarūpa: Text orders.

Prabhupāda: The text order. That will be nice.

Satsvarūpa: Yes I have some of those from the United States. Here is one. Twenty-two Bhagavad-gītās was ordered on December lst.

Prabhupāda: That will be nice. Let them introduce as text for studying by the students.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Did you go to our center, Bangkok?

Gargamuni: No. I didn't have the address. And I heard they were giving up the house because it is not... They have to...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Gargamuni: There was very good response. And they're all writing reviews on our books. They have never seen such a translation of Bhāgavatam, they said. They said, "We have only seen the summary study, but we have never seen such word-for-word study." So I'm planning a tour of all the Southeast Asian countries, in Hong Kong and all these areas, to do standing orders.

Prabhupāda: So, no new book?

Rāmeśvara: It is coming.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Gargamuni: Rangoon is a Communist state, but still, they say, "We must have these books, and we will make arrangement for payment." No one has refused that they will not pay.

Prabhupāda: Through this Communist country, other Communist countries also...

Gargamuni: Oh, yes. They were very impressed by the Russian reviews in Rangoon. They said, "Oh, in Russia also." I said, "Yes, our Guru Mahārāja, he went there in '71 and gave lectures at the University of Moscow." They were highly impressed with that.

Prabhupāda: This is very improved.

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

Satsvarūpa: As for Jayatīrtha, he will keep England in his zone, but he is also going to take a zone in the United States, which he finds that he can travel to without much difficulty, which is the Mid-West of the United States, including Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, and a little center, Ann Arbor.

Prabhupāda: So you have all agreed to. That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: Harikeśa Mahārāja will mostly retain the same zone of Eastern European countries, Germany, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries.

Prabhupāda: So you have discussed Hare Kṛṣṇa, er, Harikeśa's activities, reviewed? It is all right?

Rāmeśvara: No. That is yet to be discussed under saṅkīrtana techniques.

Gargamuni: The techniques?

Prabhupāda: Not techniques. On the whole... He's the...

Kīrtanānanda: Jayatīrtha gave us a report.

Jayatīrtha: I gave very good reports. I had a very good experience as far as...

Prabhupāda: He is, after all, new appointed, so you have to study how things are going on.

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

Prabhupāda: Gopāla Kṛṣṇa went to Russia. He did some work. How GBC appreciate that work? Do they appreciate or not?

Jayatīrtha: It appears that he several nice orders and reviews from the universities there.

Prabhupāda: So?

Rāmeśvara: It's considered a breakthrough. It's considered a great achievement...

Prabhupāda: Yes, then...

Rāmeśvara: ...his work in Russia.

Prabhupāda: Then why, if he continues like that, what is the wrong there?

Harikeśa: I had a few objections which I didn't bring up as a whole.

Prabhupāda: What is that objection?

Harikeśa: About the security for these people in the country itself. For example, the reviews that were gotten, somehow or another, the actual names of the professors were circulated, and this can cause them absolute havoc. And the books that were distributed in East Berlin never made it to the shelves. So that means they were censored, that the people know that these books are not very good and they were suppressing it. So in Russia they know even quicker about this, that these books are not very good for them and they censor them. So when they get censored, the people who accept them are in a little bit strange position. And then if we advertise that they wrote the review in the book, then they're in a very strange position.

Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Why you are concerned? If you become perfect by one, why you're after so many? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). So we have taken that one. That's all. Kṛṣṇa. We are not after zeros. Ask these boys to come after zeros and bribe them millions of dollars. They will refuse: "No, we're after one, Kṛṣṇa." They have been trained up. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. We have written these big, big books, eighty-four books, only on Kṛṣṇa. Now it is recognized that Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is genuine, in New York high-court.

Mr. Koshi: Yes, I saw the review in the Times of India also. But there was a lot of controversy there. It was called brainwashing and all that.

Prabhupāda: There are so many accusations. Now in the court has acknowledged, "It is genuine."

Mr. Koshi: But you don't require recognition of any court, do you?

Prabhupāda: You require. (laughter) I don't require. You require.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is genuine. It is genuine.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This court case turned out to be a blessing. You had said that earlier, not to worry.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wanted us to push it on for fourteen years.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The court case?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I would not have given up. I would have spent all my assets to fight this case. But Kṛṣṇa's grace, in one day. Not fourteen days even. This is Kṛṣṇa. On the first review. Yes. I wanted even fourteen years. Yes. I was prepared. I will spend all my money. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He wanted: "Take it, this advent(?). Finished." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is wonderful. I have written one chapter...

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Huh? So chuṅco mere hata gandha. So if you want to kill, then your hand will be bad flavor.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh.

Prabhupāda: We don't want to touch them even. I never did so.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He got a review already on his book. This is from the... It's called Books West.

Prabhupāda: Keep your position respectable. Don't create many enemies. It is very simple. Why should I try to understand the rascal Gandhi philosophy and Ramakrishna? I take it from the beginning, they're useless. Why shall I waste my time? I know it is useless. They'll require superficial touch, no important. I therefore say in every..., "I do not know who is this."

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating. So if I know... Just like Vivekananda is cheating. Gandhi is cheating. He is cheating. Why shall I waste my time? Actually they are cheating. What do they know about religion? Therefore in the beginning, "I do not know this man."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It really takes the air out of their sails. It really diminishes their position to say that, more than anything else, when you say, "I don't know who they are. Who is that you're talking about? Never heard his name."

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) That is sufficient.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the worst thing you could say about them. There's a very good article he sent. I should read you this review first. The article is also very good. It says, "New religious movements considered likely to last." Now the American people are recognizing. Of course, this is a general article, not specifically about us. But they're understanding that these religions are not going to be driven away. Anyway, this review says, "When it comes to Hindu scripture, the Hare Kṛṣṇas are unabashed fundamentalists." That's a good credit. That's a very good certification, "Unabashed fundamentalists."

Prabhupāda: Unabash, or unbast?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Unabashed.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

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.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, there's another thing. This whole thing, these are new reviews I'm going to read to you.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "I also have other good news." He says, "The Andhra Pradesh government has sent a newsletter to all libraries in the state, requesting them to order our books, as they are approved by the state." Wow!

Prabhupāda: So you can do it from other provinces also.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. All success to your forward march.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you want to hear some of the reviews, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're not feeling tired at all now.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think this is invigorating.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Page Title:Review (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:27 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=41, Let=0
No. of Quotes:41