Scattered (Lect. Conv. and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"scatter" |"scatterbrained" |"scattered" |"scattering" |"scatters"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

Rādhārāṇī, uh, Mother Yaśodā, keeping Kṛṣṇa underneath the cart, and Kṛṣṇa is breaking the cart, killing the Śakaṭāsura. And Mother Yaśodā thinking Kṛṣṇa is saved. Then when the cart was broken, the utensils scattered, and she became anxious. This is Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment, to deal with His devotee in different rasas and enjoy. Sākhya... Śānta dāsya sākhya mādhurya vātsalya. In this way Kṛṣṇa is always enjoying. He has no other business than enjoyment. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He's by nature simply enjoying. Enjoying. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

So by yogic process, by concentrating our mind, focusing our mind to the Supersoul, one can experience that partial, plenary expansion of the Lord, Supersoul. Just like in the... The same example can be given, that the sun, at noontime, if you inquire thousands and thousands of people scattered over thousands and thousands of miles away, everyone will say that "The sun is on my head." Similarly, the Supreme Lord is also represented by the Supersoul conception in everyone's heart. Not only in everyone's heart, but even in every atom He is represented. So that realization is the second stage. And the third stage is to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore it is said here that these stages... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Bahūnām means after many, many, many births. Spiritual realization is not achieved in one birth. If one is fortunate, oh, he can achieve in one second. He can achieve in one second.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

So in this life, whatever mental creation we are doing or creating, that will be carried in the next life, and according to that, nature will give us a body. So if we think of dog, maybe we are transferred to the dog's body. If I think of God, then I shall be transferred to a god's body. So we have scattered our love for so many things in the material world. We have to collect everything and transfer everything for loving God. That is successful life. So if we think of God, then how we become purified, and next we become transferred to the kingdom of God. And if we think of material things, then again we shall be transferred to another material body.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for educating people how to think of God constantly. And if we practice like that, then, after giving up this body, we are going to get a body which is exactly like God. This body is called sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of bliss. This body, this material body, is just the opposite number.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

This family combination is māyā because we all, living entities, we are being washed away by the waves of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So just like the waves of the river carry so many straws scattered here and there, and sometimes by whirlwind, all the straws meet together in the water, so our meeting—"I am the father. You are the son. She is the wife. He is the grandson," or "He is father," or "She is..."—in this way, our mixing up in a group of family is exactly like the assembly of some straws in the waves of the river. It has no meaning. Just like the straws, they gather together by the movement of the waves, and again, by the movements of waves, the straws are scattered here and there, here and there, here and... Nowadays it is very practical. Just like I am an Indian. I have my family. You are European, you are American. You have got family. But now where we are from, the family, we scattered. This is practical.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

I have got this responsibility. I have got this responsibility," and they are working very, very hard and doing all nonsense. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Now, somebody's stealing for the sake of family maintenance, doing so many sinful activities, but when they are scattered again by the laws of nature, nobody will be sympathetic to me if I suffer for my own sinful activities. But they do by the so-..., for the so-called family. They get money, and they... Due to affection... First of all, whatever he earns, by hook or by crook, first of all he wants to see that his wife, children, are fed up very nicely. And, at last, if there is some remnants, he can eat, out of affection. You see?

So therefore this affection is the very hard knot for being bound up in this material world, this affection. Therefore the Vedic civilization is that the affection is to be cut off compulsory at a certain age, not that the affection should continue.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

Difference, there is difference between gṛhastha and gṛhamedhī. Gṛhamedhī, just like ordinary persons, their household life means they have made the home as the center of their existence. Just like I was seeing just now the rooms of our gṛhastha, householder, boys and girls. Things are scattered. (laughter) But if you go to another person's, gṛhastha (gṛhamedhī), you will find their apartment nicely decorated, chairs, cushions, and sitting place, but they have no vision about self. And here, although we see that household affairs, their resting place, is not so nicely decorated, but their aim is Kṛṣṇa. So that is the difference between gṛhamedhī and gṛhastha. Gṛhamedhī means they simply want to decorate their apartment and children and wife. That is their end of life. That is all. They have no other business. Apaśyatām, blind of the value of life. Whereas the gṛhastha, he is not blind about the value of his life. He is simply looking forward, how to become successful, Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972:

That is our nature. But that ānanda, pleasure, you cannot enjoy independently. That is not possible. You must enjoy with Kṛṣṇa. That is called rāsa-līlā. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, they assemble together. Similarly, we are part and parcel ... Just like part and parcel of big machine. They are assembled, then it works. If the part and parcel are scattered, oh, then it has no meaning. It is simply scrap of iron, that's all. But when they are assembled together, that is meaning. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So we must assemble together. Central Kṛṣṇa. Central Kṛṣṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is...

Just like in this house, we are living. And (in) the next house, they are also living. So what is the difference? The difference is here, Kṛṣṇa is center. That's all. Therefore it is temple. And the next door, a house. That is the difference between house, ordinary house, and temple.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Prabhupāda: It is simply the influence of the material energy, nothing. Actually he has not fallen. Another example given is given. Just like the moon is covered with scattered cloud, the passing cloud. You have seen. Everyone has experience. The cloud passes, and it appears that the moon is moving. Have you seen this?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Actually the moon is not moving. It is a māyā, illusion. It appears that the moon is moving. But similarly, the living entity, because he is spiritual spark of the Supreme, it has not fallen. It has not fallen. But he is thinking, "I am fallen. I am material." That is the reason. He is thinking, "I am this body." Actually the body has no connection with me. That is experienced, that the body has no connection with the soul. The body is changing, dying. But I am the same. The same example, the moon: The cloud is passing over in different way.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

This is called vimūḍhān. He knows that "This will finished. It will not stay, I will not stay, these things will not stay. I will have to change. They will have to change." It is just like straws gathered together by the whims of the waves, and again it is scattered.

So we are going on the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, therefore, says, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese': "You rascal, you are going, floating under the spell of māyā." Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi: "And sometimes you are drowned and sometimes in the up by the tricks of the waves. Why you are leading such life?" Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi: "You come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and try to understand that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa; you are being carried away by the whims of māyā. So that will make you happy." Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta, er, Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us, patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau: "My Lord," ayi nanda-tanuja, "O the son of Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa, I am Your eternal servant. Somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of nescience." Patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau. Bhava ambudhau. Ambudhi means sea, ocean.

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

We are always graha-grasto in this material world. It is said by some Vaiṣṇava poet, piśāci pāile yena mati-cchana haya māyār graṣṭa jīvera sei dāsa upajaya. Piśāci, ghostly haunted or inspired by the witches, when one becomes so, mati-cchana, he becomes bewildered and his intelligence becomes scattered. Mati-cchana. That is the condition of all living entities within this material world in different degrees. Everyone is ghostly haunted. And what is that ghostly haunted? That ghostly haunted, tan-nimitta-smara-vyāja. This Ajāmila had seen one śūdra and one śūdrāṇī were embracing, kissing, laughing, enjoying in lusty affairs. So he became tan-nimitta. By seeing these activities of the śūdra and the śūdrāṇī, naturally the lusty desire is there, which I explained yesterday. It is called hṛd-roga-kāma. This kāma, lusty desire, is a heart disease. So he was infected by the heart disease by seeing the scene, that one woman and man is embracing kissing, immediately.

Lecture on SB 7.9.23 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1976:

Such one day, then thirty days, one month; then twelve months, one year. Such ten thousand years, their duration of life. Such ten thousand years. So just imagine what is their duration of... Āyuḥ. And so far strength is concerned, that, the Indra is in charge of thunderbolt, so when Indra throws the the thunderbolts to scatter the cloud, we have experience how terrible sound it is. So they have got so long duration of life, strength, administrative power and so many things. Still, they were afraid of Hiraṇyakaśipu, still... In spite of possessing so much big, big possessions. Akhila-dhiṣṇya-pānām āyuḥ śriyo vibhava. And everyone, icchati, everyone desires. "If I could live so many years like Brahmā"—everyone is aspiring. Therefore they want to be promoted to the higher planetary system for which they perform yajña to be promoted. In this life they struggle, the karmīs. They struggle to become prime minister and Birla and this and that. And again, for the next life, they make provision.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Then they may practice. They may be given to practice, not the actual work. So... But they are scattered in different places.

Brahmānanda: Baradraj is coming to Boston.

Prabhupāda: Baradraj is good. Yes. He can... If he likes, he can do much work.

Satsvarūpa: And Muralīdhara is good and also produces. Devahūti is good, but doesn't produce.

Prabhupāda: So Devahūti has gone. I would have talked with her.

Brahmānanda: Yes. I don't have her address.

Prabhupāda: Oh, she does not live in the temple.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 15, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: Town to town. What do you think this idea Huh? Continue engagement. And as many men may join us, we can accommodate them. Every country. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). I got this idea, one king, (indistinct), the grandson of Prthuraya, this Mahārāja Prithu, he performed so many yajñas that on the surface of the earth, there were only kuśa grass scattered. Yajña, they require kuśa grass. Kuśa grass. So all over the world it was simply scattered, after yajñas, I have given my comment in this. Similarly, we shall perform this saṅkīrtana yajña all over the world, town to town, town to town. Now we have got GBC all over the world. Let them organize. What they'll do? Organize yajña after yajña, yajña after yajña. So that as at the present moment even if we go somewhere, are known to: "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" They say. The whole world will say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Either jokingly or serious, it doesn't matter. Let them joke, criticize them, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," still they will have the effect. Still they will have it.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1972, Madras:

Guest: First of all, they are scattered all over the world, your society. Scattered all over the world. They do not live together, anywhere.

Prabhupāda: No. I have got different centers.

Guest: You have.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In different cities.

Guest: And they live together there?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We have got devotees in each center, not less than twenty-five and up to two hundred.

Guest: I see. Oh, as big as that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Demonic.

Prajāpati: In the Bible, it is also. An attempt was made to build a big, huge tower up to heaven. And the Lord was not very pleased with this attempt, and He scattered all the people. (about the ocean) Just wants to touch your lotus feet, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Big, powerful waves, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Big, powerful waves.

Prabhupāda: No, not very much. Up to this powerful. (laughter) Up to ten feet, that's all.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 7, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Everyone will understand. Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is proved. We are going to Africa. We are going to Canada, Europe, America. Everyone chants Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is the language. When a young man and young woman loves one another, there is no question of language. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Suppose you are in a foreign country. You do not know the language. But when there is fire, you get friends without any language." You see? In the beginning of British rule, there were not very many English-knowing Indians so a clerk in his office was working. So monkey came and he scattered the office papers. So after the monkey was driven away, he was collecting the papers. In the meantime, his English boss came. "What is this, man?" So he could not say. He began to jump. You see. "Monkey, sir. Monkey, sir. (laughter) Monkey, sir." "All right. All right. That's all right." Simply to inform, without any language, you can jump, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." And he will understand. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: That is means conditional religion. That is not absolute religion. In order to, what is called, summarize all types of religion... Just like Kṛṣṇa says, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ, "Everyone is trying to come to Me." So they are coming by different paths. So that is accepted. Now, when he says that "I am here. You're coming to Me, now you just surrender. Then everything is all right." Why don't you accept that? Why do you insist, "No, I shall come in a different way, different path"? What is this nonsense? God is saying "All right, you have got different paths, but give up that. Now simply surrender to Me." Where I am objection? If I am a really lover of God, God is saying like that, why not accept that? Why shall I pay for different paths? Eh? Suppose in this jungle you are scattered and you are searching "Where is Prabhupāda? Where is Prabhupāda?" And somebody says, "Come this way. Come this way." And if I say, "Not this way, that way. Come here. Come here." What is your objection? Eh? Either you don't want me.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: New York is the dirtiest. New York. There you'll find so many of these papers scattered. In New York. Even the park, the most celebrated park, Central Park, they are all full of dirt.

Girirāja: The city is going bankrupt.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Which?

Girirāja: New York City.

Dr. Patel: America will never go bankrupt so far material prosperity is concerned. Already some people say...

Prabhupāda: There is no guarantee, sir.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: I have seen in New York. Many tenants, they leave their whole possession and go away. I have seen it. And for the landlord it becomes a problem, how to cleanse this. I have seen it. All table, chairs, bedding, scattered in this way, and they went away. I have seen it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Colorado I convinced this one boy to join us. He was a musician, the leader of a band. So I only talked to him for a few minutes but he became convinced very quickly. So I asked him, "You're a musician. You have some instruments?" because these instruments are very valuable. He said, "Yes, I have some." I said, "Well, you should give them to Kṛṣṇa because everything that you give, then you'll get benefit.

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

Prabhupāda: That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission,

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

He has to preach in every village and every town on the surface of the globe about this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So our business is... Just this example I have given, that there is fire. I do not know the language. Still, I have to call and take help. So I am doing like that. There is a story. In Calcutta when the Britishers were establishing themselves, so one clerk was working in the office and some monkey came and scattered the office files and everything. So his boss came, he asked him, "What is this, why you?" So he cannot explain, so he began to jump like monkey, that on account of the monkey coming within the room. So when the language is unknown we have to jump and show that the monkey came.

Morning Walk -- September 2, 1976, New Delhi:

Hari-śauri: I was just telling him to fan just when there's flies just to scatter.

Prabhupāda: You are tired now? No?

Indian man: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: You can climb on the tree? No. Let me see. (children laughing) It is better than that path.

Hari-śauri: This one?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is not so crowded. That path is very crowded. (break)

Lokanātha: ...five thousand years back, until now, there's only thirty ācāryas...

Prabhupāda: Chain is broken when there are false spiritual masters. Otherwise it is not broken. Chain is broken if a so-called spiritual master speaks something manufactured. Then the chain is broken. Otherwise chain is not broken.

Room Conversation -- December 7, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. His cook and servant, yes. So make this arrangement so that everything should be inaugurated tomorrow, not more than that. So You have to purchase vegetable and then make a big, big scheme. Bambharambhe(?) laghu-kriyā. Ārambha, very big, and action, very little. And ask some of our devotees to collect all the gobars and bring here. I want gobar. There so much gobars scattered here and there. Take one basket and two men may go and collect all of them, put it in the sunshine. So nowadays sunshine is so bright. You can have so many things exposed to sunshine. All vitamins. So you immediately make program for vegetable, fruits, flower, surrounding this, immediately. So how Bhogilal will be brought here?

Mahāṁśa: In his car.

Prabhupāda: In his car. So make arrangement. Either we both of us, we may stay there or one here, one there.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Indian man: His answer will be one, but to how the student understands, for making student understand, he will have to show in different ways. Suppose a person is coming from Himalayas to the Bombay, his path will be different. Greenery will be there, flowing rivulets will be there, mountain peaks scattered with snow will be there....

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. If you have to go to the Himalaya, you must go to the path which leads to Himalaya. You cannot accept a path which leads to Delhi. There is no different answer, the answer is one. Just like Himalaya is in the northern side. The answer would be, "The Himalaya is on the northern side." Nobody will say, "No, Himalaya may be in the eastern side or the western side or southern side." That is not the answer.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: After the scattering of these Aryans, they have come different place. How is it that we brought all the cultural heritage in north, east and western countries? They must have also taken. But because they have to live very hard life, they are in cold countries...

Prabhupāda: And what do you mean by "we"? We are not...

Dr. Patel: "We" means our forefathers.

Prabhupāda: Forefathers may be saintly person, but we are not. Why do you say "we"?

Dr. Patel: "We" means the descendants of our forefathers.

Prabhupāda: My father might have been very rich man, but I am a poverty-stricken man, loitering in the street. Why say "we"?

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So far money is here, scattered, you can take charge and do the needful. I kept some money here, there, just to... But now you can take charge of the all money, one or two or three of you, and let me remain free from all management. And only request is, don't spoil it. I sometimes chastise everyone that may not be spoiled. You are taking care of everything, but still more careful. I can live without any food, simply taking these fruits. There is no difficulty.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, there are people who do that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And we don't care for the lunch. What is the... I am sitting idly. I haven't got to work hard. I don't require food, little fruits even. Those who are working, they require food to get strength, but I am sitting idly, and brain is working. So so far my physical necessity, there is no necessity of food. But I may not so depend on that going to the bath, toilet. I require... And that is also not required. There are many persons. That Rajda... I... He was also... I have seen many men. For rising up, they require help.

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: We want to become artificially rascal, mahājana. That is going on. (Hindi) Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Whatever you have learned, forget." Mām ekam. Because he has become too much bewildered, He doesn't say anybody else. Mām ekam, word to the mūrkhas... Śaraṇaṁ vraja. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). (Hindi with scattered English words) Why do you take Bhagavad-gītā? The beginning, the first line, is yuyutsavaḥ. Where is nonviolence? (Hindi)

Indian man (7): How can you fight a war and then be nonviolent at the same time?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Indian man (7): How is it possible to be nonviolent...

Prabhupāda: Why you want nonviolence?

Indian man (7): They are talking so much about nonviolence...

Prabhupāda: Just like here is a monkey. Is it not violence sometimes to drive away them? There will be attack, and you have to protect your... This world is not like that, that there is no... It is not Vaikuṇṭha. It is material world.

Evening Darsana -- May 14, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is compulsory vairāgya. As soon as one is fifty years old, he must give up family life. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Aiye. (Hindi) Jawaharlal Nehru, up to the end of his life he wanted to remain prime minister. (Hindi with scattered English words) Practical application there are. (Hindi) (pause) (Hindi) (Hindi conversation with scattered English) Without bhakti, jñāna is never sufficient, but bhakti does not depend... Ahaituky apratihatā. It cannot be checked. (Hindi) Bhagavān is within. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). And He assures... (Hindi) The so-called jñānī, he wants to become liberated and become one with the Supreme-kāṅkṣati. When actually one is self-realized, na kāṅkṣati. Yogī kāṅkṣati. (Hindi) Bhagavān is the Supreme. We are part and parcel. So I have already given you the example, these fingers, part and parcel of the body.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Indian man (1): (Hindi) (Hindi conversation with scattered English) (long pause, bells ringing in background) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...in that paper he wrote, "In case I die, these three men will be trustees, and the majority will be effective." So that scrap of paper, Tīrtha Mahārāja kept it. And later on, Guru Mahārāja wanted to make a constitution, but he avoided. But actually after his demise, that scrap of paper was presented in the high-court, and property was given. That is the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's... It was considered as a will.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No need of big, formal document.

Prabhupāda: He is the original founder. Automatically he wins. That's all.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: There are so many. They're scattered about. I couldn't see all the different people in a short period. It's a big place.

Prabhupāda: And whole Bangladesh is a picture.

Jayapatākā: It's just so green, all rivers. And everywhere I saw rice field and jackfruit and mango, everywhere filled with fruits, very luscious.

Prabhupāda: And cow's milk.

Jayapatākā: Oh, oh, no buffalo. Only cow's milk. And pure ghee there is six rupees per ser.

Prabhupāda: Those who are fish-eaters, they can eat sumptuously fish. There is no scarcity.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where it is?

Jayapatākā: It's scattered all around. In that area that we wanted, nine hundred bighās, say about a hundred or about sixty bighās scattered, three bighā, two bighā. It is government kash land, so they recommended giving that to us. But because of the elections, that's not making progress.

Bhavānanda: We're getting lots of lemons.

Prabhupāda: Hm. What you are doing with them?

Bhavānanda: Nimbu pāni, and all the devotees get piece of lemon with their main meal. We have now... Everyone has gathered. All of the preaching parties have come back, and we've... They're all dispersing again on Friday. So when everyone is there, we have close to 275 residents.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is satisfied.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: (Hindi or Bengali) (Hindi conversation with scattered English about water and electricity meters)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he's saying that 'cause...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatākā's saying... He's translating what they were talking, that there's already a meter for electricity. This new meter is proposed simply for water, but the cost of water is so cheap, what is the need of a meter?

Jayapatākā: They're not making any claim for water. They say, "How much water you can use? It's a matter of a few paisa."

Prabhupāda: Last time the (indistinct) Goswami and Gurudāsa, the arrangement was to live without paying anything.

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (Bengali conversation with scattered English and Sanskrit) Kṛṣṇa says... You understand English?

Guest (2): No.

Prabhupāda: "I am the owner of all planets." Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29).

Guest (2): (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (Bengali conversation) Treatment? Ei. They are always reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (1): Reciting nāma-saṅkīrtana. They are doing all the best and most proper thing.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) And Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Unless there is personal conception, there is no question of bhakti. (break) Bhakti means the way to understand the person. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Mām means person, aham, mām. Vague idea, Brahman; distributed idea, Paramātmā; and the personal idea can be applied here. It is said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). It is not impersonal, not scattered. Particular person, Kṛṣṇa. When Yaśodā-mā was allowing her child to suck her breast, the child was.... And Yasoda mother was enjoying the beautiful face, patting. But all of a sudden she saw within the mouth the whole universe. Immediately she became disturbed: "Another danger is coming." She's not concerned with Kṛṣṇa's expansive, gorgeous.... She's only concern is to Kṛṣṇa, what.... She became disturbed: "What is this nonsense? Again something is coming, danger? Let me remember Nārāyaṇa. He'll save my child from all..." The personal conception is so strong that he (she) disliked to see gorgeous opulence of his (her).

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The Lord's sva-dhāma does not require any sunlight or moonlight or electricity for illumination. That dhāma, or place, is supreme, and whoever goes there never comes back to this material world.

The Vaikuṇṭha planets and the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet are all self-illuminating, and the rays scattered by those sva-dhāma of the Lord constitute the existence of the brahma-jyotir. As further confirmed in the Vedas like the Muṇḍaka (2.2.10), Kaṭha (2.2.15) and Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣads (6.14):

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakaṁ

nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto 'yam agniḥ

tam eva bhāntam anu bhāti sarvaṁ

tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti

In the sva-dhāma of the Lord there is no need of sun, moon or stars for illumination. Nor is there need of electricity, so what to speak of ignited lamps? On the other hand, it is because those planets are self-illuminating that all effulgence has become possible, and whatever there is that is dazzling is due to the reflection of that sva-dhāma.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. That's what I'm going to do, because the difference is this: Sac-cid-ānanda is a little scatterbrained; he's not very clear-headed. And Bhagatji has so many ideas. But Bhakti-caru is smart. Bhakti-caru speaks Bengali and he's smart.

Prabhupāda: And Hindi also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Hindi. Bhagatji just has too many ideas. Just like Bhagatji's big idea is "I have to give Prabhupāda fresh cow's milk from my cows." He's thinking, Bhagatji... His thing is he's thinking already, "I want to give Prabhupāda milk, cow's milk." But someone should be here who doesn't want anything except to take the kavirāja's instructions. I get afraid about Bhagatji like that.

Prabhupāda: No. Kavirāja also said, but with.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhakti-caru: "If you scatter rice, then there's no dearth of crows." (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "No dearth of crows."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They'll come by the bunches.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems like there's a Bengali proverb for practically everything, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Ektu bhauma bhauma deśa tabu raṅge bara.(?) Explain this.

Bhakti-caru: That "Bengal has been divided into so many different parts, but still it's full of rasas and humor."

Prabhupāda: Bengali people are easy-going. So therefore they can manufacture all these humors.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Delhi 6 October, 1967:

Regarding Manuscripts you can hold on till my arrival or next letter in this connection. The thing is that there is regular negotiation with M/s MacMillan Co for taking up the publication. Brahmananda in his recent letter has informed that the sanction is awaiting the President's signature. So let us wait a few days more for the final word.

I can understand that you have secured a very nice place in Boston and there is very good possibility of pushing our movement amongst the students community there. Our movement is certainly very much appealing to the younger section of your country and if we are successful in the matter of attracting the students community in your country certainly this movement will scatter all over the world and the foretelling of Lord Caitanya that in every village and every town of the world the ___ will be famous for His glorious Sankirtana movement. Please try for this your heart and soul and your life will be a successful mission.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

Still I had the strength of mind, and I continued to stay. Similarly, if you have strength of mind, you can stay always in India even in the most inconvenient condition. Another difficulty is that although you are four already in India, you cannot live together. Ramanuja left the camp as soon as I left you. You do not like Harivilasa. So you are living scattered. That is another difficulty. If you would have lived together with mutual cooperation, there would have been no trouble; but I think that is also not possible.

In my plain opinion, I think if you can all three at present moment, namely yourself, Harivilasa, and Rsikesa, live together, there will be no difficulty. You are going to Vrindaban, so formerly you told me that you selected a very nice house at Rs 50 per month, why not take that house and live together, all three, chant Hare Krsna, and try to remain in transcendental peace.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Purusottama -- Hawaii 6 March, 1969:

We performed Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony, not very gorgeously, but amongst ourselves, and Govinda dasi cooked very nice Ekadasi foodstuffs. The next day I expected some big ceremony but it couldn't be performed. We are looking out for a better place where the Brahmacaris and the temple can be united. At the present moment, it is very scattered and actually the temple management is impossible to be in order. So, for the time being you can redirect all my mails to my above post box address in this village.

Please offer my blessings to all and I shall be glad to hear from you how the things are going there.

Letter to Mukunda -- Allston, Mass 28 April, 1969:

I am very much perturbed in mind that you are living scattered with the others. The letter which I have written to Gurudasa is sent herewith in a carbon copy. As you will find in that letter, I am prepared to give a letter of guarantee of the Bank of America to the authorities of the mortuary building up to the extent of $15,000. So you must occupy that house at any rate. If George Harrison's letter of guarantee is not sufficient, then I am also prepared to guarantee for $15,000. Let them know that we are not paupers. If need be, you can show the authorities my latest bank balance in Bank of America. Enclosed is the latest note, dated 21, April 1969. This can be increased to $15,000 without any difficulty. So complete the transaction, and the house may be occupied immediately.

Letter to Isanadas -- Allston, Mass 30 April, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 25, 1969, and I have noted the contents with pleasure. I am pleased that you are taking serious interest in helping us spread this sublime movement of Lord Caitanya to the Western World, which has such urgent need of this knowledge. Regarding your idea of going to London before they obtain a temple, I do not think this will be the best thing because already they are scattered there, living separately, and they are inconvenienced. I have asked them to occupy a building and assured them of guarantee of payment. If the building is occupied, then by June I shall also go there, and then you will be welcome there. But without having a temple there I do not think it will be very much beneficial. Now you are helping the Montreal temple, and that is nice.

Letter to Mukunda -- New Vrindaban 22 May, 1969:

She has written that she wishes for me to go there immediately. In your letter you write to say that you can wait until you find a suitable place where all can be accommodated. This means that you are not living in one place, and from your letter it appears that you are scattered in different places.

When Mataji Syamadevi came to see me in Los Angeles she was very respectful to me, every time she was touching my feet and offering obeisances. She was also very serious of having my cooperation in spreading the Krishna Consciousness Movement. I understand also that she has got some influence amongst the African Hindus, generally Gujaratis. I understand that she has already purchased a place in Leicester, although it is 125 miles away from London. If I go there in London it may be possible for me to take the management of the temple because she is very much eager to have my cooperation.

Letter to Syamasundara -- New Vrindaban 3 June, 1969:

Regarding brahmacaris, two may go there immediately, but how will transportation be arranged? They may also be required to arrange for money deposited in the bank to show the immigration department. That is one impediment, and also you yourselves are all scattered, so how shall you accommodate them? Your work is already hampered by no suitable living places, so if two more join you, what is the benefit? Another point is that what is the difficulty of the newcomers getting trained by you who are all elderly members. From other centers, practically every day someone sends his beads, along with letter of appreciation and some money for initial expenses. I chant on his beads and return them to him as initiated student. Why don't you follow this same principle? If these boys are serious, let them be initiated, and follow the rules, and whatever guidance you can give them they should accept.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 4 March, 1970:

If important personalities like you will kindly join with my activities, I am sure it will come out successful and India will be culturally united with the whole world.

For the present, I have got ambition to start at least 108 centers. My disciples are already scattered from Hamburg to Tokyo, and from Tokyo to Sydney. And more youngsters are joining us daily in this movement. By the grace of Krsna this Society is purchasing a very big church estate on the Venice Boulevard, one of the important highways of Los Angeles, and we shall remove there next April. When we go there, we shall be able to invite many important men of the city and try to convince them about our high philosophy. The atheist class of men foolishly inquire "Where is God?" And we present them Krsna—here is God, and if you have got sense and intelligence just try to understand Krsna, whether He is not God.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Ballavh -- Geneva 4 June, 1974:

For one thing you cannot remain in firm Krsna Consciousness without the association of devotees and for another thing you were being counted on to make a strong contribution to the mission in Taiwan. We must stand united. If the few men we have in a far away place like Taiwan become scattered, then we will not be able to stand. I know you are always experiencing difficulties in living with devotees, but we must be tolerant and endure the personal differences, being humbler than a blade of grass, and stick to our duties to the spiritual master.

From your enclosed brochures I see you were developing a very promising business for selling incense, but if you are apart from the society, then how can you continue. I cannot send you five thousand dollars for your business as you request. You must again join with the devotees in our ISKCON community.