Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Sit down (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"sat down" |"sit down" |"sits down" |"sitting down"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Closed? Maybe. What...?

Trivikrama: Because we are thinking of shifting to Hong Kong because our program mainly is in offices, you know. We go in office, and we dress with a suit and tie. So they're thinking that we're businessmen coming to buy something from them. So they treat us very nicely, "Oh, sit down. How do you do, Mr. Brown?" offer some tea or something. Then we immediately open up briefcase and present one of your Bhagavad-gītās. Then we preach a little bit. We tell them that "We've come here. This is the first time in Chinese language, a very wonderful book. So many men have recommended." And then they appreciate a little bit. Then we say, "If you could help some little donation," and they give us. But these are mostly high-class men in offices, you know. So now we're kind of depleted, because ordinary men don't speak English. So we're going to Hong Kong, but there's no temple there. We'll have to live in hotels.

Prabhupāda: And where is that boy gone that was in Hong Kong?

Trivikrama: He went to New York.

Prabhupāda: He is a Chinese man.

Trivikrama: He went also. Well, the president was Sevānanda, an American boy, his wife... It's a difficult part of the world, Prabhupāda. No one likes it.

Prabhupāda: Hong Kong.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Thakur Mullik, Rādhārāṇī. So in their festival some dancing girl would come, vaibi.(?) That was aristocratic, to call a prostitute and dance. So at that time we were children, five, six, seven years old. So persons who were of our father's age, they would sit down round the prostitute exactly like the street dogs surround one female dog, exactly. They had no shame even. This was aristocratic. And talking all nonsense, and if the prostitute smiles, they become very much obliged. She is (laughter) smiling. And amongst our mother's friends, they were talking, "My husband has kept that prostitute." And another lady... We were at that time boys, three, four years, but I remember all these things. Another lady, "My husband has kept that..."

Girirāja: They were proud.

Prabhupāda: In our childhood I saw. To go weekend to the garden and... Generally they go with family, and others, they go with prostitute. With prostitute they have got freedom to handle. The higher... And not only that, during marriage ceremony, high circle marriage ceremony, they would participate in drinking, even men and women. Otherwise, in India, woman drinking or taking meat is a horrible crime. And what to speak of smoking? That is most shameless. That was aristocratic, drinking and eating meat... The Bengali, they were the richer section because others, they were foreigners. They came to Calcutta and earned money. And the Bengalis, they had their aristocratic families, zamindaries, everything in their occupation. So Bengalis were richer section in Calcutta, and..., four, five big, big families. And now they are finished on account of this aristocracy. So one gentleman, he was Harendranatha Singh, very rich man, one of the richest men of Calcutta. He lost all his estate simply by this extravagance. Every evening his house is full with guests every evening, for... What is called? That table?

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Temple (indistinct). Temple means preaching center. This Gurukula I have made for temple (indistinct) center. Now they have made it but that (indistinct). Purpose is, that whole world in the neophyte stage, they will (indistinct), man-manā bhava mad..., think of Kṛṣṇa, offering obeisances, offer (indistinct) from the persons maintaining the temple (indistinct). Therefore they do not like that a temple should be constructed, it is waste of... (indistinct) ...must be engaged to work hard, produce money and enjoy sense gratification. Hog civilization. We are restricting that "Don't work hard like hog and dog or animals, just satisfy your minimal necessities of life, save time and (indistinct) spiritual understanding. This is our mission. Their mission is, "What is this nonsense, spiritual understanding? Simply some sentiment, waste of time. Produce, enjoy, invent so many things for sense gratification." Western civilization. And this is very attractive to the rākṣasa class. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. This is the rākṣasa mentality. As soon as there is television, or similar invention, they become very much enthused. They purchase and sitting down, they waste their time. I have seen in America the old man of family, one dog, one television, simply wasting time. And 50 cents for eat. How they are wasting the valuable human life. How they are kept in the darkness. This is life. I have seen television. All some fictitious stories. Here, trained position. They have manufactured one big hammer and training strongly and these rogues they are sending their hammer to train and as soon as the hammer... smashed. They want to see. One man kept ferocious dogs and one girl (indistinct) the dog is chasing and the girl is screaming (indistinct) so many (indistinct). You know this?

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Even Dr. Rajendraprasad, he was married at eight years.

Dr. Patel: Eight years. Rajendraprasad, first president of India.

Prabhupāda: And the marriage party was waiting, and he was sleeping, and when the opportune moment came, "Get up! Get up! Now you have to sit down in the..."

Dr. Patel: I think Nehru married at the age of eighteen years.

Prabhupāda: He was up-to-date, English-returned. He was Gandhi's student.

Dr. Patel: These boys make love and marry. And we marry and make love. (laughs) This is the background of Indian womanhood, this religion. That keeps up the sacredness of the Hindu marriage.

Prabhupāda: No, everywhere there is religion, in Europe, America. Church. Church. Marriage was taken in church.

Dr. Patel: The Catholic marriages are indissolvable. They can't remarry. Now they have done it.

Prabhupāda: Now you have also done in India, so many.

Dr. Patel: We have got a government law, that sue the fellow for dissolution. Hindus. Mr. Nehru has done-great service to his community. (japa) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...aerodrome is near.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's all. So we are trying to do that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). It will be accepted by the devotees, not the karmī, jñānī, yogis, no. Only bhaktas. Therefore mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. So we have got two functions: first of all we are trying to make them bhakta, and then convincing him about this philosophy. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Without being bhakta, nobody will understand what is yoga. The beginning is bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam ekam uttamam: (BG 4.3) "Because, Arjuna, you are My bhakta, I'll explain to you. Otherwise it is lost." So without being a bhakta, nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā. However he may say that "I am very staunch devotee. I am reader of...," he will misunderstand. So here Kṛṣṇa clearly says that "This is the most confidential knowledge. And without being bhakta, nobody will be able to understand." So the preacher has got two different businesses. One side, he has to make bhakta. The persons will... Because without being bhakta, he cannot understand. Then he teaches. So these two businesses going on in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. To become bhakta there is Deity—"Come here. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: Just think of Me: Just man-manā. And become a devotee." And naturally, if he comes to the temple, he'll offer some obeisances, he'll offer some flower, some fruit. Mad-yājī. Even a child will offer namaskara. In this way he becomes devotee. And then he understands. So we have got two functions. All over the world, whey we are opening these centers? Bhakto 'si—to make them bhakta. And they have become bhakta. And then you speak something about Kṛṣṇa. He'll learn it. So that is explained here, ya idaṁ paramam... Who will surrender? "Huh! I shall go to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. I shall surrender to my senses." Surrender he has to. He's not independent. But ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Because he's rascal by ahaṅkāra, false ego, he does not accept Kṛṣṇa—"Huh! Why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa?" He will accept māyā. And the māyā, by pulling by the ear—"Come here. Sit down"—that I shall accept. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām... And that... But stop that force. That he does not do. "Better let māyā pull me by the ear, and whatever she likes, I shall do." But he'll not like to carry out the order of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is very confidential knowledge, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who tries for this business... That is Kṛṣṇa's desire, that "Try to make these rascals a devotee and convince him about the importance of Bhagavad-gītā." If you do this thing, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68), then? What is next line?

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore mahājana. Bali Mahārāja is one of the authorities. In spite of all difficulties, all opposition... His guru is opposition. "No. I shall give Him whatever He wants." Sarvātma-samarpane bali. Bali became perfect by surrendering everything. (someone enters) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Sit down. Where is Gopāla?

Mr. Asnani: He's in office.

Prabhupāda: Did you talk with him?

Mr. Asnani: I told him that should I see Prabhupāda... I told him I'll come today.

Prabhupāda: So call him.

Mr. Asnani: Should I bring him?

Prabhupāda: No, he's going. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa.

Mr. Asnani: Yes, I met him.

Prabhupāda: The point is that some income tax affair.

Mr. Asnani: No problem. Is it at (indistinct). Have you seen notice?

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Huh? You have done already upasannān. So is Kṛṣṇa unable to maintain you? Why should you go to this blind man? So we go not for our maintenance. We want to engage his hard-earned money to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is our mission. Not for this belly. For belly we refuse to go anywhere. You'll find in Kumbhamela, still there are sādhus, they are not going anywhere. And they are starving? We go-gṛhināṁ dina-cetasām—"This rascal is absorbed in the thought of comfortable life, and he has taken only these wife and children, everything. Give him some other..." This is our mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa.' Let him go there and sit down and talk with him and give some instruction of Kṛṣṇa. This is our... We are not going for this belly. (Hindi) They are criticizing that "This man is empty stomach, and he has come to me." What does he care for empty stomach? No. Even they insult that, "They are empty stomach," it doesn't matter. It is my duty to give him some enlightenment about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Never mind. Let him insult. Nityānanda Prabhu, He was injured. Still, He said, "All right. You have injured. I don't mind. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa... "I don't mind you have injured, but I request you that you chant." This should be missionary... But they are thinking, "These people, empty stomach, they have come to us. We are... We don't require any God. We have got industry." This is going on. Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī. Find out this verse, Bhagavad-gītā.

Hari-śauri: What was that?

Prabhupāda: Yā niśā. Yā. Y.

Hari-śauri: Y. Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānām?

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Gurudāsa: I'm saying if they had, "Do not hear personalists' bhāṣya," they would become very unhappy.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (break) ...that within the Kṛṣṇa's mouth there are millions of brahmāṇḍas, they think it is simply fictitious. Doctor, saheb, you are feeling all right?

Dr. Patel: No, I just ran. I ran a little, so I...

Prabhupāda: Oh, so why don't you sit down?

Gurudāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to have an elephant to ride on one day?

Prabhupāda: Why? (laughter)

Gurudāsa: I heard, one of these "Prabhupāda saids" from one of the devotees that you said that "If they can ride an elephant, can you get one for me?" Some devotees said that you saw another sādhu riding on the elephant, and you asked him, "Can you arrange like that for me?"

Prabhupāda: (laughing) That was joking.

Gurudāsa: Yes. 'Cause last time, in 1972, you and I were walking, and you saw the sādhus on the elephant, and you said, "I would put Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa there." I remember it very well. You said, "I would not sit there."

Prabhupāda: What is the use? (laughter) It goes like this. (laughter)

Dr. Patel: Other sādhus I don't think.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, sat-saṅga means sat. Sat means which is true and not contaminated. That is sat. Oṁ tat sat. So sat-saṅga means to associate with spiritual knowledge. That is sat.

Guest (5): And execution of the discourse.

Prabhupāda: Well, saṅga means execution. When you associate with medical association or sharebrokers' association, simply go there and sit down is not your business. You have to do something. You have to do something. Sat-saṅga means that. Tad-yoṣanāt aśu apavarga-vartmani. Sat-saṅga means you have to take the knowledge and use it for practical purpose. That is sat-saṅga. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the sat-saṅga, opening centers all over the world. If people take advantage of it they'll be benefited. But if he is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, then it is very unfortunate. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). This is Kali-yuga. The leaders also do not associate with sat, and they create their own imagination. Sat, oṁ tat sat. Bhagavān is the supreme sat. So they do not care for Bhagavān, so there is no sat-saṅga. Asat-saṅga.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: So, what is to you and to your father? Let them do that. Everyone has got freedom.

Rāmeśvara: But they say that that takes away freedom, because it takes away freedom to think.

Prabhupāda: So that is a controversy, that you want to take his freedom and still, you are accusing that, that way.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, that's actually the fact. The want to take their freedom, but they are accusing us.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if you are sane man, let us sit down. First of all ascertain what is religion. Then we shall see whether your religion is genuine or my religion is genuine. First of all ascertain. Let there be an assembly, that "What is religion?" "We say that the law given by God is religion. Now you refute this." Nobody can manufacture religion. "God is one, and whatever He has given, law, that is religion. Now you refute it?" Give them this challenge.

Rāmeśvara: "Well we may accept that the Kṛṣṇa movement is a religion, but..."

Prabhupāda: Apart from name-name is not very important. In your country you say water. I say jala, pānīya. Does it mean that because I say pānīya, it will be different thing? In different countries, in different societies, things are... We say am, you say mango. Does it mean the thing, substance, is different?

Rāmeśvara: No.

Prabhupāda: Then why do the rascals say like that? Because we say God, Kṛṣṇa, therefore He's not. Why is... This is nonsense. I can say in my language, you can say in yours, but God is one. That you have to accept.

Rāmeśvara: One of their standard arguments is...

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. And we can increase. The same thing (indistinct) in the farm, in the village, "Come on, any number, I shall feed you. Come here, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasādam." And we shall increase the quality of the prasādam. They will be very much pleased to come and chant. That I want. I am interested in these rascals (indistinct). Fighting amongst them. What can we do? You can go for some time, see what is the reason you have come. (indistinct) ...elderly person, he will come. (indistinct) younger brothers (indistinct) but that he has no power to do. Misunderstanding there will be, after all it is the material world. You go and see why (indistinct). I used to think like that. In all our temples the prasāda distribution should be so random (?), that within ten miles nobody should remain hungry. There are many persons in India, they are half time hungry. So if you distribute prasādam, "Come over here. You are hungry, take prasādam. If I cannot supply daily, I'll supply at least two days, three days weekly." And they're coming. You have seen Māyāpur (indistinct). A big prasāda distribution hall. Regular two thousands are coming (indistinct). And Hindu, Muslim, they're sitting down. No (indistinct).

Hari-śauri: Is there any reason why we are just distribute on a Saturday and Sunday?

Prabhupāda: Oh, (indistinct) we can distribute every day.

Hari-śauri: Let them come every day.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is (indistinct). Otherwise (indistinct). Let them eat. They can eat.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa never said that "You sit down, lazy." You must work. And that is intelligence, how to engage a person in some work. That requires governing body. That is intelligence. They should be ready to work, and your intelligence will engage them. And there is sufficient. Why you are constructing so many centers? There is enough work to do. Just like here. All people are coming, and each one can be preached, each one can be convinced of the philosophy.

Gargamuni: In India there are 500,000 villages. So we need so many men for going.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And we want that all these village people may come daily and hear and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Gargamuni: They were in Assam, one of our traveling parties, and they met a Gauḍīya Math temple managed by Mādhava Mahārāja. And there were three or four brahmacārīs in the village, and they had the whole village actually engaged. They saw some of the activities. So they were engaged in making the village Kṛṣṇa conscious in their way. So similarly, we can do the same. Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Just like Gaura-Govinda, he's bringing many villagers here.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He's good preacher.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Brahmānanda: Before they were both unhappy. Now they're both happy.

Prabhupāda: No, the Indians, they do not like to sit down...

Gargamuni: No. Indians don't like to mix, and Africans also, they like to be with their own. The instruments we use... They make their own instruments out of different materials. They have these pieces of metal and wooden blocks. They love it. They can make much noise. Actually the Asians like it very much when they see the Africans doing that. So both are very happy.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. All right.

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...calling brāhmaṇa. We are feeding so many Vaiṣṇavas daily. All right, make that arrangement.

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: One day we shall stay, and if it is very nice, we can stay one or two days. But as Gargamuni described, it is very nice.

Gargamuni: Yes. The room is a little... It's smaller than this room.

Room Conversation -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Bhāgavata: You have explained in Fifth Canto. Verses are there. Renunciation like a monkey.

Gurukṛpa: One man had his arm up for twelve years. He had his arm up with his hands closed, and his fingernails had grown, and his arm was flat for keeping up for twelve years like Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Hari-śauri: We saw one man in the Rāmānuja camp, too. He hadn't sat down for eighteen years. He carried a small swing with him, so wherever he went, he would go underneath a tree and hang the swing and lean on it. And he'd not sat down for eighteen years. (laughter) He had bandages all over his legs.

Bhāgavata: They have concocted this. It is not written in Vedas anywhere.

Prabhupāda: No, there are. Hiraṇyakaśipu did it.

Bhāgavata: That is a Vedic...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But what did he gain?

Bhāgavata: He got this. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: What did he gain? Became a rākṣasa and was killed.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is wanted. Therefore, if we become strong, we shall take over charge of government. It is not that we are entering into politics. We must! That is also one of the items of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People are misguided. Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ. They are being induced to remain in ignorance. Therefore we want, make our plan. Śoce: "I am thinking very seriously how to save them." Prahlāda Mahārāja says. That is Vaiṣṇava's business. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhi. "They are suffering." That is Vaiṣṇava, real Vaiṣṇava, not that "Now I am realized soul, sit down and..." That is also good, but better business is to think for others. That is stated in the Bhāgavatam. Ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣu... (Bg 18.68), na ca tasmād. If you want to be really very dear to Kṛṣṇa, you must preach this philosophy vigorously, not that "I have got it. Who is going to take so much botheration? Let me sit down." Kṛṣṇa... Who can be better devotee than Arjuna? And why did he... He was, rather, avoiding the botheration. Kṛṣṇa said, "No. You must take the botheration." He chastised him, kutas tva kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame. "Rascal, what is this? You must take. You have to take this botheration." On this principle, at the age of seventy years, I took all the botheration—"All right." The other friends were thinking that "This man is going to die, and he is going to preach." (laughing) They said like that. And "All right. I shall die, I shall die for Kṛṣṇa's cause." So we have to face so many problems, botherations. That is natural. We should not be afraid of this.

Rāmeśvara: You said it is the same business, and Kṛṣṇa is on this, our side.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: We are on Kṛṣṇa's side.

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: But when there is warning of death, why do you fly? You have to die, but when there is warning of death, why you fly? (laughter) Rascal, why you fly? That means you do not want to die. You give this slogan, that "When there is warning of death, why do you fly? You have to die." (laughter) It is a rascal civilization, that's all. Western civilization is a rascal civilization. I do not take they are civilized even. No. White aborigines. That's all. (break) Mahāprabhu says, janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra. In other countries there is no civilization. In India there is civilization. Just you become civilized and distribute this knowledge.

bhārata bhūmite haile manuṣya janma jāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that para upakara. They do not know what is civilization. Such broader idea of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He never said that "Sit down in Vṛndāvana and become a bābājī." Kara para upakara. That is saṅkīrtana.

abaddha-karuṇā-sindhu katiha mohan
brahmāra durlabha prema nitāi kare dāna

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. Karuṇā-sindhu, the ocean of mercy, it was blocked. Let it be opened, and distribute throughout the whole world. So if you work vigorously, this is an epoch-making history, how real culture is being distributed for the benefit of the whole human society. They'll realize. What do you think? Eh?

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Money is the only aim. And they will talk all nonsense and make experiment, especially in the Western countries. Here also they have got now money-making sight. Lawyers also. Any... I have seen in our relatives, big, big rich men. The brothers may sit down and make some... My father-in-law did that. They sat down, and they were two brothers, and divided his property and got two days. But those who are rascals, they go to lawyer and continually meeting—his man, his man. In this way the whole property is sold. And they get out with this. That's all. I have seen so many cases. Then the property division means there is nothing to divide. Everything is sold, and the money was taken by the lawyers as their fees. I have seen so many cases. These real estate men? Real estate? They also. So many times they complicated our men. You know that?

Satsvarūpa: The first time?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll promise... You have got five thousand dollars. They'll promise 100,000 dollars' property you'll get, and how it will be done, this scheme, that scheme... "We'll do this scheme, that..." Then they will take five thousand dollars from you, and they will say, "Now it is finished. Now bring more money." Then further made... That lawyer who was trying to give me a permanent visa?

Satsvarūpa: Yeah, some Greek name.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Fishlington or something like that.

Satsvarūpa: Mitralanti(?) or something.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Why you say, speak India or in England? The human intelligence is the same. There is no change. They have made like this: "East," "West" and "England," and... The psychology is the same. The ass is the same. The camel is the same. The dog is the same. We are talking of these dogs. Do you think that in Europe the dog is different from Indian dog? (laughs) They have created another problem. But we take: "You are all dogs. Either you be Indian or England or German, you are, after all, after dog. Your mentality is dog." They have created that "Indian dog is better than the English dog" or "English dog is better than German." What is better? It is dog. You are doglike and hankering after some job in America and amongst Europeans. The Indians are all doing that, the same education. Recently for a post of five hundred men there were three lakhs of applications. This is education. And you'll find uneducated Indian, still he's independent. You will find in Calcutta especially we have seen. Yes. In the morning they'll purchase a bag of potato. Say, he invests twenty rupees. Nowadays he'll sit down in a corner and make two rupees' profit. He invests twenty rupees, and he gets twenty-two. He's satisfied, poor man. Then in the, say, ten to twelve he'll purchase some dāl. He'll go home to home. He'll make another two rupees' profit. In the evening he'll take some kerosene oil, and he'll sell. Evening everyone requires kerosene oil. He'll make another two rupees. So he's illiterate. He makes six rupees' profit, five rupees' profit, and if he can, ten rupees' profit. And takes some chana cho(?), some peanuts, sit down. In this way he's independently earning five to ten rupees. And educated? He's just like dog—"Give me job"—and unemployed and eating at the cost of father or welfare activities, welfare department, and moving like dog. Just see practically. The uneducated, he's earning because he knows that "If I go with application, what education I have got? Nobody will like me." He's hopeless in that way. "So let me try in my own way." He's earning ten rupees.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: All debauch. Because they're getting fat salary. What they'll do? They do not know how to use it. Wine, woman, restaurant, dance-finish. So we have got very pessimistic view of this modern world. You may like or not. Simply spoiling time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply work without any profit of the human form of life. And nobody is interested to correct the procedure. If we try to correct them, they will accuse us that "These people are brainwashed. They deviating these young men from the general procedure of human civilization." Hm? What is this? Illicit sex stopped? Then where is life? This is life, if young boys and young girls mix freely and have sex, and as soon as she is pregnant, you go away, let her suffer, no responsibility. The poor girl, long before, father, mother divorce—no protector. And as soon as she selects somebody husband, and as soon as pregnancy, he goes away. And old age—there is no family, no son. Ninety-nine percent the woman class live like that. How hopelessly the old ladies are sitting down—only one cat, one dog, one television. The old men also like that, hopelessness. Or drinking or seeing the television. And a dog friend. Is that life? And we want to correct it—"brainwash."

Gurukṛpā: They are so... They have no brain to even understand this. You cannot talk to them.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Quarantine. Simply by thinking that "I shall not be allowed to go out of this room..." It is not a room; it is a big house, but still, I was feeling uncomfortable: "How is that? I shall not be free to go out." And that three days was actually suffering to me, "I cannot go out of the door." Simply by feeling this. I do not do practically. I sit down. But if I feel, "No, I cannot go out of this room," that's a great suffering. Whole day, I am sitting here. That's a fact. But I have got this intelligence that "I can go out as I like." But if you say that "You cannot go out," then it is a great suffering, psychologically. So creation or no creation, there is suffering. Rather, when there is creation it is less suffering, because he's mad, so he's engaged in some way. (laughs) He's thinking, "It is happiness." Eating, sleeping, sex is there. That is going on. That is māyā. Therefore this creation is another mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That I was reading this night. One creation, so many millions of years... There is calculation. One Brahmā's day, twelve hours, you cannot calculate. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). One yuga—forty-three hundred thousand years—one yuga, thousand times. Forty-three hundred thousand years equal to one yuga. Such thousand times. That is Brahmā's twelve hours. Then another twelve hours, night. That is also another trouble, when Brahmā's night. Everything merge into water, pralaya-payodhi-jale **. Not all the planet. At least half the universe plunge into water. This earthly planet and up to Svargaloka everything is inundated.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: What is wonder? This is wonder for you, rascal. We see you are as good as dog. The dog with his four legs is running. He has no looseness. But your machine is now loose. Now you cannot go. This is your progress. A dog with four legs, he will immediately, immediately go, and now you have to wait. This is your progress, less than the dog. When there is dog race... We are going in the car, and dog is running after. We see sometimes. We see, "Oh, dog is running. You cannot have a car." Dog is free to run. You are not free to run, rascal. As soon as there is little looseness, dog will go hundred miles away from you. And you'll sit down here and cry. This is your progress. That race, you know? Tortoise?

Hari-śauri: The tortoise and the hare.

Prabhupāda: Tortoise and?

Satsvarūpa: Rabbit.

Prabhupāda: Rabbit. Yes.

Gurukṛpā: You know the story?

Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: Because I went to some universities. They have big, big universities in Cairo and in every places in North Africa, because now they try to be educated. The white Africans, they have some intelligence to understand to a certain extent philosophy, because when I was talking about the Bhagavad-gītā, when I showed the table of contents, they more or less agreed to take interest in it because they didn't see anything specific about another religion, another God. They were seeing the titles like "Confidential Knowledge," "Transcendental Knowledge," "Karma-yoga," "Jñāna-yoga." They are very interested about knowing these things.

Prabhupāda: That is good the first, beginning, let them come. Let them sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasāda. In Iran we are doing that. Gradually it is becoming interesting. You had been in our Iran, Tehran?

Pṛthu-putra: I went there also some time, long time ago. But Iran is a different concept. They're not so strict about following the Koran. For example, these Arabic countries like Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, they don't recognize Iran like being part of them. Iran and Turkey and Afghanistan they think is another Muslim world. For example, in Iran there is much more Sufis, the different... But in these Arabic countries like Egypt, they're really conservative. They're very strict.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Conservative means fanatical.

Pṛthu-putra: Fanatical, yes, that's the word. So my idea, when I went there... Because I have an Arabic boy who is translating. So I have one Śrī Īśopaniṣad completely translated into Arabic which can be printed.

Prabhupāda: So print.

Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: And Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu: "In all forms of life, they are My... I am the supreme father." This is God. He does not say that "Only Hindus or Indians or only human beings are My sons." No. He says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa is loving the calf and also loving the gopīs. That is God. We have to study intelligently. Why God should make discrimination? He's taking care of the cows. He's taking care of the trees. He's taking care of the fruits, flowers, everyone. That is God. And everyone is loving Him. The calves, the cows, even the trees, giving fruit, flower—"Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." (aside) Sit down.

Gargamuni: I have put the books back. I gave them some other books. They had some Bhāgavatams. (break)

Prabhupāda: Then you have to say that you have no idea what is God. Then they will be offended. Better not, that not to say. (laughs) We know it, that's all.

Pṛthu-putra: Just introduce it as it is. Just introduce as it is.

Prabhupāda: Let us with logic, philosophy, talk. There is no conception of God throughout the whole world. Vague idea.

Pṛthu-putra: Yes. Because in the description of Koran, what they think about spiritual world is like heavenly planets. It's all the opposite of what they experience now. Now they are living in a desert, so they think when we are going to get liberation we'll be full of water and beautiful women giving you honey. You don't have to work. This is their... This is described in Koran.

Morning Walk -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is Kali-yuga.

dudha gali gali phire surā baitale vikāra
dhanya kali-yuga teri līlā duḥkha lāge haspar(?)

Tulasī dāsa has said, "In the Kali-yuga, dudha, milk—no customer. And surā, wine-baitale vikāra.(?) It is sitting down in one place, and customers are going there: "Give me. Give me one after another, one after..." Surā, wine, is so impure that it should not be touched. That is selling in one place very comfortably. Dudha? Gali gali phire: "Will you take milk? Will you take milk?" Dudha gali gali phire surā baitale vikāra, dhanya kali-yuga teri līlā. Kali-yuga dhanya tomāra.(?) "Your pastime..." Duḥkha lāge haspar, "I am very sorry, but at the same time, I am laughing." (laughs) "Although I am very sorry, but still, I am laughing." This is Kali-yuga.

dudha gali gali phire surā baitale vikāra
dhanya kali-yuga teri līlā duḥkha lāge haspar(?)

And in Vedic civilization, animal is being attempted to be killed—"Oh! Who are you?" "Kali-yuga." "Get out!" This is rāja, king. And there is nobody to protest. So many animals are being killed. This is Kali-yuga. Why? "They are my subject. You cannot touch." Kṛṣṇa is embracing gopīs and the calves also, not that He has selected only gopīs to be embraced. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). "Anyone who loves Me... Loves or not, I am protecting." Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He's giving protection to everyone.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: ... Son begotten by Lord Śiva in the womb of Pārvatī, he'll be able to conquer over the demons. Kārttikeya. You have heard the name of Kārttikeya? So the, wife of Lord Śiva, Dākṣāyaṇī, committed suicide in the Dakṣa-yajña. She heard blaspheming (of) her husband so immediately she gave up her body: "My father, you have given this body; therefore you are claiming so much from me. I give up this body." So he (she) gave up his (her) body, and the next birth she was born as the daughter of Himalaya king, Pārvatī. And after her death as the daughter of Dakṣa Mahārāja, Lord Śiva was engaged in meditation, very deep meditation. Now the problem was how to wake up Lord Śiva from meditation and engage him again with Pārvatī. Nobody dared. So the Pārvatī was engaged to worship the genital of Lord Śiva. He was in meditation, and he could not be awakened. Kālīdāsa Kavi is giving remark that "Here is dhīra. Here is dhīra, a young girl touching the genital of Lord Śiva and he is not agitated." Adhīra. Dhīra means there is cause of agitation, but one is not agitated. That is called dhīra. And adhīra, everyone. There is cause of agitation in so many ways. Our, this movement, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau, if we remain engaged in kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau, then dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. Both the dhīra and adhīra will enjoy this kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. This our movement, is for the dhīra. And adhīra also, if he joins this movement, even adhīra also becomes dhīra. This is the test. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau. So we should not be adhīra. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Adhīra means to remain in the material world. So long we are adhīra, there is no chance of going back home, back to Godhead. This is the tapasya, to remain dhīra. There are many causes of becoming adhīra. But the causes may not disturb us. Then dhīra. Dhīradhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, just like-dhīra. There was cause, enough cause. He was young man, and a young prostitute, very beautiful, came at midnight and offered her body to Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He said, "Yes, very good proposal. You sit down. Let me finish my chanting. I shall enjoy." This is dhīra. For three nights she tried and failed and she became surrendered. "Sir, this was my motive.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes, insult. The animals should be kicked with shoes and stick. Argumentum baculum. There is no argument for animals. Kick and stick. Beat him. That is the way of dealing with animal. You cannot request an animal very... "My dear dog, please do not bark. Sit down." Simply kick and give him stick. That is good. They're animals. Gentle behavior with gentleman, not with the animal. "You are so big, big animal, you are simply to be kicked and whipped. Then you'll come to your senses." Religion. Religion is farce. First of all explain why you cannot do this machine. You are very proud of machine-making, artificial. "Why artificial intelligence? Why not real intelligence?" Intelligence also material. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ (BG 7.4). The buddhi. It is material, subtle form of material energy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "It is coming," they'll say. "In the future."

Prabhupāda: Again "coming." "In future." You are misled by these rascal words. Even if you do in future, what credit is there? It is already there. Why I shall wait for the future? It is already there. If some... We are sannyāsīs, begging, so if you go to somebody—he says, "Yes, I'll pay you one hundred rupees in future. I am trying to get the money"—shall you wait for that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Means no payment.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Vṛndāvana hotel in our quar...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That's a good... That will be very popular, restaurants, especially prasādam restaurant. If they know it is... If it is pure... Because I know. I was eating in many restaurants in different cities before you told us that we shouldn't do that, and people go there because there's nowhere else to go. But it's never that clean, nor is it very good. But the office people, they have to eat somewhere.

Prabhupāda: Formerly they used to be, because that was not restaurant. Restaurant in Indian style, they were selling paraṭā. In Delhi there are many. So those who were interested with paraṭā, they'll sit down and they will supply first-class paraṭā and vegetables.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. That's not there anymore. In Bombay the only good restaurant... There is a Marwari restaurant where they have this dower(?) system. But there's only one, and it's in Kalpadevi, so hardly anyone will go there anyway. No office people go there. Only the Marwaris go there.

Prabhupāda: No, Bombay there are so many restaurants.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But they're very...

Prabhupāda: Dirty.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That restaurant, mostly for drinking tea and pakorā.

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No.

Hari-śauri: It always...

Prabhupāda: I like to sit down in one place. I am not going to...

Hari-śauri: But still, for the programs they always... Every time we go somewhere they want you to come to this temple and then they want you to do this program here and there.

Prabhupāda: No, that I...

Hari-śauri: And they know you're always too merciful to not do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is there a time which is being contemplated for going, a particular time?

Hari-śauri: We have to get visas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very difficult. It's guarded.

Hari-śauri: Protected area.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I want to make it...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Should Brahmānanda and I try to get some visas also?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. So Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja, he is also coming?

Evening Darsana -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: You find out that man. (Bengali) ...chai ne, drinking ne, smoking ne. It became too much inconvenience. Wife is separated. This is tapasya. It cannot be accepted by ordinary person. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya begins from brahmacarya. And brahmacarya means "no," so many. No "yes." Only "no's." "Not this, not this, not this." It is very difficult. Therefore the Americans are surprised: "How our sons have accepted so many 'no's' unless there is brainwash? And this man knows some mind control, and he's controlling their mind, independence. Bas. Deprogram. Capture them." This is the... "How our sons can accept so many 'no's'? " And important items—no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication. Everything, life, is no. (laughs) Rāyarāma said, "It is simply 'no's.' " He left. What is their daily necessity, all "no." The same thing is happening now, that "How they have accepted the 'no's'? It is brainwash, mind control." Lord Zetland said, when he was offered these "no's," he said, "Impossible for us. We cannot give up this." And I was also thinking in the beginning, that "As soon as I propose this 'no's,' they will say, 'Go home.' (laughs) No more preaching." And it is Kṛṣṇa's desire, they accepted so many 'no's.' I was not hopeful that these American young boys or gentlemen will accept these 'no's,' because I heard, "Lord Zetland said, 'It is impossible.' " If they go to a, one goes to a restaurant, he must find out one illicit woman. Is it not? It is not the practice, that they should go to a restaurant with one girl? Otherwise he's vagabond. (Bengali) He was ten years in London. He has good experience in villages. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Bengali) Sit down. (Bengali) "...that you cannot become happy without Me. Therefore I advise you, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), aham tvāṁ sarva-pā-I'll give you..." (break) Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Therefore only intelligent person is he who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. All fools. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. (Bengali) (break) One dayānika,(?) what is that? If he, that time, one paisa, if he could collect two annas, oh, he would encourage him like anything.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is worst. Because I am spirit soul, I am now imprisoned with this material body. It is my unnatural state, and I am eternal, and because I have accepted this material body I have to undergo birth, death, old age and disease. So that is my effort, how to get out of this material body and remain in my original spiritual identity. That is our whole propaganda. We think material atmosphere is our imprisonment, suffering. Material body means suffering. Otherwise I am eternal, blissful, full with knowledge. That is my position. But because I have been impact... (aside:) Again you have the same disease. Attention, you attend, draw there. Don't do that. Very bad habit. Immediately you sit down, you do it. You cannot check it. So actually this is our punishment. This is māyā. That example I have explained this morning, very nice verse, that the moon in the sky is reflected in the water, in hundreds of pots of water, and the wind is agitating the water, and the moon is also agitated—sometimes round, sometimes long, sometimes... The moon is fixed up, but the reflection in the pot making him different. Similarly, I am spirit soul, and I have been captured or I have voluntarily surrendered to this material world, and it is being agitated by the mind, so I am taking this shape, that shape, that shape, this shape, eight million four hundred... That is my trouble. My nature is to be fixed up, always illuminating, but circumstantially I am being agitated by mind, and working with my mind, I am accepting this body, that body, this body, that. So this is very troublesome. Those who have no knowledge, no brain, they are satisfied with this material condition, agitated condition, and driven by the thinking, feeling, willing of the mind. This is very dangerous. We want to get out. This is psychology.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: This is their position.

Hari-śauri: Their only hope in the future is that we'll eat trash, process trash and...

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Indian: (Bengali) (break)

Prabhupāda: All, let us sit down here.

Hari-śauri: In the room?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Gaura-Nitāi. Is that argument all right, licking the vagina civilization?

Pṛthu-putra: Great.

Ādi-keśava(?): Very bold.

Hari-śauri: No one's ever talked to them like that.

Prabhupāda: But this is a fact. The old man, seventy-five years old, he's going to lick up another vagina in the club. This is your Western civilization.

Ādi-keśava: Sometimes in New York... You know we live right next to Broadway. The temple is right next to Broadway. Sometimes in New York we see old, old men...

Prabhupāda: And in France it is very... In France you have got.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Pṛthu-putra: In France, yes. All the prostitution going on around the temple.

Ādi-keśava: You see even old, old men going to these clubs.

Hari-śauri: If you can still have sex when you're seventy-five, then you're a great man. Glorified.

Prabhupāda: Just see. This is their civilization. In Paris there are so many clubs. The old men, they first of all pay fifty dollars to enter into the club. Then he selects which vagina he will lick up. Then another payment. I know that. (aside:) No, he can be asked to sit down there.

Hari-śauri: To sit in the room.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Actually this is the fact. But they are fools. They still like to lick up new vagina. Exactly dogs. We are restricting that "Give up this business, licking of vagina," and they are seeking up to the point of death another vagina, another vagina, another... Which is better? If we say that "Give up this nonsense business," is that brainwash? And if it is brainwash, it is for good. What is this civilization, who is never satisfied? The same business is going on up to the point of death. Our civilization is: "All right, you are attached to vagina-licking. Do it up to fifty years. Then give it up." This is our civilization. "You are so much accustomed to the vagina-licking business—up to fifty years, so long you are young. Then give it... Don't do it anymore." This is our civilization. And that also, after twenty-five years. For twenty-five years teach him, "It is no good business. Brahmacārī. Remain alone. You have got so much botheration." If he's still unable: "All right, take one wife. Be satisfied. Lick up one. And then, at the age of fifty years, give up." This is our... Is that wrong?

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: There was a headline in the newspaper, Hare Kṛṣṇa rock... (break) ...and put this in our exhibit. That will go a long way for making the people more Kṛṣṇa conscious. They really... The only thing...

Prabhupāda: You give your mother. She can utilize it. She's very intelligent girl. (break)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Sit down. I am little better today. Sometimes for the last... How many days? I am... (break) ...think great. I told you this must have been published.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I read it, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can get this light on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Washington, March 18th. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement was called a 'bona fide religion' yesterday by the New York high-court justice who threw out two charges against the officials of the movement of 'illegal imprisonment' and 'attempted extortion.' A charge had been preferred by an angry parent that his son, as well as another disciple, had been held by the movement illegally and that they had been brainwashed. 'The entire and basic issue before the court,' said the Justice in dismissing the charges, 'is whether or not the two alleged victims in this case and the defendants will be allowed to practice the religion of their choice, and this must be answered with a resounding affirmative.' Said Mr. Justice John J. Lee, 'The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is a bona fide religion with roots in India that go back thousands of years.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, there was a newspaper publication. For some post there is five hundred posts vacant.

Guest (1): Oh, yes. For application for a job, five jobs and five thousand people applied.

Prabhupāda: Five thousand. Is that education? Better not to be educated. Those who are not educated, they purchase ten rupees' worth of potato and sit down anywhere and half... (laughter) Five rupees. Yes.

Guest (1): All vegetable are...

Prabhupāda: You take some dāl. Go to house to house, dāl. They have no scarcity. And after spending so much money, living at the cost of fathers, mothers—unemployed. No job. No food. Then plan something, Naxalite, this party, that party. Join some political movement and help Indira Gandhi. They are paid to make propaganda. They are paid. And they earn money by smuggling.

Guest (1): But that all has vanished now. That plan has failed now completely.

Prabhupāda: Not failed. Another man will come. Because the unemployment is there. Practically, when we were boys, children, we were purchasing mustard oil, eight annas for two-half, two-half only, kilo, first-class. In Calcutta, Kanpur mustard oil. So my father would give me eight annas. I shall go to the shop and purchase. Now that quality, even taking it..., he's now selling thirteen rupees per kilo. Will the change of government bring this thirteen rupees to three annas? Then what is the benefit? The same stool, this side or that side. People are not going to get any relief by this change of government. So we are not concerned about thirteen rupees or three annas or... Some way or other, people are getting their things. That's all right. But the real loss is to remain in animal mentality and forget the aim of life.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So much obstacles, one after another, one after another, one after another.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa would not leave.

Prabhupāda: No. That was my request: "Please sit down here tight. Then I shall do everything."

Pañcadraviḍa: Practically, Girirāja has not left either.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He has not trembled in any circumstance. That is his qualification. That nasty, hot, mosquitoes. You also lived there. No gentleman can live.

Pañcadraviḍa: I lived there also, Śrīla Prabhupāda. So many rats.

Prabhupāda: Rats, mosquitoes, and so much inconvenience. Had no place. Sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You were also so inconvenienced. You had to move. One time you were living in that...

Prabhupāda: But you... For me you make good arrangement wherever I live, that's all. But I know how you were living in that nasty hut, full of dirty things, mosquito, rats, dropping of water. And Nyer is attacking, municipality attacking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You always said that we were so trained that we would even live on the roadside.

Room Conversation First Day in Juhu Quarters -- March 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Nobody is joining?

Lokanātha: Yeah, the boys who are on the party, they are confident that in Bengal they should get some more boys to join. That's what they wrote to me. So I did not get any more reports. They are pretty good boys, they should be doing...

Prabhupāda: It is difficult to make one devotee. That is... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). So if two, three men are there, that is sufficient for preaching also. You have to sit down any place and chant, and people will join. Local men. Not permanently, but at least to continue chanting.

Lokanātha: They do it. They are carrying Bengali books. They have pots for cooking prasādam. They have slide show.

Prabhupāda: But our Bhavānanda's preaching in Bengal was very encouraging.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your preaching in Bengal was very encouraging.

Bhavānanda: My preaching?

Prabhupāda: In Bengali village.

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Very encouraging. (end)

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

Prabhupāda: But you do not know what is the power. You are simply embarrassed with the machine. So just try to understand your position in ignorance. As soon as the power within machine is gone, it is useless. Everything is thrown away, a lump of matter. So who is culturing higher...

Mr. Koshi: (Hindi) Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Prabhupāda. (introduces Indian to Śrīla Prabhupāda)

Prabhupāda: Betiye, sit down.

Indian (1): No, he has come to pay respect to you.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But wait. Let him come in. The point is that if you keep yourself in ignorance, then what is the use of advancing further? If your basic principle is calculated wrong, then whatever you construct on that wrong background, everything is wrong. One mistake done in the beginning, then plus minus, plus minus, ultimately it is wrong. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that unless you take seriously what Kṛṣṇa says, you are simply jumping like animals. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. First of all, you understand your position, what Kṛṣṇa says. Then go ahead. You do not understand the basic principle what Kṛṣṇa says and you are declaring yourself, "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā and Bhagavad-gītā is my life," and so on.

Mr. Koshi: Would you say that this is a return to this Bhagavad-gītā?

Prabhupāda: Yes. This culture is purely Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore we have given the name "Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What Kṛṣṇa said, take it.

Mr. Koshi: Is it somewhat similar to the... (break)

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, colony. I stayed there. Sometimes I stayed with one gentleman in Churchgate. He is a banker, Sindhi gentleman. In '65, Sumati Morarji gave me that ticket.

Indian: You went away then, I think.

Prabhupāda: Hm. (pause) This is our old system. When one cannot eat, even in invitation, the whole thing, he can take away the balance for his family. Canda-walla(?). Especially the brāhmaṇas. They will sit down and take everything, and...

Indian: Give to their family.

Prabhupāda: People will give more, because he will take to the family.

Indian: Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's very impressive. He has a very charming personality.

Prabhupāda: And he can talk very nicely.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On any subject.

Prabhupāda: And always smiling. Even if you irritate him, he will smile.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, any knowledge. Just like modern scientists, they do. When they discover something, they give it. Go from university to university. Whatever... They may be wrong. They want to give it. That is the way. In India such vast knowledge, it is kept for professional Bhāgavata readers. How much harm they have done! Some professional Bhāgavata readers, it is their profession. And they will gather some woman and talk of rāsa-līlā and Bhāgavata reading. Some lady, old men, some woman, they will gather and sit down with their grammar,(?) karma-kāṇḍa. So that his material position will be better off. And the reciter will gather so many dozens of (indistinct) and umbrella and cloth, and take it away and sell it in the market, and employ it for his son's marriage, daughter's marriage. And this is called Bhāgavata. This is going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is there some verse in the Bhāgavatam which states that the Bhāgavatam reciter must be a very qualified person?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Svarūpa Dāmodara said, "You read Bhāgavata from a person who's life is Bhāgavata." Bhāgavata paḍa giyā bhāgavata sthāne.(?) In Rādhā-Dāmodara temple one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhāgavatam daily as a meeting.(?) For half an hour. And half a dozen woman would sit down. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "...we will anxiously wait a report on..."

Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1): So the books which you have written for other people.

Prabhupāda: No. You don't require to read book. We simply say that "You come here, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam." This is treatment. These boys, foreigners, they have come to me not by reading my book. First of all I invited him, "Sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam." And then gradually. This is the general treatment.

Dr. Sharma: The Communism, doesn't believe in God, etcetera, etcetera. It is simply fabricated things of the populace. Even Karl Marx when he wrote, he didn't talk anything about God. It was Engels, who was a contemporary, a great philosopher, materialistic philosopher, he started infusing certain things about this. And later on, because of being dogmatic, being wrapped up in this scientific discovery, we're being misled, and they would take many things for granted.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: For example, my due respect for the medical profession, into which fortunately and unfortunately (indistinct) I have to tell this. Throughout the world not the best genetician doctor can prove to the soul of soul is the child of man. Nobody can tell who is the father. Medical profession. The real existence of his being is taken as sure faith. If the mother says, (indistinct). He takes it for granted, faith, (indistinct) praise the mother and calls so and so his father. Because he trusts.

Prabhupāda: Mother is called father?

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no, where is mentioned that Surabhī Swami was...? His name? How they have picked up your name and your photograph as everything?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: Well, I usually have to go these places. And the man, he wanted to see me the night before, so I went to Times of India, and I was...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why would he want to see you?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: I don't know. So I came on invitation, and then I just sat down to explain all the things that were written in the book.

Prabhupāda: I don't think there is any name mentioned, presented, in these articles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In these?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: So how you came in front?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: Well, Patita, he was explaining about the project we were doing in Bombay. He was setting it up and working on it.

Prabhupāda: But his not there. Your name is there. Your photograph.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So our Gandhi's program failed because he could not attract the villagers to these activities. Everyone wants some attraction. That we were discussing, rasa, catur-vidhā-rasa, dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). So we have to educate them to be attracted by the mokṣa-rasa. Then they'll stay. Unless there is rasa... Just like if you put a little sugar, small black ants will come immediately. The rasa is there. Raso vai saḥ. If... If you cannot attract people to some rasa, they'll not stay. Just like these Americans, foreigners, they have tasted little rasa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they are sticking. That we have to create. That is bhakti-rasa. So our first beginning is that the villagers may come, we have our temple, and they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and give them nice prasādam. And then, gradually, they will be attracted to this rasa. So that we want. So if we people cooperate... We have got our program already. The present problem is that they are being attracted with this artha-rasa. There are four kinds of rasa, catur-rasa: dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. So somebody is tasting dharmārtha, ritualistic ceremonies. Somebody is economic development in the cities, artha. Somebody is attracted, sense enjoyment, sex. And somebody, very pure, mokṣa-rasa. Catur-rasa. So in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness all the four rasas are there. Simply we have to present. So that is possible by the bhakti-rasa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam... (SB 7.5.23). So we have to begin. The villagers must come, sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and give them prasādam. If you can bring them, so far money is concerned for giving prasādam, that we shall arrange. Then, gradually, let them be engaged in spinning all their necessities of life, in plowing, in protection of the cows. They get some... We have done it already in foreign countries—enough milk, enough vegetables, enough food grains. They're so happy. They're so happy. This nonsense civilization, attracting to earn money and construct anthill... These skyscraper buildings are as good as the anthill. It has no meaning. But they are constructing. So the change of attraction. Raso vai saḥ. All the rasas, they should be trained up to take it from Kṛṣṇa. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "I have got the rasa from You. I don't want anything more." This is perfection. Otherwise, for these material rasas, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). That I was discussing last night. They have got sex rasa at home. Still, they're going prostitute-hunting. (break) "Mahatma Gandhi, you have got influence over the Muslims. Why don't you stop cow-killing?" And he said, "Oh, how can I stop it? It is their religion."

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Suppose you are living in that village. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "You become a guru here." Here. You haven't got to go out. Ei deśa, "where you are living." Just see how nice it is. Āmāra ājñāya: "By My order, you become a guru and deliver the people of this place." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... So "I am not educated, I do not know. How I shall become?" No, you haven't got to bother. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Simply you repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said. You become guru." That's all. Everyone can do that. Gītā is there. You sit down in your place and preach Bhagavad-gītā and try to induce them to take it. You become guru. But these rascals, they are becoming guru and showing magic and so many jugglery, not Gītā (Hindi), and spoil the whole country. Anyway, whatever is done is done. Now Kṛṣṇa has sent you. You have got all arrangement. I am prepared. I am asking my secretary to make arrangement. Let us cooperate. It will be very nice. Mr. Dwivedi is very nice man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm.

Prabhupāda: Now you have got experience. Immediately take it, and let us go practically, some of us, and cooperate. I have decided like that.

Mr. Dwivedi: Some rough date?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rough date means when you're free.

Mr. Dwivedi: Little difference... There will be difference, one or two days.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're free, you said, by the 3rd.

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

Prabhupāda: No, no, my attendance there... Actually kīrtana and other things will be done by you.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So I'll sit down. That is all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: So the most important thing is, if the President is coming, it will be very good starting.

Mr. Dwivedi: I can say I'm not conversant with your physical condition. That's my misfortune. Personally, though, I am very young before you, though I am running sixty-eight. I don't find any difficulty. I go anyway, standing, sitting, and I...

Prabhupāda: No, you are quite healthy.

Mr. Dwivedi: I'm quite healthy, by God's grace. Quite healthy by God's grace. And I enjoy better sleep in the train than at home. I sleep in the train at will. And usually I make good the deficiency of my sleep in the train.

Prabhupāda: No, sleeping in the train, there is no difficulty.

Kārttikeya: No, some people do not get. Because of the movement, some people do not get sometimes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You've slept pretty well whenever we take train.

Kārttikeya: (aside:) Does he like air-conditioned coach?

Conversation: Bogus Gurus -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha. The weak and the fools, they will be victimized. What can be done? Tīrtha-guru, the pāṇḍā is accepted tīrtha-guru... That... But he takes to Jagannātha temple and other holy places, gives him instruction about the holy places and so on, so on, shelter, food, in this way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. There is such a thing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because I am unknown, so he helps me in every respect. So Vaiṣṇava accepts everyone as guru, śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru, then tīrtha-guru. This is no harm. But what is this rascal, "No, no, you cannot sit down here. You take the flag and pay me hundred rupees?" if you are so rascal, who can save you?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tīrtha-goru.

Prabhupāda: Tīrtha-goru, that is called. That risk is there because in India there are so many places, holy places. If you are not expert, you'll be victimized.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about this svarūpa-siddhi?

Prabhupāda: Svarūpa-siddhi, that is bogus. Svarūpa-siddhi is not that you do all nonsense things and svarūpa-siddhi... Svarūpa-siddhi means when he is actually liberated, he understands what is his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is svarūpa-siddhi. Sākhya... So that is far away. Unless... If he's such a fool, then where is svarūpa-siddhi?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that realization doesn't come by some initiation from some bābājī.

Prabhupāda: That automatically comes when there..., he is liberated, not before. So the bābājīs give this mantra for svarūpa-siddhi?

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is luxurious. (break) ...the āṭā dough. So after it is cooked... They have got ghee. That ball soaked in ghee and the ḍāl, it is so nice when taken. That is called baṭī. Very quickly made. And after eating, with that ash the two or three utensils, mean the loṭā and the plate, they'll cleanse it very nice and walk away. And that food is sufficient for twenty-four hours. Within twenty-four hours he will not be hungry and feel very strong. The two things. And you can cook anywhere without any difficulty. In India, especially in village, you can get so many dried cow dung. So fuel is ready. The āṭā is packed up. And ghee in a pot. That's all. How simple life. Simply they'll sit down where there is water, and they'll take water. Then everything is arranged. No hotel. Or even there is no āṭā, they keep their own ghee, homemade, pure. Āṭā can be purchased anywhere in the village. There is no need of carrying āṭā. So this preparation for tourists... Tourists, Indian tourists, means going to some holy place. They have no other sightseeing, no program. All villagers, they are still... The pilgrimage in holy places, now no educated man goes. Very rarely. All these villagers by thousands... They... You see this Tirupati, Tirumala. All the contribution by the villagers. By their hard-earned money they keep something for going. You have seen Tirupati, Tirumal...? Standing for hours to contribute in a line. Hundreds of people. They'll come, contribute something. Then they'll shave their head, see the Deity, have some bath in the adjoining lake. Then they'll take prasādam. That is very big tank. Everywhere. In India, wherever some famous temple is there, there is a tank. Now the haircutting, that lakhs of rupees are sold to foreign countries is hair. Heaps. These managers, they are selling the hairs. Very big business. The foreign countries, the black hair, they purchase it at good price for making wig. (pause) So that is written nice. He wanted to criticize me, but he could not do it very strongly.

Conversation with Vedic Astronomer -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So we... We are... We have got very good scheme so that people from the world will come to see the Vedic idea of planetary system. This is the ambition. So you kindly help us.

Indian Astronomer: As far as possible, as our Lord moves, I am prepared to serve.

Prabhupāda: So you sit down and take paper and make it and..., so that he can understand. You have already studied that.

Indian Astronomer: Several times.

Prabhupāda: So that you can do immediately. You do. Can you make a rough sketch immediately?

Indian Astronomer: First (indistinct). Because after he came there I told him that we must prepare a diagram which is acceptable to all, acceptable to all.

Prabhupāda: No, acceptable, the, I mean to say, Western astronomers, they...

Indian Astronomer: No, we... If you prefer Bhāgavatam and if you give only Bhāgavatam...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian Astronomer: ...whether Western accepts or not, that is not worthwhile.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Indian Astronomer: Whether Westerners or modern scientists accept or not, that is not worthwhile.

Prabhupāda: No, we want do it according to Bhāgavatam.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the question?

Young man (4): I say, if a man sits down and admits to himself that his mind is chaotic, in trying to bring order to this chaos, won't his natural spiritual path open before him, when he sets about purifying his mind?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said, if someone is sitting down and the mind is very chaotic, and, he says, is there not something inherent within the living being that automatically that chaos will go away of its own accord?

Young man (4): No, no, no, that's not what I said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It isn't?

Young man (4): No, it's not what I said. What I said was, when finally man comes to the conclusion that his mind is chaotic—there is no order—when he admits this to himself and he looks to find a way to purify his mind, will not the spiritual sādhana open up naturally?

Indian man (1): Without a guru.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's the point I'm making. I mean that's something within himself.

Prabhupāda: Without a guru? That is not possible.

Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Come here. Sit down. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi)

Devotee (1): We kindly request all of you to please move in a little more down.

Indian man: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. Ah, Vṛndāvana. So we are publishing these books, altogether about eighty-four books, to prove that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. This is our... There is God, and the Supreme Being, Supreme Lord, is Kṛṣṇa. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). This verdict of Vyāsadeva we are preaching. You can speak something about Kṛṣṇa. Hm?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Stand up.

Pradyumna: Stand up?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll hear.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. (pause) Among yourselves, there is no strong man. That is the defect. All like child. That is the defect. And it requires a very strong man. That is lacking. In every minute details I have poked my nose. Anyone, whatever you have got, sit down and select trustees, and the format is there. Make a trustee. So...? (break) ...should be so many copies. Every one of you GBC and important men must have that copies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll distribute copies today.

Prabhupāda: Among few, Rāmeśvara will be printed in(?). Anyway, do your best. Otherwise there is a very big undercurrent. They are looking for the opportunity. (pause) They want some money first.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So he's going to go to Allahabad after two weeks. (pause)

Prabhupāda: No, don't waste time, a single moment. Very cautiously, intelligently work. (break) Mr. Sharma in Calcutta, I was guest in his house for some time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Veni Shankar Sharma.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Formerly he was an M.P. He's a lawyer also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I think he can write.

Bhavānanda: He was out in Māyāpur about one month back.

Discussions with Devotees and Conversation with Dr. Ghosh -- June 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) You are all qualified. I can give you ideas. Now I am doing. So I wanted to see that you are all busy. That I want because now I am becoming invalid. I cannot move very swiftly here and there. But if you move, I take pleasure. There is a Bengali proverb, na pajimane na jamai datta(?). A old lady, so she has lost her husband. She cannot joke. Husband, wife, they exchange some joking word. So with whom she will joke? Then the grandson-in-law, grandson... So in our society, Bengal, the grandson-in-law... I have got experience also. When I was newly married grandson-in-law, so my grandmother-in-law was joking with me like anything, more than husband. (laughter) And granddaughter-in-law. So we sit down and she talks very openly everything. We remember that. Because she was enjoying. By talking like that, free, with granddaughter and grandson-in-law, she was enjoying. And we were also enjoying. So my position is like that. I cannot move now very swiftly here and there, becoming invalid. So if I see that you are doing these things, that will give me pleasure. Yes. Granddaughter-in-law.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I also found that in Boston, the Indian communities, they are very interested.

Prabhupāda: Must be. Everyone should be. This is the genuine program. So (Bengali), talk and make program. (Bengali)

Dr. Sharma: That is disease. It has become now plague.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So both of you are very intelligent boys. I want to see that you are always busy in these affairs. (Bengali) Bhaktivedanta Institute and Gurukula for Higher Studies. (Bengali) I want to see that you are always busy. Busy-ness. That will give me pleasure. Laziness I don't want. Personally I was never lazy. I did not like laziness.

Dr. Sharma: (indistinct) We create in our mind problems.

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

Prabhupāda: Another example you can give. Suppose a man is high-court judge, very... Now, his mother is feeding him, sitting down. And if the son says, "No, let me dress like a high-court judge, then I shall eat," will the mother like it? That is like...(?) "You become high-court judge and be satisfied."(?)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Once I gave a lecture at Emory University to the scientific community, and I tried to introduce this bhakti-yoga in a scientific language and found it difficult, but I tried to bring the idea by comparing that an electron... In order to study an electron, we actually take advantage of a field where an electric current can be generated. Otherwise the property of electron cannot be studied in a scientific experiment. Similarly, we established that ātmā, being nonphysical and nonchemical, is spiritual and also has personal character. We must take advantage of a personal feature where one can have direct relationship between this individual ātmā, and there should be also a supreme ātmā. And the relationship of the study of this will be the experimental study, and that experiment is bhakti-yoga.

Prabhupāda: I have several times stressed that living being is a sample of God. If you study living being, you understand God.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually it's very true and also very scientific to propose this simile because life, being nonmaterial...

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And castor oil. "And all my other medicines, they are business."

Śatadhanya: They are what?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are business, simply making money.

Prabhupāda: He said that. He did not like to tell me this. He's a doctor. When he was indisposed, he'll sit down silently for three days, and he will give this quinine, castor oil and... Bhimsen?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Quinine is poisonous, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Quinine is not kept in...

Prabhupāda: Quinine is fever and (indistinct). And he said like that. "I have no..." So why these three?

Śatadhanya: We'll move the bed. He brought the hot water.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It almost seems like Mr. Bose was like a second father to you.

Prabhupāda: Yes. My father's friend.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Was he very close to your father?

Prabhupāda: Very. He appointed me manager for this relationship.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He trusted you personally, like a son.

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "When I go to call to the..., mean, my nature's call, I go on horseback, I ride on a horse. And for passing stool, I go on a horseback." (laughs) I am a sannyāsī, beggar, but I am carried. "Carry me four, five miles." (Bengali) Get this pan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I have a little more work to do now.

Prabhupāda: Hm, you can go now. You can all go. You can sit down here for some time and begin work.

Devotee: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Dhruvaloka.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dhruvaloka's fixed. We have some nice reports for you. First, little book distribution from the saṅkīrtana newsletter for the week. This gives a report of the week of June 6th to June 12th. Now, one thing you should know, whenever these reports are read, only thirty-five temples reported, not all of them. (break)

Prabhupāda: That should not be his business. It may be inferior. If not inferior, not with the... Then it is mentioned in the... (break) Still more. (break) And that is all written, Hindi, English. They can go home to home and distribute Hindi books to the ladies. They can be engaged in that way. (break) Therefore any so-called yogi (indistinct).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We are delivering unadulterated. Here is another report from Haṁsadūta. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...to exhibit, you have to pack. Do it nicely. Kṛṣṇa will bless you. (break) ...and book for all men. That is important. People may... (breaks)

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Sit down. How are you?

Devotee (1): Fine. (pause)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (indistinct) So? What is the report? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Want to give your report? You can...

Devotee (1): Yes, I'll just move in.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to hear any report, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Or just talk?

Prabhupāda: Just talk.

Mr. Myer: We have a beautiful temple, and I think...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Mr. Myer: It's a beautiful temple. I've also been attending the various classes, reading some of the books, and I think it's something we need in this country very badly.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I say... It is practical. To earn money is not difficult, at least for me. But to save money is difficult thing, because that is not in my hand. So let us see how much money we save. Increase the income, that we can do. And there is no problem. I think this is a maxim that "To earn money is not difficult. To save money is difficult." Whatever property we have now made, Kṛṣṇa has given us. But now, to maintain this, to save this prestigious position, that is difficult. Little mismanagement, there may be so many difficulties. You are a businessman, so he knows very well.

Mr. Myer: Sir, I'm going to sit down with Mahārāja and give him a very nice progress in the evening, all the time knowing, day-to-day working, each year...

Prabhupāda: No, you can... You can do.

Mr. Myer: I'm sure Mahārāja, if he likes it, I will try to develop.

Prabhupāda: He'll not interfere.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda says you can do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He'll not interfere.

Akṣayānanda: That should be very nice.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Akṣayānanda: That's very good.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: Um hm. (aside:) You can go out. (break) ...but still, I have given you chance. So you want simply... Just like a widow. We... But we want that you may not be disturbed. Go ahead. Do business and have big building. Everyone's constructing big, big building, Marwaris. Why you cannot do? You have been given all chance. Yogināṁ puruṣam upaiti lakṣmīm. Unless one is dedicated, a yogi, very endeavoring... So we have showed a yogi endeavoring. Seventy years old, I was here in Vṛndāvana, and I came. For ten years I worked! Now see. All over the world I have got hundreds of buildings like this. I am the same man. At least one hundred temples we have only by working ten years. So there must be capacity, there must be endeavor, there must be good fortune. Then everything will be... It is not that you simply desire and it will drop from the sky. That is not possible. Hm? Arjuna fought the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa never advised him, "No, I am your friend. I shall do everything. You sit down and sleep." "You have to fight!" And Kṛṣṇa is merciful. He gives him... The two things required. Utsāhān dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravart... If you have no capacity, you cannot expect to become very rich or learned, or very... That is not possible. It is not your capacity. Just like within this land there is gold, but you have to dig it. That is mine. And if you smell, "Ah, there is gold here," will you get gold? You are fortunate. You have got a place. Here is gold. But you have to dig it. You have to work. "No, I shall smell, and gold will come." That is not... So don't be worried. You'll be allowed to stay here. But I cannot transfer the property to your mother's name. Then your brother will spoil. And otherwise you are... I am not going to lease them.

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

Prabhupāda: But in India, they take fresh, lobster.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They do that in America sometimes in the so-called high-class restaurants. You choose your lobster, and then you sit down and they boil it alive.

Prabhupāda: Fresh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They put them in live in the boiling water. The people who do that, they have to become a lobster and have the same fate? I think we'd better distribute a lot of your books to inform these people.

Prabhupāda: In India they make lobster and loki.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And loki?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. They mix the two.

Prabhupāda: It becomes a very palatable delicacy. Lauciṁṛi.(?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bengalis are very fond?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Still, there is nothing so palatable as nice prasādam.

Room Conversation with Vrindavan De -- July 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Solve this problem. And don't be poverty-stricken. That's all. That is happiness. There is no need of... So we, the members of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are living hundred times happily than anyone else, hundred times. They cannot dream. They are envious. In Los Angeles the neighborhood men, they're envious, that "These people, these devotees, they do not do anything, and they are living so comfortably—so many cars, nice palace, nice food." They inquire. They do not know. Don't expect in that way happiness. That is futile, that "Our father will leave lakhs of rupees and we shall get the interest and enjoy and then drink and go on." That is not happiness. Work hard how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy in this way. Kṛṣṇa will give. And yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). He knows what is your need. Depend on Kṛṣṇa, but don't sit down like lazy. Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). This is instruction. We are trying to teach the whole world that "Be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and keep your status quo very nicely without any being poverty-stricken, and that is happiness." That is happiness. And so far the bodily disadvantages, so as soon as you get this material body, you'll have to... You have to die. You have to suffer from disease. You have to take birth. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā. So therefore śāstra says, that verse, that "Don't be attached to karma-kāṇḍa, fruitive activities." Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam. "By karma-kāṇḍa you can get better body, but that will not solve your problem." Yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). This body is temporary, but so long you have got this body, you have to suffer, this way or that way. So this is your real unhappiness, to get this material. Kleśada. Kleśada means always giving trouble. From the childhood they are crying. He has got some kleśa. The mother cannot understand. He's crying.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I'll tell you, therefore, "Let him ask." (?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I didn't want to... He said, "What is the person's name?" So I told him, "Don't tell him it's Prabhupāda's name." I didn't want him to know. I wanted to see how much these men knew.

Pranavdas Gupta: I did not disclose anything about... Where I have come from, for what..., even not of the temple, I said. And he was not going to prepare this. "Look here, I am from Govardhana Hotel. Whatever extra you want, I'll pay you, but I want today. You sit down." Then he said, "All right." Then he did. So then he said according to the rasi the name comes to Kamala Nārāyaṇa. The name comes to Ka. "Means it is not Kamala? It may be ka, according to that ka." Then I asked three questions. The Maharaji asked those three questions. Should I tell those three questions' answers?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm.

Pranavdas Gupta: Then first I want... Because you know these days our sannyāsīs are going abroad for the preaching. I didn't say anything. He also wants to go just like that people. Then he said "This year there is some doubt about him going abroad. But after the next year, '78, he may go. But 1977 I have got doubt about his going." Then I said "How you say about the I.M.H.?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Within two years he said he could go?

Pranavdas Gupta: Ah, yes. Within two years he may go abroad.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. You can sit down here. As far as possible, while reading Caitanya-caritāmṛta you should not sit down(?) because you are with Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Unless there is some inconvenience. So at least it should be on the same level. It is respect to Caitanya-caritāmṛta book. Sit down. So you can bring milk?

Upendra: Milk.

Pradyumna: Chapter Six: "The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu..." (break)

Prabhupāda: You take this opportunity to give force(?) there. It is great movement. If impartial inquiry is made by the Central Government, everything will be complete.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. And in the meantime, regarding America, he knows how we are. He can give report about what we are like in America. He's visited there.

Prabhupāda: He can give. Everyone can write very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. I mean he's very favorable towards us, so let him tell what we've done in America. We have wonderful temples. He knows this, the ambassador.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There we should go. I'll talk further with them. Find out what the climate is like, everything. Make sure. Wherever we go, we should pretty much be sure it is just nice. Would you like to hear some reading now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm. You can sit down here. As far as possible, while reading Caitanya-caritāmṛta you should not sit down(?) because you are with Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Unless there is some inconvenience. So at least it should be on the same level. It is respect to Caitanya-caritāmṛta book. Sit down. So you can bring milk?

Upendra: Milk.

Pradyumna: Chapter Six: "The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu..." (break)

Prabhupāda: You take this opportunity to give force(?) there. It is great movement. If impartial inquiry is made by the Central Government, everything will be complete.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. And in the meantime, regarding America, he knows how we are. He can give report about what we are like in America. He's visited there.

Prabhupāda: He can give. Everyone can write very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. I mean he's very favorable towards us, so let him tell what we've done in America. We have wonderful temples. He knows this, the ambassador.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I think so. So are you sending him telegram?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I'll do that right now.

Prabhupāda: Where is Haṁsadūta?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to see him?

Prabhupāda: I'll sit down. (now?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You'll sit up? (break) Should I read it, Śrīla Prabhupāda? "The battle royale over the existence of God as creator of life pursued relentlessly by the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement and debunked with equal disbelief to match by the president of the Rationalist Association has fizzled out. Dr. Abraham Kovoor's long-standing challenge, backed with an offer of Rs. 100,000, to anyone who could provide proof of the divine creation of life was taken up by Haṁsadūta Swami of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. The Swami increased the offer made by Dr. Kovoor to one million rupees in foreign exchange if he could produce life—a mosquito or a mouse—from inert chemicals to prove his contention that life originated from chance biochemical combinations. The rationalist doctor has now put the ball in the Kṛṣṇa court. He counters the challenge, calling upon the God-believers to demonstrate before the public that God is the creator of life and to prove it with the creation of one." What a nonsense rascal. That's the whole article, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is finished. So where is juice? You're asking him for juice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Grape juice.

Prabhupāda: You sit down and chant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that's why you're having difficulty this morning now also. These days now are very difficult. The only reason I felt to read this is this man is not trying to make money. He did not charge anything. I didn't feel that he was simply doing it as a business.

Prabhupāda: It is not prepared? And you were asking me if you can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When I asked you was... You took rest again, Śrīla Prabhupāda, so I couldn't make it at that time. We started it at the bathing time.

Prabhupāda: How long it takes?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It shouldn't take this long. (pause)

Prabhupāda: More. (pause)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll rearrange it, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I want to lie down.

Room Conversation Arrival of Jayatirtha and Harikesa -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Not bad.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not bad. It may be that your pulse is like that because you're resting. After a long sleep the pulse can be weak and slow. (break)

Prabhupāda: But I think I cannot sit down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I think we can wash you while you're laying down.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Would that be all right? If we sit you up and put pillows behind you, will you be able?

Prabhupāda: Try it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Upendra: First we'll wash as much while he's laying down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Upendra says first we'll wash as much of you as we can while you're laying down. Then after, we'll try to sit you up. Okay? Jaya. We'll stop the chanting for a little while?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Go on with the chanting. (kīrtana continues) (break) You don't want to drink anything today?

Prabhupāda: Let me drink hari-nāma amiya-vilāsa.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Now give me.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: These are plums. They could be skinned and the drink is very good for you, soft.

Upendra: Juice comes from them?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. It's very, very good for digestion.

Prabhupāda: Sit down.

Parivrājakācārya: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This is a pre-publication copy of our first magazine in Persian language.

Prabhupāda: This is Persian language?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Parsi, Parsi.

Brahmānanda: This is the name of it here?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. The name is "Bhakti."

Prabhupāda: I understand that you go to the royal family and talk with them for hours. So it is very good sign.

Parivrājakācārya: Yes. There's... Some people in their family are very good, and they're very interested in learning about Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They can do... They can do very good things for the world if they simply have knowledge of what to do. So we're trying to preach to intelligent people.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where is Upendra?

Upendra: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Upendra? If I sit down like this, between the two loins, I... It gives me pain.

Upendra: In the lower spine?

Abhirāma: That's that sore.

Upendra: What about that pillow, that round pillow?

Abhirāma: The bigger one is...

Upendra: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Do you remember that little round pillow with the hole in the center? Do you think that would help? No. It's... You put it... Or if you lean.

Prabhupāda: That part, if I sit down too long, that part gives me pain.

Upendra: Then you can lay..., sit up for maybe five minutes sometime, and again in the afternoon for five minutes, little time, and then we can lay you down now if you like. We don't have to keep you up for real long. But just the sitting up helps a little bit, and then, when there is some discomfort, too much, then we can lay down again. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I can sit down for some...

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Rāmeśvara Mahārāja wanted to show you some very nice things from the BBT, I think your Godbrothers would also be interested to see.

Prabhupāda: Bring him.

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, these are pictures of the new paintings for Tenth Canto, Volume Two.

Prabhupāda: Bring some prasādam for these men.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: First of all you...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda wants prasādam to be distributed.

Rāmeśvara: This is Kṛṣṇa and Tṛṇāvarta demon, the whirlwind.

Hari-śauri: Show Prabhupāda's Godbrothers.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gurukṛpā: If everything is invisible, then he should also become invisible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Acyutānanda Mahārāja said, "Then someone should have got up and said, 'Then why are you speaking if it is all a dream? Why are you even talking? Then your talking is also a dream, so why not sit down?' "

Bhavānanda: He said, "If everything is invisible, then how about me taking this invisible chair and smashing it over your invisible head?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Doctor Kapoor is really something.

Prabhupāda: He has become Māyāvādī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (laughter) Does that sound possible? It sounds possible, doesn't it? Yes.

Gurukṛpā: He said before he met His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta that he was a Māyāvādī. Now he's still a Māyāvādī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He gave up his... He became part of this Nitāi-Gaura-Rādhe-Śyāma group. And how genuine could he be to do that? Anyway, no one took him very seriously.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Give them chair.

Hari-śauri: Chairs.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We're all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You have got coat-pant. Sit down at the...

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda said you've got coat and pant. He was concerned about whether you should sit or...

Prabhupāda: So sit down. Sit down on the chair.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bring some chairs, Tapomaya. Bring those chairs. Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they are all right, I think.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. There are other...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's mercy. Push that chair down. One more is coming. Svarūpa Dāmodara, sit down.

Prabhupāda: You'll get one corner light.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See how they're all dressed, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Nice looking.

Hari-śauri: Shirt and tie.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And tilaka.

Prabhupāda: Now you are seated comfortably?

Room Conversation About 10th Canto -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They are taking Hindi books like hotcakes.

Abhirāma: But he's complaining that they're not arriving.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) We can work little. (break) ...here and sit down. (break)...is the spelling of your name, Avirāma or Abhirāma?

Abhirāma: When you initiated me, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you, at least in the letter, it was spelled Avhi, Avhi. But generally you call me Abhi.

Prabhupāda: Avirāma means without tiresomeness. And abhirāma means always chanting Rāma.

Abhirāma: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the initiation letter you said that it means one who is affectionate to Rāma.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Always chanting.

Abhirāma: I should be always chanting.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is a nasty world. The only safety is to take shelter of Rāma. Harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21). Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). When there are so many material inconveniences... Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Very nasty world.

Yaśodānandana: Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31).

Abhirāma: That Abhirāma, that is the associate of Mahāprabhu? That is different.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. You can turn me any way. Deal with the Home Minister's letter very carefully.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Deal with the Home Minister's letter very carefully.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually the first meeting I had with him was very, very nice, by your grace. He took great interest. He called me for one minute, and he sat down for twenty minutes with me. So... Now, actually, it is his secretary who is handling it. The big thing is getting his approval, which we already have. Now we are dealing with the secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Prabhupāda: A set of book Hindi may be taken there to the secretary.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: To the Home Minister?

Prabhupāda: To the secretary.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I gave your Hindi Bhāgavatam to the Home Minister. I think we'll give it to the secretary also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This kīrtana that's in the temple, can you hear it?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I wanted to know whether... The person who's singing is Śveta-varāha from Māyāpur. In Māyāpur they use a small microphone, not for the drums but for his voice, and he has a very sweet voice. So normally we don't use mic at all, but sometimes the devotees don't know how to sing very sweetly. Whether we should use a small microphone for his voice?

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will be nice. You sit down, all, and let us try.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Upendra wants to know if he can give you a bath.

Prabhupāda: I have no objection.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So after the bath we'll have Bhāgavata.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: And stop all medicine. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the real medicine.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The trouble with the allopathic medicine is that they have so much side effects that it might make very uncomfortable to...

Prabhupāda: This is already uncomfortable.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean there are other points also. Whether they'll have a wheelchair that can be wheeled through an aisle in an airplane? See, on the train we can carry you quite easily. Plane traveling just becomes a very... It's a sophisticated situation. And I don't want to take you in a stretcher in a plane. I don't like that idea. I don't think it's nice in any way, you know. It's all right if we take you in a wheelchair, and then you can sit down and lay down in the seat. That's no problem. But how to get through the aisle? You remember when we went to London you had to walk. They say they have... Foreign airlines say... I remember they used to say they had some wheelchairs.

Upendra: It's not exactly a wheelchair. It's a little tiny seat that they strap down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Who knows that they'll have it? What's the guarantee? He can't walk. You want to go by plane? Because it's two hours? That's a big advantage. (Prabhupāda coughing) Do you want a little miśri-jala, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: So that bus, they have stopped?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But that bus is no big... There's no benefit particularly of that Airbus. I mean there's no real benefit. It's not any better than a 707 or 727. It's bigger inside, but the seats are not bigger. It doesn't really affect you. The seats are just as close together as on any other plane.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Miśri-jala.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You'll sit up for a little while? Can I scratch your back?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Would you like Jayādvaita and Pradyumna to come again?

Prabhupāda: Hm. If you can make some resting place, then I can sit down more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You mean with pillows in the back? Shall we do just now? Okay.

Prabhupāda: It is giving pain.(?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're just getting some round pillows from upstairs. That will be very good. They'll be here in a minute, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Bharadvāja: Śrīla Prabhupāda? If you want, you can lean back. I'm holding the pillows in the back. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...reported.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can take it home with you. Bring it back tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: You purchase few copies more. It is very important.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. This is a photocopy. I can get photocopies made. That will be easier probably than getting back issue. And cheaper too.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Room Conversation With Sri Narayana and Rama-Krsna Bajaj -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Therefore always two attendants, and they are taking care. Otherwise personally I would not...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, please sit down. It's all right. It's here for you to sit, so you can...

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: I don't want you to talk loudly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you sit down.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can sit here.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: I'm very glad to see you here. (Hindi) So, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Who has got these films, you can...

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no, if after all he wants to go, why not leave earlier?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because the whole idea of going is that the medicine is supposed to be having effect. So the longer we have for the medicine to take effect, the stronger you should become. And the stronger you become, the easier will be the journey. It would only be a question of one or two days extra, because in any case he'll want to leave after a few days. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...some rest, backside, I can sit down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: With some rest?

Bhavānanda: Something to rest against on his back. Then he can sit.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, and in any case we were going to purchase three seats for Your Divine Grace so that you can lie down conveniently in the plane also. No harm in taking... Because one thing you have to remember: the entire journey will take ten hours, so you should conserve your strength by laying down as far as possible. Here you can sit up for two hours because the bed is stationary, and then you can always be resting. But this will be a ten-hour journey. So we should try to take every possible means to allow you to be comfortable the whole way and to relax as much as possible.

Prabhupāda: Give me some rest, backside.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pillows. There's a couple in that room, also in the palanquin.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I go on reading, Śrīla Prabhupāda? He says that book distribution is doubling there also. He says, "On the farm we are doing spring planting, and this year seven acres is being put into crops, an increase over last year, since the population has grown. The farm is now famous throughout the country as..."

Prabhupāda: If you give me some rest, I can sit down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If we give Prabhupāda some rest...

Upendra: Some pillows.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Back rest. (break) "...with your permission we would like to come and visit you sometime later this year, as it has now been so long since I have had your personal association." Do you give him permission to come visit you?

Prabhupāda: Why not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I am a fallen wretch, but I am hoping and praying to the best of my capacity that your health will improve." (break) Would you like Bharadvāja to sing a little?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can sing now. (break) The kavirāja will be coming back to take us there. Better that we follow his advice and let this medicine work a little while, see if you get some strength, and let him come and take us there as he promised he would do. There is no reason why we should jump ahead. As we have placed ourself under a competent kavirāja, better we take his advice as long as we don't find it to be harmful.

Prabhupāda: When we expect?

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You do? That's not a good sign. I mean I wouldn't expect that you should be that much stronger, but I don't see why you should be weaker now. Do you think it may be psychologically that you're weaker? I mean, how would you know if you were weaker now?

Prabhupāda: Because I cannot sit down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can't sit up. You mean after being sat up you can't stay sitting up? You were never able to sit yourself up. That you were not doing since many months ago. When you say you're not able to sit down, you mean you cannot keep sitting in a sitting position? 'Cause that you were able to do in the last day or two, sitting up. It might be... I don't know, but it may be more psychological, from laying in bed all the time. Naturally there is a feeling perhaps that one is... Weakness also means one's willpower becomes more weaker. Is that possible that that may be it?

Prabhupāda: What it is, Kṛṣṇa knows.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That you think of.

Bhavānanda: We will all sit down and discuss the different arrangements that have to be made, plans that have to be made. It's a very nice idea. Real sannyāsa life.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mm. You have tried doctor, kavirāja, medicine, everything. Everything has failed. Now suppose I am taking the risk of death, what is wrong? When the..., I am dead you go India, within India, you go and bring the body either in Māyāpur or Vṛndāvana. Māyāpur the land is already there. Vṛndāvana I think on the gate side, that's all. That's wherever you like you'll do.

Jayapatāka: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you commented that when Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda was put on the gate side that that was no way to respect a Vaiṣṇava.

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Jayapatāka: So then doesn't seem proper to put you by the gate.

Prabhupāda: No, not by the gate. There is ample land. Or in Māyāpur, that will be very nice. Mm.

Jayapatāka: This kavirāja assures that by taking little milk frequently during the day...

Page Title:Sit down (Conversations 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:17 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=80, Let=0
No. of Quotes:80