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Supposed to... (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Satsvarūpa: You were supposed to give a lecture today, but because you gave a lecture last night in Buffalo, we cancelled it and I went instead.

Prabhupāda: So you lectured there? That's nice. Now you have to lecture. I will have to retire. (chuckles) I want that all my students now should be prepared. Puruṣottama, you sit down. You are standing. You come here. Sit down. When, at present, when we speak of past, present, future, we refer to this particular creation of my body. Is it not? Similarly, "never return back." "Never return back" means... What is your question? I... missing point. Whose question it...? Yes.

Devotee (1): What is the question? That if we've never been with Kṛṣṇa, if we've never been in Kṛṣṇaloka, then how is it that we start remembering His pastimes and His form?

Prabhupāda: You remember Kṛṣṇa's pastimes by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You can hear Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. That you can remember.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: How shall we sing tomorrow. Have you thought of an arrangement of the program?

Prabhupāda: As you like.

Allen Ginsberg: As you like. At what time are we supposed to do it?

Hayagrīva: Eight.

Allen Ginsberg: In the hall?

Hayagrīva: Hm.

Allen Ginsberg: Is there a stage?

Devotee: The stage has a..., there's a seat, there's a floor, and there's gradually little steps about six, seven steps and then the stage, where the platform, so on the steps people can sit also.

Allen Ginsberg: Yes, the more the merrier. So how long will we go? Did you figure?

Hayagrīva: Well, when, we have the auditorium till...

Allen Ginsberg: How long?

Hayagrīva: At least two and a half hours.

Allen Ginsberg: Okay, let's go through the whole two and a half.

Hayagrīva: Good, good.

Prabhupāda: So, how do you feeling about chanting?

Allen Ginsberg: I have been chanting steadily all along now although I enjoy it more and more.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 14, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: Oh, respect. He respected.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Allen Ginsberg: I know one mantra in Bengali to Sarasvatī. Jaya jaya devī jaya jara sari, kuchuku viśori mukta vihārī vīra nandita pulake vihati bhagavati... (?) (etc)

Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes. Sarasvatī-stotra, yes. Students are supposed to offer stotras, students specially.

Allen Ginsberg: So that's a mantra for students, for Sarasvatī.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Vidya, the goddess of learning, Sarasvatī. In our childhood we used to worship Sarasvatī: "Please, mother, give me pass this examination." That was our prayer. So other students, they laughed very loudly. They thought that "Caitanya has come out very victorious within a second." He said, "No. Stop." Then He stopped all these talkings, and... "So you are so... I have to talk with you. You are very learned." Ordinary formalities. Then he went away. And he was also great worshiper of mother Sarasvatī. Then he began to pray to Sarasvatī, "Mother Sarasvatī, by your grace I have become victorious in so many places. And what is this, that I am defeated by a boy who is a grammar student?" So he began to pray, and mother Sarasvatī informed her (him) that "He is God, my husband. So you speak means I speak. So how can I defeat my husband? That is not..." (knock at door) Come on. Come on. (someone enters) Yes, come. Yes. You can put there. (someone offers obeisances) Put there. All right. Put there. That's all. Very good. So then he further did not attempt to talk with Him. He went away, and the mother Sarasvatī advised him that "You surrender unto Him. That will be your nice role. Yes." So later on, he became a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, Keśava Kāśmīrī.

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:
Prabhupāda: We are not impersonalist. As soon as we say, "Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa means with His name, fame, opulence, entourage, pastime, etc. So Back to Godhead generally deals in two stages of understanding, the, to awaken the relationship and to train them. Although our aim is... That is our aim, to come to the highest platform of loving exchange, but generally, we are dealing with the mass of people. Therefore our propaganda should be how to, by reasoning, by philosophy, by science, by argument, how to convince him that he is in illusory stage. These politicians, these scientists, these philosophers, they have no advanced knowledge except the human being. That's all. Their ultimate goal is that if they can do something, humanitarian work, welfare work to the... The Vivekananda, or the Aurobindo, or this, what is called, the Russell, or Romain Roland, and so many, they are coming. And the yogis, they are trying to be self-satisfied by meditation. But nobody is concerned with God, or Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is concerned. This is the position of the world. So under the circumstances, our first business is how to awaken people from this illusory condition, that he is thinking, "I am this body," or the most well-being is taking care of this body or bodily relationships. So we have to take out from that illusory condition. So that should be the policy of our Back to Godhead. And the, so far the editors are concerned, they are supposed to know all these conclusions. Now we have got two editors, Hayagrīva and Satsvarūpa. I believe both of you know the conclusion which I am trying to push on within this movement. So you should work cooperatively in such a way that you don't deviate from the policy, and conjointly, consulting together, so that I may be relieved from petty minor things. But if there is some difficulty, I am at your service. Now what is the difficulty at the present moment?
Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Hayagrīva: There is nothing specificially objectionable?

Prabhupāda: No, no. There is nothing.

Hayagrīva: Our process thus far has been to halve up the material about 50-50. He takes half, and I'll take a half, and that seems to be working fairly nicely.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But first thing is that when you are in the post of editors, you are supposed to know. But whenever there is some difficulty, either you get it solved by consulting amongst yourselves, or if it is not possible, then refer to me. That's all.

Satsvarūpa: Oh. Then I have one question to ask you. What about quoting even Vaiṣṇava literature that you haven't translated, like the Caitanya-caritāmṛta or cantos that you haven't translated? That doesn't seem right.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Satsvarūpa: Other translations than your own. What if we want to quote them in some article?

Prabhupāda: Other translations means?

Satsvarūpa: Well, sometimes I see Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Śilavatī even wrote a book about Deity worship, and there's a long quote from Caitanya-caritāmṛta. I don't know if that's bona fide. I know that the literature is bona fide, but I don't know of any translation that's bona...

Prabhupāda: Caitanya-caritāmṛta? He has written a book? I have not seen it.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:

Guest (4): Last night in your learned discourse you said that you're supposed to found a temple in this city.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (4): But you preach the Vedic mārga. Don't you think that instead of building a temple, āśramas in this brahmacārī model would be...

Prabhupāda: Yes. And without temple the brahmacārīs will be vyabhicāris. (laughter)

Guest (4): That āśrama becomes a temple.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that we... Wherever we have got a center we have got a temple and at the same time teaching. These two things must go parallel. If simply dry teachings go on and there is no temple worship, then gradually he will glide down to vyabhicāri instead of brahmacārī.

Guest (4): Besides the chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and arousing(?) this Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the people, what else are you doing to establish the way...?

Prabhupāda: That you have seen this morning. We are teaching every day the śāstra. They are not simply chanting. Their chanting is based on understanding. Therefore they are sticking.

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: When?

Haṁsadūta: (discusses date for engagement with 1)

Yamunā: Fifteenth is the appearance day of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.

Prabhupāda: Fifteenth is the appearance date? ? Oh, then we have to perform.

Haṁsadūta: What are we supposed to do? Fast?

Prabhupāda: We shall fast up till twelve and then offer puṣpāñjali and then chant, as far as we can supply.

Guest (1): So Tuesday afternoon from three to four.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You write his name.

Haṁsadūta: May I have your name?

Guest (1): Major Ghun N. Susuy(?)

Prabhupāda: You are Maharastrian.

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Maharastrians, they are fighting nation.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: ...because he knows things as they are.

Bob Cohen: (indistinct) ...knows things as they are.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bob: He hopes he knows things as they are.

Prabhupāda: No, he's supposed to know. We approach to a scientist because he's supposed to know the things right. (A loudspeaker is playing very loudly in the background.) Let them make a little soft. (break) (laughter) Great relief. (laughter)

Bob: I have felt that the loudspeakers were too loud all day.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bob: And I mentioned it to somebody.

Prabhupāda: It is pinching.

Bob: Yeah. It loses some maybe transcendentalism through the amplifier.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Ask them to make it softer. So scientist means one who knows things as they are. That is scientist. So Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. (Speaks to someone in Bengali) (break) So just like your daughter, she was also... I was little older, so I was beating her like anything. (laughter) (pause) So Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive.

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: So the Indians who are outside India, they have got a special duty. So far our economic condition is concerned, as I explained yesterday, that one is destined to certain material comforts and discomforts, according to his body—already he has got. So either you stay in India or you stay in America, the bodily comforts or sense gratification, that will be achieved either in India or America. What you are destined to achieve, you will have it because as soon as your body is manufactured, your standard of comfort and discomfort is also manufactured. In Bengal there is a proverb that yethā deoyā bhange, kapāla yābe saṅge(?): "Wherever you go, your fortune will go with you." Fortune and misfortune, that will also go with you. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said one thing, that "Any Indian, any man who has taken birth on the soil of Bhāratavarṣa, India, he has got a special duty. And that duty is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

To do good to others, para-upakāra. So those Indians who are here, it is all right you are earning for some economic development, but at the same time, you try to make your life perfect by Kṛṣṇa consciousness and spread it to the foreigners as far as possible. That's your duty, not that, that you are getting decent salary than India, and enjoy life and forget your culture. That is suicidal. You have got a culture... So this culture is Vedic culture and Vedic culture means Kṛṣṇa conscious. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Vedic culture means to understand Kṛṣṇa. One who has not understood Kṛṣṇa, he has no Vedic culture. But every Indian is supposed to have Vedic culture. And to have Vedic culture means to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore all Indians, they should cultivate this Kṛṣṇa consciousness personally, make their life successful, and distribute it to the, our neighbors. Of course, I do not think... If you invite your neighbors, they do not come, you said?

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: There are so many married families. So many married families. He is married family, he is married family, he is married family. They have got children, wife, everything. There is no problem. The children are getting nice education, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, dancing, eating nicely. Just now we are purchasing one house in front of our temple, seventy thousand dollars for providing gṛhasthas. Husband, wife, children will live there. So we have no problem. The gṛhasthas are there, the brahmacārīs are there, sannyāsīs are there—everyone is there. We maintain the Vedic culture, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The eight orders of social structure we maintain. But they're all engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is the distinction. Everyone is twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service.

Guest (2): What are the kṣatriyas of this order supposed to doing now?

Prabhupāda: They are taking to politics. Yes.

Guest (2): Whom are they fighting? Whom are they going to fight?

Prabhupāda: No, some of our members, they are standing for election in the government. Election. And we hope one day some of our men will become President. That is kṣatriya's business, to take part in administration.

Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Where he is now?

Devotee (1): He's supposed to still be in Bakersfield after Guru Maharaj-ji, but this mahātmā is his follower. But they were very anxious to follow in his way because Guru Maharaj-ji is supposed to give direct perception of God. It's described that he will show you light.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee (1): Yes. They said when you meet him, he can show you light. He's giving direct understanding of God in this way, this light. When I tried to ask them to understand some Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they simply refused to listen. They had no desire to hear about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They said, "What your spiritual master has to offer? What can you offer except just some scriptures?" They had no respect for the śāstra. So many young people are following this.

Jayatīrtha: Everyone wants instant realization.

Prabhupāda: Outlaws will say like that. "What education you have got? You have simply studied some lawbook." Outlaws will say like that. They will simply sell some book, "Now we are better that you. Without studying we have written."

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:

Prabhupāda: Not blind faith. We don't say authority blind faith. Authority, that's not blind faith.

Krishna Tiwari: And just...

Prabhupāda: Now, just... Suppose, to know your father, the authority is your mother. The mother says, "Here is your father." You follow blindly?

Krishna Tiwari: No.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Krishna Tiwari: No. It is a different thing.

Prabhupāda: Mother may say wrong.

Krishna Tiwari: Oh, well, this is, this kind of examples are very...

Devotee: Why not this kind of example?

Krishna Tiwari: They're unreal.

Prabhupāda: Not unreal. The authority means you have to follow blindly. That is authority. That is my point.

Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: All right, then, and you have tried, and you...

Krishna Tiwari: Oh, we are still trying to... You have to try very hard to find out these things. My question is, when I say-wait a minute, let me talk something. When I say I do not know, that does not necessarily mean that others know. And you are taking this (indistinct) point. I am saying in my humbleness that I do not know, and you come up, "Well, I know that." Because I don't know, you are suppose to know. That's not true. I just say you don't know either. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No, no, that... But you cannot say, also, because you do not know, others do not know. You cannot say.

Krishna Tiwari: No. I never said that. I don't..., I didn't say that.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You did. You just did.

Krishna Tiwari: No, but you'll come back and tell me that "I know." Then I cannot believe you that because I said I don't know, you have to know.

Prabhupāda: "I, I know" means I know from the authority, who knows.

Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Mr. Wadell: Oh, yes, but one may be...

Prabhupāda: There is no force. There is no force.

Mr. Wadell: No, no. But what I want to go back to is the reason for disobedience. There are various possible ones. One may first not know what one is supposed to do. Secondly... Is that all right? Do you agree about that?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We do not know anything. We are to be considered all fools and rascals. That is our position. As soon as we come to this material world, accept a material body, we are all fools and rascals.

Mr. Wadell: Do you accept the whole of the material world? Do you think there are some things in it which are wrong?

Prabhupāda: Just like as soon as you come to the prison house, you are all criminals. You may be very intelligent, but because you are in the prison house, you are criminal. Because you are in the prison house, that is the proof that you are a criminal. You may be very intelligent man.

Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: They are understanding our philosophy?

Devotee: Very nicely, yeah.

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Devotee: They like. They had never come to the temple before. Just first time they came out. I said, "It is very difficult to understand."

Prabhupāda: So Bhagavān dāsa has gone?

Devotee: Yes, he went this morning.

Devotee: Two gentlemen were supposed to come, but I think they were afraid.

Prabhupāda: Afraid? Why?

Devotee: Well, guru, they have to surrender to guru. They must surrender. So it's difficult sometimes for them to come.

Prabhupāda: But it is compulsory? (laughter) They can come. It is not the question of surrender.

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: The same example as I gave, gave you. That when the king condemns a murderer to death, it is not hiṁsā. It is doing good to him.

Reporter: Yeah. But only if the king is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No... King is... King means a devotee. Because the king did not remain devotee, now monarchy is abolished. King means Kṛṣṇa's representative, nara-devatā. The king is supposed to act on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa's business is paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8).

Reporter: Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, king's business is to give protection to the faithful and punish the unfaithful.

Reporter: But today's kings...

Prabhupāda: Today's no... I'm speaking... Today's good and tomorrow is bad, that is not.

Reporter: Yeah, yeah.

Prabhupāda: I'm speaking the principle. The king must be representative of God. Therefore we offer so much honor to the King. Exactly like God. Why? Because King is supposed to be representative of God. Our Vedic conception is cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This catur-varṇa. It is the king's duty, government's duty, to see that a person claiming to be brāhmaṇa, whether he's acting as a brāhmaṇa. Nowadays that... Such supervision is not there. Therefore a man acting as śūdra, but he's claiming to be brāhmaṇa.

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Everything is, one after another, is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So those who are responsible for giving up kula-dharma and jāti-dharma, and creating varṇa-saṅkara... Varṇa-saṅkara, just like brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, they are supposed to undergo the purificatory process daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra. So the first saṁskāra is garbhādhāna. So in this Bhāgavata it is said by Nārada that as soon as garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not taken, immediately the whole family becomes śūdra. So who is observing the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra? Nobody.

Reporter: (laughs) Nobody.

Prabhupāda: Therefore, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Correct? In this age of Kali, everyone is to be accepted as śūdra. No brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya. All śūdra, or less than śūdra.

Reporter: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Pañcavān.(?) This is the position. So at the present moment, to reform that, you cannot take them to the original position. It is not possible, it is Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very slow, they don't accept the right path... Just like God is here, Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). But they're creating their own God. Even big, big leaders they are saying, "Eh, Kṛṣṇa, why Kṛṣṇa should be accepted?" Even big, big leaders, they do not believe that Kṛṣṇa was there on this planet, there was Kurukṣetra battle. You know better than me.

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Because if you ask me to love, I want to know what is, whom I shall love.

Yogeśvara: A mystic, he loves everything, everyone.

Prabhupāda: Is there any example?

Yogeśvara: An example is the master of their movement. He was supposed to come, but he was on vacation. But the grand master of their movement, he says, is one example.

Prabhupāda: No, suppose to love everyone, that means you love the animals also. Their community allows, animal killing?

Yogeśvara: When you come into the movement, there are no regulations required of you. But little by little, it comes to that point. Their experience is that they give their students in the movement... For a short period of time, they are required to give up intoxication and meat and things like that. But it's not permanent.

Prabhupāda: And then they can take.

Room Conversation with Officer Harry Edwards, the Village Policeman -- August 30, 1973, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London:

Harry: That's. Really. Yeah, yeah. But do you think...? I suppose... Well, it's like everything else. I suppose they would get used to it. Oh, I don't know. They say, if there's a problem... As far as we are concerned, as far as the police are concerned, we can find nothing wrong. You have done nothing wrong, nothing wrong. I mean, I don't know what you got, supposed to do, I don't know what you're supposed to do wrong anyway, but... But that's it, as far as we are concerned...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harry: We do have this liaison. You know, I must keep in liaison with you. So if I come over here, gentlemen, you must realize I am not here, I am not here for the purpose of, say, spying, if you may think this. I don't suppose you do?

Śyāmasundara: You're welcome at any time.

Harry: But this is the purpose, anyway... I don't know if I've got to, stay overstayed my welcome...

Śyāmasundara: We feel very good when we see you here. We feel very pleased to see you on the grounds.

Harry: Yes, oh, yes, yes. But don't forget, gentlemen, as I say, I, you must realize that I still have a job to do and if there was something in which you think I should report upon...

Prabhupāda: Mr. Ha... (opening letter), you can read this letter, that so many people, they offered their place for our temple. Just now we have received this letter. One body is offering his...

Śyāmasundara: Yeah. I brought that letter from London. It's from Guyana.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Śrutakīrti: Now, you mean.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And milk, you have got?

Śrutakīrti: Yes. They have got. I think there's one other guest coming, isn't there.

Pradyumna: Is the professor coming?

Devotee: He was supposed to come a half an hour ago.

Śrutakīrti: There was a guest who was supposed to be here one half hour ago.

Pradyumna: He's a little late.

Śrutakīrti: So I'll bring it down. (break)

Prabhupāda: These are our books. You have seen?

Professor: Yes, sir, I've seen... Some of them, I've seen. This one in particular I have seen.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are... This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are sixty volumes, books like this.

Professor: Sixty volumes like this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sixty volumes. And you can see how we are doing Sanskrit.

Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles:

Umāpati: Actually, the people feel helpless. They feel there is nothing they can do anyway, about anything. That's why they are engaging so much in intoxication. They feel hopeless under this government.

Prabhupāda: That is the defect, that the government itself is imperfect. How they can check?

Umāpati: Well, they're so foolish. There was an article in the paper the other day about this shot going to Jupiter and the scientists were described, the scientists that everybody is supposed to depend upon, they were described as biting their fingernails in the hopes that everything would come out all right.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Yaśomatīnandana: They said that they were simply taking chances that it might come out all right. They were not sure themselves.

Prabhupāda: That everyone is taking chance. A poor man is taking chance to become rich man. So what is the difference between the poor man taking chance and the scientist? (break)

Yaśomatīnandana: ...which into all the characteristics are described in Divine and Demoniac natures. This modern world fits into all the demoniac qualities...

Prabhupāda: Yes, because they are godless. Whole modern world is godless. They don't think of God very seriously. Everyone. They have described it as "Opiate," what is that?

Morning Walk -- December 29, 1973, Los Angeles:

Jayahari: Prabhupāda, this morning you talked about astrology in your lecture. Is this accepted in the Vedic scripture and by the gurus?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Astrology means... That is also Vedic. Jyotir-veda. Jyotir-veda. That is also part of the Vedas. The brāhmaṇas, they learn these three things: astrology and medicine. These two things. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to go to every householder's place, and he will inform, "Today is such and such tithi. The such and such thing should be done." And if required, if somebody inquires about, "Now I am going to that place. What will happen? Just find out the auspicious moment," so they will give him. Still it is current. It may be wrongly done or rightly, but the system is still there. Astrologer. The king should be always accompanied by a first-class astrologer. (break) ...there is a whole street, both sides simply astrology. (break) ...good astrologers.

Jayahari: Astrology is very popular in the western world. (break)

Prabhupāda: Where is our scientist?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, how are you? Thank you very much. Come on. How are you? Feeling all right?

Dr. Wolfe: Fine, thank you.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 12, 1974, Vrndavana:

Passerby: Jayo!

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavān: Are śūdras supposed to take sannyāsa also?

Prabhupāda: No, why?

Bhagavān: Śūdras...

Prabhupāda: Those who are śūdras, they should not be allowed to take sannyāsa. Only those who are qualified brāhmaṇas, they'll be allowed to take sannyāsa.

Bhagavān: Kṣatriyas used to take sannyāsa too?

Prabhupāda: Kṣatriyas... Some of them. Not all.

Guru dāsa: Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Guru dāsa: Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: They did not take sannyāsa, but they left home. There is no need of accepting sannyāsa. One has to perform the devotional activities. That is real thing. Simply by changing dress, one does not improve. Unless he takes to the, seriously, principles of devotional service. But in the Kali-yuga, they'll think, "Because I have changed my dress, I have become a big sannyāsī." You see? "Because I have got a sacred thread, now I am a brāhmaṇa." No. There must be regular training. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Guest: Name is Papinque(?).

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Guest: And she's supposed to represent the earth.

Prabhupāda: Your parents live in Mexico City?

Guest: No, not Mexico City. (indistinct) I have relatives in Mexico City. When I was there this summer I went to visit one other Hindu establishment that comes down from Śaṅkarācārya.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Guest: On the street (indistinct). But I didn't know you had a branch in Mexico City at the time.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Guest: They're also vegetarians now.

Prabhupāda: Acchā? In Mexico they are vegetarians?

Guest: Well, no. Most Mexicans are not vegetarians, but this, these people who belong to Śaṅkarācārya sampradāya are vegetarians.

Guru Dāsa: Where's the name "Maya" civilization come from?

Guest: I think it's probably just a coincidence that the name is Maya, more than, you know.... (break)

Guest: How's your health?

Prabhupāda: Health is not very good. I am not (indistinct).

Devotee: It's almost time to go to your.... (break)

Prabhupāda: This we will take more, it will not harm, but the other, if you take little less.... (break) Mexico? No.

Guest: There is good butter.

Morning Walk -- April 10, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But the set is there, what I want. The set is there.

Girirāja: Yes. Now in the case of Jaya and Vijaya, who fell down and took the role of demons, after three births as demons, they were supposed to go back to the spiritual world. So after the three births in this universe, were the same pastimes going on in other universes.?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? Whenever Kṛṣṇa desires that He is to fight with somebody, another must prepare himself for fighting, becomes His enemy. Because in the Vaikuṇṭha world there is no chance of fighting, therefore He sends His devotees to become His enemy and there He fights.

Girirāja: So other living entities would play the part of Rāvaṇa in other universes?

Prabhupāda: Why not? Or any other way.

Mahāṁsa: We cannot actually conceive of all these things.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa being the reservoir of all pleasure, so the pleasure of fighting is there. So He can exhibit anywhere. (break) That is the understanding of Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we limit Kṛṣṇa like one of us, or little bigger than me, then I become doctor frog. (aside:) Don't come near. Why don't you tell them?

Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:

Indian Man (2): Yes, yes, don't allow your death to come.

Prabhupāda: Yes, then you are God.

Indian Man (1): This body is supposed to die.

Prabhupāda: Why supposed? Why supposed? That is ignorance, "supposed." Because he cannot do anything, he suppose... Why?

Indian Man (1): Of course, we say this body is not say absolute or permanent.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Permanent, but who has made it this? You have not made. You make a permanent body. Then you are God.

Indian Man (1): That nobody can do.

Prabhupāda: Therefore he is not God. That is existence of God. You cannot do because there is higher power controlling you. God means controller. He is controlling you. You cannot do that. Therefore you are not God. There is superior controller, who does not allow to do this. You have to abide by the laws. This is common sense reasoning. If you are being controlled, how you become God? God means the supreme controller. Is it all right? So long you will be controlled, you are not God. But where is the position that you are no more controlled? That position is never.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Cardinal Pignedoli: Also some of them, they believe in... They think Buddha is a god, and they are believers.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Buddha is God. That is stated. You will find?

Cardinal Pignedoli: Excuse me if I go back for a moment to this question which is not that I ask if you are, excuse it, if you go only to some, you go to all the people. I agree this is not (indistinct). But because we are few... I give an example. Why, instead of going, suppose, to South Africa where the majority, the great majority, are believers, you don't go to Japan?

Prabhupāda: Yes, we go.

Cardinal Pignedoli: This is more important because you have not so many. If you go to South Africa, and although... I mean because also we. We have not so many. It's a question of possibility, of chances. Why don't you choose...? This is my question. These areas where Japan for instance is an area very atheistic and where yesterday I had this sect with me of the not perfectly... It's called... No. It's a different one. Mr. Kalyana is the president. He came yesterday. He came yesterday. Mr. Kalyana. Well, they don't believe, as you say. This is philosophy. Welfare, is happiness, but not in your meaning, in my meaning. Well, this is only to ask, then you go to Japan?

Dhanañjaya: Yes, we have a center in Tokyo.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have got center in Japan, in Hong Kong.

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: No, why not possible? We have got so many, just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He remained completely brahmacārī, although naked he is. He is. He doesn't require, and neither he is agitated. Just like when he was passing, the girls were taking bath. They did not take care. They knew that he is not at all affected by any woman. And when his father was going, they covered. So father inquired, Vyāsadeva, a personality like Vyāsadeva, said, "Why you covered? I am old man, and my young son he was passing naked." They said that "He is paramahaṁsa. He has no agitation of the mind. But you are gṛhastha. You live with woman. You have got distinction, man and woman." So this is civilization. What is the use of sex life? It is simply entanglement. Therefore, at the last stage, one is supposed to become sannyāsī. What is sannyāsī? Vānaprastha, sannyāsī, brahmacārī—no sex life. Out of the four different status of life, the brahmacārī has no sex life, the vānaprastha has no sex life, the sannyāsī has no sex life. Only the gṛhastha. That means it is prohibitory. It is allowed—it is simply concession to the person who cannot remain without sex life. It is simply a concession.

Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: (laughter) But he could not defend that he has got brain, yes. So however these men may declare very, very big, we know that "You have no brain. You are as good as animal." Therefore Bhāgavata says, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ: (SB 2.3.19) "These classes of men are no better than the dogs, hogs, camels and asses." Bhāgavata school will not approve of these rascals as human being. They are so strict. If one is not on the platform of God consciousness, he is not human being. He is animal. That's a fact. But we should not hate the animals because our mission is to bring them to the human consciousness. You cannot expect that your audience should be all highly brain. No. Preaching is required because they have no brain. Therefore your duty is to tolerate all difficulties and bring them to the sense of brain. Not that "These people are animals; we shall not mix with them." Then you have no missionary activities. Then you sit down in a place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then don't open centers. That is also dangerous. If we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, "Let us all chant and do nothing," then the māyā, the women, they are very expert. They could not conquer over Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but she'll conquer upon you. And become victim. Therefore we have to be active. We cannot imitate Haridāsa. Anyone who has imitated the Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he has fallen down. He has fallen. He must fall down because imitating the highest personality, for which he is not fit. Therefore he's going to fall down. When by preaching, by chanting, we will be expert, then it is possible. So whether Bhagavān is coming or not?

Guru-gaurāṅga: He missed his airplane.

Prabhupāda: Huh? Missed his airplane?

Guru-gaurāṅga: Now he is supposed to come very, very soon, in about a half an hour. I think there will be many people this evening. (end)

Room Conversation with Mr. Deshimaru -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Pṛthu Putra: The thing is he doesn't understand the analogy with spiritual and material.

Prabhupāda: Analogy is, means where there is no spiritual sensation, that is matter. (French)

Karandhara: It's just merely meant to be an illustration, not that you're supposed to compare everything all the way around. The body is also material; the nail is also material. The point is that that which is not sensed spiritually by the true identity of the soul, that which is experienced outwardly by the material body and the senses, that is matter. But the basic element, or the basic consciousness is spiritual, and that's eternal. Whereas the sensation from outward, like what I see today and taste today, that is temporary, but the taster, the seer, he is eternal, the self. (French)

Prabhupāda: As soon as that spirit soul will be off from this body, this part of the body also will be without any sensation. Therefore the distinction of sensation and no sensation is due to the presence of the spirit soul.

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

Devotee: Because we will also have to do that.

Prabhupāda: If you want to dance, you cannot be shy. There is a Bengali proverb, nate vase guṇṭhana tana (?). You understand Bengali? No. That, "When you are going to dance... A girl, or a lady is supposed to dance in the platform, in the stage, and when she came, she saw thousands of people. Then she drew her veil, what is called, guṇṭhana, became little ashamed. So you are going to dance. What is the use of veiling yourself?" So similarly, when one takes part in politics, if you don't take all the tactics of politics, then you cannot gain ground.

Devotee: But more and more the people, especially in America, they are seeing how these politicians are cheating. Because every year, in every campaign, the same politician is saying, "I will do this, I will do that," and when he gets into office, he never does anything. But maybe now this time, when our Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees are running and they are showing the people what rascals... Just like Balavanta on TV, he was saying "How can these people be leader, when they are themselves permitting slaughter, drinking, smoking, having illicit sex life."

Prabhupāda: That is a fact. That is a fact. But why the leader? The public also drinks. They also encourage slaughterhouse. So if you say to the public that they cannot be leader, then there is no leader. They cannot find out any leader. The public will understand that "I also eat meat, I also drink, do the same thing. Why the leader should be something, saintly person? After all, he is our leader. So we are of the same character. So why the leader should be something different?" They cannot understand it.

Room Conversation with Reverend Gordon Powell, Head of Scots Church -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Read the purport.

Satsvarūpa: The Lord is the creator of everything. Everything is born of Him, everything is sustained by Him, and everything, after annihilation, rests in Him. He is therefore the creator of the four divisions of the social order, beginning with the intelligent class of men, technically called brāhmaṇas due to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the administrative class, technically called the kṣatriyas due to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile men, called the vaiśyas, are situated in the mixed modes of passion and ignorance, and the śūdras, or laborer class, are situated in the ignorant mode of material nature. In spite of His creating the four divisions of human society, Lord Kṛṣṇa does not belong to any of these divisions, because He is not one of the conditioned souls, a section of whom form human society. Human society is similar to any other animal society, but to elevate men from the animal status, the abovementioned divisions are created by the Lord for the systematic development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The tendency of a particular man toward work is determined by the modes of material nature which he has acquired. Such symptoms of life, according to different modes of material nature, are described in the Eighteenth Chapter of this book. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is above even the brāhmaṇas, because a brāhmaṇa by quality is supposed to know about Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Most of them approach the impersonal Brahman manifestation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but only a man who transcends the limited knowledge of a brāhmaṇa and reaches the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, becomes a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—or, in other words, a Vaiṣṇava. Kṛṣṇa consciousness includes knowledge of all different plenary expansions of Kṛṣṇa, namely Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, etc. However, as Kṛṣṇa is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also transcendental to all divisions of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community, nation or species.

Reverend Powell: Thank you. The first part of that made me think of Jesus' parable about the talents, that some get two talents, and some get five and some ten. And...

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Come on. Sit down. Thank you. Oh, it is very nice. (handles paper wrapping) You can close the door.

Room Conversation with Bishop Kelly -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Satsvarūpa: In the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate nonpermanent appearances and disappearances of happiness and distress. According to Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the morning even during the month of Māgha (January-February). It is very cold at that time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the religious principles does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a woman does not hesitate to cook in the kitchen in the months of May and June, the hottest part of the summer season. One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is the religious principle of the kṣatriyas, and although one has to fight with some friend or relative, one should not deviate from his prescribed duty. One has to follow the prescribed rules and regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the platform of knowledge because by knowledge and devotion only can one liberate himself from the clutches of māyā (illusion).

The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his mother's side; and to address him as Bhārata signifies his greatness from his father's side. From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.

Prabhupāda: Duty has to be done despite all inconveniences. That is very important thing. The example is given that one has to take bathing early in the morning, but because it is cold, one cannot avoid it. He must bathe. This morning we had some meeting... (break) ...a little boy, but he was a great devotee, and father was a great atheist. So he was surprised that his son became so great devotee. After all, as a father he asked him, "My dear boy, what nice thing you have learned by your education?" He said, "My dear father, the best thing I have learned, that people are always full of anxiety on account of accepting material..." (break) ...exactly the same thing as you were... So one thing is that formerly it was the practice to go to the forest, go to the Himalaya, but in this age this is not possible. Therefore we have to take shelter of the Lord wherever we are, and that is Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: That is called māyā, that he cannot make any distinction. Both the same. That is māyā. Māyā-mohitaḥ. Just like on the street, there it is signboard: "Keep to the left." The hogs and dogs cannot do it. But human beings can do. That is the distinction between hogs and dogs and human being. Human being is supposed to make distinction. And the hogs and dogs are supposed not to make any distinction.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sign: "No dogs allowed."

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The sign "No dogs allowed" is not meant for dog.

Madhudviṣa: Someone would say that that example just means that the hog doesn't speak your language.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Madhudviṣa: The hog doesn't speak your language, it doesn't mean that he doesn't discriminate...

Prabhupāda: Therefore language, civilized language, is not meant for the dogs and hogs.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1975, Mayapur:

Jayādvaita: Flatter.

Prabhupāda: No.

Satsvarūpa: Prabhupāda, in one purport in the Bhagavad-gītā, you write that a disciple of a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if he follows the spiritual master.

Satsvarūpa: But how could he know...? What does that mean, "everything"?

Prabhupāda: Everything means whatever his guru knows, he should know, that much. Not like God, everything. Within his limit, that's all. If he tries to understand whatever his guru has said, that much is "everything." Otherwise, "everything" does not mean that we know everything, like God, like Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. If he regularly chants and follow the regulative principles, follows the orders of guru, then he knows everything. That's all. Not very much... Knows everything, then what is the use of reading books when he knows everything? (break) ...everything—except Kṛṣṇa. Aham... Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). He knows past, present, future, everything. You cannot expect anyone to know like Kṛṣṇa, everything.

Morning Walk -- May 16, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: There was a newspaper clipping in the Bhagavad-gītā. I saw.

Devotee (1): Oh, yes, that is mine. It was about three years ago, three or four years ago. They put one article. Amogha was supposed to come over from Sydney. I was not even a devotee then, but still, they put this article that there were three devotees in Perth chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Amogha: That was because I was going to Indonesia and I stopped here on the way.

Devotee (1): Many people in Perth, they have the books. About one and a half years ago we were over here and we were distributing the big Kṛṣṇa books and the Bhagavad-gītā, many books.

Prabhupāda: So you are not distributing now?

Devotee (1): Yes, we are still distributing, only around Christmas in Perth. During the rest of the time of the year, it is not very crowded.

Amogha: When we came over here, we stayed in a hotel before we found the house about ten days ago. And when we came to the motel, the lady said, "Oh, someone has left this book here." And she gave us a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (pause) Yesterday the United States attacked and sank three Cambodian boats. They are fighting because the Cambodian Communists, the new government, captured one United States freighter. So now they are beginning to try to take it back. (pause) The bus is empty again.

Prabhupāda: A very good bus.

Morning Walk -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Better Gaura-Nitāi.

Devotee 8: So they have to do full Deity worship when they have these Deities?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee 8: They have to do full Deity worship to have these Deities? Dress the Deities every day?

Prabhupāda: They are supposed to do so, but whether they are able to do so, that is the point. If you can worship properly, that's all right. But whether you are able to worship?

Devotee 7: Prabhupāda, can a person go back to a spiritual planet without initiation?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee 7: Can a person go back to a spiritual planet...

Prabhupāda: No, there is no more init... Initiation here required when the living entity is in darkness. Just like uneducated person requires to go to school. One who is educated, in his full knowledge, he doesn't go.

Morning Walk -- June 2, 1975, Honolulu:

Paramahaṁsa: Oh, yes. Arabia they grow.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. (break) ...desert nice watermelon will grow. Yes. Nice dates. So people go there, take the dates and take the watermelon. Kṛṣṇa has provided food even there. (break)

Harikeśa: Would one see gross form on a subtle planet?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Harikeśa: Like the moon planet is heavenly planet. They're supposed to have subtle bodies there. So would there be any gross forms?

Prabhupāda: Why subtle body? That is material body.

Harikeśa: So we would not be able to see any traces of a civilization?

Prabhupāda: There is civilization. You have not gone there, rascal. You are simply imagining. (Devotees laugh) There is civilization. First thing is, you rascal, you did not go. You are talking only nonsense. That's it.

Paramahaṁsa: (break) ...Rahu planet, that's a hellish planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They might have gone to that hellish planet. That's all.

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is called Gandhi's policy.

Brahmānanda: Yes, gherao, or something like that.

Prabhupāda: It is called satyagraha.

Jayatīrtha: They are trying to get the Catholic church to support their demands.

Prabhupāda: That means Catholic church is supposed to support these prostitutes?

Jayatīrtha: Yes.

Brahmānanda: Well, actually, in France there is another now, a leading church official, a bishop. He was found. He died in the...

Prabhupāda: Prostitute's house.

Brahmānanda: Prostitutes, yes. And in Germany the newspapers gave this very big publicity, that "Just see how France is..." They took the opportunity of criticizing that "Here is the French church." Another big official, he was found naked.

Prabhupāda: And we say, "No prostitution." (break) ...the problems will come, one after another. This is a bad civilization. It is already a dangerous place, material world, and this bad civilization is creating more dangerous problems.

Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:

Brahmānanda: So, first you said, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), "Give up all of this so-called religion."

Prabhupāda: Yes. On cheating, I said.

Brahmānanda: Yeah. Then you, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ, then "It's all this cheating."

Yadubara: But the whole assembly was broken up after your speech.

Brahmānanda: Yeah, then after you finished speaking, you got up and left, then the ācārya, he was supposed to speak, but then everyone else followed Prabhupāda out... (laughter)

Prabhupāda: I gave my verdict, "This is all cheating." (laughs) "Then I cannot wait anymore." (break)

Satsvarūpa: ...Uttamaśloka was telling me was that Swami Bon's talk was very difficult for an ordinary person to understand. He started right out by describing how Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, and it was very difficult... He didn't do any preliminary...

Prabhupāda: Jugglery.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. Very intellectual description of the psychology. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...result of that meeting?

Satsvarūpa: No result.

Prabhupāda: Simply talking? (break) ...come to take some students to his institution.

Morning Walk -- July 3, 1975, Denver:

Brahmānanda: ...English?

Prabhupāda: No, no, Indian.

Brahmānanda: And the man was also Indian?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: But the barrister, he was English.

Prabhupāda: He was appointed because he was a big barrister. Formerly any European, he is very big. So he appointed a very big barrister.

Brahmānanda: Oh, he was a rich Indian.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Brahmānanda: How he could get such a...

Prabhupāda: He was a medical man. Yes, rich, rich. (break) ...they have arranged to have the meeting with this Professor Dimmock?

Brahmānanda: I didn't ask. They were supposed to do it. (end)

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: That should be followed in our system. Boys and girls must be separate. (break) ...introduce now. How long? What is time?

Brahmānanda: It's still a little early.

Prabhupāda: Early? (break)

Guru dāsa: The concept in sport of celibacy is also there. The best sportsmen are supposed to not take intoxicants or also engage in sex life. That was the training. (break)

Ravīndra-svarūpa: ...will end in this park here.

Prabhupāda: Oh. It will come this way?

Ravīndra-svarūpa: It will come from the other direction and end here. Down under these trees is a very nice place. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...going through the city?

Ravīndra-svarūpa: We go through the city. The city's just on the other side of these trees.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: One of our Godbrothers asked why the inductive knowledge is so successful, especially to scientists?

Prabhupāda: Inductive knowledge always unsuccessful.

Morning Walk -- September 6, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just see. There are books here also, Kāma-śāstra. So sex enjoyment also you cannot enjoy unlimitedly. Then you will become impotent. Then you will have to call your wife as "mother," as some saintly person did. He was indulging in sex in his young age, and when he was married he saw himself impotent, and therefore he invented some way that "I have realized Brahman. I can call my wife also 'mother.' " And he became famous—"Oh, he is so advanced. He has learned how to..." But in the history we will not find this. Even Vyāsadeva had his wife, but he never said his wife, "mother."

Brahmānanda: Actually you're supposed to see other women as mother.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: But not one's own wife.

Prabhupāda: No. Para-dāreṣu. Mātravat para-dareṣu. That is the injunction of the śās... Other's wife. Not that "Oh, my wife is also my mother." Just see. This lunacy is going on, and this lunatic man is taken as incarnation of God. This is going on. This homosex propaganda is another side of impotency. So that is natural. If you enjoy too much, then you become impotent.

Brahmānanda: They are trying to make that more and more accepted in America, homosex.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The churches accept. It is already law.

Morning Walk -- September 13, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhṛṣṭaketu: But if Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme and I should surrender unto Him, then why is it so hard to find out this knowledge? Why is it that only in the human form of life... Why is it so difficult to come to this knowledge if...

Prabhupāda: Because you are rascal. For rascal everything is difficult. Easy thing is made difficult by rascals. That is the proof that you are rascal. By nature one is supposed to surrender to the parents. This is easy. Why do you do not do this? This is natural. Just like you have surrendered to me. Why? Because you think I am superior, you have to take knowledge from me. So if you have to accept some superior for your guidance, how you can deny surrendering? You see, brahmacārī, he is being taught daṇḍavat śīraṣi, by touching the head. Yesterday we were talking of that brahmacārī? That is the instruction. Who is this boy?

Harikeśa: He's Kuṇḍali. He just came from New York.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Devotee 2: Do you want this?

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. What is that?

Brahmānanda: This is lavaṇa-bhāskara (āyur-vedic medicine for increasing appetite).

Prabhupāda: Lavaṇa-bhāskara, it is? No. Yes. Yesterday night what did I take?

Harikeśa: At night you're supposed to take tripolin(?), no?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: At night Prabhupāda takes tripolin(?). After meals he takes this Bhāskara-lavaṇa.

Prahupada: But...

Brahmānanda: At night you took this one?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: No, at night he's supposed to take tripolin.

Prabhupāda: You follow. (end)

Morning Walk -- November 19, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: You understand it; others don't. But they have got to.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...is saṁpatti... (break)

Devotee: Today they're going to put the steel on the second floor, and tomorrow they're supposed to start casting.

Prabhupāda: That "tomorrow" is daily put. Every day it is put "tomorrow." (break)

Devotee (1): ...of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Dr. Patel: You have spread the steel on.

Devotee (1): The steel is now in?

Brahmānanda: The steel is there?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They put it in yesterday.

Devotee (1): They'll be casting most of the floor today.

Dr. Patel: (indistinct)

Devotee (1): Every fourteen days we'll cast a new floor. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...the week days are set up.

Dr. Patel: We have our own information.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: The bead is pure, so just to keep it aloof from the dust.... Just like we keep this drinking water covered. Why? This is common sense.

Reporter (1): Just to keep it pure.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Pure it is, but still, it is our duty not to treat ordinarily.

Reporter (1): Are your disciples supposed to chant the mantra all the time?

Prabhupāda: Yes. All my disciple is chanting.

Reporter (1): Are they supposed to chant the mantra throughout the day?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Reporter (1): All the time?

Prabhupāda: Just like I am talking with you, and as soon as talking stops, I am.... My hand is going: "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā.

Reporter (1): Is it possible to talk and also to chant the mantra at the same time?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That requires practice. That requires practice. Just like woman is cooking and (s)he is also talking. It does not mean the cooking is going bad. It is practice.

Morning Walk -- April 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is all false thought that "He is giving me protection. He is giving me..."

Akṣayānanda: Yes. And the same person who is giving me protection, later he will ask me for protection, and then I will ask somebody else...

Prabhupāda: No, no, even when the father-mother is supposed to give protection, that is also not right conclusion. Otherwise there are so many fathers and mothers who is giving protection to his children. The father-mother, when the child is sick, the father-mother gives all—one who has got means—best medicine, best medical treatment, but the child dies. Where is the protection?

Akṣayānanda: Yes. Even that is...

Prabhupāda: It is not possible.

Akṣayānanda: So there's actually no protection in any case.

Prabhupāda: Somebody was.... Some bird was killed here?

Akṣayānanda: (break) Sometimes we see a big house and at least two or three generations are all living together, same two or three families, his mother, his...

Prabhupāda: That is joint family, yes.

Morning Walk -- May 15, 1976, Honolulu:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He asked that question?

Prabhupāda: Yes, he asked that question. (break) Paramātmā.... They say "Holy Ghost." What is that Holy Ghost?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The Holy Ghost is supposed to give knowledge to persons who have embraced the teaching.

Prabhupāda: Therefore He is seeing what you are doing. So according to your action, the Holy Ghost gives you another birth. (break) ...sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati. (break)...dictating everyone's heart, and He is observing. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...contends that if a person does not become fully aware in this lifetime of God, then they don't have another chance, and they are condemned to hell for eternity.

Prabhupāda: The hell or heaven doesn't matter. The next life is there. How you say "one life"? That is defective theory. Therefore this philosophy cannot be accepted. Anything which is defective is not to be accepted.

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Jay Warner: Excuse me, I didn't...

Hṛdayānanda: Do you have any question about what Prabhupāda has written here, about the purport, any question?

Jay Warner: I think I understood.

Kīrtanānanda: That's a beautiful purport.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Kīrtanānanda: That's a nice purport.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Hṛdayānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I think we're supposed to go for the movie.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Hṛdayānanda: I think we're supposed to go for the movie.

Prabhupāda: Oh, when?

Rāmeśvara: It is ready. It is.... Everything is prepared. (end)

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: In the restaurant in New York, many, many respectable people come, and they come once and they come back again and again and again.

Prabhupāda: Panwanna(?), puṣpānna, kijeranna(?), so many things. What is that? If you kill the cow you get the meat only one time. But if you allow the cow to live and take milk, and from milk you can make hundreds and thousands of preparations. That is enjoyment, real enjoyment. In Delhi, there are shops, very respectable shops. One side salt, and one side sweet. But the salt side or sweet side, they're all based on ghee. This preparation, dahibarā, so nice. Combination of grain and yogurt. So introduce this. They do not know. It is a new type of civilization we are trying to introduce for the benefit of the human society. They do not know it. Crude civilization. Primitive. Kill an animal and eat. And when you are civilized, you are supposed to know so many things; why should you kill the animal? You utilize the animal. This milk is taking the blood without killing. That is humanity. You are eating beef because of the blood. So if you take the blood in a different way, you get the same benefit. And if you are still ambitious to eat the meat, flesh, just wait, it will die, you take at that time. Why so hurry? Everyone will die, there is no doubt about it. So you take the dead body and eat. Why do they not?

Garden Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Jayādvaita.: "Material perplexities are like a forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone. Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear, without our wanting such confusion. No one wants fire, and yet it takes place and we become perplexed. The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not therefore remain in material perplexities but should approach a spiritual master. This is the purport of this verse. Who is the man in material perplexities? It is he who does not understand the problems of life. In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad the perplexed man is described as follows: yo vā etad akṣaraṁ gārgy aviditvāsmāl lokāt praiti sa kṛpaṇaḥ."

Prabhupāda: Yad viditvā yaḥ prayāti sa brāhmaṇa, etad avidyāt yaḥ prayāti sa eva kṛpaṇaḥ. Read.

Jayādvaita: " 'He is a miserly man who does not solve the problems of life as a human and who thus quits this world like the cats and dogs, without understanding the science of self-realization.' This human form of life is a most valuable asset for the living entity, who can utilize it for solving the problems of life; therefore, one who does not utilize this opportunity properly is a miser. On the other hand, there is the brāhmaṇa..."

Prabhupāda: They do not know even what are the problems of life. People are so uneducated, they do not know even what are the problems of life. They do not know. What generally people think the problems of life?

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Don't divert your attention.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: " 'I shall never be alone,' one should think. 'Even if I live in the darkest regions of a forest, I shall be accompanied by Kṛṣṇa, and He will give me all protection.' That conviction is called abhayam, 'without fear.' This state of mind is necessary for a person in the renounced order of life. Then he has to purify his existence. There are so many rules and regulations to be followed in the renounced order of life. Most important of all, a sannyāsī is strictly forbidden to have any intimate relationship with a woman. He is even forbidden to talk with a woman in a secluded place. Lord Caitanya was an ideal sannyāsī, and when He was at Purī His feminine devotees could not even come near to offer their respects. They were advised to bow down from a distant place. This is not a sign of hatred for women as a class, but it is a stricture imposed on a sannyāsī not to have close connections with women. One has to follow the rules and regulations of a particular status of life in order to purify his existence. For a sannyāsī, intimate relations with a woman and possessions of wealth for sense gratification are strictly forbidden. The ideal sannyāsī was Lord Caitanya Himself, and we can learn from His life that He was very strict in regards to women. Although He is considered to be the most liberal incarnation of Godhead, accepting the most fallen conditioned souls, He strictly followed the rules and regulations of the sannyāsa order of life in connection with association with women. One of His personal associates, namely Choṭa Haridāsa, was personally associated with Lord Caitanya along with His other confidential personal associates. But somehow or other this Choṭa Haridāsa looked lustfully on a young woman, and Lord Caitanya was so strict that He at once rejected him from the society of His personal associates. Lord Caitanya said, 'For a sannyāsī, or anyone who is aspiring to get out of the clutches of material nature and trying to elevate himself to the spiritual nature and go back to home, back to Godhead, for him, looking towards material possessions and women for sense gratification—not even enjoying them, but just looking toward them with such a propensity—is so condemned that he had better commit suicide before experiencing such illicit desires.' So these are the processes for purification. The next item is jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ: being engaged in the cultivation of knowledge. Sannyāsī life is meant for distributing knowledge to the householders and others who have forgotten their real life of spiritual advancement. A sannyāsī is supposed to beg from door to door for his livelihood, but that does not mean that he is a beggar. Humility is also one of the qualifications of a transcendentally situated person, and out of sheer humility the sannyāsī goes from door to door, not exactly for the purpose of begging but to see the householders and awaken them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the duty of a sannyāsī. If he is actually advanced and so ordered by his spiritual master, he should preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness with logic and understanding."

Prabhupāda: As a gentleman, if you go to somebody's house, you require his permission, but India, still, a sannyāsī doesn't require any permission. He can enter in any householder's house: "Mother, give me some food." This is the introduction. Not that he has gone there for food, but easy introduction. And generally the householder will receive a sannyāsī, "Yes, Swamiji, come here, sit down." They will offer obeisances and then they begin talks. This is the meaning. Not that he is hankering after food. This is only introduction. He's not a beggar. But people take advantage of this dress because they think that "Without any work I can beg and live." That is going on in India. So many rascals, they are taking this sannyāsī dress and living at the cost of others. Therefore people have become disgusted. They have no knowledge to preach. Yes, go on.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Discuss on this point.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They may say that we have arbitrarily given some specific duties to different people.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They may say that we have arbitrarily given, that the kṣatriyas are supposed to kill, like this. But actually everyone should be a good man.

Prabhupāda: Not arbitrarily. It is given by Kṛṣṇa. It is not arbitrary. By the supreme order. How they can say it is arbitrary? Then what is the use of referring to Bhagavad-gītā? Things may not be arbitrary, whimsical, therefore we have to take reference from Bhagavad-gītā. Lawbook. When a judge gives his judgement, he does not give it arbitrarily. There is lawbooks. So there is no question of arbitrary. The reference is there. How you can say it is arbitrary? That is not a fact. Śāstra-vidhi. Rather, if you don't care for śāstra-vidhi, then he'll never be successful. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya, in this chapter you'll find.

Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: At least you have got already experience. (laughs) Don't be misled. Stay for sometimes. Will be give you sannyāsa. And now Mr. Punja, has he written any letter?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Punjasai? He wrote a letter recently. He mentioned the business about the books, that Guru-kṛpā said he was supposed to some give books from Australia, and he wasn't getting them.

Prabhupāda: So you can write him—note down—that "We are managing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by GBC. We have got about twenty GBC's for looking after the whole world affair, and above the GBC, I am there, and under the GBC's there are presidents, treasurers, secretaries in each and every center. So the president is responsible to the GBC. GBC is responsible to me. In this way we are managing. But why you are proposing a separate trustee for Fiji? We have no separate trustee till now, but if for security, if it is required, you can adopt it. So this is our management going on. Now, if you have got some new idea, so please explain to me how you want to manage. But I think Fiji temple cannot be managed in a separate idea. But still, I shall entertain if you have got some idea to manage. The deed should be given to the founder-ācārya, in the name of founder-ācārya like 'A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Founder-Ācārya International Society.' "

Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Hari-śauri: When they originally started sending sputniks to the moon, they couldn't even land them properly. They would crash, they said that they were crash-landing spaceships into the moon's surface.

Prabhupāda: Crashed?

Hari-śauri: Crash-landing. The spaceship was supposed to just smash into the surface of the moon, like that.

Prabhupāda: They have never gone. Simply propaganda. Even they have gone, what is the result? Simply with big report that it is inhabitable. (Prabhupāda is eating something:) What is this fiber? Finding? What are other things are there in the... Hmm? What is this? (Hari-śauri laughs) Hmm? Do they add anything more? Something reddish there?

Hari-śauri: Sometimes there's a few bugs in it. (laughs) There's some..., it's probably some strands from the mango, fiber from the mango.

Prabhupāda: Do they add mango?

Hari-śauri: Yes, sometimes they put different fruits in it.

Pradyumna: Little oranges in there. You can put orange?

Hari-śauri: Strawberry and mango and this and that. They make it with some kind of ice cream machine.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? This is not from machine?

Hari-śauri: No, this is from machine.

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That to pass the examination by prostitution. Whatever nonsense they may write, that's all right. This is Central Park still?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Central Park West, it's called.

Prabhupāda: This is not education. Everything is killing. Therefore we are supposed to deal with all madmen. They are thinking that they are constructing such big, big buildings, they are the most exalted persons, but we take them as mad.

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya

Ghostly haunted. A person ghostly haunted, as he does, acts, similarly, anyone who is under the clutches of māyā, he acts like this. (break) ...this church, I came. They purchased one set of books. And one lady, Mrs. McGuire I think, she arranged this meeting. Underneath there is subway. I was sitting there and the subway sound was cut-cut cut-cut cut-cut. So I asked what is this and they said subway. Within this building there is subway. I think they are repairing. What is this building? That museum?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This one? It's the Museum of Natural History.

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

Prabhupāda: But Mercedes is strong. (indistinct)

Devotee: No, Mercedes is strong.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Very long lasting. (pause) But Mercedes they say it's supposed to last about two hundred thousand kilometers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The engine.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: In Europe most of the taxi drivers use Mercedes because they are so long lasting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means the engine.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: And the body also lasts. Good quality.

Devotee: You see them ten years old, still running. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...telling you that the Māyāpur time, the Rāma-navamī comes in April, Gaura-pūrṇimā is in March, it will take a total of six weeks. This year our saṅkīrtana book distribution was set back severely on account of the over-long duration of the festival and all of the devotees and GBC men wanted that it should be about three weeks.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So the problem is that Gopāla Kṛṣṇa is saying that he wants all of the devotees to stay there for the opening of the Bombay temple.

Prabhupāda: Not necessary.

Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Not too much.

Interviewer: At all.

Prabhupāda: He should know that he is different from the car. That is real knowledge. And if he identifies himself with the car, then he's a fool.

Interviewer: Well, can he, is he supposed to care about and honor the body in the physical world...

Prabhupāda: That is already taken.

Interviewer: ...and to see that, see the physical world as important?

Prabhupāda: Suppose if you are utilizing this coat, you are taking care of it, but if you think that you are coat, then you are doomed.

Bali-mardana: If you use the body you should take care of it but if you think that you are the body, then you are doomed, then it is foolishness. But you naturally you take care of the body, but you should still don't identify with it.

Interviewer: Well you know, Your Grace, the spiritual quality is an important part of life of course...

Prabhupāda: Yes, otherwise the animal. If the man does not understand the value of his spiritual quality then he's no better than the dog. The dog does not know.

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: It seems to me that what you are saying is that you cannot have a religion, you cannot expect a religion to survive or prosper when the culture which is supposed to serve it is its opposite, is its antithesis. And that's why your movement, you are trying to suggest that the only way you can attain mokṣa, or liberation, or whatever, is through a particular kind of culture that you are propagating.

Prabhupāda: It is not..., it is the culture, it is the culture. Because you are suffering under material conditions and you are struggling for existence, that means you are struggling to get liberty. So this is the liberty. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Mām upetya, find out this.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we make fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars a month.

Prabhupāda: So if there is more milk, you can sell more, get money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we're getting nearly two thousand dollars a month.

Hari-śauri: (7-Up has been brought) Is there ice? He was supposed to get some ice from the kitchen downstairs.

Bali-mardana: It's cold.

Prabhupāda: Who will open? You open it.

Bali-mardana: I have just opened it. Is it cold enough?

Prabhupāda: We call it in India, lemonade.

Hari-śauri: That was the original name, lemonade. Then all these new things, they changed all the names.

Bali-mardana: It's good for bringing up gas.

Prabhupāda: From my childhood I liked this lemonade. I think it was cost, in our childhood, three paisa.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Chinese?

Harikeśa: (indistinct) This is Chinese.

Hari-śauri: It's got different..., says menthol crystal, peppermint oil, eucalyptol oil, menthol salicilate, oil of lavender, chloroform BP, camphor powder, and white oil.

Prabhupāda: What is for?

Harikeśa: Supposed to be for massaging.

Hari-śauri: It's supposed to help the muscles.

Prabhupāda: And what is this?

Hari-śauri: Nutmeg oil. This is the one I was telling you about.

Prabhupāda: They're all selling all this?

Hari-śauri: No, this is not ours.

Harikeśa: Rādhe-Śyāma dāsa brought this.

Hari-śauri: It was brought by one of the devotees from-Thailand, was is?

Harikeśa: He was in Kuala-Lumpur.

Hari-śauri: He says he bought it from a Buddhist temple, big Buddhist temple.

Prabhupāda: Kuala-Lumpur? There is a big Buddhist temple I know, I went there.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Sahara, Sahara.

Pradyumna: Sahara Desert. It used to be very rich thousands of years ago, but then became desert.

Hari-śauri: It's supposed to increase its size by ten miles every year.

Pradyumna: Desert growth. Formerly, that city Carthage used to be there. Carthage was fighting Rome. Carthage was very rich, all farms.

Prabhupāda: Cartharian civilization was very big civilization. The thing is that the more people become sinful, they'll be disturbed by this natural atmosphere. Therefore I'm surprised that moon planet is inhabited by pious inhabitants, how there can be desert?

Pradyumna: But does moon planet have something to do with Pitṛs? Does the Pitṛ..., Pitṛloka is different?

Prabhupāda: Pitṛ?

Pradyumna: Pitā, Pitṛ?

Prabhupāda: No, Pitṛloka is different. That is downwards.

Hari-śauri: Does that Pitṛ, does that refer to the original progenitors?

Pradyumna: No, forefathers.

Prabhupāda: Latest development they are finding water in Mars?

Parivrājakācārya: It is very difficult for them because they are using their eyes and other instruments. They have found places where there were rivers, and they are finding ice, other things. So, I don't know the latest about it. It is obvious to them there is life, different kinds of life.

Hari-śauri: The way of testing for life...

Prabhupāda: Why you are spoiling your nails? It may come to a boil and then you'll understand. It is very dangerous habit. If there is little (indistinct) then it will become a boil.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Jñānagamya: It is the highest blasphemy, isn't it? If one says, "I am God."

Prabhupāda: No, highest ignorance, highest rascaldom. (laughter) Yes. How one can become God? If one can become God, that means the such-and-such, he was God. Then how he has become dog? That is another rascaldom, ambition.

Jñānagamya: A devotee is only supposed to want service, and sometimes he very much wants to be liberated to be finished with all this difficulty, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jñānagamya: Is it very contaminating?

Prabhupāda: Not contaminating, not in the highest stage. That is not contaminating. If the devotee wants liberation, then they're in the lower stage. Actually, a devotee, he is already liberated. Why he shall aspire after liberation?

Jñānagamya: Pure devotee's liberated.

Prabhupāda: Therefore when he's purified, he's already liberated. There is no question of his aspiring after liberation. He's already liberated. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: This is ajwain(?). My only concern is about the immigration department. They are gagging you: "Now your visa... Go out, go away, go out..." So they are making so big, big arrangement. If my foreign disciples are forced to go away, then what is the value? That is...

Gargamuni: Well, as far as myself... Of course, I was supposed to leave yesterday. But there is very easy process. You can come in and out and stay six months.

Prabhupāda: So that, make plans. That will... Otherwise we are making so big, big, big plan. Who will manage?

Jayapatākā: For that matter, we can get. Even the American citizen, they can get outside... By various means you can get Canadian and English passports.

Jayapatākā: But even then, we can go to Lahore, get visa three months, come in, but you can stay six months. Then go out again, get another visa, come in and out. There is no problem. We have already done that with some of the other men.

Prabhupāda: Make... Find out such means. Otherwise... Alexander the Great, having so many kingdom, and as soon as he goes away, it is finished.

Garden Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he does not bring that?

Harikeśa: Yes, he has money all the time.

Akṣayānanda: Dhanañjaya prabhu, he went to see him and he said he was dying. He's supposed to pass off. And he said that he had written a will and on the will he had left most of his money to ISKCON.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Caraṇāravindam: He loves you very much. Actually, he's very attracted to you Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Why does he not come to us? He likes Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

Caraṇāravindam: He loves Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

Prabhupāda: Determination. No, if he's in difficulty he may come. We can take care of him.

Vipramukhya: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I go tomorrow to Delhi and I'll leave to go to Istanbul.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Go with the blessings of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) Very good. Kṛṣṇa will save you. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and depend on Kṛṣṇa. Then everything's all right. Don't be afraid that you are going to foreign country. There is no foreign country.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it came from Delhi from shopping.

Prabhupāda: They are shopping from Delhi?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He was supposed to go to Delhi, few items. They're better and cheaper sometimes. So now I'll work on the other booklet which the defense minister wanted, "What is ISKCON." A small, like "Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is Authorized," on that form with some reviews.

Prabhupāda: You can start this fan. No, no. Yes.

Hari-śauri: This one?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is stopped.

Caraṇāravindam: The mains has been turned off, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There is no water coming from the mains.

Hari-śauri: They've turned the water off somewhat.

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is dropping.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Therefore the color has faded? He is a rascal.

Harikeśa: I remember that when these Deities... They're never to be washed. Never water was to touch. Supposed to put a plastic bag over the Deity. That was... If you have to use the big Deities, you're supposed to cover them with plastic.

Prabhupāda: Why did you allow? Just see, this is the disease. Rascals they do not know. And although I was...

Dhanañjaya: No, but everyone was listening to him. He was posing himself as the most learned in Deity worship.

Prabhupāda: That he's fond of.

Dhanañjaya: He was introducing Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Harikeśa: But it doesn't say in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that you bathe in water marble Deities. It says you're supposed to have a smaller set for bathing. That's in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Dhanañjaya: His idea was that we would become the most famous temple for bathing big Deities in Vṛndāvana. This was his idea.

Prabhupāda: That bathing is not done on the siṁhāsana. The Deity is taken out. Then it is done. But that is very risky. You cannot do it.

Dhanañjaya: And besides that, the bathing was done by devotees who are not experienced in Deity worship.

Prabhupāda: Don't allow him. This botheration he has gone. He is simply posing himself very learned Sanskrit scholar, above everything. That is his ambition.

Room Conversation -- December 7, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Because there are marriages our program will be cancelled?

Mahāṁśa: No, but the person who gives us the pandal... It's supposed to start today, Prabhupāda, their program. They have been advertising in the villages about the prasādam distribution this evening, so the stage and the śāmiyānā will be coming today and the pots are coming today. So we have all the grains and everything. We can start the prasādam distribution this evening.

Prabhupāda: So you'll keep, come in charge. So do this also immediately. And the next is that Bhogilal wants to come here. So bring him immediately. What is the difficulty of that house?

Mahāṁśa: All the plastering inside is finished now.

Prabhupāda: Everything, whatever is finished...

Mahāṁśa: Painting has to be done.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Mahāṁśa: The toilets are working, all the connections are finished, and only thing is the painting has to be done today.

Prabhupāda: So painting also can be... Without painting, we can go there. What is the wrong problem?

Mahāṁśa: It looks a little shabby. If we wait for one more day it will look much better.

Prabhupāda: So one more day we shall wait, but tomorrow we must go there.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh, Sriram is a famous man.

Indian man: No, not that millionaire. Another Sriram. And they were from Delhi. Just I'm talking only about 1939-40. In Karachi he came. He said every boy, before marriage, his marriage, he was supposed to go and take training from a prostitute for a month or so.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Indian man: If a boy was not trained there he could not find a good wife.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Indian man: That was a part of his qualification to get a good wife.

Prabhupāda: Now how is this (indistinct) because the bride and bridegroom is selected by the parents.

Indian man: Yes, the parents would not select that boy.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Āsana, soft āsana. First of all, this kuśāsana, then the deerskin and then one...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Soft cloth. This will be excellent because nobody else is teaching yoga this way.

Prabhupāda: No. So they will sit down and perpendicularly. Perpendicularly, if you sit in this way, then you will automatically you become perfect yogi. Automatically. This should be practiced. In every class they should sit down with like this, like this, and they will not close the eyes but half-closed and see here.

Hari-śauri: Staring at the tip of the nose.

Jagadīśa: They supposed to look cross-eyed? In order to look at the tip of the nose...

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Jagadīśa: ...you have to look cross-eyed?

Prabhupāda: Why cross? You see, just easy, simply. That's all. This...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They can sit straight and also look.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This has to be practiced. And then they should be given lesson on six or seven verses very elaborately, and they will hear.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What he is for them?

Girirāja: He is their municipal councillor. He is the representative for this area in the municipal corporation, elected. So actually this came up before and at that time we met the municipal commissioner that they are trying to put this condition. So he agreed that this should be a, you know, decided by the court or by some third party and not, he will not do anything to change the status quo by forcing us. So we have to put that in the letter. And (break) ...hitch. Not a hitch exactly but there's this urban land ceiling that anyone who has more than 500 square yards property, that comes under the ceiling. So we are exempt because we are a charitable trust and apart from that, in the final plan, most of the land will be built up, it won't be vacant. But in order to get the sanction, we have to get either an N.O.C. (No Objection Certificate) that we are exempt from the ceiling or an exemption to get the N.O.C. So we have to meet some higher official. So I have to finalise it but I'm supposed to contact the architect and we have to go and see about this. Actually the management is so bad there that they have made this requirement that any new building, you have to get N.O.C. regarding the land ceiling. But so far they have not given one N.O.C. for land ceiling because they are not yet decided what is the policy to give the N.O.C. So they simply are piling up the applications until they decide their policy. So first we will try to get exemption that we don't require this N.O.C. Then if we fail in that then I suppose we have to meet the minister and ask him to give us the N.O.C.

Prabhupāda: So why not meet the minister?

Girirāja: Huh?

Prabhupāda: Why not meet the minister?

Girirāja: Yes. We've met him once before because he's... The municipality is under him. So when we met the Chief Minister to get these things straightened out, so at that time he spoke to this Urban Affairs Minister. So he knows us, he's quite intelligent personally. But I think if... First we'll meet the city engineer, he's next to the commissioner and just say that we don't want to have to get this N.O.C. So if he removes that condition then the whole problem is solved. Do you think we should go straight to the minister?

Prabhupāda: Harassment.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But you never return.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I returned all your loans. In Vṛndāvana loans were all... We haven't taken any loan in Vṛndāvana. The only loan which I didn't return was which was taken from Māyāpur two years ago with Jayapatāka. They're, (I'm?) supposed to pay back. The BBT...

Prabhupāda: So now you... Our big business brain is here, Rāmeśvara. If he recommends, I can do.

Rāmeśvara: For his...?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: For the book expansion.

Prabhupāda: He wants one lakh loan. So if you recommend, I'll give.

Rāmeśvara: Who's going to drive the party?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, this is for book printing. Bhavabhuti's going to handle the party.

Rāmeśvara: The loan is for book printing?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, for book printing. We're printing the Bhagavad-gītā now.

Rāmeśvara: Then who's going to pay for the vehicles? You are, right?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: I think the loan is for the vehicles. Who's taking out the party? (laughter)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. No, it's not. I'm going to...

Prabhupāda: Now, cool headed, you can study the situation. If you recommend, I'll give.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Acchā. And you said that they are drinking their own urine?

Hari-śauri: Yes. The astronauts.

Prabhupāda: It is a fact?

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They recycled it.

Hari-śauri: They recycled it. After they passed urine, they put it through a machine that was supposed to purify it, and then they could drink it again.

Prabhupāda: And still, they have to go to the Mars. Just see how degraded they have become. By drinking urine, they are going to Mars and bringing report, all false propaganda to keep the prestige of the scientists.

Hari-śauri: Yes. It's just a colossal hoax.

Rāmeśvara: No, they will go on and on with their bluffs. They will try to bluff that they are creating life, just like they've bluffed they've gone to other planets.

Prabhupāda: Everything bluff. I never believed them. I never believed them. In my Easy Journey to..., I have, ten years before, I have already rejected. Simply bluff.

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

Prabhupāda: That is the business of ācārya, sampradāya-rakṣana, to save the sampradāya from falling down. Sampradāya. Sampradāya rakṣana.

Rāmeśvara: After centuries of rascaldom you are giving them the first clear choice.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That was the desire of my Guru Mahārāja. I am just trying.

Satsvarūpa: Another professor that was met is going to with ten students... I have his name, a Professor Kalewart from the University of Loeben in Belgium. He's supposed to go to Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir on February lst with ten people.

Prabhupāda: He has gone?

Satsvarūpa: No, on February 1st.

Gargamuni: He should stay in our guesthouse.

Prabhupāda: So inform them, "You come."

Satsvarūpa: Yes. He's going to study at that place, that research place at Loi Bazaar, the Vṛndāvana Research Institute.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is London picture.

Gurukṛpa: They are in Calcutta temple.

Prabhupāda: Maybe Calcutta.

Gurukṛpa: They're very nice.

Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there is one man here. We knew he was supposed to come from something, "Cultural Affairs of Bhuvaneśvara." He was here earlier today and then later today.

Prabhupāda: All right, let him come.

Hari-śauri: When he came this evening you were taking prasāda, and then immediately after was the lecture. (break)

Guest (1) (Indian man): ...cultural affairs, Orissa government. Here there is a large stack of palm leaf manuscripts. Palm leaf manuscripts. We are editing the Sanskrit manuscripts, correcting them and publishing them.

Prabhupāda: Sanskrit?

Guest (1): Sanskrit.

Prabhupāda: It is published in Sanskrit?

Guest (1): Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (9): Yes.

Prabhupāda: So we can go.

Satsvarūpa: You're already going tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Satsvarūpa: That man who came, who you were supposed to go on the 26th, and he was changed.

Prabhupāda: Oh. The same program?

Guest (9): Yes. The same program also.

Satsvarūpa: You were recently initiated?

Guest (9): Yes.

Satsvarūpa: Oh. That's the same program. So that is already fixed with Gaura-Govinda. You spoke with him, Gaura-Govinda Mahārāja?

Prabhupāda: I take my lunch at half past one. So by that time... (end)

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Gurukṛpā: Should depend on Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: The same argument, "Yes my lord, just to teach you law."

Satsvarūpa: Today is the day that Ādi-keśava Swami is supposed to meet with this Jimmy Carter, the twenty-seventh. We'll get some report.

Prabhupāda: Apart from that, you defend your position like this.

Hari-śauri: It's actually a religious issue, but they're trying to make it out something else to distract because they can't defeat us on a religious point.

Prabhupāda: No. Our religion is not faith, our religion. It is on science. So we have got more defense. We don't accept such religion—"Two plus two equal to five." It is science—"Two plus two equal to four." It cannot be three, cannot be five. This is our religion.

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: Of course, that was never a doubt. That's just the way I came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And when I saw you...

Prabhupāda: So the guru is the representative of God. That's all right. Then what is your misunderstanding?

Pṛthu-putra: So then after I had some other things. For example, when I went to Egypt, in these pyramids one day I had some kind of contact on the subtle plane with persons who were supposed to live inside of the pyramids, and they gave me some kind of instructions.

Prabhupāda: Inside of the pyramid?

Pṛthu-putra: Yes. That was (wasn't) in the dream. But people, they were quite clear.

Prabhupāda: These are just like we know gold and we know mountain...

Pṛthu-putra: Yes.

Prabhupāda: ...and sometimes we mix together and we see golden mountain. So in dream we see like that. We have got hundreds and thousands of experiences in our this life and past life. They are all stocked there, and they can sometimes get like a bubbles. You have seen the bubbles come out? It is like that. We should not give much importance to these things. But it is a fact that bona fide spiritual master is bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. So there is no question of subtle or gross. It is a fact. That's all right.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: They should speak their mind to you about this.

Prabhupāda: No, you talk amongst yourselves everything. And you are all GBC. Tell, "This is not good." They should have kīrtana here. They should go to the city, kīrtana party. People should know that there is... Something is going to be done. Actually they want to enjoy that sea bathing. They're going here and there. That is their business. That is not preaching. That is sense enjoyment. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) That is the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Why there should be discrimination, "Not here, not there"? He wants in every village and every town. How you can discriminate? Wherever possible, you should start.

Satsvarūpa: How is all the money for construction for this temple supposed to come? By the local preaching by Gaura-Govinda or...

Prabhupāda: Somehow or other, it must come. He has promised that he will collect half.

Satsvarūpa: That's right. And whatever he collects, you said you would...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Satsvarūpa: I heard that he was told whatever he collects you would match that or match half of it.

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm, hm. Gargamuni may go and organize in Dacca. That will be a great service. He was speaking of going to Dacca. That will be greater service.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: And I gave him 22,000 rupees.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gopāla Kṛṣṇa?

Hari-śauri: Yes. He was supposed to put it in all the newspapers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't mention anything to me. I was there only for one day, but he did not mention it. I can write him if you want. He'll be coming here...

Hari-śauri: The 25th or 26th.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Ten days. I'm sure he must have done it, if you have told him to.

Prabhupāda: We cannot understand what is the position of this land acquisition. They'll remain silent?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's some political thing behind it. That's sure.

Prabhupāda: The political was Ramakrishna Mission and Tīrtha Mahārāja.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: How...? What does he say about our books?

Satsvarūpa: One time I heard he challenged a devotee, "Where is your Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva now to save you?" And also, "We have heard that if the Lord is blasphemed, you're supposed to either give up your life or leave the place, so why don't you do? Or cut out the..., cut out your tongue. So why don't you do that now?"

Ādi-keśava: They used that as one legal argument. They said that one of our devotees should be put in the mental hospital for his own protection, because otherwise he would go and kill himself. And the court said, "Why is that?" They said, "Well, because in their books it says that if a devotee hears someone blaspheming the spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa, then they have to commit suicide."

Prabhupāda: No, they will argue on so many things.

Ādi-keśava: "Or cut their tongue out." They said, "Either they will cut my tongue out or they will kill themself. So either way, they should be put in a mental hospital."

Prabhupāda: No, or you go away from that place.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: First of all you depute two or three GBCs to go there and see what is their program, how they'll utilize the money.

Jayatīrtha: A committee was formed to examine the situation in depth and to make a proposal exactly how the money would be utilized, and that committee consisted of... Who were the GBC men, Satsvarūpa?

Rāmeśvara: The Indian GBC.

Jayatīrtha: Indian GBC. They were supposed to make a...

Prabhupāda: No, Indian GBC plus other GBC. Four or five men should study.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's talking about the agricultural program.

Rāmeśvara: But this ties in.

Gargamuni: Agriculture minister.

Prabhupāda: Not only here, but everywhere. The farm project is sound project. So what other things?

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: Then today there was some new selection of assignments. One: That Jayapatākā Mahārāja be made acting GBC along with Gurukṛpā Mahārāja, both be co-GBC managers of Bengal and Orissa. And Gargamuni Mahārāja be GBC of the traveling party going to colleges and libraries for sales in India and Asia and the Mid-East. Gargamuni should first go to countries around Iran and evaluate his work... And his work will be evaluated, and if done nicely, then he can enter Iran also.

Gargamuni: I have to go to Iran in order to sell the vehicles. Where am I supposed to go? That's a stupid proposal. I wasn't here for that. (laughter) It's a stupid proposal.

Jagadīśa: That wasn't the main part of the proposal.

Gargamuni: Well, that clause is stupid.

Rāmeśvara: We can discuss that.

Satsvarūpa: But the general assignments are agreeable, is that Iran...

Gargamuni: Yes. We're going to have to go in.

Hṛdayānanda: So we can arrange it.

Prabhupāda: We have got very good encouragement from Budapest. You have read that letter. That means there is very good potency of our movement being accepted in communistic countries. Just read that letter.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You like this garland, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: All right. You have brought it; I must like it.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: Yeah. He is supposed to be one of the leading doctors in India. Especially of heart, cardiology. So I also thought this would be a good night for Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu to make his presentation, so that this leading doctor can also attend that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: And the television people are also supposed to come tonight, and show you and them the drama.

Prabhupāda: When you have to go?

Akṣayānanda: The boys can leave at 6:15.

Karttikeya Mahadevia: We have enough time one hour. And K. K. Dattrey and I are working together in one association for the psychic surgery. He is the president, I am the vice-president, so I know him very well, personally.

Prabhupāda: Cardiologist.

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

Prabhupāda: We are preaching what Kṛṣṇa says. We do not mind what others says. There may be similarities, there may not be similarities. It doesn't matter. But we are concerned with the instruction that Kṛṣṇa says. I haven't got to tally what Kṛṣṇa says and what you say. I have no business to do that. We are simply concerned what Kṛṣṇa says. Now if you like, you can take it. If you don't like, you take your own. But we are speaking only on Kṛṣṇa. So our lamentable subject matter, subject is that India has got so great exalted knowledge on Bhagavad-gītā, and the government has got Cultural Department, and all leaders, at least they are supposed to give support to Bhagavad-gītā. Why they are not taking seriously and give it to the...? And they are taking it seriously. My single attempt to preach the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, they are accepting it all over the world. Why not give it an organized way. All the Indian leaders, they are simply imitating jumping like the Western people.

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Rajda: It is universal activities.

Prabhupāda: It is universal, science. It is science. So why this science is kept locket up and distorted by the leaders? If you understand one line of Bhagavad-gītā, your life becomes successful. Now our leaders are supposed to read Bhagavad-gītā, but who understands this one line, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13)? Nobody understands. And they are scholars of Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot understand this one line in the beginning. This is going on. So I would request you to take this matter seriously and... And it is being responded. I am writing these books on Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and we are selling daily five to six lakhs' worth of books. In a foreign country, where their religious system is different, and during Christmas festival we are selling our books, large quantity.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So this kind of compassion also, it is all useless. It is wasted.

Young man (6): I have... In my life I've seen some people... I haven't seen them all. I have read books, and I've met people that, that, you know, people that don't know. Some know more than others, and what I've seen is that there is always a point in everybody's mind and everybody's being where they draw the line between madness and sanity, between right and wrong, and the question in my mind is: Who makes the rules, and where do the rules come from? Because, I know, any society... For instance, in India there are the Indian scriptures, the Bhagavad-gītā and so on, and this is the basis of all Indian society. In the West there is the Christian scriptures, the Jewish scriptures. And they all have rules. They all have rules right down to the daily conduct of people, what they're supposed to eat, and they don't agree on what people are supposed to eat. Now, does that make one person who does not follow one set of rules wrong by another set of rules?

Prabhupāda: No, first principle is that you have to follow the rules.

Young man (6): What rules?

Prabhupāda: That is everywhere.

Evening Darsana -- May 14, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Upendra: Paṇḍitajī's not here.

Prabhupāda: Why he does not remain here?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He does his work at the Svargāśrama. He's supposed to come here to explain. He's been coming every day.

Prabhupāda: You recite that verse, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). The instruction of King Ṛṣabhadeva to His sons. He said that "This body, human body..." Ayaṁ dehaḥ. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Deha. Everyone has got deha, body. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: (BG 2.13) "After this body is finished, another body...," because ātmā, na jāyate na mriyate vā, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Ātmā is eternal. There is no birth, no death. Nitya, eternal; śāśvataḥ purāṇaḥ, the oldest; and na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Therefore this is the problem. The ātmā has no birth, no death, and neither he is dead after the annihilation of this body. But we are put into this condition. We are not put, but we have put ourself. We are putting ourself in this condition of repetition of birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once we take birth, and again we annihilate this body. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, "This ignorance of self-realization must be removed." Therefore He says, ayaṁ dehaḥ: "This body should not be misused like animals," āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. This is the advice. Ayaṁ dehaḥ nṛloke. He especially mentions, nṛloke: "in the human form of body." The dog, cat, or doglike man, catlike man, they may remain in ignorance. They have no chance. There are uncivilized men. Although they have got two hands, two legs, but because there is no knowledge, they have been described as dvi-pada-paśu. They are animal with two legs. Other animals, they have got four legs, and this rascal has got two legs. That is the difference.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...saw the universes, universe, within the mouth of Kṛṣṇa. So he... She was desiring so many things. Then, when there was no solution, "Oh... He's my child." That's all. She forgot everything, that, what he desire, what she desired(?), whether it is magic or this or this or that: "Don't mind. There is my child. That's all." Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is his wife. So they were friends. She was this woman's friend before this woman knew about Kṛṣṇa. So she's trying to encourage her.

Prabhupāda: Very good. (break) ...yatra is going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She's supposed to appear in New York Ratha-yātrā, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All three, with all of..., many of her followers.

Prabhupāda: Public will see how we can unite white and black by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will be very good result.

Room Conversation during lunchtime -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Publicity, if we find that this dress will attract more, why not? We shall do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Salvation Army Santa Clauses, they became very upset, because their routine is that they stand next to a big chimney, because Santa Claus is supposed to come down a chimney in the myth. So they stand next to the chimney, and they shake their bell. People put money into this chimney. But our Santa Clauses, they go down the street very, you know, moving around, dancing, and they go up to the people all over the place. They don't wait for people to come over to the chimney. So we were taking away a lot of the donations that they would have given to the chimney Santa Clauses. So they were very...

Prabhupāda: That is business, competition. You are doing your business; I am doing my business. That competition is there in every business. When there is business, you cannot dictate me in your favor: "While you are doing this, my business is being hampered." Who will hear you? Hm? If you say it is competition, that "Why you are doing like this? It is hampering my business," I'll say, "Yes, I want that your business may be hampered; my business may prosper." That's it.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: January '77 we have passed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: January '78, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It says that you're supposed to have lived for seventy-five years, but everything beyond that was an extension by Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Where is...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Juice? They're just making it, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It says here that "The moon is in the eighth house, which is very bad. The patient may not recover." Then he gives various planets which are also not well aligned. He says the conjunction of another two planets is very bad. "Hospitalization and ill health are intensified in the present year. The days which are not good is when the moon passes in the 22nd to the 23rd of nakṣatra, which are 27th to the 28th of September," that's already passed, "The 24th to the 25th of October, then some days in November and December." He says, "Sūrya will apply for Rahu on Saturday, the 8th of October." That's today. This is very bad, this day. Today is Ekādaśī. "Sūrya will apply for Rahu. Brashna, Lagnesh, Mangal, in the eighth house. The medicine will not give any relief. The native will make a fight for life as Sūrya-Mangal are good friends, and Saturn, or Śani, and Śukra are enemies. There is no benefics in the nine, six, eleven and three. Mangal indicates the effects of Sakini. There is difficulty in recovery. The seventh daśa starts on the 13th of January, 1978." It says, "We have noticed that the periods are all negative until March-April 1978, and the main trouble was due to Śani. We suggested that blue sapphire be tried, and he should keep it on. Hospitalization and travels are indicated." Then he says the worst days of all for you are today and tomorrow. He says it is very negative, as well as the llth, which is mixed. But these are all very inauspicious days. The 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th of October. He says "The only remedy in this case is to do mahā-mṛtyum-jaya japa and havana. Previously also, now also, we have recommended Śiva. Lord Śiva is the presiding Deity of Śani, and with this, the native will be able to overcome disease and life span increases."

Hari-śauri: That's the mantra he gave to me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Astrologically it is up to the eighty-one years, four months, approximately. Says, "Japa and havana."

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

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: When the conference begins?

Bhavānanda: Well, it was supposed to begin at 10:30, but it's running a little late because men are still arriving and they're taking prasādam, so I think noontime. We want to let them take prasādam in a easy frame of mind, not rushed. Because they're right here and living with us, so...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The men who have come today, most of them will stay probably for the weekend.

Bhavānanda: Oh, they're all planning to stay for the weekend. There are more on the way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How do they like the guesthouse facilities?

Bhavānanda: Very much.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Bhavānanda Mahārāja has organized everything very nicely. He's deputed different men in different places, so it's very nicely organized.

Prabhupāda: So I am thinking now to lay down. (break) Meeting is going on here, and you have gone to Bhagatji?

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I haven't gone yet. I was in the conference for a little while. The scientists took prasādam at about 11:30. The conference was supposed to start at ten, but it didn't start till about nearly noon. And at the same time, Bhagatji has apparently arranged a program of prasādam and kīrtana at his house, and it was to be the same time when ordinarily the conference would have halted for lunch. So as the conference began two hours late, now that has upset things a little. Not very much. I was in the conference for a while and all the guests are there, scientists are there. Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu is giving a lecture. There weren't very many GBC or sannyāsīs there, but I think it was on account of the fact that the conference started so late today. There is another conference this afternoon, as far as I know. And then two more tomorrow and again the next day, and I'm pretty sure everybody will be attending. I found it very interesting. The only reason I left was that I wanted to know whether I should attend Bhagatji's lunch or not. He invited everyone and made big arrangement. But I'm your secretary, so I don't want to go unless it's proper to go.

Prabhupāda: How you have accepted invitation today?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The time it was fixed for was the lunch time of the conference. Another reason Bhagatji wanted to have it was that he just wanted to have it while everyone was here. But the main thing is that the lunch was supposed to coincide with the lunchtime of the conference. That's the main point. In other words, there was no conflict of the two.

Prabhupāda: Why did you not go there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, the scientists did not come on time.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then what is the value of medicine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You mean if you don't take the medicine will it... Your question is that "If I stop taking medicine, will I continue to pass urine?" I think so. Medicine was... For some time your urine had become very dark. So the medicine was supposed to clear it up. Now your urine is clear. And, of course, the medicine was also supposed to help you to recover your strength, but that has not happened. At least we cannot see that there's any noticeable change in your strength.

Prabhupāda: Nava-yogendra? The presentation which you have brought may not be required here. Better sell them and engage there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sell them and engage there in Mombassa.

Nava-yogendra: What? Which I brought here?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You mean those plates and things, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Anything, presentation, for the time being there is no need. Better invest the money there to develop.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has not come yet.

Prabhupāda: So when he will come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I am also beginning to wonder. He was supposed to come by at least four or five o'clock. I'm sure he'll have a good reason, but until he comes I cannot speculate on why he's late.

Prabhupāda: It will be late. The other person, whether they will come at night?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, that's probably why he is late, because they would only come at night. That's my... Last time this was also done at about this time, Śrīla Prabhupāda. These men work all day in the court, and they can't come until the evening.

Prabhupāda: And suppose he does not come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, if he does not come, then I'll have to find out why he didn't come.

Prabhupāda: And then you will have to postpone. They'll have to postpone.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhakti-caru: Yes. First thing they had a flat tire. Then they ran out of gas, and then there was no petrol station. Then they lost the track. They went to some...

Prabhupāda: So he missed the plane.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Missed the plane. Coming from Delhi?

Bhakti-caru: Yes. They were supposed to come here at two o'clock.

Prabhupāda: I have got my car, but they arranged for a Mercedes car.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Mercedes car, bigger car, yes. Oh, I see. So that means God didn't want you to leave. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: This is Indian culture.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Indian culture, Gītā culture. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). (Hindi) Whenever there are discrepancies in the human society—tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham—at that time He appears. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). This is the program. And when He comes, the time is fixed. So unless one thoroughly studies, they cannot accept. Actually Kṛṣṇa... Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). This system, Bhagavad-gītā, it is yoga, bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the topmost.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What trying?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well... Go on giving you juice and barley water, kīrtana. Maybe eventually the situation will change. How can we stop trying to feed you and take care of you? Kṛṣṇa can intercede at any moment.

Prabhupāda: No, suppose if you want to move me from this place. That is the question.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. We're going to move you if we see some positive improvement.

Prabhupāda: That is the point.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was the whole reason for waiting, is that you're supposed to get stronger by waiting.

Prabhupāda: We shall wait, but from practical point I cannot drink more than one cup of milk and one cup of fruit juice. That is practically happening.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, that certainly is the fact right now.

Prabhupāda: Each... Right now I am... I am thinking it may not improve.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know you are thinking that there will be no improvement, but we are a little hopeful.

Prabhupāda: Hopeful, hope against hope—that is natural. But I am becoming hopeless.

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's supposed to take medicine now? He doesn't want to take? You don't want to take your medicine now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: My taking the medicine means I am passing urine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: That I do not know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, according to every physician that we've consulted, Ayurvedic and allopathic, they say that that's very much required. Is it painful to pass urine?

Prabhupāda: Sometimes.

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The same medicine?

Bhakti-caru: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. This same medicine will continue till kavirāja comes back and gives new medicine. They are all the same medicine, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There are two different types of medicines. One, I'm supposed to give once in the morning, once in the evening. And another one is in the noontime and late in the evening. And there's one medicine, that's sometime in the afternoon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not very painful to take the medicine, is it?

Bhakti-caru: Does it taste bad, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the medicine? Does it taste very bad?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhakti-caru: But then it is very bitter or... Because medicine will be a little bad tasting. Very much bitter, no, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Bitter.

Bhakti-caru: Yes. So should I mix it with some sweet? Like... I normally give the powder with glucose so that the glucose will give you some sweet taste. But distilled medicine, the water thin, watery medicine, that is tasteless. It tastes like water.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let us follow this medicine until its prescribed time, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Give me.

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The brāhmaṇas must be fixed first of all.

Girirāja: Yes. So he said he would write today, and this evening I'll confirm it that he wrote and sent that letter, and then, within a week, we should actually get the confirmation. Otherwise they are very eager to do this and the only thing would be the date. So this afternoon we're planning to execute the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust and also the amendment to your will. So Viśvambhara Prabhu and I are supposed to go to Mathurā now to meet the registrar and some other people. So is it all right if I go now?

Page Title:Supposed to... (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:16 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=101, Let=0
No. of Quotes:101