Temple of Lord Krsna

Expressions researched:
"Krsna, temple" |"krishna temple" |"krishna temples" |"krsna temple" |"krsna temples" |"krsna's temple" |"temple of Krsna" |"temple of krishna" |"temple of lord Krsna" |"temple of lord sri krsna" |"temples of Krsna" |"temples of krishna" |"temples of lord Krsna"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 11.55, Purport:

If one constructs a very big building for Kṛṣṇa and installs the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, one is not prohibited from living there, but it is understood that the proprietor of the building is Kṛṣṇa. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If, however, one is not able to construct a temple for Kṛṣṇa, one can engage himself in cleansing the temple of Kṛṣṇa; that is also kṛṣṇa-karma.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.3.21, Purport:

The Lord is the Lord of everyone, including the great kings and emperors, and men who are rich in the estimation of mundane people must therefore make it a point to visit the temple of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and regularly bow down before the Deity. The Lord in the temple in the worshipable form is never to be considered to be made of stone or wood, for the Lord in His arcā incarnation as the Deity in the temple shows immense favor to the fallen souls by His auspicious presence.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 10.107, Purport:

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “About one and a half miles away from Kumārahaṭṭa, or Kāmarhaṭṭa, which is a few miles from Calcutta, is a village known as Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā, which was the home of Śrī Śivānanda Sena. There he constructed a temple of Śrī Gauragopāla. Śrīnātha Paṇḍita established another temple there with Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa mūrtis. The Deity of that temple is named Śrī Kṛṣṇa Rāya. The temple of Kṛṣṇa Rāya, which was constructed in the year 1708 Śakābda (A.D. 1786) by a prominent zamindar named Nimāi Mullik of Pāthuriyā-ghāṭa in Calcutta, is very large. There is a big courtyard in front of the temple, and there are residential quarters for visitors and good arrangements for cooking prasādam.

CC Adi 10.107, Purport:

rīnātha Paṇḍita, one of the disciples of Advaita Prabhu, was the spiritual master of the third son of Śivānanda Sena, who was known as Paramānanda Kavi-karṇapūra. It is said that the Kṛṣṇa Rāya Deity was installed during the time of Kavi-karṇapūra. According to hearsay, Vīrabhadra Prabhu, the son of Nityānanda Prabhu, brought a big stone from Murśidābād from which three Deities were carved—namely, the Rādhāvallabha vigraha of Vallabhapura, the Śyāmasundara vigraha of Khaḍadaha and the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Rāya vigraha of Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā. The home of Śivānanda Sena was situated on the bank of the Ganges near an almost ruined temple. It is said that the same Nimāi Mullik of Calcutta saw this broken-down temple of Kṛṣṇa Rāya while he was going to Benares and thereafter constructed the present temple.”

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 22.116, Translation:

“The next steps are as follows: (6) One should be prepared to give up everything for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, and one should also accept everything for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. (7) One must live in a place where Kṛṣṇa is present—a city like Vṛndāvana or Mathurā or a Kṛṣṇa temple. (8) One should acquire a livelihood that is just sufficient to keep body and soul together. (9) One must fast on the Ekādaśī day.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 12:

He engaged his hands in washing the temple of the Deity, his ears in hearing the words of Kṛṣṇa and his eyes in beholding the Deity. He engaged his sense of touch by rendering service to the devotees, and he engaged his sense of smell by relishing the fragrance of the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his tongue in tasting the tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his legs in going to the temple of Kṛṣṇa, and his head in offering obeisances to the Deity of Kṛṣṇa. Because all his desires and ambitions were thus engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa is considered the leader in discharging devotional service in all kinds of ways.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 6:

Lord Caitanya said that a Vaiṣṇava is he who, when seen, reminds one of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, it is essential that a Vaiṣṇava mark his body with tilaka to remind others of Kṛṣṇa.) (2) In marking such tilaka, sometimes one may write Hare Kṛṣṇa on the body. (3) One should accept flowers and garlands that have been offered to the Deity and the spiritual master and put them on one's body. (4) One should learn to dance before the Deity. (5) One should learn to bow down immediately upon seeing the Deity or the spiritual master. (6) As soon as one visits a temple of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one must stand up. (7) When the Deity is being borne for a stroll in the street, a devotee should immediately follow the procession.

Nectar of Devotion 9:

In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya there is a statement about the benefit of visiting the temples of Lord Kṛṣṇa. As we have explained previously, in Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā the system is that all the devotees take advantage of visiting various temples situated in those holy places. It is stated in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, "Persons who are impelled by pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and who therefore go to see the Deities of Viṣṇu in the temple will surely get relief from entering again into the prison house of a mother's womb." The conditioned soul forgets the trouble of living within the mother's womb during birth, but it is a very painful and terrible experience. In order to make an escape from this material condition, one is advised to visit a temple of Viṣṇu with devotional consciousness. Then one can very easily get out of the miserable condition of material birth.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 52:

This time, Jarāsandha thought that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were very much afraid of his military strength and were fleeing the battlefield. He followed Them with all his chariots, horses and infantry. He thought Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to be ordinary human beings, and he was trying to measure the activities of the Lord. Due to this pastime Kṛṣṇa is known as Raṇacora, which means "one who has left the battlefield." In India, especially in Gujarat, there are many temples of Kṛṣṇa known as temples of Raṇacorajī. Ordinarily, if a king leaves the battlefield without fighting he is called a coward, but when Kṛṣṇa enacts this pastime, leaving the battlefield without fighting, He is worshiped by the devotees.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3:

Kṛṣṇa's position as the Supreme Godhead is firmly established by the authoritative text Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the natural commentary on and essence of the Vedānta-sūtra and the Gāyatrī mantra. Many scholarly Māyāvādīs far more erudite than Dr. Radhakrishnan have tried to shake the faith of the general populace, but since time immemorial Kṛṣṇa temples have mushroomed by the millions—a slap in the face for the Māyāvādīs and atheists, who claim the Lord Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary mortal. In the future also, more Kṛṣṇa temples will be built to frustrate the agnostics and nonbelievers. All Viṣṇu temples are authorized by the scriptures and ācāryas. It hardly seems likely that, just for the sake of Dr. Radhakrishnan, the entire Indian population is going to strike a compromise with Māyāvāda philosophy.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

That is your motive. If magazine selling is your business, you can take any other sense gratificatory magazine. There are so many. And you can sell, you can make some profit. So we have to mold our life in such a way that we shall always remember Kṛṣṇa. Therefore remembering Kṛṣṇa is my primary business. And we have to act in such a way that we may not forget Kṛṣṇa. That should be the principle. That is the secret. Therefore it is equally good for anyone because we can engage anyone in the business of Kṛṣṇa. If somebody has no, I mean to say, knowledge, he can simply sweep over the floor of Kṛṣṇa's temple. That will make him remembering Kṛṣṇa, that "I am cleansing the floor of Kṛṣṇa's temple." He's as good as the editor of Back to Godhead.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). The formula is there. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Simply if you try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, divyam. They are all divine, transcendental. Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa's appearance, Kṛṣṇa's worship, Kṛṣṇa's temple, Kṛṣṇa's glories—everything transcendental. So if one understands these things or tries to understand, even he does not understand, tries to understand, then he becomes liberated from this process of birth and death. Kṛṣṇa says. So become very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa and remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then this problem, birth, death, old age and disease will be solved, automatically, very easily. There will be no problem.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

There are many rich families here. I do not know what are their activities, but in India, the aristocratic family, they have got particular spiritual function. Each and every aristocratic family has so many temples, so many temples. And I have already informed you that one of the aristocratic family in India, Sir Padampat Singhania, he's a very big. He's as equal to your Rockefeller family. And I wrote him that "I want to start here one Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple and I want your help." He has immediately agreed, "Swamiji, I shall spend for a nice architectural, Indian pattern temple in New York if I get exchange sanction."

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

So by, side by side with material activities, they have got the chance of spiritual... Now, this particular family I am speaking to you, Singhania family, you'll be very glad to learn that how they are family arrangement... They have got a temple, Dvārakādhīśa, a Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, just like this picture. They have got a very nice temple, and that temple has got some property. And the, that property, out of the property, one of the land is leased out to this Singhania Organization business. So they pay rent to the Deity. You see? Similarly, the Deity has large income. And they spend also in so many ways. If we have got the chance of starting a temple here, we shall also let you know how to spend for spiritual consciousness.

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

There are many literatures written by great, great poets within two thousand, two hundred years, three hundred years, or, say, thousands of years. But they are being forgotten. But therefore the character of the Vedic knowledge, they are not material things. They're all spiritual. Why we are giving so much importance to the words of Kṛṣṇa? Because this language is absolute. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's language, or Kṛṣṇa's words, they are the same. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's forms... We are worshiping Kṛṣṇa's form. That is also Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, are we wasting our time by decorating a doll, a statue, and we are struggling so hard to establish a temple of Kṛṣṇa? No.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

In India there are many thousands of Kṛṣṇa temples all over India, especially in Vṛndāvana. I have several times told you that Vṛndāvana is the city, only fifty thousand people, not even one hundred thousand, fifty thousand people within a small city. But there are five thousand temples, five thousand, all Kṛṣṇa temples. Now, in each and every temple you will find how nice foodstuff. According to the capacity of the temple owner, oh, very, I mean to say costly foodstuff are being offered. And those foodstuff is distributed amongst the poor class men.

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

Helping Kṛṣṇa does not mean you sit down tightly. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities. Whatever asset you have got to work, utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. Now we have got, what assets we have got. We have got this mind. All right, think of Kṛṣṇa. We have got this hand—wash the temple or cook for Kṛṣṇa. We have got the legs—go to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. We have got this nose—Oh, smell the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. So we can engage. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness engage means working, activity. Arjuna, he was declining to act. And Kṛṣṇa was enthusing him to act. This is the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean that no work. To engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to work—for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

So my request is that we are going to start a Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple here. Just cooperate with us. These foreigners are doing your business. It was your business to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, but you are sleeping. But the Americans, Canadians, Europeans, I am training them. So you take it very seriously. You try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa and spread it. That is my request.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Not that the temple is closed whole day and night, and the pūjārī goes for five minutes and bells the bell, again close. No. There is system. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau **. So many activities in temple worship. So for the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, neophytes, those who are serious to become, to awaken his attachment for Kṛṣṇa, they must take to this arcana-mārga. This is called arcana-mārga, temple worship. Everyone can establish a small temple in his house, and he can begin family-wise: himself, his wife, his children. That is wanted. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to see that every house has become a temple of Kṛṣṇa. That is our program. Mayy āsakta... Just to increase the attachment for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

Now, Kṛṣṇa is there. We have got Kṛṣṇa's picture, Kṛṣṇa's photo, Kṛṣṇa's temple, so many Kṛṣṇa's. They are not fictitious. They are not imagination, as the Māyāvādī philosopher thinks, that "You can imagine in your mind." No. God cannot be imagined. That is another foolishness. How you can imagine God? Then God become subject matter of your imagination. He is no substance. That is not God. What is imagined, that is not God. God is present before you, Kṛṣṇa. He comes here on this planet. Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, sambhavāmi yuge yuge. So those who have seen God, you take information from them.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

There is Rāmacandra's activities there. Where is Rāmacandra, which planet He is now, that is also described in the Bhāgavatam. So it is not that we are without Rāma. And our direct worshipable Rāma is Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. We have opened the temple of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma in Vṛndāvana. So Rāma is there. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa has got many, many incarnation. Rāma is also one of them. So when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, it means including all the incarnation—Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha—everything. Rāmādi... Therefore rāmādi, "taking Rāma as the original," mūrtiṣu, "in such forms," rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39), "He is existing." Kṛṣṇa is not alone.

Lecture on BG 7.11-12 -- Bombay, February 25, 1974:

Similarly, nature and the source from which... Just like fire. It is coming, the smoke. You cannot separate. Similarly, if bhūmiḥ āpaḥ analaḥ vāyuḥ kham, this material nature is coming from Kṛṣṇa, how you can separate it from Kṛṣṇa? It is also Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who does not see bhūmi, immediately remembers that "This is Kṛṣṇa's nature," he remembers immediately Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even by seeing land. So devotee sees like that. "Oh, this land is so nice. Why not construct a nice temple for Kṛṣṇa?" This is Kṛṣṇa conscious vision. "Oh, there are so many skyscrapers. Why not construct a nice skyscraper temple of Kṛṣṇa?" That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

There are so many others also. And there are millions and millions of temples of Kṛṣṇa. They are being worshiped by millions and billions of devotees still. Still, if you go some Kṛṣṇa temple in South India, you'll find thousands of thousands of people always assembled. You have no imagination. You see? In Jaipur temple, Jaipur temple, the king's palace... Within the king's palace there is Jaipur temple. So whenever you go in that Jaipur temple, you'll find at least one thousand men assembled. At least. If you go Jagannātha Purī, you'll find at least two thousand men, daily coming and going. If you go to Vṛndāvana, you'll find at least five thousand men, daily coming and going. So... And in Vṛndāvana itself there are five thousand temples. Out of that only seven or eight temples are very big temples. In other words, each and every house is Kṛṣṇa temple.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

He is praying, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, my dear Lord, Your name is always invested with all the potencies of Your person." Nāmnām. "You have got all the potencies in name, and You have made it so easy that we can chant without any hard-and-fast rules and regulations." Suppose if you have to establish one temple of Kṛṣṇa. You have got to observe so many rules and regulations. You have to spend money. You have to see its management. But here, by chanting, any man can have the same benefit of becoming nearer or in company with Kṛṣṇa always and derive all the benefits out of it.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So now they have sacrificed everything, you can see. How it has been possible? Because their mind has been engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinda vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānu. If you engage your talking simply on the matter of describing Kṛṣṇa, if you engage your mind always on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, if you engage your legs for going to the temple of Kṛṣṇa, if you engage your hand for cleansing the temple of Kṛṣṇa, if you engage your nose for smelling the flower offered to Kṛṣṇa, if you engage your tongue for tasting prasādam which is offered to Kṛṣṇa, in this way, if your all senses are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you become the topmost yogi. Because yoga perfection means yoga indriya-saṁyamya. The practice of yoga means to control the mind and the senses.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

We have practical experience in India. We held several Hare Kṛṣṇa festivals in Calcutta, Bombay and Hyderabad, Madras, many thousands people come. Twenty thousand, thirty thousand people, they come, still. So my request is that you are here in foreign country, you don't forget your heritage. That is my request. Don't be baḍa sāheb. Remain as Indian with Indian culture, and here is the temple of Kṛṣṇa, we are distributing this Kṛṣṇa culture all over the world. So don't miss this opportunity, but you take advantage of it. That is the duty of every Indian. That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

That is mukti. Mukti does not mean that you have got now two hands, and as soon as you become mukta, you'll have three thousand hands. No, not that. Mukti means svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. When we understand that "I am utilizing hands and legs and eyes for my sense gratification. No, this is wrong. It should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service. My hands should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's service. My hands should be engaged for cleansing this temple. My hands should be engaged for cooking Kṛṣṇa's food." In this way. "My hands should be utilized for writing for Kṛṣṇa, glorifying Kṛṣṇa. My legs should be used for going to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. My eyes should be used for seeing beauty of Kṛṣṇa. My ears should be used for hearing glories of Kṛṣṇa. My tongue should be used for chanting Kṛṣṇa's holy name." That is mukti.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:

We are taking care of this house. Why? Because it is temple. What is temple? Temple means Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but because we have got now our limited knowledge—we are not advanced—therefore we take a spot, the temple, and always think of Kṛṣṇa that "This is Kṛṣṇa's place. This is Kṛṣṇa's temple. We must take care of it." Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau **. These are the process of devotional service, that we worship the Deity, śrī-vigraha, nicely dressed, nicely worshiped, first-class food offered. This is called śrī-vigrahārādhana, worshiping, arcanam. Arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

Everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Kṛṣṇa is spiritual, so His energy is also spiritual. But in the spiritual energy there is the possibility of forgetting Kṛṣṇa. That is called material energy. So if we remember Kṛṣṇa, that is not material energy. A man, stone, wood, brick and constructs a big, high skyscraper building; that is material energy. But the same stone, same wood, same cement, you construct a very nice temple of Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual energy. Now, the question is how the woods and stones which is matter, becomes spiritual. Is not that the question? We say one man is constructing big skyscraper building with woods and stones, we say this is materialism.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

Just like if you make bank balance, one rupee, one rupee, one rupee, sometimes you will see, "It is now 100,000 rupees." Similarly, we are giving chance all over the world, opening this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, giving them chance to chant the glories of the Lord. That means it is going to their credit. If they take it immediately, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), that is very nice. But if he cannot, this chance will never go in vain. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaitukī (SB 1.2.6). And anyone can join. There is no question. Kṛṣṇa is not meant for the Hindus or Indians. This is a mistake. Now, the Westerners, the Europeans, Americans, they understand.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:

So I do not wish to take much of your time, and the children are disturbing. It is a very great subject matter. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is this expanding this bhakti cult on the basis of Vedic knowledge. It is not a sentimental thing. These European, American boys and girls who have joined us, they are not going on sentiments. They are being taught actual knowledge, śruti. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. And therefore they are being fixed up. So our request is that this temple, Bālajī's temple, is the greatest temple in the world, and Kṛṣṇa's temple. For spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, the temple authorities should fully cooperate in spreading Kṛṣṇa knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

Niṣṭhā means "firmly fixed up." Firmly fixed up. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has explained how one can be fixed up, niṣṭhā. This niṣṭhā stage comes when one is freed from anartha. Ādau śraddhā. Just like you all have come here out of śraddhā, some faith, that "Let us go to the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple, see the ārati, or hear from the swamis." This is the beginning, śraddhā. To create śraddhā, little faith, these centers are established. And one takes to faith, then he gradually advances. Ādau śraddhā. And that śraddhā has been explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī, what is śraddhā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So we should not take anything neglectfully. Neither we should be careless to take care of Kṛṣṇa's property, Kṛṣṇa's living being, Kṛṣṇa's house, Kṛṣṇa's temple, Kṛṣṇa's business, Kṛṣṇa's... Everything Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat (ISO 1). If we think like that, then that is perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ (BG 9.34). We may think, see varieties of things. It doesn't matter. But if we know that the original cause of this thing is Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. We are seeing this table. It is wood. But if we know... It is a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

To merge into the existence of the Supreme. You can merge, but you cannot be equal. That is not possible. Asamordhva. But the Māyāvādīs, they are thinking, "We are as good as Kṛṣṇa." Therefore they do not go to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. Because they think self, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa. But that is a mistake. Therefore śāstra says that ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking that they have become liberated, become Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, God, but that is aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Because... They are thinking like that because their intelligence is not yet cleansed. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Therefore āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Āruhya kṛcchreṇa, by performing severe austerities, penances, they come to the stage of merging in the Brahman effulgence, but that (does) not solve the problem. In the Brahman effulgence they fall down again.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

Therefore I am so much after books. If we forget our position, if we become pound-shilling man, property man, then Kṛṣṇa will be finished, because Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-gocara. Therefore we should always remember that we possess this nice house not for our comfort, but people will come because they are not accustomed. If we would have invited people, "Come and sit down on this Māyāpura ground," no, there was no possibility. Therefore we must possess Kṛṣṇa's temple very nice so that people will come, and we shall preach. That is philosophy, not that because we have got this nice house, therefore we should be very much attached.

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that you get better activity. Therefore you can give up the inferior activities. Otherwise, simply by negation, it is not possible. We must work. We must work for Kṛṣṇa's sake. We shall go to the Kṛṣṇa's temple, or we shall go for selling Kṛṣṇa's books, or meeting some Kṛṣṇa devotee. That is nice. But you cannot stop working. That is not possible. Then your idle brain will be devil's workshop. Yes. Then you will fall down, "How to go to that woman? How to go to that man?" If you stop working, then you have to work again to sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

So we should be distinct from the so-called gosvāmīs. Those who will remain in Vṛndāvana, esp... Everywhere. Everywhere is Vṛndāvana. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa's temple, Kṛṣṇa's saṅkīrtana, that is Vṛndāvana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "My mind is always Vṛndāvana." Because He's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there—He's Kṛṣṇa Himself—just to teach us. So similarly, anywhere you live, if you are actually follower of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), then that is Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:

A child naturally wants to play, so he can play with Kṛṣṇa Deity. We had the opportunity of doing that. My father was worshiping Kṛṣṇa Deity. So I wanted to imitate him, and he gave me small Deity. That Deity is still worshiped. My sister and myself, whatever we were eating, we were offering exactly the same arcana. And father used to encourage. This Ratha-yātrā and Rādhā-Go.(?) Kṛṣṇa temple which we are propagating, it was, from the very beginning of our life, was initiated by our parents. So anyone can initiate his child to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding from the very beginning.

Lecture on SB 3.26.46 -- Bombay, January 21, 1975:

You can utilize the same energy of constructing something out of bricks and stones and wood into a nice temple. That was the Vedic culture. Still in old cities you will find in lanes and streets, there are so many temples. I have seen, especially in Kanpur. Even within the lane there are so many temples, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, Viṣṇu temples, Śiva temple. So all over India you will find the temples. People were so spiritually advanced, even Muslim. They are also. They have constructed so many mosques. So that should be utilized. If we have got the tendency for making a house or construction of some building with stones and bricks, let it be utilized for constructing temple of the Supreme Brahman.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

Don't think that only Kṛṣṇa is here in the temple room. No. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, especially this temple where Kṛṣṇa lives. Every part of this temple, every part of is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise why it is recommended, tan-mandira-mārjanādiṣu? This is tapasya. You should always remain engaged doing something for Kṛṣṇa. Don't think, "This is very first class; this is last class." No. Advaya-jñāna. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's temple, the same thing. Don't think that "Oh, I am given this work to cleanse the temple, and that man is given this work to worship the Deity." There is no difference. Ārādhya bhagavān vrajeṣa tanaya tad dhāma vṛndāvanam. As vrajeṣa tanaya, Kṛṣṇa, is ārādhya, worshipable, similarly His dhāma, His place, this Vṛndāvana, is also worshipable, as good as Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

So no sense is stopped, but you have to utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. You can walk to Kṛṣṇa's temple, you can dance to the tune of Kṛṣṇa's song, you can eat nice foodstuff, you can see very beautiful Deities, you can hear very beautiful sound, you can talk on Kṛṣṇa philosophically from Bhāgavata and Bhagavad-gītā. So everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no stoppage. And devotional service means that purifying the senses and engage them in the service of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Simply negation will not help you. There must be some positive occupation. So we say, "Do not do this, but do this." We say, "Do not eat meat," but we say, "Eat Kṛṣṇa's nice prasādam, halavā." So he forgets meat-eating. This is our process. We give immediately alternative. You dance. You don't dance in the naked club; dance in the Kṛṣṇa's temple. The dancing is there, but is purified. In the club there are also girls are dancing and boys are dancing. Here also, girls are dancing and boys are..., but they are dancing for Kṛṣṇa ecstasy. So nothing is stopped. This is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you have to simply change your consciousness. Consciousness is there. At the present moment our consciousness is polluted.

Lecture on SB 6.2.13 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1975:

You have other senses. Kṛṣṇa is prepared to be perceived by you by other senses. What is that? If you hear Kṛṣṇa, then you must know there is Kṛṣṇa. There is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not different from His name, from His form, either form or name or quality or paraphernalia, anything. He is Absolute. There is no duality. Anything you perceive, that is Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa temple is also Kṛṣṇa. So we have no sufficient knowledge how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is prepared to be understood by us in so many ways. So the Kali-yuga, therefore, name is so important. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). This formula should be seriously taken. Kṛtāśeṣa agha-niṣkṛtam. Aśeṣa. Unlimited amount or unlimited number of sinful activities are already finished.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.152-154 -- New York, December 5, 1966:

So this is called advaya-jñāna. Similarly, when we read Bhagavad-gītā, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should pay respect. When we enter into the temple of Kṛṣṇa, it should be understood that we are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Everything in relationship is Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest... Therefore the devotees who are in the higher conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness sees nothing before him save and except Kṛṣṇa. That is not to be imitated, but the stage, in the higher stage, the devotee sees nothing but Kṛṣṇa. Sarvatra sphūraya tāṅra iṣṭa-deva mūrti. Everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa. Matter is energy of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

So this goodness, passion and ignorance, the division. And how to nirguṇa? When you live in a temple of Kṛṣṇa, that is nirguṇa. That is transcendental. So if you live in a society like this, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are nirguṇa. You are above the qualities. It is far better than to live in the forest or in the city. Those who are in touch with the supreme nirguṇa... Nirguṇa means transcendental to the material modes of nature. So nirguṇo bhavet. Sa sarva-dṛg. Harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt. Nirguṇa means only Viṣṇu is nirguṇa, above the transcendental, above these material modes of nature. It is accepted by all the authorities.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

As the worship of the Deity is important, similarly, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-sṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārj anādau **. To keep the temple very cleansed, very attractive, that is also Deity worship. Those who are here working, they should keep this temple as clean as possible. Then Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. Kṛṣṇa's body—this temple. Do not think it otherwise. Temple should be worshiped in that way. Therefore I ask you not to come with shoes. Even the temple is not opened, it is still Kṛṣṇa's temple. It is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-sṛṅgāra **. You should always remember that. The temple management very nicely means to render service to Kṛṣṇa.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:

Perhaps some of you who have gone there, they know there is a very, very old temple, according to modern calculation, not less than two thousand years old. There is the Jagannātha Deity. The King was very much anxious to establish a temple of Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadrā, but there was a contract between the sculptor and the King that the sculptor would go on working in closed door and the King should not disturb him. But when many days passed the King felt, "What this worker is doing?" So he forcefully opened the door, and he saw that the sculptor could not finish the Deity. So this form of Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadrā, was unfinished. They were going under construction, carving, but the King forcibly opened the door. Therefore the King said, "I shall worship this unfinished Deity. Never mind." So this Jagannātha you see in this form because King Indradyumna wanted to worship Him in that form.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

There is no difference. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These are bogus, that "I do not go out of Vṛndāvana." They are making Vṛndāvana limited. Vṛndāvana is not limited. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, that is Vṛndāvana. That is Vṛndāvana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He, once only, He went to Vṛndāvana. Does it mean He was not in Vṛndāvana? So this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, that preaching must go on in hell and heaven. We should be very much expert and follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the simple instructions. Mukunda mādhava yādava hari bolena bolo re vadana bori. Simply chant the holy names of Lord, mukunda mādhava yādava. This is Caitanya. Rise early in the morning. You go and preach, and work hard, day and night, and that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... This song indicates. That's all.

Initiation Lectures

Initiations -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Ataeva śānta: "Therefore he is peaceful." All others, they have got some demand. So this is the process. By making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means your demands will be nil. That's all. When you find in that position, that "I have no more any demand," svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi, "I am fully satisfied, Kṛṣṇa," then that is your perfection. So try to achieve that position.

Now you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Oh, first of all is marriage. Now you offer this girl. What is name? Where is garland? All these groups, give them garland. Who is in charge? All right. This garland was first touched there in Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First touched to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes, to the feet. Yes. Huh?

Initiation -- Hawaii, March 25, 1969:

Prabhupāda: This Gaurasundara dāsa, Mr. Gary, he will live here with his wife. Yes. So temple, if people come, that is temple. You see? That is temple. And if we, suppose, construct a huge building and nobody comes, then what is the use of spending money? We are not after such thing. But if somebody has got money, he wants to construct temple, it is welcome. We can give nice plan how to do it. In India there are Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temples, just like one temple is as good as a big fort. They spend so much. You see? But here also, in your country, there are many big churches. So people, formerly they were religiously inclined. So either Christian, Muhammadan or Hindus or anyone, they were constructing temple, churches, mosques. But that mentality is gone.

Sannyasa Initiation -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1970:

So today is a special function day. Some of our advanced students, they're accepting the renounced order of life. First of all, one of our students, Kīrtanānanda Brahmacārī, he was offered when I was in India, Vṛṇdāvana, in Janmāṣṭamī day he was offered this sannyāsa order in the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. Similarly, here we have got also Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. There is no difference between Rādhā-Dāmodara temple and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. So we postponed this to be held on the Janmāṣṭamī day at New Vrindaban, but by some reason we are now postponing to go there, and we have decided to perform this function here.

Detroit Initiations -- Detroit, July 18, 1971:

That verse is not quoted there? Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. Leg should be engaged to go to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. Hand should be engaged for cleansing the temple. Nose should be engaged for smelling tulasī which is offered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Ear should be engaged for hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Eyes should be engaged for seeing Kṛṣṇa beautifully dressed. These things are... In this way the temple worship means all these senses being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mind and senses. Then they can, cannot do any harm.

Initiations -- San Diego, June 30, 1972:

This is very nice explanation. Simply by seeing, "Oh, here is a nice, beautiful girl," "Oh, here is a nice, beautiful boy," similarly, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, here is Kṛṣṇa's kathā, here is Kṛṣṇa's topics, oh, here is Kṛṣṇa's temple." Just like, another example is given. Just like the waves of the river. It goes down. We have seen that little river... What is that? Varta? Always going down. In Japan also, I have seen that little river, with sound, going down, going down. So similarly, as the river is going after the sea spontaneously, without any artificial attempt, so such spontaneous love for Kṛṣṇa, or God, that is the perfection of yoga. This is yoga. Yoga means connection.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, August 23, 1968:

It does not require that you become very wealthy, very beautiful, or very learned. You have to decide that "I shall not do this without Kṛṣṇa. I shall not do this without Kṛṣṇa. I shall not mix with any man who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. I shall not talk anything which does not speak about Kṛṣṇa." So your... "I shall not go anywhere except Kṛṣṇa's temple. I shall not engage my hands in anything except Kṛṣṇa's business." In this way, if you train your activities, then you love Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is purchased—simply by your determination. Kṛṣṇa does not require anything from you. Simply He wants to know whether you have decided to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Therefore Kṛṣṇa is accepted by all Indians as God. And He has proved Himself, His activities. There is Vedic proof, scholarly proof, authority proof. There are so many things. And people... There are thousands and millions of temple of Kṛṣṇa worship in India, and how many temples they have got Ramakrishna?

Young man (6): Well, Ramakrishna is pretty recent also.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa, because He's old, therefore people have taken? People forget old things. Why they are adhering to the old things? At Vṛndāvana only, one place, there are five thousand temples of Kṛṣṇa. Only in Vṛndāvana. So this is all propaganda. We have to test who is incarnation, who is not, by the authorities.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

Prabhupāda: "My dear king, your question is very superexcellent. Superexcellent." (reads Sanskrit commentary) "You have inquired whether I shall now simply absorb my mind simply for hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa." That was his question. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī affirms that "This is a very nice inquiry, and your selection is also very nice." Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. We have got to hear so many things. As soon as we get out of this Kṛṣṇa temple, many, many friends will ask me so many things, and I'll talk with him so many things about politics, economics, social affairs, this country's position, this, that. Because without chanting and hearing, we cannot live for a moment.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

And in next page he has admitted, "That Supreme Personality of Godhead Nārāyaṇa is Kṛṣṇa, who is born as the son of Devakī and Vasudeva." So, so far Indian scholars... I don't speak of modern scholars. Those who are authorized scholars of bygone ages, admitted by the Vedic society—Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka—and they are stalwarts. And there are many hundreds and thousands of temples of Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, in India. If you have ever gone, you might have seen. In Vṛndāvana, only a small city of people, there are five thousand Kṛṣṇa temples. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very strong and very old in India. And if you also accept this, without any loss on your part, you will be happy. You will be happy. That is the process of peace.

University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

So I wish that some of you must join this movement, go to the foreign countries, preach this sublime cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. There is great need. We have, of course, established so many temples, but still we require to establish temples, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temples, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's temple, in every village, every town of the world. Now from each and every of our centers, we are sending devotees in buses. They are going interior, into the villages of Europe and America, and they are very much well received. England especially, they are going village to village. They are very much well received. This cult is so nice.

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 1, 1973:

And unless I have developed devotional service, then how I can chant Kṛṣṇa? Just like they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But I am advising everyone. But we, who others are chanting, they are not chanting because they have no love for Kṛṣṇa. Ah. So man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī (BG 18.65). And how it is prac... How it is? By worshiping Kṛṣṇa. Just like we have got our temple, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, and from morning, four o'clock, to night ten o'clock, we have got business how to worship Kṛṣṇa. This time ārati, this time bhoga, this time chanting, this time reading about Kṛṣṇa, understanding of Kṛṣṇa—whole day and night we have got description. If you come to our temple in the foreign countries, you'll be pleased to see how they are doing.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:

So this mission, one of the items is to establish temples, as many temples as possible, especially Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temples. So by the grace of the Lord... In London there was no Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. Now we have... (indistinct) ...and not that these temples are being worshiped by any Hindus or Indians, but all sorts of people. There is no distinction. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is this. Yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta hīna chāra (CC Antya 4.67). Anyone who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, yei bhaje, who is engaged in devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, yei bhaje se baḍa, he is big.

Evening Address to Pandas and Scholars -- Jagannatha Puri, January 26, 1977:

So I have specially come to request you to remove this restriction and be friendly to the foreign devotees. And you also come there, see how there are so many Jagannātha temples, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temples, how They are being worshiped, how these foreigners, they have become pure Vaiṣṇava. They are strictly observing the four principles of sinful life by negation: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no fish-eating, no egg-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. They are purified. And Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī openly says, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. So there is authority.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Auguste Comte:

Prabhupāda: Yes, unless one has got full sense of God, they cannot stick to the worshiping method. And we have got practical experience in Los Angeles that we purchased that church because it was not going on at all. They made plans for Sunday school and so on, so on, but somehow or other it failed. Nobody was coming to the church. At last it was sold to us. Now this same church is there, and the same Americans are there, but at the present moment in our Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Temple it is always packed up. So what is the reason? The same church is there and the same men are there, but formerly nobody was coming, so that the church was sold to us.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No. In this country, of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there was none. It is the first time. I have introduced. But in India it is very, very old, since the advent of Kṛṣṇa, and at least since last five thousand years. So Kṛṣṇa is very popular in India. In every home, Kṛṣṇa is worshiped, and there are many millions of temples of Kṛṣṇa in India and followers also. Followers means almost all Hindus are followers of Kṛṣṇa. They read this Bhagavad-gītā. So I have recently published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It is published by Macmillan Company, and this book is very nicely being received. It is being reviewed by several papers. I have got many others books. They are being gradually introduced. Perhaps you have seen in our counter.

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Yes. These marks are a temple of Kṛṣṇa. We mark these different twelve parts of the body. The idea is that we are being protected by God from all sides.

Interviewer: One other thing, I went to shake hands with everybody and I found that all your right hands were wrapped. What is the significance of that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That wrapping... It is not exactly wrapped. It is a bag for our beads. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. So the beads are supposed to be sacred and therefore we keep it in a bag so that it may not touch the dust or any other impurities. So it is not wrapping, it is covering of the sacred beads.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: They are very aristocratic family. I do, I did not belong to that family, but I was born in that family, you see? And from the very beginning the Kashi Mallik, they have got nice Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. So I was standing before the deity, and I was seeing, "Oh, He is Kṛṣṇa. Oh, people say He is dead. How he is dead?" Like that I was thinking. And then my, I asked my father, "Oh, I shall worship Kṛṣṇa, give me." So my father gave me Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, so I, whatever I was eating, I was offering them. So the statement of the śāstra and my practical experience corroborates. So we we have to take instance like that, you see? Sādhu śāstra guru vākya. We have to test everything from three positions: the spiritual master, scripture, and holy man.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. They cannot serve. All these welfare activities of the world, what they are serving? That I explained this morning. They are trying to give help to the poor, but the number of poor is increasing. They are trying to give medicine or relief to the suffering patients. The patients are increasing. Hospitals are increasing. But if our number of temples, Kṛṣṇa temples is increase, that is something sound. But they are increasing hospitals. What do you think? If we increase number of hospitals, does it mean that we are making progress? But they think that they are making progress. Just like in your country there is welfare department? The expenditure increasing.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 18, 1972, Hong Kong:

Prabhupāda: Yes, London is very... There is also. We have got very nice temple near British Museum, 7 Bury Place. And all Europeans, they come to see our temple from Germany, from France. Because we have been advertised in cooperation with the Beatles. The Beatles, Beatles, the George Harrison. You do not know his name? He is very famous man. Yes. So we have produced some records in cooperation with George Harrison's organization. So because the records are produced through George Harrison, we have got a very, very big sale. You see? And that has advertised Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Temple, London. So people come to see what is this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, out of... Because London, every day, thousands of visitors come in London. They have got visitors buses also, charge nominal. So London is still important. From all parts of the world people come. So anyone who comes, they come to see our temple.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: So Arjuna was fighter and he helped Kṛṣṇa in this fighting activities and thus he became a great devotee. Kṛṣṇa certified, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My dear, very dear friend and devotee." So it is not that one becomes a devotee simply by renouncing the world and coloring the dress. But in any dress, in any capacity, one can satisfy Kṛṣṇa if His cause is served. If you apply your engineering talent in Kṛṣṇa's service. Suppose we have to construct a nice temple of Kṛṣṇa. So if you apply your talent to engineering just like in India we have got very wonderful temples, so then your engineering becomes perfect.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: He does not know. He is a foolish man. In India there are millions of centers. He does not know that. Simply if you go to Vṛndāvana you'll find five thousand temples. He does not know. He speaks nonsense. He speaks nonsense. The man who has spoken like that, he is a nonsense. He does not know what is the condition of India. Mass India, every person knows Kṛṣṇa. Every person is a temple of Kṛṣṇa. He does not know. He has spoken nonsense.

Introduction Speech By Dr. Kapoor and Conversation -- October 15, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So it was my mistake that I did not take up the words of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja immediately. I thought that "I am now married. Let me settle down." Perhaps if I would have joined from 1922, by the blessings of Guru Mahārāja, I could do more preaching work. Anyway, it is better late than never. After my retirement, I was living in the Keśī-ghāṭa, Nāthagrāma(?) Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Temple. But this Gosāijī, Gauracanda Gosāijī, he asked me, "Why don't you come here?" So I left that place. I came here. And with some arrangement, I took this room. But I was always thinking that "Guru Mahārāja asked me, and he asked also some of my other God-brothers, but up till now, nothing has been done. So let me try, at least, at the fag end of my life."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ sa... Don't become animal. That is required. (Hindi) (break) ...the essence of knowledge. People are diverted in so many ways. Human duty is... (Hindi) (break) That is human duty. Be surrendered to God. That is your duty. Then everything will come automatically. Everything will come. And without knowledge, how you can take care? That is not possible.

Satsvarūpa: Prabhupāda, we're late for our meeting. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...be strong. Now nobody cares for it.

Mr. Sar: All these movements at one time, sometimes Ārya-samāja movement was very strong, sometimes another's. They come and go.

Prabhupāda: But this Kṛṣṇa movement is always strong. There are millions of Kṛṣṇa temples in India, and the Ārya-samājīs tried to check people going to the temple, but they, they have gone away, and the temple is existing and millions of people still going to see the temple. In Jagannātha temple, in Vṛndāvana, thousands and thousands of men, still coming. All the South Indian temples.

Morning Walk -- March 5, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: ...no woman can... (break) So I took it very a cheap price. There was no question of woman. I kept my office there. And the address was Multani temple. It is a temple. Multani temple, Grant Road. And in my retired life my office was there, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple and Delhi, Chippiwada. And my residence was Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. And before that, that Keśī Ghāṭa. Who has seen that? You have...?

Morning Walk -- March 5, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Which way? (break) ...stayed in that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, Malliks. And still I am living in temple. So Kṛṣṇa has arranged nicely, from the beginning of my life, temple. Which way? This way? (break) Medhi, this is called medhi, this rod, center. So the, the bull is bound up with it and he goes round, goes around. All day. So gṛhamedhī means center is home, and he goes round. Throughout the whole life. They are called gṛhamedhīs.

Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This will be propaganda and to invite people to come and let them give in writing that "Here the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple must be there." Take thousand, millions of signatures. So prove that it is not nonsense. It is the most essential thing. This way. And so far traffic is concerned, now, there is big road. So make two gates, in and out, this side, so there is no question of traffic convenience. In this way, do presentation. That is my suggestion. And this letter will not be very much effective.

Morning Walk -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: No, you are not all right. (pause) (break) Indian civilization is that they constructed big, big buildings, but for God, Kṛṣṇa, temple. And for the people, they were satisfied in small villages. So far the temples are concerned, South Indian temple, wonderful temple. (aside:) Not so near. Mostly Viṣṇu temple. We shall go this side?

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: For the whole human society. So that should be the mission. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau. Therefore their literature is honored all over the world, all over the universe. Just like our books. We are selling all over the world, all universities, all school, all colleges, all gentlemen. It is not sectarian. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau. This was their hard labor, and rādhā-kṛṣṇa-bhajanānandena mattālikau, and they were very much pleased in worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity. All the Gosvāmīs established a Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. In Vṛndāvana each and every Gosvāmī established one temple in the beginning. Then others followed. Rūpa Gosvāmī established Govindajī's temple. And Jīva Gosvāmī established Rādhā-Dāmodara temple.

Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Seen Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa, when He was present on this earth, so many people saw Him. And since then, there are so many temples of Kṛṣṇa's Deity, Kṛṣṇa's form. The same thing, as it is stated in the Vedic literature, they saw also personally, and they made statues, and they are being worshiped regularly. There are thousands of thousands of temples of Kṛṣṇa. So they are worshiped.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- September 9, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Dvabhyaṁ patanam. (Hindi) ...instruction... (Hindi) Either you speak in Bengali or in Sanskrit. (break) Then that is an asset. One day they will come to help us. It is called ajñāta-sukṛtī, devotional advancement without knowledge. Even... (break) ...have appreciated. In Hyderabad, these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs were challenged by the people, that "Bhaktivedanta Swami has gone to foreign countries, and he established so many Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. What did you do? If you say that you disagree with Bhaktivedanta Swami—you worship demigods—so how many demigods' temple you have established?" They challenge like that. "If you say that you are worshiper of Lord Śiva, why don't you go and establish a Śiva temple? You are sitting idly here."

Morning Walk -- November 10, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore we are constructing temples. At least you will think, "We are constructing Kṛṣṇa's temple." Because you are habituated to work, work for Kṛṣṇa. Go to sell books. Print books. Type for Kṛṣṇa. This is also the same thing. Because you are accustomed to all these things, so nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandha. When it is connected with Kṛṣṇa it is as good as chanting. Therefore we are so much eager. Otherwise there is no need of temple; we can chant anywhere. But that stage is not so easy, like Haridāsa Ṭhākura we can sit down and chant anywhere. That is not possible. Then you'll sleep. Therefore these things are required. Everyone, we are working for this temple. Every one of us, we know that "This temple not for my sense gratification: This is for Kṛṣṇa." So that is important.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: But if he knows everything, he does not know Kṛṣṇa? How he knows everything if he does not know Kṛṣṇa? If you think that you know everything, then you must know Kṛṣṇa. But if you do not know Kṛṣṇa, then what do you know? Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you simply know Kṛṣṇa, then you know everything. And if you know everything and you do not know Kṛṣṇa, then you are rascal, that's all. Mūḍha. That is the test. If you know everything but do not know Kṛṣṇa, then you are a rascal. And if you know Kṛṣṇa, then you know everything automatically.

Indian lady: I think they think they know it, but I'm sure they are not aware of it.

Prabhupāda: If they know Kṛṣṇa, why they do not come to the Kṛṣṇa's temple?

Indian man (2): Quite a number of them come here. I remember the days when I used to be the only Indian in the temple, seven, eight years ago.

Prabhupāda: Even though they are not coming, they should now come, and we can open many other temples if you come. We can maintain many other temples. You come and take advantage of it. Why you are losing your own culture? That is foolishness. You are Indians and you do not know Kṛṣṇa. That is not a very good credit.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) And they talk of Bhagavad-gītā and keeping Kṛṣṇa background? Somebody says?

Bali-mardana: Yes. Mostly they don't even talk of Bhagavad-gītā, they talk about social things, but Kṛṣṇa they keep to the back. They have named the place Gītā Mandira. Gītā Temple. But they do not discuss Gītā, just for show.

Prabhupāda: That is the disease. Even Mahatma Gandhi, he was talking of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, but throughout his whole life he never established a temple of Kṛṣṇa, although his photograph you'll find with Bhagavad-gītā. This is the calamity.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Rāma will remain alone. So take away Gītā and cut Kṛṣṇa. But I cannot make any compromise I shall... My life is ended, now eighty-one. I do not... But so long I shall live I shall make no compromise, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Dṛḍha-vrata. And that is a fact. Why shall I mislead people? They are searching after God, what is God. Here is God. Why don't you take it. See His activities. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. Tally with the formula of God, you see Kṛṣṇa is God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. So whatever teeny effort I have got, I shall try to establish temples of Kṛṣṇa all over the world with my teeny income. I have got book sales. Kṛṣṇa has given me very good chance. It is beyond any dream. We are selling books sixty thousand dollars daily.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Advise gratis, that will not do. (Hindi) ...temple... We have spent fifty lakhs of rupees. There is very big guesthouse behind the temple.

Indian (1): To continue all the mission and... That is...

Prabhupāda: All over the world.

Indian (1): All over the world.

Prabhupāda: We have got 110 Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temples all over the world. Where is that...? Vraja?

Jagadīśa: Brijabasi Spirit.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Our New Vrindaban... (break) ...that we must give something substantial. (break) This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41).

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is most objectionable article. So you are doing things very, full independently. This is not very good. The impression will be that "Surabhī Swami has come to construct this city. He is cheating," like that, as if everything doing, you are the all and all. That's... No other. And "the temple will be Kṛṣṇa." Just show him, "the temple of Kṛṣṇa." You do not know what is, the temple will be? Clearly mentioned. They have also manufactured? They have manufactured? What is this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The center of the planetarium will be the temple of Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Just see. It is their manufacture?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The planetarium and temple alone will be estimated to cost rupees seventy crores."

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. But it is not going to be Kṛṣṇa's temple.

Conversation with Tamala Krsna about Yadubara -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There is some big, big temples and their proprietor... In every city there are so many Kṛṣṇa temples. Just like in Kanpur there is very important Dvārakādhīśa temple. Many such big cities they have got Kṛṣṇa's pastimes(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, at the end he would like to get "a short statement by Your Divine Grace in the movie on the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the world today. This film could, hopefully, be distributed to schools and colleges, showing that India is full of transcendental knowledge and that this knowledge is meant for the entire world for the benefit of all humanity."

Prabhupāda: That I am speaking of, that this, that this knowledge should not be kept locked up. That is my mission.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And money, spend for Kṛṣṇa—for Kṛṣṇa's palace, for Kṛṣṇa's temple, for Kṛṣṇa's worship, gorgeous, as gorgeously as... Not for false... This is the human civilization. And to organize this, varṇāśrama will help you to divide the society—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—as there is division in the body. That will help. Don't waste human form of body for sense gratification. I wanted to introduce this. Now I have given you ideas. You can do it. You are all intelligent. For Caitanya Mahāprabhu's para-upakāra... So you do good to others. Not exploit others. Any human being who has been bestowed by this body has the capacity to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Give them chance and make situation favorable. Is that clear?

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Bon Maharaja -- New York 20 January, 1966:

I am very glad to learn that your first part of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu is now out and shall be glad if you send me one copy so that I can show to persons who are interested in my Srimad-Bhagavatam. I am also glad to learn that you are now thinking of New York on receipt of my letter and it may be that you have to come here again if there is the Radha Krishna Temple as contemplated. The money is there, the Deities are there, the house is there, the men are there but the sanction is not there. Your residence was somewhere near the Columbia University I think.

Letter to Ministry of Finance (India) -- New York 28 May, 1966:

Re: Release of Exchange for erecting a cultural Institution of Radha Krishna Temple in New York for preaching the cult of Krishna philosophy as revealed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-gita.

With reference to the above I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi in the line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In pursuance of the cult of Love of Krishna philosophy as propounded in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, I have come to America to preach the cultural mission. My translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (published in three volumes first canto) is recognized by the Government of India both central and states education department. Here in America also my book is approved by the State Library of Congress Washington, the Public Library and many universities.

Letter to Ministry of Finance (India) -- New York 28 May, 1966:

I therefore want to establish a permanent establishment of Radha Krishna Temple and I am very glad to inform you that Sir Padampat Sighania of Kanpur has agreed to spend any amount for erecting an Indian architectural Temple in New York for this great cultural mission of India. I am enclosing herewith the copies of the letters received from Sri Padampat Sighania.

Letter to Mr. I. N. Wankawala -- New York 11 June, 1966:

I am holding classes of Sankirtana and discourses on the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and I very glad to inform you that they are chanting the holy name of God "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare" with great devotion. There is some attempt for opening one Radha Krishna Temple in New York and Sir Padampat Sighania of Kanpur has promised to build up the temple. I am trying for the Indian Exchange sanction and if it is sanctioned, I hope one temple of Sri Sri Radhakrishna will be first built in New York. I am also trying for the temple otherwise if the Exchange is not sanctioned.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to 'Children' at New York -- Vrindaban 26 July, 1967:

Unlike London or New York, there was no hustle or bustle at the terminal, nor were there many people—and it was very quiet! The only remarkable features were the propaganada pictures and the many racks of free books and literatures. We were glad to get back on the plane and start for Delhi. The flight from Moscow to Delhi took about 8 hours, and when we arrived it was about midnight local time, and when we stepped out of the plane I KNEW IT WAS INDIA! It was like walking into a solid wall of HEAT. But that's what I've been wanting, and it felt good to me. Some friends were there to meet us, so after clearing customs we drove into town, where we stayed (and are presently) at a Radha Krishna Temple near Kashmiri Gate.

Letter to Dayananda, Nandarani, Uddhava -- Delhi 20 September, 1967:

The Tiloks on the forehead and other parts of the body are symbolic representation of Radha Krishna Temples. In other words by marking Tiloks on all parts of our body we become protected by the Lord from all sides. Besides Tilok marking at once makes one known as Vaisnavas therefore they are necessary as much as the beads. Hope you are well and shall be glad to hear from you.

Letter to Himavati -- Navadvipa 2 November, 1967:

The present feature of Kirtanananda and Hayagriva are temporary manifestation of maya. They will be corrected as soon as I return. You have rightly said that he and Hayagriva came like two children and took their things from the temple. Don't you think that all this is childish activities? If Kirtanananda donated the candle holders and clothes to the Temple of Krishna how could he take them back for his own purpose. If they think impersonally that Krishna is present everywhere, how could they think of Krishna not being present in the New York Temple. So all their activities are befitting children; so as children commit mistakes and again reforms similarly they will be reformed in due course.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Nandarani, Dayananda -- New York 29 April, 1968:

We are selling our books, Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3 in a set for $12.00, but a single book is $5.00. I am leaving for Boston on Wednesday, the first of May, and you can send your care of the Boston address, (ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple, Glenville Avenue, Allston, Mass. 02134). Hoping you are three well.

Letter to Gosainji -- Allston, Masa 17 May, 1968:

I hope this will find you in good health, with my good wishes for Ma Gosain Panchu, and other members of your family.

I am going to Montreal, Canada, by the first week of June, and my Montreal address is as following: ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE; 3720 Park Avenue; Montreal 18, Quebec, Canada. If you reply this letter earlier than the first of June, you can address me at the above Boston address, otherwise, you can address me at my above mentioned Montreal address.

Letter to Harer Nama -- Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968:

I think a copy of the Daily Californian in which the article has appeared may be sent to each center of our society, and by that they will be encouraged. If possible, kindly arrange this.

I am going to Montreal, sometimes next week after June 2nd. So you can write me letters at the Montreal address as follows: ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE; 3720 Park Avenue; Montreal 18, Quebec, Canada.

Letter to Yamuna -- Montreal 7 June, 1968:

I thank you for your letter dated June 3, 1968. The ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE will perpetually continue as such. But in spite of that, San Francisco shall be gradually transformed into New Jagannatha Puri. That is my plan, and try to help in that way. The sign on the temple should read: ISKCON SRI SRI RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE.

Yes, please decorate Jagannatha with very attractive nice clothing and ornaments, helmets, as brightly and magnificently as possible. The sample of decorating Jagannatha is already instructed to Harsarani, and in that way you can make arrangements. There shall be sufficient flower garlands for them daily also.

Letter to Mr. J. A. Hamilton Jr -- Montreal 11 June, 1968:

It is a fact that I am a recognized Religious Minister and in your country there are seven branches of the ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLES in different parts. This ISKCON organization is duly incorporated in New York State and is registered as N.G.O. by the United Nations. I am the principal Acarya or Chief Minister of the organization. Even after receipt of your Notice of Denial, I was called by you, and I have already submitted all the above mentioned facts for your record.

Letter to Vinode Patel -- Montreal 6 July, 1968:

The first thing is that you may remain in the temple with the permission of Jayananda Brahmacari, the president of the temple, and as you are rendering some service to the temple, I think he will be very glad to accept you as one of the inmates. Your desire to do something tangible for the temple and it is a very welcome suggestion. There are many things to be done in the matter of the temple. Perhaps you will appreciate that this Radha Krishna temple is the one only in San Francisco. And I know there are many Gujarati gentlemen in San Francisco to whom you can approach for improvement of the temple. If we get our own temple we can organize so many things, which will be appreciated both by the Indians and the Americans.

Letter to Sri Krishna Prasad Bhargava -- New York 3 September, 1968:

It is not that the Society cannot pay for the Murtis, but it is my desire that Indian Vaisnavas should be energetic in cooperating with this Krishna Consciousness movement in the Western countries. I am already in correspondence with some friends in India, and they may be agreeable to contribute one pair, each of them, so in the meantime, if you kindly give me the exact price for similar Murtis (only with greater height, of at least 24 inches), I will appreciate this very much.

On the 8th instant, I am going to San Francisco, and I will be glad to receive your favorable reply to my San Francisco address, as follows: ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE; 518 Frederick Street; San Francisco, California; 94117.

Letter to Sivananda -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:

If you require help from Syamasundara. for carving Jagannatha Deity, you can ask him and he may go there for a few days. He knows German language very well. So do everything nicely. So the boys and girls from San Francisco who are in London, they are doing their best but till now they have not been able to find out a house on rent. I am surprised that in Germany you could find out a place without any difficulty, and why there are so many difficulties in London? So that, in spite of there being a strong group of 6 persons, headed by Mukunda and Syamasundara., they could not find out a house in London, whereas you alone have already opened ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE in Berlin. Anyway, please do it nicely with help of other two boys, and let me know how you are making progress.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:

Since I received your letter dated September 26, 1968, I have not heard anything from either of you, so I am very much anxious to know about the London affairs. You will be glad to know that Sivananda has already opened our Iskcon Radha Krishna Temple in Berlin. The copy of the letter which I am sending just now to him is also enclosed herewith, please find. I do not know why there is so much difficulty in finding out a house on rent. I was in correspondence with Mr. Webb, Annapurna's father, and he informed me that there were so many vacant houses, churches etc., simply he wanted that somebody from our side should go to London, and see which place was suitable. So, if possible, you can see Mr. Webb. I understand that some of the Indian people there are sympathetic with you, but can they not help you in finding out a place?

Letter to B. N. Jariwala -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

So I would suggest that in your presence, a committee. may be formed, combination of Indian and American, and a temple of our own may be organized, Radha Krishna Temple. So in your presence, if it possible to organize, I shall be very glad. And as soon as you call me I shall come to San Francisco. Because I have got an engagement in Montreal, from here I shall go there, and from there I can come. This is one point. Another point is that from India, I am not getting sufficient encouragement, either from the government or from the people. Now you have personally seen my activities and responses from the Americans, and if you kindly organize an Indian branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, it will be a great help.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 25 November, 1968:

I am so much pleased to note the address of our new ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE in Hamburg, Germany. Krishna is giving you all facilities for spreading Krishna Consciousness there—good storefront, and good job, and plenty of financial support—so it is very much encouraging to me! It sounds on good street, if train runs down that street, so many people must come there. With such good location it will soon be very successful. And you have very good enthusiasm that you shall make it the most attractive storefront in all Germany, or in the whole universe. Yes, do it nicely.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

I could not understand why your manager, Mr. Wankawala, refused to carry out the orders of your letter under reference. Anyway, my fervent request to you is that you continue to help me as per your above letter. It will be good to you and to your business. I am trying to open several Radha Krishna Temples as I have already done in several places, in USA and Canada, and next I am going to open in Europe also. So please ask your Calcutta manager to carry my goods free of freight charges as per your letter under reference, dated 11th April, 1966.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Chaudhuri -- Los Angeles 6 February, 1969:

The people are appreciating our movement very much there. You will be surprised to know that I have sent there for preaching work 6 boys and girls, married couples, and they are neither elderly nor very much conversant with Vedic philosophy. But still, by their character, behavior, and devotion, they are attracting many people in London, including the High Commissioner of India and others. One gentleman, Mr. Parikh, is a Doctor in Education and was formerly the principal of a college in Kenya. He is actively working with our students there, and very soon they should have a Radha-Krishna temple there in gorgeous style.

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

Anyway, if you have not mentioned anything about me for want of your proper knowledge about my preaching work in Europe and America, you may kindly now do it and place it before the Patrons of the celebration. I am working single-handed without being supported by my countrymen or the government of my country. You know very well that Sir Padampat Singhania was ready to spend any amount for constructing a Radha-Krishna temple in New York, and you promised to get it sanctioned by the government through Dr. Radhakrishnan who was at that time President.

Letter to Syamasundara -- New York 16 April, 1969:

One other thing is that Mr. Harrison is purchasing 172 acres of land near London, and it is expected that he will construct a temple of Radha-Krishna there. This is also very encouraging news. If you think that he is serious about it, then I shall send you a nice plan for a Radha-Krishna temple, a facsimile of Govindaji's temple in Vrindaban. It is very expensive, with stone work, and if Mr. George Harrison at all constructs a Radha-Krishna temple, it should be unique in this part of the world. He has got the money, and he can do it. So when he is serious about it, I shall give a nice plan for the temple.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1969:

Regarding the persons who have been "throwing the I-Ching," this cannot go on in our temples of Krishna Consciousness. This is to be considered as gambling, and it must be strictly prohibited. So if these boys will come to Los Angeles to follow the discipline as it is practiced here, that will be the best thing. Otherwise, they may not cause this disturbance in our temples. So both of these boys, whoever they are, should come immediately to Los Angeles to be trained up nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Unless one agrees to follow all of our principles, he may not be allowed to live at the temple. This must be our policy.

Letter to Sethji -- London 22 September, 1969:

We have released one Hare Krishna record through the famous record manufacturers, the Apple Company, and by the Grace of Krishna it is being sold on the average 20,000 copies per week in London alone. So the Hare Krishna Movement is gradually becoming very popular in the Western countries. It is great necessity to construct a very big Radha-Krishna temple here, so I am trying to find out some redundant churches to turn into temples. Please pray to Lord Caitanya to help me in this great attempt. You are a great devotee of Lord Caitanya and your prayers will be heard by Him.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Tittenhurst 16 October, 1969:

"We have been greatly obliged on receipt of a letter dated August 18, 1969 from Sri Krishna Das of Radha Krishna Temple, Montreal (Canada) offering us a shipment of medical stores and again a letter dated September 1, 1969 from one Administrative Asst. of world Naval Service, Montreal, offering us 20,000 bags of flour for the needy in India. We value such offers as coming at your instance. We contacted W. Bengal Govt. They are not much interested in taking charge and distributing the same. We are, however, consulting other suitable parties who can handle and deal with the matter as per object of the donor. We are personally unfit for such importing and shipping matters, as you may well understand. We shall write to the parties after we get response from a dependable local party here."

Letter to Sri Parikh -- Tittenhurst 20 October, 1969:

As you know that my mission is to spread Krishna Consciousness in the Western part of the World, I wish to establish one permanent Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in London. In this connection I beg to invite you in a meeting as follows for the purpose. Please join and encourage me.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- London 7 November, 1969:

To celebrate the Rasa Lila Ceremony decorate the Deities very nicely with flowers; as many as possible, ornaments, garlands, nice light demonstration, and much distribution of Prasadam. That will be a very nice day for opening the Radha-Krishna Temple. So if by chance I do not go, then Tamala Krishna, who is arriving in London this Monday, will go. He and Yamuna are both expert in the matter of Deity decoration, so there will be no difficulty for the opening ceremony. So arrange for this ceremony without fail, and let me know immediately if you have got a pair of Radha-Krishna Deities in the new consignment. If not, the Deities with me will go back there.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Candravali -- Los Angeles 9 January, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 5, 1970. I am so glad to learn that you are going to be married with Citsukhananda on Sunday, 11th January, at the Radha-Krishna Temple. I like this marriage ceremony because it has given practical proof of my ideas that boys and girls of this country better be married and engaged in preaching work. By the grace of Krishna, our centers managed by the married couples, like Boston, Hawaii, Detroit, New Vrindaban, St. Louis and Buffalo, etc., are doing very well. Similarly, when you are married, as it was discussed in Los Angeles, you also go somewhere, probably in Mexico as you desire, and organize a center there and start an edition of BTG in Spanish language.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 10 January, 1970:

Regarding your Tuesday class at your place, you can continue it as a sub-branch of ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple. The procedure should be exclusively for chanting Hare Krishna mantra or singing other songs just like Govinda jaya jaya, Gopala jaya jaya . . ., and nothing more. Demigod worship in your house or thinking a demigod as equal with Narayana or Krishna should be stopped altogether, actually that is not the fact. Special stress should be given on chanting Hare Krishna mantra, reading from Bhagavad-gita As It Is or Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Bhagavad-gita editions, you will find a peculiarity that, in place of Krishna, they have mentioned Paramatma or Paramisvara, or like that. These expressions are more or less indications of impersonalism.

Letter to Executive Senior Editor of Los Angeles Times -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1970:

So far Hindu religion is concerned, there are millions of Krishna Temples in India and there is not a single Hindu who does not worship Krishna. Therefore, this Krishna Consciousness movement is not a concocted idea. We invite all scholars, philosophers, religionists or members of the general public to understand this movement by critical study. And if one does so seriously, one will understand the sublime position of this great movement. The chanting process is also authorized. Professor Stahl's feeling of disgust in the matter of constant chanting of the holy Name of Krishna is a definite proof of his lack of knowledge in this authorized movement of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1970:

New devotees should be told that the Christian preaching is already there; so if they are attracted by Christianity, the Christian Temples are there. When one comes to the Krishna Temple, he should try to understand krishna Consciousness. Actually, one who is advanced will not find any contradiction. The Christians teach love of Godhead, and we practically do it.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 29 January, 1970:

Preaching in Hindi may be accepted by mutual consultation, but the point is that our Radha Krishna Temple in London is specifically meant for English knowing persons and I think the Indians know sufficient English. If you speak in Hindi and sing in Hindi, the English speaking Europeans and Americans may not derive the benefit out of it because none of them understand Hindi; but if you speak in English, every one will derive benefit from it. Therefore, I think English speaking should be encouraged.

Letter to Unknown -- Unknown Place 28 February, 1970:

ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLES AT: 411-B W. Water Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico; 26 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y.; 95 Glenville Avenue, Allston, Mass.; 3720 Park Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 5364 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal.: c/o Mr. Lal Goel; 53 Englewood Avenue, Buffalo, New York, 14214; Acyutananda Brahmacari; c/o radha Press; 993/3 Main Road/ Gandhi Nagar; Delhi 31, India; Atlantic City (send copy to Brahmananda and he will forward it to Atlantic City, as we have not got their address.)

Letter to R. D. Birla -- Los Angeles 9 March, 1970:

I want to establish many Radha Krishna Temples in all important towns and countries of the Western World. I am not only establishing Temples, but I am creating the devotees of the Temples. There are many thousands of disciples in America, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. So I am in need of many pairs of Radha Krishna Murtis, and from the letter of Sri Balmukund Parikh I learn that you are interested to donate such Murtis for being installed in different parts of the Western countries.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 24 March, 1970:

It is a good addition to my missionary activities, and I thank you very much. In the London streets, introduction of Rathayatra procession, as well as Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony procession, and in the most important part of the city, a Radha Krsna Temple—all these things are great achievement of your London Yatra party, and personally I feel a great credit for me because by such activities my Guru Maharaja is certainly very pleased upon us. So whatever progress we are making by the grace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, we must stick to them and make further progress. I am enclosing herewith two pictures of our new church buildings, which we are going to purchase at the cost of $225,000; down payment, $50,000.

Letter to Sri Dhruva -- Los Angeles 7 April, 1970:

I know there is difficulty for transferring money from India, but if Sri Birlaji contributes the money in India, I think I shall be able to utilize the money for London temple program. I have already established one Radha Krsna temple in the most busy part of the city at 7 Bury Place, just adjoining the British Museum. This temple is situated in a five story rented (on lease) house, and many devotees are coming to see the Deities from distant places. So by the grace of Lord Krsna it is going on.

Letter to Turya Shramy Maharaja -- Los Angeles 8 April, 1970:

Last December I have established our London temple at 7 Bury Place in a five story building, and it has become a great attraction because people from distant places come to see this temple. Our Radha Krsna Temple has become very popular because of two record albums published by Mr. George Harrison who is a world known musician. This young boy is very much sympathetic with our movement and he has very kindly contributed 2 lakhs of rupees for publishing my book, KRSNA.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

Our men will take charge of maintaining the temple, so what is the objection about his sparing this nice place for turning into Krishna temple. My idea is that you six boys and girls who have gone there remain there and help George as far as possible, but you maintain a regular temple there so that people may come see an ideal place of worship and surely that will be a great advantage for George and the visitors who come there.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 April, 1970:

Regarding the three couples staying with George, I think if there is no contemplation of starting a new Radha Krsna temple there, simply to take advantage of staying there is no good. Temporarily we may take advantage of it, but as soon as possible the devotees must live together and execute our Krishna Conscious business in right earnest. So I hope you shall altogether consult and do the needful. Not a single moment should be wasted—that is very important thing. We shall not act anything which has no connection directly with Krishna Consciousness business.

Letter to Balmukundji -- Los Angeles 17 April, 1970:

Your good self are an influential gentleman both in London and Kenya, similarly Sriman Becharbhai G. Patel, and Birlaji etc. are willing to contribute substantially, so why not join together in this Krishna Consciousness movement and construct an unique and imposing KRSNA temple in London, the most important city of the world. If you agree to this proposal, then I am prepared to work personally along with you for this temple construction work.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 27 April, 1970:

I am negotiating with a gentleman in India to get the management of a very old Radha Krsna Temple, and if this negotiation is successful, we will organize a very nice preaching center in the center of India. From this part, any side extreme boundary is not more than 1000 miles. I think that will be a very nice preaching center. So try to recruit more members for our Society because we have to open many centers, and from each center we shall organize this moving Sankirtana Party. That will be nice program for executing the will of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Letter to Srilekha -- Los Angeles 17 July, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge your nice letter dated 8th July, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that you have been living at our Sri Sri Radha Krsna Temple for the last four months.

I understand that you are a very sincere girl and you are also following the regulative rules and regulations as well as chanting sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna Mahamantra daily. So I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple as you have requested and you are recommended by Sriman Jagadisa. I have chanted one set of beads for you and they are returned to you herewith. Your spiritual name is Srilekha which means "everything very beautiful." I please request you to continue to execute the regulative principles of Krsna consciousness as you are already doing and your life will be fully successful and sublime.

Letter to Manager of Punjab National Bank -- Los Angeles 29 July, 1970:

I beg to inform you that this day, 29th July, 1970, I have remitted 16039.18 U.S. Dollars through Security Pacific National Bank, Culver City Branch, under receipt No. 729949 for credit of my account SS/F No. 2595 with you.

This amount is for the purpose of constructing a Radha Krsna Temple at Mayapur, as it is contributed by my American disciples.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Indore 5 December, 1970:

In the meantime one gentleman has come to me here in Indore and he has offered us one small Krsna Temple in Vrndavana with room for about 20-25 men. He has written to the man there to receive you when you go. So you may go immediately as soon as possible go there for the purpose of seeing the Temple whether it is suitable for us. The name is as follows:

Chhatrabihariji's Temple; Gopinatha Bazar; Vrndavana. It is in care of our friend Sri N. C. Zamindar, of Indore. So please go there and see it and do the needful. Let me know how things are going on.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay March 28, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 18th March, 1971 and have noted the contents. In the meantime I have received one letter from Hanuman that one lady is prepared to donate a nice piece of land and $50,000 for erecting a Radha-Krsna Temple. That is very encouraging. If it is a fact, then I can go there for laying down the foundation stone and from there it may be easier to go to Sydney. So after hearing from you, I shall let you know definitely.

Letter to Professor G. G. Kotovsky -- Bombay 23 April, 1971:

I beg to inform you that a copy of your letter dated 16th March, 1971 was forwarded to me by Sriman Krsna das Adhikari, Governing Body Commission member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness; c/o Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple; 2 Hamburg 6; Bartelstrasse 65; and it was understood that you and your university are interested in hearing about Krishna culture and philosophy. This ancient Krishna culture and philosophy is the oldest in the world or in the universe. At least from a historical point of view it is not less than 5,000 years old.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 11 June, 1971:

The Vrindaban press affair does not sound very encouraging so you should not try to open press in Vrindaban; it is a losing concern. Better try to open a center in Delhi because the dharmasala is already open to us and can be permanently gotten if we open a center there. Sada Jiwat Lal saw me the other day and he said that on some nominal condition of say Rs 1/- per year, they will give the dharmasala for a Radha Krishna temple. Hansaraj Gupta, the mayor of Delhi, is friendly and he can help also, so take this dharmasala and open a center there.

Letter to Sridama -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I am especially very very pleased that you are getting that large church for our Miami center. All over the world we are getting more respectable and we are getting big big houses for our Radha Krishna Temples, but if yours is the biggest, then I must certainly come there and see it. If the weather is good, then why I should come there and spend some time for my translating work? I think this will be my last tour—now let me go on translating, that is my real work. I am so much encouraged by reports everywhere that our Movement is getting good results, especially that MacMillan Co. has agreed to print our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, so I think my work is now finished, let me write.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

So far your Jagannatha deities which have become badly cracked, it is better to replace them, but if that is not possible then you may repair. The story of Lord Jagannatha is like this: Once King Indradyumna wanted to establish the picture in the temple of Krishna, Subhadra, & Balarama coming in a car or chariot during solar eclipse to Kuruksetra so he employed Visvakarma to carve them from wood, and actually the carving was going on behind closed doors, but the King was very impatient to see, so Visvanatha (Visvakarma) stopped, but the King was satisfied with them half-finished.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 14 September, 1972:

But if you make big armed confrontation and show of strength there will be continuous fighting more and more. Better to resolve the whole situation by approaching their leaders at once and reconciling everything with them by bringing them prasadam and other nice gifts and giving them our philosophy, and if they are willing to hear it, also teach them how to chant Hare Krsna mantra. These are innocent young boys, they are simply misled, so you go to them and give them the right information and then you will have nothing more to fear from them. But if you think buying a shotgun is necessary, that is all right, we have to defend Krsna's temple if it comes to it.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

Regarding the Bharatapur house, try to convince the present king that everything will be in his name, that is, we shall name it ISKCON Bharatapur Temple or ISKCON Bharatapur House and we shall fix up a marble plaque in the front. For renovating we shall spend for all the three or four houses and they will be used for the same purpose, as a Radha-Krsna Temple and for accommodating foreign visitors and devotees. This movement is so great and ISKCON is propagating Krsna Consciousness all over the world, so why not Bharatapur Maharaja donate the building for this great purpose? They have lost their kingdom but still they have these buildings, so if they are given in our hand it will perpetually commemorate their nice gift to the ISKCON institution and thus to the world.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Hariprasada Badruka -- Calcutta 5 March, 1973:

But the thing is, without Indian devotees rural preaching cannot be effective. They are mostly illiterate, how they will understand? We must avoid the risk of a separatist movement, unity is our purpose; just like in London where the Indians are starting their own Hindu Radha-Krsna Temple. We want to avoid skin disease and the Indian people are like the tannery expert. Such a cobbler is expert at skin disease. They will see our Sankirtana Party and think it is a white dance. Anyway, how to gather Indian devotees, that program is wanting.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- New Delhi October 11, 1973:

I thank you very much for installing Radha-Giridhari. From my childhood I was very much fond of Radha-Krsna, and now my good disciples are helping me to open so many Radha-Krsna temples all over the world. It gives me so much pleasure. Now introduce Ratha Yatra. That was my childhood activity. I want to see my disciples all over the world introduce two items, opening Radha-Krsna temples and Ratha-yatra festivals. Do this under the protection of Guru-Gauranga.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Kanu Gandhi -- Bombay 26 March, 1974:

Our main purpose for keeping a large temple, however, is for inviting the public. I came to the U.S.A. just to try to give a chance to as many people as possible to take to Krishna Consciousness, because it is the only hope for humanity in this increasingly demoniac, godless age. So if you are seriously interested in maintaining a Vaisnava temple, why not go and try to help my disciples there in Boston, whether they are going to sell and relocate or remain, if you are financially able to assist them, that will be taken by Krishna as a great service. The young men and women at the ISKCON temple are giving everything they have for giving others a chance to come and worship at an authorized Radha-Krishna temple, so I request you to inquire into their situation and help them maintain our Vaisnava temple in the important city of Boston.

Letter to Alfred Ford -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1974:

If you read all our books, Bhagavad- gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and others, you will get all the answers to your questions. Still I shall be very glad to answer besides that.

By the by I beg to invite you to our opening ceremony of our newly constructed temple of Krishna Balarama at Vrindaban beginning from August 8-15. I think we have exchanged some correspondence but I have never seen you. It will be a great pleasure to see you at your convenience.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Bombay 15 November, 1974:

Pushing on this movement, I had to face so many difficulties throughout since I left my home. I lived in Delhi at Sakur Basti because the rent was cheaper there, and I could not even take an apartment in Delhi. Then I was provided with a room at Chippi Walla, Radha Krishna temple, wherein I was able to keep my publication office.

But, by Krishna's grace we are situated on a standard footing. Let us maintain this position cooperatively, and always pray to Krishna that we may not spoil what Krishna has already given us. Try to make improvement more and more.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to M. V. Sita Ramalai -- Bombay 16 January, 1975:

In regards to your question, we are accepting the Srimad-Bhagavatam as it is without interpretation and in that book in the 3rd chapter of the 1st canto all the incarnations of Godhead are listed. (at least the major ones are there). It is stated there that Lord Ramacandra advented and also disappeared many many 100's of thousands of years ago. This is all I can say on this matter. I cannot go beyond what the sastra says.

If you happen to go to Hyderabad sometime, you are welcome to visit our Radha-Krishna Temple there. The address is: Hare Krishna Land, Nampally Station Road, AP.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Perth, Australia 12 May, 1975:

Also keep in constant contact with that Oriya Minister of Defense. I forget his name. Try to get some acres of land near the Buddha Jayanti Park. I wish to develop a Janmastami Park there and invite all the residents of New Delhi there to observe a grand festival on Janmastami day. I wish to construct a grand temple of Krishna Balarama and keep many cows in this park. The residents of New Delhi will be very much encouraged to visit this park. That is my ambition. Both the Deputy Minister of Defense (the Oriya Minister) as well as Mr. Agarwal can give us substantial help in this progress.

Letter to Digambar Singh -- Johannesburg 20 October, 1975:

The Krisans shall live comfortably in the cottages. They should produce their food, their milk, and their cloth. Everything produced will be used by themselves. If there is any excess production then the question of trade will arise. That we shall see later on. All the products produced will belong to Krishna-Balarama. Everyday at least thrice, all the Krisans meet in the local temple of Krishna-Balarama, chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, and take prasadam. In this way they should live peacefully locally without going outside for their livelihood. This is the general program.

Letter to W.J. Carpenter -- New Delhi 30 November, 1975:

So you are already chanting Hare Krishna, now simply try to give up these four habits of sinful life, and the best way to be successful in this attempt is to associate with the devotees of the Lord. Therefore we have established so many temples of Krishna. You simply go there, the devotees are very kind, you will be welcome and by their association automatically you will make advancement and purify your life. We have got a temple in London, 7 Bury Place WC I and one in Herts. Given to us by George Harrison. So you go there and everything else will come.

Letter to Bhakta Steven Knapp -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

So to develop attraction for Krishna is not difficult, you simply have to hear about Krishna, his activities, his name, his form and his teaching in Bhagavad-gita. Naturally you will develop love for Krishna, because we are all part and parcel of Krishna. The beginning process is to Chant Hare Krishna, follow the four regulative principles and associate with devotees, and take Prasadam of Krishna. I think you are now living in the temple of Krishna, so these things will be very easy for you to practice.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Nellore 7 January, 1976:

The first business is that the GBC must see to the management of their zones. Still, I require a permanent secretary. In addition, one GBC man may come and go.

Here we have been given a nice piece of land measuring nine acres. The local people are very enthusiastic and the plan is to construct a Radha Krishna Temple complex.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Mayapur 18 January, 1976:

The ladies must be clearly informed that we are not at all interested to be dictated by them. We cannot construct a meditation hall with Sarasvati and Ganesa or create a library with hodgepodge books. We can simply have our Radha Krishna Temple with facilities for the people in general to study our philosophy joining us in our Krishna Consciousness Movement and as we are doing in our other centres we shall act accordingly.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976:

Regarding the point about whether our movement is bona fide, you can use the following arguments. Bhagavad-gita has got so many editions. Our books are older than the Bible. In India there are millions of Krsna temples. Let the judges and juries read our books and take the opinion of learned scholars and professors. Regarding the second point about the parents jurisdiction over their children here are some suggestions. Do the parents like that their children become hippies? Why don't they stop it? Do the parents like their children to become involved in prostitution and intoxication? Why don't they stop this? When the government takes the children for the draft neither the parents nor the children like it. This question should be raised.