Very easily (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"very easily"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Iran, yes, Aryan.

Dr. Patel: That Gāthā (Zoroastrim Scriptures) is practically sixty percent Sanskrit language.

Prabhupāda: Gāthā?

Dr. Patel: Gāthā. They have got a.... These Zoroastins read Gāthā just like Bhagavad-gītā. I have read it. I could understand very easily because it's Sanskrit dialect language. One professor has come from United States. He is staying here in a school of Parsis, and I am the doctor of that school. He said that this is completely Vedic religion. He has studied the Vedic philosophy also. He is teaching theology in some university of United States. He stays here in this.... (break) ...worse than, I think, most...

Prabhupāda: But it is democracy. Because we are sinful, we have made a sinful government. It is democracy. Formerly the personal monarchy.... There is no monarchy. It is democracy.

Dr. Patel: It is demon-cracy.

Prabhupāda: Demoncracy, yes.

Dr. Patel: Demoncracy.

Prabhupāda: Why you accuse government? Government is your election.

Dr. Patel: Now she is not going to have any more elections. "Elections are not necessary. People have given me the mandate to rule over them."

Morning Walk -- January 15, 1976, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: Last year you asked us to put in one lift, so we had the company on the line, one nice lift. It goes on the side of the stairs. You sit on it and it goes right up.

Prabhupāda: It is already fixed?

Madhudviṣa: Well, it can be fixed very easily. We have the contractor lined up.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's enough reason to go to Australia.

Madhudviṣa: Oh, yes, you don't have to walk up any stairs if you come to Australia.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. (chuckles)

Madhudviṣa: And your garden is all finished.

Prabhupāda: Finished?

Madhudviṣa: This much garden is all finished. It is all, I mean, complete, with flowers and grass and trees.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Madhudviṣa: We are growing our own flowers in the back now.

Prabhupāda: That is wanted.

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They are all in the material world, karmīs. Karma-kāṇḍa, ritualistic ceremonies. Prahlāda Mahārāja has described them. What is that very word used? And meaning is "one who cannot control their senses." Avijita-indriya. Ajitendriyāṇām, ajita, "one who could not conquer the senses," they are called karmīs. Ajitendriyāṇām. So all these penances, silence, meditation, then studying the Vedic literature, and so many things are there. Prahlāda Mahārāja, in one word he says, "They are meant for ajitendriyāṇām, one who could not conquer over the senses, for them." And for a devotee, one who is actually pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is sa guṇān samatītyaitān (BG 14.26). Not that a tiny devotee can claim that he has overcome the influence of this world. No. This is called paramahaṁsa. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān (BG 14.26). Not that because you have taken to devotional..., you have become immediately. The process has begun immediately, curing process. But we should not think that we have become perfect. That is wrong. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam. Therefore you must follow the regulative principles. As soon as you become a rascal—"Now I have become advanced. I don't require to chant sixteen rounds. I can do whatever I like"—then he has gone to hell. Upstart, immediately he becomes paramahaṁsa. He's a rascal. He was given the path of becoming paramahaṁsa. One is admitted in the school, he must learn, and one day he will become M.A. But simply by entering in the school, if he says, "I am M.A.," that is rascaldom. This is a chance. To become jitendriya is very difficult task. But it is easy if he immediately becomes a pure devotee. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūṇyam: (Brs. 1.1.11) "Everything make zero, all desire, except Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is wanted. But that does not become very easily done. One has to try very rigidly; then he'll be paramahaṁsa. Therefore amongst the devotees, there are three grades: kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī, and uttama-adhikārī. So if the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī thinks that "I have become uttama-adhikārī," then he's a rascal. He's a rascal. If he wants to imitate the uttama-adhikārī, then he's a rascal.

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Devotees: Haribol!

Ghanaśyāma: At this school, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they ordered two orders. They were so favorable, for their Theology Department Library and also for the main library, because there were so many professors like this one who were favorable, they wanted your books to be very easily accessible.

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

Satsvarūpa: Most distinguished of all men.

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

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

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

Prabhupāda: Allen Ginsberg.

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

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

Prabhupāda: What he says?

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Sometimes I myself read my reviews.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, invite them.

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

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

Rādhāvallabha: We need very much also a permanent display building in Māyāpur. This exhibit cost almost four thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: Yes, have immediately.

Rādhāvallabha: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Immediately ask them to construct a house.

Ghanaśyāma: Make it like a museum.

Prabhupāda: Who is here from Māyāpur, in-charge? Nobody is here?

Yadubara: Jayapatāka went on parikrama.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So give them attention, yes, even at the..., as far as possible. Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It may be possible for Dhṛṣṭadyumna's father to employ himself and myself in that business. Then I can go...

Prabhupāda: Very easily.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...as their sales representative and at the same time be a representative for books...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...because they already can go into China.

Siddha-svarūpa: The Chinese are very afraid of the Russians, and they are afraid of the Russians in India. They are afraid of Russian-style communism in India, and Russians having bases.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Siddha-svarūpa: A way of preaching is that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Vedic communism is the only thing in India that would ultimately defeat the Russian-style communism. Then they would very much appreciate it. If they saw that India would go communist, then they'd rather have it Vedic communist than Russian communist. Their theory is that everybody must go communist for people to be, feel satisfied. (break)

Madhudviṣa: That's their feeling.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A lot of people come every day.

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

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Very nice, a good news. You are eating nicely. That gives me pleasure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everybody is so satisfied. This... What is it? Shantilal is just a wonderful cook.

Prabhupāda: So just give him the leadership of cooking everywhere. When the prasāda is supplied?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At one o'clock.

Prabhupāda: So you can send me at half past one?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Oh, yes, it can be kept warm very easily. Hot capatis, he says, for hundreds of people.

Prabhupāda: Hot. That is wanted. That I had asked. Therefore it is so filling.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, everything is hot. (break) ...so...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Prasādam, when it is supplied from the temple, in any condition it is prasādam. So communists should be impressed that "You are trying to establish a perfect society. That is your philosophy. So unless there is perfect leader, how you can establish?" This is the way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And we know what the qualities of a perfect leader are. "We don't find that you have any such persons."

Prabhupāda: No, phalena paricīyate, by result. (kīrtana as they approach temple) (end)

Morning Walk -- March 18, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: New exhibit.

Haṁsadūta: Otherwise it will become stale.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: 'Cause we have so much material.

Gurudāsa: It should be done very easily.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gurudāsa: By conveyor belts and...

Prabhupāda: No, here, the doll-makers, they can make dolls within fifteen days. Finished. They can do, so expert.

Gurudāsa: That should be life-size.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gurudāsa: It should be life-size, like walking into the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya.

Prabhupāda: Life-size or not life-size. Three feet, four feet, that will be...

Haṁsadūta: The old exhibits can be sold to the visiting temples. They can take them back to their...

Prabhupāda: No, that is not possible.

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Everyone who will commit sinful activities will be punished. That is nature's law. Exactly like that: If you infect some disease, you must suffer from that disease. The nature's law is so strict, and it is going on. It doesn't require any supervision. The supervisions are already made so perfect. You infect this disease: you suffer from it. That's all.

Pañca-draviḍa: In.... In the society, if somebody would be...

Prabhupāda: Anywhere, if you break the laws, you suffer. Anywhere.

Devotee (2): Prabhupāda, science has develop methods where they can have sense gratification and.... Just like if they get some disease they can give them some medicine, and then the disease goes away very easily. So in this way, they're actually giving more facility for more sense gratification.

Prabhupāda: So do you like to accept it, that disease? Therefore it has been condemned, prāyaścitta. Perhaps you have read it in the beginning of Sixth Canto. Prāyaścitta... Parīkṣit Mahārāja condemned, "What is the use of this Vedic prāyaścitta if it is suffering, again and again? Then what is the use?" That he has condemned. But prāyaścitta vimarśanam. Therefore the rascal should be given knowledge that "You are attacked with some disease. Very good. You are injected with some medicine. You are cured. Then again you are attacked. So why you are going in this way? Stop it." And that is knowledge. That knowledge is also not perfect, because even a man in knowledge, he knows that "If I go to prostitute, I'll be attacked with syphilitic poison, and last time I had the same trouble. I had to spend so much money." But still he'll go, because he has no knowledge. So even one has no knowledge, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes detestful: "Oh..." That is the, mean, gift of bhakti.

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, during Partition (break) ...policy to attract these, all the intelligent class of Indian, to India..., er...

Devotee (2): England.

Prabhupāda: There is job visa. They gave indiscriminately job visa, so that India will be vacant of all intelligent persons and they cannot make... That was the policy.

Dr. Patel: United States are giving also what we call job visa.

Prabhupāda: No, not only. Everywhere I have seen. One who is qualified, he gets very easily job in Europe or America, high salary. They get cheaper. Yes. What the Americans will accept for two thousand dollars, Indians will accept at seven hundred dollars.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: When Indians were asked to leave Uganda, the Canadian government offered free passage, but only to persons who had the material qualifications they wanted.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Qualified man is very much welcome in foreign countries. I have seen. In Canada, in America, in England, in Germany, everywhere. Because they have got so many jobs, they require so many qualified men. And here where is so many jobs?

Dr. Patel: There are so many qualified men, but no jobs.

Prabhupāda: No jobs.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: First of all you try to understand yourself. Then talk of God. If you do not understand yourself, how you'll understand God? That is a big thing. Try to understand the small thing, that you are not this body. Talk on this subject matter, that as.... When you understand that "I, the proprietor of the body, I am different from this body," then you will understand God also, very easily. Because you are the proprietor of this body and you are given the controlling power of the body by thinking, feeling, willing, by acting.... You have got this body. You are sitting here. You can say, "Now I am going away." The body is under your control. You can do that. Similarly, when you understand this fully, then you'll understand that in this huge, gigantic body, material cosmic manifestation, there is a controller, easily. But if you do not understand yourself, how you can understand God? God is not different in quality than from you. God means like you in huge, unlimited quantity. As you have got little intelligence—you can create a wonderful thing, 747 airplane flying in the air—so God has got unlimited brain. Millions and trillions of universes are floating in the air. The process is the same. You are tiny. You are very much proud that "I am so advanced that I have manufactured 747." And just why not compare the intelligence of God? Such a huge lump of matter, the sun, is floating also there. That is the difference between you and God. You have got brain, He has got brain, but your the brain is very tiny, little, and his brain very big. That is difference between God and you. So if you understand yourself, sample of God, then you understand the Supreme God. But first of all you do not understand yourself. I am misidentifying, "I am this body." And that is doing.... The cats and dogs, they are doing that. Then where is your human intelligence? Then how you can understand God if you have no human intelligence? These books are meant for the human being. If I give to the dogs that "Read this book; you'll understand God," who cares for it? All these school, college, institution, university, they are meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs. So if we do not take advantage of this human form of life and try to understand ourself and God, then we are simply cats and dogs. That is going on. We are fighting like cats and dogs. And before the Englishman came in Australia, Australia was property of somebody else. And now you have captured Australia, you are barking, "Why you have come, Indian, here?" What is this civilization? Hm? You have taken illegally from others, and now you have become proprietor. You are barking like dog, "Why you have come here?" What is this civilization? The civilization is.... All land belongs to God. We are sons of God.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: So many. This tail, dog's tail. Either you become sannyāsī or gṛhastha or anything, the tail is this side. You may grease it as much as possible, but the whole tendency is sex, that's all, in different dresses only. The objective is sex. This is going on. Some of them are openly declaring that "I am for sex," and some of them showbottle. But the objective is sex. This is the whole world. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha (SB 7.9.45). And the sannyāsīs like Rajneesh, they are advocating, "This is life—sex. By sex indulgence you get salvation." These Brahma-kumārīs. Not brahmacārī but Brahma-kumārī. Kumārīs are available very easily. And they keep. And the rich men, they are supplied with nice, beautiful kumārīs. They pay money. This is going on. Brahma-kumārī. They enjoy and they invite the karmīs to enjoy and get money. Kumārī is there; money is there, that's all. Everywhere this is going on.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This just came from Los Angeles along with some other things. They're having an international yoga and meditation conference in Chicago in June, and Rāmeśvara was wanting to know if we should send some of our preachers there, try and have some kind of a booth or take part in it.

Prabhupāda: If it is possible.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It is sponsored by the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, Swami Rama from the Himalayas.

Prabhupāda: Bogus. He's a bogus. Then don't take part.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There's many.... It's costing fifteen dollars for people to get in.

Room Conversation -- April 30, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: All right, that is also kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Prasādam means we offer the foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa; then it is prasādam. So you have not come, but you have to come to take prasādam. This, it has got connection with Kṛṣṇa. So therefore we welcome you that at least for eating, you are coming to Kṛṣṇa. Gradually, you'll understand Kṛṣṇa, by eating only. Kṛṣṇa is not so easy to be understood, but we are giving you facility to eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam so that one day you can understand this movement. This is the policy. Actually, that is the policy. We are not poor-feeding. That is not our philosophy. Like Vivekananda. Daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. No, we are not after that. We are giving you prasādam. And that is fact, that by eating, eating, eating, eating, you one day will become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Simply by eating. Because you are so dull, you cannot understand the philosophy. You know the belly like the animals. So therefore we are giving facility, "All right, fill up your belly, fill up your belly. And you'll be infected." As you take foodstuff from a infected area, you become infected with some disease, so this is Kṛṣṇa infected, prasādam. You take it, and one day you'll be diseased with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is a fact. Some way or other, let him come in contact with Kṛṣṇa. He'll be benefited. Some way or other, let him come to the light. May be dim light or very big light. Light is light. So if anyone understands that there is a soul which is conducting the business of this body, then he can very easily understand that there is a Supersoul who is conducting the business of the whole material manifested world. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). If you convince that the body is useless, a lump of matter only, but the soul is the prime factor, similarly, he'll very easily understand that there is huge, gigantic material body of earth, water, air, fire, sky; they are working so wonderfully on account of the Supersoul. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna. Find out this verse.

Room Conversation -- April 30, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are so many verses. Another verse is mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). "The prakṛti is not important. Material energy is not important. My supervision is important." Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. The sun is rising and setting by whose order? Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... This is to be understood. And if one understands that because the soul is there within the body, therefore the body is working so wonderfully, then he can very easily understand there must be a soul of this universe. How he can deny it? How he can say that it is working automatically? There is no such experience, working automatically. I have given several times the example: the 747, wonderful aeroplane machine, but that is not important. The important is the pilot who is pushing the button and it is, in such big sky, it will stay balanced; in balance it is flying in six hundred miles speed, onh-onh-onh-onhh. (imitates sound of plane flying). And as soon a little.... Finished. So it is a fact. Why the security checking? Because sometimes these, what is that, hi.... hi...?

Devotee: Highjackers.

Prabhupāda: Highjacks, they attack the pilot. They're not attacking the passengers. (end)

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: That is the difficulty. Everyone sees that "Some way or other, I become guru. Then so many persons will offer me respect. Somehow or other, create some situation. Then I become guru." This is going on. Not bona fide guru. Bona fide guru is indicated by Caitanya, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā: "Become guru." Why ambition? Actually become guru. But how to become guru? Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa-upadeśa' (CC Madhya 7.128). That's it, otherwise goru. So they will not take this simple method. They will drink, they will hunt after woman and have some attractive singing or dancing and become guru. What is meaning of guru, they do not know. Somehow or other become popular and become guru. This is going on. So with māyā you can attract these foolish rascals very easily. If you can manufacture.... You cannot, but if you can show some jugglery, then you become guru. People are after all these things, material things. They are not after Kṛṣṇa. They are after money and women. So if you give some mantra, then gold will be manufactured, and all women will be attracted, very first class.

Guru-kṛpā: You know, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they say that if anyone has power to induce anybody to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore they must have some special power. Therefore that's their qualification.

Prabhupāda: That special power, that is said in the śāstras. But people do not want that.

Guru-kṛpā: Just like, for example, in Bengal before, there was that Charan das Babaji. He induced them to chant the wrong mantra, but where is.... He's not specifically paramparā.

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: Yes, śraddhā. That faith increase, and when it is increased so much that he fully understands, "By worshiping Kṛṣṇa, everything is done," that is first-class faith. Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (Cc. Madhya 22.62). If he becomes fixed up, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality," that is first-class, means fulfillment of faith. In the beginning it might be doubtful, neophyte. But when that is, that faith is fixed up, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality," that is the fulfillment of faith. Faith also there are different stages, improvement. Devotional service means different grades of faith. Today I am in one stage of faith, next day another stage, next day another stage, next day another stage. And when you come to the stage that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), oh, that is final. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That takes time. And quickly also, if one is fortunate. If one is intelligent—"The śāstra says, 'Vāsudeva is everything,' so why not take Vāsudeva everything?"—then he gains the result immediately. And if he thinks, "All right, let me see for some time," so he may waste his time, but the point is the same. Point is the same, but he has not developed his faith to such extent. You have to wait. And intelligent person, he says, "Why shall I wait? Let me take finally vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That business is finished." Sa mahātmā. Therefore it is said, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That kind of staunch faith is not very easy. It is for the great personality. Immediately accepts. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Immediately accepts: "Yes." Then sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That is not very easily done. That means yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām (BG 7.28). He is completely free from all reaction of sinful life. Puṇya-karmaṇām—he is only engaged in pious activities. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānām, te dvandva-moha... He has no more doubt. Dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ. He has no doubt. "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person." That's it. That's all. If you take by argument, reason, you may waste your time. But if you are intelligent, you can take it on the evidence of mahājano yena gataḥ, all the mahājanas.

Morning Walk -- May 26, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: (inaudible) ...some tickets for going to moon. What they are doing with the tickets? You know that Pan American sold tickets for going to moon? You do not know? (laughs) They sold tickets, because in your country, you have got lot of money, any kind of cheating can draw money. (laughs)

Devotee (6): They're selling tickets to go to the moon?

Prabhupāda: Not now. They sold in the beginning. They're so hopeful now that "We shall go to the moon." Some family (inaudible) "Oh, scientific advancement. Yes, they go to the moon. So I have got money. Why not purchase a ticket so I can go to the moon?" There are many persons in your country who can very easily pay $50,000 for purchasing tickets for going to the moon planet.

Hari-śauri: It's like Rāvaṇa's promise of being able to go to the heavenly planets by climbing up the staircase.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...believed in the words of śāstra. Even I am not scientist, still I shall.... It is all childish. And it has proved childish. I do not say that I am better than the scientists. No. But on the words of śāstra, I say this is childish. They'll never be able to go to the moon. (break) The Americans who are here, mostly they are tourists. They're not residents.

Devotee (6): Some of them are retired, I believe.

Prabhupāda: Some, they're some. Otherwise they are tourists.

Devotee (5): Yes. (break) (end)

Morning Walk -- May 31, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (3): So they break very easily?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Devotee (3): These plates, the silverware and things that people use?

Prabhupāda: No, whatever (unclear). Silver is not half price. Silver, little less than new one. They purchase one rupee less. It was 200 rupees new, and the purchaser will take 190 (unclear) ...India they use (unclear). Bell metal, copper...

Hari-śauri: Aluminium is becoming very popular now, aren't they?

Prabhupāda: They don't use aluminium much. If they have got excess money, they invest in metal-gold, silver, copper, bell metal.... Immediate loan—you can mortgage the metal pots, the metal ornaments, you get money immediately. (break) ...in a year, that is a metal purchasing ceremony. Every family will purchase, according to his means, some metal pots once in a year. Dhantraivesi(?) (indistinct) means desire some funds. So if there's some extra money—not big, big men; middle class storeman—they invest in metal purchase. If there is a good business day, (unclear) all the utensils (unclear). You know Diwali, Diwali?

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just one day before Diwali.

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Huge quantity of metals. Everyone will count (indistinct) (end)

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Attentive.

Reporter: You don't see any slowing down of the impact of...

Prabhupāda: No. It can be slowed down unless we spoil it.

Reporter: Is there anyone who is designated to succeed you as the primary teacher of the movement?

Prabhupāda: I am training some, I mean to say, advanced students so that they may be very easily take up the charge. I have made them GBC. They are under my direct training, and I think they will be able to conduct this movement.

Reporter: Do you expect to name one person as your successor or have you already?

Prabhupāda: That I am not contemplating now. But there is no need of one person. As other things are managed, but by committee, so this can also be managed, and the committee may elect one person as chief. As, just like in the democracy there are senators and there is president, so it may be I may nominate or they can nominate.

Reporter: Do you feel are you in good health now? You look it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. After all, of course I am some eighty, eighty years old. And I complete eighty years next September. So the age is there, although I am feeling not aged by..., the effect of age must be there.

Reporter: I didn't understand that.

Rāmeśvara: He says although.... Prabhupāda says although he's not feeling aged, the effect of age is there.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: "If I follow the regulative principles and go on hearing about rāsa-līlā, then I'll be purified."

Prabhupāda: You say that. In the śāstra does not say. Śāstra says that after you have studied all the nine cantos of Bhāgavatam, then enter into the tenth. Sahajiyā means they take very easily. "I am.... Everything is all right. Now I am perfect." That is sahajiyā. Kṛṣṇa says, "To understand Me, it will take millions of years." And they understand Kṛṣṇa immediately. That is their.... That is called prākṛta-sahajiyā.

Rāmeśvara: Kṛṣṇa's incarnation is to attract the living entities to Kṛṣṇa. So let me read about rāsa-līlā, because I'm feeling some attraction.

Prabhupāda: Then why not Kurukṣetra-līlā? What...? Kurukṣetra-līlā... Kṛṣṇa's līlā is the same, absolute. You are attracted to rāsa-līlā means you have got sex desire. That's all.

Rāmeśvara: I may still have sex desire, but this will purify me.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. This will purify. You are not purified.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Putrefied.

Prabhupāda: That is.... The, this rāsa-līlā is for the person who is completely purified. What...? When one is impure, he should not think of. That is stated in the Bhāgavatam.

Rāmeśvara: In this they have misunderstood your Kṛṣṇa book.

Prabhupāda: They must have misunderstood. They are all rascals.

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Bad way, good way, man proposes, God disposes. You want something, bad or good.... Actually, everything is bad. This body or the fish's body or the dog's body, that is all material body. So everything is bad. But I prefer to get the body of a human being or a dog or a fish or a bird. That is my choice. So God gives you that body. Everywhere God's mercy is there, because whatever you want, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). In the material world, you have come to enjoy. You cannot enjoy. You are thinking.... Just like child. He's playing with something for sometime, again taking another thing, again taking another thing, childish. So similarly we want to enjoy this material world. Sometimes I am thinking it will be convenient if I get a man's body, it will be convenient if I get a tiger's body, it will be convenient if I get a fish's body. So God is supplying you: "All right, you take this body." So what is God's fault? He is very kind. You wanted to do something. Do it. Not only that, if he forgets that "I wanted the fish body, now how I have got it?" No, he forgets that he wanted it. So God reminds him that "You wanted this body; you have got this body." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). So God is very kind in all circumstances. Now we proposing to enjoy this material world under different situations, and God is helping us. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). You want to wander within this material world. That is your proposal. So, in order to enjoy this material world, you require different types of body. Just like they are trying to go to the moon planet. It requires a different body. So yānti deva-vratā devān: (BG 9.25) this life, you aspire of going to the moon planet; next life, automatically you will go there. Why you are trying unnecessarily to go to the moon planet by sputnik? You'll go there. You just always think of the moon and you'll go to the moon. It is simple process. And by this way, you cannot go. Now, exactly in the same way that you get the body of a fish and you very easily, whole day and night, for so many years, you jump over in the sea. So moon planet is one of the heavenly planets. There is process how to go to moon planet. In the Bhāgavata it is stated. Those who are karma-kāṇḍīya, very, discharging the Vedic ritualistic ceremony, karma-kāṇḍa, they can go to the moon planet or sun planet. There are millions and trillions of planets they can go. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). The same thing. Suppose if you want to go to India, you prepare yourself, take the visa, the permit, the passport and necessary money and permission, so many things. You go there. Yes.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So sleeping is waste of time. Therefore spiritual advancement means minimizing sleeping. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. About the Gosvāmīs' life it is said they conquered over nidrā-āhāra. If you eat extraordinarily, then you will sleep also extraordinarily. If you eat frugally, as much minimum required, then you can conquer over sleep. Eating, sleeping. Sleeping depends on eating. Atyāhāra. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). The people in the material world.... Atyāhāra means collecting more than necessity. One, somebody has got millions of dollars; still, he is working hard day and night to increase the bank balance. Why? You have got sufficient money; now you engage your life for spiritual advancement and take little food. God has given you enough. Why you are wasting your time in collecting money and eating more? That is misuse. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Āhāra means eating, and āhāra means collecting. So these are against bhakti principles. Collecting more than necessity or eating more than necessity. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Prayāsa, things which are not done very easily, I have to endeavor very, very hard, that kind of work should be avoided. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpaḥ, and talking nonsense. No use, you are talking together for hours, what is the use? Prajalpa, it is called prajalpa. And niyamāgrahaḥ, and, without any result, following the regulative principles—or not following the regulative principles. Niyama-agrahaḥ. Agrahaḥ means not to accept. That is also bad. That is bad, actually. And simply to see the regulative principles without any result, that is also bad. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Laulyam—greediness; jana-saṅgaś ca—and associating with unwanted men, jana-saṅgaḥ. We should not try to associate with nondevotees. You waste your time talking something. Ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati. By these six principles one is loser in the matter of devotional service. Āhāra required. Just like we are reading this Bhāgavatam; it is proper utilization of time. Similarly, if we take some newspaper, some statement of the politics, and talk and argue and waste time, there is no need of such thing. I think in our institution there is no newspaper. That is one advantage. In the Western countries, newspaper is very popular thing, a huge bundle of newspaper.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The government does not like it now because we are not going to eat meat, we are not accepting liquor, no gambling, no prostitution. So the government is already concerned. Theoretically, suppose these things are stopped, then where is the human civilization? Everything is finished. Because they have no other alternative. We have got—Kṛṣṇa consciousness—but they haven't got.

Mādhavānanda: They become bored very easily. If they do not have all the different material amusements, they become very bored and depressed.

Prabhupāda: And we have got everything. We have got feasting, dancing, chanting, philosophy, clean and spotless life.

Hari-śauri: Friendship, everything.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No animal killing. We are not envious of anyone.

Mādhavānanda: People come to the temple, and they say that it is like paradise here because there is no anxiety. Everyone is so happy and peaceful.

Prabhupāda: So keep this standard. At least, people will be attracted; they will appreciate it. Don't minimize this temple; keep it nicely.

Devotee: A boy said today it was like heaven on earth.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? That's nice.

Jayādvaita: The only place I found some difficulty is that sometimes if there is some discrepancy in behavior of our students, some petty stealing or something like that, then that is...

Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Jayādvaita: Purport: "To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in a state of liberation, called brahma-bhūta, oneness with the Absolute. Without being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, one cannot render service unto Him. In the absolute conception, there is no difference between the served and the servitor; yet the distinctions is there, in a higher spiritual sense. In the material concept of life, when one works for sense gratification, there is misery, but in the absolute world, when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no misery. The devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing to lament or desire. Since God is full, a living entity who is engaged in God's service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes also full in himself. He is just like a river cleansed of all dirty water. Because a pure devotee has no thought other than Kṛṣṇa, he is naturally always joyful. He does not lament for any material loss or gain because he is full in service to the Lord. He has no desire for material enjoyment because he knows that every living entity is the fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore eternally a servant. He does not see, in the material world, someone as higher and someone as lower; higher and lower positions are ephemeral, and a devotee has nothing to do with ephemeral appearances or disappearances. For him, stone and gold are of equal value. This is the brahma-bhūta stage, and this stage is attained very easily..."

Prabhupāda: So this brahma-bhūta stage is spiritual stage. We want to bring everyone to this spiritual stage. That is the sum and substance. We are not on the material stage. Therefore it is little difficult to understand. Everyone is on the material stage, but we are working on the spiritual stage. But the spirit and matter, we can distinguish. Without the spirit, the body is nothing but lump of matter. The spirit is there, the matter is there, but we are so dull, we do not understand what is that spirit. That is the difficulty of the modern society. This is the most important thing. Without the spirit the body cannot move. They are daily experiencing that without spirit the body is nothing, decomposed matter. But still they are simply licking up that decomposed matter without taking care of the spiritual. This is the most defective position of the modern society. So it is not a Hindu religion or Christian religion. It is a science to understand.

Kathy Kerr: If a sufficient number of people could take care of their spirits, could achieve an understanding of the spiritual body and so forth, do you think that that would solve, say for instance...

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: You see these two things especially, that they.... English is their mother tongue, mother language. They can easily become English scholar very easily. And Sanskrit language is no difficulty. Read and write, read and write, then he will learn. Our education in Sanskrit was in college. Of course, I was the best student in my class of Sanskrit. I was standing first. But we are not like the so-called Sanskrit scholars. But for our purpose we can read and write, that's all. Similarly, we don't want any very learned scholars, Sanskrit grammarian to manufacture jugglery of words, meanings. No, we don't want that. Simply we can conduct our business, that's all. Just like Marwaris, they, their education is up to their business understanding, that's all. They don't want to be scholars or technologists. You won't find in big, big Marwari family they have become a doctor, engineer or technologist, no. But in business dealings they are first class. (laughs) That they train. I had one Marwari friend in Calcutta. He was a very rich businessman and has got several (indistinct). So sometimes I went to his house. I saw that he had engaged a Sanskrit paṇḍita and an English teacher. That's all. So I asked him, "You don't send your children to school?" "No, no, no, no. I..." If we require some technologist, we can purchase. You pay some money; so many technologists you will get, M.A., Ph.D., D.H.C., C.H.C. All right, take payment and do business (indistinct). They employ very, very, very large salary. But on the head, management, their own sons, grandsons.

Jagadīśa: You've explained this to me a number of times, and I think I'm beginning to understand.

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: They will become powerful. And people will be less intelligent—means less God conscious. Just like when the king is weak, thieves and rogues, they flourish.

Hari-śauri: So we just have to be very strong and uncompromising.

Prabhupāda: How you can compromise with thieves and rogues? Boarding time?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The flight leaves at 5:05. They'll call. They'll call when it's time. The plane doesn't appear to be here just yet.

Prabhupāda: Although they are poor, still they can understand it easily, very easily, that you are not this body; there is God; if you don't become devotee, you'll remain in this material world. These things they will immediately understand.

Hari-śauri: How is it that, say, obviously they must be backed by very great pious activity, but somehow or other, they...

Prabhupāda: Therefore they have taken birth in India.

Hari-śauri: Is that special mercy that they seem to be impoverished?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hari-śauri: Is that special arrangement that they seem to be impoverished? Say like the villagers, they're not very wealthy, or, uh...

Prabhupāda: That is due to misgovernment. There is no king; all rogues and thieves are in the government. Mismanagement. It is the government duty to see that everyone is doing nicely so that they can live peacefully, happily. There must be direction. Just like parentless children. Nobody is to take care; they'll be wretched. So India's position is like that. The parentless children. There is no good government. And they supply this control wheat that is not even touchable. Unfit for human consumption. There is a worm...

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)

Kīrtanānanda: There's plenty of milk and ghee.

Prabhupāda: This is human food. They do not know how to eat, the Westerners. (break)

Kīrtanānanda: ...ever eat these nice foods they give up so much sinful activity, very easily.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Kīrtanānanda: By just eating nice foods they can give up so much sinful activity.

Prabhupāda: Who has made them?

Kīrtanānanda: Different devotees, mother Lakhima, mother (indistinct).

Hari-śauri: Combined effort.

Kīrtanānanda: Tamāla has said that there's only one other place in the US now that has Vedic cooking. (break)

Prabhupāda: Facility to get enough ghee.

Hari-śauri: Fresh vegetables, everything. (break)

Kīrtanānanda: ...Indians come and they always say, "Who has taught you to cook like this?" We tell them, "Śrīla Prabhupāda has taught us everything."

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) (break) Many Indians come?

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

Hari-śauri: I was reading a very good example like that. These men, they have this what's called divining, that they find water by means of a stick. They lay a stick on their hands like this, and they turn around in different directions, and the stick suddenly dips and points to the ground wherever there's water underground. And it's proven that it works. It's a very effective way of finding water. But no one knows how it works. So they put a suggestion during the Vietnam War to the Marines that they should use this method for finding out the underground tunnels of the Vietcong so that they could find them very easily. So they showed them by experiment that it's practical and it works, so they gave the rods to the physicists, and they checked them all out, and they couldn't figure out how they worked, so they said that because the physicists could not understand how it worked, therefore it was rejected. So they rejected the whole thing. So then the Marines in Vietnam, they heard about it, so they started to use the rods themselves, and in that way they were able to destroy many enemy hideouts. But officially the Marines had to reject it, because the scientists couldn't understand how it worked, so therefore they said that it was not good, it wasn't viable.

Prabhupāda: The scientists' first proposal is, what they cannot understand, don't bring. That is not scientific. Whatever you say, that is not scientific. Whatever they say, that is scientific.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: The word science comes from the Latin word which means "to know." But they simply have theories. They don't know. But we have actual knowledge.

Hari-śauri: Their science means "don't know." (end)

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

Prabhupāda: Sense gratification is never helpful. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that kāmasya nendriya-prītir (SB 1.2.10). Sense gratification is required as far as..., as little as possible. Otherwise, not for sense gratification. Just like sleeping. Sleeping is required because this material body requires some rest. But not that we shall sleep twenty-four hours or twenty hours and enjoy, as in this country sometimes they enjoy sleeping. But sleeping is wasting time. So long we shall sleep we cannot do anything good work. Therefore it should be minimized. You cannot avoid sleeping altogether. That is not possible. But it should be accepted to the minimum extent. That is not possible. But it should be accepted to the minimum extent. That is called tapasya, or advancement of spiritual life. Eating, sleeping, sex and defense. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. They're required. So long we have got this body, we require to eat something, we require to sleep sometimes, we require a little sense gratification, and we require defense. But it should be minimized, not increased. That is tapasya. In the human life this is possible, this is possible. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. One can conquer over these things, by practice. The more we minimize this āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna, this means we are advanced in spiritual taste.(?) It is practiced. My, my personal life, I don't sleep at night. And nowadays, at most, one hour. Yes. But I take rest in the daytime, at least two to three hours. So it is not that I am sleeping one hour. I sleep three to four hours total. But if practiced, it can be reduced, practiced. We see in the life of Gosvāmīs. About them, it is said: nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. They conquered over sleeping, eating. If we conquer over eating, then we can conquer over sleeping and other things also. If we can control over this tongue, then we can control over the other senses very easily. That is a fact. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, tar madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati, tā 'ke jetā koṭhina saṁsāre. Of all our senses the tongue is very, very prominent. So the first thing in spiritual advancement, the first thing is to control the tongue. In the śāstra also it is said sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī kṛṣṇa nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (BRS. 1.2.234).

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, we are layman, and we follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction that cow, milk is very important, we drink the cow's milk, therefore she is mother. So at least she should be saved from being killed. This is common sense. Apart from other big, big reasoning, we take it, Kṛṣṇa says go-rakṣya, so we take it. Besides that, so far vegetables are concerned, Kṛṣṇa says that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "If anyone offers Me even patram," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam,"I eat them." So we take Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. So Kṛṣṇa says "You give Me these vegetables, plants." So we offer Him, and then we take. Besides that, everybody has to eat something. So generally, food grains, vegetables, they are recommended for eating purpose. And those who want to eat meat or fish, they can do so, but at least they can avoid the important life of cow. That is recommended. So far we are concerned, we are eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam, foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa, and this, there is no such thing as meat or fish, or egg, but we are living. Not that because we do not eat meat or fish, we are dying. We can eat very easily. Anna. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Actually, if we take food grains like wheat, rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk, that is quite sufficient, nutritious foodstuff, full with vitamins and, what is called, protein, carbohydrate. That is sufficient. Why should we kill? At least, cow? That is our request, because Kṛṣṇa says go-rakṣya. And in His practical life He played as a cowherd boy giving protection to other cows. There is a picture, Kṛṣṇa is sitting, and the cow and the calf is feeling very safety. Kṛṣṇa is embracing. So because we want to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, we want to follow His personal behavior and instruction.

Guest (1): Prabhupāda? For every animal except the cow, you said, like a..., does a person have to pay off a one-to-one ratio for the animal killed? He just has to come back one time for, like, killing a goat? Is it just one time then, instead of many times?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they do that. He thought that he has pointed out this dog.

Hari-śauri: They brought their dinner with them.

Tripurāri: Man cannot understand, but a little child can understand very easily. Just like one of our book distributors, Praghoṣa, when he was a young child they had a pet duck, the family, and one day the father killed the duck and put him on the table. They roasted the duck and put him on the table, but none of the children would eat. They became sick and they left. They would not eat. The father could not understand.

Hari-śauri: My father did that with a pet rabbit that I had as well. Came home from school one day and it was gone.

Prabhupāda: They are eating their own child...

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda, we come from the lowest of the low. (in car)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about the possibility of opening more than one temple in this city? Just like if there's a good building on the East Side, if we can manage, what about the possibility of that?

Prabhupāda: If you can manage, very good. In a city like New York you can have ten, twelve centers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I mean the Christians have so many churches in every part of the city.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Similarly, we can have temples.

Rāmeśvara: You said that once in Los Angeles to me.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. They say that they can do it very easily.

Rāmeśvara: What will it look like?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we can do anything.

Prabhupāda: Three, three foot, four foot (indistinct).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's the first thing. First thing we're going to cast is Pañca-tattva for installation.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But it must be very nice, just like in Jaipur they have made those.

Rāmeśvara: You have to find a material which is strong and light so you can ship it easily to the temples.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Brass.

Rāmeśvara: Or plexiglass, or fiberglass I mean, fiberglass.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Aṣṭa-dhātu.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Eight metals.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like they are in India.

Rāmeśvara: Oh, you mean for Deities, Deities are different, I thought you meant art for the temple rooms.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. (end)

Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Our feeling is that we are dealing with the genuine thing, that's all.

Mike Robinson: And can..., if we can go on with that. Everybody seems to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa a lot of times during the day.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the easiest process to become purified, especially given in this age. Because people are so dull that they cannot understand spiritual understanding very easily. So in order to purify him, this chanting is especially offered, that if he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, then his brain becomes purified to understand spiritual things.

Mike Robinson: You say it's the simplest one. Are there presumably other chants that maybe you yourself use?

Prabhupāda: I don't think there is any other chanting. This is the only chanting. Where is other chanting? You can manufacture so many, but this is the only, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes.

Mike Robinson: I see. Let's see, what else? You founded this movement I think it was ten years ago, that's correct. Why was it that you left till you were so late in life before you founded it?

Prabhupāda: I must be prepared, I must be bona fide to preach.

Mike Robinson: And how do you become qualified? How did you become qualified?

Prabhupāda: That is a spiritual process.

Mike Robinson: And so you presumably had your teachers.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: You see they are living, these boys are living. It is not very difficult. They are not dying, they are living.

Mike Robinson: Yes, I accept that completely, but I want to know what differences, if you could tell me basically, what difference it makes to their life.

Prabhupāda: Difference is that if you accept this mode of life, it is very simplified, and no botheration, and you make your spiritual progress very easily. If you take otherwise, then it is difficult.

Mike Robinson: But are you asking people, if they accept your teachings, to retreat from the world, like for instance, the people who are surrounding us now?

Prabhupāda: No, they are not retreated. What do you mean by retreat? I am using this microphone. Where is retreatment?

Mike Robinson: Sorry, maybe retreat was the wrong word. But are you asking them, for instance, if I was to become a member of the movement...

Prabhupāda: No, we are asking that use this microphone for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not for sense gratification.

Mike Robinson: Not for?

Prabhupāda: Sense gratification.

Devotees: Sense gratification, pleasing the senses.

Mike Robinson: Oh, thank you.

Prabhupāda: That is the.... The microphone is the same. And the politician can speak all nonsense, and the so-called scientist may speak all nonsense of going to the Mars planet, but we don't talk all nonsense.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: So at that young age they can very easily develop faith in Kṛṣṇa and guru.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

That's all. That study will be nice. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ. Just like father gives the seed, similarly, Kṛṣṇa gives the seed. The seed, when pushed into the womb of the mother and properly nourished, a rose plant comes out. This plant comes out. The seed is there. It is very easy. The father injects the seed within the womb of the mother, and the childs come out. Similarly, whatever is coming out from the earth, the seed-giving father is Kṛṣṇa, and when the seed is pushed within the womb of the mother, then the plant is coming, and everything. This nature's law is going on. Where is the necessity of understanding more than this? We understand the mother is pregnant. Now how she has been, how the child is growing, that is not under your control. It is going on. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27), immediately it is in hand of the nature. Even if you study, you cannot understand how things are arranged—the intestine is joined to the navel of the child and the food is supplied, how it is mechanical: do you know everything? Can anyone do? Can anyone understand? But things are there. That is being done by prakṛtiḥ. Even if you study, you cannot understand. So best thing is to understand that it is being done by nature under the instruction of Supreme Lord. Let us chant Hare Kṛṣṇa instead of studying these.... There are many students, many botanists, many.... They, vaguely they are studying, and the have no understanding of Kṛṣṇa. They're denying, rather the father. The child has come into existence without father. This is their knowledge. So instead of becoming such a fool and rascal it is better not to study.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: ...any expert in your country who can fry foodgrains in hot sand.

Bhagavān: Like they make puffed rice, I think, like that. I don't think so. They do it by machine.

Prabhupāda: Puffed rice? How? What is that machine?

Bhagavān: When they make a thatcher, they use some kind of machine.

Prabhupāda: But we can do it very easily. Sand should be very hot. You can make hot sand, it is not difficult. Any fire. And then take the grains in some, another pot, and put the hot sands under it and then agitate. And it will puff-puff-puff-puff-puff-puff, they'll be finished.

Bhagavān: Put the hot sand where?

Prabhupāda: Sand is being heated in fire, so you put the grains in another pot and put the hot sand there.

Hari-śauri: Underneath the pot?

Prabhupāda: Why underneath? I said another pot. You are so dull brain. Here is hot sand. I bring in another pot, the grains, and the hot sand I pour on it.

Hari-śauri: Pour on it, on top of the grains. Oh.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And then agitate and then put the whole thing on a mesh and make it like this, again put the hot sand there. Is it clear? Then you get the puffed-up grains. That is very good food.

Hari-śauri: Devotees make popcorn.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Dayānanda: It is quite easy, because they need foreigners to come and work here.

Prabhupāda: So that is very, very good.

Dayānanda: So they give visas very easily for working.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Especially to Americans?

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's very good opportunity. Bring more Americans and start this movement nicely. Not necessarily that we have to establish a temple. We want to preach our philosophy. That is most important. Bhāgavata-mārga. There are two ways, bhāgavata-mārga and pāñcarātriki. The bhāgavata-mārga is more important than pāñcarātriki. Pāñcarātriki is Deity worship. So do you meet many intelligent men here? No. Not very.

Dayānanda: Some intelligent. People are working very hard for money, and they're very materialistic.

Prabhupāda: That is everywhere in the eastern part of the world. They are after money.

Dayānanda: And the foreigners who come here also, they are materialistic also.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere materialistic. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Spiritualistic means siddhi, perfection. Who cares for perfection? Bring money and enjoy. That's all. Who cares for perfection? They do not know what is perfection. They think that you get money, you live comfortably as far as possible, and after death, everything's finished. Is it not? This is the philosophy. Who cares to know that there is life after death and better life, better planet, better world? This is not at all good, it is full of miseries. They are driving all day, car, but they do not think it is tiresome. They think it is pleasure. To have a car and drive whole day, they do not feel that is tiresome. They think "I have got a car, I'm driving, people are seeing. It is pleasure."

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

Prabhupāda: They cannot be strictly vegetarian; it is not possible.

Parivrājakācārya: It is difficult.

Prabhupāda: But even they eat meat they can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no harm.

Parivrājakācārya: But now they are farming in the desert. The Iranian government has started farms. They are irrigating the land with water, and when they put water on the desert they get all kinds of vegetables and grains very easily. So if they do that then they can become vege... They have no excuse. The excuse of the people is that "We have to eat meat."

Prabhupāda: They can have rains from the sky by chanting. The rain will fall from the sky. Who can check it? Kṛṣṇa gives the water from the sky. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14).

Parivrājakācārya: They say in the books that this area used to be all forest with many, many trees two to three thousand years ago. It was a very thick forest. But since then it has become desert, the rain has stopped since then.

Prabhupāda: Because the yajña stopped.

Pradyumna: The Sahara Desert used to be all trees, very fertile. Sahara Desert in Africa, it is the biggest desert in the world. Nothing...

Prabhupāda: Sahara, Sahara.

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

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

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Oh, sucrose, yes. Saccharin and sucrose. Saccharin is sugar product.

Harikeśa: We tried that too the first time, with those...

Prabhupāda: No, that is no good.

Harikeśa: That was not good.

Prabhupāda: Salt is available very easily.

Harikeśa: And they use hard soap powder in these powdered ones. We tried that first with the hard soap powder? They use that also.

Prabhupāda: No, it is it (indistinct), we shouldn't do it. Only simple three things, that's all. That is good. That has come out.

Harikeśa: Menthol, pine oil, camphor, oil of wintergreen, glycerin, mustard powder, powdered salt and calcium carbonate.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Good memory, yes, these are the things.

Hari-śauri: You put all that in the last batch?

Harikeśa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: In Durban, I think.

Hari-śauri: In Bombay we made the last one.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Just like, practice is also not very difficult. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So if you daily come to the temple, see the Deity, he'll have some impression and he can think of Kṛṣṇa, how He is playing flute, how He is nicely dressed, how Rādhārāṇī is standing (indistinct). Then man-manā, he can think of Kṛṣṇa very easily. So man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, and as soon as you think of Kṛṣṇa, you become a devotee. Because a businessman will not spare so much time thinking (of) Kṛṣṇa, how He is playing flute. He has no business. Without being bhakta, nobody will be interested to meditate on Kṛṣṇa, how He's standing, how He's playing flute. This is bhakta's business. So anyone who is planning some trying(?) to think of Kṛṣṇa, that means automatically he becomes bhakta, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. Mad-yājī, then naturally if he becomes bhakta, naturally then why not offer to Kṛṣṇa something? Eh? Naturally. Give Him some fruits, some flower, some grains. Then Kṛṣṇa is accepting them, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). So to think of Kṛṣṇa, to become a devotee and to offer Him something, patraṁ puṣpaṁ, and offer Him obeisances, these things are development of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. And the result is, find out this verse, man-manā. Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68), by simply executing these four principles, Kṛṣṇa assures that you will come, asaṁśayaḥ, without any doubt.

Guest (4): Without (indistinct).

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

Prabhupāda: In our favor.

Jayapatākā: In our favor strongly. And only a minority are actively opposed, one percent even. And thirty per cent are in doubt. So, so much so that even I saw recently the M.L.A. who was previously against us. And when I saw him I invited him for Janmāṣṭamī, and he said what about our program for a bridge? I said, "Oh, yes, I discussed with Śrīla Prabhupāda, and he suggested having a floating bridge to Navadvīpa. That will be very short. Very easily done with least expense." He said, "Anyway, next time you come to Navadvīpa you can discuss with me. I am ready to help you in all ways." So he has turned his mind around.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Jayapatākā: The MLA. The local Member of Legislative Assembly. He was previously a little against us. But because our whole aṁśa (?) is for us, if he doesn't cooperate he won't get their vote, they want the development in their area. Also the...He is changing a little. Everyone is saying that our society is actually simply doing sincere work.

Prabhupāda: As they doing (?).

Jayapatākā: This food distribution has been very important.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Tomato, squash.

Caraṇāravindam: You would like to see growing in your garden a little sabji?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is very... Cucumber. These things can be grown very easily. And zucchini. Called zucchini?

Hari-śauri: Yes. It's like a small marrow, zucchini.

Caraṇāravindam: I would like to get, I don't know...

Prabhupāda: No, there is not much place here.

Caraṇāravindam: Some things we can grow.

Prabhupāda: But this green banana if we get that will be nice.

Caraṇāravindam: These should flower soon, these bananas. They are one year old now. Within the next six months they should give some flowers.

Prabhupāda: So it is very pleasing spot. You have done nice. I'm feeling nice.

Hari-śauri: Your pleasure is our pleasure.

Caraṇāravindam: It is your mercy. It is ecstasy to come in here and do something on the garden for you. Very good. I want to see lotuses growing. Then I will be happy. Nice lotuses. When I can pick a lotus and give to you, then it is nice. Then it is finished. Lilies, lotus, nice bushes, very happy inside. This grass has just been laid and I think after two weeks it will be very first class.

Prabhupāda: Nobody should walk.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is the special verse. It is not very easy thing. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Don't take things very easily. Things are very serious. Therefore we have to go step by step. That is, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, tāṅdera saṅge. Aim should be how to serve Rūpa-Raghunātha. And bhakta-sane bās, to stay with pure devotee who has no other intention. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). This is the process. So do it carefully. That's all.

Devotees: Jaya, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) In the morning we shall go to take my milk from the goat. I'll go early so that I may take the first. And come back, then take my bath early in the morning. I did not take hot water. Cold water. Even in severe winter. Then?

Harikeśa: And one boy called Rādhā-Dāmodara dāsa from New... (end)

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, you do that. He can go to the brahmacārīs. That's all.

Devotee: You can give him one of those sannyāsī rooms in the brahmacārīs.

Harikeśa: All right.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Arrange everything. But don't turn this, and very easily give the other guest room. Then it will be awkward like anything. Very cautious. So this is the program I am giving, and if you can give some practical sense, it will be very nice profitable business.

Dhanañjaya: Yes. But it will require some capital in the beginning.

Prabhupāda: So capital required we can give. There is no scarcity of capital. But it must be consulted between three-Gopāla, Viśvambhara, and yourself. And then if capital is required, how capital you will repay. Make them assured. I shall give you. There is no difficulty. Capital you will have, provided you can make profit. Not that we give capital and never return. That will not be possible. Take any amount of capital, but we must be paid interest as bank gives loan. I can say bank will give you. If I order the bank, bank will give you. So capital there is no question. The question is how you shall utilize it. How you shall make profit. Capital, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, you can take lakhs and lakhs. That I can arrange. The bank, if I say to the bank they will have to give you, or I shall personally give you. There is no question of capital scarcity. So only thing is how will you utilize this capital and how you will make profit. You make that program. So far capital is concerned, there is no concern. You'll get any amount of capital. And you can develop the business. Now we have got credit in the bank, any bank will give you if I say yes. There will be no scarcity of capital.

Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. If they could understand that. That will be helpful if you chant. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement will never be false. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). If they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then gradually the dirty things accumulated within the heart will be cleansed. And if he comes to the understanding, clear idea, that "I want to eat something and my necessities... So if I get my necessities, primary necessities of life, and satisfaction of mind, then why shall I go to city?" That they can have very easily. If they follow the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that "Your first necessity is food." So produce food here. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). And you'll find here so much land is lying vacant. Because they have gone to the city for twenty rupees daily to manufacture Goodyear tire. And who will work here? Now I have seen in Delhi, the government is advertising, "Go back to the village." Rascal, you are manufacturing wine and keeping them engaged whole day in the work. So after being tired, he requires some wine. And why he'll go? And no spiritual education, no cleanliness. Simply inviting "Go to the village" they will go?

Lokanātha: Just a propaganda.

Room Conversation -- September 26, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So nobody knows what is being done or... (break) So one was to control horses. So he became very much anxious, "What kind of whip I shall have to keep?"

Haṁsadūta: First he has to get a horse.

Prabhupāda: "Then, first of all, rascal, where is your horse?" (laughs) He became very much anxious, "What kind of whip?"

Haṁsadūta: O.K. I'll get the horses.

Prabhupāda: And anyone who can purchase a horse, he can very easily purchase any whip. Not that we shall be very much anxious for the whip first. First of all, let us have a horse. The difficulty is that no horses coming. That is the difficulty. Attract horse, and you'll find so many.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Prabhupāda: Because you have rejected... (faulty recording inaudible) Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, find out this verse, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām samādhau na vidhīyate (BG 2.44). Vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. Those who are, whose attention is drawn to the material comforts, they cannot take an interest in spiritual life. (break) Our attention is diverted how to improve materially. Therefore we are disinterested. But they have seen much about material advancement, they are not happy. Material advancement means generally, as we understand from the literature, viśayinaṁ saṅdarśanam atha yoṣitaṁ ca (CC Madhya 11.8). Material comfort means woman and money. So they have tasted all this woman and money enough. Woman, money are available very easily. But they are not interested.

Interviewer: Sir, do you think it is necessary for India to eschew religion?

Prabhupāda: It is not religion. I have already explained. Did you not mark that this is spiritual knowledge? You are combination of spirit and matter. The spirit I have already explained. And if you don't take care of the spirit portion then you are making suicide. You are losing the opportunity of your human life. It is essential. One should be cognizant of the spiritual necessity of life. Otherwise, you are losing the opportunity of this human form of life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Then you remain as cats and dogs and there is risk, very risky life. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. You do not know what kind of body you are going to get next life. It is essential. You must be prepared... (break) ...body, but you do not know what kind of body you are going to accept. That knowledge is lacking.

Interviewer: One question. You have priced these books very high comparatively for the poorer countries. Do you have any plans to reduce...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You have priced these books very high for poor countries.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Therefore question is just simplified, that... Therefore we establish temple: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That's all. If you say that "Kṛṣṇa is all pervading. Why shall I come to the temple?" And why not in the temple if He's all-pervading? But you say, "No, I am not going to see in the temple. I shall see outside in the sky." Then you don't see. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is everywhere; why not in the temple? What is that argument? He is here also. But according to my capacity I can see temple, Kṛṣṇa, very easily. So Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. You come daily to the temple and see Him and think of Him. There is no...

Mahāṁśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, may I introduce the project over here?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Mahāṁśa: May I introduce the press to the project over here?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mahāṁśa: So by Kṛṣṇa's grace we have been given this plot of land which is 565 acres exactly, in two villages, that is, Dublipur(?) and Kanaipali villages. Lands are situated in the jurisdiction of these...

Guest (5): Dublipur(?) and what is the other?

Mahāṁśa: Kanaipali. And the lands were originally in the Venkateshvara Gorakshini Trust, and they have transferred these lands to ISKCON Venkateshvara Trust under the chairmanship of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. So our interest here is to... This area, the whole area here, is very dry. Although there is potency of..., there is potential for tapping water, it has been left dry and unused just like so much land all over. You can see. There is so much land which is unused, vacant, just like this. So we have been given this piece of land. We want to set an example of how such wasted land can be, with proper management and organization, it can be made usable to grow food, abundant food grains and fruits and to feed unlimited...

Prabhupāda: And offer them to Kṛṣṇa and distribute prasādam.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Laulyam ekalaṁ mūlyam. Laulyam, yes, right. That is greediness. Laulyam. The verse is by Rūpa Gosvāmī. He advises, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate: "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you purchase. If it is available somewhere, immediately purchase it." So the next question is, if you want to purchase something, you must pay the price. So therefore said that "The price is laulyam, greediness. How I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious?" That is price. "How I shall?" Oh, that I can very easily. No. Na janma-koṭi-sukṛtair labhyate. "If one has done pious activities for many, many births, he also cannot have this greediness." It is so rare. But if you have got that greediness, you get Kṛṣṇa.

Trivikrama: Intense greediness.

Prabhupāda: Intense greediness. So one may think, "Oh, I can be very greedy." So the answer is na janma-koṭi-sukṛtair labhyate.

Devotee (1): If a human being can try repeatedly, showing kāma, krodha, lobha, moha... He keeps on trying to get over it...

Prabhupāda: That is negative side.

Devotee (1): ...and again keeps on trying...

Prabhupāda: That is negative side. First of all... Just like mauna... (break) Why maunam? There is no need of maunam. You have to chant. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā. So there is negative side and positive side. One who has no information of the positive side, they simply take the negative side. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Jagan mithyā is all right, but where is that brahma satyam? That brahma satyam is here, when you are fully engaged in serving. Brahma satyam does not mean I simply make negative this, and there is no engagement. That brahma satyam will not endure. You'll fall down, because you are active. If you have no engagement, then you fall down again. Just like a child, he is engaged in playing always, but engage him in studying. If he gets little interest, then automatically he gives up playing. But if you simply stop playing, then he will become mad, because activity is there. These Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not know this. They simply take the negative thing—this material engagement, zero, Buddha philosophy, nirvāṇa. And that nirvāṇa is another word, nirviśeṣa. That will not help us. There must be varieties and there must be positive life, and that is bhakti. So without bhakti you cannot stop your nonsense activities, neither...

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I don't think. That is stated, what you are saying, that in Kali-yuga people will be so fallen. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). They are mandāḥ, bad, or very slow. Mandāḥ. And they have got their own manufactured ideas, sumanda-matayo. Not only mandāḥ, but they have got their own manufactured idea. And manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. And upadrutāḥ. The first thing, three things, upadrava, disturbances... One disturbance is there will be no rainfall, and therefore there will be scarcity of food, and government will tax like anything. People will be so harassed that they will leave their hearth and home and go to the forest. this is awaiting in the Kali-yuga. But if you take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you'll be saved.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann

asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ

kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

(SB 12.3.51)

He'll have nothing to do with this. If you take this vaccine—there may be epidemic-It will not touch you. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we are preaching that, "Please take it." One who is fortunate will take it. And one who is manda-bhāgyā, he'll not take it. What can be done? Our business is to canvass, "Please take it. Please take it." So we will go on like that. People may take it or don't take it. Our business, because we are servants of Kṛṣṇa... Ya imaṁ mad-bhakteṣu. Find out. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). Ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. It is paramaṁ guhyam. When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), it is not very easily accepted. That is the most confidential part of His instruction. But still, we have to canvass. What is that?

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

Prabhupāda: But the rascals, they do not take it very seriously. They think...

Dr. Patel: Such mules,(?) like me. Aneka-janma saṁsiddha sayati paramaṁ gatim.

Prabhupāda: Sudurlabham. Sudurlabha: it is not very easily obtainable. Labdhvā manuṣyam. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān... (SB 7.6.1), durlabhaṁ manuṣya... Prahlāda Mahārāja says. Somewhere sudurlabham, somewhere durlabham. Durlabhaṁ manuṣyam. There is no education about the importance of manuṣya janma. They have taken it that we shall die once. Who says that once born, once we get the..., this and then finished? "Once life got." Some...?

Hari-śauri: Sometimes there's an advertisement in the papers, "You only live once, so buy this." They were selling... It was a land advertisement.

Prabhupāda: These rascals, they invent their theories. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara prāptir, and these rascals says "Once." Just see.

Dr. Patel: The rascals have also realized now that there is a dehāntara-prāptir because the parapsychology has proved beyond doubt so many examples recently, at present, that there is a rebirth. People who are reborn and know their past births. They have recognized their parents, their places and secret things also. There was a patient in Rajastan. One was in Northwest India. There was one in South America. They were all published in medical bulletins.

Gurudāsa: People accept them?

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But we don't say Radhakrishnan is authority. We take Caitanya Mahāprabhu as authority.

Hari-śauri: Now we have to prove now that Radhakrishnan was not an authority on the Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is not in the paramparā system. You talk with Rāmeśvara like this.

Hari-śauri: Actually, by using the Bhagavad-gītā, we can defeat their argument very easily anyway.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That I've defended in every page, that "These rascals have used this." Where is Rāmeśvara?

Jagadīśa: Coming. Śrīla Prabhupāda, we've been talking about... (break)

Haṁsadūta: I shave once a month.

Hari-śauri: Once a month on pūrṇimā.

Rāmeśvara: And our Ādi-keśava, he has also grown out his hair for the court case and all the people. He's meeting the politicians.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But we are famous as shaven-headed. That is already advertised. Shaven-headed means Kṛṣṇas. So why should we relinquish this...

Haṁsadūta: Trademark.

Rāmeśvara: It has made us famous. That's a fact.

Trivikrama: Yes, it means a monk. In the Far East at least, shaven head means monk.

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

Hari-śauri: But that position is not very easily attainable.

Prabhupāda: No, that is not easy. Therefore we say, "Restrict this." And this will be possible if he follows our program.

Rāmeśvara: You have said many times that if a small percentage of the Americans become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then the whole country can gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: So that means that in the beginning we may be very powerful in government, but still, the masses of people will be karmīs still.

Prabhupāda: No. You can introduce in such a way that they will become devotees. Suppose in big, big factories we shall introduce this prasāda distribution and chanting. They'll immediately be popular. Everything will be... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12).

Jagadīśa: In order for us to get power, by that time the illumination and knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be widespread.

Rāmeśvara: That's what I'm wondering. I was thinking that it wouldn't be. There would be...

Jagadīśa: Otherwise how can we get through? What is the use of having one politician?

Rāmeśvara: Many revolutions have been victorious with a very small minority of people behind them because they're so well organized. Russia, Germany, all these revolutions.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: I think more. There are many devotees. And we can accommodate one hundred very easily.

Rāmeśvara: There can't be more than seventy there right now. It's not that big yet.

Prabhupāda: So many rooms, big, big.

Hari-śauri: Oh, yes. The place is huge.

Prabhupāda: If you can make brahmacārī, brahmacārīni separate, each room can accommodate fifteen men. Very high.

Rāmeśvara: You may remember the property in Los Angeles. Right next to the temple there are these groups of stores. There's a Mason Temple. There's the karate place. Then there's a laundromat, then a meat restaurant, barber shop. So we have just bought half of the block.

Prabhupāda: Acchā? Which side?

Rāmeśvara: Furthest away from us. We purchased the laundromat...

Prabhupāda: Mason? Mason?

Rāmeśvara: No. That they will not sell yet. The other side. But including that meat restaurant.

Prabhupāda: Then they have to go?

Rāmeśvara: Well, now we are the landlords. They have got still a lease agreement which we now inherited. So they are paying us rent.

Prabhupāda: The washerman also?

Rāmeśvara: Yes. So we have the choice...

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Then there is foodgrain. We see this dry land... Because for the last few days, when changing his water he's pouring water here, we see grass growing. Water required. A vast tract of land here is lying. If there is sufficient rainfall you can very easily grow food. But so far rainfall is concerned, it is not in your hand. You rascal scientist, why don't you arrange for this? Everyone knows that from the sea, water is evaporated and is made cloud and thrown all over the land. So why don't you do that? There is enough water.

Satsvarūpa: It's too big a job. They can't... It's too big a job.

Prabhupāda: Then what kind of scientists?

Satsvarūpa: They can do a tiny bit in a laboratory, make some water.

Prabhupāda: So still, we have to accept them scientist?

Satsvarūpa: Everyone is simply bluffed by their word jugglery and by whatever little bit they've done. They say, "We've done this. Now you must worship us." And people are indebted.

Prabhupāda: So we have to challenge them like that. And as soon as you challenge, "Yes, wait millions of years." That's all.

Satsvarūpa: They say, "Actually we are working on that, how to make rain."

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Satsvarūpa: They'll say, "Yes, actually we are working on that problem of making rain."

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Why shall I wait? Immediately necessary. You have no such power to evaporate the water and make into cloud and distribute. Very easily it is being done. Then why don't you accept somebody's doing that?

Satsvarūpa: If a scientist will accept there is God, then there is no harm in making scientific progress.

Prabhupāda: Then they will hear the words of God, Bhagavad-gītā. Then everything will be solved. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). Then he will hear. They will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and there will be rain.

Satsvarūpa: If we condemn everything they do, then they say, "All right, if you think we're nonsense, then don't use our printing press for your books."

Prabhupāda: No. You are nonsense, that is accepted, but do not think that because you have manufactured printing press, you have become God. That is our proposal. We give you credit. And we can also say that without your printing press, people were not dying. Formerly people were copying. Everyone's business was going on. There was no need of mass studying. Only the brāhmaṇas, they used to copy and they used to vibrate the knowledge. And those who were interested, they were hearing and getting the knowledge. So what was the harm? It is little facility that... The same logic: The dog is running, four legs, you are running by four wheels. That does not mean that the dog will die, you'll not die. You'll die also, and dog will die. So this four-wheel car will not help you ultimately. Ultimately you have to die.

Satsvarūpa: Because it is modern times, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can keep pace with all these things, but we don't need them. We can use this, but if we don't have it, then we don't need it.

Prabhupāda: We don't support it. Our business does not support. You can live without car, but you cannot live without rainfall. Why don't you take the important business? Make machine that the water from the sea can be drawn and saltless and distributed. Why don't you do that?

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: These sahajiyās will come out of so many devotees. What can be done? From my Guru Mahārāja's disciples, so many sahajiyās came. These are called sahajiyās. Very easily they capture thing. So my Guru Mahārāja used to say, "When my disciples will be sahajiyā, it will be more dangerous." He used to say like that. Take things very easily. You know that Puruṣottama, supposed to be my Godbrother?

Pṛthu-putra: No.

Prabhupāda: You don't know?

Pṛthu-putra: In Māyāpur?

Prabhupāda: In Vṛndāvana.

Pṛthu-putra: In Vṛndāvana. Ah, yes. Puruṣottama, yes.

Prabhupāda: He has poisoned this Nitāi.

Pṛthu-putra: Oh. Is it because we have the desire to come in contact with such persons that we contact them, like Nitāi contacting that Puruṣottama?

Prabhupāda: You may not desire, but if you are not strong, you'll be misled by these rascals. But if we follow this instruction, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, āra nā koriho mane āśā, oh, then you become strong. Then you remain strong. Our bhakti line is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). We should be completely zero of our material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). Śūnyam means zero. So our classes are not held here?

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In order to write down in the form of mathematical formulas or equations in quantum mechanics this—they call probability—the theory of probability or chance should be introduced. But Einstein was against that. That's what he's saying. It says, "The Heisenberg all-tranquilizing philosophy or religion is so delicately contrived that for the time being it provides a gentle pillow for the true believer from which he cannot very easily be aroused. So let him lie there." In other words, those who believe in chance... The main concept in quantum mechanics or quantum physics is mainly from this Heisenberg and Borg. They are well-known physicists. There is a chapter called "Copenhagen Interpretation." There was a great meeting in Copenhagen about this concept of quantum mechanics, and so they call it "Copenhagen Interpretation." And there the names which were..., this Heisenberg and Borg(?). And they were saying that "Yes, we must accept that there must be chance." So the argument was put forward by these people, but Einstein is against, to that idea. So he's saying that "Those who believe, let them lie there, because the philosophy made by these people serves as a very gentle pillow, very soft. So once people lie there, they cannot be very easily aroused." That's the idea. "But," he said, "that is not a fact."

Hari-śauri: That's like... He means it's an easy way out for them to say "chance."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. "Those who don't understand, those who want to be just satisfied with that concept, let them lie there for the time being. But," he said, "that is not a truth."

Prabhupāda: So why the scientists die?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Why scientists die?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why do not make some arrangement so they'll not die?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Well, they are making, today they are making an attempt. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Same thing. All the scientists, past, present—everyone is dying.

Morning Walk -- February 1, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is the beginning, submission. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). That is the beginning of bhakti-yoga. And if you remain just like the scissor man, then you'll never learn.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And once we bring this bhakti-yoga, we can prove very easily that the Supreme Being, must be a person.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We have some relations.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is speaking as person. (break)

Devotee (1): ...possibility that there is a soul and that there is a God. But when... I showed them a Fifth Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and they were reading about the structure of the universe in the Bhāgavatam, and this was completely opposite to all their experiments. So if this is actually a fact, then why can't it be proved experimentally that the Bhāgavatam statements on the origin of the universe and so on are correct?

Prabhupāda: It is correct. How they can prove it is incorrect?

Devotee (1): Well they say that by mathematics we can prove the position...

Prabhupāda: So we have got our mathematics also. (break) ...workers. In the beginning I was alone. Now we have got so many things. So we shall come out triumphant.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's Prabhupāda's mercy.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- February 1, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Because they are not yet advanced. Beyond the mind there is intelligence, and beyond the intelligence there is the soul.

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur

indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ

manasas tu parā buddhir

yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

(BG 3.42)

They have come up to the mind, but above the mind there is intelligence, and above intelligence there is soul. So we can understand this very easily because we accept Bhagavad-gītā. It is easy for us. And for others, they are going step by step. It is very difficult. But we can understand immediately.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. It's true that that theory that everything is material or everything beyond matter is false... (end)

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No. Our position is different. We are trying to implement Kṛṣṇa consciousness in everything. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally took sannyāsa. He rejected completely material. Niṣkiñcana. But we are not going to be niṣkiñcana. We are trying to cement the troubled position of the... That is also in the prescription of Bhagavad-gītā. We are not rejecting the whole society. Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected everything, ihā bāhya. Rejected meaning, "I do not take much interest in this." Bāhya. "It is external." He was simply interested in the internal, the spiritual. But our duty is that we shall arrange the external affairs also so nicely that one day they will come to the spiritual platform very easily, paving the way. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, personality like that, they have nothing to do with this material world. But we are preaching. We are preaching. Therefore we must pave the situation in such a way that gradually they will be promoted to the spiritual plane, which is not required.

Satsvarūpa: Varṇāśrama is not required.

Prabhupāda: Not required. Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied, "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not kṣatriya, I am not this, I am not this." He rejected. But in the Bhagavad-gītā, the cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). So we are Kṛṣṇa..., preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It must be done.

Hari-śauri: But in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's practical preaching He only induced them to chant.

Prabhupāda: That is not possible for ordinary man.

Hari-śauri: What, to simply induce people to chant?

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Nobody is interested with higher study. They want some technological understanding so that they can earn money. That's all. This is only interest.

Satsvarūpa: In our ISKCON, one becomes a brāhmaṇa after a year. It's not very hard. Everyone becomes a brāhmaṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is due to chanting. That lift very easily.

Hari-śauri: Where will we introduce the varṇāśrama system, then?

Prabhupāda: In our society, amongst our members.

Hari-śauri: But then if everybody's being raised to the brahminical platform...

Prabhupāda: Not everybody. Why you are misunderstanding? Varṇāśrama, not everybody brāhmaṇa.

Hari-śauri: No, but in our society practically everyone is being raised to that platform. So then one might ask what is...

Prabhupāda: That is... Everybody is being raised, but they're falling down.

Hari-śauri: So then we should make it more difficult to get...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: ...brahminical initiation. After four or five years.

Prabhupāda: Not necessary. You remain as a kṣatriya. You'll be ha...

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: He was misunderstood by Upendra before. He's a good man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's very good. He was not properly dealt with, that's all.

Prabhupāda: This boy is crazy, Upendra. He was having turban like Bhajan, that Sikh man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yogi Bhajan.

Prabhupāda: He becomes influenced by others very easily. Does not stick. Now there is no information of the wife and children.

Satsvarūpa: They're in Hawaii?

Prabhupāda: Last time saw in Vṛndāvana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She was very good girl, his wife.

Prabhupāda: Very good girl.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She joined in Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Now he is without wife, children, such irresponsible. That is also one of the complaints. That complaint is regular in your country. Nobody takes care of wife and children.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Oh, one of the big complaints is about sex life, no sex life, except for children. Oh, they don't like that. That is very much complained on their part. "Why you are forbidding sex life?"

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Not all. (laughter) Not all. The fortunate, those who are so fortunate, they are now opposing me. The Western people, they are now opposing this movement, so they are not fortunate. So everywhere there are fortunate and unfortunate. But mostly in this age they are unfortunate. Either in the Western countries or in this country, they are unfortunate mostly. They cannot understand. In India at least those who are not very educated, mass of people, they believe transmigration of the soul. They very easily believe it because culture is based on that, pūrva-janma paro janma. They believe that "If I act sinfully, then I'll have to suffer next life, and because I did not do properly, therefore I am suffering in this life." Still they believe. But the so-called educated people, they are trying to set aside this. They say, "Superstition." And the leaders say that "India, giving more stress on the soul, not on the body, India's position is so degraded." This is the leaders' opinion. Big, big leaders, they think. Therefore the so-called leaders or learned scholars, they write notes on Bhagavad-gītā, but they never give any idea of spiritual life. They utilize Bhagavad-gītā for material end. This is going on. Just like our big leader, Gandhi. He was supposed to be very strict follower of Bhagavad-gītā, and he has never instructed about spiritual life.

Nārāyaṇa: Satsvarūpa Mahārāja was telling a story on the way back from the Ganges that you had said that Gandhi, he was supposed to be mahātmā, but after he won victory, independence, by his activities, then they said, "Now you can stop meat-eating. You can stop cow slaughter throughout India." He says, "No, no. How can we do this? The Muhammadans, the Muslims, they are eating meat."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Nārāyaṇa: So what kind of rājarṣi is this? (break)

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Rādhā-vallabha: So I'll save it until I speak to you.

Prabhupāda: Not that because you are getting donation very easily and you spend it, squander it, like that, anything. No. That should not be.

Rādhā-vallabha: In the book on the... I'll wait till you finish your medicine.

Prabhupāda: So Jagannātha-sūta should be strictly advised not to become very learned to correct authorities. No.

Rādhā-vallabha: Jagannātha dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Jagannātha? He is Jagannātha-sūta or where he is?

Rādhā-vallabha: Jagannātha-sūta is Back to Godhead. Jagannātha dāsa is Sanskrit.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That's it. He should not be very learned.

Rādhā-vallabha: I think that instruction you gave will help him very much about even if he thinks there is some mistake, just forget about it.

Prabhupāda: He is mistake. He should not think his authority mistake.

Rādhā-vallabha: He didn't know what he should do. He didn't know...

Prabhupāda: So why he should be given this business? He's such irresponsible man. He should not be given any responsible work. Our first business should see how he is advanced in devotion. We don't want so-called scholars.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Echo mano jano mandanam arpane.(?) Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā. You can very easily do it. And neglect it simply by dog race, four-legged, four-wheel race. They have no knowledge. Anthill. I have given the name. Anthill? Yes. These big, big buildings, anthill. And these four-wheel cars, dog-race. What is the difference between the anthill and the skyscraper building?

Guest (1) (Indian man): More modern only.

Prabhupāda: The same thing. They are also living in the holes, and we have made some holes.

Bhavānanda: Even in Africa, we saw some anthills that were as big as skyscrapers.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Bhavānanda: Big, big.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Twenty foot.

Bhavānanda: Twenty-foot anthills.

Prabhupāda: If more men come, then I shall describe all this anthill civilization. "Health." Nonsense, what "health"? He'll be kicked out immediately.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. Svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā. One who keeps Kṛṣṇa always within the heart, wherever he goes, that is tīrtha. Everywhere Kṛṣṇa is there, but one who remembers, he is the yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). It is very simple. People will not be... Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. The human life is a boon... One can do this very easily. Māyā is so strong. Very easy thing. Even a child can do. Dehāntara vasthite siddhi.(?) Maintaining this body. All right. What is their business? How to maintain the... Huh? What is their aim in life? How to live comfortably. That's all. They do not know anything. So what is the Rādhā-Dāmodara arrangement?

Guru dāsa: There is no trouble there. I wanted to know if the Rādhā-Dāmodara file is in your almirah?

Prabhupāda: Which one?

Guru dāsa: The Vṛndāvana almirah? Akṣayānanda Swami thinks that it's in that almirah, the file?

Prabhupāda: What is the need of that?

Guru dāsa: Not needed, but...

Prabhupāda: All right. So I have arranged with the bank to pay.

Guru dāsa: Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: So kanika(?) is offering?

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

Prabhupāda: If possible we can start a center in Srinagar. If there is opportunity. Many foreigners come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Many foreigners come.

Prabhupāda: If we start a center there, it will be very nice. That will be also one of the items of tourist program.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can get Dr. Karan Singh's help very easily in Srinagar.

Prabhupāda: And Raja Sheik Abdullah has taken our Bhagavad-gītā, so we can invite him to talk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who?

Prabhupāda: Sheik Abdullah, the prime minister there, Kashmir.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is he a chief minister or prime minister?

Prabhupāda: Chief minister.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kashmir is part of India, a province. (pause) Then if you get your health back in May, that will be very nice. Regarding that tīrtha yatra, this going in the monsoon, it doesn't seem like a good time. June and July, those are not good months for touring India.

Prabhupāda: No, if we get good response, we can spend little more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe we should go with some kīrtana party. If we see there is a response, then we should...

Prabhupāda: If we, you get one kīrtana party if you like.

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

Mr. Rajda: But why the government is driving them out?

Prabhupāda: This, your so-called visa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They won't give us the proper visas so we can stay.

Prabhupāda: Just like I have got in America permanent residence. So why not give them permanent resident?

Mr. Rajda: Correct. But this problem could be settled very easily.

Prabhupāda: Kindly do that. At least...

Mr. Rajda: No, I didn't know. Just now I came to know. This... I can touch this...

Indian (1): That's why we want some concrete things from you.

Mr. Rajda: That's why...

Prabhupāda: That will be a great help immediately.

Mr. Rajda: That I'll do immediately. Now only... That's why I was just inquiring what concrete thing you would like to do.

Prabhupāda: Immediately kindly help me, that give at least one hundred men permanent residential permission. They are not politicians. They are not interested. They are devotee. Then I can manage this big, big establishment like Bombay, Vṛndāvana.

Mr. Rajda: Now tell me with your men written over all this(?). I will give you immediately.

Prabhupāda: Have you got that, made any list...?

Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: So this is Mr. Ram Jethmalani. He is the Member of Parliament representing this constituency. So he recently came from Detroit. He was teaching at the university there while this emergency was going on, and now he came back. So he mentioned his idea of helping the slum dwellers. So I have showed him that article, "One Hundred Million Harijanas Looking for a New Messiaḥ" and gave him a copy of the letter which Goswami Mahārāja wrote. In the meantime he was just busy with other functions. He didn't get a chance to go through it. He is very interested.

Prabhupāda: So we can uplift the position of the harijanas very easily, by this process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There is a song, Bengali song, vrajendra-nandana yei. You understand Bengali?

Ram Jethmalani: No.

Prabhupāda: Vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta haila sei, meaning that "Who was formerly Vrajendra-nandana, Kṛṣṇa, Nanda Mahārāja's son, the same person has now come as Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mother's name was Śacīdevī. Therefore He is introduced, "The same person who was formerly the son of Nanda Mahārāja has come again as the son of Śacīdevī." Balarāma haila nitāi. "And Balarāma has come as Nitāi." These two brothers, Gaura-Nitāi, They have now started this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. So what is the purpose of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement? So pāpī-tāpī yata chila, hari-nāma uddhārila. In the Kali-yuga, ninety-nine percent, they are sinful and suffering. Pāpī-tāpī. Pāpī means sinful, and tāpī means suffering. All of them, pāpī-tāpī yata chila, they are all delivered simply by this process of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Pāpī-tāpī yata chila, hari-nāma uddhārila. Then where is the evidence? Tāra sākṣī jagāi mādhāi. You are a lawyer, you want witness, evidence.

Ram Jethmalani: (laughing) You don't blame me.

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Bhakta means he must be a servant, sakha or father or conjugal lover. They are bhaktas. There are five rasas. So a bhakta is situated in one of them: śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya... That is Vṛndāvana atmosphere. So bhakta means either of them. Arjuna sākhye. By friendship Arjuna became perfect, by making Kṛṣṇa as friend. Hanumān dāsye. Vajrāṅgajī, Hanumān, he, by serving Lord Rāmacandra, the order... He was not even human being, animal, (indistinct), not very intelligent, but by giving service constantly, he worshiped with love. So as soon as you become a bhakta, you must be related with Kṛṣṇa with some rasa, in some particular position. That is bhakta. So the point is that without becoming a bhakta, nobody can understand bhakta. A politician cannot understand. They simply make their artificial attempt to understand. They'll never understand. It is locked. Just like a bottle of honey. I give you, "Here is a bottle of honey," and if you, "Oh, it is honey. Let me lick up the bottle," so will you get the taste? So similarly, they are licking up the bottle, not inside. Rahasyam uttamam. They have no information. They are licking up bottle: "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā." This is the position. For this reason our country has fallen so much. But it can be revived again. The things are already there. Bhagavad-gītā is there. Kṛṣṇa is there. The instruction is there. If you take it, then it will immediately change the face of the whole world, immediately, without difficulty. But we are so stubborn, doggish, that we don't. We manufacture. This is the... (Hindi) ...yesterday. We are standing against the stubborn, doggish mentality. We have got no difficulty, at the same time, very, very difficult task. No difficulty—if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, no difficulty. But you don't accept—there is great difficulty. In the foreign countries they are not stubborn, doggish. They accept what we say in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore these young men, they have very easily become devotees. (Hindi)

Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: "Let me remain Your servant janmani janmani." Mukti means no more janma. So He doesn't want even mukti. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi. For a devotee, either this life or next life, the business is the same, to serve Kṛṣṇa. So this verse, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma... (SB 5.5.4). People are mad after sense gratification in different ways, so Ṛṣabhadeva says, "No, no, no, this is not good. You have already obtained a material body as a result of your past karma, and you are suffering." Body means suffering. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). "So you have already got this body, and you are suffering. You are again trying to get another body?" Na sādhu manye: "This is not good." Our whole Vedic civilization is punar janma jayāya, to conquer over punar janma. And here Kṛṣṇa gives the very simple formula, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti (BG 4.9). If we simply understand what is Kṛṣṇa... And what is Kṛṣṇa, for that purpose, we are writing so many books. The scholars, they are appreciating. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is available very easily. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). But if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, then we have got so many books. You can read and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And when you understand kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), then your life is successful. And karmīs are warned, na sādhu manye: "This sense gratification is not good." Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). This karma means mṛtyu-saṁsāra, again and again. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change this body. You do not know what kind of body you are going to get. Therefore eight..., 8,400,000 different forms of body. Any one of them I can get. So if I lose the opportunity of human form of life and be engaged for some years, say, ten years, twenty years, fifty years, as very big man, and by my action, if I become a dog next life, then my life is spoiled. We should not spoil our life. We should fully utilize. And how to utilize fully, they are all given, direction, in the śāstra. Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary understanding, and if we understand Bhagavad-gītā, understand Kṛṣṇa at least little bit... That is the end of instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we have got faith that what Kṛṣṇa says is right... Sarva-dharmān parityajya. That is explained by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, that faith, śraddhā... Śraddhā he has explained.

Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: No. How do you know? If you do not know what is the meaning of mat-para, how you can say "seldom"? Do you know what is mat-para? Unless you know who is mat-para, how you can say like that? You have no knowledge. Mat-para means a simple thing, one who has fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is very seldom? There are so many. But you have decided, "seldom." Why seldom? Here you see so many young men, our association. They are fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. They do not know anything else than Kṛṣṇa. So why it is seldom? You won't take. That is your fault. Rather, they are coming to you. They are canvassing. But you are so stubborn, you'll not take it. That is your fault. They are canvassing door to door. Why do you say, "It is seldom"? It is very easily available. But you won't take. That is your fault. Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally came, and He canvassed door to door. He sent His men door to door. We are sending all over the world. But you do not come. Mat-para is not seldom. At least at the present moment, it has become very easily available. But you take. That is your fault. (break) Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). That is... Caitanya Mahāprabhu say. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni..., śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam, ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Ānandāmbudhi. Ambudhi means sea. You do not find that the sea is increasing. But this transcendental sea of blissful life increases. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Very simple thing. You take to śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam and see the result. Why you say it is seldom? It is very easy, but you won't take. Seldom we find the followers. Otherwise it is very cheap.

Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: He says, "How you can understand Me perfectly," samagram, "and," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt." So Kṛṣṇa is speaking about Him, which is without any doubt and without any difficulty, in fullness, but who is hearing Him? That is seldom. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa has become very easily available. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Even kṛṣṇa-prema. But we won't take. Is it seldom?

Indian man (1): Our fault.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes.

Indian man (1): Our fault.

Prabhupāda: It is our fault we won't take. A man has fallen in the blind well, and he's crying, "Save me! Save me!" and when somebody comes and gives him a rope—"You catch it. I shall lift you"—but he'll not touch it. Then who can save him? The rope is there, the man is there, and he is crying, but when we request that "You take it," he won't take. Aiye. So how he can be saved? And Kṛṣṇa said, mad-āśrayaḥ. But he'll not take mad-āśrayaḥ. He'll take āśraya of something else. This is the position. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. People are harassed to understand God, whether there is God or not God, who is God. When I first went to America, the theory was going that "God is dead." And what was the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was a newspaper...

Prabhupāda: Paper... Yes?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When Prabhupāda first did the first public kīrtana, they said that "We thought God is dead, but now we see that Swami Bhaktivedanta has made God alive again."

Prabhupāda: This was the first remark. Then, gradually, these boys joined. They were after God, but they were given to understand that "God is dead. Now you take LSD." So the... God is speaking:

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

Prabhupāda: If by Kṛṣṇa's desire I survive, then we shall see later on. Otherwise...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One thing I feel is that if a lot of these devotees, good devotees, come, that seeing them will also... I mean, there's no doubt, if Kṛṣṇa wants you to survive, that there's lots of good work that can still be done. That's for sure. So much, of course, has... Everything you've given us is complete, but if Kṛṣṇa likes, then still more could be done. And I think that seeing these devotees will be enthusing. You said, everything depends on utsāha, enthusiasm. So enthusiasm for living also depends on nice association of nice devotees. So if these devotees come, you may feel enthusiastic. Maybe encouragement. 'Cause they're not going to accept very easily that you should not be present.

Prabhupāda: I think this cooler keeps the whole block...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it does. It does. I keep the wooden doors separating your room and my office open, and my room is quite cool. Only a curtain is there. Air blows through.

Prabhupāda: So let it go on like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually—of course you don't want it—but if that other one is also turned on the whole bottom floor will be very cool. And the kus(?), when they put that in—all these windows will have kus—then you will not know that you are in summer season. In fact, you won't even want to go upstairs at night. It'll be so cool down here. Of course, upstairs is good because open air.

Prabhupāda: The nail cutter, can you...? You know how to cut?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know how to use the tool that you use. The kind I use is a different thing.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it clips, and I think you use a knife of some kind.

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

Prabhupāda: This is our thesis.

Jayapatākā: And educated young people, they're very... They're very susceptible to being devotees. When we traveled in one city, two people joined with us and traveled with us and said they'll be shaved and everything. Very easily they give up. Even when I returned in Māyāpur about five or six new young men had joined. In the twenty days I was gone Bhavānanda Mahārāja had enlisted about five or six men and about fifteen gurukula students and two families. And they were all very enthusiastic. They want to go and preach also. Things are improving.

Prabhupāda: So building work is finished?

Jayapatākā: They're just finishing the top waterproofing, jalja(?). They're building that now. That'll be finished in fifteen days.

Prabhupāda: Others things are going on.

Jayapatākā: Other things are going on.

Bhavānanda: Painting. Painting, finishing painting work is going on, first floor.

Jayapatākā: Painting is going on. Now we just have to furnish the rooms. Then guests can stay. The rooms are still unfurnished. This weekend it was packed, filled with guests, our big guesthouse. One Tara minibus came and filled, garden building. People only come to Māyāpur to see our temple. They don't go to see any other temple.

Prabhupāda: What they'll see there? (laughter) How Saman(?) Mahārāja is managing?

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Janme janme prabhu sei. Spiritual master who has opened the eyes, he is, spiritual master, the life of the disciple. Do not... He cannot be envied. Janme janme prabhu sei. Life of the disciple. Cakhu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei. Nobody can repay the indebtedness of spiritual master, even by getting a duration of life like Brahmā. There is a verse in Śrīmad... Brahma... Brahma-saṁ... Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, there is a verse. Sei... Sei guru. All right.

Yaśodānandana: "The Lord has suggested, therefore, that by the influence..." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Find out throughout the whole world if they can give up these bad habits by adopting any other means. But one who has taken to the bhakti-yoga, they have given up very easily. Is it not?

Hari-śauri: Yeah, immediately.

Prabhupāda: Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Nobody dies without illicit sex or intoxication. Anartha, unnecessarily they are habituated. There is no need, but by bad association you have practiced this, habituated, cannot be given up. LSD. Government spends so much, millions of dollars, that "These hippies may give up." Not successful. See practically. And as soon as they come to our camp, they give up. Is it not?

Jayapatākā: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣāt. In every step anartha. This material life means anartha. There is no need, but anādi karama phale. Due to our karma we are put into this unfavorable condition, and it is very difficult to come out of it. But if you take to bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, immediately... Who is taking, without any force... How practical it is. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje.

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is going on. Knowingly they are drinking poison, and we are trying to save them. Very difficult task. Jāniyā śuni... This Narottama dāsa's song, a very practical and very easily applica... Jāniyā śuniyā... Nobody drinks poison knowingly, but these people, we are all drinking poison knowingly. They're refusing to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So little difficult but very responsible task. So at least bring five hundred students. Then it will be very nice, gradually. Respectable gentleman, big, big man, at least these big, big merchants, their student doesn't... Just like Birla family, other big, big... If they require some technologists, they can hire. There are so many tech... Technologist means śūdra. And actually they are doing that. They do not train their own sons to become technologist. They pay for that, the śūdras, as servants are... The Englishmen used to say these men, craft and technolo..., "educated laborer." They are laborer and little educated. There are uneducated laborer, just like carpenter. He doesn't require any education. If he knows how to rub on... What is called, that? That instrument? He doesn't require to become M.A., Ph.D. All these laborers are working so nicely. So why they should spend, waste their time in going to school and college? From the very be... As soon as he's ten years old only, let him learn practically how to weave cloth, how to become carpenter, how become other craftsman. And in due course of time he can earn his... How to cultivate land... Why so many big, big universities for inviting everyone? There is no need. Educated means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Brāhmaṇa will give real knowledge, and kṣatriyas will govern. For vaiśyas and śūdras, there is no... It is waste of time. Formerly it was done so. The vaiśyas, they have got a son, goes to a shopkeeper: "Please here let my son work with you. He doesn't want any salary." So he gets engagement. Then, by seeing, seeing, he becomes little important. And the proprietor gives him some hand expense. And then, one day, he becomes very expert. He starts his own business. That was the system. Why he should go and waste time for education? A boy is given to a carpenter. He learns very easily. A weaver, he learns very easily. A shopkeeper, grocer, he learns very easily. That is education. Why he should waste time for academic education and create unemployment? So long he's not educated, he has got enough employment. Still they take in the morning, say, half a mound of ḍāl and goes home to home: (Hindi) So by saying, after mound of ḍāl, he makes up these two, three rupees' profit. That's all. Where is unemployment?

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Myer: He wants every village like that, to be...

Prabhupāda: That can be done very easily. It can be done very easily, provided government wants. And we can help. We have to follow simply the Bhagavad-gītā. That's all. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not follow. They manufacture their own interpretation. That is the difficulty. Otherwise the Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of happy life and entrance, matriculation, and then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, graduate, and then Caitanya-caritāmṛta, postgraduate. We are therefore presenting three books. So if we follow, our life is successful. But you don't follow. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā is so strong that untruthful things, we take it as truthful. Just like the modern scientists. These rascals, he could not, they cannot, they will never be able to produce life. Still, they are busy: "Yes, we will do. We shall do." The whole world is full of rascals. What they cannot do, what they could not do, what they'll never be able to do... Still, they will persist. This is the difficulty. They have never gone to moon planet, their aeroplane. They cannot go anywhere. You have got plane. They are conditioned. And they are thinking, "We are free." Just like an animal is bound up in a place, and he's going round, here and here. He's thinking the world is round. The world is round. He does not accept that "I am conditioned." They have got now aeroplane, jet plane and so many. Go anywhere. They cannot go. Still, they are proud: "We have measured." This dog's obstinacy of this modern world has killed the whole civilization.

Mr. Myer: This is what Prime Minister's saying, that in India we have more unemployed people although we are attracted to machines. And if we go back to villages and...

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

Prabhupāda: Eighty, eighty-two.

Mr. Myer: Now is a very good time for ISKCON because this new government, all their policies is what ISKCON is already doing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let us see actually if it is good.

Prabhupāda: No, it can be successful, provided they do it nicely. It can be successful very easily, especially in India. That one line of Bhagavad-gītā, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). We have to take this. Satyaṁ śamo damas... There is cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma... (BG 4.13). If they follow this program, everything will be... The face of the world will... Everything. Annād bhavanti parjanyaḥ. Eh? Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Eh? Parjanyād...

Akṣayānanda: Yajñād bhavati sam...

Prabhupāda: Ah, yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14). Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). All prescription of material life, spiritual life, social life, political life, religious life, artistic life—Bhagavad-gītā is full of knowledge. At least in India there must be an institution that is strictly following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. This is my institution. We don't want anything more, other help. We simply request them that "Give some of our men permanent residentship. We shall guide it(?)." That they'll institute...(?) What help... What is the harm? Have we got...

Mr. Myer: It is abominable. If they help ISKCON, then there are all the churches in India. They'll want to plead...

Prabhupāda: Then it is not helping ISKCON.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think any village will receive us nicely now. They'll think that we're...

Prabhupāda: No. It will be in our favor.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In the long run.

Prabhupāda: No. Very easily.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very what, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Very soon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means the truth will come out.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You think the Central Government will take action?

Prabhupāda: I think.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you think that we should approach them, or will they do it on their own?

Prabhupāda: No. It is already gone there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The Chief Minister has sent...

Prabhupāda: Chief Minister, before catching him as thief, he has submitted that "I am not a thief." Before catching him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was thinking that. "I'm not stealing." Someone's in the house.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he wants to organize a center there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he was thinking of organizing business.

Prabhupāda: Then Bombay is better place than Bangalore.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He admits it's a better place. No, he can be encouraged very easily to go to Bombay. I mean, generally, throughout our Society, I don't think the trend of the gṛhasthas is to move away from temples and live independently. If they live independently from the temple, it's in close...

Prabhupāda: No, no. There is chance, I said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: The karmīs' association is very contaminous. Asat-saṅgī. So for him the best thing will be to take a room in Bombay. Let him do business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm sure now that... I'll convey all...

Prabhupāda: Gṛhastha should not be dependent on Society. At the same time, he should not be independent of the Society. (laughs) This is the position. Because Society cannot take charge of a family. There will be so many number of families. How it is possible? At the same time, if they remain independently of the Society, without touch, then the karmīs' poison will infect.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. They have got a sentiment of Hinduism. So with their cooperation, a little foreign exchange, you can establish a stronghold there. It will be a grat service. So how much foreign exchange will be required, minimum, to establish a stronghold there?

Prabhaviṣṇu: Actually they have a regulation that when foreigners come into the country they all have to change at least 150 dollars a month per person.

Prabhupāda: So that we can spare very easily.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many men you want to go with you?

Prabhaviṣṇu: To begin with, about four or five devotees.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All foreigners?

Prabhaviṣṇu: No. Four foreigners, and there's one Nepali boy I'd like to take also.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So six hundred dollars a month. Hundred and fifty dollars times four.

Prabhupāda: That we can spare. Arrange for that, and make a stronghold there with the cooperation of government officials. I'll pay six hundred dollars. You'll get. I'll pay or anyone. I have got some money in London, also in America. So you have some bank account, and I shall advise Lloyd's Bank will send.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They might like that. He's British, and the money will come from England.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) (break) ...water for drinking?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Upendra Prabhu? Is there a drink for Prabhupāda?

Hari-śauri: Mung jal is ready.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's ready. Yes, we prepared mung water. Praṇava's wife, she was cooking with Kulādri today. She prepared two things, mung jal and the water from spinach. So that's supposed to be very good also. Would you like to try? Praṇava said that the feature of the spinach water is that it's very good for strength and very easily digestible. That's what he said. You might like to try something of both.

Prabhupāda: There is fresh milk? Half water, half milk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right now would you like to have some mung water?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mung water. And spinach water?

Prabhupāda: Little, little.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. And milk we'll keep ready for whenever you want. We have some milk?

Bhagatji: Any cow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Black cow.

Bhagatji: We will keep one cow ready

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: You mean like a community, spiritual community like Kīrtanānanda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, that would be very good there because it's also a very ideal climate. Everything grows there very easily because there's plenty of rain, fertile soil, and there's only one city—that's Colombo. And it's a very small city. People are all agriculturalists. The government is also giving land free to encourage agriculture. Simply that it has to be cleared. It's jungle land; it has to be cleared. Shall we try for something like that?

Prabhupāda: What you can do it easily...

Haṁsadūta: Do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This Dr. Kovoor affair has given you some position.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: As an atheist... He's an atheist.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: His position is lost.

Haṁsadūta: Yes. It's quite lost. Everyone has been enlightened about his flimsy position.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda likes matta? Whey?

Abhirāma: Whey is good?

Dr. Kapoor: But does Prabhupāda like it?

Abhirāma: It can be used to mix these. We can use it instead of water?

Doctor: Rather, it is a protein food, protein without fat. (Bengali) Matta(?) means when you serve the milk, milk or curd, you get whey. And that whey will be very easily digested. It will prevent the gases also and will be a supplement of protein.

Dr. Kapoor: Give in a small quantity first.

Doctor: Small. See what is the response, how does he like it.

Prabhupāda: Deity prasādam.

Bali-mardana: Yes, it's right here, Prabhupāda.

Upendra: Your wife has come? Your wife is here?

Dr. Kapoor: You follow that now?

Upendra: It's the doctor's handwriting.

Dr. Kapoor: Three syrups on the first page. One tablespoon...

Doctor: Santivini. S-a-n-t-i-v-i-n-i. Santivini syrup. A tablespoonful two times after drink.

Dr. Kapoor: Each of these syrups is after meals twice a day.

Upendra: And the other one is?

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I... One thing I can do. Since Arundhatī will be typing, I can sit here with the dictaphone rather than tape recorder. Then she can do just as she always did, typing off the dictaphone.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that all right? And if you want, that way we can play back also very easily.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll sit here personally whenever you do this and take it on the dictaphone.

Prabhupāda: You all think, and as you..., I'll hear and do the needful. Anyway, it will be discussion on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja was also in an invalid state when he completed Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He expressed throughout the book that sometimes it was very difficult, but on account of the Vaiṣṇavas' great desire to hear the glories of the Lord, he continued his work.

Ādi-keśava: And you compared yourself to him, also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kavi. Your Godbrothers always called you Kavi.

Kīrtanānanda: Kavirāja. Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Let us try. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhagavān: That Dr. Kapoor got up after Svarūpa Dāmodara's speech today and he said that actually it was very nice that Svarūpa Dāmodara had organized this program, but actually it was not necessary, because the whole problem can be solved very easily when we understand there is no such thing as matter. He was preaching the philosophy that this material world is false. He was getting up there and saying that actually this table does not exist. (laughs) Nothing actually exists. He said the table is made of molecules, and the molecules are invisible. Therefore the table is also invisible.

Abhirāma: What was the scientists' reaction to that?

Bhagavān: He just spoke right before the thing closed. Svarūpa Dāmodara tried to point out how there is a difference between matter and spirit in that one can definitely see the difference between a living body and a dead body. But he didn't actually go in too much detail to defeat his arguments. But I was very surprised that he would come up with such a Māyāvādī statement, that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā philosophy. There are not so many scientists there today, maybe twenty. (kīrtana) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...let me pass. (pause)

Hari-śauri: If you're here with us, then that's all we need. Then we can go out and do anything.

Prabhupāda: Tomorrow shall I take the risk of taking little milk?

Hari-śauri: Generally when you take milk it causes lot of difficulty with mucus. This sweet lime juice, that seems to be doing some good, though. Perhaps it might be better not to take the milk for a little while until your system becomes more healthy.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So actually the kavirāja says that the actual cure is simply to drink liquids. In Bombay you were drinking about 600 cc's of liquid a day. It wasn't very difficult. Say, at about four or five times in a day you'd drink about a half a cup of liquid. That's all it took. It wasn't difficult, and it all came out very easily as urine. Because you had that operation performed, there's no blockage. Simply we have to sit you up four or five times, which you're doing anyway in a day, drink a little liquid, and then you can lay down. And automatically it will come out as urine. And because you have liquid, it will clean out the poisons. If you take no liquid, then it's very dangerous. You don't have to eat anything.

Prabhupāda: I can.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can just drink.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good. So, can I see that book? So about in a half hour we can give you some juice maybe? Grape juice? Do you like grape juice?

Prabhupāda: Whatever you give me, I will take.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. We'll just talk amongst ourselves and decide what you should take.

Prabhupāda: But don't give much.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Falling down. Try pass urine. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The urine is getting a little darker, Śrīla Prabhupāda, again. In the last ten and a half hours you've only taken 150 cc's of any kind of drink. If you drink a lot, often, then the urine will become clear because the disease will get flushed out, plus your body will absorb some strength and you'll get the... You won't fall down. You'll get the determination to become better. The determination and strength won't come simply by laying there. It'll come as you drink more and as the disease goes away. I mean I can very easily say, "Don't make the effort. Let Kṛṣṇa do with you what..." But I think Kṛṣṇa is doing.

Prabhupāda:. What was the quantity or urine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What was quantity of the urine? About 50, I think. About 50 cc's. I'm all in favor of you increasing your drinking and eating. I know it may be a little difficult. It may be a little difficult, but that's the proper way to get better.

Bhavānanda: Yesterday you took over 600.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Seven hundred.

Bhavānanda: And this morning at 5:30 your urine was practically all clear.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we had never made a copy. So I think the easiest thing would be to give Jayapatākā Mahārāja a letter of authority. He'll get the agreement, and even right in the bank or else at the temple in Calcutta he can make a copy and send us a copy and redeposit the original with the bank. And that's one point. Then another point is that the land on which the building was erected doesn't actually belong to Mr. Patodiya. It belonged to a Bengali gentleman, and in fact it's not owned by Mr. Patodiya. It's leased for ninety-nine years, of which eighty-five years still remain. So this conveyance more or less... It appears that every guarantee is only given for the duration of that lease—another eighty-five years. So the obvious question is what happens after that eighty-five years? Of course, a lawyer, a solicitor, can tell us this very easily, but I'm thinking that it might be helpful that when Jayapatākā is sending us the copy of the sale agreement he may also get a copy for Mr. Patodiya of that lease agreement which Mr. Patodiya has with the Bengali gentleman, so that we can see what the position is after eighty-five years. Girirāja and I were studying it pretty closely. So what we're going to probably do is we'll give the copy of the conveyance draft to one of our life member lawyers, friends in Delhi, and in the meantime, while he's looking at it, we'll get the necessary documents from Calcutta. Then we'll settle it up. Not difficult.

Prabhupāda: There are other? Other occupants?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There are other occupants? I don't follow your question, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: As we have taken...

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I could not follow what he said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says... He found out that the Bombay temple owed the BBT seventy thousand rupees. So he says when he heard that you had decided that you wanted to live and not leave us, he got very encouraged and inspired. So he decided on his own that he wanted to pay back this money to the BBT for you. He says, "I have been encouraging all the preachers here at ISKCON Bombay to go out and collect the money to pay off this debt to the BBT. Śrīla Prabhupāda has made all this arrangement very easily because of his encouragement to us. Even devotees who have engagements where they are not likely to make a life member are making life members very easily and are collecting money. And even persons not expected to become members are now becoming members. This is all due to the desire in the hearts of the preachers here in Bombay to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda. And by the grace of Śrīla Prabhupāda, everything is coming very smoothly. This is confirmed in our hearts that without Śrīla Prabhupāda, we cannot do any single work in this movement. Śrīla Prabhupāda gives us encouragement just to kindly agree to stay with us. So yesterday, on Daśarātrī, we collected over 21,000 rupees and made ten members." (Prabhupāda laughs) He says, "We cannot express in English what we are feeling in our hearts, but we are all very encouraged to go out and collect for Śrīla Prabhupāda and expand his life membership program, and we are all very thankful that Śrīla Prabhupāda has been merciful and..." (break)

Trivikrama: By your mercy.

Prabhupāda: No. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavat... Any devotee can become. That letter, mayor's letter also, it carries weight. What is his name?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ganatra? That telegram he sent?

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayādvaita: And you brought us to Vṛndāvana, richest place.

Pañca-draviḍa: Full of desire trees and jewels.

Prabhupāda: You can provide five hundred students very easily.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Such a nice building. Who would not like to go to school here in Vṛndāvana? Nice, pure atmosphere. (break) (Bengali)

Śatadhanya: ...Vrindavan, he's going to Delhi. From Delhi he'll go to Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh, Vrindavan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Vrindavan De: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: Where is the money? (Bengali) We cannot put fire in the flesh. (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Upendra, you should get Prabhupāda ready, because the parikrama's ready. (break)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Little swelling around the...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The medicine can be given for ten or twelve days and everything will go exactly according to some plan. This was my point from the beginning. It's not a very difficult thing. The kavirāja probably can adjust very easily to stop stool from passing. Naturally, if you stop the medicine, maybe the stool will stop, but that doesn't actually solve the problem. That doesn't cure the disease. The disease is not that you're passing stool. That's a side effect of, perhaps, the medicine or maybe something you're eating. The medicine is required for getting better, but now, if the medicine causes you to pass stool, if that's actually the reason, then it has to be adjusted.

Śatadhanya: Just a couple of days ago, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were constipated, and you were thinking that it was necessary to take an enema.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But stool-passing this many times is not right either. Passing stool five, six times, that is not right. It's obvious that it's a result of something. It's either the medicine or the diet. Prabhupāda says it's the medicine, just like last time when he took that makara-dhvaja, and he was right. It was the medicine. (break) ...the best thing to do. There may be some good effect by taking the medicine in addition to the causing you to pass stool. So if by giving you some other small medicine at the same time, you can still take this medicine and you don't pass stool, then that's the best thing. This only a kavirāja knows. I don't know this. I have no idea. Maybe we should take the help of that... This doesn't seem like a very difficult thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Passing stool is something that any kavirāja should be able to treat, and maybe for this small thing we should call that assistant who was here yesterday. That's why that kavirāja from Calcutta arranged for there to be an assistant here, in case... In other words he came and diagnosed the disease, and he made a very complicated thing, medicine that an expert had to make. And for the fact that there might be some side effect, that you may not sleep properly or you might be passing stool, something of this kind, he found out one assistant for the purpose of helping in these cases. So why not carry through with that and take the help of this assistant, see what he says? This is a common ailment that people have, diarrhea or passing stool too often, loose bowels. That's not a very major problem.

Prabhupāda: No, you have to stop.