Very easy (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"very easier" |"very easy" |"very much easy"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "very easy" or "very easier" or "very much easy" not "not very easy"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, why they should not try to be rich? If the rich man exploits them, that "You work in our land and take some salary," why they will work for that? They will go to the factory, will get more salary. This way Indira Gandhi cannot solve the poverty problem. They must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like these soldiers, they for twenty years, simply eating and sleeping, and they are not engaged in cultivating-useless waste of time—and government has to maintain in big cantonment, big, big house, big, nice food, nice.... This is going on. Why the soldiers are maintained? It is waste of energy. They should have been engaged in tilling. Formerly the kings would give them free land. "You make your fortune—but on condition: when there is fight, you have to join." That was very easy. He possessed so much land, and he worked hard, and he got riches. Unless.... "Proprietorship turns sand into gold." Unless there is proprietorship, it cannot be. So therefore kṣatriyas, they were given land: "You take land as much as you like and produce but on condition that when there is war you have to join."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Europe that was the system also.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere that was the system. That is called.... What is called?

Harikesa: Feudalism?

Prabhupāda: Feudalism, yes. What is this nonsense, maintaining so many idle men without any profit? Very, very bad system. And nowadays especially, when there is atomic energy, what is the value of the soldiers?

Harikesa: We need the soldiers to start.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Morning Walk -- March 7, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Everything begins from Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ sarvam pravartate. Where is your other friend? Oh, here he is!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śiva-jvara.

Prabhupāda: All right. (break) "Jaya Prabhupāda. Haribol." (laughs) They'll not touch unless I give, and they are satisfied, even one grain. That is... They don't want more, that "Give me more." No. But constantly. (break) Make folded hand. Yes. Sometimes he'll press like that, eh, to show me that I am dying. They make quick friends with old men. (break) ...a few katias(?), that is very easy. You assort the katias. You go and place, daytime. And nightime, take a katia and spread anywhere, and you can see. Indian system.

Jayapatāka: Cots.

Prabhupāda: Cot. Mass of cot.

Jayapatāka: With rope.

Prabhupāda: With rope. That's all. Small. You can keep fifty, sixty. So keep it in one place. And at night take one, and anywhere you can sleep. Very easy. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Children: Jaya Prabhupāda!

Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Oh, Garga, garga means "big jug," and "money," full of money. Big jug full of coins. Formerly they used to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Keep.

Prabhupāda: Not.... Cheat the government. There was no income tax, but still they used to keep in big, big jugs all gold coins and put into the..., underneath the ground. Nobody could understand where is the money. Very easy thing.

Pañcadravida: Hoarders.

Prabhupāda: And he did not disclose at the time of death; then it remained. And then, after some years, somebody digging, he got.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a nice example given in Nectar of Devotion about the digging for a treasure.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. (break) ...shenai on the gate, that is nice. Jayapatāka?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatāka.

Jayapatāka: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: They should play shenai on the gate, and here kīrtana will go on, not that kīrtana will be stopped to hear their dundubhi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shenai is not a replacement for kīrtana.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: The attitude, devotion, is there. Otherwise why one should come to our camp? But it must be properly utilized. It should not be misused. If you go to school and if you don't read books, you'll fail in the examination.

Guru dāsa: But the attitude of devotion should be there every moment, so everything...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guru dāsa: ...is very meaningful. Everything is a big thing. When we go out we should realize we're doing it for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is said, man-manā. Think of Kṛṣṇa; He'll guide you. Very easy thing. Man-manā. Always think of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no question of falling down. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These four things, if strictly done, he is safe. He is safe. Always think of Kṛṣṇa, become His devotee, offer Him obeisances and.... Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī, and worship Him. This is Deity worship. That will engage in always in thinking, in offering obeisances. And if we strictly follow only these, these four principles, mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te: "You are coming back to Me without any doubt." But instead of thinking Kṛṣṇa, we are thinking something else, planning something, misusing independence.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhīmasena, I was speaking to him two days ago. He says that he'll turn over that temple to us. He wants to meet you, so I'm going to call him to come and see you.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Nice.

Guru dāsa: It has trees on it, some. It's a little bit more than an acre, and the buildings are not very big.

Prabhupāda: They can be repaired.

Guru dāsa: Yes. It would be very easy to add on or construct or do whatever you want. And it's, I'd say about five to seven minutes walking.

Prabhupāda: Not far away.

Guru dāsa: Not far.

Prabhupāda: You can have a garage here? So we can see?

Saurabha: Yes, you can walk on the side.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Dr. Patel: Yesterday I studied Sixth Chapter of Prahlāda Mahārāja, and...

Prabhupāda: Oh. Prahlāda Mahārāja's...

Dr. Patel: From Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. This morning only I read about this thing.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Difficult may be.

Brian Singer: ...where does originally the soul come from?

Prabhupāda: In the beginning arithmetic, mathematic, to a child it is difficult. And "One plus two equal to three, two plus two equal to four," in the beginning it may be difficult for a child, but the subject matter is very easy.

Brian Singer: How does a soul...

Prabhupāda: The child can understand, "Now, two finger and two finger, it becomes four finger." In this way we have to learn it. Therefore there are so many books. It is for the human being to learn. But if we simply remain civilized like cats and dog, then what is your advancement of civilization? There is no advancement. If you sit on this chair, and the others, they are sitting on the floor, sitting purpose is served. But if you say, "Sitting on the chair is civilized, and that is uncivilized," that is mental concoction. You have to serve your purpose. If by sitting on the floor you can understand what you are, that is civilization. And without understanding yourself, if you waste your time for manufacturing a chair, that is cats' and dogs' civilization. So that is going on. They are busy in manufacturing chairs, how to sit comfortably, without any knowledge that what is the value of life and what is life. This is going on. They are thinking that constructing big, big skyscraper building and motorcars and high roads and so many, so many, unnecessary things, that is advancement of civilization. No. Advancement of civilization is there when you know what you are. That is advancement of.... You can.... There is no prohibition. The materialistic way of civilization, constructing big, big house, there is no.... You don't stop it, but if you forget yourself—you do not know what you are—then it is wasting time because the human life is specially meant for understanding "What I am?" The cats and dogs, they cannot do. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to enlighten people actually what he is, what is the aim of life and how his life will be successful, how at the present moment he is living, how he is spoiling his valuable life. These are the subject matter dealt in these books.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I personally, I don't think that even Americans or Westerners would have accepted even your teachings as clear as they are without having your personal association and seeing your example. I think people would have thought that it's totally impossible to do such a thing.

Hari-śauri: It would have remained theoretical. But because you came and showed practical example, then everything has become very easy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Āpani ācārī prabhu jīvera śikṣāya. That is the way of teaching. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I've read some of your old Back to Godhead magazines, and actually you've been saying the same thing all along, with the same force also. Some of your critiques of Dr. Radhakrishna's Bhagavad-gītā and modern science...

Prabhupāda: You have read?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: "Scholars Deluded."

Hari-śauri: Sometimes the devotees say that "Now Prabhupāda is preaching much more strongly than ever before." But then, when we read the old Back to Godheads, it's exactly the same.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even if we read the First Canto of Bhāgavatam... You translated that in India before you came. It's so powerful. (end)

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...come Sunday easily. Charge them.... You know like in Los Angeles, we used to charge a dollar a...

Prabhupāda: The loan will be clear very soon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. They have a.... They are very expert at financing now, these, the men who are in charge now. They're claiming that within two or three months all of the debt will be completely cleared. They have a plan, very easy.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) He is the right person.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And the restaurant is very successful. Also they have not advertised that, but every day about fifty people come for the lunch, and at least another seventy, eighty people come in the evening for dinner. For a full meal each person pays an average about $2.50.

Prabhupāda: That's cheap.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All you can eat for two dollars...

Prabhupāda: And for public it is very cheap.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very inexpensive. And if they advertise it, they won't be able to handle all the people who come. It's such a central location.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is very easy. If you increase the number of your devotees, government hears you(?). That is not very difficult thing. Simply you have to increase our supporters; then the government is there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, although the actual number of initiated devotees is still few, there is a growing, ever-growing number of sympathizers.

Prabhupāda: Supporters, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tremendous number, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So you make good supporter, then government is yours.

Rāmeśvara: Then it's all based on selling your books more and more.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: That is the principal way to increase our supporters and thus deliver the whole world.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When people ask me, "How many members do you have, how many people?" I don't answer any more "Five thousand," or something like that. Now I tell them many millions. Because the thing is when they ask, when you ask someone how many Christians are there in America, of such and such sect, they don't mean priests, they mean also the people who are coming.

Rāmeśvara: Congregation.

Prabhupāda: Congregation.

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

Prabhupāda: Or they should be separated. Otherwise, it will be bad example, and all restrictions will be broken.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If they don't change their mentality, then they should live separately, do their own society.

Prabhupāda: And they'll do that. (japa) That sahajiyā tendency is very easy to take up.

Hari-śauri: It seems like it's an inherent thing in...

Prabhupāda: Thinking of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā, that is in liberated stage, not in the conditioned stage.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I could never understand, Śrīla Prabhupāda, why, I was always wondering why in all of your books you're always blasting so much time on the sahajiyās, and I was not.... Now I see why, because the tendency is so easy. I could never, I'd always think, "Why is Prabhupāda saying so much? Because they're only in India."

Rāmeśvara: He's thinking that this is a small group.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, in India, but now I see it's an easy mentality for anyone's mind that can be adopted. That's why Prabhupāda was stressing.

Rāmeśvara: And as our movement gets more and more members, there will be more and more people who will be exhibiting this sahajiyā tendency.

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

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa's representative means the representative says the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa says "Surrender unto Me," and the representative says "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." And because he delivers the real knowledge, he's as good as Kṛṣṇa. Therefore sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. The spiritual master may appear to be just like a common man, but he is to be respected as God, because he delivers the real message of God. That is the qualification of spiritual master. He does not manufacture anything. That is very easy. If I carry your message and educate people in that way, then there is no difficulty for me. Everything is there. Why shall I go to manufacture something imperfect? The perfect thing is already there. Simply I have to carry. A post peon—the money order is there, he has to simply carry and deliver to the person. And if he gets at time of need, he thanks the peon, "Oh, you have saved my life." It is like that. The message is already there. You have to simply deliver to the suffering humanity. Then he'll be relieved. And because he delivers the real reality, therefore he's worshiped as God. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Ācāryaṁ māṁ hi vijānīyāt. Kṛṣṇa also says ācārya is..., "I am ācārya." Because when there is, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69).

Hṛdayānanda: Read it?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

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

Prabhupāda: No, chances are very little, and chance is immediate. Ordinarily, the chance is very little, but if you accept what God says, immediately... Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated,

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

So by regular process, it will take many, many births, bahūnāṁ janmanām. When he is actually jñānavān, then he surrenders to God, and he understands vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Everything is Vasudeva." Sa mahātmā sudur... So if we are intelligent, we can take this verse seriously, that "Although it is very difficult to understand Vasudeva"—it takes many, many births to understand this fact—"but if one has to come to this point, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), why not do it immediately?" That is intelligence. So if we surrender to God immediately, the thing is very easy; it is a task of one minute only. But if you don't do that, then it is difficult. Go on, birth after birth, birth after birth.

Arnold Weiss: Why... I understand that. It seems very acceptable in an intuitive sense, but then the mind sort of questions some of these things.

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: To see that the original teachings that Prabhupāda has given are not in any way changed.

Interviewer: Well, nothing more? Then ah, thank you, and I wish you well in your travels.

Rāmeśvara: We have given him many books to read and magazines, so he's already preparing the article from that material we have given him.

Prabhupāda: For a common man it is little difficult, but it is very easy. We are talking of the spiritual platform, but common man does not understand what is spiritual, although it is very easy. My body, your body, is moving on account of spiritual spark. That's a fact; everyone can see. As soon as the spiritual spark, soul, is off, the body, it is simply lump of matter. That is a fact; everyone can see. But still they are not serious to understand what is that spiritual spark. There is no education. Mostly they are thinking there is no spiritual spark, the body is moving.... How it is moving? What is their explanation?

Rāmeśvara: Chemical combination and reaction.

Prabhupāda: But that, they cannot do it. They cannot make any dull matter moving by chemical combination. Although they cannot do it, still they talk of it. That is another foolishness. We say that you.... Egg, everyone can see some white matter, some yellow matter, and some covering, plasticlike. So a chemical, mostly chemicals are white. So combine the chemicals and make white and cover it with plastic and give it to the incubator. Why the chicken is not coming? Hm? And why they talk nonsense that it is a chemical combination? They cannot experiment it, neither they can do it, and still they'll talk nonsense. What do you think?

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

Prabhupāda: It requires little brain; otherwise, it can be proved immediately.

Richard: Pardon me, I didn't catch the last part.

Prabhupāda: This, that the spirit soul is there, that can be proved immediately provided one has brain to understand.

Richard: How do you prove that a spirit is dead?

Prabhupāda: That is very easy. Just like you are a young man...

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda said "spirit is there."

Richard: Oh, oh, I misunderstood.

Rāmeśvara: Not that" spirit is dead." Spirit is there.

Richard: Oh, oh. I misunderstood.

Prabhupāda: Just try to, try to...

Rāmeśvara: Just like when you have a very..., when you were first born, you had a very small body. Now you are older. So where is that small body? It is no longer existing. Now you are in a young man's body. So similarly, when you are sixty years old, the body that you have now will no longer exist, but you still exist. Even though your body has changed, your life goes on. In other words, life is not dependent on the body. The body changes.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: It is very difficult to.... Sarva-dharmān—everything to give up, except Kṛṣṇa. It is very difficult. Sarva-dharmān. They are proud if they are little rich. And America is very proud. They are trying to accumulate money, and we are trying.... We say, "Give up this nonsense." Is it very easy thing, that "For Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we shall give up everything, our attempt to earn money"? Nobody will accept it. "Our industry, our trade, our opulence—everything we shall leave?" But the meaning is that. Yes. Who will take it? Jñānīs, yogis, the same thing—"Oh, I am so.... I am great yogi. So many people considers me that I am God, and I shall give up this profession?" Is it possible? Who will do it? Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a verse, eta saba chāḍi' āra varṇāśrama-dharma, akiñcana hañā...(?) That's it. Varṇāśrama, even varṇāśrama-dharma one has to give up. (japa—break) ...department asked me, "Swamiji, how long you want to stay here?" (laughs) I said.... I thought that "I have got this sponsoring one month, maybe another month. So two months." I thought, "Two months is a very long duration, because I'll not be able to do anything. As soon as I will put my program, they will be: 'Go away, please.' " I was under this impression. "Let me try." That is the subject matter of the poetry, that "I have no hope. Who will accept this, especially in this country, so much engrossed in materialistic way of life? And I shall say, 'Give up everything.' Who will take it?"

Kīrtanānanda: But they have taken.

Prabhupāda: And that is Kṛṣṇa.

Rāmeśvara: That's also in the poem.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Or ask our Govinda dāsī. Write one letter to Govinda dāsī, I'll sign, that "You can come with your assistants. Here is a very good scope for doll making and exhibit. And the place is very nice. You'll like." So many other girls they can also learn. Doll making is very easy. It is not difficult.

Mādhavānanda: We have good facility here for it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. The clay is soft here?

Mādhavānanda: Well, usually they purchase clay, don't they? Bharadvāja's? Usually they purchase art clay in America.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Fuller's earth. That is wanted, Fuller's earth.

Mādhavānanda: Actually the previous owner of this house, he wanted to make this a restaurant, a very posh restaurant on the waterfront, and he applied for many, many months to get permission from the city. And finally he got it. So actually we have restaurant status here. It would be very easy for us to start a restaurant. People would come.... When people see the house, they are so amazed.

Hari-śauri: That would be a big attraction—a waterside restaurant.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, yes.

Mādhavānanda: We could have tables and chairs on the grounds.

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) Ambarīṣa does not agree. (laughs)

Ambarīṣa: No, I agree. I wonder where they went? I think they went somewhere. Maybe not.

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda said in Los Angeles it's very easy to simulate these moon landing pictures in a movie so that they're.... Just like there are so many films now where they show this.

Satsvarūpa: People in the classes, when the students say that that they do not see God, there is no proof for God, I give that argument you give. I say, "Well, I am a common layman, I have no proof that we've actually gone to the moon. At least I haven't gone to the moon. Show me right away that you can prove it me." They say, "Well, we have rocks, they brought back rocks." "I don't believe that they are from the moon." They are astonished that I..., we could actually doubt. (laughter)

Ambarīṣa: There is another planet that is close to the earth that they could have gone to, isn't there?

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) some petrol station in the sky?

Ambarīṣa and Satsvarūpa: I never heard that.

Hari-śauri: They've been planning all kinds of space laboratories and things like that.

Prabhupāda: No, there was some plan that there would be...

Satsvarūpa: Another planet?

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Not like.... Just like in college, school, some student making rapid progress, some of them are a little slow. That does not mean that he should he rejected. He should be given chance. But if he follows the regulative principles, there is no chance of falling down. The regulative principle is that you refrain from these activities: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That will make him perfect. Very easy. We don't say no sex; we say illicit sex. So if you want sex, you become a gentleman, marry and live like a gentleman. Why illicit sex? There are many gṛhastha devotee. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu's direct associate, Nityānanda, He was a gṛhastha. Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself was a gṛhastha. He married twice. First wife died, he married second wife. So gṛhastha is not rejected. Simply it is not that simply sannyāsīs will go back to home. No. Everyone can go. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. They can go also. But one must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation is that you remain your place-don't try to change it artificially—but be Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is required. And that is also very easy, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. At home or out of home, it doesn't matter. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your situation, place, and śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāk, and hear, just lend your aural reception of the words of Kṛṣṇa. So that day will come, Kṛṣṇa, who is ajita, you can conquer Him. Ajito 'pi jito 'py asi. Nobody can conquer Kṛṣṇa, but by this method, one can conquer Kṛṣṇa.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Number? Yes, of course, no. Actually, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Always to be chanted. But because you cannot do that, therefore you must fix up a number. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka, that "I must chant so many times." That is determination. I have prescribed to my disciples that "You must chant at least sixteen rounds." That is very easy. But there is saṅkhyā. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. The Gosvāmīs, they used to do that. So it is; otherwise, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. The chanting should go on twenty-four hours. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to do. He was simply chanting. But that is not possible for ordinary man. Therefore they should have a fixed up, that "I must chant so many times." That will fix up the determination. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. There must be some dṛḍha-vratāḥ, that "I must do it." Then the devotion grows very firm. If we become lenient, "All right, I shall do later on..." No, must be done. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Everything should be determined. Then spiritual progress will be rapid.

Mr. Deyani: So many, when we go to our offices, since we come from India, naturally the very intelligent young boys and girls, they ask various questions to us. And just for the sake of their curiosity, naturally they ask the question about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we try to explain our ways, whatever we know. What explanation we have got when they put the example of, you know, that sixteen-year-old guru and something like that kind of things? What explanation we have got in that circumstance. In that circumstance, what explanation we have got as an individual for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This young boy guru, when they bring up this subject matter to the Indians who have come from India who are working here in America, they feel a little embarrassed, loss for words or explanation what to say, that this is their Indian culture, they feel they don't know how to represent themselves.

Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That (indistinct) is made by Vivekananda, yato mata tato patha, (?) very bad.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah. So as soon as... They wanted to start an ISKCON branch, and he was a...

Prabhupāda: I think it will not be difficult. Manipur is...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be very easy, because...

Prabhupāda: ...Vaiṣṇava. So if they understand, that will be very nice.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: All the, even the government participates so they wrote me a letter saying that they can give us nice land, plot, and...

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Now that Govindajī's temple?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Govindajī's temple is taken over by the government, so I talked to, I wrote a letter...

Prabhupāda: Government, they cannot manage.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are not managing properly.

Prabhupāda: They cannot. As soon as anything goes to state especially in India, goes to the government track(?), it is spoiled. Government means all thieves and rogues. How they'll manage? They'll simply swallow whatever they get. Government means... They cannot manage, they are not devotees. It should be in the hands of the devotees. So (indistinct), the paid man, they want some money, that's all. How they can manage temple? It is impossible.

Morning Walk -- July 9, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He wants to help us. He has many degrees. In chemistry, in pathology, in engineering. He said if we have an institute like this...

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...it would be very easy to defeat Māyāvādīs.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because they claim that they are Vedantists.

Prabhupāda: They are nonsense.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they have no bhakti, so we are in the line of Bhaktivedanta, so he said, that this is the way to counteract the so-called Māyāvādīs or Vedantists.

Prabhupāda: They're atheist. More than atheist. They have been described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as more dangerous than the atheist. Vede nāmāniyā bauddha hoila nāstika, vedāśraya nāstikavāda bauddha ke ādi. They take the shelter of Vedas and preach atheism.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They say they do not accept what it is all said in the Vedas. They accept something, and they reject something.

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense.

Evening Darsana -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: No, we are not talking of so many gurus... We are talking of real guru. That's all, real guru. Real guru is he who talks in disciplic succession of Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is guru. The bhumi-phala (?) guru is no guru. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt. "Anyone who is not Vaiṣṇava, he is not guru." Or He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68). Find out this. He is guru who is preaching what Kṛṣṇa has taught. He is guru, not that anyone and everyone becomes guru. No. If you want to be cheated by such rascal guru, that is your business, but who is guru, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. No? Anyone who preaches the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You become a guru on My order." "How shall I become guru? I have no knowledge." Oh, you don't require any knowledge to manufacture. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Simply repeat the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, you become guru." Everyone can become. The instruction is there. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We say the same thing, not that I have become Kṛṣṇa, not my... You say that "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Then you become guru. Kṛṣṇa instruction, not to become Kṛṣṇa. If you want to become Kṛṣṇa, then you are not guru; you are cheater. Suppose you are working for master. If you say, "My master has fixed up this price. You cannot change it," then you are honest salesman. And if you place yourself that "I am the master," then you are cheater. The cheater cannot be teacher. Teacher is he who simply teaches what Kṛṣṇa has said, that's all. He's teacher. That is not difficult. Everyone can do. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction of Kṛṣṇa." Then you become guru. And if you don't say that, if you manufacture your own words, then you are cheater, you are not teacher. So the so-called gurus, they are cheater. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are cheater. And it is very easy thing. If you cheat people that "You take this mantra, and you become God..." Is God so easy thing, to become God? But they want to be cheated. "Purchasing mantra, I shall become God." They want to be cheated. They do not think that "Whether I can actually become God?" They do not take the weight of His existence. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. So what is the time now.

Devotees: (offer obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Prasādam (Hindi) (end)

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: It is very strongly built.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it is first-class. So we sent our big truck there and we picked it up, and we brought it here and assembled it, and now we have three carts. And these carts will be disassembled and kept in the garage. And the nice thing is that we are now on 60th Street and Eleventh Avenue and the festival is on 59th and Fifth. Very easy to get there. (break) These are mostly warehouses, Prabhupāda, this part of the city.

Rāmeśvara: The city of New York is the most mismanaged city in the United States. The city government has a big debt. They borrow money from the banks and they cannot pay it back. So they..., the banks were closing the debt, the loans, calling for the loan, and they had no money, so they were firing everyone and there was great unemployment, and finally the United States government had to give them a free gift of money to bail them out. It is the worst management of any city in America. One of the big reasons is because of welfare. They give away free money to so many people in New York who don't want to work.

Prabhupāda: Yes, welfare is actually waste of money. But social construction is so bad they have to give welfare. If they take our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we can stop this welfare money, let them pay.

Rāmeśvara: They don't know how to engage all these millions of people.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

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

Prabhupāda: We are not talking of so many gurus, we are talking of real guru, that's all, real guru. Real guru is he who talks in disciplic succession of Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is guru. The bumifor(?) guru is no guru. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt. Anyone who is not Vaiṣṇava, he's not guru. First, He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68). Find out this. He is guru, who is preaching what Kṛṣṇa has taught, he's guru. Not that anyone and everyone becomes a guru. If you want to be cheated by such rascal guru, that is your business, but who is guru, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Anyone who preaches the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "You become a guru on My order." "How shall I become guru? I have no knowledge." Oh, you don't require any knowledge to manufacture. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "Simply repeat the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, you become guru." Everyone can become. The instruction is there. Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We say the same thing. Not that "I have become Kṛṣṇa, not..." We say "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Then you become guru. Kṛṣṇa's instruction, not to become Kṛṣṇa. If you want to become Kṛṣṇa, then you are not guru, you are cheater. Suppose you are working for master. If you say "My master has fixed up this price; you cannot change it," then you are honest salesman. And if you place yourself that "I am the master," then you are cheater. The cheater cannot be teacher. Teacher is he who simply teaches what Kṛṣṇa has said, that's all. He is teacher. That is not difficult. Anyone can do it. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Then you become guru. And if you don't say that, if you manufacture your own words, then you are cheater, you are not teacher. The so-called gurus, they're cheaters. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are cheater. And it is very easy thing if you cheat people, that "You take this mantra and you become God." Is it so easy thing to become God? But they want to be cheated. "Purchasing mantra, I shall become God." They want to be cheated. They do not think that "Whether I can actually become God." They do not take the weight of His existence. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Time? So what is the time now?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Eight o'clock, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Devotees: (Offer obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Prasādam. (Hindi for a few seconds) (end)

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes, I felt little disappointed. But some friends, they offered me, "Never mind, you take my typewriter," somebody, "You take my tape recorder."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Things were very easy here.

Hari-śauri: Not easy.

Rādhāvallabha: Kṛṣṇa always provides facilities.

Prabhupāda: So there was no difficulty. I got from other friends.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So when you moved down to the loft...

Prabhupāda: That boy, I gave him, Haridāsa, who was in San Francisco?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So this Paul Murray... Haridāsa left New York, he went to San Francisco. His name was something else. What is this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a steel factory. This is near the Ratha-yātrā carts.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Steel factory, but very good house?

Interview with Newsweek -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Just like... These are all discussed in the Bhagavad-gītā, what kind of social arrangement should be. That... It is called varṇāśrama-dharma. A brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha—these are different groups, and if they are favorably trained up then spiritual understanding becomes very easy.

Interviewer: Can you tell me a little bit about the future direction of the movement, how you plan to expand.

Prabhupāda: That is... That is going on already. Just like these boys, they did not know about Kṛṣṇa some years ago, but they are taking seriously. The same process, if it is continued, then people will take.

Rāmeśvara: In other words, Prabhupāda sees that if we just continue the programs that he has introduced, just like we have already become members, similarly, many others will continue to become members in the future if we just continue the same programs which made us members, namely the chanting of the mantra, distributing of the books, distribution of the...

Prabhupāda: And following the regulative principles.

Rāmeśvara: And very carefully following the training system that Prabhupāda has given us for becoming advanced spiritually. That involves what to eat, what not to eat, and how to avoid taking drugs, intoxicants. There are certain principles.

Bali-mardana: In other words, Prabhupāda is creating a class of purified persons, so they are located throughout the world, and if other persons come to them, then they become purified. Just like we have come to Prabhupāda and we have become purified, similarly his disciples are empowered to purify others because they have become pure. In that way it increases geometrically.

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

Prabhupāda: The Christians cannot organize. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You saw them. The only thing they were carrying was one sign like this. The sign said "Turn or Burn." It means turn to Jesus or burn. Turn or burn, burn in hell. That's their conception of God. Either God or burn in hell. We could give you a good rest here, also, Prabhupāda, because it's very easy to not... If the devotees could see you on Sunday, just like in the old days in Los Angeles... I mean everything could be nicely done, and you could still visit the European centers when you finally return to India. I mean they are not making such a big thing that you couldn't come later on. Oh, boy.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) Good determination.

Bali-mardana: They say that Tamāla Kṛṣṇa is very convincing. When he wants to persuade someone, the person must do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, just it would give... There are so many good... Of course, everywhere there are good devotees, but here there are so many strong preachers that if you stay here on the basis that they had to increase their preaching, we would double and triple our preaching. There's no question. We would throw out all considerations of inconvenience to ourselves and simply preach day and night.

Bali-mardana: Especially New York, the people are ready for it. Like today, they have taken part very nicely. Even the policemen.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, they're so favorable. Rāmeśvara was commenting. He said he never saw... The climate of the people of New York is unique in America. They are very favorable.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: This is very dangerous civilization—no knowledge of the spiritual life, no knowledge how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another, no knowledge what is the future, no knowledge what is the goal of life. Simply like cats and dogs, you dance, eat, drink, be merry and die, that's all. This is not good life. You must be very serious, especially those who are Indians. They should take it very seriously. Because this Kṛṣṇa culture, Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra in India, and we Indians, we do not take full advantage of this great transcendental knowledge, then you are committing suicide. So my request is, all the Indians who are here in this foreign country, keep your own original culture. Don't forget. Don't be bewildered. Be in your position. Try to under... It is very easy. Bhagavad-gītā is not at all difficult to understand, and we have tried to explain as easy as possible, not that we have deviated from the original verse, just like others do it. We do not do that; there is no need. That is another blunder. We keep Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and we still try to explain it. So I am very glad that you are all coming regularly, but take it. At least one day, this Sunday, you devote, seriously studying Bhagavad-gītā, and discuss amongst you whenever there is any doubt. There cannot be any doubt. The Bhagavad-gītā verses are so plainly explained, and... Just like here is one verse. We are trying to read. Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata: "My dear Arjuna..." Arjuna is addressed as Bhārata. Because he belongs to the dynasty of Bharata, sometimes he's addressed as Bhārata. So, very easy, that "I am also one of the souls. There are two souls. One, you are, and another, I am. So what is the difference between you and me?" That you know simply everything, not everything, but to some extent, about your body, but I know everything of everyone's body. That is the difference.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: That is the difference. I know the pleasure and pains of my body, you know the pleasure and pains of your body, but Kṛṣṇa knows the pleasure and pains of your body and pleasure and pains of my body. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourself. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is situated... Kṛṣṇa is not stereotyped in one place. Kṛṣṇa, He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). That is Kṛṣṇa. I am sitting here; you are sitting here. I am not in my apartment, but Kṛṣṇa, although He is sitting in this temple, He is present everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). In this way we have to study Kṛṣṇa very scientifically, and the books are there, and we have tried to explain as far as possible. Take advantage of this institution. Don't waste a moment of your life. Take it very seriously. Āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Take seriousness... Especially those who are educated, they should take serious consideration of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand each and every verse of Bhagavad-gītā, especially, and, if possible, Bhāgavatam. There are so many books. We have got program to publish at least eighty-four books like this, four hundred pages each. So we have already published fifty-four books. So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa through science and philosophy, read these books. Otherwise—very easy method—come here; chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. There is no difficulty. Thank you very much. (end)

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

Prabhupāda: 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.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Assurance is there. Kṛṣṇa says kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhakta... (BG 9.31). If you remain a pure devotee, you'll never fall down. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). These are assurances. If you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, why does He come, what are His activities. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). Simply.... This is cultivation, to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cultivation. And Kṛṣṇa assures: tyaktvā dehaṁ, you have to give up this body, but for a devotee giving up this body means no more accepting another body. And nondevotees giving up this body, tathā dehāntara prāptir, another body. That is the difference between devotee and nondevotee. One may say both of them are dying. Yes, they are dying, that's all right. They are not dying, nobody is dying, but changing the body. But a devotee's changing not to accept any more material body. The nondevotee's changing to accept another. That is the difference. And if you accept another body you will suffer, more or less, degrees. And if you don't accept material body then you become spiritually situated. Sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1), simply ānanda, eternally blissful. Very easy. So we should be intelligent enough that if by practicing in this one life I can get next eternal blissful life of knowledge, why shall I deviate? Even if there is some difficulty, let me tolerate, what is the difficulty? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given so easy, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and everything will be done perfectly. So where is the difficulty? No difficulty. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has not bluffed. He said kalau nāsty eva: the Kali-yuga you cannot do anything more. You do simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? A boy can chant. It is simply practice, association. Your son, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So these chances should be given to everyone, then everything will be all right. Let him be practiced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then everything will go on.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Six-thirty.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes, this is a very busy city. Some people work two, three shifts.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I can... Always traffic I see.

Dayānanda: But there is no work on Thursday.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Thursday is very easy. We can go very fast and come back very fast. I have to call...

Prabhupāda: That's all right, make arrangement.

Nava-yauvana: Prabhupāda, some people confuse the chanting with the...

Prabhupāda: Every people must be confused, because he has no training. Not some people. You say, "All people." Then it is all right.

Atreya Ṛṣi: This is one sort of confusion that he wants to explain.

Prabhupāda: You should know everyone is confused. If you have got capacity, then you make him peaceful. Otherwise, you expect everyone is confused. It is a different life. Unless one is very, very fortunate, he cannot understand it. So confusion is natural. There is not the question of some people or other, everyone is confused. They do not know what is spiritual life, what is spirit. Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." So how he'll not be confused? The very beginning is confusion. So long one is confused with this bodily conception of life, he's called in the śāstra animal. The animal is always confused. He does not know what is life, what is aim.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Therefore the śāstra says, yenātmā suprasīdati.

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

He is..., everyone is trying to become happy, wants to love somebody, but everything is misplaced. So as long as this activity will be misplaced, he'll never become happy. When it is properly placed, then he'll be happy. The confusion is there. The easiest process is recommended in this age, to chant the holy name of the Lord. Then you'll be gradually purified and you'll understand. You'll be out of confusion. This very easy thing. It is not, we are not recommending that you simply chant the name of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the name of God, but if you think that "Kṛṣṇa is Indian name or Hindu name, why shall I chant it?" No, you have got your God's name, you chant that. You chant that. We recommend that you chant. God's name must be. Then you'll be purified.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Authorized name of God.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam eva vijñātaṁ bhavanti. This is Vedic instruction. If you simply understand God, then you understand everything. Therefore God says janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). "If anyone understands Me factually, then, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), then after giving up this body, he's not going to accept any more material body. He comes to Me." So simply try to understand God. And that is possible simply by chanting the holy name of God. Very easy. It doesn't matter. Either you are Iranian or Indian or, chant the name of, holy name of God. I think there should (not) be any objection for this movement. Eh? What do you think? That's all. We are simply pleading, "My dear sir, please chant the holy name of God." Who will have any objection? Nobody will have any. Do it. There is no confusion. If you are confused, chant the holy name of God, you'll be out of confusion. Tell them like that. Everyone should join with us and preach this cult. This is not a cult, this is a science, that you chant the holy name of God, that's all. You have seen that house? Dayānanda, no, was with you? Dayānanda?

Atreya Ṛṣi: It happened very quickly this time. We have been looking for a year, over a year. Many hundreds of houses we have seen. But this time, by your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda...

Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa's mercy.

Atreya Ṛṣi: You will see it.

Prabhupāda: So make arrangement on Thursday. At any time, we shall go.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, he's not ignorant. This body, next body is achieved according to the consciousness. At the time of, if you are thinking of something to which you are very much attached, then you get that similar body. If you are thinking of your pet dog, then you get the dog's body. And if you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa, God, then you'll get the body like Kṛṣṇa. That will be decided at the time of your death. Because at the time of death you'll be absorbed with thinking which you have done throughout the whole life. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). Just like the whole day you are working with some business, at night also dreaming that, subtle body. So you have to train up yourself within this life how to think of Kṛṣṇa. Then there is chance of thinking of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death and go back to home. It is not difficult. Very easy.

Ali: So the ultimate goal is not to come back.

Prabhupāda: No, what is the use of coming here to suffer? Who is happy here? Can you find out anybody who is happy here?

Ali: Not that I've seen.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Hari-śauri: Not that he has seen. He's not seen anyone.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Mrs. Sahani: Takes very long.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Very easy, provided you want to do it.

Mrs. Sahani: But takes long time to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No long time, I say a moment. Kṛṣṇa says sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). You do it. You can do it in a moment, but you'll not do it. That is the difficulty.

Mrs. Sahani: Yes, we are doing that.

Prabhupāda: You can do it immediately, but unfortunately you'll not do it. What can be done? There is a story, I may narrate it. One poor man was begging on the street, and Lord Śiva and Pārvatī was passing as ordinary man. So Pārvatī requested Lord Śiva that this poor man, he's asking, he's begging, so requested him, "Why don't you give him something?" And Lord Śiva replied, "Even if I give, he'll not be able to enjoy it. He's so unfortunate." "Oh, that we shall see. Why don't you give?" So Lord Śiva, in a watermelon, gave him, say, one thousand dollars. "You take this watermelon." So he thanked him, and after that he thought "What I shall do with this watermelon?" So another man came, "Sir, if you take this watermelon and give me one anna." So he gave one anna and he took it. Because he had no good fortune to take that money within the watermelon. Our fortune is like that. Kṛṣṇa is giving us the final benefit, but we are not taking care of. This is our misfortune.

Mr. Sahani: It is knowledge, that we don't have the knowledge, or enlightenment that in that watermelon there is something which is worth, or it is only that we don't want to do it, or we don't want to take the trouble?

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Mrs. Sahani: Creates the desire to get knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended, paraṁ vijāyate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. Just like if you remain in touch with the fire, certainly you become warm. So if you remain always in touch with Kṛṣṇa, then you become Kṛṣṇized. Very easy. You haven't gone to the forest or Himalaya or meditate. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is recommended in the śāstra: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). You cannot perform any severe austerities, penance. Wherever you remain, you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And you become perfect. If not in one day... But you will become, if you continue chanting. And where is the difficulty? Where is the loss? And if there is some gain, why don't you try it? That is intelligence. I am not losing anything by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. If there is any gain, why not chant? Huh? Why is the argument not to chant? There is no loss, but if there is any profit, why don't you try to take it. Śāstra recommends. Kṛṣṇa recommends, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Find out this verse. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: The subject matter itself is difficult. Therefore ordinary persons or a little advanced person cannot understand. And unless one is fully aware of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become spiritual master. The subject matter itself is difficult. Therefore you don't find many spiritual masters. Go on.

Harikeśa: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the primeval Lord Govinda.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

It is very difficult for the nondevotees to know Him. Although nondevotees declare that the path of bhakti, or devotional service, is very easy, they cannot practice it. If the path of bhakti is so easy, as the nondevotee class of men proclaim, then why do they take up the difficult path? Actually, the path of bhakti is not easy. The so-called path of bhakti practiced by unauthorized persons without knowledge of bhakti may be easy, but when it is practiced factually, according to the rules and regulations, the speculative scholars and philosophers fall away from the path. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī writes in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu:

Morning Walk -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. But they should shave and have hair short cut.

Jñānagamya: Our only plan should be to put our mind on Kṛṣṇa's feet.

Prabhupāda: Our plan should be to accept Kṛṣṇa's plan, that's all. Approved, authorized plan. That is very easy. Take any words of Kṛṣṇa, it is very easy. What is your problem, first of all? Just consider, whether Kṛṣṇa answers it. First of all, propose what is your problem.

Hari-śauri: Well, my problem is that I have to have somewhere to live and I have to get something to eat.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that Kṛṣṇa's solves. Yes, Kṛṣṇa says annād bhavanti bhūtāni: (BG 3.14) produce food grains. You have to work because it is material world. You cannot sit idly. Even if you are a very strong tiger, you don't expect that animals will come and enter your mouth. You have to work for it. This is the world. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. Suppose a lion... He's the king of the forest. And if he says, "It is my order, I'll sleep here and all the animals may come in my mouth." The animals will urine on his face. "Yes, we shall pass urine on your face. We are not going to accept your order." You have to work. Practical, everyone has to work. This is the third nature. Avidyā karma-saṅga. Because here everyone is under ignorance, the punishment is he has to work for his living condition. Work is not very pleasing. It is very troublesome. But he has to. Avidyā karma-saṅga. You have to work. Therefore we see practically that countries who are working very diligently, they are materially prosperous. Europe, America, they work very diligently, hard, and they have got material prosperity. And the Eastern countries, they are not working, intelligent. From material point of view. From spiritual point of view that is another thing.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa is... That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). All incarnation of God is described, and the summary is given at the end that all these names, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, and so many, hundreds and thousands, so all of them are Kṛṣṇa's plenary portion or portion of the plenary portion. Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ. And this Kṛṣṇa, tu bhagavān, He is the original. Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ. And this Kṛṣṇa, tu bhagavān, He is the original. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). It is clearly stated. And Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). There are many incarnation of God. So many incarnations that you cannot count even. Just like it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that like you cannot count the waves of the river, similarly you cannot count how many incarnations are there. But Bhāgavata gives you the information that all these incarnations, innumerable incarnations, they are portions or part of the portions. But kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. And Kṛṣṇa also confirms that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. What is the difficulty? But unfortunately you have got fertile brain. You manufacture things. And that is your misfortune. It is better to remain a fool before the ācārya. Then he'll make progress. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71). "My guru saw Me a fool number one, and he has chastised Me." When Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī asked Him that "You are a sannyāsī, You are simply chanting," so He replied like that: guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana, "My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a fool number one. Therefore he has said, 'You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You rascal, You cannot do anything.' So I am doing like that." He said that. He represented Himself a representative of the fools and rascals. So kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. This is the only business, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you gradually come to your original sense. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). It is very easy thing. People will not take it. They want to see magic, they want to see jugglery, they want to hear all nonsense.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, it is not.

Indian: What is this (Hindi)?

Dr. Patel: Sagrada(?) is meant for only cough. (Hindi) Is Āyur-Vedic, very good medicine.

Indian: Where can we get some?

Dr. Patel: You can grow them here in this garden.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is very easy.

Indian: Where can I buy it?

Dr. Patel: You can buy it from the market, serabasagra.(?) Syrup, it is in the form of paste. Leaves are also paste make a decoction out of it. Asaka(?) is recognized by the Western medicine also. Americans are importing it.

Prabhupāda: It was introduced by Dr. Bose.

Dr. Patel: Bose, yes.

Prabhupāda: He introduced so many Indian drugs in the...

Dr. Patel: They have in Bengal this Standard Pharmaceuticals of Bengal, been able to isolate penicillin from cow dung, and they have a big plant in Calcutta producing penicillin from cow dung. It's stated, you know, how cow dung was considered sacred. Perhaps we did not know that, but by experience.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prabhupāda: No, it is in English. Anyone can.

Gargamuni: Yes, but Bengalis, they can appreciate more Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā: I tell the members that "You can't get any Bhāgavatams," because there's too many.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Why not? If he reads, give him. And it is very easy. Suppose I give you five books. You become member. So you read it and take another five books. This five books I can give to another. In this way we can manage. There is no misunderstanding. We give you book for reading, not for selling. Not that I have money. Now so many books, let me sell it and get return as many, as much money as possible." Bāniyā tendency is like that.

Jayapatākā: Because they're paying 2,222 rupees. If they only give them five books on exchange, I don't think now they'll be satisfied.

Prabhupāda: What for he's taking?

Gargamuni: They're satisfied.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Jayapatākā: Now we're giving them the books.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is the whole world history. Now they have made encumbrance. Naturally, a class of men, they became soldiers. They were trained up, and...

Caraṇāravindam: Whenever I visited a village in India, people were always very friendly. "Sit down, take some meal." Or if I walk through a field they will pick something from a tree, some tomatoes, or some vegetables and give it to me.

Prabhupāda: You can grow some tomatoes here. That is a very easy thing.

Caraṇāravindam: I have also some and some different seeds to plant.

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.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Restless, that's all. Mind not fixed up. Restless. Now what he'll do with that four thousand rupees? It is very good program. If I get some thousands of rupees and sit down in Rādhā-kuṇḍa and eat, that is very good idea.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we can find him. We know where he is.

Prabhupāda: You can find him, that is not difficult, but what is his mentality. Why he has gone to Rādhā-kuṇḍa if he was teaching here? You cannot rely upon him. When he'll go (indistinct). Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Rādhārāṇī's place, if anyone thinks that it is very easy to remain in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the topmost place. Rūpa Gosvāmī has spoken—he must speak about Rādhā-kuṇḍa. But what he has spoken about other things?

atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca

prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ

jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca

ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati

(NOI 2)

So Rādhā-kuṇḍa, who will live Rādhā-kuṇḍa? One is topmost devotee, and if he mixes with third-class devotee, how he is fit for living in Rādhā-kuṇḍa? There is no difference between Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Rādhārāṇī. So how you can jump over Rādhārāṇī? Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Rādhārāṇī nondifferent. How you can enjoy Rādhā-kuṇḍa by swimming? You cannot touch with your feet even Rādhā-kuṇḍa. You can take little water and keep it on the head. That is respectful to Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Of course, things are going on like that, but strictly speaking, Rādhā-kuṇḍa should be respected as Rādhārāṇī herself. That is Rādhā-kuṇḍa consciousness. Highest Rādhā-kuṇḍa consciousness. And if you want to live in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, then why he has taken four thousand rupees from Girirāja?

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Harikeśa: Very easy...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You went for the interview with the U.S. Consulate in Montreal before you got your green card for America.

Prabhupāda: No, no. In Montreal went...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, you came from Vancouver... From Seattle.

Harikeśa: You came from Vancouver. With one gentleman.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: With Shasti-mai(?).

Prabhupāda: Yes. So there was hard struggle. It is not that so easy for... In 1965 to '66, 66-67, regular hard struggle.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, I know that's a crisis.

Prabhupāda: You know that. Hard struggle. So Kṛṣṇa gave us some facility. Now we have got some framework. Do it very cautiously. Unnecessarily exhausting what we... sato vṛtteḥ sādhu-saṅge. That is Rūpa Gosvāmī's line. We should be very honest and live with sādhu, those who are devotees. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās. First of all our mission should be how to serve the Gosvāmīs.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How he'll return my fifteen thousand?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That Mahāṁsa has taken.

Prabhupāda: I do not know Mahāṁsa's taken. He has to return it.

Harikeśa: He never got it. And he wanted to join with Haṁsadūta, do some type of (indistinct). He's not in a very easy position right now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He could become a part of Vṛndāvana and take a team out of Vṛndāvana.

Akṣayānanda: I always wanted that Vṛndāvana should have one bus. That is to say if there is not too much endeavor to get one bus. There's so many buses floating are through the air. Why could Vṛndāvana not have one bus? In that way they can always be just like Kīrtanānanda Swami. There is always saṅkīrtana going and coming, going and coming.

Prabhupāda: Ānanda Swami?

Akṣayānanda: Kīrtanānanda in New Vrindaban. All his people, they must go out and do kīrtana and distribute books. They must. Everybody does it. In that way, I'm told this anyway. In that way the devotees are enlivened and they don't become restless in the temple. Then the same ones... It's our bus, and they will come back to our temple. So we will not lose so many good devotees because they will not be attracted to go away on others. So if we had one bus... Yaśodānandana Mahārāja I will discuss with him. I already have, I'll just try to discuss it more.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: One man said that once he was traveling in his car and a train came, and the train hit the car and he was thrown out, but somehow or other he survived. He said he was thrown out to the left hand side and the train stopped, came to a sudden standstill just as it hit the car. So then he said he went to see Sai Baba, and then Sai Baba looked at him and he said, "Oh, you have been in an accident and your car was hit by the train. But I stopped the train and threw you to the left and therefore you were not injured." Like this. And he also mentioned that at that time you should think of God.

Prabhupāda: If he can do so, can he save him from death? If he's so powerful.

Indian man: That is very easy. I can also do that. (laughter) I know the trick.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the trick?

Indian man: I'll not tell it to you. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: No. These tricky things are... They have no...

Hari-śauri: Sometimes he conjures up different items in his hand. Like he can conjure up a watch. Or there's a particular type of nut that is found in Nepal. So some American scientist was trying to get him to...

Prabhupāda: You have found out that portion?

Pradyumna: I'm just, I'm getting...

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Pradyumna: Acakṣur andhasya yathāgraṇīḥ kṛtas tathā janasyāviduṣo 'budho guruḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Aviduṣaḥ abudho guruḥ. (Hindi) You can bring something... (Hindi) If things are very easy, why they go round about way? Bhagavān svayam (Hindi), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68). (Hindi for some time) I went to see the Ramakrishna Mission head, Prabodhananda Swami. So just by seeing me, he immediately said that Thakur was formerly Gaura Hari.

Indian man: What Swamiji? Gauḍīya? Gaura Hari.

Prabhupāda: Gaura Hari. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Ramakrishna Thakur, Thakur Rama... He was formerly Gaursundara. Gaurasundara (Hindi to end)

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Nobody's bona fide, that's all. This is their conclusion. Because they have confronted with some non-bona fide, they have concluded that everyone is non-bona fide.

Hari-śauri: It's very easy just to try to brush it all under the couch and forget about it.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) A man's household utensils was taken by the thief. He promised, "I shall not purchase anymore utensils, I shall eat on the floor. (laughs) Because the thief has stolen my plates, I'm not going to purchase anymore, I shall eat on the floor. (Bengali)

Hari-śauri: They give the example that just because someone may be passing counterfeit money, that doesn't mean that all the money you get...

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. They conclude that no more take any money, all counterfeit. At least in India, Bhagavad-gītā is there, accepted, the God-science literature all over the world.

Hari-śauri: Hm.

Prabhupāda: Every country. So why they do not take the Bhagavad-gītā as the standard?

Hari-śauri: Eventually they will if we push it on. (pause)

Evening Darsana -- December 3, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: There will be proper rainfall. And if there is proper rainfall, then you get sufficient food grains, not only food grains, other things also. Sarva-dughā mahī, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. From the earth you can get all the necessities of life. Actually you are getting food grains, minerals, trees, fruits, flowers, everything from the earth. Sarva-dughā, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. This mahī, when it is soaked with proper rains, it becomes fertile. Therefore we have to depend on the rainfall. There is one verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Parjanya means rainfall. Rainfall means it is supplying all the necessities of life. And this rainfall will be easy when there is yajña. And nobody is performing yajña; therefore nowadays rainfall is scarcity. In Europe recently I have seen, there is no rainfall, whole Europe. It is on the verge of drying everything. So this punishment will come in this Kali-yuga. There will be no rainfall, and there will be not sufficient food supply, and the government will simply levy taxes on different pleas and people will be so much embarrassed that they will give up their hearth and home and flee away to the forest. It is stated. So therefore you must perform yajña. And that is very easy in this age. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). You cannot perform the former yajñas by sacrifice tons of ghee and grains because you have no sufficient food grains even. But still, if you chant this saṅkīrtana, that is yajña. Therefore you must take to saṅkīrtana-yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. It is very easy. (break) ...the duty of human being, prāṇaiḥ, with life, arthaiḥ, with money, dhiyā, with intelligence, and vācā, by words. If one sacrifices his life for Kṛṣṇa's cause, then it is first-class. If he cannot sacrifice his life for Kṛṣṇa he can contribute his hard-earned money for Kṛṣṇa. If he cannot do so, if he has no money, he can give some intelligence. If he is not intelligent, then he can give some words. Just like we are doing preaching.

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

Prabhupāda: This is all very easy to understand. Mother means from whom the child is coming, is it not? That is mother. Everyone knows. So you see this whole world, wherefrom everything is coming, you see, practically, gross knowledge. I see a plant is coming from the earth. A tree is coming from the earth. And according to evolutionary theory... Not theory, fact. The dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). When his plant life is finished, he takes another body, insect life. So the mother is the earth. That's a fact. I am eating the things which are... Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. I am a life. I am taking either grain or I am taking flesh, the material is supplied from the earth. The animal also, he is also eating the grass. That is coming from the earth. The earth is the mother. That is a fact. Now we should be intelligent, that simply mother cannot beget a child. There must be father. So who is that father? The answer is here. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). So where is the ignorance?

Indian man: This is Brahman.

Prabhupāda: And again. Kṛṣṇa says aham, why do you interpret in different way.

Indian man: Now this indication is...

Prabhupāda: That means you make purposefully complicated. The father is saying, "I am father." Then why you are bringing this meaning, aham means...

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: No, around the road, Hare Kṛṣṇa dancing. (laughter) There is no need of ballroom. They become mad dancing. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. That is ecstasy. So when the ecstasy is there, they understand this is life. (break)

Mr. Malhotra: Mr. Biani, Biani. He is just Birla's tea (indistinct) looking after tea. Last time I was in Delhi about two months back, so I just talked about you that I had to meet you and we could go to Vṛndāvana. Because at that time I was told that you were there. So he knew you very well, he had been to your discourses, Mr. Biani. He's Marwari. They are in Calcutta. Tea business, export tea business. We agreed on one thing, that it is very easy, rather, to make Indians understand the spiritual teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa, because in homes, in houses, forefathers, grandmothers, mothers, they are doing, I mean, always. But to, I mean, impart this knowledge to the...

Prabhupāda: Foreigners.

Mr. Malhotra: Foreigners, and that to who have more or less completely, I mean very much away from the spiritual life, very much engrossed in material life, very much engrossed. And it was something very, very, very difficult, right? Without the blessings of Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself... (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Therefore their fathers are charging me that this man knows something, mesmerism. (laughter)

Mr. Malhotra: Their fathers are charging with that this man knows some mesmerism. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Brainwash.

Mr. Malhotra: Brainwash, ācchā. How you entered in their hearts?

Prabhupāda: Mesmerism, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Why should I?

Dr. Patel: Let us go out and make a business in the stock market.

Prabhupāda: I am doing business. I am selling books. (laughter)

Dr. Patel: Stock action. Why not. It is very easy.

Prabhupāda: I am selling books.

Dr. Patel: Why not a Wall Street operation? It is very easy.

Prabhupāda: They are all engaged in doing business.

Dr. Patel: Have you wanted a businessman to come?

Prabhupāda: I am doing business.

Guest (3): (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: We can still make a bigger business in Wall Street. Have a Wall Street here in Bombay and... (laughs)

Prabhupāda: You are criticizing the bāniyās. The bāniyās criticize the doctor. (laughter)

Dr. Patel: And doctor criticizes you.

Prabhupāda: Bāniyās say, they say, nal jal jachuri tene dhaturi.(?)

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no, I'm talking of Kṛṣṇa. There are many other talkers. We are concerned because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa conscious means whatever Kṛṣṇa says, we accept. That is our philosophy. We may be fools and rascals, doesn't matter. But we accept what Kṛṣṇa says, that's all. Like a child, he's a child, he may be a fool. But when the father says, "My dear child, this is called microphone," and if the child says, "This is microphone," that is correct. Because he takes the word of the father who knows things. He may be child. So our business is like that. We don't claim ourself to be very learned, very advanced. We are fools and rascals. (break) "How can I become guru?" One may say. "I am not so learned, I am not so..." "No, no, you haven't got to bother. Still you can become guru." "How?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). If you simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said, then you become guru. That's all. So our business is that. We are guru not that because we are very learned, so-called Vedāntist. No. We are lowest of the lowest. But we are faithful to the words of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. We have no other business. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has ordered, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. Very easy. And that is being effective. Now because I am carrying these words of Kṛṣṇa throughout the whole world, perhaps I have done the best service than the combined so much Vedāntists. All the Vedāntists of India could not do that. That's a fact. How it has become possible? Because we are simply speaking what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa... That's all. I do not claim that I am Sanskrit scholar, I am this big man, that man, no. Whatever books I have written, only about this-Kṛṣṇa. In our book in every page you will find Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa. My Guru Mahārāja, if we used to write some article, so we wanted to show him how it is written. So he was very busy. So somebody would read and Guru Mahārāja would say, "How many times he has said 'Kṛṣṇa'?" (laughter) If he finds that in every page there is Kṛṣṇa, it is all right. That's all. (laughter) So we are making Vedāntist,

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The other musical instrument, if he plays his attention will be diverted in musical instrument, not to chanting. "We have to see melody, whether it is going on nicely." But that is not good. Our concentration should be hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is... That is bhakti. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, simply this karatāla, khola, that's all. In those days... Of course, there was no harmonium, but many stringed instruments were there. Sitar, esarāja, but these things were not used. Sometimes we do use to attract, but it is not required. (Hindi)

Indian lady: Yesterday I was (indistinct). The way it was for me, prema-bhakti. Through music it is very easy. (indistinct) You have to take rest now.

Prabhupāda: No, I have to take prasāda. (indistinct)

Indian man: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I've got some good quality tape. If you like it you can get more. Very good quality. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...saintly person. Such men should understand. Rājarṣi. Not ordinary king. Ṛṣi. Ṛṣi tulya. So if one is religious, then he will institute. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). If the big, big leaders, politicians, they accept Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, then others will follow. Unfortunately, the leaders, they have their own interpretation. They won't accept Bhagavad-gītā. That is the difficulty.

Indian man: Prabhupāda, how about opening one temple in Ahmedabad?

Prabhupāda: Why not? We are opening everywhere, why not in Ahmedabad? Good idea. I want to open centers in every village, in every town.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ah. So he has written that Kṛṣṇa is the physician and Arjuna is the patient. And he has interpreted in that way. There are 645 like that, this, what is called, unauthoritative commentaries. Without touching the spirit of Bhagavad-gītā.

Dr. Patel: Best commentary is the Bhagavad-gītā itself. It needs no commentary. It is so simple to understand. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ.

Prabhupāda: And commentary, interpretation required when you cannot understand. It is very easy and still these rogues will exploit and mislead people. This is... And perhaps, this is the first time I am pointing out. Before that nobody did.

Dr. Patel: And you wrote I have read your commentary twice and it has become very harsh on those people.

Prabhupāda: I must be. They are doing wrong thing. They are doing great harm to the... They are misleading the... If I become little more powerful, I shall do it more harshly. I did not show because I was non-entity. But I knew it. Now people are taking me little seriously, I am talking. (break) In the beginning I thought, Who will hear me? Better wait for the time. Therefore I wrote Mahatma Gandhi, that "Now you have got your svarāja. Please come, let us preach Bhagavad-gītā. You have..." If he would have given the chance at that time, then long ago this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement would have been started.

Indian man: He had only anāsakti-yoga.

Prabhupāda: He has expanded his āsakti from family to the whole nation. Expanded āsakti is not anāsakti. I'm thinking only of my family, and if I think of the whole nation, that does not mean anāsakti. That means āsakti expanded. I am a pickpocket. If I become a great plunderer, that does not mean I am not a thief. You cannot say pickpocket is thief and a great plunderer is a hero. The quality is there.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Our point is that if you do not get knowledge from liberated person, that knowledge is useless. That is cheating. (break) It is very easy. Just like a child. If he takes your direction, he liberated, and if he acts according to his childish nature, then he's conditioned. If you take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, then you are liberated. If you manufacture your own idea, then you are conditioned. Two things. Child is not actually liberated. He is child. But because he takes blindly the direction of the father, he's liberated. That is mām eva ye prapadyante. Anyone who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and strictly follows what Kṛṣṇa says, then he is liberated. Otherwise not. If he manufactures idea, then he's conditioned.

Dr. Patel: It is what? Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)?

Prabhupāda: Yes, and it is very easy: "Henceforward I shall simply follow what Kṛṣṇa says." That's all. You become liberated immediately. It is one minute's task, simply to decide that "No more my concoction, my imagination." Then he is liberated.

Dr. Patel: But this decision, all these things is done by the mind which has got all the vartmas of the past births.

Prabhupāda: Mind may be, but if I ask the mind that "You cannot do anything except what Kṛṣṇa says," then you are liberated. Very easy. You see? We are doing the same thing. We are not liberated. I am not liberated. But I am presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. That's my doing.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: One lady... She is Subash Bose's niece, Lalitā Bose. You see? Because these family are very intimately..., Subash Bose's family and Nehru family. So she calls Indira "Didi," means "elder sister." So she took me, and she gave me interview at a very critical moment, just day before that Bujhibanlal(?) was killed, and she was guarded by heavy number of police and soldier. Still, she allowed my car to enter. I am very much obliged. But it was ten minutes' time. So what Bhagavad-gītā could be discussed in ten minutes? Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). One has to learn Bhagavad-gītā submissively, praṇipātena, paripraśnena, by sincere inquiry, and learn it from a person who has seen. Upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. You cannot have any knowledge, who has not seen the truth. If you say that "How it is possible that you have...?" We have seen through this paramparā system. The same thing: "This is pencil." I have learned it from my father, "It is pencil," that's all. You cannot call it stick. It is pencil. My father has taught that "This is pencil." I know this. That's all. It is very easy. But if one follows, his life is successful. Very easy.

D. D. Desai: So your impression is that ten minutes or whatever time is not adequate, and unless she prepares her ground for stable, continuous...

Prabhupāda: No, she can... Paripraśna. From scientific point of view, from logic, that is accepted. But if he (she) thinks blindly something, then it is not possible.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, she can... Paripraśna. From scientific point of view, from logic, that is accepted. But if he (she) thinks blindly something, then it is not possible.

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānam

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Just like Arjuna learned Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa. He submitted, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So in that attitude... But pariprasna, counter-inquiry is allowed. Just like good logician, good scientist, one can... That answer is there. But if one inquires as a blind person, keeping her faith or his faith in something differently, then it is as useless. It must be flexible to the level of logic and science. Then it is very easy. That is like I explained. Kṛṣṇa said, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So where is the difficulty? I am changing my body. So why I shall not get another body after my death? Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). And wherefrom this knowledge is coming? From Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority. In the beginning I may not understand, but it is a fact. If you think over, you'll understand, "Yes, I am eternal. Why I am put into this difficulty, changing this body?" This is common sense.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Control must be there, that... This is very easy. The state cannot support or maintain slaughterhouse. If you want to eat meat, you kill animal at your home. But state cannot. So mass sinful activities, state cannot. So if the legislators and the head of the state are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they will understand the importance of this. So they can stop slaughterhouse. And the public agitation? "You can slaughter animal at your home. You have got the liberty, but state cannot maintain." What is the wrong there?

Rāmeśvara: What about buying books? There are so many books with nonsense ideas. That will have to be controlled also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If the government is Kṛṣṇa conscious, they can control everything.

Rāmeśvara: That means the government will have direct controls over all different fields of business.

Prabhupāda: It has already. It has already.

Rāmeśvara: But in America the government cannot tell the publishing house, "You can only have Kṛṣṇa conscious books." They are tolerating books about sex, books about crime...

Prabhupāda: No, if you educate public that these are nasty things, in the school, colleges, where government has control, then automatically sale will be stopped.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, let us cooperate.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be very easy.

Prabhupāda: Let us cooperate. The Manipur is already... For the last five thousand years at least, their name is in the Bhāgavatam, Manipur. And still they are Vaiṣṇavas. They have got temple in Navadvīpa, in Vṛndāvana. So Manipur have cele...

Gargamuni: The chief minister also came, Karan(?) Singh?

Prabhupāda: The governor of Punjab is Manipuri. He's so kind, he came to see me with his full staff. That governor is so respectful to me. So he came to see me. You know?

Pradyumna: Yes. At Chandigarh.

Prabhupāda: Chandigarh, yes. In his state way-eti khan,(?) secretary, everything—he came to offer me respect. So Manipuri people are very nice. So why not organize? Rejuvenate them. So you are the Manipur's son. Now you are perfect Vaiṣṇava. Now let us make Manipur a Vaiṣṇava kṣatriya center, very nice. Then make relation with Nepal. Nepal, they are kṣatriyas also.

Morning Walk -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Marwaris are little religious. They...

Gargamuni: They never talk about Vivekananda. They don't like him.

Prabhupāda: He was rascal number one. He brought three women with whom he had intimate connection. That is very easy to make intimate connection with woman in America. With money also. He brought. And with their money. Aurobindo also, the same thing. With woman's money they became rich, not like me, with hard labor of writing books and selling. I could also do. There was chance. But this is not my business to make intimate relation with woman and get money. I could do. There was chance. When attempt was failed, the man who introduced that woman to me, he one day said, "I have seen many swamis, but none like you." (laughter)

Gargamuni: They advise you to grow a beard and to wear Western suit, the other swamis. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...in a different style. (break) ...money. These rascals are also after woman and money, in a different style. Asat eka strī-saṅgī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately rejects him, that "He's a rascal. He's after women." Immediately. Asat strī-saṅgī. Two kinds of rascals—nondevotee of Kṛṣṇa and woman-hunter—reject immediately. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... The sannyāsa life is... What is that? Cent percent, no connection with woman. That is sannyāsa. What we have renounced? We have renounced... We are using the motorcar, we are using this machine, we are eating, we are sleeping in nice room—what is the renouncement? Only renouncement is no connection with woman. That is the real platform of renouncement. If one can renounce woman's connection, then he's liberated man. That is very, very difficult. (break) Except myself, they go for woman and money, that's all, in foreign countries. This is the position. This Vishnu, Vishnu... Vishnananda, Vishnu-ananda? Now what is that? One yogi is in Montreal?

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Gītā says, but what you say? Recently I went to Wardha, Mahatma Gandhi's āśrama. Nobody is there. And they are worshiping Mahatma's lantern, and Mahatma's cādara. Not a single picture of Kṛṣṇa. (chuckles) There is not a single picture of Kṛṣṇa. And here it is said, bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. This is going on. So read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Learn. Everything is there. Make your life successful. That is our proposal. Come here. We have developed this center in good quarter. Discuss Bhagavad-gītā and try to do what Kṛṣṇa says. Make your life perfect. (Hindi) We are misguided. Misguided... (Hindi) Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā: "This mahātmā; this is God; this is function; this you have to do." Do it. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four things anyone can do. A child can do.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

First-class yogi—one who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) There is no difficulty. Take Bhagavān prasāda; chant Bhagavān's name; read Bhagavad-gītā; try to understand. Very easy. What is the difficulty? Is there any difficulty? Hm? Do you think is there any difficulty? (break) ...Hindi.

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Bhāgavata: Sahajiyā.

Prabhupāda: Sahajiyā means they have taken everything very easy. That's all.

Bhāgavata: Cheaply.

Gargamuni: Would you like to rest a little bit?

Prabhupāda: No. Why rest?

Bhāgavata: 9:20.

Gargamuni: 9:30.

Prabhupāda: So we go at ten?

Hari-śauri: 10:15.

Prabhupāda: 10:15, that's all.

Gargamuni: See how you're going to pack?

Hari-śauri: Yes. (break)

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Anyone who has understood the value of Hare Kṛṣṇa, he is saved. But we should not simply keep ourselves saved. We should think for others. That is para-upakāra. And that you cannot do unless you are in the safe position. Janma sārthaka kari'. If you become polluted, then you cannot do. That is the secret. If you are not polluted, then you can do. Otherwise it will be show only, no effect. This is the secret. Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). So, things are very easy, not at all difficult. If you follow, then you can do good to others.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This process gives one the strength to carry it forward more and more.

Prabhupāda: Āpani ācari' prabhu jīve śikhāilā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He did so. The whole human civilization is on a risky platform.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't see how the present civilization can stand up against our devotees if we remain strong.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. It cannot. Prahlāda Mahārāja... Such a gigantic demon could not do anything. He was five years old boy, was sticking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all, only that strength and he faced the dangerous position of a gigantic demon like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Even the demigods were afraid. So remain like Prahlāda Mahārāja, pure. Nobody can do anything. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So take rest and...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh, I think about 1928, long ago, because about twenty years ago there was centenary, hundred years. So the local produce was not exported. Everything was cheap in the village because you have to consume. Whatever is produced in the village you have to consume. And these Britishers, they introduced railway and drew everything in the village to the town. And they would not sell in the village because they would get good price in the city. Otherwise in the village, everything was very cheap, very, very cheap-milk, vegetables, rice, dāl, everything. And the Britishers, they had no food. They have got only the potato. In England what they produce? No food. So everything was exported. Their policy was to supply manufactured goods and take raw materials from India. So they supplied cotton goods. They saw that all Indians are using cotton cloth. Iron they introduced. They introduced railway line, all iron, the carriage, the wheel, the road. Everything was... In this way they became prosperous. And the Indian people, they saw... They were educated because they are fond of going to pilgrimage by walking. They would go... Suppose from here, Navadvīpa, one has to go to Vṛndāvana. He would make his will, because he does not know whether he'll come back or not. Long distance, thousand miles, you have to go by, on leg. They used to go. So they were advertised that "No. Now you'll have not to walk. The Company, they're making very easy going railway." So they received it, "Oh! (Hindi)" (laughs) But their idea was to draw all the raw materials from villages and send it to England.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The ocean is on the southern side? Ocean?

Bali-mardana: It is east.

Prabhupāda: East.

Bali-mardana: Eastern coast of Australia. And it is twenty-five minutes from the airport. So it is very easy to get to. It is right near all of the resorts where the Australians go for going to the beach and vacation during the winter months.

Prabhupāda: One can get good appetite?

Bali-mardana: Oh, yes. Tonight very nice fruits.

Prabhupāda: Nowadays I cannot eat.

Bali-mardana: Mango is growing on the property.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you maintain cows and get ghee.

Bali-mardana: When we were flying over Australia when you first came there, you pointed down and you said...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bali-mardana: "You just get some land here and..."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Bali-mardana: Everything. Puri, sabji, sweet rice. They ate the whole plate. It was amazing.

Prabhupāda: Please do that. Give them prasādam and ask them to chant. Bas.

Bali-mardana: And then there were many articles written in the paper that the Hare Kṛṣṇas, they have supplied very nice food freely for everyone and they said, "Oh, they are very good."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The thing is when they take prasāda, then it's very easy to get them to chant.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They may not chant in the beginning, but as soon as their bellies are full of prasāda, then they chant.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) They chant. Very good. Do that.

Bali-mardana: We have a bus. They travel all over just for distributing prasāda.

Prabhupāda: Now, on this subject matter, you GBC decide how to do it and do it practically.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the real business of talking.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. How the supply will come, and everything, make program and do that. There will be no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa will supply you everything. No difficulty. Actually Kṛṣṇa is supplying. Now we are known all over the world, "very rich." Is it not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: In Russian?

Harikeśa: Yes. Dvārakeśa, he's now a Swedish citizen. Dvārakeśa. I sent him to Poland. You know Dvārakeśa? He was that boy who was going to go to Hungary? He's a Hungarian. He was going to go back to Hungary and become a Hungarian.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Harikeśa: So he's become a Swedish citizen. Now he can come and go as he likes everywhere. So now he's in Poland, and in Poland there are many Russians and it is very easy to get a book translated by them. Otherwise with Dvārakeśa it takes so long.

Hari-śauri: There's a man in New Vrindaban who speaks fluent Russian. He graduated in Russian.

Harikeśa: Really?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Harikeśa: I did not know this.

Prabhupāda: What is his name? He is initiated?

Hari-śauri: Yes. He's initiated devotee. He's been around for years.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he should be... Ask him to come.

Harikeśa: To come to?

Prabhupāda: Here to talk with you. Yes. Send him a telegram.

Room Conversation -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: Once this scientific basis is established, then everybody will be finished.

Prabhupāda: It is very easy. There is a superior element—life. On account of that superior element, the inferior element has got meaning. Otherwise it has no meaning.

Hari-śauri: No one serves a dead body. Push it in the ground and let it rot.

Prabhupāda: That superior element you cannot manufacture by combination of these inferior chemicals. That is also... If you take chemical, that is also chemical. But that chemical is superior. You cannot manufacture it by a combination of these inferior things. Therefore it is God.

Hari-śauri: It is actually such a clear and simple thing, but they become so complicated they can't understand.

Prabhupāda: They have made it complicated. Insufficient knowledge.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They have been misguided.

Prabhupāda: Misguided, yes. With rascal leader. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31).

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We would also have been misguided if we didn't meet Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the same area.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: See whether I am answering correct.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, you are answering very good. He gives a lot of quotations from the Bible. So I'll just read you two of them, and it is very easy to...

Prabhupāda: What is the use of giving me quotations from...? We are talking about practical things.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. The only point I was going to bring out was that it is clear how they misread the Bible. Just like one of them says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." But you pointed out that to believe means to follow his teachings. That they don't understand. They say, "We believe in Jesus," but they don't follow his teachings.

Prabhupāda: Then where is his belief? Where is the question of belief? Unless strictly follow the teachings, there is no question of belief. It is bogus principle.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's all... His next question is, "The essence of Christianism is to believe that Christ is our saviour and redeemer, but the final test of one's faith in Christ rests upon one's hope that he will come back down to earth from heaven to establish his glory and his realm of justice forever. Is this second advent of his to be taken as a symbolic one, or will he actually come back?"

Prabhupāda: I do not know. What does he say? What does he say? Explain.

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?

Conversation with Patita-pavana -- April 20, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Patita-pāvana: Oh, that's from Arjuna speaking.

Prabhupāda: This is our position. That is very easy for us. We haven't got to manufacture. To manufacture idea is troublesome. Why should we take trouble? And as soon as you want to manufacture something to my..., that is dangerous. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra nā kariha mane āśā **. This is... You are singing every day, "What our guru has said, that is our life and soul. We do not want..." āra nā kariha mane āśā **. And your guru's article, you have given. Do you think is all right? We are reading every day, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. As soon as this poison will come—"Suppress guru and I become Brahman"—everything finished. Spiritual life is finished. Gauḍīya Maṭha finished, that..., violated the orders of Guru Mahārāja.

Patita-pāvana: In that press release that we gave the paper we wrote a great deal about the work of Your Divine Grace in the West and how...

Prabhupāda: So how you get it that "Here is only prominent, Surabhī Swami"?

Patita-pāvana: One thing is, he's a Christian.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be...

Patita-pāvana: I guess so. It's true.

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

Prabhupāda: ...Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa gave him within—bullet. Yes. "Your nonviolence is within. You take it within. Take this bullet." Such wrong theory. These are wrong theories. "You want to establish nonviolence, and the violence is within. Take it." So don't theorize. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti (BG 16.23). This is Gītā's word. If you do not follow the śāstra—you manufacture ideas—you'll never get success, na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti na sukham, no happiness, and what to speak of parāṁ gatim? (Hindi) Tasmāt śāstra-vidhānoktaṁ kāryākārya... What is that verse? Real guidance, śāstra, and Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is very easy. But we have given up all these things. (Hindi) So you have to give up this. Otherwise there is no hope. (break) And to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, it is not at all difficult. Very simple thing. Otherwise how they have become? Ten years before, they did not know who is Kṛṣṇa. So how they have become Kṛṣṇa conscious? And our position is that even a person like Gandhi, he could not become Kṛṣṇa conscious in hundred years. Because the wrong way. And they have become within ten years fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. Now ask him that "Go back to your Christian." Will they go? They have been kidnapped. They have been forced. In so many ways they have been harassed. No. In America it was going on. Their fathers... From parents' side they have been kidnapped, detoured by force that "You eat it, the māṁsa. You eat." What is that girl who was kidnapped and she came to temple and married?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That girl in Los Angeles?

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. My... I have told the temples that "BBT will give you as many books as you want, but once you sell, the cost must go to BBT and the profit goes to the temple." But sometimes the temples don't pay. So...

Prabhupāda: Why?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, they take it very easy, like they're doing in America also. So I wanted to stop sending them books or at least threaten them that I won't send them books.

Prabhupāda: No, if you have... Why threatening? You settle up with temples authorities.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: How is that, you do not...?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Like what Rāmeśvara does, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, if temples don't pay, he says, "In all future orders you have to give cash in advance with every order."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a good line.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can follow the same system here?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: This is the normal condition, that he fully surrenders and acts according to the dictation of Kṛṣṇa. This is surrender. He says also, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65)—four things. It doesn't require any... It is very easy. If you like, you can think of Kṛṣṇa always-man-manāḥ. And unless you love Kṛṣṇa, how you'll think of Him? Mad-bhaktaḥ. And bhakta will worship-mad-yājī. And worshiping means offering obeisances-māṁ namaskuru. These four things can do, any... Even a child can do. But they'll manufacture and ultimately come to the conclusion-void, finished. So our request is that life is not zero. It is a fact. Don't spoil it. Take His instruction from Bhagavad-gītā and become perfect. This is our request. And we have no difficulty. The authority is there, Bhagavad-gītā. We haven't got to manufacture anything, some artificial rules. The standard of knowledge is there. What is the difficulty? Why should you manufacture knowledge? They are imperfect. Whatever you manufacture, that is imperfect.

Indian man (1): There is no difficulty.

Prabhupāda: So take the perfect knowledge. Follow it. You become perfect. Perfection means... That is also stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Real misery is that I am eternal... As God is eternal, I am also eternal. So now I am subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease, due to the physical body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam: (BG 13.9) "You are trying to mitigate all kinds of sufferings. So why don't you see the real suffering is here, janma." How to stop this repetition of birth—that is your real problem. But they have made problems, so-called politics, philanthropy, altruism, humanitarianism, this, that, that, so many. But real problem remains, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. This is the defect. They won't take what is the problem, how to solve it. Everything is in oblivion, ignorance. What can be done? Although there is knowledge, there is light, there is practical example, they won't take it. What can be done? So we shall request you all, please don't waste your time in this way, that way, and ultimately come to the conclusion, zero. Take instruction of Bhagavad-gītā in all regards and be happy. It is not difficult. Practical examples are there. Before me, ten years before, whole world, foreigners, there was not a single Kṛṣṇa conscious. Whole history. Now you'll find thousands. Why? I have not manufactured (indistinct), giving them. I have given them Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So if we have got faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa—they are very openly spoken—then our life becomes successful. But we have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. They take Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). If you say that "You have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. Then you are a mūḍha," he becomes angry. But I don't say; Kṛṣṇa says. We are simply repeating the words of Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So if we say, people become angry. And we don't say anything. We simply repeat. That is our business. We are not learned scholars. But our mission is to repeat the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order. He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You become guru." "Now, how shall I become guru? I am neither learned nor Vedantist, neither sannyāsī. How can I become guru?" "No, no, you have no difficulty. You, on My order, become guru simply..." Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. "You become guru. Whomever you meet, you simply try to convince him what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. Then you become guru." So we request everyone the same thing. And become guru. It is very urgently necessary. I... People are becoming godless, atheist, nonbelievers, and they are suffering. So every village, every home, every neighborhood, they require guru. But who will be guru? One who repeats the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Yāre dekha tāre kaha. It is very easy. So people are accepting all over the world the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. These books we are selling. Daily our collection is five to six lakhs of rupees. Now this recent publication, how many copies we have printed, this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 220,000.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We expect to sell them very...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Three months' time.

Prabhupāda: That Bhagavad-gītā, abridged edition, we have 300,000?

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.

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

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think they are very interested, very much. Otherwise they won't take time to discuss. In fact, some of them feel that it's very unique.

Prabhupāda: Unique it is. There was no such proposal before. They have taken God as something mystic, imagination. Especially this rascal Darwin's theory, "People are animals," and they accept that "We are animals. My father was monkey." Very easy. This rascal has convinced them that "Your father, grandfather, were monkeys, and you are Sir Walton Rose(?)." "How I became a Sir Walton Rose, the son of a monkey?" This is their business. How much bluff. Disgusted learning and jump. A monkey has become man. Body's changed.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is just nonsense.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is nonsense.

Prabhupāda: Full nonsense, this rascal. How much havoc he has done to the human society. A grand rascal, this Darwin. And he is taken as the basic principle of anthropology. The whole world has become... So all scientists, by combined meeting, they should kick out his Darwin theory. All, they should modify... (pause) Long, long ago, before, things were there. Nobody knows how long. In the Padma Purāṇa it is said, bhramyādbhir jīva-jātiṣu. You know this word?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: Bose Institute has developed?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are doing many kinds of research on life. They're specializing on life sciences. But they have also been taken away by the Western ideas, I gather. So first of all, when I went... Actually there is a professor called Professor Bakat(?) in science college. He was my former teacher. So he took me along. So it makes things very easy because he knew all of them, and he had great appreciation for us, like a father. He's a professor, full-time professor, and he knew all these friends, big, big scientists there. First of all, Professor Bakat introduced me, "He's from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. He's former student, but now fully engaged in scientific Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So they thought it is some sort of religion. Then... "No, no, he's not speaking about religion. He's speaking about the science of life and about the fundamental principles of life and matter and its origin." Then they changed their little outlook.

Prabhupāda: Then they changed?

Conversation with Surendra Kumar and O.B.L. Kapoor -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And the Supreme Person is delivering Himself as Kṛṣṇa and Vedavyasa. Vedavyasa is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is..., mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7), the supreme man, Supreme Being. He is giving the knowledge, and we have to, have to... Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is, just distribute what the Supreme Person has given to you. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So you haven't got to manufacture. You haven't got to become a scholar.

Surendra Kumar: Yes, I know, you have always been telling that is not what you're saying. What Kṛṣṇa said, you tell them...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. This is very easy. So I am not a scholar. I am simply... Whatever is said there, I am trying to distribute in a palatable way. That's all. It is not my manufacture. And that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You all become guru. "How can I become guru? I have no education. I have no knowledge." No, you haven't got to acquire all these things. That is already... Yāre dekha tāre kaha. Finished. So I never tried to become a scholar. But I tried, whatever is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, deliver. That's all. And that is guru. If some...

Dr. Kumar: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you should rest now.

Prabhupāda: Eh? No...

Surendra Kumar: Talking too much with Your Divine Grace, we have put you through lot of strain.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He has here nice room. He's had prasādam. He had lunch with us.

Surendra Kumar: Everything is your mercy, Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi conversation) How long we have left Bombay?

Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So if you want to do something, take this idea and introduce. Then it will be successful.

Alice Coltrane: This idea that...?

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be clear. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The more you chant, the spiritual life will be revealed. So it is very easy: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... As much as possible, you chant. Then everything will be revealed and you'll be able to do something. I started this movement simply by chanting.

Alice Coltrane: Yes, I started chanting as soon as I got your message.

Prabhupāda: Now we are... It has spread all over the world.

Alice Coltrane: Yes, it's a fact.

Prabhupāda: And we are still chanting.

Alice Coltrane: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: That's right.

Alice Coltrane: I like the mental chanting better. I seem to be more and more enlightened...

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Wool, yes. You make some warm cloth. Very easy to live.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Upendra: She said that they would be soft because there is honey.

Prabhupāda: Oh, there is honey?

Upendra: It's made with honey and brown sugar, molasses. All these are soft sweeteners. And since there's no preservatives...

Prabhupāda: Call the (indistinct). And distribute.

(break) (Hindi or Bengali) (break)

Devotee (1): Tamāla Kṛṣṇa was saying to me earlier on, Prabhupāda, last night, that it is very pleasing to you possibly if we can supply some ghee...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is a new thing. Many people come to see in our exhibition... (break)

Satsvarūpa: ...sell whatever they produce, whatever they print. There hasn't been increase much.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's staying at about the same pace. The reason is... They could increase, but the reason it's not is that more emphasis is going into increasing the big books. The magazine's keeping pretty much at a steady rate of nearly half a million a month, and they are pushing to increase the big book distribution. Otherwise it would be very easy to increase. In other words, wherever we want to place the emphasis.

Prabhupāda: So books are selling nice? (end)

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Naturally. Without hands and legs, how one can function? Therefore Vedic civilization, that everyone is engaged.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Just like in our temples. Everyone is engaged in some service. We don't reject anyone.

Prabhupāda: No. The system should be made in such a way that everyone is engaged.

Hari-śauri: With these farms that is very easy to do. No unemployment. Everybody can work. Next to our farm in Australia there is one man. He has five hundred acres of land, but he sends his wife out to work because he's so lazy, he does not work the land. Simply they put some cows there to become fat and then kill them. He has five hundred acres of land. (break)

Prabhupāda: Husband does not do.

Hari-śauri: This is the modern disease. Everyone is so lazy. You have always pointed out that there is so much land unused. Now no one wants to work. It is much simpler for them to go and work for eight hours a day in some office and get some bits of paper money and then buy from the grocery store.

Brahmānanda: Or even if they're farmers, all they do is just graze cows. And they don't do any work. They just have the cows eat, and then they sell them.

Prabhupāda: And maintain slaughterhouse, eh?

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, chanting twenty-four hours.

Upendra: Śrīla Prabhupādajī? I would like to change your dhoti. It won't take but five minutes. I have everything.

Prabhupāda: What happened?

Upendra: Well, you have passed liquid stool.

Prabhupāda: Stool?

Upendra: Yes, Prabhupāda. And by morning it will be too dry. It's not that much, so it's very easy. You're already on your side, so that's good. (break)

Bhavānanda: And you could take little bit spoon, half spoonful, every half an hour or twenty minutes, I think.

Prabhupāda: Very good suggestion.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said, "Very good suggestion."

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (end)

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm? What is that "pish pish?" (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I told him that... I told Girirāja, (laughing) I told Girirāja to explain to you about Mr. Gupta's departure.

Girirāja: He said he's going to send some nice younger person from New Delhi who will be very easy for us to work with.

Prabhupāda: Gupta was present? No.

Girirāja: Mostly he wasn't present. A little bit later he came for one or two minutes, but he didn't say anything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One thing I noticed though is that Mr. Goswami, the accountant, the cashier, and Mr. Dugal, when they were leaving, they seemed to be much more..., I don't know if you could say friendly, but they were far more respectful now. I think that they have been a little bit humbled by this incident. They always used to tell us that "We don't care for your money. You must follow the rules. Even if we lose your money, we don't care, but you must stick to the rules." But they seemed a little humbled today, a little changed in their view. I don't think that they ever suspected that they would lose our deposits like this. I think now they'll make much more of an effort. I would expect so. Right?

Girirāja: Oh, yes. Now they're going to make every effort not to annoy us in any way.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, You are known as Yogeśvara, the master of all mystic powers. So it is very easy for You to perform the impossible, as You have done many times in the past. By Your merciful glance You restored life to the boys and cows who had died by drinking the water of the Yamunā River which was poisoned by Kāliya. And You swallowed the devastating forest fire to protect the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. In the rāsa dance You expanded Yourself to be simultaneously present by the side of each gopī. And as guru-dakṣiṇā, You recovered the dead son of Your teacher. When the hunchback maidservant of Kaṁsa smeared You with sandalwood pulp, You made her straight and beautiful. And as a householder in Dvārakā, You expanded Yourself into sixteen thousand Kṛṣṇas and simultaneously satisfied all of Your sixteen thousand wives. When Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa offered You chipped rice, You transformed his poor cottage into a beautiful palace suitable for the king of heaven. And to satisfy Mother Devakī, You returned her six dead sons from the kingdom of Bali. To appease the Dvārakā brāhmaṇa, You also reclaimed his dead sons from Mahā-Viṣṇu. When Śrīla Prabhupāda sat with seven dollars under a tree in Tompkins Square Park, You transformed that tree into so many royal palaces, and You expanded that seven dollars into millions of dollars. And when Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke Your message, You turned the mlecchas and caṇḍālas into Your devotees. And when Śrīla Prabhupāda went all by himself to sell his Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam volumes, You expanded him into ten thousand loving salesmen who are working day and night without asking any salary, and You expanded his suitcase of books into fifty-five million pieces of literature in twenty-three different languages. And when Hare Kṛṣṇa Land was lost to the demons, You returned it to His Divine Grace. So from these examples we can understand that for You, the impossible is not difficult, but rather, You have performed so many impossible feats for Your devotees. Therefore if You desire, please give Śrīla Prabhupāda a new body."

Prabhupāda: Excellent. Very... Foundation, back to Godhead. I am getting little glimpse, He may agree to your prayer, yes.

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Now stock books immediately.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And I will cash those certificates when we get to Calcutta, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Then I don't have to call for them. If we go there, then I'll do everything there. It will be very easy.

Prabhupāda: So that is my proposal. Now you think over seriously and arrange for.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now you will shower your mercy upon the Vaiṣṇavas of Bengal, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Or I shall go there to take their dust of feet.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Take the dust...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of their feet. I think this is the right plan, Śrīla Prabhupāda, because by then, by March of April, it will be time for you... The festival will be there. And then, with hundreds and hundreds, maybe thousands of ISKCON Vaiṣṇavas from all over the world, you will be better. And then with a great contingent we will travel around the world.

Bhavānanda: Jaya.

Devotees: Jaya. Haribol.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is Bhakti-prema Swami.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So Bhakti-prema, you are also coming?

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You can return to Delhi in the after...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, because I know you can get reservations immediately to go to Calcutta from Delhi. (aside:) You were just there. You know that. Because there's so many trains going, Delhi-Calcutta, and if you purchase the ticket here or if you purchase the ticket from Mathurā you'll wait ten days. Remember how we had to wait?

Vrindavan De: Last time I paid ten rupees as bribe.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And even then we couldn't get immediately. But in Delhi we can get it immediately. Especially with foreign quota, it's very easy. They give immediately ticket. You can get the same night. So I'll arrange that.

Vrindavan De: So I can go to Delhi day after tomorrow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Like that. I'll arrange and I'll give you a letter. You go. In any case you go to the Delhi temple. Today itself...

Vrindavan De: I don't know the place.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll give you all details. And I'll make all of the arrangements for you to be able to go. Today itself we'll purchase the ticket, and then they'll telephone us what day the ticket is for. That's not difficult. I'll send a man also. Did you have your bath yet?

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's all that any of them get right now. And the rest goes into fixed deposit.

Prabhupāda: And they may remain, lifetime.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Provided they don't squander it. If they squander, then it will go to the charity. And now it's very easy for me to check up once a year. I'll just see how they have used the money. They'll have to show me that it's invested somehow. And if they can't show me, then I'll threaten them that "If you don't change this... You must change it. Otherwise the money will be given to charity." And they'll do it. If they use it for investing, then the interest they make in investment, that they can do anything they want with.

Prabhupāda: So what about this kavirāja?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śatadhanya just placed a lightning call to Delhi to see if they've heard anything. Otherwise, if he doesn't hear anything, he may have to go to Calcutta himself. One thing is that I did not expect that within... You know, as we called this morning, I did not expect that the man would come here by this afternoon. I mean a thing like this has to take a least a day's time. The man has to be informed...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Whether actually any talk was there?

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is like tenant house. So whoever pays to your satisfaction, you give him for one day.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that all right with you, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: I don't think it is wrong.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Well, then that makes it very easy.

Prabhupāda: Because it will be a source of income.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it will be a big source of income. They'll pay a lot of money to use that hall. Not only that, once you let them use the hall, they'll book all the rooms in the hotel at the same time.

Prabhupāda: If you are going to do some business, earn some money, you'll have to allow.

Bhavānanda: But how that will affect the atmosphere and Kṛṣṇa consciousness of the temple? It's not that the theater...

Prabhupāda: Well, atmosphere... Suppose there is temple, and there is the park and other houses, and they are already polluting the atmosphere. You cannot stop it. Is it not?

Jayādvaita: All over our movement we have temples, and then next door there's some nonsense place.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You cannot check the atmosphere all around. That is not possible. (pause) So when you described the number of books, what did they say? Hm?