Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma learned the art of dressing hair in various styles and fixing a helmet in different positions on the head. They also learned how to set up a theatrical stage, how to decorate dramatic actors with clothes and with flower ornaments over the ear, and how to sprinkle sandalwood pulp and water to produce a nice fragrance. They also learned the art of performing magical feats. Within the magical field there is an art called bahu-rūpī, by which a person dresses himself in such a way that when he approaches a friend he cannot be recognized. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma also learned how to make various syrups and beverages required at various times, having various tastes and intoxicating effects. They also learned different types of sewing and embroidery work, as well as how to manipulate thin threads for dancing puppets. This art includes how to string wires on musical instruments, such as the vīṇā, sitar, esarāja and tamboura, to produce melodious sounds. Then They learned how to make and solve riddles. They learned the art of how even a dull student can very quickly learn the alphabet and read books. Then They learned how to rehearse and act out a drama. They also studied the art of solving crossword puzzles, filling up the missing spaces and making complete words.
Wire
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After Bhauma had stolen the earrings belonging to Indra's mother, along with Varuṇa's umbrella and the demigods' playground at the peak of Mandara mountain, Indra went to Lord Kṛṣṇa and informed Him of these misdeeds. The Lord, taking His wife Satyabhāmā with Him, then rode on Garuḍa to Prāgyotiṣa-pura, which was surrounded on all sides by fortifications consisting of hills, unmanned weapons, water, fire and wind, and by obstructions of mura-pāśa wire.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
The Lord replied, “I am simply a dancer, and You are the wire-puller. However You pull the wires to make Me dance, I shall dance in that way.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
The story of Bhaumāsura—how he kidnapped and made captive sixteen thousand princesses by collecting them from the palaces of various kings and how he was killed by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord of wonderful character—is all described by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Generally, the demons are always against the demigods. This demon, Bhaumāsura, having become very powerful, took by force the umbrella from the throne of the demigod Varuṇa. He also took the earrings of Aditi, the mother of the demigods. He conquered a portion of heavenly Mount Meru and occupied the portion known as Maṇi-parvata. The King of the heavenly planets, Indra, therefore came to Dvārakā to complain about Bhaumāsura before Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Hearing this complaint by Indra, the King of heaven, Lord Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by His wife Satyabhāmā, immediately started for the abode of Bhaumāsura. The two of them rode on the back of Garuḍa, who flew them to Prāgjyotiṣa-pura, Bhaumāsura's capital city. To enter the city of Prāgjyotiṣa-pura was not a very easy task, because it was very well fortified. First of all, there were four strongholds guarding the four directions of the city, which was well protected on all sides by formidable military strength. The next boundary was a water canal all around the city, and in addition the whole city was surrounded by electric wires. The next fortification was of anila, a gaseous substance. After this, there was a network of barbed wiring constructed by a demon of the name Mura. The city appeared well protected even in terms of today's scientific advancements.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Just like electrification. Touching electricity by one wire, another joining another, another wire, if the touch is there factual, then the electricity is everywhere. Similarly if our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is rightly connected, then there is no question of direct or indirect. Because absolute world there is no difference. As soon as it is touched with the direct connection... That is called disciplic succession. Because the connection is coming down one after another, so if we touch here, the spiritual master who is connected by the same way, then the electric connection is there. There is no question of direct or indirect. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Simply we have to see whether the connection is disconnected. If the connection is there, tight, then the electricity come without fail. So in our conditioned stage there will be so many doubts, so many implication. But the same thing as I gave you example, that don't be very much hasty to receive the result immediately. Simply we have to follow. We have to follow. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. This is advised by Rūpa Gosvāmī. The six things we have to take particular care, and six things we have to avoid in order to be perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So we have to study this very intelligently. Then we'll understand that what is soul, what is the business of the soul, why the soul is entrapped in this bodily, material body, why there are so many varieties, body. This is a great science, and that science is explained in this Bhagavad-gītā. Actually, at the present moment there is no education, because education means to understand my identity. The so-called education which is going on, that is called art. Of course, they also say, "B.A., M.A., Bachelor of Art, Master of Art." It is just learning an art only; it is not education. Just like an electrical electrician. He knows the art how to put the negative and positive wire and bring electricity. That is an art. But that electrician does not know what is the science of understanding soul. The modern education, they are simply giving lessons on some art, generally known as technology. So by that advancement of knowledge we can construct high skyscraper building, nice motorcar, nice airplane, nice machine. That is art. But we do not know what is going to happen next life, my soul. That we do not.
Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam. Kauśalam means expert trick, expert trick. Just like there are two men working. One man is very expert; another man is not so expert. Even in machinery. There is something wrong in the machine. The, the man who is not very expert, he's trying whole day-night, how to adjust it, but the expert comes and at once sees what is the defect, and he joins one wire, this way and that way, and machine becomes start. Hrzum, hrzum, hrzum, hrzum, hrzum, hrzum. You see? Just like sometimes we, we find difficulty in our, this tape recorder, and Mr. Carl or somebody comes and rectifies this. So everything requires some expert knowledge. So karma, karma means work. We have to work. Without working even our, this body and soul cannot go. It is a very misconception that for one who is a..., for spiritual realization he hasn't got to work. No, he has got to work more. Persons who are not for spiritual realization, they may be engaged in work for eight hours only, but those who are engaged for spiritual realization, oh, they are engaged twenty-four hours, twenty-four hours. That is the difference. And that difference is... You'll find that on the material platform, on the bodily conception of life, if you work for eight hours only, you'll feel fatigued. But spiritual purpose, if you work more than twenty-four hours... Unfortunately, you haven't got more than twenty-four hours at your disposal. Still, you won't feel fatigued. I tell you. This is my practical experience.
So sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ.(?) If you do not receive instruction of Kṛṣṇa from the sampradāya, then niṣphalā matāḥ, then whatever you have learned, it is useless. It is useless. That is the defect. So many people are studying Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Because they do not receive through the evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). The paramparā, unless you go to the paramparā... The same example. If you do not take electricity from the plug which is connected with the powerhouse, what is the use of your bulb and wire? It has no use.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice is turning this material body into spiritual body. How it is done? The example I have several times given, that you put the iron in the fire. The more it is warm, it becomes fire. When the iron is red hot—that when the iron has acquired the qualities of fire—you touch the iron anywhere, it will act as fire. Similarly, this body, although it is material—there are so many examples. A metal, electrified, the metal is not electricity. But when it is electrified, you touch the metal, you get electric shock immediately. Just like the electric wire. Copper, it is copper. But as soon as it is electrified, you touch it, you get electric shock. There are so many examples. Similarly, if your body is spiritualized, then the material action is no more. Material action means sense gratification. So the more one becomes spiritualized, the material demands become nil. No more material activities.
So Kṛṣṇa is everything. The atheist will say, "Oh, they have installed some wooden forms and they are worshiping as gods." Atheistic. And one who knows the Kṛṣṇa science, he'll understand that "Kṛṣṇa is everything; therefore He can appear in everything." If electricity current is everywhere, so wherever you touch current you'll feel, "Here is current." Similarly, the Kṛṣṇa current in impersonal form is everywhere. It is the technician who knows how to use that current. That's all. So... Just like we get telephone connection. We simply inform the person, deposit our money. They come immediately. They find out where the connection can be done and he does his work. We do not know. He knows the technique, how to join telephone wire. Within a few seconds he joins and he, oh, "kling, kling," you are ready.
So Rūpa Gosvāmī says how this āsakti can be increased. He gives formula. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa said, "Either you take shelter of Me directly or to a person who has taken shelter of Me." Just like electric power. Electric house, powerhouse, may be long away, but if the electricity is coming through some wire, and if you touch, immediately you will..., immediately in touch with the powerhouse. So either you touch the powerhouse or an wire, insig..., who is empowered by the powerhouse, you touch, you get the electricity. This is called paramparā system. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2), yogo naṣṭaḥ paran... These are all explained. So mad-āśrayaḥ. As soon as we... Because Kṛṣṇa is not visible at the present moment. He is visible, but we cannot see. So we take āśrayaḥ, shelter of His devotee. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī gives his formula how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. First he says, ādau śraddhā. First of all, faith, the beginning. Just like you have come very kindly to this temple with some faith that "Here is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Let us go there and see what they are doing," out of inquisitiveness or something. So this is little faith. Now you have to increase this faith. This is required. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15).
Therefore it is said here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, "Increasing gradually the attachment for Me." Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, "practicing this yoga system," mad-āśrayaḥ, "taking shelter of Me." The mad-āśrayaḥ means two things. You can take directly shelter of Kṛṣṇa or you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. That is meaning of mad-āśrayaḥ. That is the system of paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). If you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, that attachment, and if you increase your attachment for a person who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, it is the same. Just like electricity. If one thing is charged with the electricity power, if somebody touches it, he also becomes electrified. We have got daily experience that from the electric powerhouse, the electric wires are distributed, and as soon as we join the plugs, immediately it is electrified. Similarly, paramparā system... Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words given by Kṛṣṇa. If you carry as it is carried by other disciplic succession, then you are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, always being linked up with Kṛṣṇa.
Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is the beginning. Mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa, directly you cannot take shelter. But Kṛṣṇa is not present. Kṛṣṇa is present, but we do not know how to capture Kṛṣṇa. That is another thing. Kṛṣṇa is... Just like electricity is everywhere, but one who knows the science, he can capture electricity. Telephone wire is everywhere, but still, you have to bring some expert to connect your telephone. The telephone wire is everywhere. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu (aside:) Why you are standing? Then stand.
So this is the wonderful power, inconceivable power, that He is in everywhere, but still, He is aloof, He's aloof from that place. We can feel His energy, but we cannot see because in this material eye we cannot see. But when we develop our spiritual quality—we sanctify our senses—then even within His energy we can see Him. Take for example. Just like electric power is transmitted everywhere. There is wiring. Now, if some electrician is there he can take electric power from anywhere and utilize the electricity. Similarly, His energy is spread all over the universe. When we are transcendentally situated, just like when we become the electrician, then from anywhere we can see God eye to eye. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). That creation, spiritualization of the senses, is possible by devotional service and love.
Just like one electrician. He knows how to join the two wire and bring current. In India it is called mistri. Mistri means worker. Because he knows that technical art how to bring electric current, that does not mean he is educated. Education is different thing. The worker, they are just working so many wonderfully, but that does not mean they are educated. That is... In Sanskrit it is called... What is called? The English is "craftsmanship." He knows the art, how to do it. So at the present moment the technical education is there.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Now it is said, yato 'nvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ. He is abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means cognizant. The original and source of everything, He has His brain. He knows. He has the power of knowledge. Everything is there. That is the reason. Anything material we think... Just like this microphone. This microphone is combination of some metal and some wires or anything is metal or something plastic. But they have not combined together automatically. A person who knows the art, he has combined all of them together. Now it is acting. Now, if this microphone is not in order, then I will have to take to the person who knows what is indirectly and directly the composition of the microphone. Therefore the origin of everything or the original source of everything, He is the knower. He is not dull matter. So therefore it is stated here, abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means perfectly knower. Now, it can be said that abhijñaḥ... perfect knowledge is received from the superior person. Just like I do not know what is the mechanical arrangement of this microphone. But if I want to know it, then I must go to a perfect knower who can explain (to) me that these ingredients or these parts of the machine are there. Therefore the question may be raised that "The original source of everything is knower of everything, accepting, but where He got the knowledge?"
He is pulling the wire. Just like the doll dancing, there is a man pulling the wire. These are the descriptions in the śāstras, or Vedic literatures. So we should not equalize or we should not place the demigods on the same level with God. That is offense. The Māyāvādīs, because they think that "God is formless, impersonal, but I cannot meditate upon anything which is formless. So let me imagine something." That is their theory. They say, "Let me imagine a form of God." Sādhakānāṁ hitārthāya brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanaḥ. Kalpana, "imagine." The Māyāvādī philosophy is that, that "You imagine a form of God. Actually, there is no form of God." That is then theory. And we say, "No. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has got form, but not a form like me." That we know. It is a different type of form. Different material. Or we don't say material: different ingredient, spirit, complete spirit.
Now, from that seed, first of all, the trunk will come, the branches will come. Then the twigs will come, the leaves will come, and the fabrication of the leaf. Everything see, wonderful. Everything we see, wonderful. But svābhāvikī, as if coming automatically, automatically. A creeper is coming, is trying to find out a shelter. As soon as it finds out shelter, immediately captures. We have seen in our Los Angeles. Behind my house, the electric post and the wire, the creeper is taking shelter and giving flower and fruits and everything. Svābhāvikī. Now, you can say it has no eyes. How it is seeing, how it is coming here and is, what is called, squirreling? No. The energy's so perfect that svābhāvikī, it is working like nature. Automatically. Svābhāvikī. There is knowledge. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā. Everything is done by knowledge, by power, and by action.
But he was not satisfied even after his presentation of the Vedānta-sūtra. He summarized all the Vedic knowledge in sūtra—Sūtra means codes—so people may take advantage. Just like there are business codes, Bentley's codes, Henry's codes. So one or two words will give impression of volumes of knowledge. Businessmen, they need it to save the expenditure on wiring, on telegraphing. Just like CIF. "Accept your offering. CIF." CIF means "cost including freight." That means goods will be delivered at your door. So similarly, there are many codes in business matter. In military arts there are so many codes. So Vedānta-sūtra means codes of all Vedic knowledge. Sūtra. Sūtra means codes.
If everyone is doing his duty nicely as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya or as a śūdra, then no..., there is no question of that you are do... Everyone has to do his work according to his capacity. Just like in ordinary life also, we do not see that everyone is able to do everything. No. There are certain class of men. If you want some help for repairing your electric wiring, you must call for an electrician, not a carpenter. But when you want to repair a door, you require a carpenter. That is Vedic division. Therefore there was caste system. Everyone... I have seen in India still. In you country also you'll find. The potters, during Diwali system, they make small dolls. So I have seen the potter's house. The children, five or ten years old, they are also making small dolls, small dolls. Because by tradition, by family, the father is making doll, the mother is making doll, and the children also learning. Similarly, the weaver, you will find. You supply the... Still there are this system. You supply. Gandhi wanted to introduce this system. You produce your thread and give to the weaver, and waver will give you cloth. Why you are looking after this Manchester cloth?
Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that you have to act accordingly as it is instructed, āpani ācari, then you can teach others. If you do not act yourself, your words will have no value. (break) ...cut. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2), if you have got connection with the original powerhouse, then there is electricity. Otherwise it is simply wire. What is the value? Simply wiring will not help you. The connection must be there. And if you lose the connection, then it is of no value. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means you have to keep yourself always connected with the original powerhouse. Then wherever you'll go, there will be light. There'll be light. If you're disconnected, there will be no light. The bulb is there; the wiring is there; the switch is there. Everything is there. That's how Arjuna is feeling, that "I am the same Arjuna. I am the same Arjuna who fought in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. I was known as so great a warrior, and my bow is the same bow and my arrow is the same arrow. But now it is useless. I could not defend myself because disconnected with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is no longer." Therefore he began to remember the words of Kṛṣṇa which was taught to him in the Battle of Kurukṣetra.
Actually, it so happened. You know this Marconi's invention of wireless telegram. So Marconi and many other scientist were working on this line. One of them was Sir Jagadish Candra Bose. So this was explained by Sir Jagadish Candra Bose in a meeting—I was a boy at that time, in Calcutta—that they were discussing, Marconi and Dr. Bose, Sir Jagadish Candra Bose, about these waves, and so actually Dr. Bose discovered this wireless. The Marconi heard it from Bose, and immediately he published in the paper. And the British government gave him preference that he became the inventor of this wireless telegram, but actually it was Dr. Bose. So that means he was favored. Kṛṣṇa gave him intelligence, "Now you take this opportunities, takes this theory explained by Dr. Bose, and you publish it. You get the name." Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin. This is the explanation. One is working very hard day and night, and another is enjoying the result. Why? That is prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra (BG 3.27). You may think that you are doing, but you are under the control of the material nature, and the material nature is controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So therefore, ultimately, you are controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So one man is working very nicely. He is taking the credit of becoming a scientist. Why the other man cannot do it? Another man is also working in the laboratory. Just like this airless telegram, radio. Many scientists were working, and in our childhood we have... I was present in a meeting. Sir Jagadish Candra Bose was speaking. So Marconi and Sir Jagadish Candra Bose and many other physicists, they were working to study the waves of air and how to establish wireless telegram. So actually Jagadish Candra Bose, he found out the means, and they were talking, Marconi and Jagadish Candra Bose. Marconi took the hint and immediately he published in the paper. And in those British ruling, British government, they wanted to give credit all to the Englishmen. Actually, this wireless telegram was established by Sir Jagadish Candra Bose. He spoke in a meeting. So anyway... Just like two scientists are working to find out something, to invent something, but the wireless telegram is in the credit of Mr. Marconi. Why not Jagadish Candra Bose? There is the hand of Kṛṣṇa. They are... So many people are working for inventing something, but one man takes the credit; other men cannot. Why? Why this discrimination? There must be some cause of this discrimination. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am situated in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Mattaḥ, "From Me, if I give you the intelligence, 'Now mix this chemical with this chemical, your product will come.' " Others, they have got the chemical, and the laboratory man also there. But one takes the credit; one cannot take the credit. That is due to Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa gives the intelligence, then he gets the intelligence, and he takes the credit. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin.
The other day there was some difficulty in my dictaphone and the mechanic man came. He opened. So many arrangements of different kinds of wires. Similarly, we have got this body, a similar arrangement. The veins are so nicely arrangement, the intestines are so nicely arranged. Just like the same way as in a machine the wirings are very nicely arranged. So if for that machine there is a brain, don't you think that in this machine, behind this, there is no brain? There must be brain. This is common sense affair. So this godless civilization means people have lost even common sense. Even common sense. Otherwise, you may, if you use in a harsh word, that they have become fools and rascals, that's all. They have lost their common sense.
Just like the electricity is everywhere, but when you catch the switch, then it is under your control. Electricity is everywhere, but still, by arrangement we can touch the electricity or take it into service by preparing electric wiring and switch. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, and you can worship Kṛṣṇa from anything. Everyone knows that this Deity is made of stone. The ground floor, the marble stone, black and white, and the Deity is also black and white. Everyone knows. But why you see the black and white Deity in this temple and gather together and offer prayer? Is it the same marble of the ground, black and white? That means you are seeing in a different position. That is love, love of Kṛṣṇa. Those who haven't got the love, they are seeing that "The same stone on the floor and same stone in the Deity. What these foolish men are worshiping?" They say that "I can worship this stone also." No, no. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, that is... The stone on the floor, that is also I am, but I am not present there." This is called acintya-bhedābheda. "Yes, stone I am also, but I am not there at the same time."
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
We must connect with the current. Just like you have heated your room with electrical wires, but if you do not touch it with the current going on, then simply electrical heating with not help you. Similarly, initiation is essential. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī recommends in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu for executing proper spiritual life, one must take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreyaḥ uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Person who is actually interested in uttamam. Uttamam means transcendental. Udgata-tamam. After darkness. This material world is darkness. Tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ. The spiritual world is full of light. Therefore anything spiritual, that is called uttamam.
Festival Lectures
Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). If God is everything, why wood, through wood and stone, God cannot manifest? If God is everything? According to Māyāvāda philosophy... That's a fact. God, omnipotent. He can express Himself even through wood and stone. That is God's omnipotency. That is called omnipotency. Not that God is unable to express Himself through wood and stone. Then how He's omnipotent? Omnipotent means His potency can be expressed through anything. Because anything, everything is the expansion of God's energy. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. The whole world is manifestation of different energies of God. Therefore... Just like through the energy of electricity the electric powerhouse, although far, far away from this place, was expressing. There is electricity. Through this glass, through these wires, the power can be expressed. There is a process.
General Lectures
When you apply your energy, it is no more material; it is spiritual. Just like when the copper wire is in touch with electricity, it is no more copper; it is electric. So service to Kṛṣṇa means as soon as you dovetail yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, you are not different from Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. This very word, sevate. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). "Anyone who seriously engages himself in My service, immediately he becomes transcendental to the material qualities and he's on the platform of Brahman." Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. So when you apply your energy in the service of Kṛṣṇa, you do not think that your material energy is there. No. Just like these fruits. These fruits, one may think, "What is this prasāda? This fruit has been purchased, we also eat fruit at home, and this is prasāda?" No. Because it is offered to Kṛṣṇa, immediately it is no more material. The result? You eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda and see how you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like while I was coming here, both sides, the manifestation of material civilization, electrical wire pumping station of oil, big, big motorcars light, motel, hotel and so many things... So we are thinking that these things will give us relief; our thirst will be quenched, our hankering for water will be satisfied. But it has failed. In your country especially—not in your country, in all countries—so many young flowers of your country, they are frustrated. That's a fact. (aside:) What is that sound? They are frustrated. That is a fact. You know; I know. So this kind of mirage, showing of water—actually there is no water—a shadow of water will not help us. That is a fact. But because there is shadow of water, we can understand that there is real water. It is not that the shadow of water is all in all, finished. There is water. But we have to seek out that water elsewhere, not in the desert. In the desert the shadow of water will not quench your thirst.
Philosophy Discussions
Hayagrīva: He writes, "The lifting of the spirit to God occurs in the innermost regions of spirit upon the basis of thought. Religion as the innermost affair of man has here its center and the root of its life. God is in his very essence thought and thinking, however His image and configuration be determined otherwise."
Prabhupāda: His image, if God is absolute, His image is also God. If God is absolute, then His words are also God. That is absolute conception. That iw not different. So the image which we worship in the temple, if it is actually image of God, then it is as good as God. God is absolute. God says that "This earth, water..., so everything is My energy." So even if you say, "This image is made of stone," but the stone is God's energy, bhūmi, earth. So there is a regulative principle, just like a wire, a copper wire, it is carrying electricity. Although the copper wire is not electricity, but it is carrying electricity. Similarly, if you take even material-otherwise spiritually everything is God, that is another thing—but materially if we distinguish that the copper wire, it appears as copper wire, but if you touch, "Oh, there is electricity." So it is manipulated. Similarly, by the rules and regulation as enunciated by the experienced spiritual master and guru, then even if you think it is stone, it is God. The same example, you see it is electric wire, but it is electricity. Similarly, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhir guruṣu nara-matiḥ. It is..., this has been warned: don't think that this śilā, stone. Is God. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as soon as saw Jagannātha, immediately fainted. So we have to be trained up by the instruction of God how to realize God everywhere.
Purports to Songs
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Guest (1): It is to be felt.
Prabhupāda: Ah... Yes. It is to be learned, just like the electrician learns how to adjust the positive and negative wire, and as soon as it is rightly adjusted there is light. You cannot say, "No, no, why it shall be adjusted like this? It can be done like this." Oh, that will not give you light. You cannot speculate on the science. One plus... Two plus two equal to four. You cannot speculate, "Oh, can it not be three? Cannot be five?" No, that is not possible. You have to accept this two plus two equal to four. So the same example: so long it was not being adjusted to the right point, there was no light. So this adjustment... Suppose there is failure in my home. For this adjustment I have to call an experienced man. You may be a lawyer, you may be very nice thinker, but so far electricity is concerned, you have to call for a mistrī, who may not be learned like you but he knows the art, how to do it, expert. Similarly, such a vast subject to understand God, you do not require the help of an expert?
Guest (1): I did not take that...
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Bob: The Deity is Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bob: But only if you know the process of it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this electric wire is Kṛṣṇa..., er, is electricity. One who knows the process he can derive electricity out of it.
Śyāmasundara: Otherwise it's just wire.
Prabhupāda: That's all.
Bob: So if I build a statue of Kṛṣṇa, it is not Kṛṣṇa. But if I, unless I know the process...
Prabhupāda: No, it is Kṛṣṇa. But you have to know the process that it is Kṛṣṇa. It is Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: ...big squash thrown away decomposes. So the outer skin has become dry. Nobody cares for it. It is lying down, the outer cover of the squash, and one dried bamboo. You have seen, you know bamboo? Pile cut, it is also lying somewhere. And a piece of wire.
Devotee (2): Wire.
Prabhupāda: Wire, that is also lying somewhere. Nobody cares. But one gentleman, he collected all these three things and prepared a string instrument. He joined the bamboo with the dry cover of squash and fitted the string and it began to ting, ting, ting. It is called ektara. There is instrument in India it is called ektara. The example is that so many things individually lying useless. But if somebody knows how to combine them, it becomes an instrument, very sweet. Very sweet to hear. Similarly, in this world, so many things are lying dead and frustrated. But if they are combined together by an expert, it becomes useful. So although this world is dead body, when there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it becomes enlivened. That is our movement. We are trying to inject Kṛṣṇa consciousness in everything dead within this world.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The trees feel when you cut, they feel. There is machine. They, he discovered this. You have not been in Calcutta, Sir Jagadish Institute?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Probably not.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He, he discovered this wireless, Marconi's. Marconi took advantage from him. They were talking together and when Marconi got the hint from him, he immediately published. it was his invention, Sir Jagadish. Therefore he invented this pulsation of the trees. and started the Sir Jagadish Institution in Calcutta. So there is painful feeling even of the trees, what to speak of others.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is future. That is all your statement, future. With future hope you become a big man. That is their foolishness.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Future, about ten years.
Prabhupāda: Whatever... It may be one year, but we do not accept such proposition. We want to see what you have done now.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: First of all they have to develop the methods how to do it by a small scale...
Prabhupāda: In my childhood I was thinking... The tramcar is going on trolley. So I was thinking I shall stand on the tram line and just take a stick and touch the wire and I will go. I was planning like that.
Mr. Wadell: To love is very difficult, is it not? It is very difficult.
Prabhupāda: No, it is not difficult.
Mr. Wadell: Well, it is both difficult and not difficult.
Prabhupāda: No. Everything, there is a Bengali word, yanra karya tare saje, anya loke lati baje. (?) Anything, if one is practiced to do, he can do it very easily. And for others, it is just like striking with a rod. Anya loke lati baje. Suppose if there is some difficulty in electricity, I do not know anything. It will be very, very difficult task for me. But anyone who knows, immediately he connects two wires, there is light. It is simply to know the art.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Jagadisha Candra... I was present. He said that "This man cheated me. I talked with him. Next morning he published the theory."
Karandhara: About radio?
Prabhupāda: No, newspaper. Because both of them were friends, scientists, they talked. And he took the clue, immediately published the theory.
Bali Mardana: Which theory was that?
Prabhupāda: That Marconi wireless.
Bali Mardana: Wireless, radio.
Prabhupāda: Yes, radio. That was Jagadisha Candra Bose's discovery. But the government will not give the credit to the Indians. Because Jagadisha Candra Bose happened to be Indian. These Britishers they are so much envious. Therefore they will never admit that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago. They bring all within the Christian period. That is their rascaldom.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Who is this Dr. Bose, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Yaśomatīnandana: Jagadishacandra Bose?
Prabhupāda: No, he's another Bose. There is...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: There is a Bose Institute in Calcutta in...
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is, (coughs) that is Sir Jagadishacandra Bose. Sir J.C. Bose...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: ...who discovered, he discovered this wireless telegraph.
Yaśomatīnandana: Wasn't that your father's friend?
Prabhupāda: No. He, this, he's Dr. Karttikacandra Bose.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He says that not all knowledge is so objective. For example, in the matter of understanding society, the communists have their theory, the capitalists have their theory, and there's millions of theories and so...
Prabhupāda: That is not knowledge; that is art. Just like electrician. He knows how to mix the two wires and bring the current. That is not knowledge; that is a business or art for temporary recreation. And because he knows the art how to bring the current, it does not mean that he knows the Absolute Truth. So people are taking at the present moment electrician as the knower of the Absolute Truth.
Pañcadraviḍa: Well, that's just a complex chemical reaction. We can't explain it yet...
Prabhupāda: But "Can't explain"—that means you are fool. You remain fool. Don't try to expose yourself, nonsense. You are a rascal number one; you remain rascal number one. When the neck is caught up, he says, "Yes, it is complex. We shall see in the future." Why "future?" What about now?
Pañcadraviḍa: Well, a hundred years ago we couldn't make this movie camera either. But now they are producing easily.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. But you cannot do this business. This is an art. Hundred years ago, people could not produce electricity by mixing two wire.
Pañcadraviḍa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That is an art. It is artist's... What is called? Craftmanship. Hundred years, could not produce motor car. But that does not mean you have become God, you rascal.
Prabhupāda: So such a big... simply by touching the electric wire that becomes...
Brahmānanda: Well, they were, I think, steel towers, two hundred feet high, so they were pretty sturdy, and it hit four of them.
Ambarīṣa: There was some bad weather.
Brahmānanda: And then it toppled over.
Prabhupāda: No, in bad weather, towers, but simply by touching, such a big machine became in fire. (laughs) Unsafe everywhere. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam (SB 10.14.58). Every step, there is danger.
Brahmānanda: One of our devotees... I was speaking to him. He was formerly in the air force, an electrician. And he was saying how there are so many wires in an airplane, and actually, when he was electrician, they would put the wires together very hastily in order to get the job done. And he said one of those wires could go wrong and then...
Prabhupāda: Finish everything.
Prabhupāda: So much land is vacant here.
Brahmānanda: What are these plants here? (break)
Jayapatāka: ...much more available here.
Dhanañjaya: And the soil is such good quality. Everything is growing. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...land belongs to somebody because it is barbed wire.
Brahmānanda: Very nice fencing here.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...this janglee. (?)
Jayapatāka: They make oil from this now.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Castor seed?
Jayapatāka: Kusuma or something like that, I think. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...this is?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The living entity inside the tree is actually conscious of its condition of life.
Prabhupāda: Not advanced consciousness, but he is conscious. He feels. He feels.
Harikeśa: It shocked a lot of people when they made the test of bringing a scissor to a plant, and they put some electrodes on it and they found that the plant was reacting with fear.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That machine has been discovered by Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. He discovered this wireless telegram, radio. But Marconi took from him, and British government helped him.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The British again.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Viśvakarmā: I can arrange it with Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa? When you're available?
Prabhupāda: Yes. After ten. (japa) (break).... lights are working in order, unless there is some supervision above this lightning system. If somebody says, "This is going on automatically," is that very sane? Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Light is matter, combination of glass and iron, and it is going on with order without any upper supervision? How these rascals say like that? Because immediately they do not see who is pulling on the wire, "There is no (indistinct)." How poor knowledge they have. And they are passing on scientist. Why you are stopping car if there is no supervision? You can pass on, nobody will see. Why one is afraid of not transgressing?
Satsvarūpa: They know the authority is there.
Prabhupāda: Rascal, how you think there is no authority? There is no sinful, and there is no..., everything is all right? Go on. Go to hell.
Prabhupāda: This combination of rich men, poor men, for Kṛṣṇa. The same—andha-paṅgu-nyāya. Both of them are useless separately, and when they combine in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are all useful. It is very good example. And there is another example, that a piece of wire is falling, rotting, and a piece of bamboo, rotting, and a piece of squash skin is rotting. And one gentleman collected. He nicely trimmed the piece and dried the squash, the outer portion, and took the bamboo and nicely cut it and joined the string and this became a sitar: "Ting, ting, ting." So it is the intelligent person who joins all these things and makes it very useful. These are the examples. The bamboo alone is useless, and a small piece of wire, useless, and a thrown out squash skin, useless. But if you can join them together,...you can "Ting, ting. Similarly andha-paṅgu-nyāya. Here is a lame man; here is a blind man. All right, combine together and use them. That is wanted. Svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhi labhate. This wire does not change. It is wire. But when it is combined, it is useful. So our propaganda is, "They are separately planning useless. Let them combine together in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All this planning shall be successful.
Pradyumna: "In point, in Bombay, a huge plot was acquired in Juhu for rupees fourteen lakhs. They have put up a temple there with a barbed wire fence around it."
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Where is the barbed wire?
Pradyumna: They just put things to make it seem like we're... (laughing) What is the... Everyone is...
Prabhupāda: Yes, the barbed wire is there. No Blitz editor can go there. (laughter) No rogues and Blitz editors allowed. (laughter)
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I heard... Ācārya was telling me when he came from America first in the Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, that Blitz editor...
Prabhupāda: You write this. The barbed wire is there to keep away the dogs and Blitz editor.
Prabhupāda: No. So I lived with him for twenty-one days. Then I came to New York.
Hari-śauri: Yes, that picture in the Butler Eagle. It's in the Vyāsa-Pūjā book this year.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Butler County, it is good (indistinct), there were many churches (indistinct) people have got so many churches (indistinct) (break) ...some time, that one piece of wire lying in one place, one piece of bamboo was lying in another place, and one dry shell of a squash was lying. So one intelligent man collected. So this dry shell became the tamburā's what is called...
Hari-śauri: I don't know. Like sound chamber. What do you call it?
Prabhupāda: Sound chamber may be called. So with that dry squash he made the sound chamber. The bamboo he fixed up and the wire upon it and then it became a "Tin, tin, tin, tin..." (laughs) Our organization is like that. I was loitering in the street. Somebody was over there, somebody was there. Not combined together, International Society String Band. Yes. Separately we are all useless. Eh?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So in the meantime, your, this thing will be finished or not?
Jayapatākā: They all say that it will be finished in about five days, the wiring, and five days the flooring. And the bathrooms are already finished on the first floor. They're putting the fittings, and half of them are put in.
Bhavānanda: The floors will not be polished, but...
Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter.
Bhavānanda: Water will be there, electricity, and clean.
Jayapatākā: So this morning you won't go..., be going on a walk. You're not feeling up to a walk this morning? It affected your kidney or your digestion?
Prabhupāda: That I cannot say. But the foodstuff is not digesting. That can I say. I am not feeling at all appetite.
Prabhupāda: Vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa-prasādam. Unless one is blessed by Vyāsadeva, he cannot write transcendental literature. So now you have very good cook. Kīrtana is going on. It is Vaikuṇṭha. Maintain this status very nicely. You can. You are... From the very beginning you are... Do it very nicely. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. If devotees chant always, that is Kṛṣṇa or Vaikuṇṭha. Tatra tiṣṭhā... Tatra tiṣṭhāmi. Yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. They must be pure devotee and always talk about Kṛṣṇa, chant about Kṛṣṇa. Then it is Vaikuṇṭha. What about this generator? Is it going to work or not?
Jayapatākā: I'm not sure. I don't know who was working on that today. I just got back myself. There was some... They're hooking up, I think, the wires.
Prabhupāda: It must work. Otherwise...
Jayapatākā: Oh, it's guaranteed it will work. The electric supply officer was on a three-day leave, I heard. Therefore he couldn't make the...
Prabhupāda: Connection.
Jayapatākā: ...connection.
Prabhupāda: So be after him. Do it. This is the first business. In Vṛndāvana we have got very good generator. As soon as stops, within a minute we can start generator, very nice.
Prabhupāda: Hm. That is his contribution. He is the first man.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did you know him, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: No. He was also older than our father. But I have seen him in childhood, when I was ten, twelve years old. Very intelligent man, soft speaker. His... This Marconi's theory is his theory. The wireless... The thief has taken. They have stolen. And the British government gave credit to Marconi. He was very sad.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That everybody knows.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The wireless, there was a system. That was his discovery. He was very sorry. The British government stole the idea and gave the credit to Marconi. The Britishers, they always wanted to minimize the value of India, that "They are not civilized. We are present there to make them civilized."
Prabhupāda: Big, big ministers are in favor of our movement, Morarji Desai and Vajpayi.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But certain things are going to have to come out. For instance, two men seriously injured are refused outside medical treatment. That can be proven.
Prabhupāda: No, so many other things.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who gives them the right to cut the telephone wire? That's criminal. That is against the law of the government. You're cutting government property. That's not our property. Telephone wires, all those things, electric wire.
Prabhupāda: That is purposefully planned.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And how is it that 250 men suddenly were waiting in the bushes?
Prabhupāda: It is all planned.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
If you agree to cooperate with me as I have suggested above, then I shall extend my Visa period. My present Visa period ends by the end of this November. But if I receive your confirmation immediately then I shall extend my Visa period otherwise I shall return to India. Immediately I want some good assistants to work with me. They must be educated and able to talk in English as also read Sanskrit nicely. For preaching here two languages English and Sanskrit will be very much appreciated. I think under your leadership every camp of our god brothers should supply a man good for this purpose and they must agree to work under my direction. If that is possible then you will see how our beloved Srila Prabhupada will be satisfied on all of us. I think we shall all forget now the past fratricidal war and now come forward for a good cause. If they are not agreeable then do it yourself and I am at your service. Please therefore consider this and let me know by wire if you are agreeable. Otherwise I shall not extend my visa period but I shall return to India without being able to do anything tangible at my first tour. Hope you will take this matter as very urgent and let me know your decision by immediate return of post or by wire to my above address and oblige. Hope you are all well and thanking you in anticipation.
Now we have got our English Srimad-Bhagavatam and there will be no difficulty to impress the audience with our Siddhantas and any intelligent man impressed with our Siddhantas will certainly change his life's mode of action. I think you may take up this suggestion very seriously and immediately start the centre and other things will automatically follow. And above all this is to satisfy the transcendental desire of Srila Prabhupada who desired very enthusiastically to start centres like that in the foreign countries. If you want to start the centre on rented house, the rent will not be less than three to four hundred dollars but the space will be one fourth of the house as we want to purchase. If you agree kindly confirm it by wire so that I can ask the broker to stay the house for some time for sale to other party. The Christian churches are not very favorable in the matter of increasing the Hindu religious institutions as it is natural to think with sectarian views. I hope you will accept this proposal and confirm it by wire on receipt this letter by the end of this month. Hope you are all well and with my humble obeisances for all the Vaisnavas.
1969 Correspondence
You have asked me about my plans: My plan is for preaching with your help. You arrange for everything, and I shall talk about Krishna Consciousness for any length of time, anywhere. That is my mission. You propose to send a wire when everything is arranged. Better send the wire here in Los Angeles; that will be nice.
To follow in the footsteps of the Mahatmas means to give submissive aural reception to the words and instructions of the bona fide Spiritual Master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. When the Lord appeared on this earth 5,000 years ago, He instructed Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, and this purely transcendental message of Krishna has been passed down for the past 5,000 years by the media of sincere disciples giving submissive aural reception to the words of Krishna via the medium of the bona fide Spiritual Master. This acts like electricity, and if you touch a wire anywhere which is connected to the powerhouse, then you will be in contact with the electric current. But if the wire is broken or separated from the powerhouse, then there will be no electric current. Similarly, if we hear the unadulterated message of Lord Krishna from the authorized source, we will immediately be in contact with the transcendental atmosphere; but if we listen to someone who is presenting a broken, concocted version of Bhagavad-gita, that will be useless. So try to understand our philosophy very sincerely and carefully.
1970 Correspondence
I talked with Gargamuni about dispatching Upendra's wife as early as possible. For the present, he is collecting all money for payment of the church property, $50,000 to be paid on or before 1st April 1970. He says that to send Upendra's wife means another $1000 at least. It is understood that Upendra was to send back $1500. He has taken $2000; out of that $500 would go for his travelling expenses. It was so arranged that as soon as he reached Sydney, he would send back $1500 out of $2000. Now I understand that he has sent you a wire for returning back the money because it is required in connection of purchasing the church.
NO LETTER FROM YOU VERY MUCH ANXIOUS FOR BOOKS WIRE ACTUAL SITUATION
BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
1971 Correspondence
At present I am in Surat on the 4th Jan. 71. I am going to Bombay, from there I shall go to Calcutta on the 5th evening by plane, on the 7th there is an important meeting in Calcutta. Our present Calcutta address is 11b Jatindra Mohan Avenue c/o Goendha, Calcutta. Please immediately let me know by wire to Calcutta address whether KRSNA Vol: II has been shipped already or not. I am very anxious about it.
I am very much anxious to know of the progress of work at Mayapur. Before my leaving Calcutta it was estimated that Rs 5000/- would be required for fencing the whole ground with iron stand and barb wiring. I left this money with Tamala Krishna for doing this work immediately, but from his latest letter I understand it has not been done and the estimate has increased to Rs 14,000. I do not know who submitted the former estimate. Anyway don't spend so much money for fencing. Better to have bamboo fencing and hedge plants and during the rainy season they will grow sufficiently all around. Better in this connection to take advice from Sarkar or from the persons who sold us the land. I am very anxious to know of reports from Mayapur and if every week you will send me elaborate reports, I will be very much appreciative.
P.S. Also the brass pair of Radha Krishna Murtis meant for L.A. has no trace as yet. Whether Jayapataka has shipped them or not. Inform this matter by wire & oblige. L.A. temple is going on very nice.
1972 Correspondence
Tamala has gotten one letter from Birharilal that there are four mrdangas and twelve pairs of karatalas ready for shipment to Madras. We are going to hold a very large function in Jaipur and are leaving Bombay for Jaipur by the 12th instant. So I think these instruments will be required for this program. So please immediately dispatch this shipment to Bombay so that we may take the instruments with us to Jaipur.
PPS The Rs. 3200/- requested for the purchase of the two bighas of land in Mayapur has been sent by wire to your American Express Banking Corporation account no. 090031 in calcutta. Please acknowledge receiving it.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated January 16 and January 23, 1972, and it is with great pleasure that I remember you and your good husband by reading them and seeing the nice work you are doing in the "New Navadvipa News" and other pamphlets. I am very sorry to hear about your demoniac neighbor cutting down many tulasi plants, but do not worry, he shall get his due punishment in time, rest assured. Simply go on in the normal way, and gradually his threat will disappear. Such men should be taken and beaten very hard with shoes—but it will not be very much to our credit if we are accused of fighting in this way. But if that man is caught trespassing on our property, then he may be severely punished by us. You can put up barbed-wire fence around the tulasi plants if that will help, or somehow or other protect them from further danger. Our experience has been that if we ignore them such demoniac class of men, they will go away.
Regarding the building work, I don't think Ksirodakasayi has got a very good idea for this building work, because he is quoting me fabulous sums. That barbed-wire fencing should not cost more than Rs. 1500. So I think he has got his advice from a contractor, therefore I have advised him don't go to the contractors, do everything personally in complete consultation with you. Also, he is asking me for photos. I have not got any inclination for more such business, so you kindly supply him all the photos he may require.
I am in due receipt of your telegram as follows: "Bharatpur Trust will donate Kesighat Temple will sell surrounding rooms and garden we must offer price wire immediately." So I have received this telegram and have replied by telegram as follows: "Why not donate the whole thing and we spend money to make super gorgeous. Otherwise how we can offer without knowing details and site plan of temple? Rush them New Vrindaban." So the thing is if I do not know how much land is there, what is the condition, what is the price, what are the terms, how I can make concrete offer? That is not good businesses. So you can send me immediately everything, the site plan, what are the exact terms of the contract, etc., then we shall see. I think that is a very grand temple, and we shall be able to utilize it if the other party is willing to help us. But one thing is, why they cannot donate the whole thing and we shall spend our money to make it very wonderfully done up and renovated. But I think their plan may be to give us the temple only, because that cannot be sold, and no one can maintain it any more, and then we shall have to buy the residential buildings, the compound all the other buildings there, and that is their trick to get money for those buildings, by so-called offering us the temple without having to pay anything for it, because they cannot sell it anyway.
I am in due receipt of your telegram from Melbourne dated December 26, 1972, and I have replied it by my cable as follows: "Immediately send c/o Bombay three tickets, February 1st, Calcutta Australasia, remaining entire February." So you may do the needful and send the three airline tickets for myself, Srutakirti, and Syamasundara. here to my above-mentioned Bombay address, or wire them to the airlines office directly in Bombay city. The airlines office in Bombay may notify Syamasundara. at 362963. My plan is to remain here in Bombay until January 23rd for holding our second Hare Krishna Festival in the Cross Maidan. I think last time you were one of the leaders of that first Hare Krsna Festival, so you know how much important occasion that will be. Already there are many banners all over the city advertising this movement as the world's greatest spiritual culture movement. We had just completed our pandal program at Ahmedabad, and it was also very very successful. From Bombay we shall fly to Calcutta for about nine days' time and we may give some programs there also. So I want to proceed from Calcutta to Australia or wherever you suggest on that side. We shall be able to leave on February 1st morning. And you may arrange the program in Australia and New Zealand for the duration of February month. Around the 1st March I shall have to return to Mayapur for holding our celebration of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance day in early March. So you may plan in that way.
1973 Correspondence
The demolition of our temple by the municipality has strengthened our position. The municipality standing committee. has condemned the hasty action of the municipality and has agreed to reconstruct the shed at their cost. Not only that, the temporary construction shall continue to stay until the court decision is there as to who is the proprietor of the land. Under the circumstances we should immediately reconstruct the Deity shed. Barbed wire fencing should be immediately done to cover the naked land. And if possible, immediately in front of the Deity shed, a temporary pandal should be constructed, with our materials. If it is so done, then I can go to Bombay and begin Bhagavata Parayana, to continue until the court decision is there. This is my desire.
1974 Correspondence
By now I hope you have received my telegram and letter sent to Hamburg advising you to go to Bhaktivedanta Manor for managing affairs there. There were so many letters and reports coming from Mukunda, Puranjana, Bhaja Hari, Prabhu Visnu and then contrary reports from Madhavananda and with Shayamasundar away affairs seem perilous. I hope you are able to settle things up in regard to the debt of the Bury St. temple and temple organization at the Manor. Now Shayamasundar has wired me that he will send tickets for myself and three secretaries for coming to London. I have asked him to send me tickets and I can leave India for London about May 1st. As I have already informed you I am going to Paris the second week of May and Bhagavan das is arranging for a tour of Geneva, Rome and Sweden. I may also visit cities in Germany if you will arrange for that. So when I arrive in London if Syamasundara sends tickets, or when I arrive in Paris, I shall discuss these matters further with you. Now we are in South India at Hyderabad and will visit the Balaji temple in Tirupati and then return to Bombay prepared to leave for London on May 1st.
One telegram has already been sent to you to inform you of this and to request tickets immediately. If you have not sent the tickets as of yet please send them without delay. The tickets should be sent to the Quantas office in Bombay. They should be Bombay to London by Quantas Airlines, London to Mexico City by British Airways or Quantas if possible, via Bermuda and Nassau. The tickets should be open so that we can make reservation as is necessary according to our schedule. The tickets should be made out to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Paramahamsa Swami and Neal Gorton Delmonico. Three tickets are required. If you wire them to the Quantas office in Bombay it will only take a few days. If you can arrange nice programs in Brazil then I will also be very pleased to go there. It sounds as though the people there are very eager for Krsna Consciousness. So let us have a program there also.
1975 Correspondence
I am writing this letter to inform you that I am now sending Bhagavata dasa brahmacari there to Fiji to be co-manager with your good self. This man is very experienced in the Gujarati communities. He has preached in Africa to the Gujaratis there in Kenya, Tansania, Zambia, etc. for over 3 years, as well as London and Gujarat. He is I think capable of working with you very nicely there. If you would be so kind as to send him a ticket from Bombay to Fiji, he can leave Bombay immediately upon arrival of the ticket. He is very eager to make Fiji an established Krishna Conscious center and to work with you co-operatively. Please send the ticket to his Christian name, Joseph M. Selvester, passport number Z1964356. He is waiting here in Bombay at our Hare Krishna Land. I think you can send the ticket by wire through one of the airlines there that has their branch office in Bombay.
Regarding sending money to Mayapur, you can transfer money through your bank by wire in favor of International Society for Krishna Consciousness, American Express Bank, Calcutta, India, Account No. 090031.
I am in due reciept of your letter of November 9, 1975 and also your telegram to Brahmananda Swami reading as follows: "ASK SRILA PRABHUPADA IF WE SHOULD BUY SMALL CHURCH IN PHOENIX TWO BLOCKS FROM UNIVERSITY WITH $15,000 to $20,000 LOAN FROM BBT. WIRE BACK IMMEDIATELY AS MAY BE SOLD SOON. NALINIKANTA." So this matter I cannot say because I do not know what money is available. You have to consult this with Ramesvara. Regarding taking sannyasa, this mentality that either I will have sex life or I will take sannyasa, this is not proper. Sannyasa means that one is finished with material life. So you have gotten married and you are in family life. So you should remain there. So you thought that by getting married you would expand your service. So you should do that. Actually all my disciples are sannyasis because they have surrendered everything in the service of Krsna.
1976 Correspondence
Now concerning Vrindaban, there is no need to move the mukhuts business to the new house given by Mr. Taparia. It is not safe there, and you will have to employ 3 guards at expense of 500-600 Rupees so what is the use. Let the mukhuts business remain in the guesthouse, however, we must free the other space in the guesthouse. Let all the women and children live in the Taparia house. The daily Gurukula can also be held at the Taparia house. When the Gurukula construction is completed, then the grhasthas can live on the third floor of the new building, but for now they can utilize the Taparia house for women and children, and the brahmacaris can remain in the guesthouse. The mukhut business should be given one room for working in the guesthouse. Do not move all the valuable stock to Taparia house, as it is risky. For protection of the Taparia house, why use barbed wire. Better to build a wall around it of bricks. Barbed wire can be destroyed very easily. Also, send me a plan of the Taparia house, and do not construct any more rooms there at present. When the Gurukula is completed the third floor will be available. So it is not necessary to spend the proposed Rs. 25,000, and neither the Rs. 10,000 for the extra room there.
If you organize you will get so many nice guests and they will contribute. Everything must be neat and clean and silent, then people will come. Safety at Taparia house is that it should not be left vacant at any time. Somebody, at least 4-5 men should be there to remain. Then the thieves will stay away. Everything must be kept under lock and key. You see what is necessary. Previously it was proposed to have a barbed wire fence. I do not know if that is necessary, but if a fence is needed then a high brick wall is better than barbed wire.
| Page Title: | Wire |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 11 of Jul, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=1, CC=1, OB=2, Lec=28, Con=21, Let=23 |
| No. of Quotes: | 76 |