Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said: "Everyone eats also."
Prabhupāda: If there is no eating, then passing stool means whatever strength you get is gone.
Trivikrama: You feel weaker?
Prabhupāda: Certainly. Telegram?
Devotees: No.
Mādhava: Maybe the impurities are passing from Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Bhavānanda: Of course, Bonamali, he might have been hesitant to give the medicine because we're suspect that his medicine was even bona fide. He might have been avoiding giving it because it wouldn't work to begin with.
Prabhupāda: Bona fide or not bona fide.
Bhavānanda: Still, we all saw some positive signs. Of course, it might not have been from the medicine, but it is . . . you did appear stronger. You went on parikramā, you sat up.
Prabhupāda: No, parikramā I can . . . but, I mean to say, from medicinal point of view it is not at all hopeful. All is . . .
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not at all what, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Bhavānanda: Hopeful.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . is there.
Bhavānanda: (indistinct whispered comments about diet changes) Also that Persian melon. We've been giving you that Persian melon juice. That is a diuretic. Let us not give that juice. Take one more . . . see how the night goes. In the morning take another dose of makara-dhvaja.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can't see that the makara-dhvaja is bad. I can see that you . . . I mean I don't see where we can conclude, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that because of the makara-dhvaja now you're passing stool.
Prabhupāda: So what?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That I can't see, that conclusion. And I still say that there's a possibility that the effect of the medicine will build up over a day or two. After all, it is not even one full day yet since you first took the medicine. How can we reject it so quickly?
Prabhupāda: Because it's reacting differently.
Bhavānanda: We're saying, though, that it may not be the medicine. It may be at the same time that you took the medicine you also starting taking this fruit juice, new fruit juice, melon, which is known for causing a diuretic effect. So it may be that. We're suggesting that not to give that Persian melon juice. Tomorrow morning take makara-dhvaja again and see what happens then.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Bhavānanda: Bharadvāja Prabhu was just telling me that he's noticed—he's been massaging your legs—that your legs and feet are warmer today than they were yesterday.
Bharadvāja: This morning. And then when he had his medicine at night. Means there's energy.
Bhavānanda: I have noticed over the past three or four days that your feet have been cold. Extremities, your hands and your feet, have been very cold. Now that's a sign of strength. We feel that the change from the makara-dhvaja is going to be subtle, not so swift in terms of renewed vigor. Even the allopathic medicine . . . you took so much allopathic medicine, and you took that even more than you're willing to take this Āyurvedic medicine. That you took for three days. This you haven't even taken one full day. Of course, we're not placing all of our hopes on the medicine as such. We've been placing all of our prayers at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
Prabhupāda: No, that is the only hope. All hopes fail.
Bhavānanda: But then Kṛṣṇa did direct you within that dream to take this medicine. Just try one more day. If all hope is frustrated, then what is the loss if we take that medicine one more day?
Prabhupāda: That medicine take . . .
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, were you hopeful about this medicine when you first took it?
Prabhupāda: Yes. I thought it will give me strength, but instead of strength, I am passing stool, so whatever strength is there.