"One Should Give To Temple"

Mayapura, March 12, 1976



Pancadravida:...are also engaged in serving Krsna. They give flower, and they're offering: "Take this flower. Offer to Krsna." This is service, dedicating. This is explained by Krsna to Balarama while going through the Vrndavana forest, that "Just see how the trees are welcoming You, how the birds..." You have got that picture?

Hrdayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: Krsna is seeing that, how everyone is ready to serve. Similarly, Krsna-bhakta also sees how everyone is eager to serve Krsna. [break] ...engage them rightly, that is leadership. Yes. Otherwise andha yathandhair upaniyamanah [SB 7.5.31]. As a blind leader is leading other blind men, this whole world is going on like that. They do not know how to properly lead the people. Misleaders. [break] ...grains, cows, all they should be very properly taken care of and the products offered to Krsna. Everyone should be engaged as Krsna's servant. That is Vrndavana. In Vrndavana everyone is engaged how to please Krsna. That is Vrndavana. [break] ...business to study Vedanta. In Vrndavana life we see they were not interested to know what is Brahman. They were interested how to please Krsna, how to see Krsna smiling. That is Vrndavana. Huh? Is it not? From Vrndavana picture you see they are simply busy to see how Krsna is smiling. They didn't care for studying. What they will study? They were all village girls born in the ordinary class, and they did not know. [break] That is the... Aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: [Narada-pancaratra] "If Krsna is served, then where is the necessity of tapasya?" No more tapasya. Tapasya is meant for the third-grade men to come to the stage of serving Krsna. And one who is, with heart and soul is serving Krsna, he has finished all tapasya. Tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya [SB 3.33.7]. They have already finished all this tapasya. Therefore they have come to this stage. Krta-punya-punjah [SB 10.12.11]. What is called? Piling.

Revatinandana: Heaps of pious activities.

Prabhupada: Ah, heaps of, yes. [break] ...Mahaprabhu, He immediately gives how to love and serve Krsna, because this Kali-yuga, they will not be able to follow the regulative principles and become elevated. So He is therefore maha-vadanyaya. He is giving a process-immediately, if followed, he becomes a lover of Krsna and His service, immediately. Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. [break]

Revatinandana: ...circumambulating you, Prabhupada, paying respects.

Prabhupada: Of course, their vision, maha-bhagavata... Hare Krsna. Hare Krsna. (laughs) That is very beautiful.

Revatinandana: You mean the music?

Prabhupada: No, no. That black.

Revatinandana: Yes, it's very nice. He has blue eyes and big black body.

Devotee: Blue eyes?

Revatinandana: Yes. It's amazing. If you look closely you will see...

Pancadravida: The gopis, they didn't like very much being instructed by Uddhava?

Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. That was dry for them. They asked Uddhava, "Bring Krsna. We don't want you any more..." [break] What is his name? That...? Tapomaya. Tapa... He never sees whether it is watered. He is in charge of agricultural department? Where is Jayapataka? He never sees. One man should be in charge to see things are being done.

Pusta Krsna: Each... What was that, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Each flat.

Pusta Krsna: Each floor?

Prabhupada: Yes, each floor. Yes. But Tapomaya, he does not see even that the water is... He is in charge of agriculture?

Jayapataka: Yes.

Prabhupada: Similarly, it can be understood how he is seeing, he is managing. He does not see.

Jayapataka: Right now we only have about four or five men here that are managing everything. He is also purchasing all the things for the festival. The GBC's have been requested to give some men...

Prabhupada: That means he has no time. Then why he says that "I am in charge." He is not in charge.

Jayapataka: He is trying to... [break]

Prabhupada: After all, they are boys. They are not grown up. [break] ...your Calcutta program?

Jayapataka: They're going tomorrow morning. [break]

Bhavananda: ...matha, and then we went to Madhava Maharaja's matha. So Acyutananda gave a very strong lecture at Madhava Maharaja's matha that in order to make devotees who are chanting the holy name, it takes more than any material calculation or business sense, that you have be infused with the potency of the Supreme Lord. All of the sannyasis and brahmacaris were standing out on the balcony and hearing Acyutananda glorify Your Divine Grace. All the devotees went in.

Prabhupada: [break] ...small card. So one card is put into the shoes, and one card is in his hand. That's all. Number. Suppose twenty shoes duplicate, so one twenty card is put into the shoe and one number twenty in his hand. So a man can see that it is his shoe.

Yasodanandana: Instead of requesting ten paisa, they may be requested to offer something to the Deity.

Prabhupada: Why? Nothing. Let them come and see. That's all.

Yasodanandana: [break] Our Deity is not beggar.

Prabhupada: No. He is bestower. He gives everything. If anyone voluntary gives, that's all right. You should not ask. [break] ...instead of doing this. (Bengali) He said like that. "By showing the Deity to earn livelihood is condemned. Better become a sweeper, municipal sweeper, and sweep the road and earn money." He said like that. That is better, honorable. He is working and getting money, instead of making a good show of Deity and earn money. This is not required. If you want to earn money, go, work according to your capacity and earn money. Don't cheat people. That is Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

Pancadravida: There was a big fight or difference of opinion, wasn't there?

Prabhupada: Huh?

Pancadravida: There was trouble in Nabadwip, wasn't there, when he advised the pilgrims not to pay money to go into the temples?

Prabhupada: Yes. He was fight against it. All, Nabadwip, Vrndavana. Vrndavana is not so... But still, they have got rate. One thing, it is a question of heart, that a man should come and visit the temple -- he must give something. Why he is to be asked? Voluntarily he should give that.

Yasodanandana: Yes. We were reading in Nectar of Devotion this morning. Your Divine Grace is writing that it is customary in India that whenever one visits the Deity or a saintly person to offer something, even one grain of rice.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is the system.

Lokanatha: But encouraging is not recommended?

Prabhupada: Huh? What is that encouraging?

Yasodanandana: Requesting should not be done.

Prabhupada: No.

Lokanatha: It is voluntary.

Prabhupada: Encouraging means your behavior should be so nice that he voluntarily gives. That is encouraging, not that begging and "Put something here. My belly is empty." (laughter) ...that is nice, that "Here is an institution. You kindly become a member. Help us." That is another thing. But why should you earn by showing the Deity? You work so nicely they will become voluntarily member, contributing. That is nice. But not that "Now we have got Deity. He's starving. Please give me something." No. That is not good prac...

Pancadravida: You showed the example when you came to New York. You were cooking capatis and everything.

Prabhupada: Yes. Otherwise who would cook at that time? [break] ...apartment. So I was cooking, and he liked. He thought that "Without any payment, I have got a cook."

Revatinandana: Dharmadhyaksa dasa used to be one of his disciples before he joined your, he became your disciple. And he said that he was talking to Dr. Misra, and Dr. Misra still talks about your cooking. He said, "Oh, Swamiji, he saved my life." He said, "He taught me how to eat properly." He still talks about you.

Prabhupada: [break] ...improved his health. He says still?

Revatinandana: Yes. Yes.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Revatinandana: Dharma was telling me.

Prabhupada: [break] ...to rise early in the morning and do whatever is needed. Then, at nine, half-past nine, I will go his apartment and begin cooking. Then, after finishing, I'll take my bathing, and then we shall eat together. And then, after eating, I will go to the Fifth Avenue for loitering.

Pusta Krsna: Fifth Avenue.

Prabhupada: Yes. So I was cooking once only, that's all.

Yasodanandana: Your loitering was very fruitful even.

Prabhupada: I was studying Americans, how they are walking, how they are shopping, like that.

Satsvarupa: One time you said you were happier then, maintaining yourself, than having thousands of disciples.

Prabhupada: Yes. There was no chance of finding fault. (laughter) Now I have to find fault.

Madhudvisa: [break] ...New York now named Jaya Nimai Nitai. When you were first in New York, he was a musician. He used to write music, and he used to get inspired by looking down from his apartment down to the street. And every day he said he used to see this little Indian man walking by, and it was you, Srila Prabhupada. And he couldn't figure out what was going on, this man walking by on the street every day.

Prabhupada: Yes, I was having morning walk regularly, alone.

Madhudvisa: He said you used to walk very fast. [break] (Indian band playing)

Madhudvisa: Entrance? [break]

Radhavallabha: ...ISKCON temples, ISKCON activities, ISKCON temples, ISKCON Deities... [break]

Prabhupada: ...people will know there is exhibition? There is no signboard. Who will know that here is...?

Radhavallabha: We'll have to put up signs today showing the entrance. There will also be a BBT and the scholars' quotes.

Prabhupada: Where is this?

Ramesvara: That is near Atlanta.

Prabhupada: All right. [break] ...He taught them to steal then: "Mother is not giving. You steal." That picture is going on. [break] Juhu is so small?

Radhavallabha: Yes, we should have made it bigger.

Ramesvara: The size of the cart is restricted.

Pancadravida: What year is that?

Ramesvara: Recently.

Revatinandana: It was this past year or the year before last when we had it. Two years ago it was full.

Prabhupada: They want to stop it. That is their... [break] A new temple?

Jayatirtha: Old temple, Srila Prabhupada. [break] Who was talking about casting?

Pusta Krsna: That was in Australia, Adelaide. Cittahari.

Prabhupada: This is very nice. This murti should be standard.

Pusta Krsna: Geneva.

Prabhupada: Yes... No, anywhere.

Pusta Krsna: Oh, and drop it(?) like this.

Prabhupada: They are casting. [break] ...this title.

Revatinandana: Srila Prabhupada, would it be good to have these titles in Bengali as well as English, the titles on the pictures?

Guru-krpa: They'll understand. Always one or two guys will explain to the crowd.

Prabhupada: Yes, they will understand. [break]

Radhavallabha: Some of the Bengalis saw this picture yesterday, and they were very surprised.

Prabhupada: There were some Bengalis?

Radhavallabha: Just a few were coming through while we were putting the display up. They were very much astonished that we have such a big building.

Prabhupada: [break] ...light arrangement?

Ramesvara: We're going to put lights up today, fluorescent lights.

Pusta Krsna: There's a wire run through the middle of the...

Ramesvara: This is about one half the display, right?

Radhavallabha: One half.

Ramesvara: The other half is...

Prabhupada: We can make all these pictures into album that can be sold.

Radhavallabha: What is it?

Ramesvara: Prabhupada said we can make a photo album of all these pictures. [break]

Prabhupada: ...ISKCON temples all over the world.

Ramesvara: You told us to make one book also.

Prabhupada: Yes. Little description and...

Pancadravida: That would be very good for preaching.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Ramesvara: With our equipment, we can make these photos in any size.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. So do it. [break] ...Auckland?

Radhavallabha: Madhudvisa?

Pusta Krsna: Is the same house in Auckland and, New Zealand?

Radhavallabha: Gribblehurst Road.

Prabhupada: Where I went?

Ramesvara: Yes, I can see it. Gribblehurst Road. Same house. This is the old temple in Houston. They're buying a new one.

Prabhupada: Oh. Boston, oh, it is very nice.

Ramesvara: This is one of the best neighborhoods in all of Boston.

Prabhupada: They are framework or brick?

Satsvarupa: It's called brownstone.

Prabhupada: Oh, brown... Stone it is. That is nice. [break] ...new temple? No.

Radhavallabha: That's Ottawa, Canada.

Prabhupada: Canada.

Ramesvara: That is the capital city of Canada.

Prabhupada: Yes. Johannesburg. That is wonderful. [break] Stockholm, yes.

Radhavallabha: People will wonder when they see all these pictures. You are in half of them.

Pusta Krsna: Actually, he's in all of them.

Prabhupada: Virginia. Here I did not go.

Ramesvara: It's near Washington, D.C.

Prabhupada: Baltimore.

Pusta Krsna: The new Miami temple, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Oh, very nice.

Satsvarupa: There are ten acres. That's just a tiny bit.

Ramesvara: They have nice mango trees?

Satsvarupa: Oh, yes, they have many, many, a whole orchard with irrigation pipes.

Radhavallabha: This sign on the door of the Tokyo temple says, "Hare Krsna Temple."

Prabhupada: So make arrangement that people may come. They should be given direction. Otherwise how they will know there is such thing?

Harisauri: Mexico.

Radhavallabha: This is only half of the temple pictures. The other half will go up today.

Ramesvara: And all the professor quotes will be up by tomorrow morning.

Prabhupada: Very good.

Ramesvara: They'll fill the entire wall on the other side.

Prabhupada: Do to your best capacity and Krsna will help.

Pusta Krsna: There should be some border over here so that people don't accidentally fall into the box. Really. We have all kinds of kids coming around. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur