Devotee: Everywhere we go,
the professors are very enthusiastic about the publications, and they say "We
will take immediately all the books."Prabhupada: Many Indians. How many
orders you booked?Gopala Krsna: A whole page on us.Prabhupada: Sunday?
What is theMahamsa: Sunday Chronicle. Deccan Chronicle. The biggest
distributed English paper in this area.Prabhupada: What is this,
Ratha-yatra?Hari-sauri: In New York.Gargamuni: The Ratha-yatra
conquering.Prabhupada: I told you Ratha-yatra, it is...Gopala Krsna:
Conquer the world.Prabhupada: ...the eyesore of the Communist
party.Hari-sauri: It says underneath, "Ratha-yatra in foreign lands." That's
the caption underneath the picture.Prabhupada: Where is it?Gargamuni:
Ratha-yatra in foreign lands.Prabhupada: Hare Krsna swamis. Read it. Read
it.Manihara: "Hare Krsna swamis. Man has unraveled many mysteries in his
progress from barbarianism to civilization in his relentless pursuit of
knowledge and his bid to add to his storehouse of information about the myriad
mysteries of the universe. He has outstepped the boundaries of the earth and
turned his attention to outer space, and at present he is trying to determine
whether life exists on Mars. But even though he has climbed a long way up the
ladder of knowledge, the great mystery of all baffles him still -- the mystery
of God. Who is God? What is the relationship between man and God? Why should man
try to realize God? These are some of the questions which have been engaging the
attention of all thinking men from time immemorial. The search for God has been
going on down the ages because the Supreme Being is God, and to know Him is to
know the truth of all things, in all forms in time as well as in space. The
destiny of man is unity with God, for man is essentially inseparable from God.
It is this knowledge which helps man to attain the state of eternal satisfaction
or moksa. But for self-knowledge, moksa would be impossible. And self-knowledge
would be impossible of attainment but for those divine messengers who throw
light on the path of our lives. Whenever true knowledge, spiritual knowledge,
begins to vanish from the face of the earth and tends to lapse into oblivion,
the divine messengers revive that knowledge and nourish it with the vitality of
their own experience. These divine messengers seek to awaken man to the
knowledge of his real heritage. One such divine messenger is His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada..."Prabhupada: He has made the ground.
(laughter)Gopala Krsna: It's really like an essay.Gargamuni: We should
send this to Blitz, this article. Because they have said "ungodly," and he is
saying "divine messenger."Prabhupada: Yes. You please send this. Get some
copies and send this rascal editor Karanji. He is known to you? He is a
Parsee?Mahamsa: No, I don't know him.Prabhupada: (laughs) Go
on.Manihara: ISKCON, which is a worldwide nonsectarian movement dedicated to
propagating the message of the Vedas for the benefit of mankind. The society was
founded in 1966 by Swami Prabhupada, who had come to the United States a year
earlier on the order of his spiritual master to teach Krsna consciousness in the
Western world. Over the years ISKCON has steadily grown in popularity and
influence, and today it is widely recognized by theologians, scholars and laymen
as a genuine and important spiritual movement."Prabhupada: This is
"theologians, scholars," and they, he said... Just see. Go on.Manihara: "At
present there are 108 ISKCON centers in 30 countries throughout the world. These
centers enable full-time members to live in close association, following the
principles of Vedic life, and also provide a place where interested visitors can
learn about the philosophy and culture of Krsna consciousness and participate in
its various functions. The basis of the movement is the Hare Krsna mantra --
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,
Hare Hare. The chanting of this mantra is the most recommended means for
spiritual progress in this age, as it cleanses the mind and enables one to
transcend the temporary designations of race, religion, and nationality and to
understand one's true identity as an eternal spiritual being. In other words,
simply by chanting Hare Krsna one can directly experience self-realization and
lead a blissful life. The devotees experience divine ecstasy in singing the holy
names of God to the accompaniment of musical instruments. The Hare Krsna
devotees, as a prerequisite for the serious pursuit of spiritual life,
voluntarily abstain from meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling.
The Krsna conscious life style is based on the principles of simple living and
high thinking. The devotees rise very early, about 3:30 a.m., and spend the
morning hours in meditation and study. During the day, the main activity is
preaching Krsna consciousness. Many devotees go out to public places to
distribute the Society's books and its official journal, Back to Godhead
magazine, which has a monthly circulation more than a million copies in fourteen
different languages. In addition to book distribution, devotees engage in a
variety of activities, including teaching, artistic pursuits and farming. The
qualification in Krsna consciousness is not what kind of work one performs, but
that it be done in the spirit of devotion to God. For the first time, Swami
Prabhupada has introduced Ratha-yatra of Lord Jagannatha of Puri in the Western
world. This festival is now being conducted in the major cities of the world
like San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, London, Paris, etc.
Millions of people relish the taste of pulling the transcendental ratha and
partake of Krsna prasada. Another of ISKCON's projects is New Vrindaban, a model
thousand-acre Krsna conscious community farm in the hills of West Virginia. This
is ISKCON's first venture in protecting cows from going to the
slaughterhouses."Prabhupada: Take care of the cows, and?Manihara: It
says, "This is ISKCON's first venture in protecting cows from going to
slaughterhouses. Over four hundred cows give twelve hundred litres of milk
daily, providing natural, healthy products like butter, ghee, etc. And
especially milk sweets like gulabjamon, rasagulla, etc."Prabhupada: What is
that?Pradyumna: Just the names of those...Prabhupada: That's all right.
Enclose this quote.Manihara: "ISKCON has generated many community farms like
New Vrindaban, providing the ideal atmosphere of a busy, yet peaceful village,
fully devoted to spiritual progress. Swami Prabhupada has also established the
first Krsna conscious gurukula in the West, a primary school in Dallas, Texas,
for one hundred boys and girls between the ages of five and fifteen. Soon after
its success, many such gurukulas have sprung up all over the world. Aside from
teaching reading, writing, mathematics, geography, etc., the gurukula teaches
the child how to cultivate God consciousness. Once a year members of ISKCON
journey to the Society's international headquarters at Sridhama Mayapura, ninety
miles north of Calcutta, and the birthplace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is
the site of a ten crore rupees international Vedic village comprised of
community farming projects, high-class gurukula school, free medicinal
facilities, and handloom weaving center. An institute of Vedic studies is
proposed to be established at this site. Other major ISKCON centers in India are
in Vrndavana, Bombay, and Kuruksetra, the site of a three-crore rupee
international Sanskrit university. This project will be sponsored by Alfred
Ford, a nephew of Henry Ford. This will be the cultural..."Prabhupada:
Nephew, nephew of Ford, that's a fact. Alfred is from the daughter's side. So
the present Mr. Ford, his nephew, certainly, because daughter's side. His mother
is the daughter, granddaughter of Henry Ford. Alfred's mother is the
granddaughter of Henry Ford. Therefore the present Ford is the maternal uncle of
Alfred.Manihara: "This will be a cultural gateway of India for the people of
the world. Hyderabad is the South Indian headquarters for ISKCON in India. The
magnificent Sri Sri Radha-Madana-mohana temple at Nampally Station Road,
inaugurated by Swami Prabhupada, will serve as a center of the cultural,
spiritual, educational and social activities given to uplift the lives of people
here. According to Sri Mahamsa Swami, the president of the Society here, the
devotees will hold seminars in colleges, factories, business centers,
universities, schools, etc., to teach the techniques of spiritualizing the
day-to-day life. Deity worship accompanied by the constant chanting of the holy
names will be a special feature at the center. Besides, there will be daily
classes in Sanskrit, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavatam, and the Upanisads. There will be
a Vedic library consisting of Swami Prabhupada's books and various books on
comparative study of religion. A cassette library will be a special feature
here. Devotees will travel into towns and villages and do sankirtana for the
uplift of the masses. ISKCON Hyderabad is introducing for the first time in
South India its major 600 acre community farming project, 40 kilometers from
Hyderabad, to benefit about 20,000 villages. Besides regular free nutritional
food distribution program, ISKCON is also planning to set up a model
high-yielding 600-cow dairy farm, handloom centers, nature-cure hospital, and
gurukula school project. Swami Prabhupada's most substantial contribution,
however, is to be found in his books, a veritable storehouse of knowledge and
wisdom. He has written more than 50 books so far, explaining the principles of
Krsna or God consciousness in a logical, practical, and scientific way. Through
his books people are understanding the eternal wisdom of the ancient Indian
scriptures. That ISKCON has made a significant contribution to the intellectual,
cultural, and spiritual life of contemporary man is obvious from the fact that
people of all ages and..."Prabhupada: A very important
article.Gargamuni: A very good article.Prabhupada: Yes. And it details
everything. So you purchase some copies. We have to prepare...Manihara:
"...of varying degrees of education and from many walks of life, students,
teachers, scientists, servicemen, laborers, and professionals -- indeed numerous
race, creeds and nationalities -- are attached towards it. The unifying
characteristics that brings such diverse individuals to Krsna consciousness are
high ethical standards and a sincere desire to understand spiritual truths. To
make a pleasure-loving and easy-going Western youth to shed his fashionable
dress and make him give up his dearly cherished beefsteaks, wine and women,
cannabis and LSD, and don the saffron robe, shave his head, hold the danda, and
chant Hare Krsna, is no mean achievement. That ISKCON has made thousands of
Western youths perform this seemingly impossible task is an eloquent testimony
of the impact it has made on the life of the contemporary West. ISKCON does
offer to the modern man a haven of refuge from the complexity of anxiety of
present-day life. The society has indeed set before itself a noble and laudable
ideal..."Prabhupada: When the Englishmen were ruling over this country and
Gandhi had to do so much labor, his life sacrificed, some way or other they were
gone. Now the same Englishman is working here as book distributor. (laughs) Who
was our ruler. So whose achievement is better? Gandhi's or mine?Gargamuni:
Yours.Prabhupada: And one Englishman is giving me massage. This rascal
criticizing. But they have come to me for money? They are poor or they are
illiterate fools? They have come to me for money or some material gain? No.
Unless they are convinced about the spiritual gain, why they should give me such
service? They have no eyes to see.Gargamuni: No, because in India, many
Indians, when they approach a guru, they want something. But we didn't have to
approach you for anything.Prabhupada: That is the speciality. The guru...
One should go to guru to serve him as menial servant. That is acceptance of
guru. That is required. Nicavat. Nica, nica means menial. Just like menial
servant, he does everything. Similarly, to live with guru means to serve him as
a menial servant. That is Vedic injunction. Nicavat. You should not be puffed
up, that "I am coming from such royal family, I am coming from such rich
family." And that tendency is trained up from the childhood. A child does not
know. Just like Pradyumna's son. You can engage him in any menial service. He
does not discriminate. He's trained up. So this is gurukula. Very word is used,
nicavat. He gives service to the guru just like a menial servant. And this
training being given from the childhood, he does not know what is low or what is
high. His spiritual master asks to do something... Even Krsna went to the forest
to collect some dry wood. Vasudeva's son, in royal family, but he had to go. And
all of a sudden there was storm and, what is called?Gopala Krsna:
Lightning.Manihara: Thunder.Prabhupada: No.Hari-sauri:
Hail.Prabhupada: Hailstorm. And they became entrapped in the jungle whole
night. And in the morning guru with other disciples came to search out them. And
this Sudama Vipra and Krsna was stranded, and they were found out, then taken
back. So even Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He served the guru
as menial. The guru's wife asked Him, "Bring some fuel from the jungle," and
they went immediately. This is gurukula. No, I mean to say, prestigious
position. "Guru has said -- has to be done." This training. Then?Manihara:
There's just a few more sentences. "The Society has indeed set for itself a
noble and laudable ideal, producing men and women of high character, sincerity,
and God consciousness."Prabhupada: Send this rascal.Gargamuni: Yes, this
shall be sent. And also to Om Mehta.Prabhupada: You send. He knows you,
Gargamuni. Yes. Say you have mentioned several times my name, so for your
benefit, and to open your eyes, I am sending you one article. Please read what
ISKCON is doing. Simply write this.Gargamuni: I have to go to Delhi for my
(indistinct). I will go to the office, the Blitz office, and bring them this
personally.Prabhupada: That's all right.Gargamuni: "You have written
about me, but I would like to present you this article."Prabhupada: Yes. For
your benefit.Gargamuni: Yes, that is a fact.Prabhupada: So you are
keeping good health?Prabha Visnu: Oh, yes, very good health.Prabhupada:
So, wherefrom just now you are coming?Prabha Visnu: Well, we've just come
from Eastern coast. We came down from Calcutta through Visakhapatnam and
Vijayawada. We took some orders in Guntur. And before that...Prabhupada:
Guntur there is university?Pradyumna: Yes, there's a new one.Prabhupada:
Guntur, our Tirtha Maharaja has got a branch there. Is it not? Gaudiya Matha
they have got branch?Prabha Visnu: In Visakhapatnam.Prabhupada: No, that
is another. In Guntur, yes.Prabha Visnu: I didn't see.Prabhupada:
Visakhapatnam, there is one of my Godbrothers, Puri Maharaja. Did you go
there?Prabha Visnu: No. But we saw some books which they published and they
had your picture in the front actually. Just on the inside page your picture was
there.Prabhupada: In Guntur you received order from?Prabha Visnu: The
State Regional Library. It's the most prestigious library in Andhra Pradesh.
They took a complete order for all the books.Gargamuni: Caitanya-caritamrta
and Bhagavatam.Prabha Visnu: Yes.Prabhupada: Standing order.Prabha
Visnu: Yes, standing order. And Visakhapatnam university also, standing order
for all the books. We'll probably go back to Guntur again, and I think we'll
make some more orders there next week. But it was Saturday and some of the
colleges were closed, so we couldn't see the professors.Prabhupada: Keep
your health nice, because Indian climate sometimes does not suit. Eat simple
things. Fruits, vegetables. Don't be miser in the matter of... But don't eat
voraciously. Eat sufficiently, nutritious.Gargamuni: Yes. I have also told
they should eat nice fruits and vegetable so they will keep
healthy.Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Vegetable, fruits, very innocent, little milk.
That's all. Even if you don't eat these foodgrains, that is preferred. Better.
Vegetable and fruits and milk, that is sufficient nutritious. There is no
question of disease. But for our tongue taste we eat so many cooked food, but if
we eat vegetables, boiled vegetables and fruits and milk, ah, it is sufficient.
Ekadasi. (laughter) Daily ekadasi.And these peanuts, a few grains. Not much.
That is also nice. Cashew, peanut. Yes. So thank you very much. You are working
so much for Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Bas. You become a guru. Actually you are doing the guru's
work. "Here is a message from Krsna. Please take it." Bas. Simple. Yare dekha.
And whomever you meet, tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Either you speak personally or
give him a book.Manihara: This is the noon paper published...Prabhupada:
"Explosion." Mahamsa Swami is continuing this.Prabha Visnu:
Yes.Prabhupada: It looks nice.Prabha Visnu: Yes.Prabhupada:
Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. As soon as we decide to work for Krsna very sincere.
What is this Krsna crossword? This is gambling.Gargamuni: Krsna crossword
puzzle.Hari-sauri: Oh. Crosswords are gambling?Prabhupada:
Yes.Manihara: Gambling?Prabhupada: Is it not gambling?Hari-sauri:
They give clues and it's to make you think.Manihara: They give a clue. They
say...Prabhupada: But there is prize.Manihara: No, I don't think there
is prize.Gargamuni: There is in the other newspapers. Maybe not in this. But
they do offer prize. You send in, then they choose prize.Prabhupada: So they
work, originally it began for prize. (laughs) Otherwise, these karmis, why they
shall waste their time? They wanted some prize.Hari-sauri: Sometimes they
print their names in the next issue. "The last week's winner
was..."Prabhupada: "Winner." That means prize.Manihara: There's no
mention of any reward. Just...Prabhupada: Anything of these four prohibited
regulations should not do. Yatra papas catur-vidha, four kinds of papa -- sinful
activities. From the very beginning, because I introduced this, no catur-vidha,
four kinds of papa. Therefore our Society is now so respected. From the very
beginning we are following to keep these principles in forefront. This is
appreciated by anyone. Even he is himself a debauch, he'll appreciate. It is so
nice thing. A person may be a big drunkard, but he'll never like to see his son
drunkard. That is natural.Gargamuni: Yes. My father he used to smoke, but he
said, "You should not smoke."Prabhupada: He said like that?Gargamuni:
Yes. I think all fathers must say.Hari-sauri: Yes, mine did too. One day I
walked in with a cigarette, so he beat me because I was smoking and I was only
fourteen or something. So then I said, "But you were doing the same thing." And
he beat me even more.Gargamuni: They say, "I am old enough to do it. You are
not."Prabhupada: "When you are an older, you become a debauch. But don't
become now." (laughing) If it is a good thing, why older and
younger?Manihara: Our relatives, especially close relatives, parents, and
they see, they can see immediately...Prabhupada: This is natural. These
things are not good. They know it, but they are habituated. But they do not like
that son should be habituated. That is natural. Your father predicted about
Brahmananda that "This boy will be a saintly man."Gargamuni:
Yes.Prabhupada: Yes. He'll not be a karmi. From the beginning he could
understand. How did he understand?Gargamuni: Because his tendencies were
never in the business field. He was an intellectual. He used to read a lot and
he was interested in religion.Prabhupada: From the very
beginning.Gargamuni: Yes. In college he took courses in
religion.Prabhupada: And when he first came to me he expressed that "I was
searching this institution. Now I'll join." And he was getting at that time four
hundred dollars?Gargamuni: Yes. A school teacher.Prabhupada: Yes. So he
was paying everything almost, keeping little money. And then he brought
him.Hari-sauri: I have a picture of you with your hair. I'll show you. I
have a picture of Gargamuni Swami when he still had hair and karmi
clothes.Gargamuni: "Shakespearean locks." Prabhupada used to call me
that.Hari-sauri: Hair in this picture's a bit cropped up, but you had a bead
bag then.Gargamuni: Oh, yeah, then that was later.Prabhupada: You were
selling Back to Godhead on the street?Gargamuni: Yes, in the
pushcart.Prabhupada: That time how many copies we were
printing?Gargamuni: We were printing 500 to 1,000. We started at 500 then to
1,000.Prabhupada: Then when Brahmananda proposed that we can get it printed
from Japan, but they want order for 20,000 minimum. So I said yes. Five hundred,
1,000 we were selling, and he proposed 20,000. "Yes. You order." (laughs) Now,
two million?Hari-sauri: The biggest one I think was that centennial,
bicentennial issue. What was that? It increases, anyway, every
year.Prabhupada: Brahmananda was hesitating how 20,000 per month we shall
consume.Gargamuni: Yes, we were all afraid.Prabhupada: (laughs) I said,
"Yes. You order. We shall consume." Then this Tamala Krsna, he
helped.Hari-sauri: He was in book distribution from the start.Gargamuni:
Yes. From Los Angeles. From their sales they were sending.Prabhupada: Yes.
He gave impetus for distribution. Then we got encouragement. Other party,
another party. Where those mimeograph machine gone?Gargamuni: I don't know.
After I went to San Francisco... They should be preserved. That was beginning.
We could still use them.Prabhupada: Yes. I paid $150 I had collected. They
wanted hundred dollars each or $125 each. So I went there, that I want two
machines, but I have got $150 dollars only. So he wanted to throw away the
machine. "All right, you take two machines." So I gave $150 and took away two
machines. I think it is more costly. Eh?Gargamuni: Yes, oh, yes. Those are
heavy-duty machines. They were old, but they were good.Prabhupada: They were
working nice. And the printer was that boy?Gargamuni:
Ranchor.Prabhupada: Ranchor. Spoiling so much paper.Gargamuni: Yes, so
much.Prabhupada: He brought $500 from his grandfather.Gargamuni: Yes, he
donated.Prabhupada: His father and mother divorced. So he used to visit
sometimes his grandfather, father's father. So naturally grandfather, when he
used to visit, he gave him some money.Hari-sauri: And he'd give it to you.
Then he gave it to you.Prabhupada: Once he gave me. Anyway, Krsna is giving
us encouragement. Religious, philosophical book, as soon as they hear of it they
immediately say, "No, no, we..." That is the natural tendency.Prabha Visnu:
But here in India when they see that a white man has taken to the Vaisnava
religion...Prabhupada: That influences.Prabha Visnu: ...they are so much
respectful.Prabhupada: Yes. Naturally. That chief minister
said.Gargamuni: Yes. "It is a reversal of history."Prabhupada: So that
was my policy, that I shall go America, and if the Americans become devotees
then these rascals will be automatically. Here they could not appreciate. When I
started, wanted to start this movement, they refused to give their
son.Hari-sauri: They always say a preacher is never appreciated in his home
town.Prabhupada: "Swamiji, what benefit there will be by becoming brahmana,
by devotee? They have to earn their livelihood." Spiritual culture is in India
practically rejected. They are convinced with the idea that for spiritual
culture we are so much behind this material. That is their full
conviction.Hari-sauri: It must have been a big shock for them when they
first saw our devotees. It must have been a big shock for them when they saw
these shaved heads and chanting.Prabhupada: That minister is
coming?Manihara: Today?Prabhupada: Somebody told?Gargamuni: Yes, at
10:30 they said. Gopala said he's coming. I don't know, but I will
ask.Manihara: Srila Prabhupada, when we give prasada to
people...Prabhupada: Anyone who comes, he must be given
prasada.Manihara: ...what is the benefit they get exactly? There have been
so many concoctions: "Oh, they will take human birth," "they will take this..."
What is the actual benefit that a karmi will get when he takes
prasada?Prabhupada: Prasada means the mercy of Krsna.Manihara:
Mercy.Prabhupada: By eating you are getting mercy. Krsna bado doyamoy
koribare jihva jay swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai. Swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai. Sei
prasada anna pao radha-krsna-guna gao preme dako caitanya-nitai.Manihara:
'Cause some devotees, they are saying...Prabhupada: Krsna bado doyamoy.
Because we want eating, so He is giving His mercy through eating. Eating nobody
will refuse. So by eating he is being favored by Krsna. This is the process. You
understand Bengali? Krsna bado doyamoy, He's very merciful. Koribare jihva jay.
We are accustomed to eat, go to the restaurant, go to the hotel, go to here and
there, at home and so on. Simply eating, eating. So this is jihva lampata.
Prostitution of the tongue. Just like a woman prostitute is not satisfied with
one man. Similarly, our tongue is like a prostitute. It is not satisfied with
simple foods. Sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes on the street,
sometimes on the restaurant, sometimes a hotel. Regular prostitution. It is
called tongue prostitution. There are prostitution of three things: prostitution
of the tongue, prostitution of the belly, and prostitution of the genital. Three
kinds of. Udara-upastha-vegam. Jihva-udara-upastha-vegam [NoI 1]. Straight line.
So to stop this prostitution is to control the tongue. The tongue prostitution
means he wants to eat varieties of foodstuff. Krsna is so merciful, "All right,
you eat varieties of prasada." Then tongue prostitution is controlled and
naturally the belly and the genital controlled. Krsna bado doyamoy koribare
jihva jay. To own victory over the tongue, He has given varieties... Therefore
all nice things should be offered to Krsna and then take prasada. They will be
benefited.Manihara: This is Krsna's arrangement, special.Prabhupada:
Krsna bado doyamoy koribare jihva jay.. Jaya means you conquer over the tongue.
If you do not give tongue Krsna prasada then the tongue will dictate, "Why not
go to the restaurant?" So this is the process. Give everyone nice prasada. His
tongue will be conquered and he'll be conquered. He'll be able to conquer over
the prostitution of the senses, and then he'll become a devotee. Hyderabad
papers have given us good publicity. Very nice.Hari-sauri: Any reasonable
persons appreciate it.Prabhupada: How the books are being supplied? From
Bombay?Prabha Visnu: When we were working from Bombay, Bombay was sending
them by rail. But now Gargamuni Swami, he has given us some books to supply
immediately to the libraries, and then others that we can't... If we don't have
enough to supply all the libraries, he's going to arrange for more to be sent. I
think he wants to send a van, a vehicle around all the colleges to deliver the
books.Prabhupada: He will make some good profit? (laughs) Never mind. If
books are distributed, that is our satisfaction. Let anyone make some profit. We
don't mind.Hari-sauri: No, he wants to send one of our vehicles around.
Yes?Prabhupada: Never mind. The books must reach there. That is
my...Prabha Visnu: One way or the other the books will get
there.Prabhupada: Yes. That's all. Doesn't matter. We are not after
profit.Prabha Visnu: Besides, any profit it goes toward the development of
Krsna consciousness.Prabhupada: Yes. So what is the total amount?Prabha
Visnu: Of standing orders? So many. Over two hundred.Prabhupada: Anyway,
wherever you go, they take it.Prabha Visnu: Yes. All these people...
Practically every college will take something at least. If they don't have
enough money for the whole standing order, at least they take some books out of
respect. Everywhere they are very respectful, and everyone has heard of you and
the work that you've done.Prabhupada: They like.Prabha Visnu: Oh, very
much. People are very impressed. In the Western world people are so much
unfavorable towards us. But here in India they treat us like kings. Sometimes
when I come to colleges they practically touch my feet and give me all kinds of
foodstuffs and drinks. Very nice.Manihara: Even in the West they are not so
favorable, but still everybody has heard of Krsna. Everybody's heard of the Hare
Krsna people.Mahamsa: There's only five first initiations. Those ladies, I
told them to wait some more time. Those ladies, I told them to wait for some
more time because they were still drinking tea and coffee until
yesterday.Prabhupada: No, if they promise they will give up, then we can
give.Mahamsa: I already told them, "You please..." They said they will give
up but I said that you...Prabhupada: No, if they promise you can
give.Mahamsa: But, they are waiting, what shall I tell them now? I just now
told them...Prabhupada: No, tell them that, "If you promise from today you
will give up..."Mahamsa: They promised.Prabhupada: Then we shall give
it.Mahamsa: All five of them?Prabhupada: Oh, yes. If they have promised,
we shall give. Simply you don't break promise. You have promised -- do it.
That's all.Mahamsa: I'll tell them. Another thing was those, what is, I
don't know what is the position of ladies being initiated. They are young girls.
They may get married. They may get married to someone outside the
society.Prabhupada: But she can chant and observe the rules and regulations
-- what is that.Mahamsa: Even if her husband does not follow?Prabhupada:
That does not matter. It is individual.Mahamsa: Then there'll be five
more.Prabhupada: My sister, while she was married, her father-in-law's
house, they were all eating fish. So a new girl, ten years, eleven years old. So
she was given this foodstuff with fish and everything. So she was crying. So her
mother-in-law, "Why you are crying?" "No, we do not touch all these things." She
immediately arranged special cooking for her. So her husband and other members
they were taking fish, but she never touched. She never touched. She does not
know what is fish. If one wants to keep oneself pure, he or she can keep herself
pure in any circumstances.Mahamsa: Okay. And there'll be two second
initiations, two devotees from here. So I will talk to them again because just
now I've told them "You must wait one month more." They were willing
to.Prabhupada: If they'll promise, that's all right.Mahamsa: So I'll
tell them like that. Okay. Then the names and beads will be given downstairs by
Your Grace? You'll be coming down?Prabhupada: Yes.Hari-sauri: They
should be wearing their neckbeads before. At least two lines.Prabhupada: So
Krsna will recognize your service. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, na ca
tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [Bg. 18.69]. You are distributing this
knowledge, so you become immediately recognized, very dear servant, very
confidential servant of Krsna. He says personally. Na ca tasman manusyesu [Bg.
18.69]. "Amongst the human beings those who are doing this preaching, nobody is
dearer than these persons to Me -- anyone." You have read that?Prabha Visnu:
That's in Eighteenth Chapter? Yes.Prabhupada: To be quickly recognized by
Krsna, this is the short-cut process. He never says those who are sitting in a
secluded place meditating or chanting, doing nothing. He never says that "They
are My very dear devotees." But those who are preaching-na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me [Bg. 18.69]. Just like government takes more care for the soldiers,
especially when there is fighting. They are giving life for the state. So their
comfort-first consideration. In the warfield, enough supplies. Anything the
soldiers require. Enough supplies. Sometimes the store is blown out. And again
another store is ready. Therefore in the wartime they control. [break]
...destroy them. And still another store. So therefore supply is sufficient.
Civil supplies become controlled. Whatever they want, supply is there. The
Britishers, British time. I have seen, in the village they will let loose the
soldiers to rape anyone.Manihara: The sergeants and corporals go first. The
leaders of the battalion, they will go first to start to ravage and loot, and
then all their men will follow.Prabhupada: Everywhere, huh? So I have seen
in Calcutta outside villages. So my maternal uncle's house was their "Tally-on."
(?) So when they used to come there was a, what is called rumor, "Soldiers
come..." They'll captured any woman from the street. No
restrictions.Manihara: They are simply killing, killing, killing, for no
reason; therefore this killing turns into..., they turn into animal. So when
they see woman, they...Prabhupada: So everywhere the same business. The
soldiers are let loose in the villages.Pradyumna: Srila Prabhupada? What is
the program? Will you becoming down?Prabhupada: Why not? Yes. As soon as
ready I shall go.Pradyumna: As soon as ready you will come. We're not
waiting for any minister or something to come or anything?Prabhupada:
Yes.Hari-sauri: He's supposed to be here now.Prabhupada: Just see if
he's coming actually. Otherwise...Pradyumna: But as soon as we are ready you
will come down?Prabhupada: Yes.Manihara: Now England is finished.
Everybody is completely unhappy. Nobody is happy in England. The rich men, once
they were happy, now they are having their money taken away by the government.
They are taxing, taxing, taxing, all the time. And the poor people, they have
nothing anyway. Nobody has anything to talk about. Nothing to be proud of in
England. Everybody is leaving. Every day in the newspaper you read such-and-such
has happened.Prabhupada: You are Englishman?Manihara: Yes.Prabha
Visnu: It's a sinful reaction.Prabhupada: Yes. They expanded their empire.
Where is that empire now? The expansion of empire began during Victoria's time.
Victoria's time.Hari-sauri: Even before that, though, because they were
going out in the ships and... America and all.Prabhupada: During the first
Elizabeth's time. That was the beginning.Hari-sauri: Queen Elizabeth the
First.Manihara: They went to America at that time. Pilgrim.Prabhupada:
So what is the time of Elizabeth?Prabha Visnu: 1600-1700, that's four
hundred years ago.Prabhupada: So within four hundred years everything
finished. (laughs) Everything built up and everything finished.Prabha Visnu:
You said before it was all propaganda.Manihara: Now the Indians are coming
from India, setting up big business in England. They're controlling big
factories, business, so many mills, everything. In Manchester, where I come
from...Prabhupada: There is agitation to drive away the
Indians.Manihara: Now they are trying to drive away. Because they know they
have money. They are taking over.Prabhupada: Money and intelligence also.
They can organize the English very nicely. And they're not extravagant. European
and American, as soon as they get money they spend it. And Indians know how to
save something. I saw in London almost all Indians have got their own house.
Maybe small house, it doesn't matter. But they have got their own quarters.
Every Indian. And they're living very comfortably. Englishmen, local men,
renting.Manihara: Big, big blocks.Prabhupada: And many Indians, they
have come from Africa.Manihara: Kenya.Prabha Visnu: Uganda,
especially.Prabhupada: Uganda. They got English citizenship. Now they cannot
refuse them legally.Manihara: There's one group, the National Front group,
they are trying to stop the citizenship. Because the government they are saying,
"Yes, we will make you citizens if you come here, get business." And they are
fighting against this.Prabhupada: They are refusing citizenship to the
children. Children born of Indians in England, naturally they should be
citizens. But now they're refused.Hari-sauri: They're making all of them get
six-month visas. That's partly the reason why India is now thinking to impose
visa regulations on the British, on British people who come here.Prabhupada:
Why they are doing that? Why not make world citizen? So much space. Let anyone
go anywhere and live as he likes.Hari-sauri: Nationalism.Prabhupada:
Yes. Internationalism. Why it is a short-sighted view, "They cannot come here"?
Everyone is God's son, and everything belongs to God. If one finds opportunity
in some place, let him have it. I think if this is adopted by the United Nation,
immediately the face of the world will change. The Chinese and the Indians, they
are very expert. If they are given place, they can immediately turn that place
into a nice food-producing village. They can do that. And you can produce
anything usable from anywhere according to the climate. Especially in America,
the facility is very, very great. So many jungles. If the jungles are cut, the
woods can be used for making house and the field can be used for producing food
and milk, cows, everything. Around our New Vrindaban there are many
places.Hari-sauri: Both our... Pennsylvania farm has 100 acres of
woods.Prabhupada: Especially in America. There is enough place. And England
also. There is enough place. They are not being utilized.Manihara: Even my
father, he has one big house with some land, one or two acres of land. I put
this to him, I told him, "Why you cannot just live simply? You have enough room
for one cow, which is enough milk for you and for four people that live there."
Two sisters. Like that. One cow. "You can grow vegetables, you can have an apple
tree, a pear tree. Like this you can have everything. You don't need to buy
anything."Prabhupada: What does he say?Manihara: He says, "I'm a
doctor."Prabhupada: "We shall purchase meat and eat."Manihara: "We need
meat." He said, "We need meat." He's a doctor. He's saying he needs meat. I've
not been eating meat for four years. There's nothing wrong with
me.Prabhupada: And when there will be no vegetables, where you'll get meat?
After all, you must have sufficient vegetables for eating by the cows. But if
there is no vegetable, then where you'll get meat? Actually, in Europe it is
being done, that there is drought. There is no rain. There is no grass.
Brown.Mahamsa: The Minister of Endowments is here. The Minister of
Endowments.Prabhupada: Yes. Thank you. Feeling all right?Endowment
Commissioner: Yes, sir. Yesterday, our chief minister's not here. He came this
morning. I asked him to come there, but he has not. Some other ministers are
wanting to come. I wanted to at four o'clock.Prabhupada: Four o'clock. All
right.Mahamsa: Today so early now? But your rest. It's time you take rest,
Prabhupada.Prabhupada: I take rest up to four or half past four.Mahamsa:
Can you come at five o'clock?Endowment Commissioner: At five o'clock there
will be another program of our ministers.Prabhupada: So I will go. You send
car?Endowment Commissioner: Car, I will send one car.Mahamsa: As soon as
your car comes, we will leave.Prabhupada: You can give him that paper. Today
is very nice report about our activities in the Sunday Chronicle. You can go up
to the car. Go up to the car. So, I shall take little khicudi at half past one.
Khicudi as he, as you gave in the first, very thin, but same way. And that lemon
chutney.Manihara: Lemon pickle.Prabhupada: Pickle, yes. Khicudi with
potato and other vegetables, and ghee should be given separately as I... Make it
simplified. If I go to rest at two o'clock, then it will be possible to start.
So see that it is quickly done. We shall go and come back by half past twelve.
In Europe especially, if they do not change their mode of living, reject
spiritual life, then gradually the whole situation will be dangerous. Then there
will be no water supply.Prabha Visnu: Yes. I read in the newspaper just a
few days ago that Britain is thinking of importing drinking
water.Prabhupada: It is impractical. Is it possible to import drinking water
for so many people?Prabha Visnu: No.Prabhupada: This is their utopian
theory.Prabha Visnu: They are thinking that man will conquer over nature.
That's their ideal, that man will become God.Manihara: Just before I left
England... They have so many cows in the south of England, they were grazing.
But because it was so hot, the grass was not growing. It was becoming very dry,
and no new grass was growing because there was no rain. So then they had to move
all the cows to the north of England. Thousands upon thousands of cows, they
have to move in big lorries to the north of England where there was some grass.
And now in the north of England there is no grass, so they're going to have to
move them to Scotland. It's costing so much money. And then the cows are going
to become thin.Prabhupada: They are killing immaturely. Because they die,
they cannot eat. They want to eat fresh, huh? The want to kill them alive.
(pause) You want? So let us go down to the car. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase =>
Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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