Prabhupada: You have seen this
book, Hindi?Dr. Sharma: Ah, yes.
Guest (1) (Indian man): Dr. Sharma stayed here in our building only.
Guest (2) (Indian man): Just opposite my room is my uncle's son-in-law. Son-in-law.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Guest (2): He and his wife, both are doctors. They were in U.M. (?) University in Moscow. They got their medical post there. Now he has come back to India for some research work. And my sister, his wife, is still in London. He will be going back in June, and we have requested him to come back to India and have..., serve here. He has a desire to come back.
Prabhupada: How long you were in Russia?
Dr. Sharma: I was there for six years. Over six years.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Guest (1): He speaks very fluent Russian also.
Prabhupada: Ah, must speak. I have been also in Moscow. In Moscow, I went there. I was walking in that Red Square. Lenin's tomb is there. I was putting on the National Hotel.
Dr. Sharma: National Hotel. That is quite opposite. My brother requested me to see you personally, Mr. K. Gopalan from Hyderabad, the Joint Commissioner for Improvements.
Prabhupada: Oh. He is in Moscow?
Dr. Sharma: No, no. He was in Hyderabad, Joint Commissioner for Religious Improvements, Mr. K. Gopalan. He asked me. He is my brother. He is my eldest brother. He has asked me to see you personally. I have been sincerely endeavoring to see you for quite some time, but I did not have the fortune to see you. Today I am lucky.
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. So I am also. So all these ministers, they invited me. They are in Hyderabad. I was in the house of Mr. Raju, the Endowment Minister. So they were very friendly. In Hyderabad, all the big, big government commissioners, the chief minister, they came in the opening ceremony of our temple. So it is fortunate that you were in Russia. So our humble attempt is to distribute the sublime knowledge of India. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Actually, outside India, there is no knowledge. Plainly speaking, their knowledge is as good as animals. Because in the sastra it is said -- and it is fact; either you refer to the sastra or not, it is common sense-
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
[SB 10.84.13]
Go means, cow and khara means ass. So yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. This body, bag of kapha-pitta-vayu, if one thinks that "I am this body," then he is a go-khara. So this bodily concept of life is going on all over the world. "I am Russian," "I am German," "I am Englishman," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that." But India, especially Bhagavad-gita, when Krsna opens His mouth to speak, His first instruction is that "You are not this body." Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. Dehinah asmin dehe. Asmin dehe. This material body... Within this body, there is dehi, the owner of the body. Now, you will find so many scholars, commentators on Bhagavad-gita, but nobody understands this first line. This is the fact now going on. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. If you accept this first principle... You have to accept. Accept or deny, it doesn't matter. You are young man. I say that you will become old man. You accept or deny, it doesn't matter; you must be an old man. Similarly, Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13], there will be change of the body. So you accept or not accept, it doesn't matter. It will take. But if I am going to change my body, and if I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], then what is my next body, it should not be my concern. But nobody cares for it. "Never mind what body I am going to get next. It doesn't matter. Let me enjoy this body." This is animal civilization. The dog, at night barking, jumping, he is not able to understand, what is next life, what is rebirth, what is his... He cannot understand. But a human being can understand. So if he is put into the darkness, then what is the difference between animal and human being? So this is the problem. So we are trying (in) our humble way to give this knowledge to the world. That is Krsna consciousness movement. And our request to everyone is that "You try to understand the philosophy and cooperate." There is a line in Caitanya-caritamrta,
sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karile citte pabe camatkara
[Cc. Adi 8.15]
It is not to be accepted blindly. [break] So you are in Russia, educated young man. You can do something. Everyone can do something.
bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]
Bharata-bhumi, anyone who has taken birth in Bharata-bhumi, especially in high family, it is the duty of every Indian to understand this sublime knowledge and distribute it to the world. Para-upakara. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Because we have got this knowledge, everything. This knowledge you cannot have anywhere. Therefore scholarly people, man or elderly persons, many, they are accepting our books very nicely. In foreign countries... And Bhagavata, it is not their religious book. We are selling... In Russia also we have got copies. What is that institution, they have ordered?
Tamala Krsna: It might be named in Russian. It's the international institution which orders books.
Dr. Sharma: That is international library of the RSSR. That is... Huliyansa(?) He's the director. I have seen that letter. With their office. They asked me to translate it. I translated that letter not long ago. And I passed it on, request. So I am aware of what they are doing, and I know what they do not do also. I not only feel the heartbeat of pulse of the people of India, but I feel the pulse of the heartbeat in Communist countries as well. I am very happy that I am here after having missed the name of Lord Narayana for six years in Soviet Union, where the people chant only Lenin's name. It is being duly compensated (indistinct). You made this possible. I have gone through ten volumes of your book that you have written. They are really...
Prabhupada: Which book? Bhagavatam?
Guest (2): Caitanya-caritamrta.
Prabhupada: Oh, Caitanya...
Dr. Sharma: So I've been reading the commentary after commentary. I enjoyed them. It was full of honey and nectar and knowledge to people who are insignificant and idiots like me. (Prabhupada laughs) I enjoyed it.
Prabhupada: Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also presented Himself as idiot number one. He said to Prakasananda Sarasvati. Prakasananda Sarasvati asked Him that "You are a sannyasi. You do not read Vedanta and You chant and dance. What is this?" So He answered, guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana. "My guru found Me a fool number one, so he has chastised Me, 'You rascal, You are fool, You cannot read Vedanta. You Chant Hare Krsna.' " So it is good that we remain as fools and idiot. Then we can make progress. And if we think, "Oh, I know everything," then finished. It is a good attitude. Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana.
Dr. Sharma: Sasana means punishment, to check.
Prabhupada: Yes. We get very much happy when our Guru Maharaja chastises us. So you are already reading our books. So let us cooperate, and I think if you will preach systematically, the Russian people, they are intelligent, they will appreciate it.
Dr. Sharma: They have an interest, an innate interest, to know about these things.
Prabhupada: Yes. They want to get something from India. So why not give this?
Dr. Sharma: For many years they have been living like frogs in a well, kupa-stha-manduka. Of late they are realizing they have got to come out of this. When I was... Many people used to come to me. I used to tell them about Hindu religion and yoga, etcetera. They have an innate interest for this.
Prabhupada: Yes. People are everywhere good. Simply some politicians, they make them bad.
Dr. Sharma: The top politicians, they come in the way. They stop these things. They had a yoga class institute set up in the Moscow University, and when they came to bhakti-yoga, they realized that spiritualism's involved. So at the earliest they get rid of this.
Prabhupada: One book is published, what is that religion?
Tamala Krsna: Anthology.
Prabhupada: Anthology. So in that book they have given quotation from my books.
Tamala Krsna: Yeah. It's just come out.
Prabhupada: It is very nice.
Dr. Sharma: One day they removed the professor the department of Russian, for arguing in favor (?) of Indian yoga, and he was practicing it and teaching the people. And they got rid of it.
Prabhupada: So when they get the information...
yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]
There is book.
Tamala Krsna: This is the book, Words of the World Religions, and on the part, the section is entitled "Krsna," and on the part "Krsna," "From Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada." Very nice.
Dr. Sharma: This publication is from States or Russia?
Tamala Krsna: This is published from the United States.
Prabhupada: Anthology of Religions of the World.
Tamala Krsna: So your book is considered an authoritative book on the Personality of Godhead, Krsna.
Prabhupada: They have given nice description of bhakti-yoga. So if you want to, we can give you some sets of books for reading, and discussing amongst your friends.
Dr. Sharma: Thank you.
Prabhupada: Yes. You can select our any number of books you want. Let them read and understand.
Guest (2): He is good at translating also. He could translate our books.
Prabhupada: If you kindly do that, you can. That will be a great service.
Guest (1): Into Russian he can translate.
Prabhupada: Yes. And we can print them.
Guest (1): Someone else has to do the corrections?
Prabhupada: No...
Guest: (indistinct)
Tamala Krsna: Which book would you like to have translated into Russian, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: That he can select. You can see my books, and whichever you want to begin first. That will be great service. But actual communism, what is called, socialism, is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Guest (2): Real socialism in there in Bhagavatam.
Prabhupada: In the Seventh Canto. That in your house if there is even a snake, see that he is not starving. This... Just see. If there is a lizard, if there is a snake, then see that he is not starving. You must give him food. Where is that communism?
Guest (1): We appreciate Communism as it stands now or socialism, what they call it?
Prabhupada: No. Our communism is that Krsna says, sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah: [Bg. 14.4] "In every species of life, as many forms of life are there, material nature is their mother and I am the seed-giving father." So everyone is Krsna's son. And everything is isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Everything is Krsna's property. Every son has got the right to enjoy the property of the father. This is our...
Guest (1): In the essence of Communism the very fact of existence of God itself is denied.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Guest (1): The existence of God itself is questioned or denied in Communism.
Prabhupada: They may deny so many things foolishly, but that is not the fact.
Guest (1): We understand. But even to such peoples, Communism, the word itself shows it is not accepting God. Then why we should interpret that Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita, whatever we have, is....
Prabhupada: They may not accept God, but they are sons of God. You may become a madman -- you don't accept your father. That does not mean that you have no father.
Guest (1): But he is a madman.
Prabhupada: Yes, so madman, that should be treated. That is humanity. A madman, he has become mad, and "Get him out." No. Human society's duty is to treat him, to become a sane man.
Guest (1): And that type of man requires a special treatment.
Prabhupada: Yes, a special treatment...
Guest (1): So the books which you have written for other people.
Prabhupada: No. You don't require to read book. We simply say that "You come here, chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam." This is treatment. These boys, foreigners, they have come to me not by reading my book. First of all I invited him, "Sit down, chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam." And then gradually. This is the general treatment.
Dr. Sharma: The Communism, doesn't believe in God, etcetera, etcetera. It is simply fabricated things of the populace. Even Karl Marx when he wrote, he didn't talk anything about God. It was Engels, who was a contemporary, a great philosopher, materialistic philosopher, he started infusing certain things about this. And later on, because of being dogmatic, being wrapped up in this scientific discovery, we're being misled, and they would take many things for granted.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: For example, my due respect for the medical profession, into which fortunately and unfortunately (indistinct) I have to tell this. Throughout the world not the best genetician doctor can prove to the soul of soul is the child of man. Nobody can tell who is the father. Medical profession. The real existence of his being is taken as sure faith. If the mother says, (indistinct). He takes it for granted, faith, (indistinct) praise the mother and calls so and so his father. Because he trusts.
Prabhupada: Mother is called father?
Guest: No. Mother is trusted to take the father. Identity of father is known through the mother, not through any other method.
Tamala Krsna: He says that even the best genecists in the world who are teaching genetics, they cannot actually determine who is the father based on genetics. The only actual thing is the mother's saying.
Dr. Sharma: Faith.
Prabhupada: That, we give the example.
Tamala Krsna: Yes. He is a doctor, and he is stating that he knows for a fact that these geneticists, they are bluffing. Actually they cannot say.
Dr. Sharma: So one has to take the words of the guru.
Prabhupada: Therefore in our Hindu society there is garbhadhana-samskara, so that everyone knows that "This man is this man's father." That is garbhadhana-samskara. And especially in brahmana family, if there is no garbhadhana-samskara, immediately he becomes a sudra, because cannot give real identity of the father.
Dr. Sharma: It is most unfortunate that in the West and elsewhere, I have found the people with a great interest and enthusiasm maintain a pedigree chart of the Pomeranian and Alsation dog in their house.
Prabhupada: This is gotra.
Dr. Sharma: Yes. They maintain a pedigree chart of Alsation dogs and Pomeranian dogs in their houses.
Prabhupada: Our this gotra...
Guest (2): Not the human being they don't keep it. It is only the dogs they keep in Western countries.
Prabhupada: Dogs?
Tamala Krsna: He is saying that just like with breeding of dogs or any animals, they keep a pedigree chart: "Here is the father, here is the father," pedigree. But with human beings they don't bother to do this. With the animals they are doing. Just like with our cows...
Prabhupada: Therefore I say animal civilization. It is animal civilization. They are interested with animals.
Guest (1): Previously what (indistinct) says, (Sanskrit) His credentials are being presented with (indistinct) oneself. In other words it's a passport to being mentally carried with a man. And it's being just passed on to another woman. Nowadays of late in some of the countries in application forms, they are demanding that they should not ask father's name because many of them do not know. (laughter)
Prabhupada: Yes, it is insanity.
Guest (1): And this type of world, which is full of temporal pleasures and materialistic pleasures, they are being carried away and misguided.
Prabhupada: So that is stated in the Srimad... Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Bahir-artha-maninah. They are interested only in the external nature, bahir-artha. They have no sense of understanding what is within the body. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah. So the leaders are blind and they are leading blind men. Society is in chaotic condition. You are going?
Guest (1): So that I will take my friend home. I will come again some other time.
Prabhupada: All right.
Dr. Sharma: Guruji, I am no jasmine. I am only a thread. But when the thread is entwined with the jasmine, even if the jasmine withers and it dries up, this twine still maintains the smell of the jasmine. I am grateful to God that He has given me an opportunity to meet you all and be here...
Prabhupada: So it is God's desire...
Dr. Sharma: And make myself worthy of the twine.
Prabhupada: It is Krsna's desire that you have come. So kindly take some responsibility. You, as far as possible, translate our books in Russian and...
Dr. Sharma: I will try my best.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest (2): Would it be more practical if you write a separate booklet or a pamphlet for Russians who have never heard about God or the existence of God as Krsna? These books are so deep, unless they are really...
Prabhupada: That we have already sent, Easy Journey to Other Planets.
Guest (2): In Russian language?
Prabhupada: You have got this copy?
Dr. Sharma: The Russians, they are all, they are not a very (indistinct) people. Their government is standing in the way.
Guest (2): The younger generation, as you are presenting, of India and the developing countries it's okay. In some way or another they have known the existence of God, whether they call Him Christ or someone. We can convince them later. But the very fact that they have denied the acceptance, that requires a special treatment. So you should make something different (indistinct). I find it very difficult to go to...
Prabhupada: And one thing, very commonsense reason...
Dr. Sharma: Common sense is not common. (laughs)
Prabhupada: No. Even they have no common sense... Just like sarva-dugha, what is called, sarva-kama-dugha mahi. From earth, so many things are coming. The grass is coming, the tree is coming, and animals, they eat grass, they are coming, the human... Everything is coming. So Krsna says that the material nature is the mother, because mother is giving birth. So the child is there, the mother is there, and who is the father? You cannot say that without father, a child can be born, or the mother can independently give birth to any offspring. That is not possible. So so many living entities are coming from the material nature, and the offsprings are there. Then who is the father? And the father is there. Aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. "I am." So no sane man can deny existence of God. That is not possible. As soon as you deny the existence of God, means you are insane. You require treatment. There is no doubt. This is common sense. So many lives are coming from the earth. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh [Bg. 7.4]. Either earth, water, air, there is life. They are coming. And the children are there, mother is there. Should we not inquire who is the father? If you say without father they have come, that is foolishness, madness. Immediately, he's mad. So you cannot deny the existence. If you deny, then you are mad. That is the sign of insanity. They require treatment. That is explained in one Bengali poetry.
pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna haya
maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya
As a person ghostly haunted, as he speaks all nonsense, similarly, when a living entity becomes bewildered by maya, he speaks all nonsense.
prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]
This is the fact. You cannot deny the existence of God. And God is personally speaking, aham bija-pradah pita. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4]. So anyone who denies the existence of God, he is a madman. He requires treatment. That is the problem. There is no institutional asylum for these madmen. And we are trying to establish this asylum. Now it is up to them to come to this asylum and take treatment. Otherwise nobody can deny the existence of God. It is not possible.
Guest (2): No, my point is everyone has some special strategy if we don't want the total population the world is Communist. Should not there be a special strategy to enter in their own hearts?
Prabhupada: This is special strategy, that as far as possible, give them those who are educated, read then, give them chance to read. And those who are not, let them come, and music and dance. Everyone likes to do this. And take prasadam, feast, lecture. Common sense.
Guest (2): Politic of other.
Prabhupada: Apart from, we are not concerned with politics. We are concerned with the madman. So what is this nonsense politics conducted by some big...? Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. What is this politics, the democracy? Some animals voting another big animal, that's all. The leader is an animal, and the voters, they are animals. So what is the use of such politics? They remain animals. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh. That is going on. You have got it?
Tamala Krsna: No. I don't know if this is the right volume. It's the only one that resembles. I can't read Russian, so I don't know if that's...
Prabhupada: Is that Russian?
Tamala Krsna: We have one book in Russian.
Prabhupada: So in this way smaller books we can publish. [break] ...to Other Planets, similarly.
Guest (1): How long did you stay in Moscow?
Prabhupada: About ten days.
Guest (1): Was it possible to start some initially some...?
Prabhupada: Yes, we started with one, two Russian young boys. They are my sisyas. What is the name?
Tamala Krsna: I'm not sure.
Prabhupada: But they are holding classes privately.
Dr. Sharma: Are they inviting...
Prabhupada: No, I saw the Russian people, they are very nice. They are as good as these, all others. And they are not happy.
Guest (1): They have to preach very secretly. They have to do very secretly.
Prabhupada: Yes. So that is very awful life. Terrorism. This is not good life.
Guest: You are allowed to go freely, or there are restrictions for your movement?
Prabhupada: No. We are not making any publicly movement. But that boy, in his private capacity, is reading Bhagavad-gita. So it has to be done like that, privately.
Dr. Sharma: Well, if only a book has got to be introduced into Soviet Union, it has got to be approved by the government. Otherwise it cannot go in for circulation. So they are listed (indistinct) ask somebody, Minister of India, Consulate of India, asked for this, or the Indian Embassy to do it in Moscow.
Prabhupada: No. Just like the librarian. That library has ordered. So that will be discussed.
Dr. Sharma: But the Russians are very cunning people. They may order books from the ISKCON from here, to the Soviet Union, and it be will kept in the library, but no man could reach it. It will be kept only for a certain people only.
Tamala Krsna: The scholars, for research scholars.
Dr. Sharma: Not only for research scholars. Only that type of research scholars who have got the favor of the government.
Guest (2): Even they worship Rama, take the last name and they go to (indistinct) to understand what it is.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest (2): If it goes to the top people let it go, let it go. But who has to make the attempts? Not regular society. The government only can do it. It's a private society.
Dr. Sharma: No, no. Private society can do it. Private society can write a book, they can take it to the government, they can get it in its function in the embassy in Moscow, where it is to be given to some of the people there in which the cultural society exists, so-called religious or cultural or cultural society. We can approach them as well and introduce some books there.
Guest (2): And that means Indian government has to accept first.
Dr. Sharma: No, it has nothing to do with the Indian government accepting. When once we request somebody in the cultural society, and the Indian embassy governs as a function, and we deliver lecture and we invite some of the Russians, we will give it to them also.
Prabhupada: We can send some of our scientist disciples to prove scientifically there is God. If you can arrange, I can send my scientist disciples.
Dr. Sharma: For that they require a visa.
Prabhupada: Visa, of course, we can...
Dr. Sharma: They will ask for this visa. That once they come to know that scientifically they want to prove the existence of God, etcetera, etcetera, they may have some problems in getting a visa. This man has been asking...
Prabhupada: That means they restrict also everyone to speak about God.
Dr. Sharma: They restrict everything.
Prabhupada: So then it is very difficult.
Guest (2): Only the government can do it. Any government, even if it is a small country. Therefore I said political power plays an important role in this. Whether it is Nepal, whether it is in Indian, certain circumstances, one should meet on a national level. (indistinct) We can have a small function and speak to the Prime Minister.
Tamala Krsna: One group that can go is our theater group.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, that may be right. Theater group go to show that it is an Indian culture program and try to sell the most of this Bhagavad-gita and Ramayana and Bhagavatam. Because they are themselves, Russians, have come with a troupe and played Ramayana in India.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Sharma: And to do that exist on the political gimmick to show their Indo-Soviet relations, to increase it. We would send some of the people from here...
Prabhupada: You note it. We shall give stress. We can make caitanya-lila, krsna-lila, like that. We have got everything.
Guest (2): If we include more Indians or associate for such type of people it will have a greater effect. When those people and the philosophy is Hare Krsna, but...
Tamala Krsna: In Russia nobody knows that. In Russia, the local people, the people here are not famous in Russia. They are famous here in India.
Guest: As we have been understood, made to understand in Russia, India is represented by three persons: Nehru, Raj Kapoor, and Lata. That is wanted and propagated in all...
Dr. Sharma: But I do not want to bring in Raj Kapoor and Lata Mangeskar seriously acting in regard to Lord Krsna. I think these people with the God's face, they could themselves very efficiently do these things, without the interference of these people. I think we have (indistinct) a drama, and educated the common man to understand that God, and at the same time depicting the life history of Lord Krsna.
Prabhupada: Caitanya-lila can be played very nicely.
Guest (1): And it is maintained at a very remarkable level standard. Performance is very good. This could definitely go in as an Indo-Soviet cultural group, and it would be really educating the masses in no time. It is almost as good as showing them a film show or a cinema.
Prabhupada: The difficulty is the government has got the cultural department. So they will patronize Lata Mangeskar, but they will not give us money to go there.
Guest (1): That is I am telling. And the associated with ISKCON's...
Prabhupada: No, I will say, not Lata Mangeskar, any dancing party, they will patronize. But if we go for preaching Bhagavad-gita...
Dr. Sharma: No, we have to do it in a way that it has (Hindi) We have to take the (Hindi).
Prabhupada: Yes. If they understand, they can do it.
Dr. Sharma: And we are going to teach something good to somebody.
Prabhupada: But still, even government does not help, we can spend for it. So what is to be done, if you can arrange, we can send it.
Tamala Krsna: Will you be returning to Russia just now? Or what is your program?
Dr. Sharma: My program is in doldrums at present. I am going to be here up till June. In June I intend going to Britain for some time.
Tamala Krsna: London?
Dr. Sharma: Yes, London.
Prabhupada: So you see our temple there.
Dr. Sharma: Yeah, I have been to your temple in Buffalo. I was in your temple in Winnipeg, Canada.
Tamala Krsna: Those are very small.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, small ones. But Winnipeg is all... But it was all right for such a small, but very well maintained, very well maintained. In London I haven't gone, because I stayed far away from the city.
Prabhupada: We have got two temples in London. One in the city, and one in the border of London. That is very big temple. Seventeen acres of land. George Harrison has given us that property.
Guests: (talking about George Harrison)
Dr. Sharma: No, you are mistaken. George Harrison is a different... Rex Harrison is a British actor.
Prabhupada: George Harrison of the Beatle group.
Dr. Sharma: Beatle group, oh. Rex Harrison is an actor...
Guest (2): They are singers.
Dr. Sharma: No, that's a different. Because Harrison is more popular in Europe and West than Lata Mangeskar. Raj Kapoor they know. They know, I think more than George Harrison(?), Raj Kapoor is a most popular man in Soviet Union because of his films. And second is Jawaharlal Nehru. So they can make anybody popular or unpopular. Because there is only one paper. They write whatever they want. Unfortunately, the whole thing is in the hands of those (indistinct). They publish whatever they want. So this type of popularity is not real popularity. You cannot take the face value popularity. So I think this type of creating a drama or taking a film for educating about God, and then there will be some sort of a scientific discourse as if intellectual level that...
Prabhupada: Scientific research...
Tamala Krsna: How about that new film that Yadubara has just made? That's presenting everything as seemingly unreligious way. What is it called? "A Spark of Life" it's called. A new film. Are you going to be showing it here tonight, Yadubara?
Yadubara: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Maybe we could see it. That would be nice.
Dr. Sharma: I would like to know some such film they would popularize these things.
Prabhupada: So why don't you show some film? Is it possible now?
Yadubara: To show it now?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Yadubara: Yes.
Prabhupada: You show.
Dr. Sharma: Because I have been seeing some of the films in the temple shown here.
Tamala Krsna: Are you going to show it tonight also?
Yadubara: Yes. Should I get the projector now, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: You want to see it now?
Dr. Sharma: If they are going to show it to all the people this evening in the temple, I will go to the temple and see it.
Prabhupada: You are going to show in the temple?
Yadubara: Yes.
Prabhupada: That's all right.
Dr. Sharma: I will come and see it. Because these are the things, the films and some kind of opera or some kind of...
Prabhupada: So I think this dramatic party is practical. Immediately you can do it.
Tamala Krsna: Adi-kesava Maharaja, he speaks Russian also. So he can go with them if they go for a short time. He was there in Moscow for some time.
Prabhupada: Oh. So you keep Mr. Sharma's address, and you suggest some letters. Try to do something with these Communists.
Tamala Krsna: All right.
Prabhupada: So some prasadam. (Hindi) (Tamala Krsna gives prasadam) [break] (Hindi conversation) Chief Minister, Mr. Chawan, he has highly recommended our movement.(Hindi) It is bona fide religion. So we are trying to distribute the sublime knowledge of India -- Krsna knowledge, Krsna consciousness. So (Hindi). (end)
Guest (1) (Indian man): Dr. Sharma stayed here in our building only.
Guest (2) (Indian man): Just opposite my room is my uncle's son-in-law. Son-in-law.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Guest (2): He and his wife, both are doctors. They were in U.M. (?) University in Moscow. They got their medical post there. Now he has come back to India for some research work. And my sister, his wife, is still in London. He will be going back in June, and we have requested him to come back to India and have..., serve here. He has a desire to come back.
Prabhupada: How long you were in Russia?
Dr. Sharma: I was there for six years. Over six years.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Guest (1): He speaks very fluent Russian also.
Prabhupada: Ah, must speak. I have been also in Moscow. In Moscow, I went there. I was walking in that Red Square. Lenin's tomb is there. I was putting on the National Hotel.
Dr. Sharma: National Hotel. That is quite opposite. My brother requested me to see you personally, Mr. K. Gopalan from Hyderabad, the Joint Commissioner for Improvements.
Prabhupada: Oh. He is in Moscow?
Dr. Sharma: No, no. He was in Hyderabad, Joint Commissioner for Religious Improvements, Mr. K. Gopalan. He asked me. He is my brother. He is my eldest brother. He has asked me to see you personally. I have been sincerely endeavoring to see you for quite some time, but I did not have the fortune to see you. Today I am lucky.
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. So I am also. So all these ministers, they invited me. They are in Hyderabad. I was in the house of Mr. Raju, the Endowment Minister. So they were very friendly. In Hyderabad, all the big, big government commissioners, the chief minister, they came in the opening ceremony of our temple. So it is fortunate that you were in Russia. So our humble attempt is to distribute the sublime knowledge of India. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Actually, outside India, there is no knowledge. Plainly speaking, their knowledge is as good as animals. Because in the sastra it is said -- and it is fact; either you refer to the sastra or not, it is common sense-
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
[SB 10.84.13]
Go means, cow and khara means ass. So yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. This body, bag of kapha-pitta-vayu, if one thinks that "I am this body," then he is a go-khara. So this bodily concept of life is going on all over the world. "I am Russian," "I am German," "I am Englishman," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that." But India, especially Bhagavad-gita, when Krsna opens His mouth to speak, His first instruction is that "You are not this body." Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. Dehinah asmin dehe. Asmin dehe. This material body... Within this body, there is dehi, the owner of the body. Now, you will find so many scholars, commentators on Bhagavad-gita, but nobody understands this first line. This is the fact now going on. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. If you accept this first principle... You have to accept. Accept or deny, it doesn't matter. You are young man. I say that you will become old man. You accept or deny, it doesn't matter; you must be an old man. Similarly, Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13], there will be change of the body. So you accept or not accept, it doesn't matter. It will take. But if I am going to change my body, and if I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], then what is my next body, it should not be my concern. But nobody cares for it. "Never mind what body I am going to get next. It doesn't matter. Let me enjoy this body." This is animal civilization. The dog, at night barking, jumping, he is not able to understand, what is next life, what is rebirth, what is his... He cannot understand. But a human being can understand. So if he is put into the darkness, then what is the difference between animal and human being? So this is the problem. So we are trying (in) our humble way to give this knowledge to the world. That is Krsna consciousness movement. And our request to everyone is that "You try to understand the philosophy and cooperate." There is a line in Caitanya-caritamrta,
sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karile citte pabe camatkara
[Cc. Adi 8.15]
It is not to be accepted blindly. [break] So you are in Russia, educated young man. You can do something. Everyone can do something.
bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]
Bharata-bhumi, anyone who has taken birth in Bharata-bhumi, especially in high family, it is the duty of every Indian to understand this sublime knowledge and distribute it to the world. Para-upakara. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Because we have got this knowledge, everything. This knowledge you cannot have anywhere. Therefore scholarly people, man or elderly persons, many, they are accepting our books very nicely. In foreign countries... And Bhagavata, it is not their religious book. We are selling... In Russia also we have got copies. What is that institution, they have ordered?
Tamala Krsna: It might be named in Russian. It's the international institution which orders books.
Dr. Sharma: That is international library of the RSSR. That is... Huliyansa(?) He's the director. I have seen that letter. With their office. They asked me to translate it. I translated that letter not long ago. And I passed it on, request. So I am aware of what they are doing, and I know what they do not do also. I not only feel the heartbeat of pulse of the people of India, but I feel the pulse of the heartbeat in Communist countries as well. I am very happy that I am here after having missed the name of Lord Narayana for six years in Soviet Union, where the people chant only Lenin's name. It is being duly compensated (indistinct). You made this possible. I have gone through ten volumes of your book that you have written. They are really...
Prabhupada: Which book? Bhagavatam?
Guest (2): Caitanya-caritamrta.
Prabhupada: Oh, Caitanya...
Dr. Sharma: So I've been reading the commentary after commentary. I enjoyed them. It was full of honey and nectar and knowledge to people who are insignificant and idiots like me. (Prabhupada laughs) I enjoyed it.
Prabhupada: Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also presented Himself as idiot number one. He said to Prakasananda Sarasvati. Prakasananda Sarasvati asked Him that "You are a sannyasi. You do not read Vedanta and You chant and dance. What is this?" So He answered, guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana. "My guru found Me a fool number one, so he has chastised Me, 'You rascal, You are fool, You cannot read Vedanta. You Chant Hare Krsna.' " So it is good that we remain as fools and idiot. Then we can make progress. And if we think, "Oh, I know everything," then finished. It is a good attitude. Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana.
Dr. Sharma: Sasana means punishment, to check.
Prabhupada: Yes. We get very much happy when our Guru Maharaja chastises us. So you are already reading our books. So let us cooperate, and I think if you will preach systematically, the Russian people, they are intelligent, they will appreciate it.
Dr. Sharma: They have an interest, an innate interest, to know about these things.
Prabhupada: Yes. They want to get something from India. So why not give this?
Dr. Sharma: For many years they have been living like frogs in a well, kupa-stha-manduka. Of late they are realizing they have got to come out of this. When I was... Many people used to come to me. I used to tell them about Hindu religion and yoga, etcetera. They have an innate interest for this.
Prabhupada: Yes. People are everywhere good. Simply some politicians, they make them bad.
Dr. Sharma: The top politicians, they come in the way. They stop these things. They had a yoga class institute set up in the Moscow University, and when they came to bhakti-yoga, they realized that spiritualism's involved. So at the earliest they get rid of this.
Prabhupada: One book is published, what is that religion?
Tamala Krsna: Anthology.
Prabhupada: Anthology. So in that book they have given quotation from my books.
Tamala Krsna: Yeah. It's just come out.
Prabhupada: It is very nice.
Dr. Sharma: One day they removed the professor the department of Russian, for arguing in favor (?) of Indian yoga, and he was practicing it and teaching the people. And they got rid of it.
Prabhupada: So when they get the information...
yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]
There is book.
Tamala Krsna: This is the book, Words of the World Religions, and on the part, the section is entitled "Krsna," and on the part "Krsna," "From Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada." Very nice.
Dr. Sharma: This publication is from States or Russia?
Tamala Krsna: This is published from the United States.
Prabhupada: Anthology of Religions of the World.
Tamala Krsna: So your book is considered an authoritative book on the Personality of Godhead, Krsna.
Prabhupada: They have given nice description of bhakti-yoga. So if you want to, we can give you some sets of books for reading, and discussing amongst your friends.
Dr. Sharma: Thank you.
Prabhupada: Yes. You can select our any number of books you want. Let them read and understand.
Guest (2): He is good at translating also. He could translate our books.
Prabhupada: If you kindly do that, you can. That will be a great service.
Guest (1): Into Russian he can translate.
Prabhupada: Yes. And we can print them.
Guest (1): Someone else has to do the corrections?
Prabhupada: No...
Guest: (indistinct)
Tamala Krsna: Which book would you like to have translated into Russian, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: That he can select. You can see my books, and whichever you want to begin first. That will be great service. But actual communism, what is called, socialism, is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Guest (2): Real socialism in there in Bhagavatam.
Prabhupada: In the Seventh Canto. That in your house if there is even a snake, see that he is not starving. This... Just see. If there is a lizard, if there is a snake, then see that he is not starving. You must give him food. Where is that communism?
Guest (1): We appreciate Communism as it stands now or socialism, what they call it?
Prabhupada: No. Our communism is that Krsna says, sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah: [Bg. 14.4] "In every species of life, as many forms of life are there, material nature is their mother and I am the seed-giving father." So everyone is Krsna's son. And everything is isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Everything is Krsna's property. Every son has got the right to enjoy the property of the father. This is our...
Guest (1): In the essence of Communism the very fact of existence of God itself is denied.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Guest (1): The existence of God itself is questioned or denied in Communism.
Prabhupada: They may deny so many things foolishly, but that is not the fact.
Guest (1): We understand. But even to such peoples, Communism, the word itself shows it is not accepting God. Then why we should interpret that Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita, whatever we have, is....
Prabhupada: They may not accept God, but they are sons of God. You may become a madman -- you don't accept your father. That does not mean that you have no father.
Guest (1): But he is a madman.
Prabhupada: Yes, so madman, that should be treated. That is humanity. A madman, he has become mad, and "Get him out." No. Human society's duty is to treat him, to become a sane man.
Guest (1): And that type of man requires a special treatment.
Prabhupada: Yes, a special treatment...
Guest (1): So the books which you have written for other people.
Prabhupada: No. You don't require to read book. We simply say that "You come here, chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam." This is treatment. These boys, foreigners, they have come to me not by reading my book. First of all I invited him, "Sit down, chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam." And then gradually. This is the general treatment.
Dr. Sharma: The Communism, doesn't believe in God, etcetera, etcetera. It is simply fabricated things of the populace. Even Karl Marx when he wrote, he didn't talk anything about God. It was Engels, who was a contemporary, a great philosopher, materialistic philosopher, he started infusing certain things about this. And later on, because of being dogmatic, being wrapped up in this scientific discovery, we're being misled, and they would take many things for granted.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: For example, my due respect for the medical profession, into which fortunately and unfortunately (indistinct) I have to tell this. Throughout the world not the best genetician doctor can prove to the soul of soul is the child of man. Nobody can tell who is the father. Medical profession. The real existence of his being is taken as sure faith. If the mother says, (indistinct). He takes it for granted, faith, (indistinct) praise the mother and calls so and so his father. Because he trusts.
Prabhupada: Mother is called father?
Guest: No. Mother is trusted to take the father. Identity of father is known through the mother, not through any other method.
Tamala Krsna: He says that even the best genecists in the world who are teaching genetics, they cannot actually determine who is the father based on genetics. The only actual thing is the mother's saying.
Dr. Sharma: Faith.
Prabhupada: That, we give the example.
Tamala Krsna: Yes. He is a doctor, and he is stating that he knows for a fact that these geneticists, they are bluffing. Actually they cannot say.
Dr. Sharma: So one has to take the words of the guru.
Prabhupada: Therefore in our Hindu society there is garbhadhana-samskara, so that everyone knows that "This man is this man's father." That is garbhadhana-samskara. And especially in brahmana family, if there is no garbhadhana-samskara, immediately he becomes a sudra, because cannot give real identity of the father.
Dr. Sharma: It is most unfortunate that in the West and elsewhere, I have found the people with a great interest and enthusiasm maintain a pedigree chart of the Pomeranian and Alsation dog in their house.
Prabhupada: This is gotra.
Dr. Sharma: Yes. They maintain a pedigree chart of Alsation dogs and Pomeranian dogs in their houses.
Prabhupada: Our this gotra...
Guest (2): Not the human being they don't keep it. It is only the dogs they keep in Western countries.
Prabhupada: Dogs?
Tamala Krsna: He is saying that just like with breeding of dogs or any animals, they keep a pedigree chart: "Here is the father, here is the father," pedigree. But with human beings they don't bother to do this. With the animals they are doing. Just like with our cows...
Prabhupada: Therefore I say animal civilization. It is animal civilization. They are interested with animals.
Guest (1): Previously what (indistinct) says, (Sanskrit) His credentials are being presented with (indistinct) oneself. In other words it's a passport to being mentally carried with a man. And it's being just passed on to another woman. Nowadays of late in some of the countries in application forms, they are demanding that they should not ask father's name because many of them do not know. (laughter)
Prabhupada: Yes, it is insanity.
Guest (1): And this type of world, which is full of temporal pleasures and materialistic pleasures, they are being carried away and misguided.
Prabhupada: So that is stated in the Srimad... Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Bahir-artha-maninah. They are interested only in the external nature, bahir-artha. They have no sense of understanding what is within the body. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah. So the leaders are blind and they are leading blind men. Society is in chaotic condition. You are going?
Guest (1): So that I will take my friend home. I will come again some other time.
Prabhupada: All right.
Dr. Sharma: Guruji, I am no jasmine. I am only a thread. But when the thread is entwined with the jasmine, even if the jasmine withers and it dries up, this twine still maintains the smell of the jasmine. I am grateful to God that He has given me an opportunity to meet you all and be here...
Prabhupada: So it is God's desire...
Dr. Sharma: And make myself worthy of the twine.
Prabhupada: It is Krsna's desire that you have come. So kindly take some responsibility. You, as far as possible, translate our books in Russian and...
Dr. Sharma: I will try my best.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest (2): Would it be more practical if you write a separate booklet or a pamphlet for Russians who have never heard about God or the existence of God as Krsna? These books are so deep, unless they are really...
Prabhupada: That we have already sent, Easy Journey to Other Planets.
Guest (2): In Russian language?
Prabhupada: You have got this copy?
Dr. Sharma: The Russians, they are all, they are not a very (indistinct) people. Their government is standing in the way.
Guest (2): The younger generation, as you are presenting, of India and the developing countries it's okay. In some way or another they have known the existence of God, whether they call Him Christ or someone. We can convince them later. But the very fact that they have denied the acceptance, that requires a special treatment. So you should make something different (indistinct). I find it very difficult to go to...
Prabhupada: And one thing, very commonsense reason...
Dr. Sharma: Common sense is not common. (laughs)
Prabhupada: No. Even they have no common sense... Just like sarva-dugha, what is called, sarva-kama-dugha mahi. From earth, so many things are coming. The grass is coming, the tree is coming, and animals, they eat grass, they are coming, the human... Everything is coming. So Krsna says that the material nature is the mother, because mother is giving birth. So the child is there, the mother is there, and who is the father? You cannot say that without father, a child can be born, or the mother can independently give birth to any offspring. That is not possible. So so many living entities are coming from the material nature, and the offsprings are there. Then who is the father? And the father is there. Aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. "I am." So no sane man can deny existence of God. That is not possible. As soon as you deny the existence of God, means you are insane. You require treatment. There is no doubt. This is common sense. So many lives are coming from the earth. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh [Bg. 7.4]. Either earth, water, air, there is life. They are coming. And the children are there, mother is there. Should we not inquire who is the father? If you say without father they have come, that is foolishness, madness. Immediately, he's mad. So you cannot deny the existence. If you deny, then you are mad. That is the sign of insanity. They require treatment. That is explained in one Bengali poetry.
pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna haya
maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya
As a person ghostly haunted, as he speaks all nonsense, similarly, when a living entity becomes bewildered by maya, he speaks all nonsense.
prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]
This is the fact. You cannot deny the existence of God. And God is personally speaking, aham bija-pradah pita. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4]. So anyone who denies the existence of God, he is a madman. He requires treatment. That is the problem. There is no institutional asylum for these madmen. And we are trying to establish this asylum. Now it is up to them to come to this asylum and take treatment. Otherwise nobody can deny the existence of God. It is not possible.
Guest (2): No, my point is everyone has some special strategy if we don't want the total population the world is Communist. Should not there be a special strategy to enter in their own hearts?
Prabhupada: This is special strategy, that as far as possible, give them those who are educated, read then, give them chance to read. And those who are not, let them come, and music and dance. Everyone likes to do this. And take prasadam, feast, lecture. Common sense.
Guest (2): Politic of other.
Prabhupada: Apart from, we are not concerned with politics. We are concerned with the madman. So what is this nonsense politics conducted by some big...? Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. What is this politics, the democracy? Some animals voting another big animal, that's all. The leader is an animal, and the voters, they are animals. So what is the use of such politics? They remain animals. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh. That is going on. You have got it?
Tamala Krsna: No. I don't know if this is the right volume. It's the only one that resembles. I can't read Russian, so I don't know if that's...
Prabhupada: Is that Russian?
Tamala Krsna: We have one book in Russian.
Prabhupada: So in this way smaller books we can publish. [break] ...to Other Planets, similarly.
Guest (1): How long did you stay in Moscow?
Prabhupada: About ten days.
Guest (1): Was it possible to start some initially some...?
Prabhupada: Yes, we started with one, two Russian young boys. They are my sisyas. What is the name?
Tamala Krsna: I'm not sure.
Prabhupada: But they are holding classes privately.
Dr. Sharma: Are they inviting...
Prabhupada: No, I saw the Russian people, they are very nice. They are as good as these, all others. And they are not happy.
Guest (1): They have to preach very secretly. They have to do very secretly.
Prabhupada: Yes. So that is very awful life. Terrorism. This is not good life.
Guest: You are allowed to go freely, or there are restrictions for your movement?
Prabhupada: No. We are not making any publicly movement. But that boy, in his private capacity, is reading Bhagavad-gita. So it has to be done like that, privately.
Dr. Sharma: Well, if only a book has got to be introduced into Soviet Union, it has got to be approved by the government. Otherwise it cannot go in for circulation. So they are listed (indistinct) ask somebody, Minister of India, Consulate of India, asked for this, or the Indian Embassy to do it in Moscow.
Prabhupada: No. Just like the librarian. That library has ordered. So that will be discussed.
Dr. Sharma: But the Russians are very cunning people. They may order books from the ISKCON from here, to the Soviet Union, and it be will kept in the library, but no man could reach it. It will be kept only for a certain people only.
Tamala Krsna: The scholars, for research scholars.
Dr. Sharma: Not only for research scholars. Only that type of research scholars who have got the favor of the government.
Guest (2): Even they worship Rama, take the last name and they go to (indistinct) to understand what it is.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest (2): If it goes to the top people let it go, let it go. But who has to make the attempts? Not regular society. The government only can do it. It's a private society.
Dr. Sharma: No, no. Private society can do it. Private society can write a book, they can take it to the government, they can get it in its function in the embassy in Moscow, where it is to be given to some of the people there in which the cultural society exists, so-called religious or cultural or cultural society. We can approach them as well and introduce some books there.
Guest (2): And that means Indian government has to accept first.
Dr. Sharma: No, it has nothing to do with the Indian government accepting. When once we request somebody in the cultural society, and the Indian embassy governs as a function, and we deliver lecture and we invite some of the Russians, we will give it to them also.
Prabhupada: We can send some of our scientist disciples to prove scientifically there is God. If you can arrange, I can send my scientist disciples.
Dr. Sharma: For that they require a visa.
Prabhupada: Visa, of course, we can...
Dr. Sharma: They will ask for this visa. That once they come to know that scientifically they want to prove the existence of God, etcetera, etcetera, they may have some problems in getting a visa. This man has been asking...
Prabhupada: That means they restrict also everyone to speak about God.
Dr. Sharma: They restrict everything.
Prabhupada: So then it is very difficult.
Guest (2): Only the government can do it. Any government, even if it is a small country. Therefore I said political power plays an important role in this. Whether it is Nepal, whether it is in Indian, certain circumstances, one should meet on a national level. (indistinct) We can have a small function and speak to the Prime Minister.
Tamala Krsna: One group that can go is our theater group.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, that may be right. Theater group go to show that it is an Indian culture program and try to sell the most of this Bhagavad-gita and Ramayana and Bhagavatam. Because they are themselves, Russians, have come with a troupe and played Ramayana in India.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Sharma: And to do that exist on the political gimmick to show their Indo-Soviet relations, to increase it. We would send some of the people from here...
Prabhupada: You note it. We shall give stress. We can make caitanya-lila, krsna-lila, like that. We have got everything.
Guest (2): If we include more Indians or associate for such type of people it will have a greater effect. When those people and the philosophy is Hare Krsna, but...
Tamala Krsna: In Russia nobody knows that. In Russia, the local people, the people here are not famous in Russia. They are famous here in India.
Guest: As we have been understood, made to understand in Russia, India is represented by three persons: Nehru, Raj Kapoor, and Lata. That is wanted and propagated in all...
Dr. Sharma: But I do not want to bring in Raj Kapoor and Lata Mangeskar seriously acting in regard to Lord Krsna. I think these people with the God's face, they could themselves very efficiently do these things, without the interference of these people. I think we have (indistinct) a drama, and educated the common man to understand that God, and at the same time depicting the life history of Lord Krsna.
Prabhupada: Caitanya-lila can be played very nicely.
Guest (1): And it is maintained at a very remarkable level standard. Performance is very good. This could definitely go in as an Indo-Soviet cultural group, and it would be really educating the masses in no time. It is almost as good as showing them a film show or a cinema.
Prabhupada: The difficulty is the government has got the cultural department. So they will patronize Lata Mangeskar, but they will not give us money to go there.
Guest (1): That is I am telling. And the associated with ISKCON's...
Prabhupada: No, I will say, not Lata Mangeskar, any dancing party, they will patronize. But if we go for preaching Bhagavad-gita...
Dr. Sharma: No, we have to do it in a way that it has (Hindi) We have to take the (Hindi).
Prabhupada: Yes. If they understand, they can do it.
Dr. Sharma: And we are going to teach something good to somebody.
Prabhupada: But still, even government does not help, we can spend for it. So what is to be done, if you can arrange, we can send it.
Tamala Krsna: Will you be returning to Russia just now? Or what is your program?
Dr. Sharma: My program is in doldrums at present. I am going to be here up till June. In June I intend going to Britain for some time.
Tamala Krsna: London?
Dr. Sharma: Yes, London.
Prabhupada: So you see our temple there.
Dr. Sharma: Yeah, I have been to your temple in Buffalo. I was in your temple in Winnipeg, Canada.
Tamala Krsna: Those are very small.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, small ones. But Winnipeg is all... But it was all right for such a small, but very well maintained, very well maintained. In London I haven't gone, because I stayed far away from the city.
Prabhupada: We have got two temples in London. One in the city, and one in the border of London. That is very big temple. Seventeen acres of land. George Harrison has given us that property.
Guests: (talking about George Harrison)
Dr. Sharma: No, you are mistaken. George Harrison is a different... Rex Harrison is a British actor.
Prabhupada: George Harrison of the Beatle group.
Dr. Sharma: Beatle group, oh. Rex Harrison is an actor...
Guest (2): They are singers.
Dr. Sharma: No, that's a different. Because Harrison is more popular in Europe and West than Lata Mangeskar. Raj Kapoor they know. They know, I think more than George Harrison(?), Raj Kapoor is a most popular man in Soviet Union because of his films. And second is Jawaharlal Nehru. So they can make anybody popular or unpopular. Because there is only one paper. They write whatever they want. Unfortunately, the whole thing is in the hands of those (indistinct). They publish whatever they want. So this type of popularity is not real popularity. You cannot take the face value popularity. So I think this type of creating a drama or taking a film for educating about God, and then there will be some sort of a scientific discourse as if intellectual level that...
Prabhupada: Scientific research...
Tamala Krsna: How about that new film that Yadubara has just made? That's presenting everything as seemingly unreligious way. What is it called? "A Spark of Life" it's called. A new film. Are you going to be showing it here tonight, Yadubara?
Yadubara: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Maybe we could see it. That would be nice.
Dr. Sharma: I would like to know some such film they would popularize these things.
Prabhupada: So why don't you show some film? Is it possible now?
Yadubara: To show it now?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Yadubara: Yes.
Prabhupada: You show.
Dr. Sharma: Because I have been seeing some of the films in the temple shown here.
Tamala Krsna: Are you going to show it tonight also?
Yadubara: Yes. Should I get the projector now, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: You want to see it now?
Dr. Sharma: If they are going to show it to all the people this evening in the temple, I will go to the temple and see it.
Prabhupada: You are going to show in the temple?
Yadubara: Yes.
Prabhupada: That's all right.
Dr. Sharma: I will come and see it. Because these are the things, the films and some kind of opera or some kind of...
Prabhupada: So I think this dramatic party is practical. Immediately you can do it.
Tamala Krsna: Adi-kesava Maharaja, he speaks Russian also. So he can go with them if they go for a short time. He was there in Moscow for some time.
Prabhupada: Oh. So you keep Mr. Sharma's address, and you suggest some letters. Try to do something with these Communists.
Tamala Krsna: All right.
Prabhupada: So some prasadam. (Hindi) (Tamala Krsna gives prasadam) [break] (Hindi conversation) Chief Minister, Mr. Chawan, he has highly recommended our movement.(Hindi) It is bona fide religion. So we are trying to distribute the sublime knowledge of India -- Krsna knowledge, Krsna consciousness. So (Hindi). (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase =>
Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977,
Bombay
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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