Close - near (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"close" |"closely" |"closeness" |"closer" |"closest"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The Indian people are meant for that purpose. They are from the birth, janma... Other, they are janmanā śūdra, but Indians, they are janmanā devotees.

Jayapatākā: I meant to mention that he commented that when they were coming from Andhra, when they, as they're getting closer to Bengal, in Orissa, and then even more so in Bengal, the, both in Ori... so many kīrtana was there. The people were meeting them with kīrtana and everyone was doing kīrtana. But in Andhra and other places, not so much kīrtana is there.

Prabhupāda: No.

Jayapatākā: They say they get much better reception in Orissa and Bengal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because...

Morning Walk -- March 18, 1976, Mayapura:

Trivikrama: They say like that.

Prabhupāda: So what is that center?

Jayapatākā: That they can't find out.

Balavanta: Somewhere near the sun. They've just imagined it. It's close to the sun, but not exactly the sun. It's the center, they say.

Prabhupāda: So our Bhāgavata says the whole planetary system is moving like this.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Centering the polestar.

Morning Walk -- March 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: My, this earthly moving, that speed is the same. Why you find different position? Just consider with brain.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: If the moon is closer than the sun, according to the scientist's philosophy...

Prabhupāda: Philosophy.... But we see, I mean, a distant matter is moving. We can see. And nearer we cannot see. It is fixed up. What is this?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: If you take a bicycle wheel, a spoke...

Prabhupāda: A bicycle you cannot concern. Bicycle or train, they have got different speed. You cannot compare. That analogy will not...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Say you take one spoke, one...

Prabhupāda: No, no, we, cannot.... You cannot bring bicycles in discussion first of all. You can talk all this to the fools. Analogy cannot be accepted unless they are similar.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: So it is very nice. But.... Let me see that book.

Hari-śauri: There was one section there that mentions about chanting the name.

Devotee (4): "Calling on the name of the Lord daily."

Hari-śauri: This is very close to what we teach, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Where it is? Eleven?

Guest (4): Eleven, at the bottom.

Prabhupāda: "And again I say unto you, as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if you have known of His goodness and have tasted of His love and have received a remission of your sins, which causes such exceeding great joy in your souls, even so, I would that ye should remember..." No, the things are very nice. That soul is admitted. "Your soul"—soul is admitted. That sinful activities are admitted. Goodness of God is admitted. So there is no difference between this gospel and other religious book. This is the principle. The point is what are the sins? Unless you know what are the sins, how you can avoid sins?

Guest (2): You can't. You have to know.

Prabhupāda: So what are the sins? That is the point.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: They don't accept that the moon is further away.

Prabhupāda: They don't accept, that is another thing, but we have got this information. How we can accept it?

Reporter: I didn't understand that last.

Rāmeśvara: I said to Prabhupāda that the modern man believes that the moon is closer, but Prabhupāda said, "But our ancient literatures teach that the moon is further away." So since we have that information, how can we accept the version of the modern scientists?

Reporter: Hm hm.

Rāmeśvara: We've got...

Prabhupāda: Not only that. Why this arrangement that Monday and, Sunday first, Monday second?

Reporter: Well, that doesn't necessarily speak of distance.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Reporter: It doesn't necessarily speak of distance.

Prabhupāda: That.... Distance may not be, but you have to accept the sun planet first, moon planet next.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, he can change. Change is possible, but if he sticks, that is his selection.

Richard: Ah, but suppose drinking to him is better than what he has to put up with...

Prabhupāda: That is not actual fact. Drinking, nobody can be happy by drinking. That is not possible.

Richard: Okay, okay. You said in the purport that tragedies of life—I'm paraphrasing—tragedies of life such as death of even a close relative are mere incidental occurrences. Is...? But you said earlier that death to you was anything but a mere incidental occurrence, that it was the...

Prabhupāda: No, we are not irresponsible to the death. Death, although we have to meet death, we are making provision that after death we become happy. Happy, of course, for us, even in living condition or dead condition, there is happiness, but it will take time to understand. But taking superficially, death is not very pleasing, so after death, that is mentioned in the Bha.... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9), we do not get again a material body. This is final. The material body is the cause of pains and pleasure. So if you don't get the material body, if you remain in your spiritual body, that is real enjoyment.

Richard: But then why do you fear this death of the physical body?

Prabhupāda: No, I do not fear.

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Ambarīṣa: Market? Yes, it's still there.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I saw first. (laughter) I remember.

Ambarīṣa: So there are many nice projects going on in Boston. We are hoping that maybe sometime you can come. That would be very nice.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. From New York it is not...

Ambarīṣa: No, it is very close to New York, half-hour airplane ride.

Prabhupāda: So it is ready?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We were talking about different names for the restaurant yesterday.

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Sun planet, moon planet, Mars, Jupiter, like this, last, Saturn. So if this is systematic, then this calculation also means sun planet first. Why Sunday first?

Hari-śauri: You've defeated everyone, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Any one of these boys can answer? Why Sunday first? Ambarīṣa Mahārāja?

Ambarīṣa: Why Sunday first? Because the sun is closer to the earth. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: That is my version.

Ambarīṣa: Yes, I agree with that.

Prabhupāda: But why do they say the moon planet first?

Ambarīṣa: Because their senses are imperfect.

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Satsvarūpa: Just for argument because (laughter) I'm always getting arguments, so I want to know how to give the right answer.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. What is your argument in this connection?

Satsvarūpa: Well, just because Sunday comes before Monday, that's an interpretation to say therefore the sun is nearer than the moon. Sunday may be the first day of the week and then Monday, but that doesn't mean the sun is closer than the moon, just because Sunday is the first day of the week.

Prabhupāda: No, why this arrangement? There must be some arrangement in planetary system. Just like first, second, third, fourth, fifth, like that. Therefore, Sunday's first. Not whimsically. Suppose there is a system, first, second, third, fourth. So according to that, the dates are there. Not whimsically you first of all bring Saturn or first of all bring Jupiter. Not like that. You cannot do that. Why shall you do that? Therefore we are sitting, now, she's first, he's second, you are, like that. Not that although she is sitting there, he can be blocked here. No, everybody.... It is of course a very simple question, but it has got some intelligence. We must get some intelligent answer. Ordinary answer will not do. And so far, you know I have questioned so many persons, and they have not replied. Svarūpa Dāmodara has not replied.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: These mistakes are going on.

avyapare suvyaparam

yo naraḥ kartum vichati

sa mula hantate khila

parthiva vanara vartuna (?)

One man's food is another man's poison. So one should not misplace what he's unable to do.

Scheverman: Many of these expressions that you are reading sound very similar to what we call the "Wisdom Literature" of the Old Testament of our Bible, of Syrac and Ecclesiastics and Ecclesiasticus, and also, of course, some of the sayings of Jesus are very close to what you're saying here. Jesus said "Seek first the kingdom of heaven, and all these other things will be added besides." That's the first-class man, who's constantly working toward the kingdom. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek" and so on.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. If there is a first class, set a first-class man on the head of the society, then everything will be done properly.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This next question is very closely related to the last question. Question twenty. "What is your view regarding proselytization or preaching? If you are..."

Prabhupāda: It is not proselytization. Proselytization has no meaning. To bring one to the real understanding. Kṛṣṇa says that mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). All living entities are His part and parcel. He claims, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). In all forms of life, as many living entities are there, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ, I am the seed-giving father. So the natural position is that every living entity, not only human being, but also animals, plants, everyone... So why not Indian, American, or Czechoslavakian, everyone is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa? So it not the process of proselytizing to convince the idea. It is actually bringing them to their real position, that they're all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. It is not artificial proselytization that "You are Christian, now you are Hindu." Or "You are Hindu, now you are Christian." "You are a sweeper, now you are harijana." It is not like that. It is actually bringing him to his own position, part and parcel of God. It is not... Proselytization will not stand. When one comes to the real understanding of his position, then that will continue. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that.

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Any scientist here who can answer why Sunday first and Monday second?

Janāhlāda: I'm not a scientist, but I always thought that the ancients thought that the sun was first because without telescopes or without light-measuring instruments it was bigger and it looked closer.

Prabhupāda: That's a fact. Sunday is first, and Monday-moon is beyond sun. If they accept that nobody can approach sun, then how they can approach moon? In calculation, eighteen thousand miles per hour, and if the moon is situated 95,000,000 miles, then how they can go in four days? These are my questions. They have not been answered. It takes at least seven months. And they went in four days, and the man's mother... His photograph was there. She said, "At last my son has gone there." You have seen that photograph? I have seen it. Mother was satisfied. This is going on.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: So what is his question?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: His question is that the intelligence, sometimes you've gone like this, I've seen, you say that the soul and the intelligence are like that, that the intelligence is very close to the soul.

Guest: (indistinct) the relationship between the intelligence, working in the soul.

Prabhupāda: Soul is above intelligence. This is the relationship. Intelligence is above the mind, and soul is above the intelligence. Senses, then mind, then intelligence, then the soul.

Devotee: (indistinct) matter.

Prabhupāda: Yeah, subtle (?) matter (indistinct).

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Mr. Boyd: Barbara's been in the movement for two and half years and it's been..., we've heard a lot about you and a lot about the movement, and we've kept pretty close, you know, track of what's going on, and we've visited the different temples and talked to the different devotees, and we're quite impressed with the action.

Prabhupāda: We are having the difficulties of this immigration department.

Mr. Boyd: I guess, if it's like India, you've got troubles. We almost went to jail rather than get out of the country.

Prabhupāda: We think, according to our philosophy, everything is the property of the Supreme Lord, and we are all sons. So everyone has the right to use the property of the father. So that consciousness should be spread. This barrier of nationalism is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why there should be? Actually everything belongs to God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). The sky, the land, the water, they are all creation of God, God's property. But we should not take more than what is allotted to us. That is real life. Otherwise, I have practically studied that there is enough land. Just like in your country, in America, there is enough land, not utilized. They can be properly utilized, and if food grains are produced, there is no question of scarcity of food all over the world. Not only in America—in Africa, in Australia. (break) If we get nourishing food, every one of us, so there is no economic problem.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That subway that goes to the city office? There are so many bridges.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So many, yes, many, many bridges. Every day about seven million people come into this island of Manhattan from the other boroughs, and they go back. From your room, our building is very close to the Empire State Building, so from your room you have a very nice view of it.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So Los Angeles everything is going nice?

Rāmeśvara: Everything is very nice. We just had a big saṅkīrtana marathon for this Fourth of July, and they distributed up to thirty thousand Back to Godheads in just a few days.

Prabhupāda: (referring to garland) Make it smaller.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Guest (1): ...what thought there is in bringing the temple and the farm closer together as one entity rather than two?

Prabhupāda: Wherever we have got farm, we construct a temple also. Explain.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The... Just like we have so many farming communities. Prabhupāda has mentioned that wherever our farm is... Actually we're not farmers.

Guest (1): No?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda is trying to create a class of intelligent men, brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa is the head...

Prabhupāda: First class.

Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: You have all kinds of information that you have to have to survive. To get down the sidewalk without running into the building you've got to see the wall.

Prabhupāda: The sum and substance is that if a person thinks that he is the car, the driver, if he thinks wrongly that he is the car, then his life is spoiled.

Bali-mardana: So if someone identifies too closely with the body, then his life is spoiled.

Interviewer: You think, if he identifies with the body too much his life is...

Prabhupāda: Not too much.

Interviewer: At all.

Prabhupāda: He should know that he is different from the car. That is real knowledge. And if he identifies himself with the car, then he's a fool.

Morning Walk -- July 19, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: She is good saleswoman.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She is very good. And Tripurāri, I watched him in action. One person came up and said "I want a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2." So he looked and said "We have 2.1.," and he said "I want 2." So he said "This is very close. 2.1 and 2.2 are very close to each other, and it's all absolute." In this way he made the man take one.

Prabhupāda: No, actually that is a fact. There is no difference, 2.2 and 1.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: They sent some machine?

Hari-śauri: To Mars?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: To picture, to take pictures around the Mars, to take pictures, and they have found on Mars signs of life and water. They have taken many close pictures.

Hari-śauri: Of Arizona.

Prabhupāda: No, they know that this time if they say there is no life, then there is no interest. This time another falsehood.

Hari-śauri: Maybe some life this time.

Prabhupāda: Some new falsehood.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Harikeśa: We were just deciding whether.... I think it's easier in Geneva, because the airport is only fifteen minutes from the temple.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Harikeśa: In Geneva. The temple and the airport are very close, and there's a direct plane on Friday from Geneva to Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Oh. How many hours?

Harikeśa: About seven.

Prabhupāda: That's nice, that is also nice.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee (1): "God is the supreme controller."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of God. Show in our books that we have got all respect for Buddha. We do not disrespect Lord Buddha, neither go against him. Anyway, if we get one house to live and a supporter, a big supporter, then our position will be secure. And if our cause is honest, then nobody can check.

Devotee (1): He has said that first I should come and speak to the Prime Minister and then speak at the University, and then see the reaction, and then we can go to see the king and say that this has been the reaction at the universities.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Do it organizedly. They understand French language?

Devotee (1): Yes, English and French. They are very close to Vietnam.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Take this opportunity.

Devotee (1): Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: How you can go from two lines to three pages.

Prabhupāda: I can go more. (laughter) But I have made shortcut. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. So He can be described unlimitedly. But we have no unlimited patience.

Translator: He is explaining that there are so many things to understand about Kṛṣṇa, but we do not have the capacity to understand always. But he feels that at one point, when the soul is pure, these things will be understood automatically, but because we are very far, these commentaries are needed to bring us closer to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is the first study of Kṛṣṇa. ABCD. When we learn Bhagavad-gītā, then we can have some glimpse of idea of Kṛṣṇa. Then we go further in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is process, how to... Just like iron rod, it is iron rod, but if you put into the process, that means if you put into the fire, a time will come the iron rod will be red hot and it is fire. Similarly, if you engage your physical senses only—(aside:) here is candle—when you engage your physical senses in the service of the Lord, then the physical quality of the senses will be diminished or gone, your spiritual sense activities will begin. This is practical.

Ali: Are we closer to this practicality when we sleep?

Prabhupāda: Yes, when you are practiced. Sleep means what you do when you are awakened, the same thing you'll dream, that's all. Physical, I've told you there are two phases of senses. Gross and subtle. When the gross senses are not working, the subtle senses work. Just like you dream, your mind is working. Although your hands and legs are taking rest, but mind is working. That is dreaming. So there are two phases of physical senses, gross and subtle. When the gross senses are stopped, the subtle senses continue to work. And when you are above even subtle senses, that is spiritual. Sometimes we misunderstand subtle senses are spiritual. No. Spiritual senses are different from the subtle stages.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Drinking is prohibited.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No, absolutely not. The modern Muslims drink.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say drinking is prohibited.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Prohibited. Yes. It is not permitted, prohibited.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I say prohibited.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Muslim religion, it seems to me, is closer to Vedic culture than Christian. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...given to the modern scientist one proposal, egg proposal. You explain.

Hari-śauri: That if the scientist are so expert then they should be able to back up their claim of life coming from chemicals. Then why can't they produce an egg which will give life? They can take some chemicals and make the white, and take some little coloring to make it yellow inside, and wrap it up in some modern synthetic casing, and then put it in an incubator and let it produce life.

Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty? These rascals, it is proposed that life comes from chemicals. So take a small egg and analyze, find out the chemicals, same chemicals combine together, and bring life. Why? What is the answer? He's for the modern scientists. (laughter) He represents them.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: They cannot settle up their misunderstanding here. By going to the moon planet, they'll do it.

Hari-śauri: That's one thing that they said they were going to do, actually. They had some Russian astronauts and some American astronauts, and they had them meet in space, and then they joined their spaceships together and then they had a meal together and did some experiments, and then they left again. So that was very much acclaimed as bringing the two nations closer together.

Prabhupāda: We are afraid of these two classes of rascals. "Afraid of" means we don't want their association. It is very dangerous.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Ali: How do you classify dreams?

Prabhupāda: Dreams is mental, subtle platform. Your gross body is not working, but your subtle mind is working. That's all. It is material.

Ali: The master is usually on a totally different level. It is quite obvious, from the actions, the talks, the understanding and the experience. How close does one student usually, how close does he get to the master? How closely does he understand the master? Or he could interrelate himself to the master?

Hari-śauri: He's asking how intimate does the connection become between the master and the disciples.

Prabhupāda: Simply by association.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There was a seat? Where is gone, that seat?

Hari-śauri: They probably took it in because of the rain. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...rainy season these leaves should have been very green, but it is not green. Huh?

Saurabha: It's also the sea wind that kills a lot of trees. Not so much here, but if one goes down to the sea, all trees they have no leaves. There's some type of salt or something in the air that destroys plants. Here it's all right, but close to the sea it's all... That must affect them. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...saptāha, it is not authorized.

Acyutānanda: No. But in some editions of Bhāgavatam they have a Bhāgavata-māhātmyam, and there's a story about bhakti and jñāna and vairāgya and Nārada Muni.

Prabhupāda: That no ācārya has mentioned.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: He wishes us all success, and he begs for your blessings. He begs for your blessings.

Prabhupāda: Yes, this letter should be... They should immediately be brought into court and charged the damage for fifty thousand dollars.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Pradyumna: And this is completely nonsense: "Their major concentration seems, however, to be in Orissa"—we don't have anything in Orissa—"the land of princes and paupers. They have built a center close to our atomic energy commission complex."

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: They say, "I am old enough to do it. You are not."

Prabhupāda: "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?

Maṇihāra: Our relatives, especially close relatives, parents, and they see, they can see immediately...

Prabhupāda: 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 Brahmānanda that "This boy will be a saintly man."

Gargamuni: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He'll not be a karmī. 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.

Prabhupāda: From the very beginning.

Room Conversation -- August 25, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, their philosophy is, as you say, that this subordinate ātmā has forgotten that he is Paramātmā.

Indian man (2): Yes, it is a main point. The seeker has forgotten that he is the sought.

Indian man: He has forgotten means simply the potential that you have within you, you have to realize it and come closer to the Paramātmā. That is what it means...

Prabhupāda: If you have got the potency to become Paramātmā, then how you became ātmā?

Indian man: The potential to come near to Paramātmā.

Prabhupāda: Near, that is one thing. You are near to me. That means we are not equal. You are a separate person, I am a separate person.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Grandfather died.

Caraṇāravindam: Yes. (indistinct) when I used to go in the temple there...

Prabhupāda: Grandfather was living at that time?

Caraṇāravindam: No, when I was a little boy I used to see him. We were very close. He used to take me for walks, like this, and then he died. And grandmother lived long time and then she died. But she would not leave the family...

Prabhupāda: His grandmother is still living. Your grandfather also living?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Caraṇāravindam: They live long time. Much longer it seems than in Midlands, Midlands and Yorkshire. They would quite often live much longer.

Prabhupāda: His grandfather is of my age. I think two-three years older.

Hari-śauri: He's the same age as yourself, about 81.

Prabhupāda: Here, all my disciples, they're of my grandsons' age. Their father may be my son's age, father, mother. My grandson is thirty-two years old. Granddaughter, she is also about 25.

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Bhagatji: Hindi class there should be. In Vṛndāvana they will...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Do that, Hindi.

Bhagatji: In Māyāpura there should be Bengali class. And Hindi and Bengali, two language are very close.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not any other language. Hindi is essential, must be compulsory, Hindi. That is state language.

Jagadīśa: For the Western children also?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, everyone.

Bhagatji: You should find some time, entrust some time for Hindi.

Prabhupāda: Hindi, Sanskrit, English compulsory.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kneupper: I will remember this. And I will read, look into your writings much more closely...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Kneupper: ...when I get back. Could I ask you if you might sign... Put your name in... Autograph?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Dr. Kneupper: Could you do that please?

Prabhupāda: So, you can give him that book.

Devotees: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Would you like to read this book?

Dr. Kneupper: Yes, I will read that, yes.

Prabhupāda: So I'll sign in that book.

Dr. Kneupper: Okay, okay, fine. Yes, that would be good. Very good. Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- November 24, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So what is the difficulty, I do not find out. You told him and that is already done. And you also said there is no difficulty, so why the other day you all came and there was difficulty?

Devotee (3): Well, it was not my, directly my difficulty, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Devotee (3): They have been small situations where other Indian devotees, closer to him, came to me with their problems.

Prabhupāda: So all Indians are here. Now say what is the difficulty.

Devotee (3): Well, some things like changing of our duties, changing of our services.

Prabhupāda: So why you change? Consult.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: As far one who is paṇḍita, in the position of Rūpa Gosvāmī, for him, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).

Indian man: He'll see woman and man equal.

Prabhupāda: There is no difference. And if he makes such distinction, then how he's paṇḍita? Then he's not paṇḍita. But it is etiquette, mātā svasā duhitā vā. One should not very closely sit down even with mother, sister, and daughter. That restriction is there. But that does not mean that one should not see even a woman. So we are following that principle. Never mind, man or woman, she can offer her respect, but not very near. That restriction must be there. (break) We have support from very high circle. Scholar, priest, even father, mother, parent. Many old gentlemen come to congratulate me, "Swamiji, it is our great fortune that you have come to this country." In Los Angeles they have been very nice. Many parents used to come.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In our childhood, my father's generation, in Calcutta, if a gentleman does not keep a prostitute extra, he is not a respectable man.

Indian man: That was in Delhi? That was during the Mogul time in Delhi? Even after the Mogul time? Not only keeping. In Delhi one of my very, my father's very close friend, Lala Sriram from Delhi...

Prabhupāda: Oh, Sriram is a famous man.

Indian man: No, not that millionaire. Another Sriram. And they were from Delhi. Just I'm talking only about 1939-40. In Karachi he came. He said every boy, before marriage, his marriage, he was supposed to go and take training from a prostitute for a month or so.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Indian man: If a boy was not trained there he could not find a good wife.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with C.I.D. Chief -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And they are giving... Practically our temple is going on by the contribution of the Indians. They are giving goods. Rice, dāl, and ghee and our... No scarcity.

CID Chief: The Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Deity(?) which is close to most of the Indians. It's a common...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sometimes they ask that "What is your position, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, in India?" And in India everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Everyone.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Alpa-chidre. A small... White, white cloth and a small black spot, it becomes prominent.

Gurudāsa: So we won't do it. We can try and preach to them at other place. Because we're going out on saṅkīrtana many times. We're getting a list of all the other programs in the Mela, so we'll take our saṅkīrtana parties where it's going to be prominent and pass out literature. Now, for the meeting, for the resolution, I thought perhaps on the 16th or the 17th, because it is close to the big bathing day on the 14th and it won't conflict that much with other programs.

Prabhupāda: Meeting means all other sādhus, they will meet?

Gurudāsa: Yes. I'm getting invitations printed up, and then we can write their names in, and I want to make the invitation something personal, like "This is a meeting of utmost importance."

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Addresses. You can write. What is the address of the Vrnda Book Company?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have it with me in my office.

Prabhupāda: So write it there.

Rāmeśvara: This paper circulates more than the Times.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Combined. But not individually by city.

Rāmeśvara: But it's very close. Just in this city, Bombay, only twenty thousand papers difference. In Delhi, bigger circulation than Times.

Prabhupāda: Competition.

Rāmeśvara: Very competitive. And it's overall much more.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's a fine paper. Therefore we decided.

Prabhupāda: Please see that there is no printing mistake.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They're hearing kīrtana?

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Then it is all right. One day they'll come. That will cure them.

Nanda-kumāra: On the street, almost any African you say "Hare Kṛṣṇa," he'll say "Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: That is nice.

Rāmeśvara: Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja is becoming interested also in Africa, because it's very close to Brazil. He will also be able to send men as a demonstration of his interest.

Prabhupāda: Then do it. Some way or other, manage. It is Kṛṣṇa's business.

Rāmeśvara: I think we'll discuss this at the Māyāpura meeting.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. You are so many GBC's. You can discuss now.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: BTG should not be any different from that.

Prabhupāda: See to that.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. (break) Mainly it's about the girls who are over ten. They were in Vṛndāvana and discussed this with Jagadīśa, but they couldn't settle up, so they wanted to know what you think. Their idea is that... As of now, there is no plan for a school for the girls over ten, but just that they should return to their parents and not get any more schooling. But they're thinking that there should be, and one reason is that you said in France that the girls could learn these sixty-four arts. So they were thinking that there should be a school for girls over ten, and that it should be situated in India. One reason is that in India our teachers can take help from Indian Life Member ladies who know these arts. Our Western devotees don't know them, the cooking and painting and things like this, but the Indian women do. And also they were saying that this age is very delicate for the girls. They're starting to be attracted to boys, and India is better than being in the West where the material attraction is very strong for the girls as well as the boys. So they're wondering whether this principle is good, that there be a school for girls over ten in India. Right now there are only twelve such girls in the movement, a dozen girls that age, just a little over ten years old. They thought that they should have just one teacher for every three girls so they'd be closely supervised.

Prabhupāda: Every three girls?

Satsvarūpa: Should have one teacher, not just one teacher for all of them.

Prabhupāda: At least ten students one teacher.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Rakal Chandrardha(?). He has got a street. He liked me. He's known to(?) take care of his son very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your mother's brother.

Prabhupāda: Not real, but cousin.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your mother's...

Prabhupāda: My mother is the brother's daughter, and he was the sister daughter. Just like our this nephew, first cousin.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a close relationship.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So he treated... Although my mother was first cousin, he treated my mother as younger sister. In that way he liked my father also, myself. That gentleman and one Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose, and two-one, my own father and my Guru Mahārāja. I knew that. He liked me. He liked me from the very heart. Guru Mahārāja liked me. I know. By his blessing it is, everything has happened. I was not worth. What did I...? I do not know why he liked. I was not worth. There were so many disciples. And still, he liked me.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So we shall move from Bury Place there? No.

Jayatīrtha: No. We want to build a very nice temple and cultural center in London. The Indian community is very anxious for that actually. They're spread out, the Indians, in Wembley and South Hall and different areas. And they have a few very lousy local temples. But they know that we're the only ones who can build a very nice place, so they're interested in helping us build a very big place as close to the center of London as possible.

Prabhupāda: So you have got any place? No.

Jayatīrtha: Right now we're looking for land, and I brought this Raṇachora... Where's Raṇachora? Anyway, Raṇachora, he's architect and artist. He's going to work, hopefully, with Saurabha. Saurabha is anxious also for helping do some preliminary drawings.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: But so far I know, it is very difficult to get vacant land.

Jayatīrtha: Yes. Depends on how close to the center you are. We'll probably have to get a piece of property that has an old warehouse or something on it and demolish it. There's no... Nothing is vacant, but a lot of the buildings are so old that no one wants to use them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That you can get. There are many old houses. I do not remember what is that neighborhood. That is forlorn practically.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Iron-clad demons, they will be made remain.

Girirāja: But innocent people, they can be convinced. One thing I was concerned about for the pandal is that many of these leading personalities, they want to meet Your Divine Grace. But at the same time it might be very strenuous for you to come from Juhu every day.

Prabhupāda: Not every day.

Girirāja: Just selected days. The other alternative would be to arrange a place closer to the pandal, but then it would have to be with some member like Kārttikeya or someone.

Prabhupāda: That is near pandal, Kārttikeya's house?

Girirāja: Well, it's about a fifteen or twenty minute drive.

Prabhupāda: That is also good.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said the object of the scheme was to attract women entrepreneurs by providing them special...

Prabhupāda: Entrepreneurs?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Business people. "Mr. Raja Gopalan said that the scheme would soon be advertised for attracting women by providing them special intrastructural facilities to operate as a closely knit unit."

Prabhupāda: Abortion. What is that abortion?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not abortion, but some kind of opportunity for women to do business together.

Prabhupāda: The same, sense enjoyment, maithuna. All these rogues and thieves and bokā.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually they are very attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So let them be trained up and then go there and follow our instruction and develop. In the meantime you can take it. The Lord Clyde, a crewman in the ship, he developed a British empire in India, organization. He's an insignificant person. He established British empire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lord Clyde.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: From there we can also go to Burma.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: 'Cause that's the neighbor, it's only about ten miles from Manipur. It's close to Mandalay. Used to be... The kings of Manipur used to invade this Burma, especially Mandalay, to fight. So we can go to Burma from there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Dr. Sharma must have this Hare Krishna Land as the address.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Is someone here? (?)

Prabhupāda: Come on. Give him one seat there.

Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are creating so many dogs. "Can you give me any service?" "No vacancy! Get out!" And somebody becomes a... "All right, a bit of bread..." And: "Oh, oh, you are so kind." These śūdras... The number of śūdras have created this world situation so bad. (break) In your country also the farmers wants to go to the city to become educated and never comes back again. They are no more interested.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Actually Paramānanda was telling me that, you know, he's made some very close friends amongst the farming people, not our own people. So every year he goes back to near New Vrindaban, 'cause he made friends with the local people there, and he spends a week with them, and Devakī-nandana also. So he says that now he helps them. Whenever he goes, he helps them with the farming because their sons are all starting to marry the girls from the city, and they're not so much inclined towards the farming work. So the father and mother, even though they're getting older, they have to more and more work because the children are not helping them.

Prabhupāda: The city girl, she does not wish to come.

Conversation with Shri Narayan -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So immediately contact Jayadal and Dalmia, and he has got a nice house. We go to Hrishikesh immediately. It is very nice. Or Patel.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Or Bhogilal.

Prabhupāda: Then we haven't got to go Kashmir.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So first we'll contact Bhogilal because he's in the city. If he cannot arrange, then we'll immediately contact Jayadal. Yeah, they're such close friends...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Quinine is fever and (indistinct). And he said like that. "I have no..." So why these three?

Śatadhanya: We'll move the bed. He brought the hot water.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It almost seems like Mr. Bose was like a second father to you.

Prabhupāda: Yes. My father's friend.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Was he very close to your father?

Prabhupāda: Very. He appointed me manager for this relationship.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He trusted you personally, like a son.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We were exactly like son.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So along with my letter I'll send your check.

Prabhupāda: Yes, send him the check.

Bhakti-caitanya: No problem.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's very nice. Now this man, Mr. Gupta, that they have contacted, Bhakti-caitanya Mahārāja was telling me that he's very close man with the Haribhajapada(?). So I don't know if there's any...

Prabhupāda: No, we do not expect any very gorgeous help from these autocrats. That is not possible. Therefore it is...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was wondering whether you thought that when Gopāla went to see Mr. Rajpa, perhaps Mr. Gupta could also accompany them. Do you think it would be profitable?

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Not possible.

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Just see the fun. He rushed there and began... And...? It is a humorous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "So I made arrangements with the book store to fulfill his desires. The next, University of Pristina. After riding all night in the train..." This boy is going through a lot of hardship all along. He said sometimes for two or three days he did not sleep. "After riding all night in the train I arrived on the campus at four a.m. in the morning. Before anyone could interfere with me, I studied the school very closely. In two hours' time I knew where all of my targets were. So when the professors and students arrived at 6:30 in the morning..."

Prabhupāda: 6:30 in the morning?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I was ready for them. My first meeting was the most important one."

Prabhupāda: It means that they do... These communist countries, they work so hard.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Generally from London to New York, six hours. And from...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: New York to LA is about four and a half hours. That's ten and a half hours.

Prabhupāda: Ten hours.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So I think, probably, London to Los Angeles would be about nine hours. That would be my guess.

Prabhupāda: So far I remember, London to Paris from, er, Paris to Los Angeles I went. Took about ten hours.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ten hours. London might be closer...

Prabhupāda: Than Paris.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...than Paris. Say nine to ten hours.

Prabhupāda: And that Nova... What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nova Scotia?

Prabhupāda: That I have seen from the plane.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Here is the palace.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. It has a big dome on the top. Here's a better picture of it, closer. This was on vyāsa-pūjā day. All the devotees were there offering respects to Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: Do it very nicely. (break) ...unique testament.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So as soon as I get opportunity, I shall go and meet them.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: Very good chance.

Parivrājakācārya: These people, they are the door to people all over the world who are rulers, because they are the closest friends of King Khalid(?) of Saudi Arabia, King Hussein of Jordan, King Constantine and Queen Tina of Greece. They know all over the world this whole set of rulers who have great opulence and great intelligence and who simply lack spiritual knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Guidance.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How many khols he has already prepared?

Bharadvāja: I don't know exactly, but I think it was close to about two hundred when I left.

Prabhupāda: Where he is making?

Bharadvāja: Well, they are having most of the part done outside by outside people, professionals, and Īśāna is assembling, and he's working very hard.

Prabhupāda: It is plastic?

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Everything is theory.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, not really, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's not all theory. We spoke with the man. He went out and got the kavirāja. When we again called Calcutta we were informed that they had left on the plane. I mean there's no reason to suspect that people are lying to us, our own Godbrothers are lying to us. I mean it's so close to the time when they should arrive that we shouldn't become discouraged. I mean right now we could send Śatadhanya Mahārāja to Calcutta, but it would be very bad to do that, because the kavirāja may be five miles out of Vṛndāvana right now. Or he may have just reached Delhi if he came on this propeller plane. We have every reason to believe that he'll be here at any moment. We have no reason to feel that he shouldn't come.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhakti-caru: Yes. He made all the medicines till eleven o'clock.

Prabhupāda: So we shall wait. We shall wait.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. No, that was the best program, to wait some time. We were feeling a little bit happy to get this good kavirāja, so naturally we were thinking to stay where he could give you more close attention. But he also felt that to wait for some time was best. Did you pass a comfortable night?

Prabhupāda: As usual. Bhavānanda was reading Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Now Jayādvaita, you read.

Jayādvaita: I can read, or Akṣayānanda Mahārāja is here with the report about the program last night.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Where is Akṣayānanda?

Jayādvaita: Here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.