771024 - Conversation - Vrndavana

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

771024R1-VRNDAVAN - October 24, 1977 - 63:04 Minutes

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They spoke with Mr. Bangor, B. N. Bangor. He didn't know anybody. He spoke with Mr. Bajoria. He also did not know anybody. They had not yet spoken with Mr. Jalan. Our feeling was that to bring a kavirāja, Rāmānuja kavirāja, is not difficult from wherever we are—whether we're here or anywhere. There are many kavirājas. Whether we have to get a local one or whether we have to go somewhere to bring one, they can be brought. Our one consideration was . . . (break) Just like this morning, it's getting cold in the morning, and we felt that, for example, during this . . . in this summer, during the rainy season it rained very much—more than usual. So the climate is not completely predictable in this Kali-yuga. So it's getting very cold in the mornings. Now, if suddenly it gets much colder, to travel on the train would be very difficult, because these trains are hard. You can't keep them warm. They don't have heat in them. So we don't feel it's very safe to wait unduly.

Our opinion was that so far as your health or strength goes, it's not going to increase significantly in one or two weeks. Even when you take this makara-dhvaja, it will take time to gradually get back your strength. So waiting is not so much for the purpose of gaining back strength. And the weather is . . . the climate is working against us, because it's getting colder if we wait. One of the main reasons to go that Your Divine Grace had was to get into a nice climate, fresh air, open-air atmosphere. So our feeling is that as far as a kavirāja goes, now we must find a Rāmānuja kavirāja. Now, if we cannot find one in Calcutta, then our feeling is let us find one somewhere else and bring him to Māyāpur. In other words, it doesn't have to be that he's living in Calcutta. Kavirājas are all over India. There is one . . . who is that person, Bhavānanda?

Bhavānanda: The head pūjārī at Śrī Raṅgam temple in South India. He is coming in the family of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. He is very friendly with our Society, and Acyutānanda and Yaśodānandana Swamis, they stayed with him at his house . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm!

Bhavānanda: . . . in Śrī Raṅganātha temple. For five days he was their host.

Prabhupāda: Where? Śrī Raṅgam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrī Raṅgam. So the man must be very . . . he's not so smārta. Because he will allow Westerners to live with him. He's favorable. So Smara-hari, one of the devotees here . . . we felt that it would be . . . if we do not find from Jalan or anyone a good kavirāja in Calcutta, then let us send two devotees to Śrī Raṅgam to meet with this head pūjārī and get his help for finding out a proper Rāmānuja kavirāja and bring him to Māyāpur. And immediately let us go to Māyāpur. Why should we sit here waiting here? Because actually we don't find any benefit from waiting here. The idea was to give change of climate, and what is the purpose of waiting for that to happen? Because we're not gaining anything by staying here except that the weather is becoming colder, so that it becomes more and more dangerous to travel in cold weather. And as far as bringing a kavirāja goes, now we've already seen there's not going to be one in Vṛndāvana, so at best, we'd have to bring him from Delhi. But whether a man has to come from Delhi or come from Śrī Raṅgam, he's going to have to come and visit and stay with us. And once the treatment begins, if we get a Delhi kavirāja, he's going to have to keep coming down here. We don't want to have to stay here for more than one or two weeks. But the treatment is going to be longer than two weeks. So then we'll be stuck here. If we depend upon a Delhi kavirāja we'll be stuck here. Best thing is someone from Calcutta, because then they can come frequently to Māyāpur. But in the event that we cannot get someone from Calcutta, then we should take the help of one kavirāja from South India. And your dream was that it was a Rāmānuja kavirāja who was preparing the medicine. I think that after it's prepared, he may give, administer the medicine for some time, but afterwards we can find another kavirāja. If he has to return to South, then another kavirāja may continue the treatment. I don't . . .

Prabhupāda: There is no treatment.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Simply giving. The preparation is the main thing. So therefore let him come and prepare it in our presence. Do you feel that he should come and prepare it in your presence? You want to see him? Or can it be prepared in South and brought by the devotees?

Prabhupāda: No, I have no . . . if he is reliable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I think if we take the help of this head priest it will be reliable. They can do it right in his presence. Smara-hari is also very good. He does all of the purchasing for Yaśodānandana Mahārāja, of whatever they purchase for Deities, whatever they purchase for ceremonies, for Fiji. This Smara-hari does all purchasing, and he also purchases medicines. He's been in India six years now, and he's known to that head priest. So if he can purchase, then he can bring it.

Prabhupāda: Prepare, an experienced . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we were thinking that some other devotee should go with him. So actually, we were thinking about Bhakti-caru Mahārāja, the reason being that Bhakti-caru Mahārāja, being an Indian devotee . . . that's also one advantage, that there should be one Western devotee, one Indian devotee, just in case he has to speak Hindi or something. And besides that, Bhakti-caru Mahārāja has got experience with you with all of these different kavirājas. So he'll be able to see a little bit whether the kavirāja is . . . you know. There should be some discretion on our part also. He knows the history. He knows your history, so he can explain it properly to the kavirāja.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no explanation. He must be sincere, the kavirāja, and must know how to do it. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On one hand, we didn't want to take Bhakti-caru Mahārāja away from you, because he's serving properly, and this is the best thing. I can see that you also don't want that. (laughs) So then we can find . . . it's good if one Indian devotee goes with Smara-hari. But there are others that we can find. No, we can find someone. That's not . . . you don't have to tax yourself for that, Śrīla Prabhupāda. But this is our idea, that why we should wait here? The longer we wait, the colder the weather becomes. And what advantage do we have, do we gain by waiting here? There's no advantage gained. You could say: "Well, because if we wait here and I get the medicine immediately, and I start to take the medicine, then I will become stronger." But our feeling is that strength will take time. So just by waiting for two weeks, the strength will not increase so significantly to make traveling less risky. Traveling is risky if we are not careful. If we take great care, then traveling will not be risky.

Prabhupāda: So by plane or train?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Hari-śauri: By plane or train?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By plane or train? Well, I think that . . . I think train is better.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because . . . there's a number of reasons. First of all, there's no Jumbo jets, and they're Indian Airlines planes. They're Indian Airlines smaller planes. They're jets, but they're not the big jet. The flying . . .

Prabhupāda: No, nowadays that bus . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Airbus.

Hari-śauri: I think the Airbus has been taken out of commission.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, even if it hasn't, it's a useless plane, because the seats on the Airbus are as small as any seats anywhere else. There's no advantage to them.

Prabhupāda: But it will take only two hours.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, but then again the plane flight, you know, whether you'll be able to be comfortable. Two hours of discomfort may be worse than seventeen hours of semi-comfort. That has to be considered. Train means you lay down, you know, and you'll have a big compartment. Plane . . . look how difficult it is for you to sit up for even a half hour. I have not hardly seen you sit up for a half hour. I mean these airlines, Indian Airlines planes, for all you know, the seat thing won't go up, the handle? Hmm?

Bhavānanda: No, they go up. They don't always, though.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On which flights?

Bhakti-caru: The 747.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. There are no 747s.

Bhakti-caru: No, no, 727. I'm sorry, 707, not 727. Airbus has stopped now. Instead of that, they are starting 707.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why it stopped?

Hari-śauri: Because they couldn't get enough passengers to make it economical.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Hari-śauri: The Airbus was stopped because they couldn't get enough passengers to make it economical. So they took them out of service.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean there are other points also. Whether they'll have a wheelchair that can be wheeled through an aisle in an airplane? See, on the train we can carry you quite easily. Plane traveling just becomes a very . . . it's a sophisticated situation. And I don't want to take you in a stretcher in a plane. I don't like that idea. I don't think it's nice in any way, you know. It's all right if we take you in a wheelchair, and then you can sit down and lay down in the seat. That's no problem. But how to get through the aisle? You remember when we went to London you had to walk. They say they have . . . foreign airlines say . . . I remember they used to say they had some wheelchairs.

Upendra: It's not exactly a wheelchair. It's a little tiny seat that they strap down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Who knows that they'll have it? What's the guarantee? He can't walk. You want to go by plane? Because it's two hours? That's a big advantage. (Prabhupāda coughing) Do you want a little miśri-jala, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: So that bus, they have stopped?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But that bus is no big . . . there's no benefit particularly of that Airbus. I mean, there's no real benefit. It's not any better than a 707 or 727. It's bigger inside, but the seats are not bigger. It doesn't really affect you. The seats are just as close together as on any other plane.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Miśri-jala. Ar ektu nin Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Please drink a little more Śrīla Prabhupāda.)

Prabhupāda: Adha glass to kheyechi. (I have taken half a glass.)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda is saying something, Bhakti-caru.

Bhakti-caru: Ha Śrīla Prabhupāda? (Yes Śrīla Prabhupāda?)

Prabhupāda: Adha glass to kheyechi. (I have taken half a glass.)

Bhakti-caru: Accha. Ha. Ha kheyechen Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Okay. Yes. Yes Śrīla Prabhupāda, you drank half a glass.)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Train or plane. But first of all we should agree on the idea, though. I mean, I think the point of that there's no real advantage to waiting here . . . our feeling is that there's more advantage to being in Māyāpur at this time. We can certainly go by plane. I think we can arrange some small wheelchair that will go up to the seat. It's possible to arrange.

Bhavānanda: Seat right at the door.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What we'll do is we'll purchase two extra seats so that Prabhupāda can have three seats.

Bhavānanda: And right by the door so they can just bring it in the door and . . . take the seats right on the door.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That can be done. We can try to get the front row.

Haṁsadūta: Whatever they do when they have to transport someone in emergency . . . they must have an arrangement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, they do. They take the seats out and put your stretcher on. But we don't want that. There's no question of that.

Hari-śauri: It's horrible.

Prabhupāda: It goes direct?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. Delhi–Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: Then arrange like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah? It's a lot easier. Plane travel is easier.

Prabhupāda: Ah, ah.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's no doubt about that. It's so much easier and so much quicker.

Haṁsadūta: You should ask Prabhupāda about the stretcher. It may be necessary.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He knows that it can be done. I've seen people laying out in stretchers. It's disgusting. It's disgusting. People come by, and you're laying right on the ground.

Haṁsadūta: Oh, on the ground?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah. And they walk right by you, and their feet are right next to your head.

Hari-śauri: It's not very nice at all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's most dishonorable and disrespectful. You feel . . . you feel every bit of being a patient.

Haṁsadūta: Don't they have private planes?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda doesn't want. (talking in background amongst devotees) I already suggested that in London to Prabhupāda, and he wouldn't do it. I mean, it's very difficult to arrange these things in India, private plane, you know, without a lot of advance, like twenty thousand, thirty thousand rupees.

Hari-śauri: Private plane? Yes, and then it would have to be a propeller plane, too. They're hellish. Phew! We traveled on those to Chandigarh.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This country you can't do these things like that. So . . .

Bhavānanda: Then directly from Dum Dum to Māyāpur?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Then we go direct from Dum Dum to Māyāpur. We don't even have to go into Calcutta. Is that all right? So do you agree, Śrīla Prabhupāda, with the idea then, that the sooner we transfer there, the better, to Māyāpur? As far as the kavirāja goes, let us see if we get a local man from Calcutta, failing which, Smara-hari plus one other devotee will go to Śrī Raṅgam, and from a very reliable kavirāja, in their presence, they will have it made. Smara-hari, you see, is from Gurukṛpā and Yaśodānandana's party, so he has got experience sitting and watching people making the silver onto the throne. He knows how to sit and watch not to get cheated.

Prabhupāda: No, the thing is the man who would prepare, he must be experienced. That is wanted. And sincere. Then it will work, either you prepare there or here. When our men? (devotees talk among themselves softly about who should go to Śrī Raṅgam)

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, in the meantime, some treatment should be there. In the meantime, before you get this makara-dhvaja, some treatment should be there.

Prabhupāda: What treatment?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we were thinking that this Bonamali Prabhu, he has made this medicine. So why not find out what is this medicine from him, and you can take that in the meantime. He's made this medicine, Bonamali.

Prabhupāda: What is the benefit?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, according to him, this is makara-dhvaja. I mean, I don't discount that this may be makara-dhvaja. I am not rejecting it simply on the word of that Rāmānujī kavirāja who was here. Otherwise, then we simply wait for the makara-dhvaja.

Prabhupāda: That we'll do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. I'm always remembering your words, "Some husband must be there."

Prabhupāda: Wait for the husband.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Wait for the husband.

Prabhupāda: So, take three seats in plane. That will be nice. And the best of the plane, 7-7 or who?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, 747 there aren't any. The Jumbo jet, that we cannot get.

Prabhupāda: No . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 707, 727, they're both Boeings. They're good.

Prabhupāda: Then take that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're big jets.

Prabhupāda: Front seat.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So let us go immediately.

Prabhupāda: Then go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let us arrange for you to go immediately. Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was thinking I should send your son a telegram, your former son, Vrindavan, a telegram not to come here. Pisimā's son has sent a telegram telling him to come. I think I'll telegram him that "We are coming there. Don't come Vṛndāvana," because what's the use of his wasting time coming here? He can come to Māyāpur to see you.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And that will be easier. We can do everything from there. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: No, no, he sees or not sees, does not matter.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So should I send . . . I mean right now, there's any need to inform him not to come here?

Prabhupāda: No need.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let him come anyway if he's coming.

Prabhupāda: No, he's traveling. His secretary . . . the news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he hasn't given any indication.

Prabhupāda: Tell.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Okay.

Prabhupāda: My sister is going back?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: When?

Bhakti-caru: When we first planned that we'll go by train, then she wanted to come in the same train actually. But now I think that many of our devotees will be going by train, so she can go with them on the train.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. She will inform.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. So if we have . . . if M. L. Jalan also says he has no one, then we're sending someone immediately from here. Otherwise, if Mr. Jalan says that there is someone . . .

Prabhupāda: Jalan, they have got a charitable . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. A dispensary. Of course, we don't know if it's Āyurvedic dispensary. It might be allopathic.

Prabhupāda: No, Āyurvedic.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have?

Prabhupāda: They have got a . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then one thing we'll do, Śrīla Prabhupāda . . . the easiest thing is: let us go to Māyāpur. Smara-hari was coming anyway, so let him come to Māyāpur also. If we don't get anyone from Calcutta within a day or two . . . if we don't get anyone . . . (whispering in background) If we don't get anyone from Calcutta, Śrīla Prabhupāda? If we don't get any kavirāja from Calcutta side, then we'll send Smara-hari.

Prabhupāda: By Jalan's recommendation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Then we'll send Smara-hari, and Sarva-bhāvana can go. You know Sarva-bhāvana, Bhakti-caru's friend? Remember that Bengali devotee? He can go with Smara-hari directly and get someone. I think we'll get someone from Calcutta. And it is better if we get Calcutta. It'll be easier. But if we don't, then we'll immediately send someone to South. It will only be a matter of a few days. They can be back. Is it all right?

Prabhupāda: Under somebody's recommendation. Just like Jalan people.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, the recommendation would be done by that head priest of the temple of Śrī Raṅgam. That's where they would go. They wouldn't just go to look up somebody. They would get the . . . they would have the . . .

Prabhupāda: That will be better.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Better than Jalan. So then let us send him directly from here, Smara-hari, immediately. He can leave today. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And we proceed to Māyāpur, and Smara-hari can come back with the medicine to Māyāpur. All right? So we'll make this plan. (whispered aside comments) So then we'll make the arrangements just now, Śrīla Prabhupāda? All right.

Prabhupāda: By plane. Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By plane, yes. Three seats for you. (break) Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So all GBC left?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All GBC left? Some of them are here. Haṁsadūta is here, Hari-śauri, Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Hari-śauri: Pañca-draviḍa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pañca-draviḍa Swami.

Prabhupāda: So that committee formed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That committee?

Prabhupāda: Charity . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We will be forming that. Make a little legal document.

Prabhupāda: First of all make it formal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that can be done. So, Śrīla Prabhupāda, here is Smara-hari, and he's going to be leaving today for South India. We've given him the instructions, and he's the proper person. He knows that chief priest in Śrī Raṅgam temple, and first thing is he's going to find out what are the ingredients of this makara-dhvaja. Then he's going to purchase the ingredients himself, and then he's going to go to the kavirāja and give it to the Rāmānuja kavirāja and have him make it right in front of him. He will supply the ingredients so that he knows the ingredients are bona fide, first class. And he'll see that they make it in front of him.

Prabhupāda: According to the direction of the Rāmānuja . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Well, he'll have the Rāmānuja man make it. First he'll ask, "What are the ingredients?" Then he'll go and get those ingredients, and he'll bring it to the Rāmānuja man. And the Rāmānuja man will make it.

Prabhupāda: The man must be sincere and experienced.

Bhavānanda: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (whispering) Tell Prabhupāda about that kavirāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then, after that, he'll come directly to Māyāpur. The whole thing—how long will it take? About two days to get there? A day or two . . . maybe within a week's time he'll be in Māyāpur, Śrīla Prabhupāda, if they make it quickly.

Prabhupāda: It will take time, as he said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (aside) Paper . . . my pad is in . . . that man said it would take time. A week. Of course, we don't know if that's a fact or not. But it'll take about a week's time if it only takes a day or two. If it takes a week, then it may take a total of two weeks' time until he reaches Māyāpur. When Gopāla and Śatadhanya were in Delhi, they went to see one man who was a very important Marwari kavirāja. They asked him about the ingredients of makara-dhvaja.

Bhavānanda: They asked that question about what medicine the poor man would take.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What medicine the poor man would take. So he said: "Poor man or rich man, it doesn't matter. The price of it is about forty-eight rupees per tolā, because the gold that is given, it's given back at the end." It's just passed through, the gold. It's not utilized itself. So forty-eight rupees a tolā. This is what he said, very big Marwari kavirāja.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have heard.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this Rāmānujī kavirāja was charging five hundred rupees a tolā. And Bonamali, when we gave him gold, he never returned any gold. So . . . this is the position—cheaters.

Prabhupāda: Bonamali was also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Something. Anyway, before we leave I'm going to speak with Bhagatjī. Bhagatjī is the one who gave the gold and pearls to Bonamali. So I think Bhagatjī will be able to recover it. We'll leave this medicine with Bhagatjī, and he can give the medicine to Bonamali and take the money. (pause) So Smara-hari will be leaving today, just now. And we've already spoken with Delhi, and they're already going to purchase the airline tickets. Either we will leave Wednesday . . . today is Monday. Either we will leave Wednesday or we will leave Friday. We're not going to travel on Thursday. And they've already informed Calcutta and Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: Who will go with me?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your Divine Grace, Bhavānanda Mahārāja, myself, Bhakti-caru Mahārāja, Śatadhanya Mahārāja, Upendra Prabhu, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Bharadvāja. That'll be on the plane. Then in the train, Pradyumna, Arundhatī, some other devotees also. So eight of us will be going on the plane with you, seven plus Your Divine Grace, and you will have three seats. Altogether, we're purchasing ten seats. So I don't think there will be any difficulty. We're going in full team. Scientist is with us. In case of any special knowledge, Svarūpa Dāmodara will be there. Bhavānanda with his gun. (laughter) Full team. I think it will be a nice journey, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I hope.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So now you'll have your bath, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Light?

Upendra: Light. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ". . . miserable condition. Without your mercy there is no possibility of escaping the degrading influence of this Kali-yuga. Most merciful lord and master of the devotees, we have no shelter other than your lotus feet. By Kṛṣṇa's grace the most wonderful Janmāṣṭamī celebration was held at the Cato Ridge Farm āśrama in South Africa. The celebration included the opening of a new temple and prasādam facility." He sent a lot of pictures, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Amazing pictures.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Tulasī dāsa has sent different things. Here's a news clipping from the Leader. It's a newspaper. It says: "Hare Kṛṣṇa festivity. All roads lead to the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge last Sunday where thousands of well-wishers and devotees celebrated Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. His Holiness Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu came out especially from the United States for the occasion and to officiate at the opening of the new temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." One picture shows the devotees . . . it says: "Members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and followers of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda lead the crowd in the singing of Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. In the foreground is the havana-kuṇḍa on which the sacrificial prayer was performed prior to the opening of the new temple. A view of the large gathering . . ." it shows thousands of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda, ". . . at the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge at the weekend when the new temple was officially opened. The function was held in conjunction with Lord Kṛṣṇa's birth anniversary celebrations." Here's the temple. "Head of the group, Tulasī dāsa, seen with other devotees in front of their new temple." It's a very beautiful temple with pillars and arches. I don't know how they built it so soon. (laughs) It's a big temple they built there. It says, "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more widely known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, opened its temple to coincide with the celebration of the birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees all over the world . . . this birthday celebration . . ." (break) Here's another article, pictures of devotees opening the temple. Another article. "Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu, one of the top officials . . ."

Prabhupāda: Still, they criticize us. Hmm? Affirmations, good character, good health . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another article says: "Procession draws hundreds. The hundreds lined the streets of Durban on Sunday to watch young and old Hindus taking part in the colorful procession which was held as part of Lord Kṛṣṇa's birthday celebration." It tells all about a celebration in the city of Durban organized by our society.

Prabhupāda: It will be good for propaganda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa-aṣṭamī. Lord Kṛṣṇa's celebration." Full center page. "A voyage of discovery." "A Christian tribute to Kṛṣṇa consciousness," it says. There's a picture of Your Divine Grace here. It's an article reprinted from Back to Godhead. It says, "All material in this special feature taken from Back to Godhead, the official magazine of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." This is all . . . it seems like what they have done . . . the same thing they did in Fiji, they have done there in South Africa. Because many of the articles . . . this is a whole . . . also all about our Society. All of these pages. "Hare Kṛṣṇa puzzle is unraveled." "Jagannātha car festival is one of the oldest in history." Then it tells about the program, how to get to the farm. Then he sent photographs. It's a very beautiful temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I don't know if you can see it. This is the temple. You see the white structure here? You can see it has arched domes? Not domes, but arches.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can you see it? Look at the pāṇḍal they had.

Prabhupāda: They have got a new barrack . . . festival.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Festivity. Here's Tulasī dāsa doing the fire yajña. Should I read you his letter now?

Prabhupāda: Very good news. Now can see. This material body may remain or not remain, this movement will push on. That is wanted. Where is such thing throughout the whole world? Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There aren't, except in our temples. He says: "By Kṛṣṇa's grace the most wonderful Janmāṣṭamī celebration was held at the big farm āśrama in South Africa. The celebration included the opening of a new temple and prasādam facility, two new Life Membership cottages and three overnight guest rooms, initiation of four new devotees and two brāhmaṇa initiations, a play, a massive prasādam distribution, go-pūjā, a transcendental treasure hunt for the children, ecstatic chanting by all, and distribution of books, records and posters and tapes. We enclose pictures of the various events, as well as newspaper articles. The newspapers were all one-hundred-percent favorable, and one even had a four-page article on ISKCON. The Gujarati ladies from Durban and Pietermaritzburg all came early to help cook purīs and halavā. They cooked about one quarter ton of halavā (Prabhupāda chuckles) and over eight thousand purīs, all of which were distributed. At least fifteen thousand people attended the two-day festival, and all of the most important big Indian businessmen and millionaires attended. Two days before the event, a large marquee, able to hold twenty-five hundred people, was erected, and the initiations and the play were held inside. The play especially was most successful, as the top Indian stage and lighting men in South Africa were giving us technical assistance. It was so nice that even some of the ladies were in tears during the performance. The go-pūjā was also a massively popular event, as none of the local people had ever seen such a thing before. In fact, many people came up to the devotees and were saying things like 'I left India thirty years ago, and I never saw anything like this before.' So far, the Indian community . . ." (break)

Bhavānanda: And the other one is that Ādi-keśava Mahārāja, he has a friend in Delhi named Chandi Das He's a big yogī, I think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he's from America.

Bhavānanda: He has quite a bit of money. And so Ādi-keśava called him up, and he had a kavirāja in the Rāmānuja-sampradāya. And Chandi Das went to see his kavirāja, and his kavirāja had just gotten finished mixing makara-dhvaja medicine. He'd been preparing it for the past ten days. And Śatadhanya Mahārāja and Ādi-keśava were just now going over to see this kavirāja. That Chandi Das has purchased seven tolās of the medicine for Your Divine Grace as a gift. They are going over to pick it up.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Just see. Kṛṣṇa arranges. Just see.

Trivikrama: Kṛṣṇa's so kind.

Prabhupāda: Very good. No, I saw somebody, Rāmānuja, he is preparing for me. (very emotional voice) This is all Kṛṣṇa's plan. It is being prepared in Delhi, and He is giving information and doing. So very good news.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More chanting?

Prabhupāda: Chanting is our life.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So there's no need to send anyone to South India.

Prabhupāda: No. I have got it already.

Bhavānanda: And that kavirāja in Delhi said that no, the gold is absorbed in the medicine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Phew! This is a . . . these events are all like a dramatical play, Śrīla Prabhupāda, great drama. It's simply like reading the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Prabhupāda: Ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana (Śrī-guru-vandanā 4). He has contributed seven tolās? Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So now you will get both things—the makara-dhvaja and Māyāpur. Kṛṣṇa was showing you while he was making it, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda was watching him make it, and Kṛṣṇa gave him the vision to see.

Prabhupāda: No, Kṛṣṇa, God, He gave me information.

Trivikrama: Just like Sañjaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These activities are all as wonderful, Śrīla Prabhupāda, as the books you have written. We are seeing that you are one of those personalities, as great as the personalities that you've written about.

Prabhupāda: So dose, everything, take detail.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have to take detail of the dosage and everything about it.

Bhavānanda: Yes. They're going to get all of that tonight. (break)

Prabhupāda: Then hold some festival in Delhi. Invite all the men who . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Invite those men?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Spend some money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should hold it. And invite the men who contributed?

Prabhupāda: Hmm! (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtana. (kīrtana with harmonium lead by Haṁsadūta) (end)