770324 - Conversation - Bombay

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

770324R1-BOMBAY - March 24, 1977 - 22:39 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Now this Janata party headed by Morarji may take to this Indian culture. That will be the . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were thinking, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that after a short time we should have a committee approach Mr. Desai, some of our devotees and prominent Life Members, for getting citizenship for at least fifty to a hundred of our men. He would be favorable.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: He is pro-American, Desai.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Kartikeya Mahadevia: He is not pro-Russian.

Prabhupāda: So you have taken your prasādam?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So, what other news?

Girirāja: Well, the paṇḍāl is very nice. We have nice prasāda distribution.

Prabhupāda: In the paṇḍāl?

Girirāja: Yes. We distributed purī, sabjī and halavā.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: All very nice, Prabhu.

Girirāja: Nicely prepared. And the people who came, there weren't so many. We hope more will be coming from Friday. But they were very interested, well-disciplined, respectable people. So we had some sitting area also. They each got nice purī and sabjī and halavā.

Prabhupāda: Regular ārati is going on?

Girirāja: Yes.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Two āratis.

Girirāja: And everyone appreciated the Vaikuṇṭha Players. And there were nice reports in the newspapers.

Prabhupāda: In the newspaper there is report?

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where is that report?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Where was it?

Girirāja: From today's?

Lokanātha: It was yesterday's.

Girirāja: The day before yesterday's.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: I will check up and see the papers outside. I will just check out and bring the paper inside.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was yesterday. Today we have checked up. Yesterday's press conference was reported.

Lokanātha: They covered yesterday.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There was one photographer from England. He told me that he came especially to take your pictures. He said he's from an English newspaper. He was flying back to England last night. He came especially to take your pictures, he said.

Girirāja: Some foreigners from some other so-called spiritual institutions are also coming.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There are two people from Bhagavan Rajneesh's āśrama yesterday.

Girirāja: There was one boy who was quite interested from Swami Muktananda's āśrama.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Girirāja: There is one Swami Muktananda. So one of his so-called disciples came, foreigner. So they're also trying to . . . I mean . . . this shows that they're not satisfied. They're still looking for something more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We don't go to their meetings. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: What they have got?

Lokanātha: We went to this Gita-bhakti's mini–Kumbha-melā in Ahmedabad, and they were distributing her life, book about her life. And we were distributing Back to Godhead. So we distributed three thousand magazines in three, four days, and all men were all upset that they weren't taking their books and they were buying all our books. So they said: "You stay there. You do not come here. This is Mātājī's quarter."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not Kṛṣṇa's.

Lokanātha: There only Mātājī should be . . . mātājī's books should be sold.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Sixty-four lakhs of people came there. In one week sixty-four lakhs of people came all over Gujarat to Ahmedabad.

Prabhupāda: Kumbha . . .

Kartikeya Mahadevia: People are so much religious.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: That she is wrong, that is a different matter. If they can organize this way, we'll get more than one crore.

Prabhupāda: What is the position of Jagjivan now?

Kartikeya Mahadevia: He's going to become Deputy Prime Minister.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They are going to have two Deputy Prime Ministers. But I do not think Morarji Desai will stay Prime Minister for more than one or two years, because he's eighty-one years of age. He's quite . . .

Kartikeya Mahadevia: That means it depends upon health only. If one is not healthy, he may not remain there, and if he's healthy, he may remain even four years. He's one of the healthiest men in India today at his age. (laughter)

Bali-mardana: It's your wheat grass.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: No, he's not doing wheat grass, but he is taking only fruits and vegetables and no cooked food. So he's following what I am telling him to do. I have sent my books, I mean personally.

Bali-mardana: He is a personal friend.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: It is not personal. My mother was personally with his son, and they were in the same school. So he knew him for last thirty, forty years. My sister-in-law, my wife's sister, and Mr. Morarji Desai were working in the same cabinet in Bombay in 1955.

Devotee: That was . . . (indistinct)

Indian man (2): He wanted to meet Prime Minister here.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to take that tulasī and . . . (indistinct) . . . in afternoon again? Only once, one serving.

Pañcadraviḍa: We can bring some ḍābs from down the road if you like.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have already ḍāb.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: I'll bring it.

Prabhupāda: Nobody speaks about Indira Gandhi. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's like she never existed.

Pañcadraviḍa: There's one big sign up that says: "When Mrs. I became All-I, then the people say 'Goodbye.' " (laughter)

Prabhupāda: There is a sign like that?

Pañcadraviḍa: Yes, a big sign. I think it's on Marine Drive or somewhere.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's Diamond Point. There's one person, he changes the phrase every week based on the current topics.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Air India.

Hṛdayānanda: "When Mrs. I became All-I, the people said 'Goodbye.' " Also, on all the posters they put up for the election, I have heard, in one street, every poster, they have ripped down her face, on fifty posters. Everyone ripped the face off.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There may be some investigations now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Against her son.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we haven't seen it yet, but we've heard that there's a full-page feature story about our court case in Time magazine. Bali-mardana saw it.

Bali-mardana: I saw that.

Hṛdayānanda: Really?

Pañcadraviḍa: What is it?

Bali-mardana: One of the first pages, under "Religion."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the most important magazine in the world, Time magazine. What is the circulation?

Pañcadraviḍa: We should get it, then.

Hṛdayānanda: In every country in the world.

Devotee: Did I get enough?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: So you can get it in the Hyderabad bookstores.

Bali-mardana: The March 28th issue.

Devotee: So it's current.

Pañcadraviḍa: We're planning on showing these things to Argentine government also. (indistinct background discussion)

Hṛdayānanda: These women leaders are not doing so well. Also, in South America there was a woman leader, and she also was put in jail.

Prabhupāda: In the history of India there is no woman leader. Throughout Mahābhārata you'll find . . . Mahābhārata is the greater history, history of greater India. Mahā means "greater," and bhārata. So "Greater Bhārata." That means this whole planet. So you won't find woman leader

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These are . . . some letters have come from some prominent personalities. Here is one from Mr. S. P. Mondalia . . .

Hṛdayānanda: Congratulating you . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Surya Prakash Mondalia. "Your Holiness . . ." It's from Industry House, Real House. "Your Holiness, I was indeed very happy to know from yesterday's newspapers that the suit filed against ISKCON has been decided in favor of ISKCON by the New York High Court. Admittedly this is a clear vindication of the dharmic way of life chosen by ISKCON. I have great pleasure in extending my heartiest congratulations, and I hope that the ISKCON will progress from strength to strength in the service of the Lord. With respectful regards. Yours sincerely, Surya Prakash Mondalia."

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually this quote, this copy of the Times of India, we could send it to all our life members . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is from Dr. K. K. Divyeshwar to the Secretary of Hare Kṛṣṇa Land. "Respected Śrī Gopāla Dāsajī. Haribol, Swāmījī. Namaste to you, all the Gosvāmīs, and all the gop . . ." Ahem. "My heartfelt congratulations to venerable Śrīla Prabhupādajī with my most humble long stretch at his feet, who at this juncture has not shown any disturbance or upheaval from his side. Truly the great saint is nearer to God than we in many respects. His greatness and nearness to eternity makes me bow down for his blessings. May Lord Caitanya bless us and direct us towards the superior light, and let us attain more and more wisdom to be with him for an eternal merger." It's a little bit impersonalist, I think. (laughter) "Yours . . . haribol, Swamiji. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma." (laughter) At least he's chanting the holy name. "Yours obediently, Dr. K. K . . ." Who is that?

Hṛdayānanda: Divyeshwar.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's to you, Gopāla. (laughter) Your preaching doesn't seem to be . . . oh, this is from Shaktimati. Now we have her correct address.

Prabhupāda: Let other.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Oh. Someone else is going to have to read it. You can read it. You should take note if Prabhupāda makes some comments for replying back. Take note.

Indian man (1): "Oṁ gurave namaḥ. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda . . . "Dear param pujya pita sri sadguru Srila Prabhupadji." ("Dear supreme worshipable godfather, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda.") (break)

Prabhupāda: Make them all Kṛṣṇa conscious by distributing my books, literature. And both of you are capable. Youthful energy, sincere devotee, fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. Para-upakāra. Not to keep the poor human society in ignorance. Others may cheat for livelihood, but we are not going to do that. We have no problem for livelihood. Yato yato yāmi tato nṛsiṁhaḥ. What is that verse?

Hṛdayānanda: Ito nṛsiṁhaḥ parato nṛsiṁho yato yato yāmi . . .

Prabhupāda: Tato nṛsiṁhaḥ. Everywhere is Nṛsiṁha there. Wherever I go, there is Nṛsiṁha, so where is my problem? We have no problem.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I read these verses now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm, hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa:

bhāraḥ paraṁ paṭṭa-kirīṭa-juṣṭam

apy uttamāṅgaṁ na namen mukundam

śāvau karau no kurute saparyāṁ

harer lasat-kāñcana-kaṅkaṇau vā

(SB 2.3.21)

"The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, if not bowed down before the Personality of Godhead, who can award mukti, or freedom, is a heavy burden only. And the hands, though decorated with glittering bangles, if not engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead, Hari, are like those of a dead man."

Purport: "As stated hereinbefore, there are three kinds of devotees of the Lord. The first-class devotee does not see at all anyone who is not in the service of the Lord, but the second-class devotee makes distinction between devotees and nondevotees. The second-class devotees are therefore meant for preaching work, and . . ." (break) Sometimes the scholars criticize you that you are giving this all the Kṛṣṇa viewpoint instead of being impartial.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is supreme. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Bhāgavata begins, namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your writings are all surcharged with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: (break) . . . kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Then everything will be . . . (break) . . . brother's country, and there was a subway from Ceylon to Brazil. Still there is. Did you . . .? Do you know that?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes, they have found gigantic tunnels in South America.

Prabhupāda: Rāmacandra was taken from here to there to be sacrificed before goddess Kālī.

Pañcadraviḍa: We've got about seventeen temples down there.

Devotee: In South America.

Pañcadraviḍa: In Central America.

Hṛdayānanda: There are more temples in Latin American than Europe. We also defeated them in book distribution.

Prabhupāda: The Mexicans are exactly like Indian.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Yes. Mexico, Peru and Chile—these are three altogether.

Hṛdayānanda: They are very much attracted to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. And they have no doubt about Deity worship. By their culture they are accustomed to worshiping Deity forms. So they like very much Deities . . . everything they like—kīrtana, Deity worship, prasādam.

Prabhupāda: So revive it.

Pañcadraviḍa: And they are not so intelligent as others.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: That makes it easier for us.

Hṛdayānanda: They do not have so much tendency for speculation like Americans or Europeans. They do not argue very much philosophically. They like our philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā. They all . . . practically everyone believes in reincarnation, the soul's changing body. Practically no one will argue these things.

Prabhupāda: Who is the chief guest today?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One lady.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Indira Bhai Bhag, the sheriff of Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lady sheriff. Strange combination. (end)