770527 - Conversation B - Vrndavana
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Prabhupāda: We have no other business. We want to see people live—eating very nicely nutritious food, keeping good health. But unnecessarily artificial things, bothering, that we don't want. Keep your health very nice, live for as many years as possible, and be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then next life you go back to home, back to Godhead, permanent life. Yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). This we want to give. There is no cheating. There is no politics, no personal ambition fulfillment. This is our mission. Try to convince them. There is not a little tinge of personal sense gratification. This is our . . . now can you point out, any one of them, that "Here is the point, the personal sense gratification"? We are talking amongst ourselves, so if there is any flaw, you can point out—can anyone?—that, "Here is the point, personal sense gratification"? There is no such things in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās. Our only ambition is we live among devotees and execute the mission of our predecessors, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kṛṣṇa. This is our ambition.
- tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās
- janame janame hoy ei abhilāṣ
- (Hari Haraye Namaḥ, 7)
We have got ambition, but this is our ambition: that live with devotees and execute the mission of our predecessor. This is our aim. Without ambition nobody can live. Self-interest, ambition, is everywhere. But self-interest is to execute the Kṛṣṇa's desire. That they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That they do not know. So you are Americans, and they are responding. You are responding means Americans responding. So do very carefully, and if one-fourth of America becomes Vaiṣṇava, the whole world will change. They are the leading nation. Kṛṣṇa has given them all facility—good land, good intelligence, good education, good facilities, good prestige. Is it not? They are fortunate. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Everything is there. Take this opportunity. This is our ambition. I went to America with this ambition that, "If the American people will take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . ." That is coming to be fulfilled. Now the Indian residents of America, they are also taking. That you . . . who said?
Rāmeśvara: Yes. Actually even in Los Angeles, where there is a small settlement, the entire Indian population is supporting us. They have their own societies, Gujarat, Maharastran, but all of them have voted to endorse our Ratha-yātrā and to support it with all their facilities.
Prabhupāda: Yes, they'll do that. Indians in America, they are well-to-do. In foreign countries, everywhere, I see, Indians, their position is better than in India. That's a fact. In your country also. Indians in foreign countries, they get more facilities. Personally also. I could not do here in India in spite of twenty-three years. And as soon as I went to America, all facilities came to me. Of course, it took some time. That takes some . . . Indian, the worst government, and everything is crippled, crippled. People are hampered. And the government servant, they're simply wasting time and drawing big, big salary. This is India. Very precarious condition. Fighting, party, this party, that party, that party. Because India's original culture is very, very strong. Despite all these disadvantages, they are still standing, mass of people. Otherwise India's government is worthless. Hmm? What do you think?
Rāmeśvara: It's obvious.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Rāmeśvara: It is obvious, what you are saying.
Prabhupāda: When I left India, I promised, "I'll never come here." I was reluctant to do anything here. You know that. No action do there. But still, I thought that "At least in Māyāpur let me have my . . ." (laughs) At least Māyāpur, that "There is Vaiṣṇava, so many resident, in Māyāpur, Vṛndāvana." I was . . . I promised that, "I'll never come again, back again here." (laughs) That was my promise. But Kṛṣṇa wanted. That's all right. I was quite disgusted. Still I am disgusted. America giving permanent resident, these rascals will not give. What is wrong? In your country they also get permanent resident, outsiders?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: In my country there is also a reaction towards Indians. I had to come twice. Once I came the night before, and they would not give me visa at the entry.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: The Indian government.
Prabhupāda: Indian. Indian?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, because so many Indians have not been granted visa in Iran, so they are now reciprocating like that. And I had to go back to Tehran to see the ambassador, who is our friend, getting visa and come back immediately.
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: The governments are just playing these games.
Prabhupāda: Whimsical. Very, very difficult to deal with such unscrupulous government. But still, we have got open field all over the world.
Rāmeśvara: In America the book-selling has now surpassed last year.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā?
Rāmeśvara: We are trying to double. So it is not yet doubled, but it has gone . . .
Prabhupāda: Surplus.
Rāmeśvara: . . . beyond last year.
Prabhupāda: Oh. That's nice. It is going to be doubled.
Rāmeśvara: We are confident. By your words it will double.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Be doubly blessed. Yes. I say America is my fatherland. So New Vrindaban is developing? Be happy everywhere.
Kīrtanānanda: How can we be happy when you're not well?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Kīrtanānanda: We can't be happy if you're not well.
Prabhupāda: I am always well.
Kīrtanānanda: Why can't you give us your old age?
Prabhupāda: When I see that things are going on nicely, I am happy. What is this with this body? Body is body. We are not body.
Kīrtanānanda: Wasn't it Purudāsa that gave his father his youth?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Rāmeśvara: Yayāti. King Yayāti traded his old age.
Kīrtanānanda: With his son. You can do that.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Who did?
Rāmeśvara: King Yayāti.
Prabhupāda: Ah. Yayāti. No, why? You are my body. So you live on. There is no difference. Just like I am working, so my Guru Mahārāja is there, Bhaktisiddhānta Goswami. Physically he may not be, but in every action he is there. I think actually I have written that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's in the Bhāgavatam, that "He who lives with him, he lives eternally. He who remembers his words lives eternally."
Prabhupāda: So I am not going to die. Kīrtir yasya sa jīvati: "One who has done something substantial, he lives forever." He doesn't die. Even in our practical life . . . of course, this is material, karma-phala. One has to accept another body according to his karma. But for devotee there is no such thing. He always accepts a body for serving Kṛṣṇa. So there is no karma-phala. (pause)
Rāmeśvara: Last volume of Ninth Canto is at the printer.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Rāmeśvara: The last volume, it is already at the printer, being printed.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Ninth.
Rāmeśvara: It will be here in about ten days. And the first volume of Tenth Canto, we have just received Chapter Four and Chapter Five, and the artists will be finished in two weeks.
Prabhupāda: Another thing, the Hindi photographic pages, if you send to Los Angeles, the books can be printed there.
Rāmeśvara: Printed in America?
Prabhupāda: Hmm.
Rāmeśvara: What language? Hindi?
Prabhupāda: The photographic pages . . .
Kīrtanānanda: For the photography pages in the Hindi, the printing of the photography . . .
Rāmeśvara: The color? That's possible. I can talk with Gopāla to see if it is less expensive.
Prabhupāda: Because Hindi composition is not possible there. So after composing here, if they send you the photography, finished copy, from that copy, whether you can print there?
Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: I think you can work out.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Print there.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: In America. The art pages?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, everything.
Rāmeśvara: Everything? It will be more expensive, because in India they print on cheap paper. If we use the same cheap paper, they'll still have to pay more, because it has to be shipped back to India. But I can check.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (pause) So?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtana, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Hmm? Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Without condition, kīrtana should go on. And that is the panacea for all troubles. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given, jāy sakal bipod, bhaktivinod bole, jakhon o-nām gāi. This is a fact. If you always continue kīrtana, there is no danger. You are above all danger. Our Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja knows very well. He has no danger. He's sticking to that New Vrindaban program, improving, very good example. They eat first-class, nutritious food, and in Philadelphia also.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pennsylvania, Port Royal.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In our Port Royal farm.
Prabhupāda: Yes. First class. Satyabhāmā gave me . . .
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, that cāpāṭi.
Prabhupāda: "Too thick. How shall I eat it?" Oh, it was so nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Satyabhāmā gave Prabhupāda this black cāpāṭi. He thought, "So thick. How will I be able to eat it?"
Prabhupāda: Very delicious and easily digested. They are living very happily. You had been there?
Rāmeśvara: No, I've just heard all the good reports.
Prabhupāda: Very happily. That is life. Eat very sumptuously nutritious food. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bās. What is this nonsense life, from five o'clock in the morning driving big, big trucks, "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh . . ."? Is that life? In Berkeley . . . Berkeley? Or where is that? Where are our temple only?
Rāmeśvara: Yes, Berkeley.
Prabhupāda: So there is a road. Whenever you go, always trucks: "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoo, whoo, whoo . . ." The docks and ports filled up with all rubbish things. People are harassed. Is that life? And they are compensating by drinking, by illicit sex and meat-eating. Soul-killing civilization. (pause) Śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa. You know this song? There is a song.
Ādi-keśava: Govinda dāsa. Bhaja Huṅre Mana.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sing it. You know?
Ādi-keśava: Not all the words.
Prabhupāda: You know?
Jayapatākā: Most of it.
Prabhupāda: Śīta ātapa, bāta bariṣaṇa, e dina jāminī jāgi re, biphale sebinu, kṛpaṇa durajana . . . hmm? What is that? Capala sukha-laba lāgi' re.
Jayapatākā: Bhaja huṅre mana.
Prabhupāda: Ah. Bhaja . . . sing it.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Sing it.
Jayapatākā: (sings Bhaja Huṅre Mana) . . . śīta ātapa, bāta bariṣaṇa, ithe ki āche paratīti re . . .
Prabhupāda: It is śīta ātapa, bāta bariṣaṇa, e dina jāminī jāgi re.
Jayapatākā: (continues singing Bhaja Huṅre Mana)
Prabhupāda: (correcting Jayapatākā) Bhajahuṅ hari-pada nīti re. Śravaṇa kīrtana . . .
Jayapatākā: (continues singing Bhaja Huṅre Mana)
Prabhupāda: (correcting Jayapatākā) Govinda-dāsa-abhi . . .
Jayapatākā: (continues singing Bhaja Huṅre Mana)
Prabhupāda: So why don't you teach this song? You repeat, and they will repeat, and they will . . .
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Chant.
Prabhupāda: Very nice song. Very. Just applicable to the point, everywhere. Philosophical, practical.
Jayapatākā: (sings Bhaja Huṅre Mana) (break)
Prabhupāda: . . . now introduce it. Now I see so many times.
Rāmeśvara: Two million copies sold by the end of this year.
Prabhupāda: At least they are under . . . two million people know what is Kṛṣṇa.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can't read that book and not know Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If you read that book, you have to know something about Kṛṣṇa. Every page is about Kṛṣṇa, every word. One professor complained that the trouble with your books is that everywhere you talk about Kṛṣṇa. Even when Kṛṣṇa's name isn't there, you put it there. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa phobia. (laughs) And that is my idea. Let there be repeatedly the sounding, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he. They want to avoid it, (laughs) and I don't allow.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That reporter in Bombay complained against you that you had a one-track mind.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They say, "Why you are stressing so much on Kṛṣṇa?" And that is the only business.
Rāmeśvara: At the end of this year we will have sold at least sixty-five million books on Kṛṣṇa—magazines and books. By end of December, sixty-five million throughout the world. Mostly in the last five years.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is already known, "Hare Kṛṣṇa movement."
Rāmeśvara: Every year we are selling at least fifteen to twenty million books now, books and magazines.
Prabhupāda: It will increase more. People will be inquisitive. Yes, everything there is. What is the wrong? We are talking of Kṛṣṇa, and all of a sudden I collapse. Oh, that is the greatest profit. Greatest profit. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya . . . eh?
Ādi-keśava: Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam adyaiva viśatu me mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ (MM 33), prāṇa-prayāṇa . . . ordinary dying, kapha-pitta-vāyu: "Ghara ghara ghar," choking and . . . but in the kīrtana if we die, oh, it is so successfully . . . injection, operation, who needs it? That atmosphere death and kṛṣṇa-kīrtana death? Glorious death. Oxygen gas . . . (laughs) Dying, and so much trouble. Never call. Please accept my request. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, bās, and let me die peacefully. Never be disturbed, call doctor—no. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on chanting. Chanting, hearing, chanting. You have got so much material. Read. Read something from this book. Rāmeśvara, you can read. It is your book.
Rāmeśvara: I'm simply your servant, by your grace, Prabhupāda. This Chapter One of this second volume, "Kaṁsa Sends Akrūra for Kṛṣṇa." "Vṛndāvana was . . ." (break)
Prabhupāda: As soon as this Indira Gandhi and her son disturbed Vṛndāvana people, within a week . . . just see. This is practical. The poor, these bābājīs, they were going to beg, and by force—once, twice, injection. So immediately, after one week . . .
Rāmeśvara: For sterilization?
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is practically . . . and I was surprised how such a abominable falldown came to Indira Gandhi. It is simply Kṛṣṇa's hand. No politician fallen in such a way in the history. Finished business. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān yoniṣu (BG 16.19). It is simply Kṛṣṇa's hand. They are "This party, that party, that . . ." But to curb down Indira's power, it was simply by Kṛṣṇa directly. Hmm. Go on reading. (break) "Don't worry. I am here." This is Kṛṣṇa. A boy, ten-years boy, Kṛṣṇa, He was, "Come on," challenging. This is Kṛṣṇa. Go on.
Rāmeśvara: "He then appeared before Ariṣṭāsura." (break)
Prabhupāda: And He went forward still. Still there are demons amongst the . . . (indistinct)
Rāmeśvara: "I will arrange to get those two boys here." (break)
Hṛdayānanda: . . . Latin America just for facilitating book distribution and making new devotees. All important cities were open here.
Prabhupāda: North America or South America?
Hṛdayānanda: South America.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. What is that?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, just a notepad.
Prabhupāda: So you wanted to give.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not yet. I'm going through it. (break)
Hṛdayānanda: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte 'nuśāsataḥ sva . . . (SB 1.5.15) (break)
Bhāgavata: I wrote you one report about Orissa. So I'll be leaving in about ten days, twelve days to go to West. My visa will be expired in ten days. We'll begin our work. We'll see that all the books are translated into Orissan language and distributed throughout Orissa.
Prabhupāda: That's all.
Bhāgavata: And we'll put that building in Bhuvaneśvara and also Puri. (break)
Jayatīrtha: . . . your book distribution every week.
Prabhupāda: How many devotees?
Jayatīrtha: We have about 120 devotees.
Prabhupāda: Everyone happy?
Jayatīrtha: Yes, they are quite happy, I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Of course, they're very distressed to hear about your illness.
Prabhupāda: I am not distressed. Body is.
Jayatīrtha: Jaya.
Prabhupāda: Book distribution increasing?
Jayatīrtha: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Book distribution is increasing.
Rāmeśvara: In London they have already doubled what they did last year. Twice as much as last year in London.
Prabhupāda: What about Bury Place?
Jayatīrtha: Bury Place we're keeping. They're still trying to get us out, but we are keeping. I don't think that Kṛṣṇa will leave until He wants to leave. (Prabhupāda laughs) We just fixed up His Deity house and generally repaired the place. Now . . .
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is smiling. They are trying to drive Him; Kṛṣṇa's smiling. That's all. Go on with your business.
Jayatīrtha: Therefore you called Him Rādhā-London-Īśvara.
Prabhupāda: Our London, Bury Place, Deity is very beautiful, smiling.
Kīrtanānanda: There's a picture there, Prabhupāda, on your altar.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. That is the first installed . . .
Jayatīrtha: Yes. And the new place also, we're . . .
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Jayatīrtha: The new place we bought on Soho Street, we're making into reading room and restaurant.
Prabhupāda: New place?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On Soho Street off Oxford Street they have purchased one pub, a restaurant.
Prabhupāda: That I saw?
Jayatīrtha: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. So in a few months that will be open with restaurant and reading room and so on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhaktivedanta Reading Room.
Prabhupāda: So you have taken my money last month?
Jayatīrtha: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Jayatīrtha: We did it without that money. That money is still there.
Prabhupāda: So that place is also nice?
Jayatīrtha: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Jayatīrtha: Many people will come there.
Prabhupāda: That is further improvement. I want to do in . . . (indistinct) . . . everywhere. That Kṛṣṇa's desire . . .
Jayatīrtha: You've entered into almost every home in the world, Śrīla Prabhupāda, as your books.
Prabhupāda: That is a . . .
Jayatīrtha: In every home you're staying.
Prabhupāda: The Deity worship and Indian real culture you develop. That is our contribution. Nobody could do before me, in the Western countries, introduction of this Deity worship, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā, and large-scale distribution of Indian cultural traditions. This is a new contribution. Not bug-bhak. The Indians are realizing. All these rascal svāmīs, "bug-bhak," professional . . . here there is Śyāmabhāi?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here there is . . .?
Prabhupāda: Śyāmabhāi.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śyāmabhāi, yes. Surao Sharma.
Prabhupāda: She is always in London, constantly.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In London.
Prabhupāda: But not a single disciple.
Jayatīrtha: Since October we've made about thirty-five new devotees in London. We have one picture actually.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Thirty-five new devotees have joined in the last six months.
Jayatīrtha: And many Indian . . . (break) (end)
- 1977 - Conversations
- 1977 - Lectures and Conversations
- 1977 - Lectures, Conversations and Letters
- 1977-05 - Conversations and Letters
- Conversations - India
- Conversations - India, Vrndavana
- Lectures, Conversations and Letters - India
- Lectures, Conversations and Letters - India, Vrndavana
- Audio Files 45.01 to 60.00 Minutes
- 1977 - New Audio - Released in July 2012