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Prabhupada: All of them are South African?

Pusta Krsna: No, actually, he's from South Africa and he's from South Africa. These two devotees are going down for the first time, and Jagat-guru was preaching there once before.

Prabhupada: So they will get visa?

Pusta Krsna: They don't require visa except for Jagat-guru. He's British, he's Canadian. He's South African boy. He's South African.

Prabhupada: Oh, they don't require visa.

Pusta Krsna: Only Jagat-guru dasa, American.

Prabhupada: Oh. So he'll get visa?

Pusta Krsna: Yes. Oh, yes.

Prabhupada: So all five, you are going?

Pusta Krsna: Yes.

Prabhupada: Now, we have studied this South Africa. They like our movement. And they are purchasing books. That is very good sign. Is it not? They are purchasing? Who are purchasing books? Educated circle?

Devotee (1): Colleges.

Prabhupada: College. That is... College, universities, that is educated. So I was surprised when, after my meeting, they purchased books, because these South African white men, they do not like very much Indians. Is it not?

Pusta Krsna: It's a fact.

Prabhupada: But still, they like this culture. That is very good sign.

Pusta Krsna: Even the Indians are attracted to our Indian culture.

Prabhupada: Because they lost their culture.

Jagat-guru: Srila Prabhupada, we were thinking that this is 1976, and in July there is Ratha-yatra. So by next year, '77, we hope to be able to have Ratha-yatra in Durban. There may be a quarter of a million, half a million Indian people. One cart and three deities on one cart.

Prabhupada: And whether government will allow?

Pusta Krsna: I think so. They already have permission.

Jagat-guru: They can give permission, won't be a problem. And also we want to establish also, apart from the temple, one bus program which will reach all the towns and villages there in South Africa.

Prabhupada: Very good.

Jagat-guru: And also we will go to Rhodesia and possibly Malawi and maybe Mozambique, which are countries in our area. And also I spoke to the boys from Mauritius, and we would have some...

Prabhupada: Mauritius, we have got now devotee.

Pusta Krsna: Yes.

Prabhupada: You have kept his address?

Pusta Krsna: Two devotees.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Pusta Krsna: One is that gentleman, Mr. Narayan. He's an engineer with the city electrical department. And the other is a full-time devotee. I have his address, Mr. Narayan's address.

Prabhupada: So they are still here?

Pusta Krsna: He's anxious to go back. He's going to London until August; then he's going back to Mauritius with his family.

Jagat-guru: We will invite him to come to our Durban festival. And also I've suggested that they also arrange something big, festival, because there are 600,000 Indians there, and that some of our men then go to the island and give them association.

Prabhupada: So they'll give visa? Me?

Pusta Krsna: For you? Oh, yes. I think we have to make a chest x-ray again and take several shots for you, [laughter] no problem.

Prabhupada: So when you are going back? Tomorrow?

Jagat-guru: Yes.

Prabhupada: When? Early in the morning?

Devotee: Yes. We're making the arrangements tomorrow to go. We're getting tickets and some books. Then Jagat-guru will follow a few days later.

Prabhupada: Make vigorous propaganda all over the world. From South Africa, Australia there is direct service.

Pusta Krsna: Direct service.

Prabhupada: Perth.

Pusta Krsna: Perth. Yes.

Prabhupada: From Perth to...

Pusta Krsna: Sydney.

Prabhupada: No, South Africa...?

Pusta Krsna: How many hours? It's about nine hours.

Prabhupada: Not much. Nearer than India. From India to Australia takes so many hours.

Pusta Krsna: Five hours it was, from Bombay to Mauritius.

Hari-sauri: Takes over fourteen hours.

Prabhupada: Five hours, again nine hours.

Pusta Krsna: And then it was about three hours to South Africa from Mauritius.

Prabhupada: No, from Mauritius they can go directly to Australia. No?

Pusta Krsna: Direct to?

Prabhupada: Australia.

Pusta Krsna: Oh, yes. If the flight is broken up like that, it's a little easier-from South Africa to Mauritius to Perth, or even to Bombay. It's about the same distance from Bombay to Mauritius as to Australia from Mauritius.

Hari-sauri: Prabhupada is thinking about going from India to South Africa to Australia to make the flight easier.

Pusta Krsna: I don't think it makes the flight easier, because you're going like a triangle, this way and then this way. Let us arrange some nice program first, so that when you come again we'll have something nice to offer you.

Prabhupada: I think in Mauritius there is good field. They adopted culture.

Pusta Krsna: The problem in Mauritius they say that either they don't know how to collect, or they say it's a very poor country and they're not able to get funds to start any kind of a dynamic program.

Prabhupada: They cannot chant even?

Pusta Krsna: Chanting they do.

Prabhupada: That is wanted. We don't want money. So give them direction.

Jagat-guru: All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Devotees: All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

[Devotees offer obeisances.]

Prabhupada: Hmm. South African mission, very good.

Devotee: At this present moment, Prabhupada, we have a really unique situation, the best of all.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee: A unique situation in South Africa, because there are many Europeans that are being drafted into the army, but they will not allow the Indians to be drafted. They don't want them to go into the military forces because they're afraid they're too intelligent.

Pusta Krsna: Some of our brahmacaris, they've been drafted into the army. We've lost several devotees like that, because it's very hard for them to maintain their Krsna consciousness in the army.

Prabhupada: Conscription.

Pusta Krsna: Yes, conscription. But the Indians are not drafted. There's no army for them. So we're hoping that in Durban, where you first preached at the City Hall, the young people there, if we can get them sufficiently enthused, that they'll also join, and then we'll be able to have a very big movement amongst Indian community as well. We won't lose any devotees like that from the draft.

Prabhupada: I think for students who are going to be ministers, they are excused from draft.

Pusta Krsna: No, even in South Africa the ministers... No excuse. It's a very strict situation. If you don't go into the army, you go to jail. Even if you're a minister, they don't care.

Prabhupada: Accha?

Pusta Krsna: There is no religious grounds for objecting. But only the Europeans are in the army, no one else. They're afraid that if the Indians had guns, they might use them against the Europeans. [laughing]

Devotee: So we're going to try and make more devotees this year, more Indian devotees especially. We've never really tried before.

Jagat-guru: Also, Srila Prabhupada, you have seen on our altar, Gaura-Nitai? We have large Gaura-Nitai and two small, three actually, three small sets of Gaura-Nitai Deities. The ones on the far left, just under Lord Nityananda's feet, They are going also to South Africa. They came originally from East Africa. I mentioned it when I first came to Mayapur. So we will be taking Them. We have a very nice simhasana built for Them, finished tomorrow, and we'll be displaying Them at all our programs, preaching programs.

Prabhupada: Do the needful.

[pause]

Prabhupada: That's all.

Devotees: [offer obeisances] Jaya.

Prabhupada: Jaya. Hare Krsna.

Pusta Krsna: They're very enthusiastic to preach.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is life. One who is enthusiastic to preach, he is living. Others are dead. [looking at flower] Just see how beautiful. Who is the rascal scientist can manufacture that by combination of chemicals?

Hari-sauri: They can imitate the fragrance. [laughs] They can imitate, like monkeys.

Prabhupada: If you see only to the flowers, you become invigorated.

Pusta Krsna: If you see only...?

Prabhupada: Invigorated; get a refreshment.

Hari-sauri: If you just see a flower. Yes, just to walk through a nice garden, it's very pacifying.

Prabhupada: How many different colors and set-up, craftsmanship. There is no brain, eh?

Hari-sauri: Chance.

Prabhupada: It is not chance. In this particular tree, this flower will grow. Color will not change.

[pause]

Prabhupada: So somebody is preparing?

Hari-sauri: Yes.

Prabhupada: Who? [end]