Audio

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

Tamala Krsna: We were thinking, Srila Prabhupada, 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.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Nava yogendra: He is pro-American, Desai.

Prabhupada: Accha?

Nava yogendra: He is not pro-Russian.

Prabhupada: So you have taken your prasadam?

Gopala Krsna: Yes.

Prabhupada: So, what other news?

Giriraja: Well, the pandal is very nice. We had nice prasada distribution.

Prabhupada: In the pandal?

Giriraja: Yes. We distributed puri, sabji and halava.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: All very nice, Prabhu.

Giriraja: 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 puri and sabji and halava.

Prabhupada: Regular arati is going on?

Giriraja: Yes.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Two aratis.

Giriraja: And everyone appreciated the Vaikuntha Players. And there were nice reports in the newspapers.

Prabhupada: In the newspaper there is report?

Giriraja: Yes.

Prabhupada: Where is that report?

Gopala Krsna: Where was it?

Giriraja: From today's?

Lokanatha: It was yesterday's.

Giriraja: 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.

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

Lokanatha: They covered yesterday.

Gopala Krsna: 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.

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

Gopala Krsna: There are two people from Bhagavan Rajneesh's asrama yesterday.

Giriraja: There was one boy who was quite interested from Swami Muktananda's asrama.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Giriraja: 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.

Tamala Krsna: We don't go to their meetings. [laughter]

Prabhupada: What they have got?

Yasomatinandana: We went to this Gita Bharti's mini-Kumbha-mela 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 of her 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 Mataji's quarter."

Tamala Krsna: Not Krsna's.

Lokanatha: There only Mataji should be... Mataji's books should be distributed.

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

Prabhupada: Kumbha...

Kartikeya Mahadevia: People are so much religious.

Prabhupada: 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.

Prabhupada: What is the position of Jagjivan now?

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

Gopala Krsna: 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 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: He is chewing wheat grass.

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

Bali-mardana: He is your personal friend.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: It is not personal. My brother 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].

Nava yogendra: Besides, he wanted to meet Prime Minister of India.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: [Prabhupada coughing a lot] Srila Prabhupada, would you like to take that tulasi and yogurt in afternoon again? Only once, one serving.

Pancadravida: We can bring some dabs from down the road if you like.

Prabhupada: Yes, I have already dab.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: I'll bring it.

Prabhupada: Nobody speaks about Indira Gandhi. [laughter]

Tamala Krsna: It's like she never existed.

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

Gopala Krsna: At Nariman point.

Prabhupada: There is a sign like that?

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

Gopala Krsna: It's Nariman Point. There's one person, he changes the phrase every week based on the current topics.

Tamala Krsna: Air India.

Yasomatinandan: Talk of the town.

Hrdayananda: "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.

Tamala Krsna: There may be some investigations now.

Gopala Krsna: Against her son.

Devotee: Sanjaya Gandhi is in jail?

Tamala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada, 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.

Hrdayananda: Really?

Pancadravida: What is it?

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

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

Pancadravida: We should get it, then.

Hrdayananda: In every country in the world read by intellectuals.

Devotee: Did I get enough?

Prabhupada: Yes, yes.

Gopala Krsna: You can get it in the High standard bookstores.

Bali-mardana: The March 28th issue.

Devotee: So it's current.

Pancadravida: We're planning on showing these things to Argentine government also. [some indistinct background discussion about article]

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

Prabhupada: In the history of India there is no woman leader. Throughout Mahabharata you'll find... Mahabharata is the greater history, history of greater India. Maha means "greater," and bharata. So "Greater Bharata." That means this whole planet. So you won't find woman leader

Tamala Krsna: These are... Some letters have come from some prominent personalities. Here is one from Mr. S. P. Mondalia...

Hrdayananda: Congratulating you...

Tamala Krsna: 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."

Hrdayananda: Jaya Prabhupada.

Gopala Krsna: Actually this quote, this copy of the Times of India, if we could send it to all our Life Members...

Tamala Krsna: This is from Mr. Dr. K. K. Divyeshwar to the Secretary of Hare Krsna Land. "Respected Sri Gopala Dasaji. Haribol, Swamiji. Namaste to you, all the Gosvamis, and all the gop..." Ahem. "My heartfelt congratulations to venerable Srila Prabhupadaji 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 Krsna, Hare Rama." [laughter] At least he's chanting the holy name. "Yours obediently, Dr. K. K..." Who is that?

Hrdayananda: Divyeshwar.

Tamala Krsna: It's to you, Gopala. [laughter] Your preaching doesn't seem to be... Oh, this is from Shaktimati. Now we have her correct address.

Prabhupada: Let other.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Oh. Someone else is going to have to read it. You can read it. You should take note if Prabhupada makes some comments for replying back. Take note.

Nava yogendra: Should I read now Srila Prabhupada? "Om gurave namah. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Jaya Srila Prabhupada... [Transl. All glories to Srila Prabhupada all the time. My worshipable spiritual master Srila Prabhupadaji."] [break]

Prabhupada: Make them all Krsna conscious by distributing my books, literature. And both of you are capable. Youthful energy, sincere devotee, fully Krsna conscious. Para-upakara. 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 yami tato nrsimhah. What is that verse?

Hrdayananda: Ito nrsimhah parato nrsimho yato yato yami...

Prabhupada: Tato nrsimhah. Everywhere is Nrsimha there. Wherever I go, there is Nrsimha, so where is my problem? We have no problem.

Tamala Krsna: Should I read these verses now, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm, hmm.

"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 us all the Krsna viewpoint instead of being impartial.

Prabhupada: Krsna is supreme. Mattah parataram nanyat [Bg 7.7]. Bhagavata begins, namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Vasudeva is Krsna.

Tamala Krsna: Your writings are all surcharged with Krsna consciousness.

Prabhupada: [break] ...kirtanam visnoh. 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?

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

Prabhupada: Ramacandra was taken from here to there to be sacrificed before goddess Kali.

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

Devotee: In South America.

Pancadravida: In Central America.

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

Prabhupada: The Mexicans are exactly like Indian.

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

Hrdayananda: They are very much attracted to Krsna.

Prabhupada: Accha?

Hrdayananda: 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-kirtana, Deity worship, prasadam.

Prabhupada: So revive it.

Pancadravida: And they are not so intelligent as others.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: That makes it easier for us.

Hrdayananda: 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-gita. They all... Practically everyone believes in reincarnation, the soul's changing body. Practically no one will argue these things.

Prabhupada: Who is the chief guest today?

Tamala Krsna: One lady.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Anjanabai Mager, the sheriff of Bombay.

Tamala Krsna: Lady sheriff. Strange combination. [end]