770706R1.VRN
770706R1.VRN
We could not understand that it is vegetable
770706R1-Vrindavan [133:40 Minutes]
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Prabhupada: ...but still, I have given you chance. So you want simply... Just like a widow. We... But we want that you may not be disturbed. Go ahead. Do business and have big building. Everyone's constructing big, big building, Marwaris. Why you cannot do? You have been given all chance. Yoginam purusam upaiti laksmim. Unless one is dedicated, a yogi, very endeavoring... So we have showed a yogi endeavoring. Seventy years old, I was here in Vrndavana, and I came. For ten years I worked. Now see. All over the world I have got hundreds of buildings like this. I am the same man. At least one hundred temples we have, only by working ten years. So there must be capacity, there must be endeavor, there must be good fortune. Then everything will be... It is not that you simply desire and it will drop from the sky. That is not possible. Hmm? Arjuna fought the Battle of Kuruksetra. Krsna never advised him, "No, I am your friend. I shall do everything. You sit down and sleep." "You have to fight!" And Krsna is merciful. He gives him... The two things required: utsahan dhairyat niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravart... .
If you have no capacity, you cannot expect to become very rich or learned, or very... That is not possible. It is not your capacity. Just like within this land there is gold, but you have to dig it. That is mine. And if you smell, "Ah, there is gold here," will you get gold? You are fortunate. You have got a place. Here is gold. But you have to dig it. You have to work. "No, I shall smell, and gold will come." That is not... So don't be worried. You'll be allowed to stay here. But I cannot transfer the property to your mother's name. Then your brother will spoil. And otherwise you are... I am not going to lease them.
Vrindavan De: No, [Transl. You can do like this that.] in mother's absence.
Prabhupada: Huh?
Vrindavan De: In mother's absence [Transl. Family members, like that.]
Prabhupada: No, mother absence, that is... Father... You... Not only your mother; you can live here.
Prabhupada: Lifetime. You can live, every one of you. So long you live, you can live.
Prabhupada: [Transl. You have no other capacity.]
Vrndavana De: [Transl. No question of going elsewhere. Neither there is any opportunity nor any question of that.]
Prabhupada: [Transl. Opportunity is there.] You are doing business.
Prabhupada: [Transl. That is required. That is the thing.] Why you should remain in that flat with two, three rooms? That ambition is not there. That endeavor is not there.
Prabhupada: [Transl. Why not possible? What do you know? Even if opportunity is given still you do not know. You were given...]
Prabhupada: I went to... You know. So in what way I went? With a tin box and some literature. And how I have come back? You rascal, you have no eyes to see. You have seen how I went and how I came back. This is practical. I worked for this. I labored for it. It all depends on one's capacity. Otherwise immediately I'll give you charge. You cannot do here anything. So you'll get this letter. That's assurance.
Prabhupada: Keep it as document. That's all. I'll stamp it. All right, I shall meet again with you. Give him that.
Tamala Krsna: It says, "Now it is again possible for us to think, to act. Our senses have regained their consciousness, enabling us to expand the Krsna consciousness movement by selling more..." [break] He says, "We pray that your health may continue for years to come so you may conquer the whole world by your pure devotion, and you may continue to bless us more and more so that we may be instrumental in this work. I am your puppet. You are controlling the strings. Make me dance as you like. I am simply awaiting the tug of your lotuslike hands upon my strings. I would like to make a report of the activities here. Eastern Europe..." [break]
Prabhupada: Where I landed in your country there is a storehouse of lobster. They have become so rotten that some of them are coming like pus.
Prabhupada: Not pus, but the lobster has become so spoiled that it had become like pus, and they're eating that.
Prabhupada: Just see. And for cow, they must be killed. They are taking delicacy, pus. [laughs] There's no danger.
Prabhupada: One gentleman was taking the lobster, some preparation, liquid.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: These lobsters, I do not know. They take it from Indian ports. It is from Cochin. Cochin, South India. I do not know... Huge quantity of lobsters are there, and they are exported to America.
Prabhupada: But in India, they take fresh, lobster.
Prabhupada: Fresh.
Prabhupada: In India they make lobster and then loki.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: It becomes a very palatable delicacy. Lau Chingri.
Prabhupada: Hmm.
Prabhupada: Jackfruit.
Prabhupada: This banana. Then banana fruit... Banana, what is called? Flower.
Prabhupada: If it is made properly, you can taste lobster.
Prabhupada: Hmm. Jackfruit, yes.
Prabhupada: Jackfruit is also called "vegetable meat."
Prabhupada: Lajpata.[?] Or a vegetable mutton. During my daughter's marriage, the hired cook, they made from this flower of banana, cutlet. Nobody could understand that it is vegetable.
Prabhupada: No, no, I did not allow to cook fish, so the guests were given that vegetable cutlet. And they could not understand.
Prabhupada: They said, "We could not understand that it is vegetable."
Prabhupada: Later on, after eating.
Prabhupada: Fish-eaters? Ninety-nine.
Prabhupada: Yes. Good.
Prabhupada: That is Krsna's grace. [long pause]
Prabhupada: Hmm.
Tamala Krsna: Until you're over your cold, it's better not to take anything strong. That Lasix is like a brahmastra. It's like an ultimate weapon. It should only be used as a last resort.
Prabhupada: Atomic bomb.
Tamala Krsna: Yeah. But not... Unlike a brahmastra, it cannot be withdrawn. Once it's taken, it has to act. We've been studying the course of the sun daily now. We're reading that chapter. And Bhakti-prema Swami... There's a library in Vrndavana. All the books... Perhaps you know. It's over the Post Office in Loi Bazaar.
Prabhupada: Hmm. Hmm.
Prabhupada: And what is from Bhagavata? The sun movement?
Prabhupada: Uttarayana, daksinayana. This Sumeru Mountain... So six months northern side, six months southern side.
Tamala Krsna: Yes. Some things are quite clear. Then there's a description, though, that there's an axle, it's described, a tie made of wind going from the chariot to Dhruvaloka. So things like that we want to get a..., further information on. Just so that it can be somehow demonstrated. Our... To understand these things for the purpose of making an exhibit requires a very clear picture. So that's the only reason we're looking to other books. But only bona fide books. The acaryas' commentaries, like that. And then it has to agree with the Bhagavatam. If in any way there's a discrepancy, we choose the Bhagavatam as the authority.
Prabhupada: On the whole, the sun is not fixed up.
Prabhupada: That is daksinayana-marga, daksinayana, uttarayana.
Prabhupada: Yes. I calculated sixteen thousand miles per second, so far I remember.
Prabhupada: And it is Suryaloka. It has population.
Prabhupada: Fiery body.
Prabhupada: Hmm. [pause]
Prabhupada: Hmm. I have been taking rest in... [break]
Prabhupada: Who?
Tamala Krsna: The karmis. They don't know what is what. They don't know what is good for them. If they have their choice, they won't immediately talk with a devotee. But we are like the doctors. We don't consider what the patient says. Somehow we have to administer the medicine because we know it will be good for them. There's a letter that just came from Satsvarupa.
Prabhupada: [aside] Have my keys...
[break] He says, "In addition to my duties, everything is going nicely." [break]
And just the other:
Like that. These two slokas are guide. And there... It is explained there.
Tamala Krsna: He says, "Actually in America, when you criticize someone who is highly regarded, people are very interested to read it." He says, "That is the American spirit. So I think by purposely singling out historical figures who are considered good welfare workers and showing that actually their welfare platform failed, it will make interesting reading and will help to establish the real platform of welfare in Krsna consciousness. I also want very much to write this book on men..." And then it says here, he says, "I... We decided on a number of historical figures. Because they lacked Krsna in their philosophy and activities, their program for welfare failed. I want to deal with the figure of Mahatma Gandhi and also with the daridra-narayana philosophy which was taught before his time by Ramakrishna and Vivekananda." He says, "When viewed in the light of Bhagavata philosophy, these personalities will have to be criticized for their failure to put Krsna in their teachings. My question is whether there is any objection on your part to a book which will criticize Ramakrishna and Vivekananda."
Prabhupada: I think that is not good. You should go positively instead of attacking some particular person. They will never admit that they have been failure.
Prabhupada: No. That will not be good. That will create a section of enemy.
Prabhupada: Satyam vada ma likha. You can criticize them with your mouth, but don't put into writing. That will create a section of enemy. Then we'll have to fight with the enemy one after another. That will be wasting of time and energy. What is the use of criticizing them? They are failure. Failure. Finish. Let us prove by action that all others are failures. And they will be automatically. Just like the Balyogi is failure now. [chuckles] Whatever it is. The Transcendental Meditation is going to be failure. And so many others. To criticize them means to give them some importance, that "the rival to Hare Krsna." We don't care for them. We go on positively, and automatically they are failure.
Prabhupada: That's all.
Satadhanya: And then you'd begin to preach.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: No, no, it is waste of time. Don't write such book.
Tamala Krsna: Okay. He says, "In addition, I plan to write on other highly regarded welfare workers such as the American Civil Rights worker Martin Luther King." Boy, if he does that, every black person in America will hate us. It'll create many enemies. This book will be the biggest enemy-creator. We already have enough enemies.
Prabhupada: That will be embarrassment. Yes. I said, "I do not know this." Bas. Finished. And that means it is not so important that I should know it.
Prabhupada: Unless something is important, why shall I try to understand it? It is all useless. Actually that is. Our criterion is, as soon as we see one is not Krsna conscious, he is rejected. He is nothing. He has no value. That is our criterion. Just like the other day he was opening that book of geography.
Satadhanya: Oh, yes. When you opened the book of maps.
Upendra: World Atlas.
Prabhupada: I rejected immediately. What is this nonsense? Why shall I refer to it? "Probably." Finished, one word. Tavac ca sobhate murkho yavat kincin na bhasate: "A murkha, a rascal, is beautiful so long he does not speak. As soon as he speaks, we understand where he is." Bas. Just like you're cooking rice. You take one rice and press it. If it is not soft, oh, whole rice is not. If it is not soft, it is not yet cooked. Similarly, one word will give his identity. As soon as he says "probably," finished. Why shall I take trouble?
Upendra: In all of your books there's not that word.
Satadhanya: That way we avoid wasting time.
Prabhupada: Yes. "Probably," "maybe," "in millions of years."
[break]
Tamala Krsna: Very positive. He says, "One additional note. Our Library Party in America recently attended the annual convention of the largest organization of libraries." That's called the American Library Association. It's made up of all of the libraries in the US, and it's the most prestigious library association. "At this convention, the booth of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust won the first prize..."
Prabhupada: Just see. This is our triumph.
Tamala Krsna: "...for the most attractive booth. And a plaque was awarded to our representative, Sesa dasa." He was called up in front of all of the gathering of librarians, and they awarded him a plaque. "He had the booth arranged with a portable movie projector showing one of the ISKCON films. Incense was burning, Indian sweets were distributed, and all your books were displayed as well as tapes. So it was nice that such a big organization recognized Krsna was all-attractive."
Prabhupada: That's the kind of propaganda.
Prabhupada: And we became first.
Prabhupada: Just see. This is triumph.
Prabhupada: Different class.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: I do not know. But that animal is called chuṅco. [makes whispering sound] "Chuchu, chuchu."
Prabhupada: No, a squirrel is different.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: So if you kill, then your hand becomes bad flavor.
Satadhanya: Bad smell. Skunk.
Prabhupada: Maybe.
Satadhanya: He has stripe on back.
Prabhupada: Huh?
Prabhupada: We don't want to touch them even. I never did so.
Prabhupada: Keep your position respectable. Don't create many enemies. It is very simple. Why should I try to understand the rascal Gandhi philosophy and Ramakrishna? I take it from the beginning, they're useless. Why shall I waste my time? I know it is useless. They'll require superficial touch, no important. I therefore say in every..., "I do not know who is this."
Satadhanya: Just like one reporter, he asked Bhavananda Maharaja what he thinks of Vivekananda. So he said, "Who is that? I don't know." And he was very surprised. He said, "You do not know?"
Prabhupada: [laughs] That is sufficient.
Prabhupada: So this kind of, that "I do not know who is Vivekananda." "Oh! You do not know?" Then you can know what he is. Then he can say, "This is his philosophy." Then you criticize, "This is nonsense!" Let him present Vivekananda's philosophy and smash it. Let the other party present Gandhi's philosophy and you crush it by kicking. That is the opportunity. Otherwise it will be the same philosophy, to kill that... What is that animal?
Devotees: Skunk.
Prabhupada: Skunk, and the hand becomes badly flavored. Hmm?
Prabhupada: Therefore three books, Bhagavad-gita... All my other small books, they are also on the basis. That Topmost Yoga, it is based on Bhagavad-gita in a different name. Easy Journey to Other Planets is based on Bhagavad-gita in a different name. Why shall I waste? I don't want to waste time. In this condition of life I try to write book because I do not try to waste my time. All right, I am not having sleep. Let me try at night. If I can write one, two lines, that's all right. I don't want to read any other book or criticize or play. Waste of time. What is that first verse? Kim anyaih sastraih. Where it is?
Prabhupada: Hmm. Just see. You do not read. Find. Bring Bhagavata, the first chapter. [coughs]
Prabhupada: Hmm.
Prabhupada: [chuckles] That is sufficient.
Tamala Krsna: That's the worst thing to say about them. There's a very good article he sent. I should read you this review first. The article is also very good. It says, "New religious movements considered likely to last." Now the American people are recognizing. Of course, this is a general article, not specifically about us. But they're understanding that these religions are not going to be driven away. Anyway, this review says, "When it comes to Hindu scripture, the Hare Krsnas are unabashed fundamentalists." That's a good credit. That's a very good certification, "Unabashed fundamentalists."
Prabhupada: Unabash, or unbast?
Prabhupada: What is?
Prabhupada: Just see. Such a good certificate.
Tamala Krsna: "Satsvarupa, American-born personal secretary to Swami Bhaktivedanta, presents the official Hare Krsna approach." They don't even identify you. They know who you are. You are so well known in these literary circles now that someone says, "Swami Bhaktivedanta," they don't have to say "Founder of ISKCON." They know already from your other books. "...presents the official Hare Krsna approach in an articulate and highly serviceable introduction to this immense body of literature. The readings include the Isopanisad, the Bhagavad-gita and excerpts from Puranas, supplemented with a glossary and index. Preliminary essays detail the logic by which his group rejects both the academic experts and the rival approach of the advaita-vedanta that Westerners know through the writings of Vivekananda and Radhakrishnan. This is a book long needed to balance out the monist theology that is but one aspect of Indian religious thought." In other words, this is one of the first books to present the Vaisnava viewpoint, not simply the Mayavadi viewpoint. He says, "It's well needed." That's all he's written.
Prabhupada: Very appreciated. Very much appreciate.
Prabhupada: It is very thoughtful article.
Prabhupada: No. That you were reading.
Tamala Krsna: Well, yeah. I don't want to have to make you hear the whole thing, because there's not enough about us. But I can read a little bit of it to give an idea. "There are signs here and elsewhere across the country that the youth-oriented religious sects that sprang into existence a few years ago are gaining a foothold for an enduring future. The emergence of a wide assortment of spiritual movements, from Eastern religions to Jesus people..."
Upendra: One dragon only.
Prabhupada: Childish. What dragon will help?
Tamala Krsna: The whole article is more or less... It's not really worth reading the whole thing. It's mainly about that they're here to stay. It mentions Hare Krsna. It says, "After nearly a decade of this ferment, the underlying question is whether these new groups will last. The answer appears to be that most of them, though faced with high attrition rates and continuing obstacles to survival, have retained a small but sufficient core of devoted followers and are acquiring the resources needed to continue their work." It mentions that there are a number of court battles, and including members of the Hare Krsna. Ours is the first group they mention.
Prabhupada: That, it does not mention about the Transcendental Meditation?
Satadhanya: They have no philosophy.
Prabhupada: Accha?
Prabhupada: No.
Tamala Krsna: It doesn't make you change any different. Actually, no one even recognizes any difference after following it. They're fools to begin with, and they come out fools at the end. It says here..., it quotes Dr. Stillson Judah. Unfortunately it doesn't quote Dr. Stillson Judah right about us. It seems that Stillson Judah has also written a book about Moon. So it's quoting, "Stillson Judah of the Graduate Theological Union shows a small core of membership, three thousand in the case of the Moonies." It says here that "But through persistent evangelic efforts these groups are winning new converts and attain fiscal stability."
Prabhupada: I think that Maharishi Yogi is therefore in Rishikesh. He's afraid of being arrested or something like that.
Satadhanya: He's hiding.
Prabhupada: Introduction.
Tamala Krsna: ...introduction. So we were imitated by all the other groups. But the only difference is that's all they have is the introduction. They don't come with the book at the end. All they do is sell candy and the incense and get money. So groups like the Moonies, they want to discontinue this. In place, they want to make big businesses, just like the Christians have. And nobody will be on the street anymore.
Prabhupada: Even gambling.
Tamala Krsna: Oh, anything. It doesn't matter what it is. For example... I was reading a report about them. So just like we have our saṅkirtana parties and each, like five or six men in a van go out, they also have vans like that. But each van they have one Korean woman with each van. They say she keeps the accounts. That was the explanation. But it's obvious that she's a prostitute. It's very clear. So they do anything. They have no scruples or principles. So at any rate, the thing I feel about this is that we take pride in saying that we are on the streets now and we'll always be on the streets, because our business is selling books. We're not going to depend on some big business and then stop our preaching. They are not preaching. This proves that what they do on the street is not preaching. They're simply collecting money.
Prabhupada: They have nothing to preach. What they have got to preach?
Tamala Krsna: Here's a picture. It shows only two pictures. Here is the difference between the Moonies and us. Here is a picture of some Moon woman. She has a picture of Moon on her button, and her daughter waving the American flag. And then here's us, the devotees: "Hare Krsna followers parade on the street." This is in New York. These are some of the New York devotees. "The drop-out rate is high, but there is a slow though steady growth rate among the small membership." This is from the New York Times. I know all of these devotees.
Prabhupada: Slow but sure.
Prabhupada: Hmm. Yes.
Prabhupada: So there is some agitation about our movement, that "How it is going on, whether it will stay." So anything more?
Prabhupada: It will stay.
Tamala Krsna: It says here, "Aid the Fresh Air Fund." This is a fund. They collect millions of dollars for keeping the air fresh. But they never think why the air has become unfresh due to all these foolish industries pumping so many obnoxious things into the air. That they won't stop. But they'll devise new machines to clean the air.
Prabhupada: Hmm. So here is one of the machine. That we are creating, the farms. Air fresh.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Prabhupada: Immediately you become refresh, immediately, as soon as you see the fresh milk, fresh vegetables.
Prabhupada: Hmm. Yes. Well, this is my condition. I would have... Otherwise I would have gone there. Very nice and fresh.
Prabhupada: Hmm. Now we shall go.
Prabhupada: ...human form of body or in the form of this insect. And karmis, they're trying to improve their... [indistinct-microphone moving] That is their ignorance.
Prabhupada: Yes. They think by changing the body... [microphone moving] ...demigod's... That is called mrtyu-samsara. The facility is in that you have to die, you have to take again birth, and again begin the same tasting, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam [Hitopadesa 25]. No improvement of taste, but improvement of the container. If you go by bullock cart and if you go by motorcar, the transport is the same. But we are thinking, "Now we have improved scientific." That's all. First of all improve that you'll not die. Because you are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg 2.20]. So where is that improvement? That improvement is Krsna consciousness. Tyaktva deham punar janma [Bg 4.9].
Tamala Krsna: Today in the class we read a purport of Your Divine Grace's from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, a very beautiful purport in which the verse says that Bharata-varsa is karma-ksetra. It is the place for fruitive activities. And the other varsas is where you enjoy the results of those activities. So then you explain the verse, that how the living entity is wandering all over the material universe, but actually he has not improved his condition at all. It is... You explain that it's simply a waste of time. He's not using his human form of life. So when you come on this planet, you should use it to get a guru. Otherwise, simply wandering up and down, up and down.
Prabhupada: That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's gift. Foolish persons are trying to improve. So what is that improvement? The same struggle for existence.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: Four-legged dog race.
Prabhupada: It is a great poison. Only fortunate person, they can understand what is the value of Krsna. Only fortunate.
Prabhupada: So that fortunate is... By fortune he gets a guru. And by the instruction of guru he gets Krsna. So to create fortune we have to take this regulative principles, to become fortunate that someday he'll be able to meet somebody who is real guru and who will give him real guidance. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Therefore pious activities and other things, yajna-dana-tapah-kriya, these things are recommended, to acquire the quality of brahmana. These things are required. If he remains like animal, that fortune will never come. This is the architecture. So that fortune begins when he enters the varnasrama-dharma, four varnas and four asramas. That is a easiest way. Fortune does not come that "This is very important." Man is the architect of his own fortune. He must accept some process to become fortunate. And if you want to become fortunate through the rich man, you should enter... [microphone moving] ...just like businessman... [microphone moving] And without doing something, how you can get fortune? That is now... There is no such program. The program is just a animal program: eating, sleeping, mating and defend. Therefore Krsna consciousness movement is so important, to give them the fortune, not immediately, but our immediate future, by acting in this way, he'll be fortunate.
Prabhupada: That is there, the rules and regulations. This Deity worship is accepting regulative principle, abide by the orders of guru. That is there. This is the process. Just like all our disciples, they write that "We have got now life." Because they are trying to follow, they are getting-gradually, gradually.
Prabhupada: Yes. Patitanam pavanebhyah. Papi tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo, tara saksi jagai-madhai, brajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hoilo sei [Ista-deve Vijnapti 3]. Krsna is coming. He has come as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver these papis and tapis. Whole process is scientific. It is not [laughs] the Ramakrishna, Vivekananda. It is not that. What do they know? Or Gandhi. They are also trying for the betterment, but they do not accept the standard process. Everyone is trying. That is struggle for existence. So who is fittest? The fittest is the devotee. He'll survive. Tyaktva deham punar janma [Bg 4.9].
I have now explained how Krsna becomes subordinate to devotee. [turns on Dictaphone, plays back from tape:] "Yamaraja, controller of all living entities, is afraid of the order of Krsna. Still, Krsna is afraid of mother's stick. This contradictory thing cannot be understood by one who is not devotee. Devotee can understand how much powerful is unalloyed devotional service to Krsna, so much so He can be controlled by such devotee. Bhrtya-vasyata. That means under the control of the servant, but He is under the control of pure love by the servant. In the Bhagavad-gita also, we see, Krsna became the chariot driver of Arjuna. Arjuna is ordering Him, senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg 1.21]. Here Krsna has agreed...
[break] '...my chariot...'
[break] '...to execute my order. Place my chariot between the two party soldiers.' Krsna immediately executed his order. One may argue in this connection that Krsna is also not independent. This is ajnana, ignorance. Krsna is fully independent. When He becomes subordinate to the devotees He is ananda-cinmaya-rasa. Humor of transcendental qualities increases transcendental pleasure. One who worships Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore sometimes desires to be controlled by somebody controller. Nobody else... [break] ...pure devotee." [end of tape playback section] Everyone worships Him as the Supreme, but sometimes He desires, "Somebody will control over."
Prabhupada: That I say.
Tamala Krsna: Today the one question was asked in the class that "Isn't it true that as one makes advancement, maya will put up so many obstructions, even more as the devotee advances?" So I answered by saying that "In the case of a pure devotee, maya realizes that there is no need to challenge, because maya is the servant of Krsna. So when someone is fully devoted, just like Srila Prabhupada, then maya cannot touch, and she knows that he will use everything in Krsna's service, so there is no need to put up any obstacle, and all facilities are given to the pure devotee for using everything in Krsna's service."
Prabhupada: So I can stop.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: Hun?
Prabhupada: Anyway, don't be sorry.
Vrindavan De: No, no. [Transl. That is nothing. I was thinking that…]
Prabhupada: So what you have paid for your coming and going? What is the amount?
Vrindavan De: [Transl. Oh, that doesn't matter.]
Prabhupada: No, no. From Calcutta to here. Ticket, what is?
[break] "We shall improve our economic condition for more and more sense gratification." And that is the mistake. People are trying for that. Kamasya nendriya-pritir jivo jiveta yavata [SB 1.2.10]. Yavad artha-prayojanam. Whatever money is required for maintaining, that's all. And as soon as we increase the so-called standard of happiness by sense gratification, then there is trouble. That is going on all over the world. They want money. They're not satis... "More money. More money. More money." Why more money? If you can live comfortably with certain amount of money, be satisfied in that way. Why more?
Prabhupada: Unnecessary, and increase anxiety.
Prabhupada: Yes. Why more? Live very comfortably and be advanced in Krsna consciousness. That is required.
Prabhupada: We have seen many persons... The other day, he was our member, one Mr. Agarwal? Very rich man. He committed suicide falling down from the bridge to the Ganges. What is that? Very rich man. The happiness cannot be attained in that way. Happiness is in Krsna. It is so sublime that... Dhruva Maharaja went for kingdom, and he performed austerities. When he saw Krsna he said, "I don't want anything." Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace [Cc Madhya 22.42]: "I came to ask You something, but I am now fully satisfied." That is happiness. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir... yayatma supra... [SB 1.2.6]. You want to satisfy your atma. So that can be satisfied when you are fully devoted to Krsna. Otherwise, simply by material wealth, increasing your economic position, that is not... They do not know it. The European civilization, they are struggling very hard-colonization, industrialization, this..., but they're not... [break]
To keep one's status position as gentleman, he must have sufficient income. That's all. One should be satisfied in that way and be happy in Krsna.
Prabhupada: Huh? Yes. That is real happiness. You should know what is happiness. Whatever we're getting, that is sufficient if... Simply to keep your status quo nicely. That's all. This is secret of happiness. I must not be poverty-stricken, neither I shall hanker after becoming very, very so-called rich. That is happiness. That arrangement is there. Your present position will never be disturbed, you'll improve, and you get, after seven years, 2,500 rupees per month. What do you want more? This is simply idea, that "My father has got so much property for me." And even if your father leaves so much property for you, if you have no luck to enjoy it, you'll be Harendranatha Sinha. That you have seen, that your maternal uncles, what they have done? They're all rich men's son. My father-in-law left sufficient property. But what did they do? Simply drunk and die. Where is happiness? Is that happiness, do you think? Now still they are suffering, his family. If Krsna has saved you from that...
Vrindavan De: With provocative disturbance.
Prabhupada: Just see. To enjoy happiness they are sitting in that house. Your grandfather left such a nice property. But they are not happy. And they disturb you. You came out... [coughs] Practically seeing, you are happy more than them.
Vrindavan De: True. That is correct. That is correct.
Prabhupada: If you had lived in that house, you would have been simply harassed. So Krsna has done so much mercy that you got free from their association, and now you are doing...
Vrindavan De: Also the mercy of Krsna.
Prabhupada: So happiness does not depend on money.
Vrindavan De: They became old, but they are still unhappy like previous, as in the past.
Prabhupada: So you become devotee. Come as soon as possible here, or wherever; you'll get advice. I'll give you advice how to become happy. It is not happiness, that "I have got so much property from my father." Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha [SB 7.9.19]. Prahlada Maharaja said. Prahlada Maharaja said that "The father-mother cannot make one happy." There are so many examples. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. There are many rich father, and the sons are suffering. You have seen your maternal uncles. Their father was rich and left immense property, and what was their happiness?
Prabhupada: Bas. They simply died by drinking. Got some cheap money from the father, and they habituated. Is it not? Your two uncles, this Badamama and Chotamama or your elder uncle and younger uncle? So what is their happiness?
Vrindavan De: Simply frustrated, they got. That's all. Finish.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: That is the duty. But not that you can get happiness. Happiness is in your hand, in your fortune, in your... That is a different thing. Don't think that "My father left so much property. Let me eat and drink and go to hell." That is not happiness. Sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriya-grahyam [Bg 6.21].
Everything explained. Read books. Be devotee. That will bring happiness. And economically you may not be disturbed that you're poverty-stricken, you have to beg something or... No. Whatever is absolutely... More than that. More than that. One man does not require 2,500. Nowadays, even it is very expensive, one thousand is sufficient. Although everything is expensive, one thousand rupees sufficient for a person. You are each getting that. So the plan is all right. Now you try to become devotee. That will bring happiness. Otherwise there is no happiness.
Prabhupada: Yes. They were all rich men's sons. Where is happiness? They became hippie.
Prabhupada: Yes. Everyone wants to be happy. Who does not want to be happy? But he does not know how to become happy.
Prabhupada: Nobody's happy, I have seen. Therefore they drink. Whenever there is unhappiness, they cannot adjust it-"Let me drink." This is Western happiness.
Prabhupada: That's all. They have no other information. So just try. You are comfortably situated. There is no economic shortage. Now you become devotee. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise it is not possible. Don't think by getting large sum money one becomes happy. That is not the fact. That is mistake.
Satadhanya: And we don't lack any material benefit. We have spiritual and material.
Prabhupada: Who can live in such house? Royal. Royal palace. We have got 102 royal palaces. More than that. So even from economic point of view, nobody is happier than us. Nobody is happier.
Prabhupada: Yes. If you go, I shall give you chance to see how my devotees are living happy in big, big houses. Big, big house. Do you think to possess a twelve-story house in New York is joke?
Vrindavan De: Even I cannot think of it.
Prabhupada: Is joke? We have got. In Detroit we have got a house which was constructed at the cost of six million dollars, fifty years ago. What is the price, six million dollars?
Vrindavan De: Sixty lakhs.
Indian man: Five lakhs forty thousand.
Indian man: Five crores, forty...
Vrindavan De: No. One million is ten lakhs.
Prabhupada: So that house we are possessing.
Indian man: Twenty-two-karat gold.
Prabhupada: When I entered the toilet bathroom I was surprised. [laughs]
Vrindavan De: In USA or Detroit?
Prabhupada: In London my sitting room is bigger than this, double. My sleeping room is like this. And my toilet room is half this. This is my quarters.
Prabhupada: In everywhere. I have got now 120 places, palaces.
Prabhupada: Yes. So happiness, unless Krsna gives, there is no question of happiness. Our business should be that we may not be uncomfortably living which will disturb our progress of Krsna consciousness-that much. Other things? Depend on Krsna. If He wants to make you Indra, you become Indra. There is no happiness even by becoming Indra. You... We read from books. Indra is how much disturbed, always fighting, devasura. He has to fight. The same thing as here. Only difference is the standard of living in the heaven and the duration of life are greater. But if you have to struggle for existence, then what is the use of this duration of life, greater? Simply struggling, where is happiness? So in different planets, in different species of life... I see at night these small bugs. They have got the same happiness. The husband and wife or the male and female together, jumping and having sex, and everything in a different body. And same thing is going on in higher planetary system. There is no other business. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam [Hitopadesa 25]: eating, sleeping, sex and defense. But breath must be there.
Prabhupada: No. Tyaktva deham punar janma [Bg 4.9]. If you don't attain Krsna in this life, then again you go back to the process of birth and death. That's all. And in that process of birth-death, sometimes you become Indra and sometimes you become that small bug, that's all, according to your karma. So our struggle should be how to stop this birth and death, punar-janma-jayaya, to conquer over rebirth. That is real life. Again dying, again entering in the mother's womb, lie down packed up for ten months, and then again come out, again another chapter begins-is that life? These rascals, they do not understand.
Prabhupada: Solve this problem. And don't be poverty-stricken. That's all. That is happiness. There is no need of... So we, the members of Krsna consciousness movement, we are living hundred times happily than anyone else. Hundred times. They cannot dream even. They are envious. In Los Angeles the neighborhood men, they're envious, that "These people, these devotees, they do not do anything, and they are living so comfortably-so many cars, nice palace, nice food." They inquire. They do not know. Don't expect in that way happiness. That is futile, that "Our father will leave lakhs of rupees and we shall get the interest and enjoy and then drink and go on." That is not happiness. Work hard how to advance in Krsna consciousness and be happy in this way. Krsna will give. And yoga-ksemam vahamy aham. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg 9.22]. He knows what is your need. Depend on Krsna. But don't sit down like lazy. Yudhyasva mam anusmara [Bg 8.7].
This is instruction. We are trying to teach the whole world that "Be Krsna conscious, and keep your status quo very nicely without any being poverty-stricken, and that is happiness." That is happiness. And so far the bodily disadvantages, so as soon as you get this material body, you'll have to... You have to die. You have to suffer from disease. You have to take birth. Janma-mrtyu-jara. So therefore sastra says, that verse, that "Don't be attached to karma-kanda, fruitive activities." Na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam: "By karma-kanda you can get better body, but that will not solve your problem." Yata atmano 'yam asann api klesada asa dehah [SB 5.5.4]. This body is temporary, but so long you have got this body, you have to suffer, this way or that way. So this is your real unhappiness, to get this material... Klesada. Klesada means always giving trouble. From the childhood they are crying. He has got some klesa. The mother cannot understand. He's crying.
Prabhupada: He cannot express what is his inconvenience, and he's feeling one unconvenience, and the mother is trying to make him happy in other way. He's crying more, more, more, more. Where is happiness? Within the womb there was unhappiness, packed-up. When he comes down there is unhappiness. Then go to school, take education, appear for examination-that is unhappiness. Then grow up, then engage in some earning money-that is unhappiness. Then maintain your children, and that is unhappiness. Where is happiness, rascals? Rascal. Both are suffering.
Prabhupada: This is simply anarthas, unnecessary creating unhappiness. Unnecessary.
Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna makes adjustment. Therefore Krsna comes, and He is giving advice that "Do like this. You'll be happy in this life and next."
Prabhupada: Still, they are happy.
Prabhupada: Every letter I receive from my disciple, how happy they are, it is explained.
Prabhupada: Cakhu-dan dilo jei, janme janme...
Prabhupada: No, no. Munayah sadhu prsto 'ham bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam, krsna-samprasno yeyatma suprasidati [SB 1.2.5]. Happiness is there. Unless you become Krsna conscious, there is no question of... This is a false happiness, that "If I get money, I'll be happy." That is false. So many men, they have got money. We see practically. The whole European civilization, American civilization, is based on this fundamental idea that "Let us have money and we shall be happy." And nobody is happy. Nobody is happy, a single man. Very big, big buildings, very nice car, very nice road, but there is no question of happiness. Always restlessness. Is it not? They are practically proved. And becoming implicated, karma-bandha, loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg 3.9], one after another. Because he is not independent; he is under karma-bandhana. If you touch fire, it must burn you. You cannot avoid it. That is not possible. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sar... [Bg 3.27], ahaṅkara-vimudha. Are you independent? Suppose if you touch fire, are you independent that your finger will not burn? It must burn. So you'll search after so much so-called happiness-they're simply burning their finger, that's all. Karma-bandhanah. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg 3.9]. So I'm insisting you about this distribution of the book. That is a service. If you can do some pushing on these books some way or other, you get material profit; at the same time, it is service.
Prabhupada: No. That is not my proposal. Why shall I engage you in business, karma-bandhana? That is not. If you can give little service, that is benefit. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat [Bg 2.40]. They are doing without any personal profit. You are grhastha. You can take some profit. That's all. But it is service. Anyone who will give some service to Krsna consciousness movement, he'll make progress. Therefore I'm trying to engage everyone in this movement some way or other. A little help, svalpam api. It is such a nice thing. With that spirit you do and live comfortably. There is no question of unnecessarily taking a life of poverty-stricken. There is no necessity. But there is no necessity of luxurious life. And luxurious will already come for devotees. That I have already given example. Who can live more luxuriously than ourself? Where is that? It is practical. All over the world we are living like princes. Princes even cannot live like that. All our devotees, and what to speak of myself. Six crores of rupees one house, who can possess? How many men there are in the world who has got many houses, each six crores of rupees? Hmm? Bolo.
Vrindavan De: [Transl. He does not know.]
Prabhupada: Now this Ambarisa, Alfred Ford, he is prepared that "Here is two hundred seventy crores of rupees for you. You take it whenever you like." Two hundred seventy crores. He has got his property. He has offered, "You take it immediately, and I'll give you." So we are engaging that money to construct a huge building in Washington for showing this planetary system. What shall I do with the money, two hundred and seventy crores? [chuckles] Three hundred million? No?
Prabhupada: So wherefrom the money is coming unless Krsna sends? Did I go to America with some money?
Prabhupada: That's all. And one tin box. [laughs] Give up this mistaken idea that "If we get some large sum of money from our father, then we shall be happy." That is not... That is wrong idea. Happiness depends on Krsna consciousness. You can take advantage from your father that you may not live uncomfortably. That's all, that much. That I am making sufficient arrangement. In your present position you'll never be disturbed. Now try to become happy by advancing in Krsna consciousness. That is required.
Pramattah. These persons are mad, pramattah. Prakrsta-rupena mattah. Mattah means mad, and pra means still more, more than mad. Kurute vikarma. They are engaged in so many nefarious activities-black market, white market, stealing, burglaring, so on, so on. Vikarma. Idam adya maya labdham idam prapsye punar dhanam [Bg 16.13]. This is asuric thing. If one can squander away crores of rupees like Harendra Singh... Suppose if I give you each one lakh of rupees, how long it will take? You can squander away in one day. Take some regular income. Be comfortably situated. Advance in Krsna consciousness. Bas. That is happiness. In your whole life you'll never be disturbed for economic condition. That I am arranging. That's all. That "I am suffering for money," no. It will be regularly. Is not that scheme? So what is next, [Transl. Bhagatji? That Hyderabad they themselves will have to develop. Let them do and show it.] It will be a great service to Krsna. [Transl. Let the local people eat and live comfortably there. We don't want any profit. Worship the supreme Lord. That's all I want. What is the difficulty? Grow whatever you need. Prepare your own cloth and live. Worship the supreme Lord.] That is life.
Bhagatji: [Transl. There is shortage of water.]
Prabhupada: Hun?
Bhagatji: [Transl. Water is not to be found there.]
Prabhupada: [Transl. Water can come more than they required] Provided they take up the step. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg 3.14]. Let them chant Hare Krsna, and pani will come from up, not from the ground. Otherwise Gita is false. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah. [Transl. This water that is raining from the sky, from where will you take it out? Unless there is rain fall how much water can you pump out from the ground?] That is going on. [Transl. Now they have stopped worshiping the Lord by performing yajna. They take out all the water, and there is no water left. They will die like that. Drought. Drought.] This is the way. The nature is forcing, yajna. Yajnah karma-samudbhavah. Perform yajna. And in Kali-yuga the yajna is so easy: saṅkirtanair yajnaih, yajanti hi su-medhasah.
[Transl. Perform kirtan in all the villages and there will be rain fall from the sky. How long can you take out water from the ground? Hun? Why are you laughing?]
Bhagatji: [Transl. Srila Prabhupada, it's not in one place. There is shortage of water everywhere? If performance of kirtan is needed to shower rain, then how is it possible to do that everywhere?]
Prabhupada: [Transl. Just see. You can engage them.]
Bhagatji: [Transl. That is what Tejiyas Das says. There is a difference in opinion between Tejiyas Das and Mahamsa Svami. Tejiyas Das says- rain fall, it will rain to do sankirtan.]
Prabhupada: [Transl. Until it rains you endeavor something. The water will go down. The real water will come from above.]
Prabhupada: [Transl. You must try something. But the real water...]
Bhagatji: [Transl. That's what I am saying. We have to try.]
Prabhupada: [Transl. kamam vavarsa parjanya, [SB 1.10.4] it is said in the book of Agriculture science that by rain fall all your necessities will be fulfilled. Sarva kamadugha mahi, [SB 1.10.4] the earth supplies all necessities of life. Kamam vavarsa parjanya, parjanya, showering of rain will bring about the fulfillment for all demands. That's why I want them to be engaged in the performance of kirtan. Let them eat to their satisfaction. Rain will shower in abundance. This is the example I want to show.]
Prabhupada: ...you try to become Vaisnava. Keep it, whatever it may be. For the time being, you have got guarantee that your present position will never be disturbed. Is that all right?
Prabhupada: So you... For the time being, we have given guarantee they'll not be disturbed in your present position. Be satisfied. Do business. [break] [end]
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