771004R1.VRN

Tamala Krsna: No? You want to bathe now? So Upendra will bathe you, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: What is time now?

Tamala Krsna: The time is about ten o'clock in the morning. I think tomorrow we can go to see the Deity, Prabhupada. [break] More swollen than I've seen it in months. Last night you said was havoc. Do you have any headache?

Prabhupada: No, I don't have any.

Tamala Krsna: So you want to sit up now, Srila Prabhupada, for bathing? Abhirama and Upendra will clean you now, Srila Prabhupada, change sheets. Everything has to be cleansed.

Prabhupada: It is dirty?

Tamala Krsna: I think so. Yes. So we'll be in the next room, Srila Prabhupada.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. [offer obeisances] [break]

Hamsaduta: ...self-independent. But we can see as you explain to us, when they get this education they become just like a dog going from door to door looking for a morsel of food. The island of Sri Lanka is very, very green, because they have a lot of rainfall. Right now it's rainy season and very lush. All fruits, vegetables grow there. But the government has a foolish policy. They produce tea and tobacco and rubber and all useless, rubbish things. They could produce food ten times for the population, but they don't do that.

Prabhupada: Anywhere, not only Ceylon.

Hamsaduta: They still have wild elephants in the jungles. Here is Bhagatji, Prabhupada. Bhagatji has come.

Prabhupada: In which paper the arrest of Indira Gandhi?

Bhagatji: Indira Gandhi was arrested last night at eight o'clock.

Hamsaduta: Which paper reported?

Bhagatji: In the radio it came at once, throughout whole India. And she was released in morning on bail.

Prabhupada: Hmm. Who gave her this bail?

Hamsaduta: Who gave the bail?

Bhagatji: So many persons.

Brahmananda: How much was the bail?

Hamsaduta: It appears that she's becoming popular again with the public.

Bhagatji: On 2nd of October she went to Agra, Srila Prabhupada. She went to Agra. When you got down from the train at 7:30, she was coming on nine on Taj Express from Delhi. After that, there was so much of crowd going on for her. In Agra there were fifty or sixty thousand people waiting for her, too.

Hamsaduta: She's becoming popular again.

Bhagatji: The question is about this dearness, these costly things, going, prices higher and higher.

Bali-mardana: Yes. The prices are going up, so the people are becoming dissatisfied with this Janata government.

Hamsaduta: Just prior to her being arrested, a few days, she has publicly announced that "The government doesn't have the guts to arrest me." She said, "The government does not have the guts to arrest me." So this arresting her will make her more popular. She is very intelligent lady. And her counter..., her little sister, this Sirimavo Bandaranaike, she was the prime minister of Sri Lanka. She is also coming back. These two women went to school together. They were in the same class. It's very...

Bhagatji: From Ceylon.

Hamsaduta: Yes. It's very..., amazing coincidence. This woman prime minister of Sri Lanka, she follows everything Indira does. When Indira Gandhi held elections, she also held elections. She lost; she lost. She's coming back; she's coming back. They're very friendly, two ladies running these two countries. Sometimes when preaching I tell the public, "What kind of country is this? The land of the rajarsis and some lady is running the government."

Prabhupada: Hmm, don't touch politics.

Hamsaduta: Oh, all right. [laughs] We should stay clear of the government. They are too dangerous.

Prabhupada: Cultural... We..., our culture and philosophy. To be arrested is not new thing for politicians.

Hamsaduta: She also said in that speech that in India it's not a shame to be arrested. In India this is not considered something bad. It's acceptable. And it's a fact.

Prabhupada: Everywhere.

Brahmananda: The governor who came to see you in Bombay, practically his only qualification is that he was arrested. He was in jail for nineteen months. Other than that... Before, he was a very small man. Now he's a big man simply because he was in jail for nineteen months.

Hamsaduta: The new prime minister, we met him a few days after he was inaugurated. We gave him Krsna book and a nice letter. He doesn't smoke or drink. He's a Buddhist. He seems to be a, relatively speaking, a nice man. But he's quite old. He's also seventy years old. But, Prabhupada, eventually, our movement practically around the world will attract the attention of the government.

Brahmananda: They will not like.

Hamsaduta: They won't like it. They never like. Just like Germany, it's actually the government. The people are innocent; they don't... But these governments, they can see the danger in Hare Krsna movement.

Bali-mardana: Would you like Hamsaduta to chant some more?

Prabhupada: Hmm, hmm. Yes.

[kirtana-Hamsaduta chants] [break]

Giriraja: [referring to problems with the bank] On the one hand, the full management of the Society rests with Your Divine Grace. But on the other hand, as a Society, there is also a Bureau which passes resolutions. So they were confused as to the relationship between Your Divine Grace and the Bureau. So they wanted to clarify some of these issues with their legal department.

Prabhupada: Is there any difficulty?

Giriraja: There's no difficulty. They are... They appear to be... Actually they're not really capable to manage this bank on their own, so...

Tamala Krsna: Another grievance is that we have not yet... We have been asking them to give us interest on our savings accounts here. We have about ten savings accounts. And for about one year now they have not given interest because now they say that the rule is that for anything above two lakhs of rupees they don't give interest. And they showed a law from the..., bank law saying that they didn't have to give interest for money in a savings account beyond two lakhs. So I explained to them that every bank in India that we bank with does give us interest.

Giriraja: See, their final position is that they want to help us, but they cannot go beyond the rules. And actually, they showed a letter from the regional manager not to pay that. But I feel that when we meet the chairman or the general manager...

Tamala Krsna: Of the whole bank.

Giriraja: Because they will want our business, they'll be willing to go out of the way to satisfy us. And these local people, they say that if their higher authorities approve of these things, then they will be very happy to help us.

Prabhupada: Make it clear.

Tamala Krsna: "Make it clear."

Prabhupada: Organize gradually. Shift the money to other banks so they may not know. And that is the best policy.

Tamala Krsna: That's the best policy, Prabhupada said. That should now be done.

Prabhupada: No, immediately there is no more fixed deposit?

Tamala Krsna: Not immediately. Now the next ones will be in 1979 and 1981.

Prabhupada: What is the advice?

Giriraja: Should we read it?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Giriraja: They just confirmed that they transferred the two amounts, and they gave the date, and they gave that it's transferred to the Central Bank in Bombay and the account number.

Tamala Krsna: They were very impressed with Giriraja. I mentioned to Mr. Gupta here that Giriraja's father was the biggest lawyer in Chicago. So they also felt that he was like a lawyer. So they were very impressed by him, and he was dealing with them in a very patient but intelligent way. So they just... Actually they realized more things today, I think, than ever before about the position of our Society. They got a little bit more knowledge. And they also revealed more today about how they were thinking 'cause of the way Giriraja was talking with them. I think it was the most... It was a very progressive conversation. They are awaiting a telephone call that we would be going with them to Delhi tomorrow morning.

Prabhupada: Wrote it?

Tamala Krsna: We have to call them to confirm that we will be going. Should we utilize the car, Srila Prabhupada, or go in the train?

Prabhupada: No, you can go by car.

Tamala Krsna: The road is open. Upendra is here now. Should we give him the kismis to make?

Prabhupada: Yes. Upendra...

Tamala Krsna: Here's the kismis. Prabhupada said mix with honey and smash.

Prabhupada: Four kismis.

Tamala Krsna: Whole kismis.

Prabhupada: Not whole. Four.

Tamala Krsna: Four kismis.

Prabhupada: And equal quantity, honey. Make a paste.

Hamsaduta: Equal quantity, honey.

Prabhupada: Little honey. Not very much.

Tamala Krsna: Not much honey. [aside: Sure you want to call them on the telephone? It's getting late.] So we'll call them now to tell them that we're going. [break]

Hamsaduta: We have one book now ready to be composed and printed in Sinhalese language.

Prabhupada: Bring that.

Hamsaduta: Yes. It's now going to be composed. It will take a little time, because outside of Ceylon no one speaks Sinhalese, so we have to work with the local printers to get it composed.

Prabhupada: [Transl. You. Jaya Sri Krsna. How is Allahabad Bank functioning here?]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Perhaps Allahabad Bank is closing down from here. Not doing very well.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. What?]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Not going well. Very less. So far the total deposit is only 20,000 rupees.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. So will they close down?]

Bhagatji: [Transl. I think they will close down. I had a talk with Punjab National Bank, Srila Prabhupada. I said you take that place. They said you give us in writing. But I came to know from Gosvamiji that the permit which they have is in the name of Krsna Balarama Temple. Srila Prabhupada, the permit that Punjab National Bank has got, it is in the name of Krsna Balarama Temple. If they try to shift there, then immediately Allahabad Bank will oppose it. And if Allahabad Bank comes here, then they are opposing. This is the position. This means either of them. Srila Prabhupada? If that place behind the gurukula, that house is available after some time, should we acquire it or not? And if yes, then what will we build on it?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. The house at the back?]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Yes. I am trying for it. It is also my desire. Also I am collecting for that.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. No one else will buy it.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Nobody will buy it. First question is whether to take or not if available? What is your opinion?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Now whatever land we have got, we don't have enough people for that.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. No. But to construct an asrama for the house holders as you were instructing before. I see some devotees who want to live in Vrndavana permanently, but are roming around here and there. May they share that land and live there?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. How many such devotees are there?]

Bhagatji: [Transl. I think at least 4 to 6 house holder couples are ready to take. They sometimes ask me about this. I said without your permission, I can not say anything. There is not sufficient space at Tapariya house, Srila Prabhupada.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Whatever it is, the GBC should meet together and decide.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Okay.]

Bali-mardana: Yes, the GBC men are coming.

Bhagatji: You understand? That place, I'm talking about that place, whether we should take it or not. Prabhupada said...

Bali-mardana: I think Prabhupada's... The GBC are coming here, so let them consider. Make a presentation. Gopala is coming in a day or two. By tomorrow he should be coming. Because Prabhupada, now it's too much for him to think about it now. [aside:] Scratch with your nails.

Hamsaduta: Prabhupada, you've become so thin. You've become so thin. You have to become better.

Bhagatji: [Transl. Prabhupada, do you feel little better now than the morning? In the morning, your condition was not very good, Prabhupada?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Cough is less. No cough.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. There is no cough now. But you became very nervous in the morning. You were unable to speak. I could not look at you.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Yesterday they gave me Horlicks. By drinking milk if there is no cough, then it is good.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Hakimji is stressing on milk very much. He says the milk, the pure milk from here, fresh milk is very essential for you. It will give you strength.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. But as soon as I drink milk, there is cough.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Try. Drink one or two times and see what happens. If there is cough then stop it. And if it is digested then increase little by little. He said, first one ounce then two ounce, like that.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Bring tomorrow.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Sure. And you ordered for butter, so I will make butter tomorrow morning. You take some yogurt also. Take butter milk. If not yogurt, then butter milk? Yogurt may not suit you as it's little heavy. After taking out the cream from yogurt you take the butter milk. It may help you. You mix it with little salt and chilly.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Let me ask.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Very good.]

[break]

Hari-sauri: Of course, you have so many disciples around the world who are always praying for your health, so ten brahmanas would not achieve very much. He repeated also what he said before, that the period up until next March would be very difficult time.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Hari-sauri: He said that up until next March, that would be a very difficult time. But if Your Divine Grace goes beyond that time, then for three or four years, then health will return.

Prabhupada: Back side itching.

Hari-sauri: All the back?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Hari-sauri: Are these astrological charts very much applicable for a devotee, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: No.

Hari-sauri: Because Krsna can do anything.

Prabhupada: Yes. [break] Tamala Krsna. Tamala Krsna.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Don't waste money for this astrology.

Tamala Krsna: Hmm. Yeah. In London when we were going to get the astrologer to do, when I heard it was expensive, then we canceled. How much money he is asking here?

Hari-sauri: He didn't say a price. He said it would take two days or three days to do Prabhupada's..., to do a detailed chart.

Prabhupada: It is useless. Better arrange as many hours as possible to chant kirtana. That is...

Tamala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada? Today we did kirtana starting in the afternoon till the evening. So do you want more than that?

Prabhupada: I can hear day and night.

Tamala Krsna: So should we arrange...? Maybe we should arrange starting in the morning going till night.

Prabhupada: That is according to your convenience. But kirtana is very sweet.

Hari-sauri: Last June we were doing twenty-four hours.

Prabhupada: That is real business. These astrologer are karmis. We have nothing to do with the karmi.

Hari-sauri: Their measurement of happiness and distress is how much nice wife and children they get and how much money they get.

Prabhupada: Yes. Bhagavata reading and kirtana. Hmm. Hmm.

Hari-sauri: They don't understand that the real happiness is giving everything to Krsna.

Prabhupada: Yes. Don't waste time and money in any other way.

Tamala Krsna: Sometimes I find that you're sleeping, Srila Prabhupada. So I was just wondering-at night, when you do most of your sleeping, whether we should still do kirtana. I was thinking that we could do it say up until nine o'clock at night and then begin in the morning again.

Prabhupada: No.

Tamala Krsna: You'd like it to be throughout the night?

Prabhupada: Um-hmm.

Tamala Krsna: Okay. We'll have enough people here so that we can do it. We will start this tomorrow, Srila Prabhupada, tomorrow morning, because it's difficult to arrange now. Most of the devotees have begun to take rest.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: They'll definitely like it, though, because they like to be with you.

Prabhupada: Yes, I also.

Hari-sauri: Within one or two days every GBC and sannyasi will be here to come and do kirtana.

Tamala Krsna: They've come to take care of you, Srila Prabhupada, so many fathers.

Prabhupada: Please do that.

Hari-sauri: That is our greatest pleasure.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Some very nice telegrams came. Should I read them to you?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: They're very nice, from your disciples. [break] "Marathon to petition Lord Krsna for your rapid recovery. The results were a total of 70,122 books distributed."

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: It says, "87,000 points on the saṅkirtana for the week."

Hari-sauri: Phew! Eight-seven thousand?

Tamala Krsna: Yeah. It says, "This is the new all-time record for the most books ever made distributed in one week by any temple in the history of the Society, and we pray that this news will please you. And we humbly beg you to remain with us for many more years."

Prabhupada: Who sends?

Tamala Krsna: That was sent by the devotees in London, Srila Prabhupada, who you were with. You went to them for two weeks, and they developed so much attachment, they all went out all the time to distribute books for one solid week. They distributed over seventy thousand different types of books in one week's time, the London devotees. They said this was their way of petitioning Lord Krsna to please cure you.

Prabhupada: Where is Upendra?

Tamala Krsna: Upendra? He went out. [aside:] You want to get Upendra? There are more telegrams. That was a telegram. Should I read the others?

Prabhupada: Um-hmm.

Tamala Krsna: This one is from... You know Candanacarya? He writes, "Dear Srila Prabhupada, please accept our obeisances. We all wish we could come and be with you at this time, and we are all praying day and night for your speedy recovery. If you leave now, what will happen to us? Hare Krsna," he said.

Hari-sauri: Here is Upendra.

Tamala Krsna: Upendra is here.

Prabhupada: You can itch back side.

Upendra: Itch?

Tamala Krsna: Scratch. Srila Prabhupada? I think that on behalf of Lord Krsna you can take service from the whole world. At least, we all want to serve you so much. Next is a letter, telegram, rather, from... This one is from Berkeley temple, New Jagannatha Puri. It says, "Dear Srila Prabhupada, please accept our fallen obeisances. Please excuse our offenses. By your potency, every single magazine is distributed this weekend. This weekend we distributed 4,888 big books and 15,063 magazines. We are praying for your health to improve. Your worthless servants at New Jagannatha Puri." It seems, Srila Prabhupada, that even in your illness you're increasing the preaching.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: There was... Srila Prabhupada? Paramananda has come to India.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: He'll be coming to Vrndavana soon. So you know his wife, mother Satyabhama?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: She sent you a gift. Do you want to see it?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Tamala Krsna: Well, it's something that she made for you. Should I bring it?

Prabhupada: I shall see it tomorrow.

Tamala Krsna: Okay. Anyway, all of the devotees all over the world are simply praying now. They have been placed into great transcendental anxiety, Srila Prabhupada. They are simply praying for your recovery. Do you think that this powder has been successful, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: [laughs] Not yet.

Tamala Krsna: [laughs] But now it is very dry, so what does that mean? That we have to apply fresh again? Or even when it's dry does it have effect? [pause] Srila Prabhupada, I was thinking to take rest now. It's about 9:30. Is that all right?

Prabhupada: Hmm. Yes.

Tamala Krsna: I'll be in the next room if you want me for anything. [end]