750701MW.DEN
750701MW.DEN
Morning Walk
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July 1, 1975, Denver
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July 1, 1975, Denver
750701MW-DENVER [45:09 Minutes]
We want actually good for everyone
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[in car]
Brahmananda: One friend of the temple, one man, he has purchased it at a very high price, and he has lent it for your stay. These glasses are bulletproof. [break] This is a Lincoln Continental, Ford company.
Prabhupada: Hm. Why he stopped? [break] ...without car? [Brahmananda laughs]
[break] ...Nixon's home.
Brahmananda: He has in Florida, Key Biscayne. He had two homes, one in Florida, one in California. But now he's staying in Florida. Recently he went to New York and testified before a committee. It's the first time that he has spoken publicly since his...
Prabhupada: What is that committee?
Brahmananda: They were investigating the Watergate.
Prabhupada: Oh. Oh, he had to present himself.
Brahmananda: Yes. It's the first time any ex-chief executive has ever testified.
Prabhupada: So he is not out of danger.
Brahmananda: Well, they're still investigating the whole thing.
Brahmananda: That gentleman said. The doctor said. He's seventy-nine years of age.
Prabhupada: Seventy-nine?
Prabhupada: No.
Prabhupada: Who?
Prabhupada: No, no, she has guru. And she is going occasionally to Anandamayi.
Brahmananda: Yeah, that guru has spoken highly of our movement. In Germany there was an interview of him in one German magazine, and he was asked about all different types of groups. And most of the groups he criticized, but our group he gave his recommendation, the Hare Krsna movement.
Prabhupada: What did he say?
Brahmananda: I don't remember exactly, but he stressed the importance of the chanting of the maha-mantra. He said, "It is an important means for God realization, and by doing this, one can achieve love of God, and they are spreading this all over the world."
Prabhupada: So what do you think? Shall I write? Hmm? I have made a draft of letter this night. So you come and see. Let us take a chance. We want actually good for everyone. And this is the only medicine, Hare Krsna mantra. For any problem. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. People are suffering. If her guru has opined like that, then she may take some attention. Then it appears that guru is to some extent nice.
Brahmananda: Yes.
Prabhupada: She gave interview to our men.
Prabhupada: Oh, you saw? How did [s]he talk with you?
Prabhupada: Accha?
Prabhupada: Hmm. That's it. That is the difficulty. She said frankly.
Prabhupada: So, shall we take a chance?
Bhavananda: Oh, Mr... In Svarupa Ganj [Godruma-Dvipa. across Jalangi river from Mayapura] there's one big astrologer. So he saw your photograph, and he said, "This is the face of the most powerful spiritual personality on the planet."
Prabhupada: [laughs] Hare Krsna.
Brahmananda: Then what else?
Bhavananda: Then he said that "I can tell from his face that he can make a house in which the whole world can live peacefully."
Devotees: Jaya Prabhupada!
Prabhupada: At least I desire so. [break] Where your preaching was going on?
Brahmananda: Where in Massachusetts?
Prabhupada: So his parties are working more. And book selling is going on?
Prabhupada: Ohh?
Prabhupada: So you are surpassing..., what is his name?
Devotees: Tripurari Maharaja.[Prabhupada laughs]
Visnujana: ...a bus now, so he's going to compete by making new devotees and expanding his ranks. [break]
Prabhupada: ...competion amongst the gopis, who can satisfy Krsna more. In the spiritual world there is also competition. [break] ...two parties: one, Radharani's party, and one, Candravali's party. [car horn honks] Come on. [laughs]
Brahmananda: They were saluting us.
Prabhupada: Outsider?
Brahmananda: Yes. [break]
Prabhupada: It is Krsna's book. We are all servants, engaged. [break] [laughing] Here your parents accusing me, and in India the caste brahmanas accusing me. My standing... I do not know where I shall stand. Your parents are accusing me, "This rascal, converting our sons to become mendicant without any material enjoyment." And there, "This rascal is giving sacred thread to the mlecchas and yavanas." [still laughing]
Visnujana: Is that why you keep traveling, Prabhupada, so they won't catch you?
Prabhupada: Narada Muni was accused by Prajapati Daksa that "You are traveling in the dress of a sadhu, but you are the most sinful man. You have turned my sons in the renounced order of life to become beggar, without any advancement, without any enjoyment." So that accusation is always there, beginning from Narada Muni down to us. Some parents came to demonstrate?
Brahmananda: In Los Angeles, yes. I understand they've demonstrated before, someone was saying? They had placards, and they were marching.
Bhavananda: In Laguna Beach they also.
Prabhupada: Therefore Dr. Judah has said...
Brahmananda: He has dedicated his book, "To the parents and to the devotees."
Prabhupada: He has tried to pacify the parents.
Brahmananda: Yes. Another parent is coming to see you today.
Prabhupada: Oh, to accuse me? [laughter]
Brahmananda: No, her son said she is very favorable. She's the mother of Pariksit.
Prabhupada: Your mother was very angry upon us. [laughter] You know that?
Brahmananda: First one.
Prabhupada: When she came to see me, I told, "Mrs. Bruce, can you give me some money?" [laughing] [imitating angry woman's voice:] "I have given you two sons!" [laughter] She was very angry. "Still you want money?" [laughter] And "That's all right."
Prabhupada: No, I asked him to bow down to your mother.
Brahmananda: Yes, at initiation.
Prabhupada: After initiation.
Prabhupada: I gave her proper respect. Mother, after all, she is. She is fortunate mother. She has produced such nice sons. And I offered her respect, yes. Any of your mother and father, they are all very fortunate. And you are doing..., giving the best service to your family. Our Nitai's mother came. She looked very nice lady, yes. I think you are the first child.
Nitai: Yes.
Prabhupada: Therefore she looks young, not very old. Within forty?
Nitai: Over forty, I think.
Prabhupada: Over forty.
Nitai: Within fifty.
Prabhupada: Oh. But she looks younger. And your grandmother?
Nitai: She is eighty.
Prabhupada: Oh. [indistinct] [break] ...Prajapati Daksa accused Narada that "My sons were not out of the three kinds of debts." One debt is debtor to the saintly sages. Just like we are reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, we are indebted to Vyasadeva. He has given such literature, and we are taking advantage of it. As such, especially the brahmanas, they have got debted, indebtedness to big sages and saintly person. They receive knowledge from them. And they are indebtor to the demigods. Therefore they have to perform yajnas. And they are indebtor to their father because the father has brought them to this world. So in this way, especially a brahmana is indebted to demigods, the past sages and the father. So the indebtedness to the sages is performed by becoming brahmacari, and to the demigods by offering sacrifices, and to the father by begetting children, to continue the progeny. So Narada Muni was accused that "You keep them indebted to these principles, so how they can be liberated? Simply by dressing like you, [laughs] a mendicant?" Accusing. But perhaps he did not know, there is another version in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Anyone who has fully surrendered to Krsna, he is no more debtor to anyone. And Krsna says that "You surrender to Me, and I shall keep you protected from all kinds of..." Because if you don't pay your..., repay your debts, then you become sinful. But Krsna says, "I shall protect for all kinds of sin." So if anyone has surrendered to Krsna, he is no more debtor to anyone. He is immune from all obligation. His only obligation is to Krsna. [break] ...has eaten up this?
Brahmananda: This tree? [break]
Tamala Krsna: Sometimes when we're reading Bhagavatam about the prajapatis... They are such exalted persons.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. They are no ordinary person.
Prabhupada: That is... After all, they are living entity, conditioned. They are also conditioned. They are not liberated.
Prabhupada: No. They want enjoyment, material.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: He is the chief prajapati.
Satsvarupa: Isn't he a pure devotee?
Prabhupada: No.
Prabhupada: Yes, he is devotee; not to the topmost extent.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Satsvarupa: Sometimes devotees say, "Then how come he's the head of our sampradaya if he's not a pure devotee?"
Prabhupada: It doesn't require. He is a devotee. That's all right. There are grades of devotee, but on the whole, a devotee is very exalted person. Just like gopis. Nobody can be compared with the gopis. There are so many grades of devotees, but they are ultimate. And amongst the gopis, Radharani. So there is no comparison, no more... Even Krsna is defeated there. Krsna became Caitanya Mahaprabhu to understand the devotion of Radharani. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. [break] [about something by the path] ...queen. Elizabeth? No.
Prabhupada: Queen or king?
Brahmananda: It's a symbol for something.
Harikesa: They usually make Justice to be like that. [break]
Satsvarupa: Allegorical.
Prabhupada: Allegorical?
Satsvarupa: It's not a historical person. One lady represents learning, another... They represent different things.
Prabhupada: ...imperson.
Brahmananda: Cupid is there, and it is marked "love."
Prabhupada: Oh. [break] [to Harikesa, who has been coughing throughout:] ...not taking any medicine?
Harikesa: No.
Prabhupada: This continuing is not good.
Harikesa: I stopped eating anything but fruit, and that's what I did. [break]
Prabhupada: ...examined your chest?
Harikesa: No.
Prabhupada: Oh, you should examine your chest. Some congestion in the lungs. [break]
Prabhupada: This is not good.
Prabhupada: This is not good. [break]
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: Hmm. The prasadam is not suitable?
Prabhupada: So, why they do not like?
Prabhupada: And becoming influenced.
Prabhupada: This is nonsense. This should be stopped.
Sudama: A lot of devotees, they take these fasting for twenty days, thirty days, fasting.
Prabhupada: That means they are manufacturing their own way of life. That's not good.
Prabhupada: But fasting is good. If one can fast, that is good. That is tapasya.
Prabhupada: Fasting is not bad. If one can fast, that is very good.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Yadubara: I remember in Los Angeles...
Prabhupada: That is great austerity.
Yadubara: Srila Prabhupada, you said that we should not fast more than one day.
Prabhupada: No, artificial... Just like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, he was fasting, but he was not weak. That fasting. And he who will fast artificially and become weak, "I cannot work," that is not required. That is called markata-vairagya. [monkey renunciation] If you fast and at the same time you do not become weak, then that is recommended. And after fasting you cannot do a flat, fall flat, then what is the use of fasting? Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was fasting, but he was taking thrice bathing and offering obeisances hundred times. His regular activities was not stopped. And he was taking every alternate day a little quantity of butter. That's all.
Prabhupada: That is not possible. We have to work.
Tamala Krsna: Yes. One of the important things about taking prasadam is that all the devotees sit together. It is actually a very spiritual activity. Just like in Caitanya-caritamrta, the feasts...
Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. That is recommended. That we are following. But now it is not following?
Prabhupada: Preaching? Who is that nonsense, preaching?
Prabhupada: He is a rascal.
Prabhupada: He is a rascal. He is becoming rascal, day by day. Stop him doing these things.
Prabhupada: Then, what can I do? You are all GBCs.
Prabhupada: Yes. Revatinandana is becoming less and less spiritually. He had good potency, but he is losing that.
Devotee (1): You said that if we fast and we can't do our work and we become weak, then this is not so good.
Prabhupada: This is not good. "Not so" not. Absolutely bad.
Devotee (1): So our devotional service comes first?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Devotee (1): So if there is..., let us say there is grain and rice being offered to the Deities, and one finds that if he eats this, his service is impaired. Like so many times I've seen practically, myself, if I overeat grains in the summertime, I drive around doing my service and I'm falling asleep.
Prabhupada: Then which foodstuff suits you?
Brahmananda: What suits you, then? What foodstuffs?
Devotee (1): Fruits are more..., they keep me more active.
Prabhupada: So you take fruit. Fruit is also offered to the Deity. There are varieties of prasadam. So whichever suits, you can take. Anything artificial is bad.
Prabhupada: Hmm?
Yadubara: They are charging money in Los Angeles for the prasadam each meal, so we find it is cheaper to...
Prabhupada: Prepare your own?
Yadubara: Yes.
Prabhupada: So you do that.
Harikesa: Yes. They will not let a householder take unless they pay money first.
Yadubara: Seventy-five cents for noon prasadam and fifty cents for breakfast.
Prabhupada: So if you can prepare cheaper, you can do that.
Yadubara: All right. [laughter] [break]
Brahmananda: It's a type of cannon. [break]
Yadubara: You mentioned before that it is better that we not do so much cooking. If everyone is separately cooking, then that is such a time-consuming thing for everyone.
Prabhupada: But you said that "If we cook, it is cheaper." Then? If it is cheaper, convenient, then you cook. I said that "You save time. Don't cook."
Bhavananda: During Mayapur festival, Srila Prabhupada, nicest thing was when we all sat down together and took prasadam.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Bhavananda: Five hundred devotees, it was nice. Spiritual activity. And everyone took what was given.
Prabhupada: So what is the difficulty? I do not find. [break]
Bhavananda: ...the tongue, I think, Srila Prabhupada. [break]
Prabhupada: Capati, rice is innocent food. What is the difficulty?
Bhavananda: It's nice.
Prabhupada: Over and above, there is fruit.
Harikesa: A lot of devotees are quoting you that... They say that there is no need to eat grains, that you said grains were for the animals.
Prabhupada: I am...
Harikesa: I tell them that.
Prabhupada: Rascal, they say, "Prabhupada says." And you believe that. [break]
Bhavananda: ...I think the people are spoiled. If they go to India, they see that here they're turning down rice; there the people are dying for lack of rice.
Prabhupada: Where?
Bhavananda: In India. And here they're saying, "Oh, I don't want this and don't want that. I don't want this grain, that grain." But in India people are dying for want of food. Here they're so spoiled. [break]
Prabhupada: ...Krsna's position. If He does not supply grains, then He is accused. And He supplies grains, then He is accused. [laughter]
Bhavananda: Everyone is accused. [break]
Satsvarupa: ...those scientists came to you, Srila Prabhupada, and even said milk was no good.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Yadubara: That is what they say in these books on health, these health books. They say that cow milk is no good.
Prabhupada: Accha?
Harikesa: But meat is all right.
Yadubara: No, some of them. Most of them don't say that. It's very contaminating to read those and to follow.
Prabhupada: Therefore follow taking prasadam. Let whatever may happen.
Prabhupada: Yes. [laughter] That is devotee.
Prabhupada: Yes. I say still.
Yadubara: I'm a good example that these diets are not very good. [laughter] I can testify.
Brahmananda: Me too.
Prabhupada: The diets are not good or you are not good? Eh?
Yadubara: Oh. [break] ...for one year to alter the diet in so many ways, and it never worked. It was useless. [break]
Devotee (2): I think that's for maintaining the right depth to the lake. I think they have a pump house down here, and they maintain the depth of the lake by these things.
Prabhupada: Water is supplied or...?
Devotee (2): Yes.
Devotee (1): Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: What they are doing by doing business? They are grhasthas doing business?
Brahmananda: They are outsiders, karmis. They manufacture jewelry and some shirts, for which they get a salary.
Prabhupada: What you are doing with the money?
Devotee (1): Pardon?
Prabhupada: What you are doing with the money?
Devotee (1): I'm giving it to the temple president so that we can buy a farm for you.
Prabhupada: No, if you are engaging the money for Krsna, then it is all right.
Brahmananda: He's asking about is there any benefit to the karmis that he deals with because he engages in business activity with them? Do the karmis get benefit?
Prabhupada: Yes. To some extent they are helping Krsna consciousness movement.
Yadubara: They also have this program in Pittsburgh, the same thing. They come to the temple and manufacture jewelry.
Prabhupada: Provided you engage them for Krsna's service. Otherwise the laksmi will kill you. Just like Sita, Sita is Laksmi. When Sita was taken by Ravana, the result was the whole family was killed because they did not use Sita for Rama's service. [break] ...householders can be engaged, not anyone else.
Prabhupada: Preaching is for the sannyasis, for the brahmacari. And householder, because they are brahmanas, they can be engaged in Deity worship and also earning money.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: If preaching, by preaching we can get money, why should we go to the karmis?
Prabhupada: I think so. But if they think that by doing some other business they will get more money, then what can I say? This is very good business. Yes. We are preaching, at the same time getting money.
Devotee (2): We have found in our experience that some kinds of men do better in doing business. They feel more satisfied in collecting money in that way for Krsna.
Prabhupada: That's all right. But that money should be used for Krsna.
Devotee (2): Yes. Different kinds of men have to be engaged in different ways. Otherwise they become dissatisfied.
Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore Krsna says svakarmana. Anyone, he likes to do something, that is his karma. But by that karma, he can serve Krsna. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya samsiddhim labhate narah. Samsiddhi means perfection. [break]
Devotee (1): ...in our preaching work we will be able to maintain our temples, and with our business activities, we will be able to expand and buy all these farms, do so many things.
[in car]
Prabhupada: Dieting, the best thing is to take prasadam.
Prabhupada: And if our... Pushed on our men... The thing is they supply more spices, and especially that mustard. This is not good. This is prohibited.
Prabhupada: Practically no spices. Simply little cumin. And this turmeric. Turmeric you get from India, whole turmeric. This powdered turmeric is very, very bad.
Harikesa: They put sawdust in it.
Prabhupada: That's all.
Prabhupada: It is very cheating. Any powdered spice is not good.
Harikesa: Asafoetida also.
Prabhupada: Hmm?
Harikesa: Asafoetida?
Prabhupada: Everything. As soon as it is powder, they will mix with all rubbish things. And it is very easy to cheat you. You are susceptible for being cheated. So they take advantage and cheat you. So best thing is to import spices from India whole and either get it powdered or during time of cooking you make them paste. That is first class.
Prabhupada: You just put the spices water, soaked in water for some time, and then in mortar and pestle you...
Prabhupada: That is very nice. And immediately you fresh prepare and put into the vegetable. It will be tasteful, and it will be beneficial. All spices are beneficial.
Prabhupada: Cheaper..., of course, there is no question to you what is cheaper. For you everything is "damn cheap."
Prabhupada: They are sane men.
Prabhupada: So why do they not follow your principle?
Prabhupada: No, every temple, give them example. Invite them in your prasadam.
Prabhupada: Yes, that is nice. It requires good leader, that's all. [break] ...Krsna we must prepare very first-class foodstuff, and where is the complaint if it is first class?
Prabhupada: Yes. Guide them. [break] ...here the main business is slaughterhouse.
Brahmananda: In this state.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Prabhupada: Chicago is also this...
Brahmananda: There's one area of the town that there's a bad odor.
Prabhupada: Here also they say. Just like in Bombay, the Bandra.
Harikesa: Ah, terrible.
Prabhupada: So why not one week with them? [laughter] I am prepared. [end]
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