Room Conversation – April 26, 1974, Tirupati

Satsvarūpa: Secretary, he said, "You write in your books that your movement by Lord Caitanya is the..., as if it's the most exclusive thing." He said, "But actually, in India the Ramanuja is a more prominent Vaisnava sect." So, as I understand our claim, it's based on the fact that we worship Krsna in a higher form, in Krsnaloka, and they worship Krsna which leads to Vaikuntha.

Prabhupada: Yes.

[break] ...quarter there is no cinema song. Bhaja gopalam.

[music playing in background, recording of a woman singing "bhaja gopala"]

Satsvarūpa: Srinivasa said it is controlled by the temple here. Even the government doesn't control.

Prabhupada: This is all temple [indistinct]. [break]

Devotee: ...prominence. [break]

Mr. Iyengar: We came here yesterday. We went to the temple three times, and just for a long...

Prabhupada: Oh, very good.

Mr. Iyengar: This is my wife and daughter. You came yesterday?

Prabhupada: Yes, I came yesterday at about eleven.

Mr. Iyengar: We saw you in the evening going to the temple.

Prabhupada: Yes. It is very nice place.

Mr. Iyengar: Very nice, beautiful place. Very inspiring. Where's somebody coming? [break]

Prabhupada: I am, of course, Indian, but I have got my headquarters in America. [chuckles] Yes.

Mr. Iyengar: America. [chuckles] I think I have seen you at Bombay once.

Prabhupada: Yes, Bombay I have got my headquarters.

Mr. Iyengar: And your friends were there at the airport, Santa Cruz Airport, and you came by plane, some two years back I remember.

Prabhupada: No, I am going every year. Two times, three times, I have to go all round the world.

Mr. Iyengar: I respectfully request you your name, please.

Prabhupada: Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. That's all. Call me Prabhupada. I am preaching this cult, what you have come to see, this being expanded all over the world.

Mr. Iyengar: Yes, yes. It's very good.

Prabhupada: And we have got about hundred temples.

Mr. Iyengar: At every America?

Prabhupada: No, no, all over the world. In America I have got forty temples.

Mr. Iyengar: Forty temples. I see.

Prabhupada: Yes. In England we have got about five. And France, in German, we have got four.

Mr. Iyengar: In Germany also.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Germany, Sweden, Rome and Australia.

Mr. Iyengar: They are also... They are very devoted to our creed, our religion?

Prabhupada: Yes, we are preaching Bhagavad-gita. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sa... [Bg 18.66]. That is the only religion.

Mr. Iyengar: Yes, yes.

Prabhupada: Everything is not religion. It is cheating. Only religion is to surrender to the Lord. That is religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmaḥ [SB 1.2.6].

Mr. Iyengar: I am a Vaisnavite, you see. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam papebhyo... [Bg 18.66].

Prabhupada: That is religion. That is religion. Moksayisyami ma sucaḥ.

Mr. Iyengar: Om namo narayana [recites mantra]. These are our..., is our mantra.

Prabhupada: Yes, yes, you are Vaisnava. The Vaisnava, that is real form of religion. Others, they are not religion. It has been rejected in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra [SB 1.1.2]. Atra, kaitavaḥ religion is rejected. Kaitavaḥ means cheating.

Mr. Iyengar: We have to surrender ourselves to God. That's all.

Prabhupada: That is religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Religion means the codes and the laws given by the Lord. That is religion. So if you one does not surrender to the Lord, then what kind of religion it is? It is not religion. Just like good citizen means who abides by the law of the state. If he does not care for the law, then what kind of good citizen he is? Similarly, if one does not surrender to the Supreme, then his religion has no meaning. It is simply cheating, that's all. What is your name?

Mr. Iyengar: Raj Gopal Iyengar.

Prabhupada: Brahmana.

Mr. Iyengar: Brahmana. Vaisnavite.

Prabhupada: Yes, Iyengars are all...

Mr. Iyengar: We belong to South India.

Mrs. Iyengar: Yesterday I saw you in the temple, I and my daughter.

Prabhupada: Yes. How many children you have got?

Mr. Iyengar: I have got three sons and four daughters.

Prabhupada: All daughters, sons.

Mr. Iyengar: Three sons. Three daughters are married. This daughter is to be married. She is a doctorate. She has got M.Sc., Ph.D., in nuclear physics. She went to England for one year.

Prabhupada: Where did you stay in England?

Daughter: Liverpool.

Prabhupada: Liverpool. I think we have got our branch.

Daughter: Manchester. I have seen, Manchester.

Prabhupada: Manchester you have seen? Oh. Manchester, Liverpool and London... London we have got two.

Mr. Iyengar: London, in London I have got my son. My son is there.

Prabhupada: Oh. What he is doing?

Mr. Iyengar: He is employed there.

Daughter: He's an accountant.

Mr. Iyengar: He's an accountant, cost accountant.

Prabhupada: Oh. So your children are also... [laughs]

Mr. Iyengar: I have got another boy in West Germany. West Germany, my last son.

Prabhupada: West Germany. Berlin?

Mr. Iyengar: No, he is in Frankfurt.

Prabhupada: Frankfurt. Oh, yes. Frankfurt is a big city. Sons are all married?

Mr. Iyengar: The last son is not married. Two sons are married. Three daughters are... This daughter is to be married. We are trying; not able to get a suitable groom, you see. With your blessings I hope we will succeed.

Prabhupada: [chuckles] Nowadays it is very difficult job to get married. [everyone laughs]

Mrs. Iyengar: Suitable.

Prabhupada: Well, suitable cannot be. There is no suitable.

Mr. Iyengar: Difficult to find.

Prabhupada: Yes. Formerly, as the girl is grown up, any boy.

Mr. Iyengar: We used to marry at the age of ten, eleven. That is... Those days... I mean forty years back.

Prabhupada: I was also married. My wife was eleven years old.

Mr. Iyengar: My wife was eleven when she was married. I was only sixteen when I was married. Only a difference of four or five years.

Prabhupada: Yes. And before that, I heard my father-in-law, he was eleven years old, and my mother-in-law was seven years old. My eldest sister was born at nine years old, and I was born after her marriage.

Mr. Iyengar: I see. Those old days are finished.

Prabhupada: All right, thank you. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna [end]