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760821r2.hyd
Room Conversation
About Blitz News Clipping August 21, 1976, Hyderabad Prabhupada: What is London?(?) There is appreciation. And send all these newspaper clippings about us in Hyderabad, how they are receiving.
Gargamuni: I had those printed up now.
Prabhupada: Even the chief minister.
Gargamuni: He said praises ISKCON.
Prabhupada: Make a strong case immediately, without delay.
Pradyumna: Get a friendly lawyer.
Pradyumna: "In point, in Bombay, a huge plot was acquired in Juhu for rupees fourteen lakhs. They have put up a temple there with a barbed wire fence around it."
Pradyumna: They just put things to make it seem like we're... (laughing) What is the... Everyone is...
Prabhupada: Yes, the barbed wire is there. No Blitz editor can go there. (laughter) No rogues and Blitz editors allowed. (laughter)
Gopala Krsna: I heard... Acarya was telling me when he came from America first in the Hare Krsna Land, that Blitz editor...
Prabhupada: You write this. The barbed wire is there to keep away the dogs and Blitz editor.
Pradyumna: "Then point: At Vrndavana, the famed Krsna spot, they are on a building spree. Already rupees twelve lakhs have been spent on an unfinished temple."
Prabhupada: Let them say(?) unfinished. When it was finished it was more than twenty lakhs...Fifty lakhs. And the temple was opened by the governor of U.P.
Pradyumna: We have mentioned that.
Gargamuni: And enclose his two letters. He wrote very nice letters. Very beautiful letters.
Prabhupada: Yes. Yes.
Gargamuni: He wishes us all success, and he begs for your blessings. He begs for your blessings.
Prabhupada: Yes, this letter should be... They should immediately be brought into court and charged the damage for fifty thousand dollars.
Pradyumna: And this is completely nonsense: "Their major concentration seems, however, to be in Orissa"we don't have anything in Orissa"the land of princes and paupers. They have built a center close to our atomic energy commission complex."
Prabhupada: That's all right.
Pradyumna: "Besides, they are planning to set up a Sanskrit university in Puri, the home of famed temples and one of the few spots in India blessed by Adi Sankara. Two devotees, Gurudasa Swami and Abhirama dasa visited Bhuvanesvara in April last to explore means to set up the university." Then in big heading, "Patnayak's interest in Krsna cult."
Prabhupada: That's nice.
Pradyumna: "They reportedly met also our deputy defense minister, J. B. Patnayak, who hails from Orissa. It is understood that Patnayak has asked the district magistrate of Puri to find land for ISKCON's Sanskrit university there. ISKCON is pursuing not only Krsna, it has started taking interest in politics also. It has founded a political party in the United States called "In God We Trust" Party. It has already contested civic elections in Los Angeles and intends to put up candidates for the U.S. Congress." We didn't do anything in Los Angeles. Only in Georgia. All wrong, complete...
Prabhupada: What is wrong there? In God We Trust, this party. Yes.
Prabhupada: They may say. But we want to put forward a God's party also. Why not? Everyone is godless party. We must push forward a God's party. What is the wrong there?
Prabhupada: Our whole movement is to educate this atheistic godless civilization to God consciousness. That is our movement. So if we set up a party, In God We Trust, what is the wrong there?
Gargamuni: In the same newspaper they print naked women. So we have God conscious party to stop this.
Prabhupada: To stop illicit sex.
Gargamuni: Yes.
Prabhupada: We are trying to elevate the demoralized human society to God consciousness.
Pradyumna: Then, "John Erdman, a U.S. citizen who sails under the label of (sic:) Jayapak Swami and is in charge of the flourishing Mayapura complex of the Society, recently had discussions with his chums to set up an In God We Trust Party in India also." Then, heading: "Bigger Than Defunct British Empire." "In a recent communication with Gargamuni Swami, alias Gregory M. Scharf, who looks after West Bengal, the chief from headquarters says, "Now we have become more than the British Empire"
Prabhupada: And what is British Empire? British Empire could not occupy the whole world. We are occupying the whole world.
Gopala Krsna: But what they've done is they opened a newsletter which Ramesvara Swami sent. And it must have been addressed to Gargamuni Swami. They must have stolen it from the postman by giving him two rupees.
Prabhupada: That's all right. We are trying to expand our empire, and it is already done all over the world.
Pradyumna: "Now we've become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we are. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly."
Prabhupada: You also explain, that British Empire expanded by military strength. And we are expanding by Ratha-yatra. We are expanding our empire simply by Ratha-yatra.
Pradyumna: Singing, dancing and chanting.
Prabhupada: Yes. We introduce three chariots in big, big cities, and conquered them.
Gargamuni: We are marching through the streets not with guns.
Prabhupada: They admitted, "Rival to Nelson Column" in Guardian even. So who is strong enough? We are stronger than British Empire. Simply by Ratha-yatra we are conquering. And actually that is being done. What I have got strength? Forty rupees beginning. Simply Hare Krsna and Ratha-yatra, that's all. That's a fact. They can see, they have got eyes.
Pradyumna: "The Indian government has been rather slow in picking up the ISKCON signals. One reason being that the genuine Krsna devotees in the administration had been mighty pleased in the beginning with the idea of exporting Krsna consciousness to America."
Prabhupada: Genuine?
Hari-sauri: That means the genuine ones are here in India, and they were pleased with the idea of exporting Krsna to America. So that means that the ones in America are not genuine.
Prabhupada: So "You are not genuine. Therefore we are not appreciating." Genuine they appreciate. "But you are not genuine. Therefore we are criticizing you."
Pradyumna: "As far back as 1971 the Maharastra government had taken action against the foreign devotees who had chosen to overstay in Bombay and elsewhere."
Gargamuni: That isn't true. Their action was to allow us to build our Bombay center.
Pradyumna: "In mid 1975 the Union Home Ministry took, however, a lenient view and allowed the immigrants to stay for long periods on the specious plea that the mastering of Vaisnava literature, the spiritual diet of the cultists, was not like learning shorthand." Then heading: "Contrary Pulls in Government." "Lately, of course, the center has become wise, though contrary pulls in the thinking process still persist. This was quite evident at the Raj..."
Prabhupada: This article no sane man will take notice of it. No sane man will like. It is not very important article.
Prabhupada: That's all right. So bring him into court. But what will be your charges?
Gargamuni: Defamation of our religious cult. Because we're recognized by scholars as being bona fide. It says here, "Ungodly face of Krsna cult." How is that ungodly?
Prabhupada: Yes, this is the charge. They are trying to minimize our...
Gargamuni: We are godly. There are so many quotes from big scholars.
Prabhupada: Yes, that very heading is a defamation.
Gargamuni: "We challenge you that you are ungodly. But we are godly because we follow the four principles." This man drinks, it shows a photo of him drinking.
Prabhupada: "Ungodly face of Krsna cult." This is the charge. That very heading is a defamation.
Gopala Krsna: And also the information that he has put to substantiate that is bogus. And we'll prove point by point how it is bogus.
Prabhupada: We should charge them "ungodly." "Ungodly face." This should be charged.
Prabhupada: Others are subordinate. This is the main charge. We are spreading Krsna, God, and he's "ungodly face." Minimizing the value of the movement.
Gargamuni: Defamation of character.
Prabhupada: So immediately you send letter to Asnani.
Prabhupada: That's all right, I will... No more
Gopala Krsna: Give it to me now. But Giriraja told me there was some... He doesn't want to hear anymore.
Prabhupada: What is that?
Gopala Krsna: But now they have requoted what was in the paper about what you know already, that thing that came up in the Parliament.
Prabhupada: So you quote from all these quotations. Ananda Bazaar and others. You give quotations. They may make a fresh pages so when court case is there this should be presented.
Gargamuni: Yes. Newspaper articles can stand as evidence because the Ananda Bazaar, they sent a whole team there, and the article they wrote was fantastic.
Gargamuni: They're here on Prabhupada's desk.
Prabhupada: So go and pick up and make arrangement immediately show them. One thing, that we have got this salagrama-sila. So if you like to personally worship, we can keep it. Otherwise I am sending to Bombay. Do you like to worship?
Pradyumna: We can take with us? Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pradyumna: We can make small thing like you used to have, small Deities? We can do that.
Prabhupada: Yes. Make a small box.
Prabhupada: So we can carry and every morning just put in a simhasana and tulasi and water and flower and little fruit. That's all. He has got tendency to worship.
Prabhupada: Panditji.
Prabhupada: Yes, they are pandita.
Gargamuni: He is training his son also.
Prabhupada: Yes, his son will be great pandita. Both of them are devotees, husband and wife. Therefore nice son is born. Yatha bijam yatha yoni. Yatha bijam yatha yoni. Yoni is the mother. Bijam is the father. Yatha bijam yatha yoni. So I'll not send it to Bombay.
Prabhupada: No, it is the safest place. In a linen handkerchief, bound up. Yes. So it is safe always, kantha. My father used to carry. Wherever he would stay, ganga-jala, tulasi, decoration. Say, half an hour business. My father was a great devotee. Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes. Because he was a pure Vaisnava. And he wanted me to become like this. He was praying Radharani. He was praying to Radharani. And any saintly person would come, he would simply say, "Give blessings to my son that he may become a Radharani's servant." That was my father's prayer. He never prayed that "My son may become very rich man." He never prayed like that. Actually, his ardent desire that his son may become a Vaisnava. And my Guru Maharaja's training has put me this position. That I have admitted. Later on. What is that word I have given? Hmm? Find out.
Gargamuni: "The eternal father?"
Prabhupada: Ahh!
Prabhupada: "The ideas given by my father were solidified by..."
Prabhupada: Read it.
Gargamuni: "To my father, Gour Mohan De, 1849-1930, pure devotee of Krsna, who raised me as a Krsna conscious child from the beginning of my life. In my boyhood ages he instructed me how to play the mrdanga. He gave me Radha-Krsna vigraha to worship and he gave me Jagannatha Ratha to duly observe the festival as my childhood play. He was kind to me, and I imbibed from him the ideas later on solidified by my spiritual master, the eternal father."
Gargamuni: Yes, very poetic.
Prabhupada: That is a fact. I got good father and good spiritual master. That's all.
Gargamuni: We have gotten bad father, but now we have spiritual father.
Gargamuni: They have not accepted your mercy.
Gopala Krsna: They'll all benefit by the son's devotional service. It doesn't matter how fallen they are, you know.
Prabhupada: My father never chastised me.
Prabhupada: Because he was very lenient. So mother had to be little strict for my education. So prepare a case for these rascals. We have got strong case. And charge, "Why you have made 'ungodly'? Prove it. What do you know about godly?" Charge them. So there will be discussion, long discussion, what is godly and what is not godly. Put them in the corner. "What do you know, rascal, about godly tradition? You have charged us, 'ungodly.' "
Gargamuni: He's a drunkard, that man. That editor, he drinks.
Prabhupada: Charge in the court, "What do you know about godly that you have charge us ungodly." Then it will be exposed. Do, immediately do. Immediately plan to bring in the court.
Hari-sauri: Actually, in the same newspaper they were doing a whole thing about Sai Baba. They had a big article about Sai Baba.
Prabhupada: Which newspaper, this?
Prabhupada: Just see.
Gopala Krsna: Sai Baba has a very big political following, including the chief minister of Bombay also.
Gargamuni: Home Ministers, Home Ministers wear his ring, Sai Baba ring.
Prabhupada: We don't touch about Sai Baba. We charge him, "What do you know about godly?" Don't bring any other men. Don't try to become that "All are useless, we are important." No. But whatever they are there. But they have directed "ungodly." "What do you know about godly, that you have said as ungodly?" Let him explain. And we are background Bhagavad-gita, approved. So why you are taking my pad?
Prabhupada: This is the, our member. Pencil and pad. Either he'll leave his own pencil or take my pencil. (laughter) That I am observing. All right. Go. So you'll take charge of this?
Pradyumna: Yes, I will come get it later. I'll get some silk.
Pradyumna: Yes.
Prabhupada: And some fine cloth. And you can decorate with this gopi-candana. That's all. And make a small linen dhoti and cadara, and flower and tulasi. That's all. And you have got that pot water, panca-patra. Bas. That's all. Patram puspam phalam. We have got the picture of Advaita Prabhu offering. The same thing here. Where is that picture?
Prabhupada: They are pleased with us. Otherwise, he would not have given.
Pradyumna: Their culture is dying in India. No one wants panditas anymore. But we are the only ones who are encouraging.
Prabhupada: You must encourage.
Pradyumna: Other, all young men... Panditas... That book isn't here.
Prabhupada: Teachings of Lord Caitanya?
Prabhupada: Adi-lila is not here.
Pradyumna: They took first volume. They don't have all the books here.
Prabhupada: No. They should be charged, "Why you have said 'ungodly face'? What do you know about God?"
Pradyumna: The courts can take it up also. In Allahabad when they were doing about the Congress Party having the cow, they said this is of the nature... They were discussing what is God in the court to make a decision. Something, what is God, what is religion. We can bring it up in the court. That will make a case celebre. Case celebre, they call it, affaire celebre.
Prabhupada: Yes. This case must be brought. Challenge them, "What do you know about God?" Explain. And we can prove God consciousness from every page of our books. That will be very interesting case. And we shall continue this unless this man is sufficiently fined.
Hari-sauri: This is a... That bit about... Some of it, there's the front page also. Thought you might like to read.
Prabhupada: "Evidence of fraud"? No?
Pradyumna: One man is trying to prove Sai Baba is fraud. One professor.
Hari-sauri: He's a scientist. He says he can prove that Sai Baba's making things appear and disappear is just a trick.
Prabhupada: He is a fraud. What is this paper?
Pradyumna: But there's something very interesting. When he manifests something, he gives evidence, he says, "This cannot be a creation, because to be a creation, to be God you must be creator. To be creator you must produce something which is uniquely not made by anyone else." So he said he's only making things that are already created by someone elsea watch. So he is...
Hari-sauri: He's producing a watch, then it's a watch that's made by some manufacturer. It's not made by Sai Baba. Like that. So there was a comment that even if he has some... He may have some supernatural power, but he's not God.
Prabhupada: So this paper is against Sai Baba also?
Pradyumna: No. On the front page it says... Because he is doing a lot of educational... He has made all these universities and health centers and everything. So it says that he is doing good to the people. So for that reason they said, "We don't want to see him criticized."
Prabhupada: So the case is already in the court?
Pradyumna: No, it is just a challenge. The Bangalore University, some people at Bangalore University want to investigate his things. And then Sai Baba sometimes, he won't submit to be examined.
Prabhupada: He submits?
Pradyumna: They want to have him come and examine him, that, "Do it and let us see." But he won't admit to be examined.
Prabhupada: That is his...
Hari-sauri: Some U.S. men, though, they gave a report that whilst they were talking to him he made different things appear and disappear. They wanted to examine him, and he wouldn't allow it. But during the course of the conversation he made several things appear and disappear. Like he produced this type of nut that comes from Nepal. It just appeared in his hand. And then he closed his hands and opened them up again and the nut, the same nut was there. But this time with some gold, a gold cross hanging from it.
Pradyumna: A Rudraksa. Some rare kind of Rudraksa. Then made it appear again with all gold, and then he gave it to the man.
Prabhupada: This is magic.
Hari-sauri: Still, even if he can do those things, it's only mystic siddhi. That doesn't mean to say he's God or an avatara or anything. But these people are so foolish they think anybody with a little magic, he must be avatara.
Pradyumna: They worship him as God. "Bhagavan Sai Baba."
Prabhupada: Anyway, we must bring this man charges. "Ungodly face."
Prabhupada: "Ungodly face," what is that?
Prabhupada: What is that ungodly face?
Pradyumna: That we... He said he has "Now unmasked the ungodly face of Krsna cult." That we're putting on a false face of being devotees of Krsna, but actually we have an ungodly purpose. That we want to...
Prabhupada: What ungodly we have done?
Pradyumna: That he does not come out and say, but he implies that we are foreign, that we want to exploit India somehow.
Prabhupada: Anyway, they are feeling the weight. Now they are feeling the weight. That is the progress. Otherwise, if our movement would have been a trifle thing, the government and newspapers they would not have taken care. Now they are feeling that this movement is going to be more and more important, all over the world.
Pradyumna: The more we go with these traveling parties also, from town to town.
Prabhupada: First thing is that when you take salagrama-seva, wherever you stay, this worship must go on daily.
Prabhupada: Yes. That you cannot... One day, if you are sick, your wife will do that. But that half an hour puja must continue. That you must decide.
Pradyumna: Yes. Yes. I saw those brahmanas in Udupi, they will never fail to do it under any condition. They have little box with salagrama, little sankha, little thing, little tulasi leaf they get. They will do that every day daily. They cannot...
Prabhupada: So both of you are initiated. In case you are little sick, your wife will do. In that platform you have to do it. Seva shall not be stopped. Gradually as your son grows, he will also do it. So you can purchase one little simhasana. That is available in any utensil shop. All right.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1976/aug/about_blitz_news_clipping/hyderabad/august/21/1976 Previous: Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad Next: Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad
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