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760708rc.wdc
Room Conversation
July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C. Prabhupada: Give little, a small pot.
Dr. Sharma: Prabhupada, you have given such beautiful temples, so many devotees, now to have a point of jump so that all India and all the world and other people can join in this. Your answers today were very penetrating. That can help a lot, saying that people can work outside but still be devotees, and if they can chant, if they can devote work, and if they can submit all the fruits of their actions, if this can be somehow made available, this particular...
Prabhupada: It is available.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, but these few questions only, the answers, that these are from you and these are there, then it will be a point of jump in the movement. It will be a big jump in the movement. And what can we do...?
Prabhupada: So come and join us and help us.
Dr. Sharma: I would be most honored to do it, and I am trying from the outside.
Prabhupada: No, you are in Washington?
Dr. Sharma: Yes, I am in Washington.
Prabhupada: So organize here. Talk with the scientists and everyone here.
Dr. Sharma: I come two or three times a week for the temple, and I will be coming more.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Sharma: Your idea of the Institute is possibly the most magnificent idea, because that will bring all the scientists...
Prabhupada: Yes, actually it is. At least those who are Indians, let them join. It is Indian culture.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, it is such a wonderful thing. I was a hard-core Vedantist before I came, and I was not satisfied. I think that by chanting one really changes. Yes.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Dr. Sharma: I bring all the Indian people I can, because I know, I am a scientist, I still believe in God.
Prabhupada: What is your subject matter?
Dr. Sharma: I have four doctorates in four different areas.
Prabhupada: Oh?
Dr. Sharma: I have a Ph.D. in chemistry, a Ph.D. in biochemistry, a Doctor of Science in clinical endocrinology. I have a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry of London, which is a higher Ph.D. I am in computer information and control engineering...
Prabhupada: Royal College of... That... What is is called?
Dr. Sharma: Royal Institute of Chemistry, London. And I have a law degree. And I am in computer information and control engineering.
Prabhupada: (laughing) You are such a big man. Kindly join us and help us.
Dr. Sharma: I would be most honored, and I'm slowing trying to work it out in such a way that I can...
Prabhupada: No, the formula is all given in this Bhagavad-gita.
Dr. Sharma: I find your Bhagavad-gita most illuminating as compared to other Gitas I have read, the translations.
Prabhupada: We are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is, that's all.
Dr. Sharma: How can we best serve the movement? By joining it? I have joined it in a...
Prabhupada: Pranair arthair dhiya vacaih: "By life, by money, by intelligence, by words." Either four or three or two, at least one. Then it will be all right.
Dr. Sharma: I'll be writing...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Sharma: ...about the movement in scientific journals.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Sharma: That I'll be writing.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Sharma: And I'll be writing...
Prabhupada: That is dhiya.
Dr. Sharma: And I'll be writing...
Prabhupada: Vacaih.
Dr. Sharma: I'll also be writing in scientific way, books about it.
Prabhupada: You write in our... We are going to publish one magazine.
Dr. Sharma: 'Cause I think the movement is very scientific.
Dr. Sharma: I shall write in books and give it to the editors here to use it the way they best can. I normally publish... I only last month got a medical prize, a large prize, for medicine. My name is known internationally, medical journals. So I'll submit it to the Book Trust.
Prabhupada: So, you are qualified medical man?
Dr. Sharma: No, I am only in research. I am not qualified to practice medicine, but in clinical medical practice and clinical journals I am qualified. I used to be...
Prabhupada: From chemical point.
Dr. Sharma: No, from medicine point.
Prabhupada: Accha?
Dr. Sharma: From medicine point. In physics and mathematics I'll write in those ways, and I'll submit it and let them use it the way they feel like it. Previously I was with the asrama.
Prabhupada: Which asrama?
Dr. Sharma: Kohasat(?)
Prabhupada: Accha.
Dr. Sharma: And before that with the Swami Ram Tirtha Mission in New York. I was a follower of Vivekananda.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Dr. Sharma: And at the Belior Math in Belior Math Daksinesvara in Calcutta. But I find that by really chanting... I was crying to God, literally, at night, that "Find me the path again," and then I found your movement. And I find it, yes, it does make a difference. I was also amazed that evening when the first two days ago I was thinking I will ask you five slokas of Gita to give me. Out of that, you discussed four. And I was meditating on Hardwar, where I was born. All the time your face was appearing behind Ganges, and it was very strange phenomena. I do not know when I will be fortunate enough to have your darsana again, but in the meantime, I'm slowly... I feel that this movement you have done supernatural thing. Now, somehow...
Prabhupada: That's a great certificate, because it is coming from you.
Dr. Sharma: It's a supernatural thing. I do not believe that it is natural. It is in the world and eternal. I have been here... To be able to convert these people, to be able to make devotees, is unnatural.
Pusta Krsna: I don't know, Srila Prabhupada. That indemnity bond? I think I can pack it away until New York City.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Prabhupada: Who will pack it?
Prabhupada: What is that?
Dr. Sharma: Today's discussion was possibly the most magnificent, and very clearly given, about people can be in work as well as...
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Dr. Sharma: ...devotees. This, today's discussion, if that is available in some publication form, just that much, then I shall be most happy to distribute it among all the Indians.
Prabhupada: Yes, do it.
Dr. Sharma: I will do that.
Prabhupada: Sthane sthitah... That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's recommendation. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain your place, but engage your body, tanu, vak, your words, and mind. Tanu-van-manobhih. Engage all these things for Krsna. So tanu means senses. You hear about Krsna and act for Krsna. Then vak, automatically, words, and mind also. If you hear of Krsna, you'll think of Him. In this way there is no need of changing the place, Sthane sthitah. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih, prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi: "My Lord, You are Ajita, nobody can conquer You. But this person who has engaged his body, mind and words for Your service, he can conquer You." Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. This was spoken by Lord Brahma, that there is no question of changing position. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never says so, neither sastras. But in a regulative way there are steps, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. But on the transcendental platform these things are useless. Simply engage in the service of the Lord. That is mukti.
Dr. Sharma: I am thinking that when the Institute is formed, I shall perform all the services, whatever are needed to help.
Prabhupada: Kindly do that.
Dr. Sharma: I'll be doing that. I'll be writing now, and...
Prabhupada: Your family is also here?
Dr. Sharma: Yes, I will be married very soon, in about a month.
Hari-sauri: They said Svarupa Damodara went down to the prasadam pavilion, so we sent someone down to find him.
Prabhupada: Oh. Good. Now here is... All right.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, we think that you have done supernatural things. We can do at least just a little bit, just a little bit.
Prabhupada: Finishing touch.
Dr. Sharma: Well, no, just a little bit. We will not be able finish it, but we will be able to...
Prabhupada: No, the student does roughly, and the master gives the finishing touch, painting.
Dr. Sharma: You are very kind. But we will try. It is supernatural. To me...
Prabhupada: Now here is Dr. Sharma. He is Ph.D. in four subject matters, and he is a lawyer, so he's very highly qualified man, and he wants to give his all aid so that...
Prabhupada: Yes. And he is convinced about our bonafideness of this movement. So by his example many other qualified Indians... And it is the business of the Indian. It is Indian culture. They are accepting. Present them most scientifically, and it will be a glory of India.
Dr. Sharma: It is up to us to bring Krsna's words now...
Prabhupada: Yes. Yes.
Dr. Sharma: ...to the world. He wanted us to do.
Prabhupada: Yes, kindly do that. So you talk with him in detail how to, if you..., whether our, this branch will be situated... They say here it is good?
Prabhupada: But he can write. He give you.
Svarupa Damodara: Oh, yes, he can furnish it in so many ways, and we are going to need Dr. Sharma's help, because he's in the government agency in the scientific field, so...
Prabhupada: Yes. If he wants to help us, he can help us in so many ways.
Dr. Sharma: Yes, I'll be very much honored to help.
Prabhupada: And he's convinced. He's not an ordinary person. He's convinced. So let us take his help and...
Dr. Sharma: I'll see what the government and the foundations... I can go to the foundation to help it. Once the Institute is formed, I can go to the foundations to get the money from them both to support the movement or the Institute for education.
Prabhupada: Yes. Yes.
Dr. Sharma: Once we get started on that... You must be very tired now. You have...
Prabhupada: Yes, yes.
Dr. Sharma: I do not know when I will be fortunate to have your darsana again, but I certainly think God will again give me the blessing to have your darsana. India is fortunate to have...
Prabhupada: We shall see every moment, every day with our work. If the work is going on, then I see you, you see me. (laughs)
Dr. Sharma: And I think that Vivekananda came here before. He brought some things. After that, nothing was brought out. The only thing which has been brought out which is genuine, which is really in the benefit...
Prabhupada: Indian culture, it is really...
Dr. Sharma: These are the only two things which I have seen.
Dr. Sharma: I will remember you always out of seeing you in this.
Prabhupada: Your full name?
Dr. Sharma: Dinesh.
Prabhupada: Very nice name.
Dr. Sharma: Dinesh Sharma.
Dr. Sharma: God's kindness has brought me to your feet.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1976/jul/washington/july/08/1976 Previous: Room Conversation with Scientists -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C. Next: Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York
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