Room Conversation – January 16, 1977, Calcutta

Large quantity water is not contaminated

Prabhupada: But one cannot give up the family life, and it was an opportunity to give up family life. So it is blessing in disguise.

Abhirama: I'm sometimes thinking that if my activities were more purified...

Prabhupada: Yes. Always be engaged in Krsna's service.

Abhirama: But trouble is, it seems that in my..., engaged in management work, sometimes my spiritual activities suffer. That is unfortunate.

Prabhupada: No, no. Management is also spiritual activity. Why do you take like that? It is Krsna's establishment.

Abhirama: But my wife never sees that. Unless I am just chanting japa and offering Deity worship, otherwise it's all nonsense.

Prabhupada: Well, after all is a woman. [chuckles] She has no much intelligence. But here, to manage Krsna's affairs is also Krsna's work. Don't take it otherwise. We must be engaged in Krsna's business. That's all. That is our duty. Fighting is very good business? Killing? But why Arjuna "Yes"? Karisye vacanam [Bg 18.73]. That is Krsna conscious. And Krsna said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg 4.3]: "You are My devotee, very dear friend." What he was doing? Fighting. The fighting is good business, to kill others? But for Krsna's sake.

Abhirama: Sometimes I am thinking...

Prabhupada: He personally denied, "No, no, no. I don't want this kingdom." Personally he had no desire. But when he saw that Krsna wants it, "All right. I shall do it." And this is Krsna conscious.

Abhirama: I always thought that you appreciate it when we try to manage, so therefore I have tried to stay on here.

Prabhupada: No, you are managing very well. I am very satisfied. Do it. [pause] There was no water. Sometimes the tap becomes...

Abhirama: Because so many guests are here today.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Abhirama: Some of these boys do not know how to use water.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is...

Abhirama: They wash clothes with three or four buckets of water. But otherwise there's...

Prabhupada: Some of them should go there, in the pond.

Abhirama: I have just informed today.

Prabhupada: Yes. When you have got that water tank, it is enjoyable, more, to take bath.

Abhirama: Yes. It is Ganga water also. Ganga water.

Prabhupada: Yes. So as far as possible they should go there.

Hari-sauri: I bathed there this afternoon. It was all right.

Prabhupada: Yes, it is very nice. Avagahana, bath. To dip into the water is refreshing, very refreshing. It is enjoyable. You artificially create tank in your country, bathing tank, and here is tank. Why should you not enjoy?

Hari-sauri: Swimming pools.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Abhirama: Gargamuni Swami says it is contaminated, that water.

Prabhupada: "It is contaminated for you, not for us." Why contaminated? So many people are taking. In Bengal, all villagers, they take bath in the pond, this tank. Large quantity water is not contaminated. A small quantity water is contaminated.

Abhirama: Everything is there, the fish and this...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Abhirama: Everything is keeping it clean. So Srila Prabhupada? I have built one home at Mayapur. Perhaps you have been told. My plan was to leave my wife there, because she likes a peaceful place. City life she cannot live. And I would stay in Calcutta, say, four days a week and go on weekends to Mayapur.

Prabhupada: That's nice. Go.

Abhirama: That way there would be some separation. At the same time she would have...

Prabhupada: Gradually full separation. And she'll be... [break] [end]