Room Conversation – August 7, 1976, Tehran

Why you have given him such advice? He's a grhastha, he must have some money

Prabhupada: These are all local fruits? Or imported?

Atreya Rsi: Mostly local fruit. Now we have a lot of local fruits.

Prabhupada: You grow banana also?

Atreya Rsi: No, the banana is imported.

Parivrajakacarya: From South America, they bring bananas. All other things they grow.

Prabhupada: Grapes? Grapes you have got.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: Grapes, apple. Where is your eldest daughter?

Nandarani: This is Candramukhi.

Prabhupada: Oh. Oh, I saw you in Los Angeles?

Nandarani: Yes.

Prabhupada: You have got two or three girls?

Nandarani: Just two.

Prabhupada: Two. Is there arrangement for preparing khicuḍi with green peas?

Nandarani: Mung. With mung?

Hari-sauri: No, green peas.

Atreya Rsi: With green peas.

Nandarani: With green peas. Yes.

Prabhupada: Oh. So make little khicuḍi and curry and okra vegetable.

Nandarani: All right. We have chacchaḍi [mixed vegetables] and paratha. Do you want that also?

Prabhupada: Oh, you have already made?

Nandarani: But I can make khicuḍi, that's all right.

Atreya Rsi: Yes, we can make some khicuḍi.

Hari-sauri: Make some khicuḍi, and then whenever you can.

Prabhupada: Oh. I'll take also little paratha. Where is bathroom?

Dayananda: There's another room, for resting.

Prabhupada: For resting.

Dayananda: And you can go out this door, this here, and bathroom is on the other side of this resting room.

Prabhupada: That is all right.

Atreya Rsi: Let me show you, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Hari-sauri: This is the key to this cabinet, Srila Prabhupada. I put the bag in it. [break] ...very expensive.

Prabhupada: This is a rented house?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: What is the rent?

Atreya Rsi: The rent now it is twelve hundred dollars. But of course everything is now much more expensive. So I was negotiating in New York for better arrangements, because in Iran price is going up and up and up. And I told my company that they should buy one house.

Prabhupada: Here.

Atreya Rsi: Yes. And they have agreed. So there is going to be that house. We will buy something like this for Krsna.

Prabhupada: This is very nice.

Atreya Rsi: And also we have saved some money, we'll buy a temple also in addition to that.

Prabhupada: No, this is very nice. Dayananda, do you like it?

Dayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: It is very nice place, private. Everything is so nice. In winter, what is the temperature?

Atreya Rsi: Very cold.

Prabhupada: Very cold.

Parivrajakacarya: Yes, it snows.

Atreya Rsi: Like Vrndavana. Isn't it like?

Parivrajakacarya: It's colder than Vrndavana.

Hari-sauri: It doesn't snow in Vrndavana.

Prabhupada: Vrndavana, I don't think less than fifty.

Hari-sauri: It sometimes gets colder, I think. Nowadays anyway.

Atreya Rsi: Here it gets ten, fifteen.

Prabhupada: But there is no snow in Vrndavana.

Atreya Rsi: We have plenty of snow here.

Parivrajakacarya: We're very high. We're six thousand feet above sea level.

Pradyumna: We've got everything.

Atreya Rsi: Has it come in?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupada: Who has come?

Pradyumna: Just Harikesa and myself.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. So everything is clear?

Hari-sauri: The luggage and everything is here. I'll go now and see to it.

Prabhupada: So I am also very happy. Dayananda, you are here, and you can have more facilities. You family men, you require some money also. So your present situation is very nice?

Dayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: What they are paying you?

Dayananda: They are paying... I bring home about one thousand dollars per month.

Prabhupada: After deducting.

Dayananda: After deducting taxes.

Prabhupada: It is better than USA. You were getting six hundred there?

Dayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: So you are getting more? Why Gargamuni advised you to give up? I chastised him, "Why you have given him such advice? He's a grhastha, he must have some money. He has to take care of the children." Anyway, you have got better job now and better service also. Krsna has rewarded you for your service. Stick to it. Don't... If you like to serve here, you can be permanently settled. No, what is their rules?

Dayananda: It is quite easy, because they need...

Prabhupada: Service.

Dayananda: ...foreigners to come and work here.

Prabhupada: So that is very good.

Dayananda: So they give visas very easily for working.

Prabhupada: Oh. Especially to Americans?

Dayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: That's very good opportunity. Bring more Americans and start this movement nicely. Not necessarily that we have to establish a temple. We want to preach our philosophy. That is most important. Bhagavata-marga. There are two ways: bhagavata-marga and pancaratriki. The bhagavata-marga is more important than pancaratriki. Pancaratriki is Deity worship. So do you meet many intelligent men here? No. Not very.

Dayananda: Some intelligent. People are working very hard for money, and they're very materialistic.

Prabhupada: That is everywhere in the eastern part of the world. They are after money.

Dayananda: And the foreigners who come here also, they are materialistic also.

Prabhupada: Everywhere materialistic. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg 7.3]. Spiritualistic means siddhi, perfection. Who cares for perfection? Bring money and enjoy. That's all. Who cares for perfection? They do not know what is perfection. They think that you get money, you live comfortably as far as possible, and after death, everything's finished. Is it not?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: This is the philosophy. Who cares to know that there is life after death and better life, better planet, better world? This is not at all good; it is full of miseries. They are driving all day, car, but they do not think it is tiresome. They think it is pleasure. To have a car and drive whole day, they do not feel that it is tiresome. They think, "I have got a car. I'm driving, people are seeing. It is pleasure."

Parivrajakacarya: It is madness, how they can enjoy a city like that.

Prabhupada: But we do not deprecate. We simply say that do whatever you like, but do not forget your real business, self-realization, atma-tattvam. Self-realization, that is required. And if we live like cats and dogs and again become cats and dogs and pigs, that is not success. But there is chance if one does not know atma-tattva. Nature's law will work. Karanam guna-sahgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [Bg 13.22]. [background discussion about moving furniture] Hare Krsna. So, your son is sleeping?

Atreya Rsi: No, this is not my son.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Atreya Rsi: This is salt, Srila Prabhupada. This is watermelon. This is a different kind of melon. You prefer it here?

Prabhupada: This is local product?

Atreya Rsi: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Take some?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, please, please, Srila Prabhupada. If you like little salt on it?

Harikesa: Can I have the key? To lock up the passports and...

Prabhupada: What is that?

Atreya Rsi: This is a drink, Srila Prabhupada, made of some melon, different melon.

Prabhupada: This is also local?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, that is very local. Is that sweet, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: No, it is nice.

Atreya Rsi: It can become very sweet. Sometimes it is very, very sweet.

Prabhupada: Very nice.

Atreya Rsi: [aside, calling Nandarani's daughters:] Candramukhi? Vilasini?

Prabhupada: So, very nice. Like bael. In India, like bael. So nice fruits.

Atreya Rsi: Can I serve the devotees, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. It is so nice. You can distribute this also. All the devotees. Do they eat meat very much?

Parivrajakacarya: Yes, they are learning. Before ten years ago, they were..., everyone was very good Muslim, and they would eat a little bit of sheep. But today they are learning the...

Prabhupada: Beef.

Parivrajakacarya: Beef. Because they think the more they are like Americans, the better they are. But they have so many fruits and vegetables here, the land gives them so many wonderful things, but they think that they must eat meat.

Dayananda: There is an old poem, an old epic poem that we were told about that states that many thousands of years ago the Iranians were all vegetarian.

Prabhupada: It is Aryan culture. Iranian means Aryan. It is a apabhramsa of Arya, Iraya. And they are called Parsis. Parsis still, those who fled away from this place, they are just like Hindus. They have got sacred thread. In India.

Parivrajakacarya: They keep a sacred fire.

Prabhupada: Still there are, here?

Parivrajakacarya: A few, a few temples here.

Prabhupada: They are fire worshipers, Sūrya. Pancopasaka out of them. Their marriage ceremony is just like Hindus. [to guests entering] Namaskara, Hare Krsna.

Parivrajakacarya: The language is very...

Prabhupada: You have taken prasadam?

Atreya Rsi: You have food? Prasadam?

Mustafa: Yes.

Parivrajakacarya: The whole language here is very similar to Sanskrit, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: You can read this also. This is in Sanskrit. [to Iranian student, Mustafa:] You understand English?

Mustafa: English.

Prabhupada: Very good. Your country is very nice. So nice food, fruits.

Mustafa: Yes. Nice to meet you.

Prabhupada: Formerly, from Kashmir to central Asia, it was known as Bhū-svarga, especially Kashmir. Bhū-svarga.

Dayananda: Heaven on earth.

Prabhupada: Yes, heaven on the earthly planet.

Parivrajakacarya: We noticed that in one of the Srimad-Bhagavatams you mentioned that Kardama Muni had his asrama..., Kasyapa Muni I mean, on the shore of the Caspian Sea, which is just an hour from here by plane-it's ninety kilometers.

Prabhupada: Yes, yes, Caspian Sea. [drinking juice] This is made from a kind of fruit.

Nava-yauvana: Yes, a kind of melon.

Prabhupada: They are saying that the moon is full of dust. And dust is so brilliant? We have to believe this? The rascals, they are making this proposal. Huh? What do you think?

Dayananda: I don't think they know actually what they are talking about, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yes, actually that is fact. It is similar planet like the sun, but it is surrounded by cold atmosphere, therefore it is so pleasing. And because it is far away from the sun-the distance between moon and earth is more than the distance between the sun and the earth-therefore sun looks bigger and it looks smaller. We are contemplating having a planetarium with electric arrangement. You'll have to work. The whole planetary system is moving from east to west, and the sun, moon and the seven [indistinct], they are up and down. [to child:] Come on. Hare Krsna. Chant Hare Krsna. He can speak?

Atreya Rsi: No, just a few words.

Prabhupada: Two years?

Atreya Rsi: Almost.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. You have got any fruit tree in the garden?

Atreya Rsi: Some pear trees, some apple.

Prabhupada: Peach? No.

Atreya Rsi: No. We used to have a cherry tree, but it died. We also have a pomegranate tree.

Prabhupada: Good pomegranate?

Atreya Rsi: Not very good.

Prabhupada: These boys, do they inquire about something? [coughing heavily]

Atreya Rsi: Yes. Hussein Prabhu has been coming here for...

Prabhupada: Bring some spittoon. You can keep it here. They understand English?

Atreya Rsi: They understand English, yes, some English. Hussein Prabhu has been coming here for a few months. He's chanting. He's a very, very pious boy. Before he came here, he was chanting names of God and following the four regulations.

Prabhupada: Very good.

Atreya Rsi: Very nice. And he is coming recently. He's also interested. He is a vegetarian, does not eat meat, and he's following the four regulations, and he's starting to chant now.

Prabhupada: And he...

Atreya Rsi: He's been coming for two, three months. He's chanting sixteen rounds, and as I said, before he came here, he was chanting various names of God as they are prescribed in Koran. And when he saw that we were chanting names of God, he immediately became attracted. He said, "This is right." Because he knows also that from Koran he should chant the names of God.

Prabhupada: Oh. In the Koran chanting is recommended?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, definitely.

Prabhupada: The more you chant God's name, your heart becomes cleansed. [Atreya Rsi translates as Prabhupada speaks] Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc Antya 20.12]. So God has many names. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended God's name must be... It doesn't matter the language is different. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktiḥ [Cc Antya 20.16]. In each name the full power of God is there.

Hussein: [speaks in Arabic]

Atreya Rsi: Hussein Prabhu says that his goal in life is to translate your Bhagavad-gita.

Prabhupada: Oh, very good.

Atreya Rsi: Yes, this is Hussein. He's a very, very sincere boy.

Prabhupada: So do it immediately. Somebody, some Arabian student made some translation?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, there was some translations of Īsopanisad.

Prabhupada: Where he is, that boy?

Atreya Rsi: Into Arabic. He's in Europe. He is Palestinian boy. He is asking how should this translation be done? What is your recommendation, if you have any suggestion?

Prabhupada: Of course, I am not well versed in your language, but you simply, if you understand that English and translate it into Parsi, that will do. As it is, you translate. Don't make any change. Then it will be all right. [Atreya Rsi translates] And when there is difficulty, you can ask Atreya Rsi. Harikesa.

[pause]

Prabhupada: Where is Harikesa? Harikesa? [Atreya Rsi leaves to find him] Where he is?

Nava-yauvana: Mustafa asked a question: How to spread Krsna consciousness in this country? It seems difficult to him, because the people's reaction... It's very foreign. The outward appearance of devotees is very strange to them. He wants to know how this philosophy can be spread here.

Prabhupada: The first thing is that what do you mean by Krsna. That is to be understood. "Krsna" means God. So if you have no objection to chant the name of God, then there is no difference of opinion. Now first of all I may ask you, "What do you mean by God?" You are chanting the holy name of God, and people may ask you, "What do you mean by God?" Because especially nowadays... [aside:] No, there is matches? Give this. [devotees lighting incense] Come near. So first question will be, "What do you mean by God?" If I, I or anybody, asks you, "What do you mean by God?"

Mustafa: I cannot explain, because now...

Prabhupada: But that you must explain. If you are chanting the name of God, then you must know what do you mean by God.

Mustafa: Mean, when I feel, I will get spiritual, my feeling

Prabhupada: The spiritual, what do you mean by spiritual?

Mustafa: Means I put everything that is bad and dirty inside, and I feel it's dirty really, and I make it out, all of them.

Prabhupada: What is inside and what is outside?

Mustafa: Outside? I don't know what is inside.

Prabhupada: Then you do not know. You do not know outside, inside?

Mustafa: When I do wrong, for example. When I do lie, when I do something, when I see wrong.

Prabhupada: Wrong..., one thing is wrong in my country, and that is right in your country. Just like animal slaughter is wrong according to our Vedic civilization. Unnecessary animal slaughter is forbidden. But in your country or in other Western countries, they kill so many animals. So what is wrong, what is right? Who will decide?

Mustafa: That's the reason I don't kill animals and I don't eat meat, for three years now.

Prabhupada: That's very good, very good idea. [Atreya Rsi explains what Prabhupada is asking to Mustafa in Persian] When we want God, to understand, we must try to understand what is God, what do you mean by God. The God definition is given in the dictionary..., what is that? "Supreme being."

Atreya Rsi: Supreme controller?

Prabhupada: "Supreme controller." So how do you understand that supreme controller? What do you mean by supreme controller? In this way we should try to understand what is the idea carried by the word "God." We have got..., in our Vedic language, we have got definition of God, that,

"God" means He must possess all the wealth. Just like in Persia you have got so many wealthy persons, but nobody can claim, even the Shah cannot claim, that he possesses all the wealth. That is not possible, partial. Do you follow what I say? [Atreya Rsi translates throughout] So this is one of the items, that God is the richest, or He possesses all the wealth. Similarly, He possesses all the strength, He possesses all the beauty, He possesses all knowledge, and He is the renouncer also, the most exalted renouncer. Although He possesses so many things, He is renounced. Just like this universe is the property of God, but He has given to you, all the living entities: "Now you wanted to enjoy, enjoy it to your best capacity." He doesn't interfere. "All right, you go on." And we are trying to enjoy this material world to our best capacity. Just like in Iran, you are trying to enjoy by exploiting the oil. Similarly, somebody is exploiting. It is all God's property. He doesn't interfere. "All right, enjoy." This is renouncement. His property, He does not come to interfere. God knows how this universe is made. So many big, big scientists, they are trying to understand what is the constitution, how this universe is made, how it is created. Nobody knows, but He knows. Just like you have got this body, I have got this body, but we do not know everything of this body. I do not know how many hairs are there. Is it not? So, so many things. I am eating, and it is transformed into blood, and it is directed towards brain, towards other parts of the body, and we are working very strong. But we do not know how things are happening, although I am claiming I am this body, "I am my body." But God knows every particular, any... Anvayad itarataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. How the stone is made, He knows. How this flower is colored, He knows. That is called wise, wisdom. Vedaham sarvam..., samatitani. [Bg 7.26] He knows. That is God. He is the possessor of all wealth, all knowledge, all beauty, all strength, all influence. In this way you have to understand God.

Hari-sauri: They've brought the prasadam up now?

Prabhupada: You can bring here. Who is there in the bathroom?

Hari-sauri: They're just cleaning it out. They're giving you the big bathroom because it has a Western toilet and a nice shower and separate everything. It's very nice. And we'll use the small one. They're just cleaning it now. If you want, you can use.

Prabhupada: Close this door; otherwise if you come there, it will be disturbance.

Harikesa: Nandarani's making khicuḍi with the peas and okra.

Prabhupada: Okra could be done separately. Let her do independently.

Atreya Rsi: She's doing both. She first mixed it, now she's also making separate.

Prabhupada: Oh. Anyway, let her do it. She was cooking for me in Mayapur.

Harikesa: I heard you like it very much.

Prabhupada: Yes. The more you become eager to know God, God will reveal Himself. [Atreya Rsi translates as Prabhupada speaks] From our side, we should not be stereotyped. People in different sects of religion, they say, "We believe." But they do not want to go further than they believe. That is very difficult. You must be dynamic and progressive, then you will have. I have talked with many sects, especially Christian priests. They will say, "We believe"-no more further than that.

Atreya Rsi: That's right.

Prabhupada: So knowledge is not like that. Knowledge must be progressive. "We believe there is no soul of the animal"-bas, fixed up. You believe like a rascal, so I shall remain rascal. What is this? We should be progressive. That is wanted. Of course, in the lower stage one may have a type of belief, but if you want more clearly, you must be progressive. [Atreya Rsi translates] According to Vedanta system, the life, human life, is only for inquiring about Brahman: athato brahma-jijnasa. We shall talk again.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. [end]