Room Conversation – July 4, 1972, New York

720704R1-New York [27:05 Minutes]

Why don't you carry your tridanḍa with you?

Prabhupada: How Krsna was born?

Devotee child (1): He had a birth ceremony when Krsna was born.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee child (1): Krsna had His birth ceremony when He was born.

Prabhupada: That's all right. How He took birth?

Devotee child (1): He take birth? Or four-armed form.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee child (1): He took birth as four-armed form. He came out from Devaki's womb.

Prabhupada: You have seen any child with four arms? Have you seen?

Devotee child (1): Hmm.

Prabhupada: Where?

Devotee child (1): In pictures.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee child (1): In the picture. Here.

Prabhupada: Picture. In life have you seen four arms? No?

Devotee child (1): What?

Prabhupada: One child with four arms, have you seen?

Devotee children: No.

Prabhupada: No?

Devotee child: (2) We're not pure enough yet. We don't have spiritual eyes.

Devotee child (3): You have to have a spiritual body to see Krsna?

Devotee child (2): Can you see Krsna?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee child (2): How does He look like?

[pause] How you translate?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee child (1): Is that where you translate books?

Prabhupada: Oh, he's taking photograph?

Devotee (1): He's just...

Devotee child (1): Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee child (1): How can I serve you better?

Prabhupada: Read Krsna book daily. Chant Hare Krsna.

Devotee child (2): How many rounds should we do a day?

Prabhupada: No need for it. Where is the kirtana going on?

Atreya Rsi: On the street. They are getting ready for sahkirtana.

Devotee child (1): Someone has to be here to meet you.

Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada? We've got a traveling sahkirtana group coming here [indistinct] from Dallas. The boys are stopping to see you.

In two days Dvarakadhisa distributed about one hundred of your Back to Godheads, and so many Krsna books. And all the boys took part in sahkirtana. It would be very nice for them...

Prabhupada: They want to see me? They want to see me?

Atreya Rsi: No, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Then? What he says?

Atreya Rsi: He says that when they were on their way to New York City, the students distributed hundred Back to Godhead and went on sahkirtana.

Devotee (2): In two days Dvarakadhisa distributed over a hundred.

Atreya Rsi: And Dvarakadhisa did over a hundred in two days.

Prabhupada: Very good. That's a great service. What is that?

Atreya Rsi: He has a camera. He's making a movie.

Prabhupada: Oh. Why it is fixed up?

Atreya Rsi: [to devotee:] What are you doing?

Devotee (3): Oh, I was watching the boys' faces... Watching them.

Atreya Rsi: You're not shooting yet?

Devotee (3): No. At any time I can shoot, yes.

Atreya Rsi: Yes. [to Prabhupada] He's adjusting the camera.

Devotee child (2): How come you don't you carry your tridanḍa with you?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee child (2): Why don't you carry your tridanḍa with you?

Prabhupada: I carry it sometimes.

Devotee child (1): Srila Prabhupada, when you drink like that, that's suci, right?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee child (1): When you drink like that, that's suci.

Prabhupada: Suci? Yes.

Devotee child (1): Suci.

Atreya Rsi: He is asking, "When you drink like that, it is sutri?"

Children: Suci.

Atreya Rsi: Suci.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Atreya Rsi: Suci.

Prabhupada: That's right, don't touch the mouth. That's all right.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya. [children pay obeisances and leave] [pause] Srila Prabhupada, it will be possible for us to have a few minutes' conversation, for them to..., for as an interview, so that they can film?

Prabhupada: What interview?

Atreya Rsi: I will ask some questions about how..., when you came to this country.

Prabhupada: That you know. You can say. These are ordinary things.

Atreya Rsi: But they would like it... They would like to see...

Prabhupada: They make like, but why should we waste our time in that?

Atreya Rsi: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Well, could we..., could we...?

Prabhupada: They say ordinary question. Why do you ask?

Atreya Rsi: Well, I can ask, I can...

Prabhupada: That you can ask. But these are simply ordinary question anyone can answer. If there is serious question, that understanding, that is different.

Atreya Rsi: Yes. They would like to let us..., we could ask you questions, serious questions, for the benefit of the audience.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Atreya Rsi: They would like to film the, the...

Prabhupada: I can ask?

Atreya Rsi: ...the devotees asking questions for the audience.

Prabhupada: They make radio, television, they ask the same question. They do not know what question they can ask. The real..., it is meant for the philosophy of life, but they, they do not know.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: So why this ordinary question to be repeatedly made and I answer it? A waste of time. This is a serious movement. One should be responsible men, leaders of the society. If you want to take some benefit out of this movement, they should question.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: And they should..., if it is nice, they should take it. Then it will be benefit.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: Simply go on questioning, they'll never do it, never accept it.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: You see? That will not be effective. Simply a waste of time.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: Here is a formula, Krsna consciousness. They actually see how we are changing the character.

Atreya Rsi: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: So the leaders of the society, they should be serious, will adopt this-in the educational system, in their private life. In that way they shall ask some question, then it will benefit. Otherwise it will be simply a show.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya, Prabhupada. I understand. I understand.

Prabhupada: So, you are carrying the whole Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu with you?

Pradyumna: Me?

Prabhupada: Bhakti-rasa..., no?

Pradyumna: Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

Pradyumna: No, I had it here.

Prabhupada: Oh, here.

Pradyumna: I left it here. Just have a Xerox. I left my Bhagavad-gita here, and some other books. I didn't take 'em to India. That Hari-..., hari-namamrta.

Prabhupada: Black cover?

Pradyumna: Yeah. A few other books I left here. Srila Prabhupada? Well, like, there's an old friend of mine that I had, I called up to come and see you today. He's very nice. At five o'clock. He's going for his Ph.D. in theology at Columbia, and he's also an expert Russian scholar.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Pradyumna: He's been to Russia several times, and uh, it would be very nice...

Prabhupada: This, this kind of question and interview we are interested.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: So ordinary men, why this tilak..., why you are's head is shaven when you came, what is the benefit of such a thing?

Atreya Rsi: Jaya, Prabhupada. Jaya!

Prabhupada: They do not know...

Atreya Rsi: So...

Prabhupada: Now, the Russian scholar, he will, theologian, he can describe about God, what is the nature of God.

Atreya Rsi: So maybe we can ask him to come at five o'clock...

Prabhupada: Yes, that would be nice.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya Prabhupada.

Pradyumna: And also some of our men, like Prajapati is an M.A. in theology, and Ravindra-svarūpa M.A. in philosophy.

Prabhupada: Ah.

Pradyumna: And they will be here too, and it will be nice to hear discussion.

Prabhupada: That's right. That discussion [indistinct], from students of philosophy, theology, what is their idea of God, what they are thinking, what is their defect, we can talk. Ordinary men you can..., you try to avoid it. If they want some question, you can ask.

Atreya Rsi: Yes. Jaya.

Devotee (5): Srila Prabhupada? I am one of the teachers in the Gurukula...

Prabhupada: Ahh.

Devotee (5): ...and one of the boys, Ekendra, his mother, Kalindi, she wants to take him away from the school.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee (5): She wants to take him away from the school. So she's leaving it up to you, to your decision, as to whether the boy goes with her or stays in the Gurukula school. He's progressing very nicely at Gurukula. The school is just starting. He's very intelligent boy.

Prabhupada: So why he is taking? Why she is taking?

Atreya Rsi: Kalindi wants..., likes to take Ekendra.

Prabhupada: Why?

Devotee (5): She's very attached.

Atreya Rsi: Attached.

Prabhupada: That's all right. So she's mother. If she wants to take, what can I do? She doesn't like her son to be Krsna conscious? Where she is?

Atreya Rsi: She's here, actually. She is serving Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Atreya Rsi: She is serving, but she is not sure if that would be the best thing. She's attached. Maybe...

Prabhupada: So you convince her that ordinary schools going, there are so many ordinary schools and students, where the students are coming out useless hippies. "Do you like to have your son to become hip..., which are hippies?" Ask her this question.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Because we practically see, all the college students are hippies. Irresponsible vagabonds. If she wants her son to become like that, that is different thing. Irresponsible vagabonds, that is the present status of this country. The majority of the students, they are becoming irresponsible vagabonds. Is it not?

Atreya Rsi: Yes, correct. We all have experience in that, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yes, if she, if she wants son to become irresponsible, irresponsible vagabond, in the association... Of course, our Dallas also we should take very much care so that we may not also produce irresponsible vagabond. We don't want irresponsible vagabonds.

Atreya Rsi: Srila Prabhupada, what are your instructions to the parent..., to the teachers as to how they treat parents? I have heard several parents sometimes complain that..., that they don't get enough news about their children from the teachers. Should teacher let the parents know about the children?

Prabhupada: So our, the small children teaching...

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: ...means they should learn alphabet.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: How to read and write. That is the first thing.

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: And balance, they should learn how to become Vaisnava.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya!

Prabhupada: That's all.

Atreya Rsi: And we let the parents know how the children is progressing? Do we have responsibility to parents, to let them know, inform them about the progress of children?

Prabhupada: Oh, we have no time for such talk. If he, he or she can come and see. We have no such. That is ordinary school.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya.

Prabhupada: Our progress is how the student is becoming Krsna conscious.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya.

Prabhupada: That is our point. And because he has to read nicely, he has to speak nicely, he must be literate, not illiterate.

Atreya Rsi: To read your books?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya.

Prabhupada: So that by reading the books they will have immense knowledge.

Atreya Rsi: This generation...

Prabhupada: This much we want.

Atreya Rsi: ...are very fortunate, Prabhupada. They're very fortunate.

Devotee (5): They fight a lot, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee (5): They fight a lot.

Prabhupada: That children should fight, but if you give them..., give them good arrangement, more engagement for chanting Hare Krsna. Always engage them in chanting Hare Krsna.

Devotee (5): They should do as much japa as possible.

Prabhupada: Yes. They should have no scope; simply chant and dance, daily engagement, I have repeatedly said that they should play Krsna play-cowherds boy going to the forest, someone, someone has become cow, like that.

If they have got good engagement, and sometimes they fight-after all, they're coming from fighting father and mother. So you have to train them.

Atreya Rsi: Yes. [laughter]

Prabhupada: The father and mother, they're also fighting. [laughter]

Atreya Rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: So what is their fault?

Atreya Rsi: We have a lot of plays that they could fight in the play.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Atreya Rsi: Krsna playing, fighting the demons.

Prabhupada: Then they are Krsna conscious. Somehow or other, this is the goal. In fighting also there is Krsna. Somebody may become a demon, [indistinct] Krsna is fighting, carrying Him away. These are described in the Krsna book. [indistinct].

Devotee (5): I noticed that, that everything is in there, even blind man's bluff and hide and seek. These things originated in the spiritual world.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee (5): That everything is in the Krsna book to engage the children.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Atreya Rsi: Children here play hide and seek, which is also..., the gopis play.

Devotee (5): Cowherd boys.

Atreya Rsi: Cowherd boys play the game.

Prabhupada: Yes, also in India. That is a popular play for children. We..., we played. It gives great pleasure, that "I have hidden. My friend cannot see me." This is going on.

Atreya Rsi: Srila Prabhupada, if she decides to leave her child at the school, what are the instructions to her? She should not write him, or she should come... How often can she come to visit him?

Prabhupada: As many times as she likes.

Atreya Rsi: Oh.

Prabhupada: She may come daily, or she can remain there to see.

Atreya Rsi: Oh. Jaya.

Devotee (6): Can I ask a question?

Atreya Rsi: He's another teacher.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee (6): Can I ask you a question?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Devotee (6): That many, many devotees have, have since I have arrived here, have asked me questions about how..., how to treat the children, how to..., how to teach the children, and they have, you know, there are many children in other temples besides Gurukula who are either are not, not of age yet, or who have not been sent yet...

Prabhupada: Everyone is of age. That is all right. It is not that there is no age limit. Anyone who can remain, that is the best thing. But with very small children, I think nowadays after three years children can begin.

Devotee (6): After three? After three? Jaya. They, they've asked us many questions. Should..., is there any..., is there any information? How should we, should we send information from Gurukula to the other temples?

Prabhupada: Who? Who asked questions?

Devotee (6): Devotees who have children, who have come to the temple. They said, one woman said that "They've..., my son, they're throwing him in cold shower.

They say he has to take a cold shower, and that no one wants to have anything to do with him because he's so much trouble..."

Prabhupada: No, we have got our own program. We cannot accept the different program, that "My son should be done like this..." We should see that everyone is taking bath daily, that's all. They are taking bath daily?

Devotee (6): Yes.

Prabhupada: That's nice. Rising early in the morning?

Devotee (6): Yes.

Prabhupada: Attending mahgala-arati?

Devotee (6): Yes

Prabhupada: Chanting? Dancing? These are our programs. Plus, little A-B-C-D, no?

Devotee (6): But no force, yes?

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee (6): They, they... She was questioning me about force, that there should... I told her that, that your instruction to us was that no...

Prabhupada: Force?

Devotee (6): ...there should not be force ever.

Atreya Rsi: Hitting, hitting the children.

Devotee (6): Or forcing them to do activities. There's no..., that should not be done.

Pradyumna: Forcing the children to do the activities.

Atreya Rsi: To use force. Hitting them.

Devotee (6): Well, we're not hitting them.

Prabhupada: Not hitting. By otherwise engage.

Pradyumna: Like if he doesn't...

Prabhupada: "Don't you see your other friends are taking bath. Why shall you not take bath? Very nice. You are so intelligent boy, you are not like that."

Atreya Rsi: Positive.

Prabhupada: By sweet words. They are after all children. Forcing is not good. [pause] What it this?

Pradyumna: Oh, I just wrote... My brother was in the hospital, so I just wrote a little letter to him. I'm going to send him some...

Prabhupada: This is the letterheading, latest?

Pradyumna: Yes, this is New York, New York Society. I don't have any envelopes, but letter, nice...

Prabhupada: This printing in our press?

Devotee (6): I don't know. This is the first I've seen of it, just now.

Atreya Rsi: Would you like some, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: No.

Pradyumna: I'm sending over some tulasi leaves.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Pradyumna: Little tulasi leaf?

Prabhupada: No.

Pradyumna: Eat? No, shouldn't send.

Prabhupada: He's not a devotee. He'll, "Oh, what is this?" Throw away.

Pradyumna: Hmm.

Prabhupada: Just like the tulasi plant is here, somebody will think that it is decoration. We put it here, devotion, but those who are not interested to speak them about Krsna consciousness, is offense. One of the ten offenses.

Pradyumna: Yeah. I was wondering about that. I didn't know whether to do it or not.

Prabhupada: They should be asked ordinary question: What is the life? What is the aim of life?

Pradyumna: Hmm.

Prabhupada: What is consciousness? Philosophy, which is understandable by everyone. [indistinct]

Atreya Rsi: Would you like something, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Yes, I want to pat my head.

Atreya Rsi: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Where is Syamasundara?

Pradyumna: He's in his office, I think. He was there just a minute ago. I'll just write him to chant or something.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Pradyumna: I'll just write him to chant, maybe.

Prabhupada: No, chant also is not correct.

Pradyumna: Oh.

Atreya Rsi: He's coming, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: [indistinct]

Devotee (7): Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Would you like to see him? [break] [end]