Room Conversation – November 12, 1977, Vṛndāvana

Tamala Krsna: ...the bullock cart to Vrndavana. You were thinking to travel again, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Not now.

Tamala Krsna: Some pain? Oh, here he is. Here's Lokanatha, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Lokanatha?

Lokanatha: Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: You are coming back?

Lokanatha: Yes, we came back from saṅkirtana.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Lokanatha: We had kirtana in the town, Vrndavana, Loi Bazaar and Baṅke-bihari temple, that route. We had a bullock cart filled in with gurukula school children, and there was a big group of devotees chanting and dancing in front of the cart.

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Lokanatha: And there was also van, making announcement, inviting people for our afternoon program of arati, kirtana and prasadam distribution.

Prabhupada: So go.

Lokanatha: No, we already did. I announced, and we also had kirtana. It was very ecstatic. Thirty, forty devotees came, and it was very, very nice. Wherever we stopped, people gathered around us in a big number, enjoyed kirtana and heard announcements about the program. So I just came back.

Prabhupada: Hmm. And prasadam?

Lokanatha: Prasadam will be served out to the guests after this arati. Twelve o'clock is arati. And then we'll be serving out prasadam to the guests first. When everyone is served, we'll eat the remnants.

Tamala Krsna: Eat the remnants? The devotees aren't going to take the feast also?

Lokanatha: Yes, remnants of the Lord.

Tamala Krsna: Oh, the remnants of the Deities.

Lokanatha: Yes. [pause]

Prabhupada: What is the time now?

Lokanatha: Now, 11:35.

Prabhupada: You have got all in your charge.

Lokanatha: Yes, I have.

Prabhupada: Tamala?

Tamala Krsna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Consult with him.

Tamala Krsna: Hmm. Make up a tour? All right. Very good.

Prabhupada: Since a long time I have got a desire.

Tamala Krsna: Hmm. Prabhupada's had this ambition for a long time.

Lokanatha: Traveling the holy places. So you'll be doing in...?

Tamala Krsna: That we can discuss.

Jayadvaita: Lord Balarama, He did that. He went to all the holy places. So in the same way, you can get a little strength from Krsna and Balarama here in Vrndavana, then you can [indistinct]. Lord Balarama was going to all the different places.

Prabhupada: I give you idea. Where is Lokanatha?

Lokanatha: Yes, I'm here, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: What is called? Front party.

Tamala Krsna: What kind of party?

Prabhupada: Front party.

Lokanatha: Front party, advance party, yes.

Prabhupada: They'll give us description of the land, and before our going, they'll make a camp. Small, big, that doesn't matter. And in the morning, the former camp broken, and go to the next camp with kirtana. In the meantime the other camp is ready to receive you. Then the next camp, after taking prasadam, they'll go to the next camp.

Tamala Krsna: Do you follow this, Lokanatha? Do you have a question to ask?

Lokanatha: So there is a smaller group going in advance, and bigger group with you stays back.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Lokanatha: Yes, and they go, fix the place, and inform your party where they are and what kind of arrangement they have made. And when you are satisfied, you leave that place to join the first group, small group, advance party. Right?

Tamala Krsna: And after Prabhupada joins that group, then the advance party goes again.

Lokanatha: To the next place, to make further arrangements at the next place.

Prabhupada: In this way.

Lokanatha: Yes. This kind of program we have done before also. Whenever we had big group traveling, we always send two devotees out, or sometimes four devotees.

Tamala Krsna: We also did that with our Radha-Damodara program. That is the way of traveling-advance booking.

Lokanatha: Yes, so the main party does not lose time in finding or looking for the place.

Tamala Krsna: They're not inconvenienced in any way.

Lokanatha: Right. So that advance party could wait at the gate of the...

Tamala Krsna: Wherever. But that's the idea.

Prabhupada: And when you go in procession, have kirtana.

Lokanatha: Yes. That would be nice.

Tamala Krsna: Originally, Srila Prabhupada, when we talked of this idea, we were considering going with a few vehicles so that we could go to many holy places all over India. I still think that that's the best idea, and Lokanatha also agreed with me when we talked about this. Because bullock carts... Of course, we're not in a big rush, but if we would like to go to a few pla..., all over India, we can go very comfortably with a few vehicles. Prabhupada can have the back seat of a vehicle, travel very comfortably.

Lokanatha: I could see this Volkswagen we have. They don't have any seats. It's all flat. They already have mattresses, and it's kind of a big room.

Tamala Krsna: Like that. That's more convenient for traveling all over India, Srila Prabhupada. I mean we should be practical also. Otherwise we'll spend from one tirtha to another, just like from here, supposing we wanted to go just like Ayodhya. Oh, three weeks.

Lokanatha: More.

Tamala Krsna: More than three weeks, just to go...

Lokanatha: It will take two and a half months.

Tamala Krsna: Two and a half months, Srila Prabhupada, just to go from one tirtha-sthana to the next. We don't have that kind of time. Better that we go in very good caravan of vehicles, comfortably. You will have your own vehicle, the advance party will have one vehicle, and one or two others... Your party will have two or three vehicles, and the advance party can have one vehicle. We have enough cars. Your Divine Grace has a car in Mayapur; we have a car here in Vrndavana; we have one of your cars in Bombay. There's so many vehicles and vans. So we have our choice. We can get very nice vehicles.

Jayadvaita: That will make a very nice impression also.

Tamala Krsna: Otherwise... Svarupa Damodara was mentioning to me, Srila Prabhupada, that if we were to take you in a bullock cart... What did you say, Svarupa Damodara? People would accuse us of being very negligent of you, Srila Prabhupada, and it would look very bad upon our Society, you know. They would accuse us, how we have taken our spiritual master...

Lokanatha: They wouldn't understand these transcendental activities of the Vaisnavas.

Tamala Krsna: You've always preached that we should do things in a modern way, just appropriately.

Svarupa Damodara: And use for Krsna whatever available.

Tamala Krsna: I think if we fix up vehicles very nicely, that will be nice. Will that be all right, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Tamala Krsna: Is that all right?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Lokanatha: And most of the holy places are connected with good roads. During our preaching we also visit holy places. I mean, they're on the way; we pass through them. And if we travel not very fast, with good drivers, it won't be much incon...

Tamala Krsna: Bhakti-caitanya Swami is the fit driver for your vehicles, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: Is that all right? I know he would want to come.

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: Is that all right, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Jayadvaita: [indistinct]

Tamala Krsna: He's expert, Bhakti-caitanya Swami. He knows how to arrange everything also very well.

Jayadvaita: These vehicles, they can go by electricity, and then we can [indistinct].

Prabhupada: Purchase at least four vehicles.

Tamala Krsna: Four what, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: At least four vehicles.

Tamala Krsna: Purchase at least four vehicles. Right. I think some scientist should also come with us, Srila Prabhupada [laughter], in case we meet anyone very intelligent, we need a scientific mind to defeat them. So Svarupa Damodara can come with us?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Giriraja: And someone to make members [laughter]. In case we meet any rich people.

Tamala Krsna: Giriraja is requesting to come, Srila Prabhupada. Is it all right?

Prabhupada: By managing you can come, everyone.

Tamala Krsna: Right. If you manage properly, then you can all come.

Lokanatha: So do I come with you, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: You will be the leader.

Tamala Krsna: You're the leader of the party.

Lokanatha: So I have a vehicle. They also could travel with us, and in the same time they will do nagara-saṅkirtana all day long and distribute books?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Lokanatha: I think that it will make our program complete. We have membership team, we have scientist visiting the scientists, and our boys will go door to door, house to house, and spread your message.

Tamala Krsna: With book distribution and saṅkirtana.

Bhavananda: I think that the Mayapur book distribution team now has some heavy competition.

Tamala Krsna: Hmm.

Lokanatha: With Prabhupada's traveling saṅkirtana and book distribution. Also, our party is well equipped to do evening programs. So there will be lot of senior devotees, and advance party could arrange programs and do different big temples or different public meetings.

Tamala Krsna: You want that, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: But, Srila Prabhupada, you should not overexert yourself.

Prabhupada: No.

Tamala Krsna: We can do the speaking and the kirtanas. Prabhupada should be allowed to simply do tirtha-yatra.

Lokanatha: You'll be acting through us, by your mercy.

[pause]

Jayadvaita: Srila Prabhupada never does anything small.

Lokanatha: Prabhupada is big. He thinks of big and he does big.

Tamala Krsna: But first get a little more strength, Srila Prabhupada. That we really request you to do, so that the program... Let us do it so that it becomes successful, not that after two days we have to turn back. When going we should not turn back.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: So let us become prepared properly. [pause]

Prabhupada: [as they move Prabhupada] You'll bruise.

Tamala Krsna: "You'll bruise," Prabhupada said.

Prabhupada: It is already bruised enough.

Tamala Krsna: It is already rough and bruised. [aside:] What is that?

Bhavananda: Srila Prabhupada? We'll just lift your shoulders a slight bit so that we can pull the sheet out? Then it won't bruise.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Bhavananda: If I just lift you...

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Bhavananda: Is that all right, Srila Prabhupada? [pause] [break]

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: Or shall we discuss more? We can start discussing.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Okay. We'll have kirtana here for you. Okay. Kirtaniyah sada harih .

[break] [end]