Room Conversation – October 14, 1977, Vṛndāvana

Ketu, the most inauspicious

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. He attacked them. I was talking to him and he said] "I kick them on their face." "I literally kick them on their face." [Transl. Whatever they have, all their points by which they want to prove their theory of evolution, by those same points he exposed their mistakes. And prasada was also very nice. There were two kinds of subjis, dal-puris, normal puris and rubdi.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Are they still here or gone?]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Srila Prabhupada? Yes, they will stay here today. We are hoping more people will come tomorrow.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Kaviraja prepared some medicine.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes Srila Prabhupada. It is ready. Would you take it? Pisima was also telling me about that medicine today. Makara-dhvaja.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Makara-dhvaja can be taken.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Can be taken. So should I tell Banamali Babu to come one day? Should I bring him?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Go and tell him that all medicines are stopped. You have prepared makara-dhvaja, can it be given now or not?]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. This has to be taken once a week. Only once a week.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. So you come and see, and if you feel satisfied then start the medicine.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes Srila Prabhupada. Tomorrow morning I will go to his place…]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Tell him like this.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes Srila Prabhupada. That you didn't pass stool yesterday, do you feel any discomfort?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Yesterday?]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. No, today.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. No, no. Discomfort is no taste in the mouth. That's all.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. That's from last six months you have no taste at all in the mouth.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. That is the problem.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. And this fruit juice I like. But it is cooling.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. And if I drink milk, there is so much problem. So much…]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Mucus. Makara-dhvaja clears out all mucus completely.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Hmm. My tongue is drying up.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Should I give you little water, Srila Prabhupada?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Water I am drinking.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Should I give you little now?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. No.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Then should I give you little fruit juice now? Should I make some pomegranate juice for you now, Srila Prabhupada?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Not now.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes Srila Prabhupada?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Let it be like this now.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Okay. So I won't give you fruit juice now?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Fruit juice I am drinking.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Okay. If you don't feel like, it's all right Srila Prabhupada.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Not at night time.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Okay, Srila Prabhupada.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna. You can explain the situation.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Yes, Srila Prabhupada]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Can you go and tell him the present condition? And if he wants to see me…]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Bonamali Babu?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Yes.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Okay, Srila Prabhupada.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. If he thinks…]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. In fact, the day I came I thought I will go to Bonamali Babu the next day. Then I heard that you were still not willing to consult any Doctor. That's why I did not try. Anyway, tomorrow I will go again and bring him.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. You explain the condition. If he thinks…]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. He wants to come Srila Prabhupada. He told me that Prabhupada said let all the medicines be stopped for some time, that's why I did not force. He was saying that the platform from which you see things, that is not possible for ordinary people like us. So since he has ordered to stop the medicine for some time, we should follow it.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Now it is stopped anyway. Let it go on like this. He may start Makara-dhvaja.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Now your hands and legs have swollen a little. There is little swelling in your hands and legs. But after taking Banamali Babu's medicine the swelling reduced.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Swelling may be reduced. But what is the use?]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Makara-dhvaja rasayana is like an Ayurvedic tonic. It increases strength and energy. It also removes mucus and cough.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Swelling in hands and legs is there from long time. Sometimes it will reduce and sometimes it will increase.]

Bhakti-caru: [to Upendra: Srila Prabhupada wants that Bonamali Prabhu, that kaviraja. Should go and talk to him tomorrow.

[break]

Prabhupada: They showed film?

Upendra: Today, I don't know.

Prabhupada: Why?

Upendra: Let me look at today's program. Yes. At 8:30, just now, films. And then tomorrow also at 8:30, films and slides.

[break] Whatever you say, Srila Prabhupada, is being recorded, and then Tamala Krsna and Hari-sauri, they're all busy copying down, rewriting into their diaries, 'cause your words are so nectarine. And then all the devotees are anxious to hear. So then they copy down from them. It's like a little press, already. Bhakti-caru... If you speak in Bengali, then Bhakti-caru also translates.

Prabhupada: Where is Tamala?

Upendra: Tamala is in the next room. Shall I call him?

Prabhupada: No.

Upendra: He's writing in his diary.

Prabhupada: And where is...? What is his name? Come from Mayapur.

Upendra: Mayapur? Jayapataka? Bhakti-caru?

Prabhupada: No, no.

Upendra: Oh, Abhirama?

Prabhupada: No, no.

Upendra: Oh, Satadhanya?

Prabhupada: Bhava?

Upendra: Oh, Bhavananda. He's with the conference. All the devotees went to the conferences on and off today.

Prabhupada: The conference still going?

Upendra: Yes. Movies.

Prabhupada: Oh. Hmm.

Upendra: [to Tamala: He just wanted to know where you were.

Tamala Krsna: I'm here, Srila Prabhupada. I've been in this building all day. [temple bell rings 9 times] It's nice weather now. In the evenings it's very comfortable. You can feel. Not too hot or humid. Bhavananda's a little... He has a little stomach pain. That's why he's not here tonight. But he said if there's any urgent thing, we should wake him up or immediately bring him. I mean if there's anything that you want him for at any time, he can immediately be called.

Prabhupada: No.

Tamala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada? Do you like to turn on one side?

Prabhupada: Hmm. Turn me.

Upendra: Would you like this side for a change, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: I'll be in the next room, Srila Prabhupada. [break] Shall I get the report? You want me to get the report of the astrologer?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: Okay. Here's Kirtanananda Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: So the final inauspicious day is not come yet.

Tamala Krsna: Final inauspicious day?

Prabhupada: Means death.

Tamala Krsna: What does that mean? The final inauspicious date?

Prabhupada: Yes. This is the... That means death.

Tamala Krsna: Fatal day.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: I'll just look. [pause] What does this mean, "Ketu Mahadasa"? What is the meaning of that, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Ketu, the most inauspicious.

Tamala Krsna: Most inauspicious? Well, it says, "You're presently undergoing the fag end of Ketu Mahadasa, and it will last until 13th of January, 1978." I mean, it mentions a lot of things here. I don't understand these astrological terms. I could read them to you. If you understand them, I can read them to you. I don't understand them. Just like I just mentioned Ketu Mahadasa. To me that didn't mean anything, 'cause I didn't understand it.

Bhakti-caru: Pradyumna understands.

Tamala Krsna: Where is he?

Jayadvaita: In the reception room.

Tamala Krsna: Should I read these out loud to you? Should I read these things to you?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Should... Pradyumna is here also. He's in the next room. Should I call him?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Get Pradyumna. [break] [indistinct background discussion about the report] ...is that end of the Ketu Mahadasa, because it says, "Astrologically it is up to eighty-one years, four months, approximate." Eighty-one years, four months would make it about January 1978. So that's the date given, January 13th, 1978. Pradyumna, why don't you come over here and read this, 'cause I can't understand all these things. Just read loud and clear to Prabhupada. Start here.

Pradyumna: "Srila Prabhupadaji is at present undergoing the fag end of Ketu Mahadasa, and it will last till 13th January, 1978. Ketu is in the eighth house with Sun, lord of eighth house, and Guru, Brhaspati, lord of the twelfth and third houses. Mercury and Ketu started from 16/1 1977. Budha... Budha sasthesa[?] also." Sasthesa means lord of house of disease. That is not good. Budha is Mercury. Mercury is sasthesa also. Disease. That means disease, Budha. "Sani has gone to eighth house, house of death, from 7th September, 1977."

Tamala Krsna: That's Prabhupada's appearance day.

Pradyumna: "Sani is lagnesa in the eighth house and in transit over Jupiter from 24th September, exact, and Ketu from 16th September, exact."

Tamala Krsna: What does that mean? Unless you know astrology...

Pradyumna: That is not good, with this Sani and Ketu. "A negative effect continues throughout October 1977 to November 1977, and from lst of December, 1977, Saturn becomes almost stationary." This is not a good time. "And becomes more malefic." That means it goes vakribhava, it goes retrograde, and that is not good. "In January 1978..." That is dangerous time. "In January 1978 to April 1978, it again traverses the same degrees and becomes stagnant on Jupiter." In other words, Sani, Saturn, is going over, has just gone over some planets, and that was very dangerous. And it will go up. And then it will become very, very slow, and it will stop, and then it will reverse and go over the same planets again. And that again will be very dangerous time. Vakribhava: it will become retrograde, will go in reverse motion. "It again traverses the same degrees and becomes stagnant on Jupiter and Ketu in the last week of February 1978." Stagnant means becomes stationary. It won't move.

Tamala Krsna: For how long?

Pradyumna: That will only be for a day or two. It becomes very slow again, and then it will start up again. When it becomes slow it does this[?] again. So that is why he's saying that is a bad time. You have this bad time when it went over, now it comes back, and it will start again. "The native has dirghayu, above seventy-five years of longevity." Means you have dirghayu, long life, above seventy-five years. But he cannot say how long. In the prasna-lagna... He has done prasna, questioned how long will Prabhupada live. He will do prasna, special chart. He will make calculation. "In the prasna-lagna, Moon applies to Jupiter on the first day..."

Tamala Krsna: What day is this? Fourth October.

Pradyumna: Moon applies the first day... Moon applies to Mars on the second day, Moon applies to Sani... Moon applies to Sukra, mixed. He has asked... When someone asks a question, that is prasna. So when you ask a question, he will do a special chart and he will calculate to find just the answers to that question. So he has done this for some prasna, and he's saying that in this prasna question he has given the positions. And in the eighth house... The Moon and Jupiter and Mars are in the eighth house. He says in parenthesis, "Very bad. The patient may not recover." These planets are in the eighth house, so eighth house is... That is not a good house. "Sani, with Venus in kendra." That is also not good. Sani is bad, Venus is good, but Sani..., Saturn, is bad. "In varsa-lagna." Then he has made another chart for varsa-phala, to see what will happen this year, beginning of year, what happened. When the year began, he'll make another varsa-phala.

Tamala Krsna: When is that? In the beginning of the coming year?

Pradyumna: Well, sometimes they make varsa-phala for the birthday. Whatever Prabhupada's birthday is, on that day this year they make one. On the day it was September 7, he'll make a chart exactly at that time, and then he'll see where the planets are. That will tell what will come till next birthday.

Tamala Krsna: So when did he do it for? On the birthday?

Pradyumna: I don't know when he's..., which day he's done it for. It's probably done it for the birthday this year. He's given some positions, and he said, "Not good." He said, "Mars is with Saturn in conjunction. Very bad. Hospitalization and ill health intensified in the present year. The days not good when the Moon passes in the 22nd, 23rd naksatra."

Tamala Krsna: When is that? Then he gives those days.

Pradyumna: "27th, 28th September."

Tamala Krsna: That's past.

Pradyumna: "And 24th, 25th October, and 20th, 21st, 22nd November, and 3rd and 4th December. In the prasna-lagna, lord eighth house, enemy of Saturn, Sūrya will apply to Rahu." This is coming now... This is past. Yes, it is past. That is on 28th...

Tamala Krsna: Eighth October.

Pradyumna: Yes. That was 8th.

Tamala Krsna: Prasna-lagna.

Pradyumna: "Sūrya will come, transited Rahu." This was on 8th October.

Tamala Krsna: "Strength of lagna."

Pradyumna: Now he is telling in this prasna-lagna some points. When he did this prasna, lord of lagna was Mahgala, or Mars. So this lord of lagna is in eighth house. That is not a good sign. First he says, "The strength of lagna means nil." Lagna means health. Lagna means the personality and the health. So strength of lagna, strength of health-nil. "Two, seventh house. Seventh and second house are disease-strong." Health is weak and disease is strong. "Posited in tenth house. The native will not come up..."

Tamala Krsna: Astrologically.

Pradyumna: "...astrologically."

Tamala Krsna: What is that?

Pradyumna: I don't know what it means, but...

Tamala Krsna: "Come up."

Pradyumna: It means astrologically it doesn't seem he is... It is not very good prediction. And third point is that the fourth lord is aspecting. "Regarding the medicine-will not give any relief. The native will make a fight for life as Sūrya, Mahgala are good friends, and Sani and Sukra are satru, or enemies. There is no benefics in nine, six, eleven and three."

Tamala Krsna: What does that mean?

Pradyumna: These are houses. Benefic means a good planet. So ninth house is a good house. There is no... Six is house of disease, but there's nothing good there, only something bad. Ninth house is prosperity. Nothing good there. Eleventh house is gain. Nothing good there. Third house, not so... [break] But it aspects the ninth. Nothing. Nothing to bring the opposite. "Mahgala indicates effects of..."

Tamala Krsna: Sakini.

Pradyumna: Sakini? "Pitar Jaladevi[?] combined. Difficulty in recovery." Then another point: "The seventh dasa starts." So this is Venus, Sukra-dasa. "The seventh dasa starts on 13th January, 1978. This is ending of seven years."

Tamala Krsna: For three years it goes. Says it goes for three years. [indistinct comments]

Pradyumna: Oh, I'm sorry-"We have noticed that the periods are all negative until March or April 1978, and main trouble was due to Sani. We have suggested that the blue sapphire be tried, and he should keep it, putting." He should keep it on. "Hospitalization and travels indicated. The only remedy in this case is to do maha-mrtyum jaya japa and havana. Previously also, now also, we have recommend: Siva is the presiding deity of Sani, and with this the native will be able to overcome disease and life span increases. Astrologically, it is up to eighty-one years, four months, approximately. Japa and havana..."

Kirtanananda: What is up to eighty-four years?

Pradyumna: Eighty-one years, four months.

Kirtanananda: Is what?

Pradyumna: That is astrologically the length of life approximately.

Prabhupada: So this japa, maha-mantra-japa, and Bhagavata-patha, that I am doing.

Tamala Krsna: And what?

Prabhupada: Srimad-Bhagavata-patha. So either read Bhagavata or chant Hare Krsna. And let me lie down like this, that's all, as it is going on. Huh? Can you make this program?

Tamala Krsna: This program is already going on.

Prabhupada: And let it go on. That's all.

Tamala Krsna: And you should try to drink and eat whenever you have a little desire.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: You shouldn't try to fast until death.

Prabhupada: No. That is useless. Do you recommend that?

Tamala Krsna: No, definitely not. I recommend that somehow or other, you go on lying there, and we'll go on chanting, and we'll pass until March-April '78. Then we'll take you to Mayapur for the festival, and then we'll do a world tour.

Prabhupada: That is very nice program. You can read Bhagavata from the point where I have stopped.

Pradyumna: Dasama-skandha?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Very good.

Prabhupada: Is it possible? Eh?

Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: And when he is tired, kirtana go on. Kirtanananda. This is mahajana-maha-kirtana. And as far as possible, let me lie down like this. What can be done? Is that conclusion all right?

Upendra: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Who is saying yes?

Upendra: Upendra dasa. Tamala, he's asking you.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, but we... I also say that as your sister Pisima is here, whenever you like, she may cook something and you take. And take Yamuna-jal, little sweet lemon juice. I mean, take things also.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: As you are doing. Not fast. No... You shouldn't artificially fast or stop eating.

Prabhupada: No, no. That is suicidal.

Tamala Krsna: Right. [chuckles] We don't want suicide.

Prabhupada: So, when you are beginning?

Pradyumna: Right now.

Prabhupada: Do it. Subhasya-sighram. Upendra, you keep honey ready...

Upendra: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: ...whenever I shall require. [end]