Room Conversation with Pranavdas Gupta about Astrology Report – July 19, 1977, Vṛndāvana

Don't take less important this Hindi publication

Prabhupada: There was avocado tree.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, in your garden there. Oh, boy, that was a nice house you had there.

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: Big window, picture window looking out to your garden. That Florida property is wonderful. Very, very good property in Florida. They call it New Naimisaranya. They have about ten peacocks flying free, wild peacocks. They trained them. First them put them in a cage and keep them on the ground and feed them and everything. Then, after they get accustomed to it, then they let them loose. They have some all-white colored peacocks, special, and then many colorful peacocks. Peacocks are wild.

Prabhupada: There are no fox.

Tamala Krsna: No. The danger is not from the fox; it is from the other people. They catch the peacock and eat it.

Prabhupada: Oh, no. This is raksasa.

Tamala Krsna: They don't know. They think it is a pheasant or something. They have no idea it is a peacock, special bird. I asked Abhirama. Sometimes they fly away and they don't come back. I said, "Does it mean that they got lost?" He said, "We don't know exactly what it means, but we are guessing." The people there are...

Prabhupada: Raksasa.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, raksasa. [indistinct comment aside] And, of course, there's lots of coconut trees. Coconuts. That is a special feature of Florida especially. Many people... You see, the thing is... Like mangoes, for example. The people, they don't want the mangoes or the coconuts or the avocados. And in fact, like when you go out, you can go to people's home and say, "Sir, can I have these?" They say, "Yes, please take them away. They're creating a mess." They want you to take these things.

Prabhupada: Hawaii also.

Tamala Krsna: Same thing. And now in Florida they have developed a tree. It is a coconut tree without the coconuts.

Prabhupada: Why not make mango industry?

Tamala Krsna: Mango industry.

Prabhupada: Mango is such a fruit, when it is not ripe, the green from that, up to the full ripe you can have.

Bhagatji: [Transl. Yes. You are right Prabhupada. From the beginning you make mango chutney, you make amee or pieces of mango, and you make unripe mango panna [drink]. These are all for counteracting heat wave. And when they are ripe you start to eat or make pickle.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. When they are riper then you make amsatta or dry sweet mango papad.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. And make morabba or mango jam. So many things.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Not morabba…]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Yes Prabhupada, you can make very good morabba from mango.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. No. No. You can make morabba, but when they are ripe…]

Bhagatji: [Transl. No. Not when they are ripe.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. I am talking about ripe mangos.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Ripe mangoes you can eat only.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. You take ripe mangoes from the tree, spread a mat and have them dried in the sun a bit. You cook the pulp of the mangoes little bit and have it dried in the sun. That's amsatta.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Then what will happen?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Amasatta.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Amacura?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. No. No. To Bhakti-caru: Explain to him what is amsatta.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Take ripe mango pulp, cook it down and then dry it in the sun by spreading it in a clean mat.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. If you put in the sun, it will dry.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. It is famous as amsatta. It comes in packets.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Srila Prabhupada, I have not seen it.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. There is so much of this in Madras.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Mango is mango. The best of all fruits.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. You mix that amsatta in milk and eat it. Mango and milk are not wasted even a drop.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Yes. Milk, from the beginning to the end up to butter milk you can have. Butter milk is so nice and delicious.]

[break]

Prabhupada: ...known as a religious man, so that they can do business very exploitively.

Indian guest (2): He was a very pious man.

Prabhupada: Oh, he was very pious.

Gopala Krsna: Made a lot of money.

Tamala Krsna: His big thing was that...

Prabhupada: They were called by Guru Maharaja, dharma-dhvaji. [hypocrite].

Yasomatinandana: [Dharma-dhvaji?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. They took a flat outside, but actually they are number one thieves. He kept a flat upstairs so that no one suspects.] Guru Maharaja used to say dharma-dhvaji. "Danḍavat class."

Yasomatinandana: Danḍavat class.

Prabhupada: Yes. He knows simply to offer danḍavats. [laughs] Even so nice word: "Oh, he's a danḍavat class." My Guru Maharaja was very humorous. I was a Calcutta boy. Therefore he liked me. All others, they came from East Bengal. I was the only disciple, Calcutta. All others...

Gopala Krsna: Last night I heard on the radio-they were having news-yesterday in the Rajya Sabha [upper house of the Parliament of India] the Communist leader Bhupesh Gupta, he said that the government should close the Mayapur center.

Prabhupada: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."

Tamala Krsna: Suspend the Communist government. Why suddenly the Communists are saying that "Oh, here is CIA"? Now, if they're saying that, Prabhupada said, then you they should ask them, "Oh, there's a big thing with them. Let us investigate." Investigate the whole matter thoroughly.

Gopala Krsna: They're doing that now. The CID is investigating.

Tamala Krsna: But the Central Government should investigate. Then it will be...

Prabhupada: It should be taken by the Central Government.

Yasomatinandana: Because the Bengal government is all...

Gopala Krsna: The CID is under the Central Government.

Prabhupada: Anyway, it is all ci... It is a Communist manipulation.

Tamala Krsna: They're still in jail. [indistinct discussion between devotees]

Prabhupada: Some books you have brought for selling?

Gopala Krsna: No, these are just advance copies. They'll be coming by regular mail.

Prabhupada: Some books are ready or not?

Gopala Krsna: Yes. I just brought these with me. They have...

Prabhupada: Hindi books are selling now.

Gopala Krsna: Yes. They have a big stock of 1.1, all the other Hindi books.

Prabhupada: So I am very much pleased that we have got some nice Hindi books.

Yasomatinandana: Yes. Actually now we have also three, four books now, we can...

Prabhupada: Gargamuni is getting many, what is called, standing orders for Hindi books.

Gopala Krsna: He's just started. But there's very good scope.

Prabhupada: Hmm. Very good scope. You see... Just always remember that Gita Press, third-class printing and fourth-class subject it is, and they were maintaining seventy-five big machines. Seventy-five in Gorakhpur. And Titagarh paper against. Still, they could not supply. There is so much scope for Hindi books.

Yasomatinandana: The only thing is, the people tell me Gita Press things was very cheap.

Prabhupada: Therefore I say, third-class printing, fourth-class paper. And if we give first-class paper, first-class printing, there is scope.

Gopala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada, if we give these books for fifteen rupees...

Prabhupada: Whatever you give, they'll purchase.

Gopala Krsna: Yes. It's very cheap.

Prabhupada: The Hindi-speaking people, they are not poor. Mass of people may be poor, but we want to approach respectable persons. They are not poor. They will pay. Why third-class printing, fourth-class matter? Our first-class matter, first-class printing. We have got better scope than Gita Press.

Gopala Krsna: Oh, yes.

Prabhupada: Don't take less important this Hindi publication. You stock. I shall take charge of selling books.

Gopala Krsna: Actually we are now also selling a lot. We are getting these distributors who are very interested.

Prabhupada: Therefore I want stock.

Tamala Krsna: Prabhupada wants a big stock.

Gopala Krsna: We have a stock of all the books.

Tamala Krsna: No, but printing three thousand is not a big stock.

Prabhupada: Why not print ten thousand of each?

Gopala Krsna: If we print ten thousand of each every month... Because now we are producing one book per month...

Prabhupada: There is no "if." Print.

Gopala Krsna: Okay.

Yasomatinandana: We don't have money now.

Prabhupada: Similarly, you also, Gujarati.

Gopala Krsna: We are working together, but we don't have that much capital.

Prabhupada: Why not? Use it... You can...

Gopala Krsna: But that we are using for the export order.

Prabhupada: If they take money, that, and use it. Then...

Gopala Krsna: Yes, as we get money. Like the first shipment has just gone, and we... Till it comes back, we are... But one point is clear, that there's no book that we're printing in India that is out of stock. We have... There's no book out of stock. Sometimes devotees misinform you for selfish reasons that we are out of stock, but there's no book out of stock that we are printing in India.

Prabhupada: This paper is nice.

Gopala Krsna: Yes.

Yasomatinandana: We will have a few, at least a few books ready in a few months.

Prabhupada: No, the manuscript you take. I want to see at least manuscript is not left idle. That is...

Yasomatinandana: Now, with your blessings, we'll go very fast.

Prabhupada: Now we have got some position, Hindi books.

Gopala Krsna: Gujarati books also should be same standard.

Prabhupada: Yes, same standard. Very nice, Hindi books. All right.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Thank you very much. Be enthusiastic to print books. And these items are very, very nice, greeting.

Gopala Krsna: Greeting cards. This will overtake India, take everyone by storm. Plus, we are coming out with calendars next year.

Prabhupada: Yes, make money and spend it for printing.

Gopala Krsna: Yes. And plus, the temples make money also. It's a new source of income for the temples. And if we don't do it, the karmis are doing it in any case.

Prabhupada: No, no, we shall do exactly like karmis, but not for us-for Krsna. That is the difference. Same thing they are doing. Therefore these Mayavadi cannot understand. "Again form?" The example is just like a man like me, he's diseased, he's suffering. And when they say, "Mother Yasoda's crying," "So again crying?" He does not know what is this crying. He thinks this crying and that crying the same. Therefore Mayavadi. They want to make it zero-no crying. But we take it a great blessing, crying for Krsna. But they cannot understand. They say, "Again crying? Then what is the benefit?" And this is maya. You understand? This is the simple understanding of Mayavada. As soon as there is crying, they say, "Oh, it is maya. No crying." Nirvisesa-vadi. Crying is a great transcendental pleasure. That they cannot understand, the poor fund of knowledge. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was simply crying. That is love. So that they do not understand, how crying can be pleasure. That is Mayavada. All right.

Yasomatinandana: One thing, Srila Prabhupada, that Tamala Krsna Maharaja was saying yesterday, that if we apply to the Home Minister, we should not apply for citizenship, because why should we lose the citizenship of the better countries? But then there is no such arrangement as permanent residency in the government.

Prabhupada: Then citizenship.

Yasomatinandana: At least for a few managers.

Prabhupada: I don't think you have to give up your American citizenship.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, that's the thing. That's not the best. Try for, yeah, but if there's nothing else, then do it.

Yasomatinandana: Yes.

Gopala Krsna: I'll leave this behind also. This is the cover of First Canto, Part Three.

Prabhupada: The same cover?

Gopala Krsna: Only this picture inside changes. It's the same as the English. Only this changes inside. Explanation, everything, is the same.

Prabhupada: So you please complete this. Jaya. [break] Otherwise you just grow cotton and pluck. Problem solved. Get some lamb fur. It is not killing. They grow. Take the..., what is called?

Bhakti-caru: Fleece. Wool. Wool? Fleece.

Prabhupada: Wool, yes. You make some warm cloth. Very easy to live.

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Srila Prabhupada, Palika has brought these biscuits.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. They have become soft.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. They were inside a polythin bag, air tight, still they have become soft.] To Upendra: Are they normally soft?]

Upendra: She said that they would be soft...

Prabhupada: Hmm. Very nice.

Upendra: ...because there is honey.

Prabhupada: Oh, there is honey?

Upendra: It's made with honey and brown sugar, molasses. All these are soft sweeteners. And since there's no preservatives...

Prabhupada: Call them and distribute.

[break] [Transl. He has never been in the field. Only sits in the class and do agriculture. Your son is a mad man. He has to go the field and work hard. But nothing like that. Simply roaming around. Wearing coat and pant and making theory. We have a farm. And they are working so hard. It's in Ahmedabad.]

[break] [Transl. Why should I have taken up a job? He showed me how to work for others. He said "I had a desire to print some books". Srila Prabhupada wanted this. By his mercy, his language and his example millions of rupees worth of books are being printed. As soon as the books are printed, they are sold. Not even a single book remains unsold. All are sold like hot cakes. There is no problem for that.] [break]

Jayapataka: Tamala Krsna was saying to me earlier on, Prabhupada, last night, that it is very pleasing to you possibly if we can supply some ghee...

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Jayapataka: ...from Australia. So I'm thinking that this might be good to do with any money that we have.

Gopala Krsna: What we have decided is that Food Relief money which Australia has to give, it's going to send it in the form of ghee.

Prabhupada: That's nice.

Gopala Krsna: We had a meeting, Jayapataka Swami, myself, and Bali-mardana...

Prabhupada: Very good.

Gopala Krsna: ...that we'd sell to the temples, and then the temples would pay for it, and that money would then go back into Food Relief.

Prabhupada: That's nice.

Gopala Krsna: And the books I don't want to touch, because it is for the government of India.

Prabhupada: No. That's nice. We have got so many avenues. So print books as soon as possible. This gives me life. Hare Krsna.

Devotees: Jaya.

[devotees offer obeisances] [break]

Prabhupada: Send this copy to this Communist man.

Tamala Krsna: [laughs] Give him a little heartache.

Prabhupada: Just photograph a copy.

Tamala Krsna: All right. When Yasomatinandana goes to Delhi he can make a photocopy. Hand it to the... Send it to the man by mail: "Thought we'd let you know, CIAs are back in Mayapur." [break]

Prabhupada: ...because there is psychological difference.

Tamala Krsna: See, one thing is that... Of course, when one has no energy, when one has no strength, then it's hard to be active. But then the other thing is true, that when one is active, he gets appetite automatically.

Prabhupada: Therefore those who are physically active, they can eat more.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, it's true.

Prabhupada: But those who are not physically active, they cannot eat.

Tamala Krsna: No. That's the difference between the Bengalis and the Punjabis. Punjabis work very hard.

Prabhupada: No, they eat also.

Tamala Krsna: And they eat very nicely.

Prabhupada: They are healthy men.

Tamala Krsna: The Bengalis, they do a lot of clerical jobs, sitting in one place.

Prabhupada: They get diabetes.

Tamala Krsna: Really?

Prabhupada: No, no, not the Bengalis. Anyone who cannot physically work, they eat sitting, and it is not digested, and therefore the diabetes. Diabetes is caused by eating more which is not digested. They say it is medically proven, and that's a fact. And tuberculosis is the wasting disease. As much food he requires, he'll not get.

Tamala Krsna: What is that about tuberculosis?

Prabhupada: As much food he requires, he does not get.

Tamala Krsna: Starving.

Prabhupada: People do not get nowadays proper nutritious food.

Tamala Krsna: Tuberculosis. And diabetes, getting the food but not digesting.

Prabhupada: So if we remain nice, then digest; or anyone who works, brain work, that is nice.

Tamala Krsna: Another thing, if we go to Los Angeles, we'll be able to see that exhibit of Baradraj's, and that's really enthusing. Los Angeles will be very enthusing to see that. There's a lot of devotees there.

Prabhupada: You can go directly from London to Los Angel...

Tamala Krsna: Oh, yes. There's a direct flight, I believe. I think there is a direct flight. Yes.

Prabhupada: What is the benefit?

Tamala Krsna: In terms of time? You mean flight time instead of stopping in New York, what is the benefit of flying direct? Just the landing time in New York you'd save. The flight is pretty much the same. You'd save about an hour-at least an hour to an hour and a half, two hours. Because when the flight goes from London to New York, when it first hits America, it hits America north of Canada practically, and then they go down the Eastern Seaboard. It hits Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and then it goes south down Massachusetts, like that, Connecticut, and then to New York.

Prabhupada: But it does not stop.

Tamala Krsna: No. So I'm saying if it was going direct to Los Angeles it wouldn't have to go down. It could keep going. It would be like this, straight. So you'd save time.

Prabhupada: Generally from London to New York, six hours. And from...

Tamala Krsna: New York to LA is about four and a half hours. That's ten and a half hours.

Prabhupada: Ten hours.

Tamala Krsna: So I think, probably, London to Los Angeles would be about nine hours. That would be my guess.

Prabhupada: So far I remember, London to Paris from, er, Paris to Los Angeles I went. Took about ten hours.

Tamala Krsna: Ten hours. London might be closer...

Prabhupada: Than Paris.

Tamala Krsna: ...than Paris. Say nine to ten hours.

Prabhupada: And that Nova... What is that?

Tamala Krsna: Nova Scotia?

Prabhupada: That I have seen from the plane.

Tamala Krsna: From the plane.

Prabhupada: There big, big chunks.

Tamala Krsna: Of ice. We did...

Prabhupada: You were also in that plane?

Tamala Krsna: I don't remember. I don't know.

Prabhupada: Syamasundara was.

Tamala Krsna: I wasn't with you then.

Prabhupada: And we reached Los Angeles, local time, about four o'clock.

Tamala Krsna: You gain time. You gain a lot of time.

Prabhupada: Yes. That means Paris to London took about five minutes.

Tamala Krsna: New York to London?

Prabhupada: Eh?

Tamala Krsna: New York to Paris?

Prabhupada: No. Paris to... Because we started at twelve local time. And we reached Los Angeles...

Tamala Krsna: At four or five.

Prabhupada: Four. The same thing.

Tamala Krsna: Just like you go from India to New York, you leave India at, say, one or two in the morning, three o'clock in the morning, Delhi, and you reach New York three o'clock in the afternoon same day. Twelve hours. Actually you've been traveling twenty hours or more, but it's twelve hours only on the clock. It's a very nice experience. You feel like you've gained something, put something over on the material energy. It feels like you've gained something, gained time.

Prabhupada: The more you go western side, you save time. The more you go eastern side, you add time.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, there's some science fiction that if you go like that fast enough, then you can go back into history. Time machine. By going at a certain speed in a certain direction you can go back into history, and if you go the other way you can go ahead into the future. There's a... H. G. Wells. He's a famous science fiction writer. So he wrote a..., called The Time Machine. He was going back into history.

Prabhupada: H. G. Wells, he was a good writer, but he was a scientist also.

Tamala Krsna: Well, not really a scientist. Science fiction writer. So he wrote this book The Time Machine.

Prabhupada: From imagination.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, well he got it... He goes back into history, and then he... [to devotee:] Did you read it? Ahead in the future. What happens there?

Devotee (2): He sees that the world is getting [indistinct] by water, and [indistinct].

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, I think that having the devotees like Jayatirtha Prabhu and Bhagavan Prabhu around you will be very enthusing. I mean their... When you're around so many devotees who are giving their lives so much for spreading Krsna consciousness, assisting you, it's really enthusing. The main thing is that you don't have to speak so much. It's your presence, your seeing the devotees and them seeing you. It doesn't require that so much to speak. So in that sense it won't be exhausting in any way. You won't be called upon like that. It's a good climate now too, August, in London, a very good time. It's not too hot, and it's not too cool.

Prabhupada: Los Angeles is hot.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. Los Angeles will be hot. That's why when I made that itinerary that's the last place practically. You'd reach Los Angeles by, say, the middle of September. By then it's cooler. New York is quite good towards the end of August. New York, is one of the nicest times of the year, the beginning of fall.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Very pleasant, New York and other places. And the fact is that any time, if you really felt the need, we could rush back to India. [break]

Prabhupada: ...Radha-Krsna.

Tamala Krsna: And Jagannatha.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, if we celebrate... If you're in America for Janmastami or Vyasa-pūja day, all the devotees in the whole country will come to wherever you are. Thousand, two thousand will come. It will be the most fantastic...

Prabhupada: Sri Krsna caitanya radha krsna nahe anya. Sri Krsna Caitanya wants that prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama. And Radha-Krsna's grace. This new building, it may not divert attention from Deity worship.

Tamala Krsna: In London. Yes.

Prabhupada: Library, restaurant, lecture. How many rooms are there?

Tamala Krsna: Well, first of all there's a basement, which is the restaurant area. That restaurant area is, say, I would say four times the size of this room.

Prabhupada: Four times?

Tamala Krsna: Three to four. Of course, not so high. And it's not straight. I mean, it's shaped little bit of an L shape from what I recall.

Prabhupada: You have seen it?

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, I went in.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: I was on my way with Bhavananda to go to Africa for Brahmananda Maharaja. So we stopped for half a day in London, so they showed us the property. At that time they had not yet bought it, so the karmis owned it. So I had to go in as if I was a customer there at the pub. I didn't buy anything, but I looked around. So then on the next floor it's the same... Basically it's a building, say, three rooms like this and then up.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah.

Prabhupada: Quite big.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. It's not real big, but then again, in that area and for what we want, it doesn't have to be real big. It's not meant to live a lot of people there. Upstairs, on the top floor, there's about I think four or five rooms for living or for other activities. Then the two ground and basement... I don't know the exact layout. I only went in quickly. I'm trying to think if it was basement plus three-basement, ground, first and second-or basement, ground and first floor. Probably there was basement, ground floor, first floor, second floor. It must have been like that. So the two upper floors have rooms. Yes, that's what it is. They have rooms where you can do different things.

Prabhupada: Brick building?

Tamala Krsna: Not a big building. No, it's not that big.

Prabhupada: Wooden.

Tamala Krsna: Oh, brick building. Yes, Prabhupada, brick building. It is brick.

Prabhupada: In London mostly they are brick.

Tamala Krsna: 'Cause of the cold climate. But the location is...

Prabhupada: Very costly.

Tamala Krsna: ...very, very important. Just off Oxford Street.

Prabhupada: The corner.

Tamala Krsna: Just off the corner, in the middle of the block.

Prabhupada: They said that report following will come.

Tamala Krsna: Report is coming. In the telegram that we received? Yeah, it said, "Report follows." [pause] I think some activity is good. That's what I'm feeling. Somehow I get the idea that you need to be more active. I know that you don't have any strength, but still, it seems to me unless you are active, you won't get your strength.

Prabhupada: Hmm. That's a fact.

Tamala Krsna: You're not... By nature you've never been inactive. We can begin the activity by airplane travel and then a little car journey to the temple, and then we can carry you around in certain places. Like at the New York farm. Oh, we can give you wonderful ride in the palanquin. That's very appealing, if you go on the palanquin in the fresh air. No? That'll be, I think...

Prabhupada: No, activity will give appetite.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, it has to. Change of atmosphere gives appetite also.

Prabhupada: So let us artificial activity. I think this is a now hopeless [indistinct].

Tamala Krsna: Upendra and I could see it for the last... [break]

Prabhupada: And nobody is going to disturb you there. Make your own field and continue to become rtvik and act on my charge. People are becoming sympathetic there. The place is very nice.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah. He says, "The introduction of Bhagavad-gita has been translated into Tamil, and I will have the second chapter done next. Then publish a small booklet for immediate distribution."

Prabhupada: Very good.

Tamala Krsna: He says, "I have also found a young man to translate Sinhalese language."

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: "This coming weekend we have a two-day festival in Colombo. We expect about two thousand people per night."

Prabhupada: Oh!

Tamala Krsna: "The Sunday feast here has become so popular that whereas before only fifty people would come, now at least three hundred came yesterday."

Prabhupada: Very good.

Tamala Krsna: "And all of them got full prasadam-halava, puris, samosa, sweetballs, sweet rice, rice, vegetables..."

Prabhupada: I want to eat, but I cannot. Very good. Very good. Although I cannot eat, simply hearing the names I am satisfied. Very good. He's doing nice.

Tamala Krsna: He says, "However, the collections are poor. Only sixty-five rupees. I was wondering if we could also get some of the Food Relief money being sent to India for Sri Lanka."

Prabhupada: Why not? Oh, yes. America's money collect and send. So that is my proposal-American money and give this culture. They are squandering so much money. Channelize to spend through this Krsna consciousness movement. Their money will be properly utilized and our Krsna consciousness will be spread.

Tamala Krsna: "People say they have never had such wonderful tasty food. If we can get money from Food Relief, it should be sent directly here."

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. First thing is you get ghee.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. We are already giving him one fifth of what Hari-sauri sends. "The newspapers gave some account of an incident in Mayapur. When asked to make a statement to the press, however, I do not know what happened. Please let the secretary inform us." I made a copy of Jayapataka's report, and I made five copies of it, so I'll send him one. I did it for this reason.

Prabhupada: That's good.

Tamala Krsna: Then... "I hope this letter finds Your Divine Grace in good health."

Prabhupada: It doesn't depend on my good or bad health. It is all spiritual news. Spiritually I become very much enlivened.

Tamala Krsna: Should I tell him what you're thinking about going to the West?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: When that news goes out... Whew!

Prabhupada: All right, don't say now. It will be known automatically.

Tamala Krsna: That's his letter. Then...

Prabhupada: Three hundred people coming, newly opened. It is not joke. And he's feeding sumptuously.

Tamala Krsna: What?

Prabhupada: Feeding sumptuously.

Tamala Krsna: Feeding sumptuously. Here's a... This is a thing called the "Bhakta Program Newsletter." Just like you have a sahkirtana newsletter, this one reports how many new devotees are joining. So the top temple in the world for making new devotees last month was Rome. Second was the Bhaktivedanta Manor. That's where you're going next. Then Sao Paulo, Brazil; then Honolulu, Hawaii; then France, and like that. [temple bells ring]

Prabhupada: Jaya Krsna-Balarama!

Tamala Krsna: [indistinct background conversation] Then another letter came from... This is becoming more and more prevalent. It's called the "Parents' Newsletter."

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness Parents' Newsletter-ISKCON New York." Put out by Sravanananda's mother. "Ratha-yatra '77 is Coming." It tells all the parents that they should come to Ratha-yatra. Then there's an article, "The Roots of the American Krishna Movement."

Prabhupada: Who has written?

Tamala Krsna: By a brahmacari named Tattva-vit dasa brahmacari. Because you said just like they have an American Christian movement, now we should be known as the American Krishnas. So he wrote, "The American Krishna Movement." Then the public likes it: "Oh, it's American."

Prabhupada: American [indistinct] is nice.

Tamala Krsna: It says, "The Society's founder is A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He left India at an advanced age aboard the merchant ship Jaladuta with only seven dollars and a trunk containing scriptures he had translated into English. The ship's captain became Srila Prabhupada's friend and purchased the first books distributed in the US. Srila Prabhupada had been instructed by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, his spiritual preceptor, to broadcast Krsna consciousness in the English language. That request was made in 1922. In the years that followed Srila Prabhupada wrote an English commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and started an English magazine in 1944, which he wrote, printed and distributed himself. He arrived in America in September of 1965, and by July of '66 he had formed ISKCON Incorporated. Historically, this corporation is part of the spiritual tradition whose followers preserve the pure teachings of the scriptures such as Vedas, Upanisads and Puranas. The tradition..." He goes on and on. Should I read on?

Prabhupada: Hmm!

Tamala Krsna: Says "The tradition began long, long ago. The message of the scriptures was recorded by Srila Vyasadeva in order to benefit men living in the present age. This historic event is even mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam..." [break]

Pranavdas Gupta: ...calculated is 1st September, 1896. The date is here. See the old calendar of..., that is Samvat 1953.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Pranavdas Gupta: The Samvat comes... Because when the date is 1896 we have to add fifty-seven years. Suppose when we want to get samvat, then we have to add fifty-seven years. So then we added fifty-seven years it comes 1953. Then he took out the old, very, very old Maharajaji, and I saw that, that he took out that calendar, and pancama, and then he calculated. He saw this. And I told him that "We can look at the date. I don't know exactly what the date is, but just following Janmastami." No. Day I did not disclose. Then he said... Then he saw after Janmastami that's navami. Then he said, "The day is Tuesday." I knew the day is Tuesday. "That's correct." Then what is the date? And he said, "First September." When we look here if it is 1st September then that must be adhika-masa also, because we are getting Janmastami 6th September. That year also it must be adhika-masa. He said yes. Then he saw there were Jyestha, at that time, Jyestha or Asadha. That was adhika-masa He saw in your pancahga. Then he prepared all these things. Then he said that according to rasi... "Do you know his name?" I said, "No, name I don't remember," because I am not to disclose anything...

Prabhupada: I'll tell you, therefore, "Let him ask."[?]

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, I didn't want to... He said, "What is the person's name?" So I told him, "Don't tell it's Prabhupada's name." I didn't want him to know. I wanted to see how much these men knew.

Pranavdas Gupta: I did not disclose anything about, even where I have come from, for what..., even not of the temple, I said. And he was not going to prepare this. I'm, "Look here, I am from Govardhana Hotel. Whatever extra you want, I'll pay you, but I want today. You sit down." Then he said, "All right." Then he did. So then he said according to the rasi the name comes to Kamala Narayana. He said that the name comes to Ka. "Maybe it is not Kamala; it may be ka. Yes, according to that ka." Then I asked three questions. The Maharaji asked those three questions. Should I tell those three questions' answers?

Tamala Krsna: Hmm.

Pranavdas Gupta: Then first I want... Because you know these days all sannyasis are going abroad for the preaching. I didn't say anything. I mean he also wants to go just like that people too. Then he said, "This year there is some doubt about him going abroad. But after the next year, '78, he may go. But 1977 I have got doubt about his going, in my mind." Then I said, "Now, how you say about the I.M.H.?"

Tamala Krsna: Within two years he said he could go?

Pranavdas Gupta: Ah, yes. Within two years he may go abroad.

Tamala Krsna: He said not just now.

Pranavdas Gupta: Not just... But he may go. He may go. But not certain that way. About the age I inquired. He said "Look here, up to 7th September... One thing strike me very much, because I think the date of birth comes 7th September."

Tamala Krsna: And your appearance day is on the 7th of September this year. And this man... I don't know if he knew that, but he said...

Pranavdas Gupta: No, he didn't knew that. No, he never calculated this year's birthday. He said up to 7th September, his days are very difficult. And if he crosses 7th September, then up to 92, ten years' period is there. And if he crosses 92, then 102, another ten years. So these are his periods. So this period, to 7th September, is troublesome. "And what troubles he has got?" He said, "He must have complete pain in his body, he must have a stomach pain, and particularly on account of his stomach he has got throughout his body pain." And what he did... Actually, he's a very elderly man. He's from this hill area. So he also... He took a pretty long time, and he just also discussed with me so many things. Then he wanted my date of birth, and when he came to me, "I belong to Govardhana Hotel. I am the proprietor." Then he asked so many things about my how my all... "Look here. Your relation has increased with him, and if he is going, it is just possible you may also accompany him." So many things. So these are the...

Tamala Krsna: Then he did these charts.

Pranavdas Gupta: He has given in this chart. Maharaji, your Sukra is very nice: Venus. Sukra means Venus. And in the seventh place Sukra is very, very... To him this is very good place of Sukra. But on the eleventh house, Rahu, "That has rather forced him to take sannyasa. That has rather forced him to take... But what was he doing before taking sannyasa?" "I actually do not know what he..." Because I had to say like that. "He might be in some good post," he said. "He might be in good post. Then he has taken sannyasa. Was he a married man?" "Yes, he was a married." This I say. "Has he got issues?" "Yes, he has got issues." Then all these calculations. "But his eleventh house, that Rahu, made him like that. But Sukra in the seventh house is very good for him. As regards the others, these are good, but this is the best, the Sukra, the Venus, in the seventh house." So he has given this Janma Lagna and he has also given this Chandra Lagna. These are almost the same as now. But he was impressed that way, seeing all the horoscope. I did not disclose anything. I'm coming from Vrndavana, so he hold that I'm [indistinct].

Tamala Krsna: So now we have one. Now this is one horoscope. Now we make comparison the next two that come in. They're both coming tonight to give reports. Bhakti-prema has returned, and Yasodanandana Maharaja has returned. So after we hear all three, then, if necessary, you can consult a kaviraja. Or everyone may say the same thing. Then we'll know if it's confirmed.

Pranavdas Gupta: You can ask in Bangalore also. They are very expert. Raman, there is one. Because by... [break]

Tamala Krsna: He says up to September 7th there's very... [break]

Prabhupada: ...surrounded with Krsna consciousness. That was my great fortune. My father, mother, my relatives, my neighborhood... I had the opportunity of mixing with [indistinct-tape noise]

[break] Everywhere there was Krsna consciousness. And they were all well-to-do, rich. This was the opportunity. Then gradually it developed. My father was a great Vaisnava. He was worshiping Radha-Krsna. Our family Deity was Damodara. So hereditary we are Vaisnavas, followers of Nitai-Gaura.

Tamala Krsna: I think it will be very nice if he does this book. And I'll find the right time sometimes... There will be opportunities when we can sit, and I can ask these questions and you can speak about them.

Prabhupada: And I had the opportunity of associating with Radha-Govinda of the Mulliks from childhood. We were playing there. I was seeing the Deity...

[break] ....and I questioned, "Here is God," like that.

[break] Atmosphere was all Krsna conscious. [break] He was a retired pleader. He was our neighbor, so nice Vaisnava.

Tamala Krsna: Was he that elderly man who would sleep sometimes when he was offering obeisances?

Prabhupada: Yes. Everywhere... My maternal uncle, they were very... They were not rich. Formerly they were rich, then reduced, but so much devotee. My aunt's house, mother's elder sister, mean this was the society. So all Vaisnavas. Not strictly following the Vaisnava regulation, but still, they were Krsna conscious. Even our maidservants, they were Krsna conscious. They were inviting their guru. They were trying to satisfy them. Used to keep the guru for learning Srimad-Bhagavatam. Such was the atmosphere, even maidservant.

Tamala Krsna: The whole society sounds Krsna conscious.

Prabhupada: That was the atmosphere I had the opportunity to get. [pause]

Tamala Krsna: That gentleman who brought you the oils yesterday? He brought another type. I wanted to bring it to you. He says it's especially during the wintertime it would be good for you. I'll just bring it. [break]

Prabhupada: Very pet child.

Tamala Krsna: Pet child.

Prabhupada: Whatever I shall want, they will supply. I was not a unwanted child for killing.

Tamala Krsna: You told the story that one time, because you were accustomed to liking puris more than capatis and your mother didn't supply you, you ran upstairs and refused to eat. Then your father came home and became very sorry. And he made your mother cook immediately puris for you. Was that one of the sto...?

Prabhupada: Hmm. The name was kept Abhaya. Abhaya means "There is no fear of death of this child." In my maternal uncle's house, because I was born on the Nandotsava, they kept my name Nandadulal.

Tamala Krsna: Nandadulal? Why were you called like that?

Prabhupada: Because I was born in Nandotsava day.

Tamala Krsna: Did they used to call you Nandadulal?

Prabhupada: Hmm. In my maternal uncle's house I was called Nandadulal. Nandu.

Tamala Krsna: Nandadulal. It's always very nice for the devotees that we celebrate your appearance day just following Janmastami. Guru and Krsna, both together. Actually, when this book is written properly, I know for a fact that it will actually attract people to join this movement, because I read once a biography of a very bogus person, but I was so much... People become so much impelled or attracted when they hear of a great personality and his activities. It makes them want to link up with such a person. So this book will have preaching effect, no doubt, and it will be filled with philosophy also. [pause]

Prabhupada: How people were happy in those days. A small income, they were satisfied. Nowadays they simply want money. Nobody was unhappy even if he had very small income. He would adjust, and develop Krsna consciousness. These things we have seen. I have seen that even the maidservant, what to speak of gentlemen. Where those days gone? And nobody was hungry. What is this nonsense civilization? Simply want of money and unsatisfied in every step. Especially in the Western countries they're becoming hippie. Why? The training is different.

Tamala Krsna: Now we are being given a new training by you, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: We've become happy. Actually, apart from the devotees, there are no happy people in the whole world.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

Because we are accepting Krsna is the Supreme Person, enjoyer, He is the proprietor, we immediately accept this philosophy. Therefore we are getting little peace. Today I am thinking of massaging with oil. What do you think?

Upendra: Well, it's been some days now, huh?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, a little bit. Every three days or so. I don't think there's any harm. That oil massage seems to give you... You seem to enjoy it more, Srila Prabhupada. What is the reason?

Prabhupada: It makes the whole body soothing.

Tamala Krsna: Hmm. [pause] Jaya Srila Prabhupada. [break] Should I go on, Srila Prabhupada? "This grand temple opening and Janmas..."

Prabhupada: Very encouraging letter. Very encouraging letter. I am very pleased. If our farm project is organized all over the world [indistinct]. [break] [end]