not many

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 19, 1972, and I have noted the contents. Regarding the high school programmes, this is very good opportunity to introduce our movement and try also to introduce our cheap editions of Krishna Book. Every student will be interested to read it. I think the whole set can be purchased for $2. Some way or other these books should be introduced to the understanding of the mass of people, specially these students. There are religion classes in schools, the authorities should be approached with the books so they will recommend Bhagavad-gita and Krishna Book especially. At least there are no such books throughout the whole world, God is nicely explained. The authorities must implement God consciousness among the people, otherwise they are going to hell, and our books only introduce God so clearly that they must be introduced. At least nobody can tell so much about God as we can.

So far your management of different centers in Eastern Zone, I have already advised Rupanuga to do the needful; if there is waste then you can merge various centres. You can thin milk by adding water and you can make it thick by boiling. Now is the time for us to begin the boiling process. Now you know everything how to be a Vaisnava brahmana, now you must practice these thing or the whole thing will be a show only. Better to develop the small number of devotees we have, make them truly Krishna conscious boys and girls than to go on getting many followers who do not understand and practice the real principles. Better one moon than many stars.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

(More...)

Even if there..., if one man understands perfectly what is this Krsna consciousness movement is, he can do tremendous benefit to the other people. So you are all intelligent boys and girls. You try to understand this Krsna consciousness philosophy with all your reason or argument. But try to understand it seriously. Don't make it a farce. That is the object of life. (More...)

PRABHUPADA: Well, this is a very difficult job, naturally. We don't have a large number of followers. As soon as you try to sell a diamond, you cannot expect many customers. Nonetheless, a diamond is a diamond, even if there are no customers. The number of customers is not the test. The customer must pay the value of the item. In this society we propose that you give up illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling. When people hear this, they go away saying, "Oh, Svamiji is very conservative." But I cannot become liberal and tell everybody, "Go ahead and do all nonsense, and you can become God conscious." I cannot possibly recommend that. Therefore my first condition is that if someone wants to become my student he has to follow these four regulative principles. Consequently I do not have many followers, but I do have a select few. Because they are select, they will bring about a revolution in the world. One moon is sufficient to dissipate darkness. If there is one moon, there is no need for millions of stars. It is useless to expect a large number of followers. We want only one good follower. If I can get one man to become Krsna conscious, I will consider my mission fulfilled. If you talk to whatever small number of followers I have, you will find that they speak better than any great philosopher, better than any scientist or politician. That is the quality of my students. What's the point in talking nonsense? One's words may be simple, but they should be valuable. Every day your employer is printing so many newspapers. On Sunday, especially, the paper is so big that one can hardly carry it. But after reading it an hour, people throw it away. Here is this book, Bhagavad-gita, and people keep it and read it for a lifetime, and in this way it has been read for the past 5,000 years. Give such literature that will be taken and kept forever. (More...)

Prabhupada: I don't make any compromise with these rascals. No words. No, no. I'll never make that. Even if I don't get any disciple, I'll be satisfied. But I cannot make any compromise as these rascals. I cannot make. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tarah sahasrasah [Canakya Pandita]. If I create one moon, that is sufficient. I don't want many stars. That was my Guru Maharaja's principle, and that is my principle. What is the use of having number of fools and rascals? If one man understands rightly, he can deliver the whole world. [break] (More...)

Prabhupada: No, we don't take that, by number of people. We take how many people are taking actually. But neither... Ekas candras tamo hanti [Canakya Pandita]: "If one man accepts, then he can become the bright moon." Na ca tarah sahasrasah: "The so-called stars has no value." One moon is sufficient. So our preaching is: let one man understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. We don't want disciples. I never collected disciples. I never compromised, that "You can do whatever you like, and you become my disciple. No. "You have to follow this." Now also, this morning, I accepted so many... "First promise whether you are going to do this." Then I initiate. This is my policy. If I would have said, "No, you can do whatever you like, and give me some money, I shall give you mantra," then you would have seen millions. But I accept very selected disciple, not that anyone, everyone comes, and I accept disciple. No. He is first of all trained up six months. Then, when he is able to promise to follow the regulative..., then I accept. This is stricture. It is not that everyone comes, "Give me thirty-five dollars. I give you mantra, and within six months you become God." I do not do that. (More...)

Prabhupada: No. Tiny percentage... Just like there are so many stars in the sky, and there is one moon. In percentage the moon is nothing. If we take percentage of the stars, the moon is nothing. But moon is important than all the nonsense stars. [laughter] But if you take percentage, he has no percentage vote. But because he is moon, he is important than all these rascal stars. This is the example. What is the use of taking percentage of the stars in the presence of moon? Let there be one moon, that is sufficient. There is no question of percentage. One ideal man. Just like in Christian world, one ideal Lord Jesus Christ. (More...)

After all, young man, fallen down-that's all right. It is by nature's way. But marry that girl. That I am insisting from the very beginning, that no friendly liaison. If you want, get one nice... They are all of them qualified. Get one wife and live like a gentleman. Similarly woman. Live with one husband prestigiously, with children. What is the wrong there? We have so many grhastha devotees. You have got children. Pradyumna has got child. Gopala has... Live with husband, wife. There is no restriction for husband and wife. But what is this nonsense that you take sannyasa and make relation with...? This should be completely stopped. And in our this campus, actually those who are eager to advance in Krsna consciousness, they should live; nobody else. We give free food, free apartment, cloth and everything. "Come here. Live. As far as possible we shall provide." But this is specially meant for bhagavad-bhajana. Attend arati, early rise in the morning, attend the functions, take prasadam... (More...)

Prabhupada: Suppose I am a very big business magnate. Next life, if I am going to become a dog-according to my karma, the nature's law will act-then what is benefit? One day before, Indira Gandhi was so important. Next day out nowhere, finished. Nobody knows where is Indira Gandhi. Just twenty-four hours she was most prominent woman, and after twenty-four hours nobody cares to look at her. This nature's law, how you can check? This is going on. Any moment, anything can be changed by the laws of nature. So India's importance is there. They know the law. Therefore so long the body, full of intelligence, human body, is there, they'll utilize it very... That is life, not to be carried away by the waves of nature. This is India's duty. So we want to make our institution at least a place for understanding this knowledge. It doesn't matter only a few persons may understand. That is sufficient. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tarah sahasrasah: "If you keep one moon in the sky, that is sufficient for light. What is the use of millions of stars?" [Canakya Pandita.] (More...)

Prabhupada: That means we don't take any importance. But now, if you want to do something, then you maintain this institution rigidly, follow the principles of Bhagavad-gita. It doesn't matter. It doesn't require many men. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tarah sahasrasah [Canakya Pandita]. If there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient. You don't require millions of stars, twinkling. So let there be an institution, and it is open to everyone. There is no question of "secular" and particular... Let them learn this art. That is wanted. Not blindly, but apply your consideration and take it after mature judgment. No, what is that? Everything is there. There is no difficulty. Why you are neglecting this important business of India? Do you think it is right? (More...)