Prabhupāda Vigil – November 3, 1977, Vṛndāvana

Vrndavana is full of Mayavadis

Prabhupada: So somebody else come near me. Tamala?

Tamala Krsna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: If somebody has come from Delhi, in that car could not come? Hmm?

Tamala Krsna: Someone has come from Delhi. The cars came.

Prabhupada: But... No, no. It could not come in time.

Bhakti-caru: They couldn't come in time.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. The cars only came here by four o'clock.

Prabhupada: Then?

Tamala Krsna: Well, it seems like it was Krsna's desire that we didn't go. I was pretty shocked when I saw that the cars only arrived by four o'clock in the morning. There was no way that we would have been able to go on time.

Prabhupada: So what is to be done now?

Tamala Krsna: What is to be done now? Well, we're going to stay here for ten days or so, and you'll get better. When you get stronger, then we can attempt this trip. We have to hope that you'll get stronger now. Did you take all the medicine, Bhakti-caru, from the kaviraja?

Bhakti-caru: Yes. He made all the medicines till eleven o'clock.

Prabhupada: So we shall wait. We shall wait.

Tamala Krsna: Oh, yes. No, that was the best program, to wait some time. We were feeling a little bit happy to get this good kaviraja, so naturally we were thinking to stay where he could give you more close attention. But he also felt that to wait for some time was best. Did you pass a comfortable night?

Prabhupada: As usual. Bhavananda was reading Caitanya-caritamrta. Hmm. Now Jayadvaita, you read?

Jayadvaita: I can read, or Aksayananda Maharaja is here with the report about the program last night.

Prabhupada: Oh. Where is Aksayananda?

Jayadvaita: Here, Srila Prabhupada.

Tamala Krsna: Don't get too close...

Aksayananda: They enjoyed... We showed them the New Vrindavan film, Hindi. They enjoyed it very much. Also they asked us to speak. They said, "But don't speak anything about the Gita."

Tamala Krsna: Really?

Aksayananda: Yes. They said, "You can speak what you like about ISKCON, but we know all about Gita. Don't speak anything about Gita. Tell us about the progress of ISKCON." So I read out how many books have been printed and distributed since Your Divine Grace started ISKCON, how many farms you've established, how many centers, how many devotees all over the world and like that. They're very dry. But nonetheless, the film was so nice that they were very much impressed by it. They took prasadam. They enjoyed it very much.

Prabhupada: "Don't speak of Gita"?

Aksayananda: Yes. Gita-pratisthana, but "Don't speak of Gita." It's foolishness.

Prabhupada: Now the danger is mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa [Cc Madhya 6.169]. So Vrndavana is full of Mayavadis. Do you accept it? And I am afraid our men may not be influenced. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's clear saying-mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa. Hmm? What is to be done? [break] Hmm? They are coming to our Vrndavana temple, Bombay temple. What is their purpose? They may occupy it? Hmm?

Tamala Krsna: No, they can't occupy it.

Prabhupada: So we have to be very careful. Hmm?

Aksayananda: Yes, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Aksayananda? And Tamala?

Tamala Krsna: Yes, they're not going to get in. From now on we're going to have a sign on all of our temples, "No Mayavadi Meetings Allowed."

Prabhupada: It is clearly written, mayavadi-bhasya su... Sixth Chapter. Hmm? The Sarvabhauma...

Bhavananda: One sixty-nine.

That's Sixth Chapter, Madhya-lila, verse 169. "Srila Vyasadeva presented the Vedanta philosophy for the deliverance of conditioned souls, but if one hears the commentary of Sahkaracarya, everything is spoiled." Shall I read the purport, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Bhavananda: Purport: "Factually, the devotional service of the Lord is described in Vedanta-sūtra, but the Mayavadi philosophers, the Sahkarites, prepared a commentary known as Sariraka-bhasya, in which the transcendental form of the Lord is denied. The Mayavadi philosophers think that the living entity is identical with the Supreme Soul, Brahman. Their commentaries on Vedanta-sūtra are completely opposed to the principle of devotional service. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore warns us to avoid these commentaries. If one indulges in hearing the Sahkarite Sariraka-bhasya, he will certainly be bereft of all real knowledge. The ambitious Mayavadi philosophers desire to merge into the existence of the Lord, and this may be accepted as sayujya-mukti. However, this form of mukti means denying one's individual existence. In other words, it is a kind of spiritual suicide. This is absolutely opposed to the philosophy of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga offers immortality to the individual conditioned soul. If one follows the Mayavadi philosophy, he misses his opportunity to become immortal after giving up the material body. The immortality of the individual person is the highest perfectional stage a living entity can attain."

Prabhupada: Who were..., was present all through in the meeting?

Aksayananda: Ramkrishna Bajaj was there. Shriman Narayan.

Prabhupada: No, you were there?

Aksayananda: I was there.

Prabhupada: So what the gosvamis said?

Aksayananda: Well, last night they didn't speak anything. They just heard our film and lecture. That's all. They didn't speak anything last night. Actually, they are very impressed.

Prabhupada: Who was impressed?

Aksayananda: All the people. They all...

Tamala Krsna: Prabhupada's asking about the Vrndavana gosvamis-Purusottama Gosvami, Visvambhara Gosvami...

Aksayananda: Oh, I see. No, they were not there.

Tamala Krsna: No, but they were there in the afternoon. You didn't see them, but they were there.

Aksayananda: Oh, I see. We didn't stay all through in the afternoon.

Tamala Krsna: Prabhupada's point is that all of the gosvamis of Vrndavana were attending.

Aksayananda: What did they say to Prabhupada.

Tamala Krsna: No, they're attending, Bon Maharaja, so that means the whole of Vrndavana has become Mayavadi, because they're all attending this meeting. Our men should not attend this meeting any more, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: No, just see the..., how they have functioned. It is our place. We should guard. So? And all the men were accommodated in their room?

Aksayananda: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: They could all fit in the meeting room?

Aksayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: And who was presiding?

Aksayananda: The Aurobindo.

Tamala Krsna: That guy's a pakka Mayavadi. That Aurobindo man?

Prabhupada: Aurobind.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. He had a big argument with Brahmananda. Not a big argument...

Jayadvaita: They were challenging.

Tamala Krsna: ...but he was challenging Brahmananda that "Krsna means the divine consciousness. Krsna is not a person. He is the... It is divine consciousness."

Prabhupada: Mayavada.

Aksayananda: I have a plan, Prabhupada. Myself and Bhakti-prema Swami can go there and sit, and if we hear any discrepancies, if we are given a chance afterwards, which we can arrange to speak something, then we can rectify-in a gentlemanly way, of course. We can rectify. If we sit there, at least we know that they'll be careful what they say. And he can catch any finer points that I would miss, 'cause it's all in Hindi.

Prabhupada: They are speaking in Hindi.

Aksayananda: Everything's in Hindi, the whole thing. No English whatsoever.

Tamala Krsna: Then there's no chance of our men becoming...

Aksayananda: Our men can't understand anything.

Tamala Krsna: That's a good advantage.

Aksayananda: But for the purpose of maintaining our proper position, we can sit there and hear what they're saying, and when an opportunity is there, we can rectify.

Tamala Krsna: I think Bhakti-prema may agree with them.

Aksayananda: No, no, he's... No. No, no.

Tamala Krsna: He used to be a Mayavadi.

Aksayananda: Yes. But he understands fully this philosophy and accepts it.

Prabhupada: So this is the position. The whole Vrndavana is full of Mayavadis. We have to be very, very cautious and careful. I was there[?] that Brahmananda protested against that that Aurobindo. And then "Don't speak of Gita."

Tamala Krsna: Yes, that's what they told him.

Jayadvaita: They shouldn't speak of Gita. They should speak of whatever other thing they want.

Tamala Krsna: Then why call it Gita-pratisthana?

Jayadvaita: That's Prabhupada's promise. He's establishing Bhagavad-gita.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Jayadvaita: The actual establishment of Bhagavad-gita is being done by Your Divine Grace. They should admit that "We have our philosophy, but as far as Bhagavad-gita goes, Srila Prabhupada is establishing it all over the world. We have something else, our own idea." They can say that.

Prabhupada: Now find out the way how to stop this class of men speaking in our halls.

Aksayananda: That's not difficult. We simply... We conduct our own meetings, that's all, Bhaktivedanta Institute.

Prabhupada: Tamala Krsna?

Tamala Krsna: Well, one thing is that in Bombay... I mean, we really don't have a very attractive hall here, but in Bombay we have the most attractive air-conditioned hall of any place that has a religious temple. All of these people will want to speak in our hall. Not only these people will want to speak in our hall, but all of the nonsense theater people will want to perform there.

Prabhupada: So we must charge.

Tamala Krsna: Even if we charge, they're going to speak nonsense. If we don't mind speaking nonsense, then it's all right. Otherwise, just like Subbulakshmi, she may want to give some concert in our hall as a benefit. But she's going to sing some..., simply sing nonsense.

Prabhupada: Yes. Bhavananda? Where is Bhavananda?

Jayadvaita: Bhavananda Maharaja? Prabhupada's asking for you.

Bhavananda: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: So, if they pay, we shall allow?

Bhavananda: I don't think so, Srila Prabhupada. Just like yesterday, I was noticing in their afternoon meeting, they had microphone, and you could hear the speakers outside. I was thinking that this Mayavadi... Someone is speaking Mayavadi philosophy, it's polluting the boys. Even you don't understand Hindi, the sound vibration itself is polluting. You once told me, Srila Prabhupada, that to even hear Sanskrit Srimad-Bhagavatam from the mouth of a Mayavadi, it will poison you. Even you don't understand, just the sound vibration coming from that source is polluting. So what is the necessity for us to rent out our facility to them?

Prabhupada: Tamala Krsna?

Tamala Krsna: Yes. Well, the point is that we have not built these temples for profit-making basis. We have built these temples to demonstrate to the world an ideal, perfect Krsna consciousness. So if we are going to allow these people to come here, that means we're compromising. Then we should have gone into business...

Prabhupada: Just like to take advertisement in the magazine. Eh?

Tamala Krsna: Yes. It's the same thing. We're trying to make something ideal. We don't care if anybody does join or doesn't join, but our business is to show the perfect ideal.

Prabhupada: Jayadvaita?

Jayadvaita: I agree. This...

Tamala Krsna: Just like our Back to Godhead magazine. For a while it was becoming very compromised. Actually it was becoming a little compromised. And just because we wanted..., the editors were thinking that they should make it more popular, more acceptable. But our conclusion of all the GBC men was: "Popular or not, we are trying to present the ideal for the topmost men. There must be some ideal institution in the world." So we should keep it pure. And those who want the pure product, they will come and take. And others, at least they will know this is pure.

Jayadvaita: Everybody else is already a hodgepodge, so they'll allow anyone to speak, because they don't have any scruples. But if we are very strict, if we don't allow anyone who's not strictly following...

Prabhupada: Where is Brahmananda?

Jayadvaita: Brahmananda? Brahmananda is resting.

Prabhupada: So, I am on the deathbed. I may go away at any moment. Then... Now it is up to you to give protection to the sanctity of our institution. Who else is there among the GBC?

Tamala Krsna: Svarūpa Damodara, Jagadisa.

Prabhupada: Svarūpa Damodara?

Tamala Krsna: He's not here right now, but they are here in Vrndavana.

Prabhupada: He has gone to Delhi?

Tamala Krsna: He came back last night.

Prabhupada: Oh. So think over. I am unable to do now. I can simply give you warning. It is very dangerous. Hmm?

Jayadvaita: We have so many experiences that someone associates with these people and he loses his status.

Prabhupada: They can warn us that "Don't speak of Gita," and why shall I allow them to speak? Eh?

Bhavananda: That is such an insult, especially it's our facility. As soon as you rent out to people, then you are compromised, that they can tell you not to speak of Gita at their Gita conference in your hall. And you have to listen because they're giving you money.

Aksayananda: Because they're paying.

Bhavananda: It's outrageous.

Prabhupada: Tamala Krsna? Hmm?

Tamala Krsna: Yeah. I mean I'm more concerned about Bombay, because there in Bombay I feel that... I don't think that there's a proper understanding on the part of some of the leaders there about the danger of this. I think that the leaders there are not very clear on this point. I'm a little worried about Bombay for that reason. I think that they're, you know, they're going to compromise. There's a danger for compromisation there.

Jayadvaita: To be popular.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. To be popular and to be profitable, they're approaching it on a very businesslike basis. And also the other point is that they're afraid that... In Bombay they've made this hall, such a beautiful hall, so they don't want it to lie vacant or empty, and they just can't think of what can be done inside that hall every single day of the year. It's a fact, that hall should be used every day of the year.

Bhavananda: By us.

Tamala Krsna: By us. But since they feel that there's not going to be any constant use from our side, they're thinking that it doesn't make sense to have built and spent so much money on such a good hall and not utilize it daily, which from the business point of view is a fact. But that means that you're going to have to invite all kinds of semi... It's not even Krsna conscious. I wanted to say semi-Krsna conscious, but they're going to have to invite different theater people, entertaining people.

Bhavananda: So the Krsna conscious solution is to utilize the hall every night for our own purposes. Krsna consciousness is unlimited. There's so many dramas, so many lectures, so many symposiums.

Prabhupada: No, suppose you constructed house and rent out. Then they can do as they like. So similarly, if that hall is made, constructed for making some money, then the money will not come if we don't rent out to the cinema actors, actresses. It is just like... What is called? [indistinct] house. Hmm? What is called? When one pays, marriage ceremony...

Bhavananda: Rent?

Aksayananda: Darsana?

Bhavananda: When one pays rent?

Jayadvaita: For marriage ceremony.

Prabhupada: For making some money you have made.

Tamala Krsna: Is that why we made that hall, for making money?

Prabhupada: Otherwise what you will do it?

Tamala Krsna: Well, originally you had intended that that hall would be used for Svarūpa Damodara's scientists and for our theater group and things like that.

Prabhupada: That's all right, but are you going to have every day?

Tamala Krsna: No, I know that they won't. They cannot do that. I mean practically they won't.

Bhavananda: It's possible, but...

Tamala Krsna: Well, it would have to take a tremendous endeavor on the part of our Movement, and our Movement is not... We're not geared to do that. It just, you know, we're not geared to do that.

Prabhupada: It is like tenant house. So whoever pays to your satisfaction, you give him for one day.

Tamala Krsna: Is that all right with you, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: I don't think it is wrong.

Tamala Krsna: Okay. Well, then that makes it very easy.

Prabhupada: Because it will be a source of income.

Tamala Krsna: Oh, it will be a big source of income. They'll pay a lot of money to use that hall. Not only that, once you let them use the hall, they'll book all the rooms in the hotel at the same time.

Prabhupada: If you are going to do some business, earn some money, you'll have to allow.

Bhavananda: But how that will affect the atmosphere and Krsna consciousness of the temple? It's not that the theater...

Prabhupada: Well, atmosphere... Suppose there is temple, and there is the park and other houses, and they are already polluting the atmosphere. You cannot stop it. Is it not?

Jayadvaita: All over our Movement we have temples, and then next door there's some nonsense place.

Prabhupada: Yes. You cannot check the atmosphere all round. That is not possible. [pause] So when you described the number of books, what did they say? Hmm?

Aksayananda: They said it was very nice. They said they were very impressed with that, and that you are doing the greatest work. They... Superficially they say all these things. They must.

Tamala Krsna: They haven't even published one book.

Aksayananda: They must say these things.

Bhavananda: Of course, Srila Prabhupada, another view is that we've constructed such attractive facilities here, and the purpose is to attract people to Krsna consciousness. So if we let out this auditorium in Bombay and here in Vrndavana, so those people will come. They may be Mayavadi... Actually, everyone is Mayavadi today. So it's a good opportunity for preaching if we're strong.

Aksayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: Preaching means to convert Mayavadis to Vaisnava. Otherwise where is the need of preaching?

Bhavananda: Preaching also means risk.

Prabhupada: Yes. No risk. We take money from them. So we get some money; that is our gain. So anything, do very carefully.

Tamala Krsna: So you said we should have a sign, "No Mayavadi Meetings Allowed."

Prabhupada: No. If this is allowed free.

Tamala Krsna: Oh. Well, this wasn't free. They're paying for being here. They're paying to be here. As far as I know...

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: They're paying to hold their program.

Prabhupada: No gratis lecture allowed. If they pay for, they will talk all nonsense, [laughter] and we don't care for it. These are the consideration. That's all right. Turn me this side. [pause]

Tamala Krsna: Okay. Prabhupada, you should take some rest now, I think. You've been talking a long time.

[On the side] scratch him. [long pause] [end]