761124 - Conversation - Vrndavana

Conversations by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

761124R1-VRNDAVAN - November 24, 1976 - 20.54 Minutes

Mahāvīra: . . . Spanish and Portuguese word, Christo.

Prabhupāda: . . . Kṛṣṇa?

Mahāvīra: Christo is also the Spanish and Portuguese word for Christ.

Prabhupāda: What is the meaning?

Mahāvīra: Christ.

Prabhupāda: Christ. Just see. So write article on this.

Mahāvīra: "Krishnian."

Prabhupāda: Wherefrom this Christo came. The Greek word. And the Greek got from India, Kṛṣṇa. This is the history. Christian means Krishnian, godly. And Christo, so far I know, the Greek meaning is "decorated," "love." That indicates to Kṛṣṇa. If there is some scholar, he can find out that Christian means Krishnian originally. (reads from Mike Robinson interview in BTG) "How the soul transmigrates? The process is very subtle. The spirit soul is invisible to our material eye. It is atomic in size. After the destruction of the gross body, which is made up of the senses, blood, bone, fat and so forth, the subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego goes on working. So at the time of death this subtle body carries the small spirit soul to another gross body. The process is just like air carrying a fragrance. Nobody can see where this rose fragrance is coming from, but we know that it is being carried by the air. You cannot see how, but it is being done. Similarly, the process of transmigration of the soul is very subtle. According to the conditions of the mind at the time of death, the minute spirit soul enters into the womb of a particular mother through the semina of father. And when the soul develops a particular type of body given by the mother, it may be a human being, it may be cat, a dog or anything." So it is brainwash? Hmm?

Mahāvīra: But if it was heard by them, they would accept it, but because there are so many cheaters and rascals, that it's all been . . . they're so afraid of all of it, because there's been so much cheating and different philosophies and gurus and false gurus and that.

Prabhupāda: Tumahare yahan sab hota hai. (Everything is done at your place.) . . . (indistinct) . . . now . . . Aiye. (Come). So far fix up, you should take paper. Who is in charge of which subject, I want to know. (devotees look for paper) Aap thoda sanksrit sikhiye na. (Why could you not learn a little Sanskrit.) That Prem Yogi can teach you very nice. And you and Prem Yogi can teach these boys Sanskrit.

Mr. Saxena: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It is not difficult at all. Anyone who knows Hindi, he knows half Sanskrit. Indian language, any Indian language, he knows half Sanskrit already. Half has to be completed. Because Indian language is directly from Sanskrit. So what are the charges you were working? Write each name and charge. Is there any charge to each man?

Mahāvīra: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So write that.

(indistinct background conversations as devotees make notes)

(pause)

Prabhupāda: This article, if it is presented, the whole case, it is lost . . .

Hari-śauri: Most of this magazine is . . . somehow or other, in all the articles there's something about how the chanting is actually producing greater intelligence, clearing the mind.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Akṣayānanda: (making notes on who does what) Books and devotees.

Prabhupāda: This issue is very important. There's so many evidences. (break) Who are present here . . .

Akṣayānanda: Who are present here.

Prabhupāda: . . . their charges, including their . . . write the names and the work in which department he's in charge. That I want to know.

Mahāvīra: Would you also like to know the . . . 'cause some of them are not in charge of certain departments, but they work within a department.

Prabhupāda: Oh. He is assistant.

Mahāvīra: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then assistant name also the different, these departments. One man in charge, and he may have several assistants. That is different thing.

(pause)

Prabhupāda: Robinson could not protest any . . . in any of my statement. (laughs) He had to admit.

Hari-śauri: Yeah. I told you he was very interested in the philosophy. He was asking some very good questions.

Prabhupāda: Still he's asking, "Are you saying that we were something else before this life?" I said, "Yes." (laughter) (break) . . . issue will help 99% about this controversy, brainwashing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. I haven't read it completely, but . . .

Prabhupāda: And there are pictures of chanting.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's a very good . . . this editorial.

Prabhupāda: This is new copy. So is it finished now? (break)

Akṣayānanda: (giving indistinct devotee names) Practical.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Finished. So what is your charge?

Hari-śauri: Your including . . .

Prabhupāda: Eh? What is that?

Mahāvīra: Well, restaurant, shop, kitchen, the kitchen godown.

Prabhupāda: Kitchen godown?

Mahāvīra: Supplies.

Prabhupāda: Oh, supplies. So what is the difficulty? The other day you complained some difficulty. So what is the difficulty?

Sarva-bhāvana: Nothing. Nothing excepting my jaundice.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Sarva-bhāvana: Everything is all right.

Prabhupāda: No, you said there is some difficulty. All of you came there on behalf . . .

Sarva-bhāvana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what is that difficulty? You are in charge of this department. That's right?

Sarva-bhāvana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what is the difficulty in discharging your duty? Now you cannot say? What is that? All of you said there is difficulty.

Sarva-bhāvana: It doesn't concern directly what we have as charges.

Prabhupāda: So what is that difficulty? What is your difficulty? That I must know.

Sarva-bhāvana: If some of the boys were to get along with the authorities . . .

Prabhupāda: Loan?

Hari-śauri: Along.

Prabhupāda: Oh, along, authori . . . so that I want to discuss with authorities here. Our first authority is Akṣayānanda. So what is the difficulty you get along with? What is the difficulty? You must discuss. Otherwise how it can be resolved?

Sarva-bhāvana: Personally interrogate with me . . . personally consulting me, I have had no difficulty so far. But there have been other . . .

Prabhupāda: Who had difficulty? You came, so many. What is your difficulty? Now explain what you are in charge?

Indian devotee: I am the reception in-charge. He is on the reception.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's the guesthouse receptionist, that's all, at the moment.

Prabhupāda: Guesthouse reception?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what is your difficulty with the authority?

Indian devotee: Regarding this guesthouse, everything is okay, but things, little things, these equipments and . . . (indistinct) . . . all these things . . .

Prabhupāda: Help to understand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I am understanding. He is saying that everything is all right, but he needs equipment sometimes. So if they need equipment the procedure is that it has to be . . .

Prabhupāda: Equipment? What is that equipment?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Like plates or . . .

Indian devotee: These bedding materials, and these mans for managing these . . . sweepers and all. We are running short of mans. Of course, we are trying to get short of man . . .

Akṣayānanda: Short of men. Cleaners.

Indian devotee: Cleaners and these mans . . .

Prabhupāda: You have got cleaners.

Akṣayānanda: (indistinct) . . . coming.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Akṣayānanda: Well, we had sufficient, but they are unreliable, paid men, so we're getting new men. But I don't think that's the difficulty with the management.

Prabhupāda: So you solve this difficulty. You answer. He has got difficulty, you answer him. So he has got difficulty.

Akṣayānanda: Difficulty is because we lost the chaukīdār. The cleaner had to become a chaukīdār but now you have a new chaukīdār, so your cleaner is back?

Indian devotee: Yes, today he is working.

Akṣayānanda: And other men are coming, is it not?

Indian devotee: Ah, yes, coming.

Prabhupāda: So is there difficulty now?

Indian devotee: No, it is coming now. There are no difficulties.

Prabhupāda: So what is the difficulty, I do not find out. You told him, and that is already done. And you also said there is no difficulty, so why the other day you all came and there was difficulty?

Sarva-bhāvana: Well, it was not my . . . directly my difficulty, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Sarva-bhāvana: They have been small situations where other Indian devotees, closer to him, came to me with their problems.

Prabhupāda: So all Indians are here. Now say what is the difficulty.

Sarva-bhāvana: Well, some things like changing of our duties, changing of our services.

Prabhupāda: So why you change? Consult.

Sarva-bhāvana: Well, there won't be any change, Prabhupāda. And they were not satisfied with that change, so . . . and they wanted to remain in that particular service.

Prabhupāda: Change is no rectification. If somebody is not working he should be trained up. Changing is another . . . if he is a fool, another fool will come. What will be? You see? Change, of course, sometimes required, but if you constantly change, the man is not trained up. That practice is not good. If somebody is not doing satisfactorily, then he should be trained up that "You should like this." And if you immediately change another, that, that is not actually solution because all our workers, they are not accustomed to certain type of duty. They are devotee, after all. So still, we have to do something, so one man requires little training. But whatever capacity he has got, he is posted. So immediate change, that is not very good management. Let him be reformed, and whatever inability he has got, he should be instructed and he should be . . . and this, all of a sudden change, simply go on changing, nobody . . . "Rolling stone never gathers moss." A "rolling stone" policy is not good. So what is the difficulty? Keep the stone in a place and it will gather moss. And if you simply roll, it will never gather moss. If the man who has committed mistake, he should be reformed. He should be instructed. Sometimes I show your cleaners by myself, "Do like this." Change them, immediate change, that is not good management, and to make him competent in that way, that is management. So this policy should be followed, not that because he has done something not correctly he should be changed immediately. That will not help. Now discuss this point.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually we can solve it ourselves. I don't know why they came to you in the first place, because our whole business is to relieve you of all problems.

Prabhupāda: Yes but . . .

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We should not think that if we are Indians we can have a special access to you.

Prabhupāda: So do, do it. What is that? Ta . . .

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we can do it outside instead of troubling you. I mean, we can sit down . . . actually, I've already told them since I've been here yesterday that whatever problems they have, we can solve it ourselves.

Prabhupāda: So go and settle up in that lungi.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can settle it ourselves instead of bringing it to Prabhupāda. Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Akṣayānanda: I don't think there's any great difficulty, Prabhupāda.

Mahāvīra: Actually, we've been speaking the last few days, and these problems can be solved.

Prabhupāda: No, it is Kṛṣṇa's service. Everyone is offering voluntary service. So not that anyone is paid, and if he cannot, dismiss or . . . yes. This bureaucracy is not . . . train him. Train him. If he does not know, train him. But things must be done very nicely by cooperation. That is wanted. Everyone should remember that we are serving Kṛṣṇa, and everyone should remember, "The other person is serving Kṛṣṇa. And because he is serving Kṛṣṇa, he is not my servant; he is my master." That should be always in view. Therefore we address, "prabhu": "You are my master." We never address, "You are my servant." We are trained up to say my brother, that "prabhu," "such and such prabhu." Prabhu means master. Nobody think himself that he is master. He should always think that everyone is his master because he's serving the master. This is our philosophy. So in this way . . . now you have got good arrangement and they're all intelligent persons, young persons.

Akṣayānanda: All good people are here.

Prabhupāda: So kindly settle up and do nice things. That I want to see. That's all. He is also present. At that time he was not present. So go and . . .

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

(devotees offer obeisances)

Prabhupāda: You should always remember that you are helping me. Without your help I cannot do anything. So you do not be disturbed. Try to help me. That is my request. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupāda: Aap toh Hindi jaanti hai, thoda sanskrit sikh lijiye. (You already know Hindi, now learn Sanskrit well.) (end)