770531 - Conversation - Vrndavana

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

770531R1-VRNDAVAN - May 31, 1977 - 12:05 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . (break) Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) Begin. If we make Hindi plate, Los Angeles, and send it to . . .

Rāmeśvara: We could do it in Los Angeles, but it would be more costly. Gopāla says that the main concern with the Hindi books is keeping the cost as low as possible so it can be sold in India.

Prabhupāda: No, plate-making, we have got our machine, so it will be cheaper.

Rāmeśvara: The price that he is getting in India is very cheap. He says he can do twenty pages a day, composing. He's got one place in Vṛndāvana that he uses and another place in Delhi. So if each place is doing one different book, two books can be done simultaneously at twenty pages every day.

Prabhupāda: Twenty pages, and cost?

Rāmeśvara: It costs about a dollar a page.

Prabhupāda: Where? In . . .?

Rāmeśvara: In India. To compose.

Prabhupāda: And there?

Rāmeśvara: If we did it in America, it would not be less expensive. It might be even more expensive, because you have to order a special font for the Hindi alphabet. I've gone over this with Gopāla, and he says that so far, he is able to keep up with the translators. He is just now in Bombay, giving some more books in Hindi to the printer. Bhāgavatam 1.3 and Bhagavad-gītā in Hindi are going to the printer. And the translator is just still working on the first volume of Second Canto. As far as printing, this printer in Bombay called Usha is giving us very good service at a very low price. So it's a good place to print the books, the Hindi books. (pause) There's no question of buying equipment in India because it's too expensive for us to buy our own equipment.

Prabhupāda: No, that is . . .

Rāmeśvara: Plus it will not be repaired when it breaks.

Prabhupāda: That is very risky.

Rāmeśvara: We can tell these composers that, "We are offering so many books for many, many years to come. We will give you so much business if you work faster." (pause)

Prabhupāda: Bring little bhaskar lavan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Little bhaskar lavan. (pause)

Indian devotee (1): They are just coming with it, Prabhupāda. (pause)

Prabhupāda: Eta ki? (What is this?)

Jayapatākā: Bhaskar lavan. (pause)

Prabhupāda: Now you can go take rest.

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (pause) (break)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They asked me what program can be initiated for the Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and Institute for Higher Studies. So I suggested that during some auspicious time in Vṛndāvana like Janmāṣṭamī we'll hold a conference, the Institute, when the . . . (indistinct) . . . they told us it will be opened in July. So I suggested that we're coming, all the scientists together. We would like to present "Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, the Scientific Philosophy." We can invite scholars from Delhi and surrounding Vṛndāvana communities and . . .

Prabhupāda: Seminar.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Seminar. Conference. Yeah, we'll bridge the gap. And I think that would be quite appropriate. It will be quite appropriate, so that we can start propagating the message. Then I will . . . they're making a pamphlet for tomorrow. Dr. Sharma is going to print it in Delhi. So we can do some nice program in Bombay. And in a little time most of the schools in India are closed, so we can have nice conference in Vṛndāvana with slide shows and . . . I'm going to see that film tomorrow . . . (indistinct) . . . that we have . . . and I proposed that we have nice form so that we present nice slide show and specific objects.

Prabhupāda: That will be very nice. Good idea.

Devotee (2): What time do you recommend they come?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, we can invite some scholars. I saw two students from Delhi today. They are . . . (indistinct) . . . students. So I will start a program of the Institute here if they are interested. We can . . .

Prabhupāda: Keep always busy. Make execution. Something must go on. We have got our guesthouse to provide respectable gentlemen with quarter.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think it will also be good for the gurukula, to tie together, 'cause we have this Institute and gurukula together. That way, it will be more attractive for the program.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So did you talk with Bhakti-prema Swami?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No. I'm going to talk with him too.

Prabhupāda: (aside) Keep me forward. Yes. Keep always busy. That I wish to see.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. We can have a nice conference here in Vṛndāvana. It's very appropriate also. I always liked the Vṛndāvana idea, especially when the . . . that Bon Mahārāja's, that original plot, I was always attracted to his plot of land.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The original Śrīla Prabhupāda's idea that in '74 when you suggested Bon Mahārāja's, that little plot of land . . . I was very fascinated with the land.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. But he spoiled everything. No, we have got now our own . . .

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Since now we have a nice building here, so we can . . . one of the . . . our scientist Mādhava, he suggested that he wanted to stay in Vṛndāvana, do some nice writing work.

Prabhupāda: So let him stay here.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So it will be very good for . . . maybe spend some time here.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Do some writing also.

Prabhupāda: When your books are being published?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be ready in September, just before Janmāṣṭamī. So we are coming at that time to open also in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So make program indirectly.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We are actually making a brochure, saying that Bhaktivedanta Institute Natural Studies.

Prabhupāda: We have saved some money, Los Angeles. So you can arrange. Always keep busy every cent.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We titled the series of the talk as "Bhaktivedanta Institute Lecture Series on the Origins of Life and Matter," and we will give a little synopsis of what Bhaktivedanta Institute is, and then we'll give the little biography of the candidate who's going to speak. We'll also announce the topic that we are going to speak.

Prabhupāda: (aside) Call Bhakti-prema Swami. (pause)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Rādhā-vallabha told me that one of the manuscripts . . . it is already in Los Angeles in our press, English press. He told me that he will send us the final for reading.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Rādhā-vallabha, he told me that one he just got a few days, our booklet, so but four . . . I planned to have four. So we start actually so we can distribute also . . . (indistinct) . . . Gargamuni Mahārāja promised me that his party will make all engagements in India.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He's traveling from library . . . from college to college. So I'm sending him my brochure and the timetable that . . . I plan to spend about . . . 'till the next Māyāpur festival to do all the India program, finish all the over India programs.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And after that, I plan to do Europe for about five months. So I already discussed with Pṛthu-putra. And we have one scientist devotee in England. His name is Jñāna dāsa, in Bhaktivedanta Manor. He wrote me a letter. He told me that he can make all the engagements in Europe in the scientific departments. So I was about to write him a letter. He also asked me for this . . . (indistinct) . . . project, so . . . (break) (end)