740426 - Interview - Tirupati

Conversations by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740426IV-TIRUPATI - April 26, 1974 - 07:51 Minutes

Prabhupāda: They spend so much money for spreading Christianity in this country. What we are spending in the foreign countries?

Minister: The last time in our state, in this . . . (indistinct) . . . sent thirteen lakhs in America to provide one temples, Veṅkaṭeśvara temple, and . . . (indisitnct) . . . Vighneśvara temple there.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Minister: In America.

Prabhupāda: America is a big place, three thousand miles, square miles.

Minister: New York.

Prabhupāda: So I don't think any temple has been erected in New York.

Minister: No, it has been proposed to.

Prabhupāda: Temple . . . just like these Christian missionaries, they constructed so many churches. But those churches are now being closed. In London, I have got specific knowledge, hundreds of churches are no more being used as church. Some of them are being used as godown.

Minister: Godowns.

Prabhupāda: And some of the churches have been purchased by other religious sect. We have purchased one church in Los Angeles. So opening temple is good, but who will maintain the spirit of temple worship?

Minister: That is by artrika. Only by artrika.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . Therefore there must be side-by-side propaganda who can maintain the temples. Kya le aaye? Dedo sabko. (What did you bring? Distribute to everyone.) Oh, this is anna-prasāda. So I will take later on. Sabke liye laya kya? (Did you bring for everyone?) That temple is being constructed under whose supervision?

Minister: Yes, yes. That Ganapati Sthapati, in our state. Ganapati Sthapati.

Indian man: Sthapati is a temple engineer. He will lay out the plans as per the . . . (indistinct) . . . śāstra and as per the rules laid down for the construction of all temples in India. No other way will do. And it will lay out the planned and implemented . . .

Prabhupāda: He has gone there? No.

Indian man: Once he had been to New York. They are now preparing all these idols, etcetera.

Minister: Here only.

Indian man: They will be sent by sea.

Prabhupāda: So what deity will be installed there?

Indian man: Lord Veṅkaṭeśvara, Subrahmaṇiya-sat Swami, Gaṇapati, Vighneśvara.

Minister: And Pancai Tattva.

Indian man: And Pancai Tattva.

Prabhupāda: Pancai?

Minister: He is Rasa, Sūrya . . .

Prabhupāda: Oh, pañcopāsanā. (break) He is Rāmānuja-sampradāya?

Indian man: Yes, Vaiṣṇava sampradāya.

Prabhupāda: But the Rāmānuja-sampradāya do not recommend pañcopāsanā. In the Rāmānuja-sampradāya there is no pañcopāsanā.

Indian man: No, these are built by Indians and other custom. This temple is giving only Vighneśvara and Veṅkaṭeśvara. For the construction of other temples, they are raising funds.

Prabhupāda: Oh, local money.

Indian man: Yes. Throughout India and also in America.

Prabhupāda: That, they are raising funds for millions of years. (laughs) I know that. Birla about . . . yes, about fifty years ago there was contemplation of, that Birla would construct a very big temple in London. But there was no temple at all. Now since I have gone, I have established two temples, not very big, but still one of the temple is on the seventeen acre of land, a little outside London. One big musician, George Harrison, he has donated that temple, fifty-five lakhs. And we have got one temple in rented house . . .

Indian man: (indistinct) . . . ten-thirty for darśana.

Prabhupāda: Ten-thirty. What is the time now?

Indian man: Nine . . . (indistinct) . . . ten-thirty.

Prabhupāda: So, you prepare yourself to go. If prasāda is there, why don't you take it? Finish.

Mahāṁsa: We will take at noon time. We take now?

Prabhupāda: Yes, go and take. Prasāda prāpti-mātreṇa bhoktavyam. Go and take prasādam. It is time, one hour. (end)