770701 - Conversation D - Vrndavana

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

770701R4-VRNDAVAN - July 01, 1977 - 30:01 Minutes

Devotee: (offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Sit down. How are you?

Devotee: I am very well. (pause)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) . . . (indistinct) . . . So? What is the report? Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Want to give your report? You can . . .

Mr. Myer: Yes, I'll just move in.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to hear any report, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Or just talk?

Prabhupāda: Just talk.

Mr. Myer: We have a beautiful temple, and I think . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Mr. Myer: It's a beautiful temple. I've also been attending the various classes, reading some of the books, and I think it's something we need in this country very badly.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Mr. Myer: In fact, we need in this country very much, in every city, in every town. For twenty years I was searching for something like this, and I think something exactly what I have dreamt of. And I think there are some very few problems that might come up, because most of the people are sannyāsīs. They are doing lot of preaching work. They aren't necessarily bothered with lot of administrative work. And if their administrative work is done by some other people, then they can concentrate more on preaching, which is very necessary.

Prabhupāda: Yes, sannyāsī, brahmacārī, means preaching. They are not meant for material management. They have dedicated their life for spiritual—although this material service is also spiritual—but they are not doing much . . . (indistinct) . . . You cannot expect a very expertly at management and . . . But they act. Simply ask them to do the needful.

Mr. Myer: That's right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, out of desire to serve you, they carry out whatever you ask.

Prabhupāda: They cannot be expert, these men, managers. They are not . . . They are giving up everything. But as soon as there is big establishment, we require a top manager.

Mr. Myer: Sometimes there are so many different areas. There is temple management. There is book distribution. There is guesthouse. Now the gurukula is coming.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we want some expert manager to see to this. When they cannot manage, it is not their fault, because they are not meant for this.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Prabhupāda: So if you kindly take up the general management, you are welcome. Money is being squandered. I know that. If you can save some money, that is your great success.

Mr. Myer: And then we must try to follow the local customs here. What happens when people come to the temple, they normally like to offer flowers, special pūjā. And it might mean that we require more pūjārīs, and also we need some more public relations, because today there are not many people to conduct these guests around the . . . visitors who come to worship.

Prabhupāda: Because they are different men. They are coming from different country.

Mr. Myer: That's true. So it's difficult for them to relieve.

Prabhupāda: And they are . . .

Mr. Myer: Local people, we have to have local people with more language and . . .

Prabhupāda: The local people . . . Some educated people come, they . . . Then it can be done.

Mr. Myer: 'Cause why . . .

Prabhupāda: But whatever they're doing, simply by training, that there may be some . . .

Mr. Myer: Yes. We can develop some sort of training program. The gurukula facilities are there. So if some young men are taken who are trained in that fashion, they could do quite a lot. And then we are having some major problem in the distribution of some of the literature. You see, Back to Godhead seems to be a very powerful magazine. It has always been very dear to you. You started this even in India. Unfortunately, it comes one year late, and we have about several thousand members in India. So I was wondering whether we should try to publish it in India now, because the quantity is not enough. And then have some members who are subscribing for the Back to Godhead . . . Because some people are unable to afford the very large membership. Otherwise we will remain very exclusive. We won't be able to reach the common man. So one of the things is that each man who comes and visits the temple, if he can buy a copy of Back to Godhead magazine, he takes away with him something which he can remember. Otherwise people come to Mathurā, they visit so many temples, and they don't carry any souvenir.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But we're selling our literature here.

Mr. Myer: Yeah, but that's very old. Some of the copies are very old.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But they don't know that when they buy it.

Mr. Myer: And secondly, they don't know the . . . That doesn't cover much of the activity in India.

Prabhupāda: There is no "old." By date it does not become old.

Mr. Myer: You see, what happens, sometimes if you read the magazine, it says the Janmāṣṭamī on the 18th of August, but this year it is possibly on some other date. So, you know, like that, if a person reads, then he feels that . . .

Prabhupāda: For him it is new, but because he did not see . . .

Mr. Myer: That's right. But we are not covering very many activities of India in that, what is happening here.

Prabhupāda: Just like pañjikā . . . What is called, that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Almanac.

Prabhupāda: Almanac. It is always written there, Nūtana Pañjikā, "New Pañjikā," although it may be fifty years old.

Mr. Myer: I understand. Who will read it? I recently bought a book. I bought a fiftieth anniversary book of . . .

Prabhupāda: "New Almanac." And . . . Although you'll see a fifty-years-old almanac, there is "New Almanac."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So for the person who picks it up, it's new.

Mr. Myer: Quite right. I should liken to Readers Digest. I bought recently the fiftieth anniversary. They have published articles from last fifty years of books almost. So . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I tried to suggest to Mr. Myer that one thing is that before he introduces too many new things, first of all make the things that are already introduced successful.

Prabhupāda: First of all thing is that the money is unnecessarily squandered. Try to save it.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the first point.

Mr. Myer: Actually what we have to do is study the results of the last five months, and I think that if we can do it department ways, to find out the individual operation of each area, then only it is possible to do some improvements and even then to control . . .

Prabhupāda: So do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That you know how to do.

Mr. Myer: Quite right. So . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whether you have some reservations?

Mr. Myer: Not really. Only thing is that at the moment I am managing some four, five companies where I am the managing director, and I have some personal guarantees with the bank, thirteen, fourteen lakhs. So if I am to . . . I can come . . . (indistinct) . . . I can give away all the administrative problems to my coolie, who can manage the company, and I can come over here. It may require just going to some board meeting once in three months, just to complete the . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nothing. But you mentioned that there's some reservation here that your activities will be checked or something?

Mr. Myer: Well, here the problem is that, you see . . . I'm just wondering what is the form of management, because it may happen that . . . I attended one committee meetings the other day when GBC was here from Bombay, and I was not able to really find out that somebody who normally would take some action . . . There would have to be one person who has to be given some guidelines, and then he must take action. But then the trouble thing will be, if he has to go to a committee, it will only delay things. One can't really act in . . . In committees, see, there are different people. They have different opinion, and very little can be consensus of all the different ideas. So I think it's good to have a committee meeting where a man reports the problems, evaluation like, where we have a . . . I will attend a meeting in England, where . . . That is about . . . Yatita Prabhu(?), he was conducting a meeting on a Sunday, and they were trying to take the stock of what had happened in the week and what was the budget for next week. That kind of a meeting is very . . . Because then there are some statistics. We have some performance of what happened and what we wish to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So make . . . You have to develop. You have to teach them how to do that.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you had . . . But he had a reservation just like that before any change like this can be made, Akṣayānanda Mahārāja should also be acceptable to this proposal, because right now he's managing everything himself. So . . .

Prabhupāda: That . . . Whatever I'll say, he'll accept. There is no question of refusing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Prabhupāda: Whatever I'll order . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, he has to hear that from you. That's what I was trying to indicate.

Prabhupāda: I'll give you whatever you demand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he is completely surrendered.

Prabhupāda: There is no problem. Now show us. Let us practically see that what has happened by changing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Changing. You have to show some results now.

Mr. Myer: Quite right. Quite right.

Prabhupāda: Or doing something or not doing, whatever I'll order . . .

Mr. Myer: No, this may mean certain major reorganization in terms of the managing accounts. It is sort of personal. So it will have to be . . .

Prabhupāda: They'll do. They'll do whatever I ask.

Mr. Myer: That is fine. I shall . . . That way, it is very convenient, because Prabhupāda is now guiding us, and then we have no problem. That is order for gurudeva, because I am managing only people, and as Prabhu said, it's more a spiritual management here. It's not just purely material management.

Prabhupāda: Whatever you think, you can do. Now, now . . . So let me see practically that . . . What is that? Thirteen thousand only?

Mr. Myer: Well, I'm just trying to do a quick study. I have tried to find out what are the various expenses, and I found that the . . .

Prabhupāda: If somebody has said, then I shall know that he has practiced.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this is what Prabhupāda's going to look for.

Mr. Myer: We actually have a two-way program. One is to get in more money, and the other is to save what's going out. Because the . . . (indistinct) . . . all through the mission are not even thousand rupees a month in some months. It's only 845 rupees in a month. On the average it's only 1,600. And prasāda, about 2,600. Main money that's coming was in saṅkīrtana parties. They keep going out, and they mail in a lot of money. Some money is coming from donations. But the generation here is very limited. I think that's what we really need to attract. How would you like, get that initiated boy to start work for you?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know what Prabhupāda wants. I mean . . . So Mr. Myer should begin . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Your Divine Grace will talk with Akṣayānanda Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: This night I'll speak.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So what will Akṣayānanda Mahārāja . . . He'll be for preaching.

Prabhupāda: Whatever may be.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Myer was saying that he . . . that Akṣayānanda Mahārāja can remain as the president, and he can do preaching work. They need a good preacher here. And let him do all the management.

Prabhupāda: That will be done.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let Akṣayānanda concentrate on preaching to the people who come here, making members, you know, classes . . .

Mr. Myer: Yeah, at the moment the quality of our programs is very poor.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So let him . . .

Mr. Myer: That's one of the biggest problems, where people having . . . They're not sticking . . .

Prabhupāda: Whatever I'll say to him, he'll do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact. We're all like that.

Mr. Myer: We want some quality of programs . . .

Prabhupāda: There is no problem. Now you manage. That means you have to . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So now it's on you, starting tomorrow, to show some something.

Mr. Myer: One thing, if I could just, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for initiation . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants to be initiated, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Mr. Myer: Then I could have your blessings to start the work.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you have all my blessings.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you want him to be initiated just now, or wait some time?

Prabhupāda: He can be initiated. First thing is that . . . That is required.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants that. You have to shave your head to get initiated.

Mr. Myer: No problem.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can you do that?

Mr. Myer: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How will you . . .? You will be able to do it?

Mr. Myer: I can come back for it, once gone . . . Śrī Kṛṣṇa, I don't . . . Viśvanātha . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He can . . . If he works out nicely, it'll be very good. So when do you want to get initiated?

Mr. Myer: Any time Mahārāja is willing . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So I can consult Paṇḍitajī for an auspicious day.

Prabhupāda: Every day is auspicious.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) That's why you're able to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Mr. Myer: In Madras we have got very particular people. This is ho-kalam(?). One and a half hour every day, nobody does any work. Monday, 7:30 to nine. It's some time every day they say very bad. People don't start anything new, not going . . . In the afternoon there is rama-dandana.(?) So it always means, a way of postponing things. So, as Guru was saying the other day, somebody said, "It's not auspicious to sleep on the north side." So then he said, "I don't have a head, so it doesn't matter which side the . . ." Quite true, that is.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So if tomorrow we could have this . . . Or day after tomorrow, perhaps. It will take a day to get the ingredients. Day after tomorrow is all right with you?

Mr. Myer: No, that's very good, yeah.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, today's Friday, so day after tomorrow will be Sunday. Sunday morning. Is that all right? Actually, Mr. Myer came here to get initiated. He had no idea to come here to become a manager here. Originally, before he went back to Madras to get his wife, he just came here for this thing, because he heard that you were very ill, and he didn't know what your position would be, so he wanted . . . He rushed here, stopping all his work, simply to take initiation.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa's inspiration.

Mr. Myer: So one year I was reading books on . . . listening to the tapes, and I . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is your first name?

Mr. Myer: Krishan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good name. His name is Krishan Myer.

Mr. Myer: Our grand-uncle in the family, he named all the brothers after God. My eldest brother, he's in Belux.(?) He's already met you several times in Māyāpur. He's one of the first member in ISKCON from there. He was called Ram Prem Narayan Sen Myer. So teacher found the name was too long. She dropped the Ram, so she kept Prem Narayan Sen Myer. Then Dr. Badrinarayan Maraka, he abridged the name in Bangalore to Har Narayan Sen. However, I was told I named myself Krishan. I don't know how it . . . So that's how the name came into being.

Prabhupāda: So keep it on Sunday.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There's a letter from Vāsudeva, Deoji Punja. Would you like to hear?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "I met Hari-śauri in Australia last week." He went to Australia. "He and I have agreed upon August 28th for the date of opening the Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya Temple." It says, "People here are very anxious for this event to take place. The Deities are to arrive on July 18th according to Rāmeśvara Swami, who also will be coming to the opening ceremonies. Rāmeśvara Swami has also told us that he will send money to Dhanañjaya to make clothes, crowns and jewels for the Deities. Hari-śauri will be sending money to Yaśodānandana Swami to come."

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "And as luggage, he can carry the clothes, jewels, crowns, etc. for the opening if possible."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "We are sending our balance sheets for your inspection. Hope this meets you in good health. P.S. Book distribution is increasing two hundred percent this month, as desired." Oh, doubling it. They also wrote him that he has to double the book distribution. He says, "Local people are enthusiastic to distribute Prabhupāda's literature." He sent a very professional balance sheet, chartered accounts.

Prabhupāda: He can . . . You can see.

Mr. Myer: Yes, very nice.

Prabhupāda: These things you'll have to take.

Mr. Myer: He's not a local . . . (indistinct) . . . so a very good manager . . .

Prabhupāda: He is the proper man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man is the biggest businessman in Lautoka, Fiji, and his brother is the mayor. And he became initiated disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda's, and personally he has organized a Society there, collected all the funds and built a beautiful temple with Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya Deity.

Mr. Myer: That is where Yaśodā-nandana Mahārāja is going for the opening.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Mr. Myer: Fiji, yes. Very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very businesslike, how he sent this account sheet and everything.

Mr. Myer: Beautiful, so beautiful. So exact, not wasted any . . .

Prabhupāda: No, they know business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a good businessman, this Deoji Punja. His name is Deoji Punja.

Prabhupāda: His father was a goldsmith, very humble position. Now they are the richest man. (pause) So Brahmānanda not required?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think Brahmānanda will go. Too costly for him. They can't afford it. I'm glad that they're inviting Yaśodā-nandana Mahārāja. I think it may be too difficult for you to go there at this time, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's not possible. You should stick to your principle that until you're completely . . . The only thing that can make you move out of Vṛndāvana is Śrī-Śrī-Rādhā-Rāsa-Vihārī.

Mr. Myer: In Bombay.

Prabhupāda: That.

Mr. Myer: That will be very big event.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For Them you will do anything. 'Cause actually, They have done everything for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You asked Them to stand there despite . . .

Mr. Myer: Yati Prabhu was telling me the entire story, how Śrīla Prabhupāda moved into his . . . when it was not even completed, and all the devotees had to . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, recently?

Mr. Myer: Yes, I learned about some time back. I was watching big picture and all. There are also . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mrs. Singol, she wrote a letter.

Prabhupāda: Doctor.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Singol's wife.

Prabhupāda: His wife?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She wrote you a letter, very feelingful letter.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, hmm. She is very attached.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Want to hear the letter?

Prabhupāda: I'll wait.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right.

Prabhupāda: Or you can read. No harm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She says, "Our most revered Guru Mahārāja, my crores of caraṇa and vandana at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and at the lotus feet of our revered Gurujī. When you were here we could not have your darśana due to your illness, and after that, you left Bombay and went to Vṛndāvana. We prayed to Lord Kṛṣṇa for your life, and our Lord Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He again heard our prayers, and now you are better. We are informed by the devotees that Guru Mahārāja is better. May Lord Kṛṣṇa give you a long life, happiness and good health and your stay with us for a few more years. We were in dark, and you have enlightened our life and taught us real religion. You shower your blessings on us. I always feel your presence near me always in the heart. We want you. Your life is very essential for us. Kindly, Guru Mahārāja, take care of your health. We believe in both prayer and medicines, so kindly do not neglect yourself. Your dream of Bombay ISKCON temple has come true. It is just like Kṛṣṇa's palace in Dvārakā." She says, "It is a top building, a jewel and . . . (indistinct) . . . Now I close my letter with my prayers for your good health. Your faithful devotee, Nirmala Singol."

Prabhupāda: You reply that I am progressing little.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Mr. Myer: It's actually not only imagining that if we double the book distribution, then Śrīla Prabhupāda will improve.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere book selling is . . .

Mr. Myer: Everywhere it's just going on doubling. That's how the whole world people are looking toward your good health and guidance. Sometime . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're looking forward to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tenth, eleventh and twelfth cantos. That is what we're all . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're awaiting that. The whole world waits for Prabhupāda's books. We get letters from all over the world. One woman prayed that . . . She says that she has read all nine cantos. Now she's stuck. She can't come on the Tenth Canto till he finishes. And you already said that she shouldn't, you know, that we should not read the bogus versions. So she can't go into the Tenth Canto until we come out with our own edition. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. (end)