710701 - Conversation - Los Angeles

Conversations by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710701R1-LOS ANGELES - July 01, 1971 - 36:26 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . 100 dollars? (laughs)

Govinda dāsī: This is for my daddy, for my material father.

Prabhupāda: Ah yes, your father is still . . . still bluff. (laughs) You are asking as beloved child, and it is going to Kṛṣṇa. (Govinda dāsī laughs)

Prabhupāda: So cut the man . . . mangoes. What is called?

Gaurasundara: Crease?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Govinda dāsī: Ah! Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have so many mangoes in Hawaii, you could take these and eat these for days.

Prabhupāda: This is so nice mangoes.

Govinda dāsī: We eat dozens of them.

Prabhupāda: Simply by seeing, one is satisfied.

Govinda dāsī: (laughs) Ah! . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Hawaii is full of this mango?

Gaurasundara: Yes, this is mango season. For maybe one, two months, there is more than you can eat.

Govinda dāsī: Each devotee eats nothing but mangoes for breakfast. Nothing but mangoes.

Prabhupāda: And he does not make sick?

Gaurasundara: No, no.

Govinda dāsī: No. I eat five. Some people eat twelve.

Gaurasundara: They are used.

Prabhupāda: Twelve mangoes?

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes.

Govinda dāsī: Some of the brahmacārīs eat at least twelve or fifteen mangoes.

Gaurasundara: Twenty. Their faces are all yellow, all the time, with the mangoes.

Govinda dāsī: (laughs) They sit down and they will eat as long as they have the time. And we have so many that they are rotting. It's a shame, we cannot even eat them all.

Prabhupāda: Cut all these mangoes and distribute.

Gaurasundara: All these mangoes?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Govinda dāsī: Ah! You have to have some too.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) I don't say that. So keep these mangoes. Take this knife, cut all the mangoes and distribute. Offer to the Deity here.

Gaurasundara: These can be offered?

Prabhupāda: Eh? You can take, or Govinda dāsī can take.

Gaurasundara: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Gaurasundara: I'm going to get another plate to put the mangoes on.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Gaurasundara: I can get another plate to put the mangoes on.

Govinda dāsī: Gaurasundara bought one truck for $300.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Govinda dāsī: He bought one large truck—huge; the bed as long as that room—for $300, and the brahmacārīs and him, they fixed it up, painted it very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Ah, eh. You carried me in one bus when I was last here, there?

Gaurasundara: Yes, a truck. Bigger, much bigger.

Prabhupāda: Same truck?

Gaurasundara: No, much bigger than that.

Govinda dāsī: No. Much bigger.

Gaurasundara: We used it for some time, then we sold it and made profit, $550 profit.

Govinda dāsī: We sold it for 850, 850, and we bought it for 300.

Gaurasundara: Oh, we did several. This is from our used car business.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gaurasundara: We sold several trucks. We bought them and sold them and made twice as much money.

Prabhupāda: How you do it?

Gaurasundara: We just . . . just paint it.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Govinda dāsī: Paint it.

Gaurasundara: Paint it and clean it and fixed it a little bit on the motor.

Govinda dāsī: And we use them for saṅkīrtana.

Gaurasundara: And we use it while . . . while we're working on it. We use it as much as we like and then sell it.

Govinda dāsī: On Ratha-yātrā that very truck that brought us $800, we took it, the boys, we decorated it with flowers.

Prabhupāda: You also performed Ratha-yātrā?

Govinda dāsī: Yes, Gaurasundara was here.

Gaurasundara: Not exactly Ratha-yātrā. We had a, a parade, and we went down with the truck and brought the people to the temple.

Prabhupāda: Now you should introduce some ceremony, big ceremony. And you make all.

Govinda dāsī: It was nice. We brought 28 people back in the truck, plus all our devotees. So you can see it was a big truck.

Prabhupāda: So Hawaii is developing nicely. You work so hard, I know. (laughs) You are going fifty miles to work, both husband and wife.

Govinda dāsī: No, we don't do that even. He works very hard, but I am very sick now . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: We don't work outside, you know.

Prabhupāda: No, at that time . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: Oh, yeah.

Govinda dāsī: You saved us.

Prabhupāda: At that time I was thinking, "Oh, how these poor boys are working so hard."

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Whole day and night.

Gaurasundara: (laughs) I was first of all working two jobs in Hawaii—one in the daytime, one in the night. Not good.

Prabhupāda: Never mind.

Govinda dāsī: You told us, "Stop working, Kṛṣṇa will take care of everything."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Govinda dāsī: And we did that.

Gaurasundara: Oh, yeah.

Govinda dāsī: And Kṛṣṇa has taken care of everything. Simply fate.

Prabhupāda: That I am confident. (laughs) Otherwise I could not work personally. I had to do so much, big trouble. Hawaii is blessed land. I have seen that. Such a nice island. Sufficient mangoes, sufficient papaya, sufficient coconut.

Gaurasundara: Coconut, banana—there are many fruits.

Prabhupāda: Flowers also.

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. So your, er, monthly payment is going regularly? (aside) You keep it there.

Gaurasundara: Keep it on the plate?

Prabhupāda: Keep it there, and then distribute to all the devotees.

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . Gaurasundara.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: Gaurasundara also?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? Gaurasundara is also a devotee. (laughter)

Govinda dāsī: (indistinct) . . . Gaurasundara.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Why he should be bereft of?

Gaurasundara: So you mean the Back to Godhead payment?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gaurasundara: You said something about monthly payment.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gaurasundara: Back to Godhead?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes. We are paying, but we are not distributing so much. But we are increasing.

Prabhupāda: What is the reason? (aside) Take those parts.

Gaurasundara: There is . . . there is in winter season not so many people. Now summer is here.

Prabhupāda: It is winter now?

Govinda dāsī: It's increasing.

Gaurasundara: No, now it is summer. In fact our Back to Godhead distribution has gone up three times in the last week. Tripled. So I think during summer season it will be nice.

Prabhupāda: Summer season, how . . .

Gaurasundara: Everybody comes to visit Hawaii in summer.

Govinda dāsī: It is sunny and warm, and people are on the street. But in winter it rains all the time. Not all the time, but there is not as many people, and . . .

Gaurasundara: So we are improving.

Prabhupāda: When we first went there it was the month of March. It was raining.

Gaurasundara: That last time you were there it was nice.

Prabhupada: This . . . that was with others. Last time when I went it was other. (pause) So how do you find Los Angeles temple?

Gaurasundara: It's very nice.

Govinda dāsī: So many devotees.

Gaurasundara: It was so nice and clean, and everything going on nicely.

Prabhupāda: Cleanliness is the real sign of temple. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

(Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka 3)

This is the test. Śrī-vigraha, the Deity.

(aside) That is sufficient. Or you can take more, distribute among devotees?

Devotee: Ah, all the devotees.

Prabhupāda: At least one piece.

Devotee: Most devotees are on saṅkīrtana. Devotees on saṅkīrtana. There are only a few devotees in the temple.

Prabhupāda: How many?

Devotee: In the temple now?

Prabhupāda: First of all go and distribute this.

Devotee: Maybe ten.

Prabhupāda: Go and distribute.

Govinda dāsī: Can I move this a bit closer to you? It has a built-in microphone.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Thank you very much.

Govinda dāsī: The Deities . . . did Gaurasundara Prabhu tell you that they . . . (indistinct) . . .?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I will point out the color.

Gaurasundara: Yeah.

Govinda dāsī: I have painted Lord Nityānanda.

Gaurasundara: She has not yet completed painting on the eyes and so forth, but, er, she has almost finished.

Govinda dāsī: The color that you have pointed out is about the color of Lord Caitanya. I mean it is the color that I painted. But that . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Both of Them are of the same color. Hmm?

Govinda dāsī: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So, you have painted already?

Govinda dāsī: No, it is just one coat. It can be removed very easily.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you . . . you can . . . (indistinct)

Govinda dāsī: It can be changed very easily.

Gaurasundara: Yeah, it is very easy, the paint.

Govinda dāsī: All I have to do is just scrub it with turpentine.

Prabhupāda: So is it possible to make many pairs like that?

Govinda dāsī: Yes, it is possible. But first I have to know . . . you have to see Them and make sure that They are proper.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Govinda dāsī: This is the only thing.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you send me some more photographs?

Govinda dāsī: I have some, but they're not very good.

Prabhupāda: Not good, or . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: She has . . . you have the film?

Govinda dāsī: Yeah . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: She has some film, and if she has it with her we can have it developed, and in one or two days you can see.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gaurasundara: It doesn't have the eyes painted.

Govinda dāsī: It doesn't have . . .

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter. I want to see the statue, how it is.

Govinda dāsī: The problem that I feel . . . the arms are only this high. The ones are like this, and the . . .

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Govinda dāsī: Well, that this is how they are, because the clay . . . when I made the original one, I had them a little higher, but the weight of the clay was, ah, a little bit . . .

Prabhupāda: Oh, there is no support inside?

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes.

Govinda dāsī: Oh, no. The finished one is not in clay; it is in clay mache. It is very hard, and it is so lightweight that it can be shipped anywhere. Very lightweight.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Shipped, but it must be packed nicely.

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes.

Govinda dāsī: It won't break very . . . it is not brittle when it is finished.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Govinda dāsī: It is not like clay.

Prabhupāda: So as, ah, here, just Gaura-Nitāi?

Gaurasundara: You want for here also Gaura-Nitāi?

Prabhupāda: Yes, for everywhere. Everywhere Gaura-Nitāi.

Govinda dāsī: Is it possible for you to come and maybe see Them . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Govinda dāsī: . . . before . . .? I don't want to make Them and . . . that wouldn't be right. I can make changes, whatever changes.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Govinda dāsī: If They are as you say.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . big, eh? (laughs)

Gaurasundara: No, They are quite large.

Govinda dāsī: This tall.

Prabhupāda: Four feet?

Gaurasundara: Four feet.

Govinda dāsī: Four feet.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. And how much space do They take, both brothers?

Govinda dāsī: Their arms stick out this far.

(aside) This far? And They are this high. And if . . . and Their arms, if they are interlocked, I mean, you know . . . put your arm up.

Gaurasundara: . . . (indistinct)

Govinda dāsī: If they are like this, about this much space.

Prabhupāda: Enough. Sufficient.

Gaurasundara: Could be less if you wanted.

Govinda dāsī: It depends on how close together you put Them and how much you interlock Their arms.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Govinda dāsī: But Their arms are perfectly bilateral, you know, just like . . . and the face and hands are together with the thumbs like this, and Their feet are standing straight, with the feet just together, like this.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Govinda dāsī: Face forward.

Gaurasundara: We will bring to you, in a few days.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Your old machine is working? Sony?

Govinda dāsī: Yes, we had to have it fixed recently.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. He wanted more? Take.

Govinda dāsī: They probably . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: They're coming out of the corners.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Gaurasundara: I've never seen so many devotees, but all of a sudden they have appeared.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, then make it . . .

Gaurasundara: Make smaller.

Prabhupāda: Yes, take out.

Gaurasundara: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Wherefrom you got this pan?

Gaurasundara: In the kitchen.

Prabhupāda: Oh, in our kitchen?

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: This temple is suitable for our purpose. Everything is in correct position: the temple, the residential quarter, my quarter, lecture room, parking place—everything in order. The bank is near; the post office is near; highway . . . highway or freeway? They call freeway?

Gaurasundara: Yes, freeway.

Prabhupāda: There are two freeways nearby. There is hospital also near. Very central. Everything is there. (pause) There is no jackfruit?

Gaurasundara: I am not sure. What is . . . is there another name for jackfruit?

Govinda dāsī: It's . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Govinda dāsī: I saw a picture of it in an India . . .

Gaurasundara: I think there is not.

Govinda dāsī: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Generally when there is mango there is jackfruit also. They are two cousin-brothers.

Gaurasundara: Ah. It grows on a tree?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gaurasundara: It grows on a tree like mango?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Jackfruit grow in Bengal. More than Bengal—Assam, that's all.

Gaurasundara: They have . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Big.

Gaurasundara: Oh! (laughs)

Govinda dāsī: Spikes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Govinda dāsī: If we got seeds we could plant them here; we could grow them here.

Prabhupāda: And it lasts for many years. It does not die. Just like banyan tree, and continually produces fruit. In Bombay also there is. Everywhere, in India everywhere, but especially in Bengal. Actually, during mango season Bengalis, they eat mango and jackfruit, a little milk.

With mango you should drink a little milk; otherwise it will be indigested. Sometime, movement of the bowel, if too much taken - but if you take a little milk it counteracts. (pause)

What is the name of that quarter where you have heard the new record?

Gaurasundara: Ah, which? That big one on Apple?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that one.

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes, yes.

Govinda dāsī: It is to be played on our radio show.

Prabhupāda: Hah?

Govinda dāsī: It is to be played on our radio show this week.

Prabhupāda: Ah. They are advertising the record with my picture and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Many.

Govinda dāsī: Big posters?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Govinda dāsī: Big posters.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Gaurasundara: Ah, billboards.

Govinda dāsī: Oh, billboards?

Gaurasundara: In San Francisco, when I first arrived . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gaurasundara: . . . I was surprised. I looked up and there was this big picture.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Govinda dāsī: All billboards should have such things. I have never seen it.

Prabhupāda: George is chanting also. He is always coming, like child, grandchild. (laughs) I told you in the beginning that, "Let him chant, don't disturb." (laughs) Hmm. How many of them are there in your temple?

Gaurasundara: Only about three, four, I think.

Prabhupāda: And others?

Gaurasundara: They were there before, and they have gone since then. There was about fifteen, sixteen others. Most of the Sai's old disciples have gone to other centers all over the world.

Prabhupāda: Oh, so he had a big camp.

Govinda dāsī: There were. There were about fifteen disciples, he had fifteen.

Prabhupāda: They are also cultivating Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That was their advantage. Kṛṣṇa helped them. (referring to tape recorder) This is also Sony?

Govinda dāsī: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What did you pay for it?

Govinda dāsī: It was a gift.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Govinda dāsī: It was given to us.

Prabhupāda: Somebody here? Who gave?

Govinda dāsī: The, eh, one of Sai's people. They . . .

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Govinda dāsī: They brought . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Sai is a rich man's son?

Gaurasundara: His father was a doctor. He got the wealth. They managed somehow to raise the money from his father.

Prabhupāda: So his father comes to see him. No?

Gaurasundara: His father is a Communist. He doesn't like us.

Prabhupāda: Ah, Communist. He is Communist?

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Gaurasundara: He's . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: But the Communist idea is prohibited in U.S.

Gaurasundara: Yeah. He's not very well liked, well, because he's, ah, he's, ah, considered crazy. He endorses Communism.

Prabhupāda: Ah. So what does he do?

Gaurasundara: He's a retired doctor now. He simply . . .

Prabhupāda: He died?

Gaurasundara: No, no. He simply sits in his house; he doesn't do anything.

Prabhupāda: He does not practice?

Gaurasundara: No, he has retired. He simply sits there and he reads some Communist books, like that.

Prabhupāda: Communist book is available here?

Gaurasundara: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. They can't restrict what can be said.

Prabhupāda: Communist party is prohibited.

Gaurasundara: Yes, but the books they can't restrict.

Govinda dāsī: Their names have to be listed.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Govinda dāsī: Don't they? Their names have to be listed.

Prabhupāda: Who is this gentleman? Benjamin Franklin, No?

Gaurasundara: What does it say? Yes, that is Franklin.

Prabhupāda: Franklin, yes. He was a scientist?

Gaurasundara: He was, yes. He invented something.

Prabhupāda: Electricity?

Gaurasundara: Yes. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No.

Gaurasundara: Yeah, there is a story, you know. He had a kite, and the lightning struck on the kite, and there was a wire went down, and the electricity traveled through the wire.

Prabhupāda: There was some fire?

Gaurasundara: He proved that lightning was electricity. Yes. I spoke to . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: They have got very nice article about me in Washington. He gives me a place genuine, and he condemns Maharishi.

Gaurasundara: I saw in the bookstore that Maharishi's books are being sold 80% discount. They were stacked on a table. (laughs) That means they weren't finished.

Prabhupāda: Eighty percent discount?

Gaurasundara: Yes. (laughs) That means they were worthless. (laughs)

Govinda dāsī: Worthless. (pause)

Prabhupāda: Eighty percent discount? Still people are not purchasing?

Gaurasundara: No, that's why they simply want to clear it off. They are trying to give it away. Who is this? Very nice. (pause)

Prabhupāda: So Los Angeles, we are getting mango? . . . (indistinct) . . . Hawaii mango.

Govinda dāsī: They just fly them over.

Prabhupāda: Imported from Hawaii?

Gaurasundara: Ah, yes, I think.

Prabhupāda: At what price they are sold?

Govinda dāsī: In Hawaii?

Gaurasundara: In Hawaii?

Prabhupāda: They are not sold?

Gaurasundara: In Hawaii? No, they are free.

Prabhupāda: Free?

Gaurasundara: Oh, as much as you like.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā!

Gaurasundara: Any man, you go to his house, "Can I pick mango?" "Oh, bring bucket."

Govinda dāsī: On saṅkīrtana an old couple drove up, opened their truck and brought out two crates of mangoes.

Gaurasundara: Yeah, they bring them to us, "Please take." They are falling on the grass.

Govinda dāsī: We rake them up also.

Gaurasundara: No, the people don't eat much mangoes. They are meat-eaters now.

Govinda dāsī: The children eat mangoes.

Prabhupāda: Meat-eaters cannot eat fruits, milk—no taste for them. Russia also the same. They eat too much meat, they don't like vegetables and fruits.

Govinda dāsī: And can you get them there?

Prabhupāda: No. Very rare. You cannot get even good rice. (pause; eating) They do not make any preparation of mango? And any use for pineapple?

Gaurasundara: No. You mean canning or something?

Prabhupāda: They do not? No.

Gaurasundara: The Chinese make a mango candy.

Govinda dāsī: Mango pickle, and mango, er, dried mango.

Gaurasundara: Yes, dried mangoes, like candies.

Govinda dāsī: Exactly. I made you some mango pickle. It's soaking in mustard oil now.

Gaurasundara: They make also mango chutney.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Govinda dāsī: I have a big jar of mango pickle soaking in mustard oil. For one year it has been soaking in mustard oil. Probably the older it gets, the better. I would have brought it, but I was in such a rush to get here.

Prabhupāda: Did you eat it?

Govinda dāsī: Oh, no. I'm saving it for you.

Prabhupāda: No, you can eat, with purī. With purī . . .

Gaurasundara: Hah.

Prabhupāda: . . . take some mango, with little salt. You don't require any vegetable, it is so nice.

Gaurasundara: Mango chutney?

Govinda dāsī: We make mango chutney.

Prabhupāda: Mango chutney or pickle.

Gaurasundara: Oh, mango pickle, yes.

Govinda dāsī: Every week in our feast we have mango chutney.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Govinda dāsī: If it is free, cheapest thing we can make.

Prabhupāda: Mango chutney made of green mango is better.

Govinda dāsī: That is generally what we make.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Govinda dāsī: Lately we have been doing mango preserves, making with ripe, because there are so many ripe mangoes all the season almost.

Prabhupāda: No, this ripe mango, they can be pulped and dried in the sun. Is it time?

Govinda dāsī: Yes, I am going to try again now that the hot season has come. Just in the last few weeks it has been hot. You cook it a little while with a little salt first?

Prabhupāda: I have no practically, but it is simple.

Govinda dāsī: I don't know.

Prabhupāda: It does not keep long. It does not keep. But if you dry in the sun.

Govinda dāsī: Well, whenever we have dried it, it went rancid.

Prabhupāda: You did not cut it?

Govinda dāsī: Maybe the sun was not hot enough for it those times. I think the sun has to be very hot. It is much hotter in India than it is in Hawaii. We were burning a few years ago when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: He is cheating . . . (indistinct) . . . he's a rascal, and offended many Vaiṣṇavas. George was after him . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: George started this whole thing.

Prabhupāda: Maharishi?

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Therefore he was doing concert to these students.

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: In the beginning.

(pause) . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: Some frosting: sugar, butter, coconut, milk.

Prabhupāda: Whatever we do, milk preparation must be there; otherwise it is not so good.

(pause) Good . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: Hmm?

Govinda dāsī: . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: Hah?

Govinda dāsī: . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: Yeah.

Govinda dāsī: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Gaurasundara: They have to be put in . . . (indistinct) . . . right?

Govinda dāsī: . . . (indistinct)

Gaurasundara: (indistinct) . . . (cut) (end)