760708 - Conversation A - Washington D.C.

Conversations by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

760708R1-WASHINGTON DC - July 08, 1976 -17:19 Minutes

(Conversation with Dr. Sharma)

Prabhupāda: Give little, a small pot.

Hari-śauri: Some prasādam?

Dr. Sharma: Prabhupāda, you have given such beautiful temples, so many devotees, now to have a point of jump so that all India and all the world and other people can join in this. Your answers today were very penetrating. That can help a lot, saying that people can work outside but still be devotees, and if they can chant, if they can devote work, and if they can submit all the fruits of their action, if this can be somehow made available, this particular . . .

Prabhupāda: It is available.

Dr. Sharma: Yes, but these few questions only, the answers, that these are from you and these are there, then it will be a point of jump in the movement. It will be a big jump in the movement. And what can we do . . .?

Prabhupāda: So come and join us and help us.

Dr. Sharma: I would be most honored to do it, and I am trying from the outside.

Prabhupāda: No, you are in Washington?

Dr. Sharma: Yes, I am in Washington.

Prabhupāda: So organize here.

Dr. Sharma: I certainly will be.

Prabhupāda: Talk with the scientists and everyone here.

Dr. Sharma: I come two or three times a week for the temple, and I will be coming more.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: Your idea of the Institute is possibly the most magnificent idea, because that will bring all the scientists . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, actually it is. At least those who are Indians, let them join. It is Indian culture.

Dr. Sharma: Yes, it is such a wonderful thing. I was a hard-core Vedāntist before I came, and I was not satisfied. I feel that by chanting one really changes. Yes, one changes.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Dr. Sharma: I bring all the Indian people I can, because I know, I am a scientist, I still believe in God.

Prabhupāda: What is your subject matter?

Dr. Sharma: I have four doctorates in four different areas.

Prabhupāda: Oh?

Dr. Sharma: I have a Ph.D. in chemistry, a Ph.D. in biochemistry, a Doctor of Science in clinical endocrinology. I have a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry of London, which is a higher Ph.D. I am in computer information and control engineering . . .

Prabhupāda: Royal College of . . . that . . . what is is called?

Dr. Sharma: Royal Institute of Chemistry, London. And I have a law degree. And I am in computer information and control engineering.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) You are such a big man. Kindly join us and help us.

Dr. Sharma: I would be most honored, and I'm slowly trying to work it out in such a way that I can . . .

Prabhupāda: No, the formula is all given in this Bhagavad-gītā.

Dr. Sharma: I find your Bhagavad-gītā most illuminating as compared to other Gītās I have read, the translations.

Prabhupāda: We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that's all.

Dr. Sharma: How can we best serve the movement? By joining it? I have joined it in a . . .

Prabhupāda: Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā (SB 10.22.35): "By life, by money, by intelligence, by words." Either four or three or two—at least one. Then it will be all right.

Dr. Sharma: I'll be writing . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: . . . about the movement in scientific journals.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: That I'll be writing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: And I'll be writing . . .

Prabhupāda: That is dhiyā.

Dr. Sharma: And I'll be writing . . .

Prabhupāda: Vācaiḥ.

Dr. Sharma: I'll also be writing, in scientific way, books about it.

Prabhupāda: You write in our . . . we are going to publish one magazine.

Dr. Sharma: 'Cause I think the movement is very scientific.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (rings bell) (aside) So, call Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Dr. Sharma: I shall write in books and give it to the editors here to use it the way they best can. I'll write it . . . I normally publish . . . I only last month got a medical prize, a large prize, for medicine. My name is known internationally, medical journals. So I'll submit it to the Book Trust and let them publish it.

Prabhupāda: So, you are qualified medical man?

Dr. Sharma: No, I am only in research. I am not qualified to practice medicine, but in clinical medical practice and clinical journals I am qualified. I used to be a full professor.

Prabhupāda: From chemical point.

Dr. Sharma: No, from medicine point of view.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Dr. Sharma: From medicine point. In physics and mathematics I'll write in those ways, and I'll submit it and let them use it the way they feel like it. Previously I was with the āśrama, and I was . . .

Prabhupāda: Which āśrama?

Dr. Sharma: Kohasat.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Dr. Sharma: And before that with the Swami Rama Tirtha Mission in New York. I was a follower of Vivekananda.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Dr. Sharma: And at the Belur Math in Belur Math Dakshineswar in Calcutta. But I find that by really chanting . . . I was crying to God, literally, at night, that "Find me the path again," and then I found your movement. And I find it, yes, it does make a difference. I was also amazed that evening when the first two days ago I was thinking I will ask you five ślokas of Gītā to give me. Out of that, you discussed four. And I was meditating on Haridwar, where I was born. All the time your face was appearing behind Ganges, and it was very strange phenomena. I do not know when I will be fortunate enough to have your darśana again, but in the meantime, I'm slowly . . . I feel that this movement you have done supernatural thing. Now, somehow . . .

Prabhupāda: That's a great certificate, because it is coming from you.

Dr. Sharma: It's a supernatural thing. I do not believe that it is natural. It is in the world again to be done. I have been here . . . to be able to convert these people, to be able to make devotees, is unusual.

Prabhupāda: (aside) Where is Svarūpa Dāmodara?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I don't know, Śrīla Prabhupāda. That indemnity bond? I think I can pack it away until New York City.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I could take care of that and pack it away until we get to New York.

Prabhupāda: Who will pack it?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I think I put it on your desk in there.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Indemnity bond. But the letter has to be written also.

Dr. Sharma: Today's discussion was possibly the most magnificent, and very clearly given, about people can be in work as well as . . .

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Dr. Sharma: . . . devotees. This, today's discussion, if that is available in some publication form, just that much, then I shall be most happy to distribute it among all the Indians.

Prabhupāda: Yes, do it.

Dr. Sharma: I will do that among all the . . .

Prabhupāda: Sthāne sthitāḥ . . . that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ (SB 10.14.3). You remain your place, but engage your body, tanu; vāk, your words; and mind. Tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Engage all these things for Kṛṣṇa. So tanu means senses. You hear about Kṛṣṇa and act for Kṛṣṇa. Then vān, automatically, words, and mind also. If you hear of Kṛṣṇa, you'll think of Him. In this way there is no need of changing the place. Sthāne sthitāḥ. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ, prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi: "My Lord, You are Ajita; nobody can conquer You. But this person who has engaged his body, mind and words for Your service, he can conquer You." Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. This was spoken by Lord Brahmā, that is . . . there is no question of changing the position. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never says so, neither śāstras. But in a regulative way there are steps: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. But on the transcendental platform these things are useless. Simply engage in the service of the Lord. That is mukti.

Dr. Sharma: I am thinking that when the Institute is formed, I shall perform all the services, whatever are needed to help.

Prabhupāda: Kindly do that.

Dr. Sharma: I'll be doing that. I'll be writing now, and . . .

Prabhupāda: Your family is also here?

Dr. Sharma: Yes, I will be married very soon, in about a month.

Hari-śauri: They said Svarūpa Dāmodara went down to the prasādam pavilion, so we sent someone down to find him.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Good. Now here is . . . (Svarūpa Dāmodara enters) All right.

Dr. Sharma: Yes, we think that you have done supernatural things. We can do at least just a little bit, just a little bit.

Prabhupāda: Finishing touch.

Dr. Sharma: Well, no, just a little bit. We may not be able to finish it, but we will be able to . . .

Prabhupāda: No, the student does roughly, and the master gives the finishing touch, painting.

Dr. Sharma: You are very kind. But we will try. It is supernatural. To me it is . . .

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Now here is Dr. Sharma. He is Ph.D. in four subject matters, and besides that he is a lawyer, so he's very highly qualified man, and he wants to give his all aid so that . . .

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we need his help.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And he is convinced about our bonafideness of this movement. So by his example many other qualified Indians . . . and it is the business of the Indian. It is Indian culture. They are accepting. Present them most scientifically, and it will be a glory of India.

Dr. Sharma: It is up to us to bring Kṛṣṇa's words now . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Dr. Sharma: . . . to the world. He wanted us to do it.

Prabhupāda: Yes, kindly do that. So you talk with him in detail how to. If you . . . whether our, this branch will be situated. They say here it is good?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: For Institute? Yes. I am also going to Boston to see the facilities there.

Prabhupāda: But he can write. He give you.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes, he can furnish it in so many ways, and we are going to need Sharma's help, because he's in the government agency in the scientific field, so . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes. If he wants to help us, he can help us in so many ways.

Dr. Sharma: Yes, I'll be very much honored to help.

Prabhupāda: And he's convinced. He's not an ordinary person. He's convinced. So let us take his help and . . .

Dr. Sharma: I'll see what the government and the foundations . . . I can go to the foundation to help it. Once the Institute is formed, I can go to the foundations to get the money from them both to support the movement, for the Institute, for education.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Dr. Sharma: Once we get started on that . . . you must be very tired now. You have a . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Today is Ekādaśī also.

Dr. Sharma: I do not know when I will be fortunate to have your darśana again, but I certainly think God will be again give me the blessing to have your darśana. India is fortunate to have . . .

Prabhupāda: We shall see every moment, every day with our work. If the work is going on, then I see you, you see me. (laughs)

Dr. Sharma: And I think that Vivekananda came here before. He brought some things. After that, it was nothing was brought out. The only thing which has been brought out which is genuine, which is really in the benefit of Indian . . .

Prabhupāda: Indian culture, it is really a fact.

Dr. Sharma: These are the only two things which I have seen.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. Thank you very much. Jaya. Take this.

Dr. Sharma: I will remember you always out of seeing you in this.

Prabhupāda: Your full name?

Dr. Sharma: Dinesh.

Prabhupāda: Very nice name.

Dr. Sharma: Dinesh Sharma.

Prabhupāda: Dīna bandhu, dīneśa. (laughs) Hare Kṛṣṇa. All right.

Dr. Sharma: God's kindness has brought me to your feet.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)