770129 - Conversation A - Bhuvanesvara

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Conversation

770129R1-BHUVANESVARA - January 29, 1977 - 12:27 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Lead a gentle life. We don't allow divorce. Is that not good? Where is that check?

Hari-śauri: Two checks. There was two checks for a hundred and ten. That went to Calcutta without Abhirāma.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that check. And another check?

Hari-śauri: And that other check went with Rāmeśvara to Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Satsvarūpa: One of their arguments is that they'll get some member and deprogram him, some weak devotee, and then he will go to court or he will write and he'll say: "Yes. I did not want to join this movement, but they did something to me, and I lost my free will, and then . . ."

Prabhupāda: They have said like that?

Satsvarūpa: Yes. They tell so many lies. They say that the devotee looked into his eyes, and suddenly he couldn't think anymore.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Satsvarūpa: That's what Ādi-keśava is being charged with—mind control.

Pradyumna: Like asi-kāraṇa. Like mind control, hypnotism.

Prabhupāda: So why not let me control your mind? I'll control your mind—the judge. (someone enters) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hmm? No, no. No, no. Let him come. Why? Call him.

Satsvarūpa: It's all right. He can come.

Prabhupāda: They should not say like that. Ask. (converses in Bengali with Indian man) (break)

Satsvarūpa: They should speak their mind to you about this.

Prabhupāda: No, you talk amongst yourselves everything. And you are all GBC. Tell, "This is not good." They should have kīrtana here. They should go to the city, kīrtana party. People should know that there is . . . something is going to be done. Actually they want to enjoy that sea-bathing. They're going here and there. That is their business. That is not preaching, that is sense enjoyment. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126). That is the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Why there should be discrimination, "Not here, not there"? He wants in every village and every town. How you can discriminate? Wherever possible, you should start.

Satsvarūpa: How is all the money for construction for this temple supposed to come? By the local preaching by Gaura-Govinda or . . .

Prabhupāda: Somehow or other, it must come. He has promised that he will collect half.

Satsvarūpa: That's right. And whatever he collects, you said you would . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Satsvarūpa: I heard that he was told whatever he collects you would match that or match half of it.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, hmm, hmm. Gargamuni may go and organize in Dacca. That will be a great service. He was speaking of going to Dacca. That will be greater service.

Satsvarūpa: I thought they were mostly going for the library work.

Prabhupāda: Whatever . . . no, he says there is possible, that Gauḍīya Maṭha. If in Pakistan, in Bangladesh, if he can organize one center, it will be great triumph.

Satsvarūpa: Dacca.

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana and prasāda distribution. This is our preaching mainly. And if they hear little philosophy, that is very good. Otherwise simply kīrtana and prasāda distribution is sufficient. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do that. He was not speaking philosophy to everyone. Kīrtana and prasāda distribution. So our men can perform very nice kīrtana, and if they come to take little prasādam, that is preaching. You have to maintain this standard, that kīrtana must go on and prasādam should be distributed.

Satsvarūpa: And take collection for that, to continue that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By selling books, by contribution, somehow or other maintain. Everywhere.

Satsvarūpa: Our movement has changed in America in the past six years or so. Now devotees are not much seen on the streets chanting. So there's different feelings. Some say it is all right, because everyone is now distributing books more.

Prabhupāda: That is also nice.

Satsvarūpa: That's also a kind of kīrtana. But then the public, they hardly ever see us anymore. They used to say: "Oh, the saffron-robed people chanting on the streets."

Prabhupāda: But they come to the love feast.

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. It's not necessary to emphasize that street chanting.

Prabhupāda: No. Sell books and invite them to come to temple for love feast. (pause)

Satsvarūpa: And there is all these men. It's still five more days before the ceremony. If they can do this . . . programs locally.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They should go to the . . . yes, locally. Kīrtana party. They should go in their bus and have in the city kīrtana party. Try to collect something. (end)