770219 - Conversation E - Mayapur

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Conversation

770219ED-MAYAPUR - February 19, 1977 - 35:37 Minutes

Prabhupāda: How do they speak there is no soul? What is the reason?

Acyutānanda: Their reason is they cannot see the soul.

Prabhupāda: Then they have no intelligence. Mūḍha.

Acyutānanda: When we dig a hole here and there's water, within a few weeks there's fish and frogs. They say that is . . .

Prabhupāda: Jalajā. First jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi (Padma Purāṇa). Not only one variety, but nine lakhs of varieties they come out from the water.

Acyutānanda: But where do they come? They're in the water, latent in the water.

Prabhupāda: They're alive. Sarva-ga. Therefore we say that, "Why not in the fire?" If there is life in water, why not in the fire? You cannot see. You have no eyes. There is life, and Kṛṣṇa says, nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ (BG 2.23). Fire does not burn the living being, so why they will be not in fire? And Kṛṣṇa said, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham (BG 4.1). He entered the sun planet.

Acyutānanda: So nothing material can divide the soul, but spiritual, when it enters the spiritual world, then it is dividing.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no question of dividing

Acyutānanda: Māyāvādī.

Prabhupāda: Sanātana. That is Māyāvāda. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Sanātana means eternally they are divided. And Kṛṣṇa says further in the Second Chapter that . . .

Hari-śauri: Na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsam (BG 2.12).

Prabhupāda: Yes. "You, Me and all these kings, they were existing—the individual. You, Me and . . . they're existing now, and they'll continue to exist." So where there is oneness? All individual eternally, as aṁśa, aṁśī, this finger and the body. You can say this finger is my body, but finger is not the body, whole body. Finger is finger. Not that if Kṛṣṇa's body is eternal, the finger is also eternal. Not that today it is finger, tomorrow is whole body. That is defective, Māyāvāda philosophy. Finger always exists as finger. Kṛṣṇa is eternal, His finger is eternal, but the finger and the body is the same material. They're not different. They become different when they come to material world without touch of Kṛṣṇa. This finger is finger even it is cut, but it is useless. When this finger is cut and fallen in the ground it will be said: "Finger of Swāmījī" or somebody. It is not anything . . . but because it is cut from the whole, it has no value. One screw from this machine is the same screw. But when it is separate from this machine, it has no value. But when you want to add to it—you go to purchase that screw—it will cost you five rupees. But without this machine, nobody cares for that screw. So our position is like that.

Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare

nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

(Prema-vivarta)

As soon as he separated from Kṛṣṇa to become independent, that is māyā. He has . . . loses all value, spiritual value. And in connection with māyā, it appears in different forms. And, the example is given, as the moon reflected in the water, and when the water is agitated, it is sometimes round, sometimes straight, sometimes broken, sometimes . . . like that . . . so we are eternal spirit soul. As soon as we come in contact with māyā, by agitation of the mind we assume different forms of life—and suffer. Hañā māyāra dāsa kari' nānā abhilāṣa. And that abhilāṣa is the agitation. The same example, that, is given. Moon is sometimes round, sometimes long, sometimes broken, sometimes . . . it is nothing. It is neither broken, neither round, nor . . . it is. It is as it is. But on account of agitation of the material body, it appears sometimes demigod, sometimes man, sometimes hog, sometimes cat—change, change of the body, 8,400,000 different change. (aside:) You can keep it there. Can keep it. All right.

We have to stop this change, and that is the mission of human life: no more cat, no more dog, no more demigod, but eternally servitor of Kṛṣṇa as cowherd boys and gopīs, or whatever you like. As trees, as calves, as cows, as Yamunā water, as Vṛndāvana-bhūmi—everything spiritual. Enjoy. Somebody's enjoying spiritual happiness by becoming Yamunā water. Somebody's enjoying as flower of Vṛndāvana, somebody as calf, somebody as cow, somebody as father, as mother, as friend, as conjugal friend, gopīs—all concentrated in Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. Center is Kṛṣṇa. Yaśodā-nandana . . . what is that? Braja-jana-rañjana . . . huh?

Hari-śauri: Gokula-rañjana . . .

Prabhupāda: Yāmuna-tīra-bana-cārī. Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī, yāmuna-tīra-bana-cārī. So Yamunā is spiritual. Yāmuna-tīra is spiritual. The varieties, the Māyāvādī cannot understand. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They want varieties, but don't accept spiritual variety. Therefore again material life. No other alternative. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti. Again material varieties, philanthropic work, political work, this work, that work. First of all they give up—brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, the jagan mithyā. And again they come out to open school. Why you come here again? Āruhya kṛcchreṇa param . . . patanty adhaḥ. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. They could not capture the spiritual varieties. Anādṛta. As soon as there is spiritual varieties, they think it is māyā. That is Māyāvāda. There is no māyā. Spiritual variety, there is no māyā. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. Eso. Amader Dasgupta ke khub translation koriye khatiye nao. (Please come. Make our Dasgupta work very hard for translation.)

Indian man: Uni onek gulo korechen. (He has done many.)

Prabhupāda: Hya, uni to besh guni lok. Oi kaj ta besh bhalo suitable. Brddhalok to bose bose ei koruk. (Yes, he is quite a talented person. That work is suitable for him. As he is an old man, so let him sit down and do that.) Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya. Yar yeta te beshi ache, seita diyei Bhagavaner seva korlei jiban sarthak. (Life will be successful if one serves the Lord, by whatever capacity he has.)

Indian man: Operation Kṛṣṇa consciousness and destination Vaikuṇṭha.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yar ye yajnata ache. Oi ye eitai ekhon bojhacchilam. Ye keu goru hoyeche, keu bachur hoyeche, keu ful hoyeche, keu jal hoyeche, keu land hoyeche, keu maa hoyeche, keu baap hoyeche, keu bandhu hoyeche sob Kṛṣṇa ke seva kore. Ei hocche Vrndavana. (Whatever qualifications one may have, that is what I was explaining here. That is, one has become a cow, one has become a calf, one has become a flower, one has become water, one has become land, one has become a mother, one has become a father, one has become a friend, all these things are for serving Kṛṣṇa. This is the Vrndavana.) Vrndavana varieties. Multi-varieties, all spiritual. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ . . . (BS 5.37). Sob Bhagavaneri expansion, era sob ya ta noy. (All these are expansions of God, these are not cheap.) There is nothing material. Everything ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ. Just like Brahmā took away—again He expanded. For one year nobody could understand that it is all expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has become calf, Kṛṣṇa has become cow, Kṛṣṇa has become a cowherd boy—everything. Then Brahmā saw, "Oh, I have done mistake." He can immediately expand into many thousands forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam . . . (BS 5.33). Hmm. What is that clipping? Go on reading.

Satsvarūpa: A number of clippings. This is a headline, that a new president, Carter, pardons draft evaders.

Prabhupāda: Huh? Carter?

Satsvarūpa: Previously there were so many young men in America who evaded the draft during the Vietnam war, and the government was looking for them. But now the new president is saying: "Let us forget the past. I forgive all these draft evaders. Let them come out and be good citizens."

Acyutānanda: Because if they have another war, nobody will go and fight that war again. They will all leave America. So they want America to be very good now, so that everyone will love America and come back. Because if there's another war nobody will join the army. They'll just leave.

Prabhupāda: So why there is war? They cannot stop war?

Acyutānanda: They start wars. (Prabhupāda chuckles) And in the chaos they make profit.

Prabhupāda: That means there are many like you.

Acyutānanda: Yes. (Prabhupāda chuckling) They're all in Canada, Mexico.

Prabhupāda: And Canada give them good shelter.

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: People is proud to give American shelter. Is it not?

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: What other?

Satsvarūpa: This is an article . . . this is not very new. I don't know where all these articles came from, but it's about our movement in Chicago. It says: "The path of Kṛṣṇa is like a sharpened razor. Whether selling incense or salvation, this band refuses to split hairs." (laughter) "Uncompromising," it describes us.

Prabhupāda: That is Kali's sign. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam (SB 12.2.6). Five thousand years ago it was predicted, and now it is happening. Just see. This is śāstra. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. "Younger generation will think by keeping long hair they have become beautiful." It is mentioned in Bhāgavata. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi: "Marriage means sex life." As soon as there is disturbance in rati, it is divorce.

Satsvarūpa: This is very old. This is two years old. "The deep roots of India's food plight."

Prabhupāda: That's not . . . new . . .

Acyutānanda: I think India has the whole world fooled, thinking that they have no food, so that they can get aid. Actually there is . . . everywhere I go, there's more than enough food. Even if people don't give money, they give food. And the hippies come to India because they get food. There's so much food in India. Everyone will feed you, all the people.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are feeding. We want to feed more.

Acyutānanda: But they make propaganda that they're starving to the whole world that, "We're starving nation," and they get aid. Powdered milk . . . powdered milk is sold, though. Government takes that, and they sell it.

Prabhupāda: All right, let us preach. That is our only business. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Ar sob Bhagavaner kathar opor ar ki sob beracche? (What is being published after the talk about God?)

Bhakti-cari: Erpare Bhagavad darshan beracche. (After this Bhagavad philosophy is being published.)

Prabhupāda: Hm, Bhagavad darshan to magazine, Boi? (Bhagavad philosophy is a magazine but what about books?)

Bhakti-cari: Boi, 'Bhakti katha' berobe. Seta apnar 1951 sale apnar lekha gulo beriyeche . . . (indistinct Bengali) (Books like "Bhakti Katha" will be published. That will be based on your writings of 1951, publishing . . .)

Prabhupāda: Hm, tumi ektu edit kore diccho to? Naki? (Are you doing a little bit of editing? Is it so?

Bhakti-cari: Nijerai korechilo, yerakam . . . (They are doing themselves, as . . .)

Prabhupāda: Tai ache? (As it is?)

Bhakti-cari: Ami sudhu subtitle kato gulo diyechi Bhagavatame. (I just gave some subtitles on the Bhagavatam.)

Prabhupāda: Ota bhaloi hoyeche. (That is good.)

Bhakti-cari: Eita ektu . . . (This one a little . . .)

Prabhupāda: Hmm, bhalo hoyeche. (it's good.)

Bhakti-cari: Ar er pore song book berobe, gaaner opore. Or sange apni yeta bolchilen Sadhu sanga, or modhye ekta iye thakbe . . . ekta thakbe. Ar ei sadhu sanga sammandhe Bhakti-vinod Thakurer ekta nam kirtan ache gaudiya granthe. Ota ki debo? (After this a song book will be published for singing. With what you were saying that "Sadhu sanga" would be within this. And about this sadhu sanga there is a nama kirtana composed by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in a Gaudiya book. Will I give it?)

Prabhupāda: Hya, dao. (Yes, give it.)

Bhakti-cari: Ar er sange ache Bhakti-rasamrta . . . Nectar of Devotion theke kato gulo chapter tule, amra anubad kore, tahole por subidha hobe. (If we also translate some chapters of Nectar of Devotion with this, that would be good.)

Prabhupāda: Besh, bhalo. (Very good.)

Bhakti-cari: Er pore . . . Mr. Dasguptar 'Siksha Astakam' ta berocche. Nijei ota anubad korechen. Ei kata boi amra ekhoni ber korbo. (After this "Sikshashtakam" of Mr. Dasgupta will be published. He himself translated that. These will be published for now.)

Prabhupāda: Ta se Mr. Mitra chilo. (Mr. Mitra was here.) This is family. Gitar ei khanikta tomar sange (Some parts from the Gita, with you) . . . (indistinct)

Indian man: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Ram, puro nam ta bole yabe. (Rama, please tell me your full name.)

Indian man: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Indian man: Apnar Gitar gaan ta (Song of your Gita) . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Hya, hya, hya. (Yes, yes, yes.)

Indian man: Ke yena bollo, apni . . . (Someone has said, you . . .)

Pradyumna: Mitra . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Indian man: Prasun Mitra!

Prabhupāda: Prasun.

Indian man: To last oke ami dekhlam, yakhan ei khane asi takhan Calcuttay. (Last time I saw him was in Calcutta, before I came here.)

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Indian man: Okhan theke bollo Vrndavane yabe ba Delhi te. (From there he will go to Vrndavana or Delhi.)

Prabhupāda: Oke khuje bar korte paro? Lokta khub qualified. (Can you find him out? He is very qualified.)

Indian man: . . . ekta baccha ke niye chilo (he was there with a child) . . .

Prabhupāda: Hya, or ki ekhane asubidhe holo? Cole gelo keno? Amake bole na kichu. (Yes, what problem was he facing here? Why did he go away? He tells me nothing.) If you can find out, bring him some way or other. He is very qualified man, but he's misguided. I think he did not like to live separate from his wife. That is his demands, maybe.

Indian man: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Indian man: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm. Na, Americay se . . . Calcuttar . . . Bengaler lok . . . (No, America . . . he is from Calcutta . . . Bengal . . .)

Indian man: Sanghatik, Americay (Very dangerous in America) . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Lokta besh qualified. (That person is very qualified.) Very qualified man.

Indian man: Amake bolchilo, Vrndavana theke bari giye likhbo. (He told me he will start writing after returning from Vrndavana.)

Prabhupāda: Tomra oke dhore niye aso, ami take thik bos kore rakhbo. (All of you please bring him. I will surely keep him under control.) Very qualified man.

Pradyumna: Yes. English, Hindi, Bengali . . .

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. And he wanted to live with me. So what happened to him?

Indian man: Tarpore yakhan asi thik ta jante pari ni jijnes korini. (When I came after that, I did not get the right information as I did not ask him.)

Prabhupāda: Yai hok, ya hoye geche, ekhon kono rakam take dhore ante parle, se ya cay tate peacefully (Anyway, that's what happened. Now somehow if we can bring him, whatever he wants he will peacefully) . . . (indistinct) Now we want some Bengali literature—Bengali, Hindi.

Indian man: Yeman eita . . . eita lekha to onar tai na? (Now this . . . he has written this one isn't it?)

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm.

Indian man: Eitao onar . . . etao khub bhalo, chotto chotto sob dik. Camatkar lekha . . . (This one is also his . . . this one is also good, small from all sides. Wonderful writing . . .)

Prabhupāda: Language er dakshata ache. (He is an expert in using language.)

Indian man: Language er dakshata ache. (He is really an expert in using language.)

Prabhupāda: Lekhate bojha gelo ye, (By his writings it has been proved that) he has got command of the right . . . besh, tumi porecho to? (well, did you read that?)

Indian man: (indistinct) . . . Kṛṣṇa upadesh. (Teachings of Kṛṣṇa.)

Pradyumna: No. It's new edition.

Bhakti-caru: It's an old edition

Pradyumna: It's old?

Prabhupāda: You find out that man. Kothay dekha hoyeche onar sange? (Where did you meet with him?)

Indian man: Calcuttay . . . (indistinct) . . . theke, takhon Calcuttay ora chilo ekhan theke cole yabe. (In Calcutta . . . (indistinct) . . . from that time they had to leave from Calcutta.)

Prabhupāda: Kothay chilo? (Where did he stay?)

Indian man: Mandire. (In the Temple.)

Prabhupāda: Oh! Calcutta te mandirei chilo! (He was in the Calcutta temple.)

Indian man: Hya, ar ki ora ekdiner ratrer janya ba . . . (indistinct) . . . Vrndavan buse ghurte yaoar katha. (Yes, actually they were for one night or . . . (indistinct) . . . plans to go to Vrndavana with a bus for a tour.)

Prabhupāda: Kobe dekha hoyeche? (When did you see him?)

Bhakti-cari: Ratha-yatrar samay to? (During the Rathayatra?)

Indian man: Amar mone porchena. Khub beshi chay mas-tay mas. Tarpor bollo ami . . . (indistinct) . . . achi . . . (indistinct) . . . ba Vrnadavane ami kayek din thakbo . . . (indistinct) . . . ta apni amake likhben. Ami bolechilam amar lekha guli ektu khani amake suggest korben. Prabhupāder sange ektu dekha kore asben tarpor yaben, bole hya . . . tarpore ar . . . (I can't recall. At the maximum six months before. Then he said I . . . (indistinct) . . . staying . . . (indistinct) . . . or I will stay a few days in Vrndavana . . . (indistinct) . . . so you please write to me. So I told him, "Please give me suggestions about writings. Before you go, you please meet with Prabhupāda," so he said: "Yes . . . after that . . .")

Prabhupāda: Khabarta kothay paoa yay? (Where can I get information about him?)

Indian man: . . . (indistinct) . . . tar sathe to svami yukta chilo, tader kache. (a swami was with him, so we can get from them.)

Prabhupāda: Kothay thaken tini? (Where does he live?)

Indian man: Kalibajar.

Prabhupāda: Uni to mad tad khay na. (He may not drink alcohol.)

Indian man: Khay. Or stress cole asle to khabei. (He drinks. But if he is in stress then he might drink.)

Prabhupāda: Sei janyei to tikte pare na. Or cehara dekhe bojha yay. Drink. Seta to ekhane hocchena, ca nei, drinking nei, smoking nei. (That's why he couldn't survive here. It can be understood by looking at his face. Drink. That's not possible while staying here; no tea, no drinking, no smoking here.) It became too much inconvenience. Wife is separated. This is tapasya. It cannot be accepted by ordinary person. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya begins from brahmacarya. And brahmacarya means "no," so many. No "yes." Only "no's." "Not this, not this, not this." It is very difficult. Therefore the Americans are surprised: "How our sons have accepted so many 'no's' unless there is brainwash? And this man knows some mind control, and he's controlling their mind, independence. Bās. Deprogram. Capture them." This is the . . . "How our sons can accept so many 'no's'? " And important items—no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication. Everything, life, is no. (laughs) Rāyarāma said: "It is simply 'no's.' " He left. What is their daily necessity, and all "no." The same thing is happening now that, "How they have accepted the 'no's'? It is brainwash, mind control." Lord Zetland said, when he was offered these "no's," he said, "Impossible for us. We cannot give up this." And I was also thinking in the beginning, that "As soon as I propose this 'no's,' they will say: 'Go home.' (laughs) No more preaching." And it is Kṛṣṇa's desire, they accepted so many 'no's.' I was not hopeful that these American young boys or gentlemen will accept these 'no's,' because I heard Lord Zetland said: "It is impossible." If they go to a . . . one goes to a restaurant, he must find out one illicit woman. Is it not? It is not the practice, that they should go to a restaurant with one girl? Otherwise he's vagabond. . . .(indistinct) . . . eisob study karo na. (study all these.) Huh?

Indian man: Accha! (Alright.)

Prabhupāda: He was ten years in London. He has good experience in villages. (aside) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Eso (Please come.) Sit down. Sit down. (long pause)

Indian man: Guru Maharaj . . . (indistinct) . . . gato bar apnar, giye . . . (indistinct) . . . tarpore kono karone ami . . . (indistinct) . . . (Guru Maharaja . . . (indistinct) . . . last time you, went . . . (indistinct) . . . after that by any means I . . . (indistinct) . . .)

Prabhupāda: Ki byaparta bolun. (Tell me the matter.)

Indian man: Tini bod hoy amader ekhane kaj taj korto . . . (indistinct) . . . amra, ekhon svami stri dujone ekhan theke amra bancita tai apnar sri carane . . . (indistinct) . . . dile. amra . . . ghor aparadh theke . . . (He might work here . . . (indistinct) . . . now, both husband and wife are deprived. That's why your lotus feet . . . (indistinct) . . . give, we . . . from huge sin.)

Prabhupāda: Keno bancita hole se karan ta jante hobe na! Yara dekha sona korche tader jijnes korte hoy. Ami to thik janina. (Why are you deprived? Do you not need to know that? Ask them who is managing. I don't have the right information.)

Indian man: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Oi iye yaoar por, tara asuk tar samne katha hocche. Amader to oirom kono byapar nei ye, Hindu, Musalman, Christian amra sakalkei bhalobasi. (After his departure, let them come and then we will talk in front of them. We don't have any matter of Hindi, Muslim, Christian—we love each and everyone.)

Indian man: Ei apnar ami . . . apnar asraye esechi ye apnar ekhane . . . (I have come here to your shelter . . .)

Prabhupāda: Eta to tomader jana ache to? (Do you know this?)

Indian man: Amar anubhab theke apnar er mote, byabahare te amra mugdha. Ar apnar ekhane kono bad bi . . . (From my feelings, we are fascinated by your behavior. In your place there is not any choosing . . .) (break)

Prabhupāda: ". . . that you cannot become happy without Me. Therefore I advise you, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), aham tvāṁ sarva-pā . . . I'll give you . . ." (break) Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Therefore only intelligent person is he who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. All fools. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam (BG 7.13). Tomra sob purono lok, bhalo kore time kome yodi karo na hole to . . . (indisinct) . . . ya parisram korbe tato pabei, tatei santusta. Besi cailei pay na to . . . pay na, anyai tai hoye yay. Ar labh kichu hoy na. Tesam kleva-avisisyate nanyate (sanskrit sloka reference) Yara eisob janena, dekhiye diye . . . tus kota. Tus kutle ki hobe? Tate ki dhan berobe? Parsram tai hobe. Yar bhagyete cal nei tus ache, se tuske kutle ki cal berobe? Berobe? Sutarang parsram tai holo ar kichu na. Yara mone korche ye anyay kore amar bhagyatake palte nebo, tara oi korche Tus kutche. (Those who don't know this, by showing . . . breaking the bran. What will happen by breaking the bran? Will you get rice from it? Only hard work will be there. One who is destined to get only a bran instead of rice, so if he breaks the bran will he get rice from it? Will he get it? So nothing will happen but hard work. Those who are thinking I will change my fate by doing bad things, they are actually breaking the bran.) (break) One daiynika what is that? If he, that time, one paisa, (laughs) if he could collect two annas, oh, he would encourage him like anything.

Indian man: Eight paisa. Two annas, eight paisa.

Prabhupāda: Former paisa, when sixty-four paisa was one rupee. Now hundred n.p. equal to one. The purchasing power of money was big. Now thirty percent has gone up, but people's income has not gone up so much. Thirty percent, thirty times. Formerly gold was priced twenty rupees per tolā. Now it is six hundred rupees. So thirty times. But people have not increased their income thirty times. My father was earning two hundred fifty to three hundred per month. So we were middle class. So now thirty times of three hundred means nine thousand. So which middle-class man has increased so much? Middle-class man now, if he's earning one thousand rupees he's considered very well-to-do. But what is that one thousand rupees? Nothing. My father had from one business, one hundred rupees, from another business sixty rupees, and we had a house rented, eighty rupees. Eighty rupees, sixty rupees and hundred rupees. How much?

Devotee: Two hundred and forty.

Prabhupāda: Two hundred forty, plus something more. Utmost, three hundred. And in our house four, five guests was always present. It didn't matter. Besides that, he was inviting some Vaiṣṇava, some sādhu. He married four daughters, and we were eating very sumptuously, daily two and half kg milk. Two annas per kg. Very nice milk. This man was coming from outside Calcutta. So we were so many children. We would stand, "Give some phāo." Two half kg's milk and half kg phāo. He wouldn't mind.

Indian man: Half kg, three, phāo?

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Because we are so many children, little, little, little. Krishna was asking for phāo. That is the system in India. You purchase something from some vendor and ask little more phāo. He'll give. That is included in the price. Tomader deshe . . . nai phāo? (Are people "Ask for free" in your country?) Especially children, they'll ask, "ektu phāo dā", ("give me a free one",) They'll give gladly.

Indian man: . . . (indistinct) . . . kore. (they do.)

Prabhupāda: Ask them to come inside. Baso. Eikhane noy opore baso. Bhetare asun ora sob ache. (Please have a seat. Not here, sit upstairs. Come inside, everyone is here.)

Indian man: Apni . . . apnara ektu bhetare asun . . . (You . . . all of you please come inside . . .)

Prabhupāda: Hya, darjay bosle abar rasta hobe na. (Yes, if you sit at the door, there won't be a way of moving.) (end)