770411 - Conversation - Bombay

Conversations by Date, 1977

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

770411R1-BOMBAY - April 11, 1977 - 86:13 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . the flames. It was kept checked by these rascal leaders. Dr. Radhakrishnan, Aurobindo, this, that, nonsense, interpreting in a different way, Gandhi. It could not distribute its brilliance. Now it is being distributed to show the brilliance and the knowledge first of all. Is it not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very much being distributed now, and everyone is appreciating.

Prabhupāda: I am confident this will go on, provided our men are following the process which I have given to them, following the rules and regulations, chanting. Books they have got sufficient already. Simply you have to repeat. You haven't got to manufacture. Any fool you are. Nobody can . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Imagine if you would have had one . . . that one crore of rupees from that Tirupati, Tirumala. Every month they have that money available.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? You want to speak?

Upendra: Cannot imagine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's one and a half million dollars nearly, per month.

Prabhupāda: Money will come. We don't care for these rascals checking. But we must be very sincere. Money is coming; it will come. Kṛṣṇa has given us a value, these books. We shall sell all over the world huge quantity of books. But they should give us this money, this Tirumala. They are creating anartha, situation which has no utility.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they are doing it with the money which was given in good faith to Kṛṣṇa. That's very objectionable.

Prabhupāda: No, objectionable . . . the rākṣasas . . . just like Kṛṣṇa was there within the womb of Devakī. Kaṁsa imprisoned. So the brilliance of the body of Devakī could not be seen by others, because imprisoned. So if Kṛṣṇa comes from the womb of Devakī—and He will come—similarly if by your endeavor Kṛṣṇa comes in this movement, then these Kaṁsas will be destroyed. He will kill. That day will come when we shall take all the political posts. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. That is the battle of Kurukṣetra. "Take it from Duryodhana. Give it to Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuna." If you go on steadily, that will be . . . and all these demons—Kaṁsa, Bakāsura, Aghāsura, sakala incarnations, svāmīs, yogīs . . . they are Aghāsura and Bakāsura. Just like Kṛṣṇa had to kill so many asuras, disturbing element. You become under some Aghāsura.

Upendra: Some what?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You became under some Aghāsura.

Upendra: Under . . .? Yes, my own Aghāsura.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Did you go to the camp of that Bhajan?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yogi Bhajan.

Upendra: No, I didn't go to any other camp.

Prabhupāda: Why you had pāgaṛi like Yogi Bhajan?

Upendra: Oh. My habit is always to . . .

Prabhupāda: Imitate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That man is such a bluffer.

Prabhupāda: Everyone bluffer. The Transcendental Meditation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We are going to meet a lot of them. They were telling me yesterday, some of Gargamuni's men had been in Kashmir and Srinagar. They said that now is the time coming up, all of the big movie stars, everybody goes to Srinagar, very popular. Most popular resort place in all of India.

Prabhupāda: Our this philosophy will not appeal to these rascals.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I was thinking that also.

Prabhupāda: They want to be bluffed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was thinking that if we were to open a center there . . .

Prabhupāda: No, we will go on opening our centers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But we cannot . . . I mean, we will attract those who are sincere. That's what I was thinking. We cannot change our philosophy simply for followers or money.

Prabhupāda: Just like we invited that Lata, and he was living like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Girirāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Invited that . . .

Prabhupāda: Lata Mangeskar.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, Lata Mangeskar.

Prabhupāda: He should not do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We shouldn't have done it, no.

Prabhupāda: What people will think? Keep yourself pure, spotless. (pause) We shall go to the bulaya.

Upendra: Yes, first thing.

Prabhupāda: This rascal, D.M.K.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Communist party.

Prabhupāda: What is this "Distressed Nanda"?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading newspaper) "Distressed Nanda could come . . . Mr. Gulzarilal Nanda, former home minister and acting prime minister, has resigned from the Congress after his close association with the party for fifty-six years. But he has let it be known that he is not joining any other party. His resignation is a protest against the failure of the Congress leaders to learn the bitter lesson of the recent chain of events. 'The growing dissensions and acute hostilities among warring factions have given me a severe jolt,' he says in a statement. 'I can see no prospect of abatement of these unseemly encounters and any effective role for myself.' Mr. Nanda, who is seventy-six, says that 'The Gandhian modes and principles are as relevant and valid for the future of the country as they were in the past, and this is the path for me.' Mr. Nanda released the text of three letters he wrote to Mrs. Indira Gandhi on June 27th, July 19th, 1975, and January 21, 1976. In his first letter Mr. Nanda said: 'I have been greatly troubled by the developments during recent weeks. What is happening now must cause deep concern to everyone in the country. I do not comprehend the full import of the measures that have been taken during the last two days, and the consequences they may bring in their train.' On January 21st, 1976, he wrote to Mrs. Gandhi, 'The present circumstances call for some new initiative. The people would expect this to come again from you, considering the position of vantage and eminence which you have occupied. It is your responsibility to guard the vital interests of the nation. On this account, there is room for necessary precautions and exercise of special powers in certain specific fields.' "

Prabhupāda: What is that picture?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Handicapped though, these foursome make a cheerful group as they paddle along on three-wheelers every day from their homes in the King George Memorial Infirmary on Jagtap Marga, Maha-Lakshmi." Some invalids. "Mr. Jaya Prakash Narayan in a statement on Sunday came out strongly against the attempts of some people to lobby through him for personal favors and advancements from the Janata party government center." He doesn't like it. Everyone is going to him now. (pause) "The aim and object of the 42nd constitutional amendment was stated to be to establish the supremacy of the legislature, but in fact it was designed to establish the absolute authority of the executive as personified by the Prime Minister, according to Mr. C. K. Daphtary, former attorney general of India. Mr. Daphtary said, 'Everyone knows that the misuse to which the power of preventative detention has been put in the last eighteen months. It is not necessary to recall or relay instances. But the power itself is so easily capable of being put to wrong use that it is unsafe to leave it in the hands of the executive government.' "

Prabhupāda: This will be amended now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Explaining one of the main objects of the 43rd amendment, he said that the articles . . . he said that the 43rd constitution amendment bill was significant in that it sought to remedy the excesses permitted by the previous ministry. He said that the article 31d of the 42nd amendment which provided the power in the legislature to make laws for the prevention and prohibition of antinational activities remained, and the previous ministry continued. There is no doubt that laws would have been passed in regard to illegal national activities. It was apprehended with reason that those laws would provide for preventative detention among other things as a remedy. It says there was no need for introducing article 31d unless it was to enlarge the field of preventative detention and enforcing it. Since there was enough laws already on the statute books which dealt with activities specifically detailed in article 31d and by trial in the ordinary manner." (pause)

Prabhupāda: She has misused the power, and nobody was to check. It is very dangerous constitution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Educated people lack basic values. The question whether formal education has a corrupting influence on the minds of children, particularly illiterate tribals and villagers, was raised by Dr. D. Y. Goharkar, vice-chancellor of Nagpur University at the three-day conference of the third Vidarbha Teachers Educators' Meet, which concluded here last week in Chandrapur. Inaugurating the conference, Dr. Goharkar observed that some of the basic values of life such as honesty and trustworthiness were conspicuously lacking in the so-called educated communities in general. He urged educationists and researchers to look into this question and suggest remedies."

Prabhupāda: That means the rascals, they do not see it, that godlessness, godless education will be like that. The teachers who are suggesting, they are themselves blind, and they are leading. They do not know what is the defect. You can write to them, that "You are leaders. You do not know what is the cause. This is the cause. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Without God consciousness, there cannot be any education. There cannot be any good qualities. You do not know this. Simply you are crying in the wilderness. You yourself do not know. All the education, its propaganda is how to make the world godless, although the most scientific knowledge of God is there in the Bhagavad-gītā." Write him. Give him a slap, that "You do not know." Introduce our Kṛṣṇa consciousness books in the educational department. "Yato mata tato patha," "Transcendental Meditation," "God has given you senses. Why you should not enjoy?" This is his . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Electronics complex for women entrepreneurs is being set up in Tamil Nadu."

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said the object of the scheme was to attract women entrepreneurs by providing them special . . .

Prabhupāda: Entrepreneurs?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Business people. "Mr. Raja Gopalan said that the scheme would soon be advertised for attracting women by providing them special intrastructural facilities to operate as a closely knit unit."

Prabhupāda: Abortion. What is that mean?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not abortion, but some kind of opportunity for women to do business together.

Prabhupāda: The same, sense enjoyment, maithuna. All these rogues and thieves and bokāla.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Hoxar pleads for healthy land-man relationship. Mr. P. N. Hoxar, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, yesterday pleaded for developing a healthy and rational land-man relationship as the foundation to build the socio-economic superstructure. Unless such relationship is developed through proper land reforms, it is useless to talk about science and technology in employment-oriented planning, he added. Eighty percent of the people live in villages and till the land which they do not own. The holdings were fragmented and the tenant was uncertain. They were burdened with debt to such an extent that they could not pay them back and fell into bondage of one sort or another."

Prabhupāda: Another rascal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "He said that industry must rest on a secure foundation and a healthy land-man relationship. It cannot rest where man owns thousands of acres of land and villages, but stays in Calcutta or Patna and is only interested in collecting money."

Prabhupāda: That I say always. Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: We have already seen the defect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Baboons imported for FP vaccine trials. Twenty-five baboons have been specifically imported from Africa for crucial experiments with the birth control vaccine developed three years ago at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. The five male and twenty female baboons which came two months ago are kept in the institute's animal house for use in trials before the vaccine could be cleared for use on women." It's about anti-pregnancy vaccine. "The baboons will be used in experiments to find out if the sterility induced by the vaccine is reversible and whether the baby baboons, born after such reversal, are normal both mentally and physically."

Prabhupāda: Abnormal. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Upset in Fiji. The Fijian government formed by the National Federation Party, which draws its support mainly from the people of Indian origin, will have to tread warily if it is to avert racial tension in the islands. It was by no means easy, even for the multiracial alliance party, which hitherto ruled the South Pacific republic, to maintain harmony between the people of Indian origin, who form fifty-one percent of the population, and the indigenous Melanesians. Its leader and the former prime minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara had to strain every nerve to keep the extremist Melanesians in check."

Prabhupāda: The prime minister is lightie?

Upendra: Yes. He is very educated. He is half. All the ministers are . . . those natives are light-skinned. They are from a particular island group, mixed. They are very intelligent and polite. The other natives are darker and more extremists. But this extremist agitation is, they say, is instigated by the Europeans, who keep the Indians and natives apart, because the natives have all the land, and this is what the Europeans are interested in. So they instigate it.

Prabhupāda: These rascals, wherever they go, they create trouble.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Why she was silent." This is from the Readers' View column. "In the farewell talk she gave to the outgoing Congress Party members of Parliament, Mrs. Indira Gandhi is reported to have told them that she was to blame for the rout, but she does not mention what is common talk among people everywhere, and especially among the village folk: her connivance at the build-up of her son Sanjay Gandhi as the probable future prime minister of India. Mrs. Indira Gandhi's refusal throughout the last two years to face the facts about her son's inordinate ambitions has shocked most of her admirers. Could she not see that this get—rich-quick son of a mother who swore by Garibi Hatao, as the person running the maruti, was playing ducks and drakes with money taken in advance from motor agents for a people's car which has still to come on the road? Was she unaware that he was put next to the late president of India on the flagship of the Indian navy at the naval parade, though he has no position in the government of our country? And is it possible that she did not know of his interference from her own house in the exercise of executive authority in many matters of appointments? Did she not see newspaper reports of vast gatherings often paid for and brought to the paṇḍāls by her chief ministers to provide an audience and popular build-up for the Raj Kumar, as he came to be called? Those of us who knew her father are sanguined that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru could never have allowed himself to entertain a dynastic order."

Prabhupāda: He wanted.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "When Mrs. Gandhi was elected president of the Congress we recall that her father first disapproved of the proposal made by S. K. Patil at a Bombay meeting. She also knows that she was elected to the high office of prime minister and not imposed from the top, as Sanjay Gandhi was sought to be imposed by the gestures eloquent enough for all the sundry to understand. We hope that she will accept her Himalayan blunders in the spirit of Gandhijī and she might persuade herself to retire to Vinoba Bhave's āśrama and brood long enough to . . . (indistinct) . . . prior power to be . . . (indistinct) . . . to everybody."

Prabhupāda: (break) . . . now by Kṛṣṇa's mercy only she is finished. Yes. Wonderfully finished. Without Kṛṣṇa's hand, it was impossible. We never expected. Samūla-ghāṅṭā. There is one word, samūla-ghāṅṭā. Just like you cut one tree, this is one, but the root remains there: again a tree. Samūla-ghāṅṭā means to get out the root, pluck out the tree with the root and throw it. So this woman has been done like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She's been plucked out at the root. So she won't grow again?

Prabhupāda: Rather, if she remains in the Congress, Congress is finished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She is trying to remain, it seems.

Prabhupāda: That is . . . then Congress will lose all importance. Her very name has to be driven out. And it is proved that majority of the congressmen, they are rogues. They supported her. I have . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anyone that is in power too long . . . there's a saying: "Power corrupts." Anyone who becomes too long in power becomes corrupted. That's why change is required. In America they have mandatory that the president can only hold for two terms position. Then he cannot again run.

Prabhupāda: Now so many charges are coming against her. (pause) Hmm? She and her son are the destiny of India? A woman and a debauch? They can do whatever they like. It's a farce condition. That so-called democracy is nonsense demoncracy. And by this demoncracy, it can be done. A demon may become, if he can simply secure votes. That is the position. Without any training. Formerly the destiny was by the rājarṣi. Royal power, but ṛṣi, saintly person. See the character of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Parīkṣit, Ambarīṣa. (aside) At least, you cover some way or other with some cloth. Find out some cloth or towel, and cover it. Yes. (devotee enters and offers obeisances) All rogues, they are political leaders. Political leader means rogue. Nowadays, these . . . here is so-called religious leader, Sai Baba, another rogue. This is Kali-yuga. (Hindi with Bhakti-caru) There is no good man politician. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Sumanda-matayaḥ. They have got a conception which is very, very bad—conception of religion, social, political. All condemned.

Bhakti-caru: (reading) "In the affairs, the leader's duty, why was she silent?"

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Bhakti-caru: "Why was she silent?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I read that to you this morning. (to Bhkati-caru) This I read to Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, read it again.

Bhakti-caru: Lecha Mukhara Danin—she was quite a famous author—wrote that article.

Prabhupāda: Oh, another Punjabi like . . .

Bhakti-caru: So "In the farewell talk she gave to the outgoing Congress party members of Parliament . . ."

Prabhupāda: Hmm, come near.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sit over here.

Bhakti-caru: (reads newspaper) "The farewell talk she gave to the outgoing Congress party members of Parliament, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was reported to have told that she was to blame for the rout. (The Times of India, March 29th, 30th) She seems to have accepted her failure to assess her injury cause to the sentiments and feelings of the masses in the areas where many excesses were committed during the emergency. And a failure of the Congress organization to fine against . . . (indistinct) . . . during the emergency and before. But she does not mention what is common talk amongst people everywhere, and especially among the village folk: her connivance at the build-up of her son Sanjay Gandhi as the probable future prime minister of India . . ."

Prabhupāda: Probable?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Future prime minister.

Prabhupāda: That everyone will say.

Bhakti-caru: (break) "And is it possible that she did not know of his interference from her own house in exercise of executive authority in many matters appointments? Did she not see newspaper reports of vast gatherings often paid for and brought to her family by her chief ministers to provide an audience and popular build-up for the Raj Kumar, as he came to be called. Those of us who knew her father are sanguined at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru could never have allowed himself to entertain a dynastic order. When Mrs. Gandhi was elected president of the Congress, we recall that her father first disapproved of the proposal made by Mr. S. K. Patil at a Bombay meeting." (break)

Prabhupāda: . . . is to bring her in limelight again, Indira.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it's purposely there. Actually, that's a fact. It seems like now they are purposely not . . .

Prabhupāda: Mentioned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: . . . mentioned. "Out of sight, out of mind." (break)

Prabhupāda: . . . release her on account of mercy of Anandamaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? She was thinking like that.

Prabhupāda: Now this is also mercy of Anandamaya. Some young yogīs she was keeping?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, there was one who was coming to America who seemed to have been very intimate with her. He was able to call her on the telephone. She would come to the telephone. He helped us, though, in our court case. Ādi-keśa warned him. Because he was sometimes meeting all these women. Many women were coming to see him in New York, many fashionable, wealthy people. So Ādi-keśa Mahārāja warned him that, "If you associate with these women, you will fall down." He liked Ādi-keśa very much and helped him, because he could see that he was strict sannyāsī. (break)

Prabhupāda: At this time, in other parts of India it is very hot.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: April, very hot. Actually, I'm pretty . . .

Prabhupāda: Except in Calcutta.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? Calcutta was quite hot when we were there. Remember coming from Māyāpur?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But it's cool.

Prabhupāda: Calcutta and Bengal has got a facility. Every evening there is a small shower of rain. That keeps the temperature mild. During this April-May, you will find every evening there is a thunderstorm and little shower. That is Bengal's special . . . a good wind will come—sometimes it is cyclonic—and immediately the whole atmosphere will be reduced temperature. Sometimes in U.P. also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another advantage of these months is that the mango starts to come into season.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. In Bombay mango is the first class.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you are leaving Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Doesn't matter. I am not after eating. There is no scarcity of mango, but who will eat?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: From Bombay, mango is sent everywhere in India also.

Prabhupāda: All over the world. Bombay, Hapus.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are called Langra?

Prabhupāda: Hapus. Here in the Ratnagiri District, especially in that place, this mango grows. In India it is known as Bombay ām. In India, in Northern India, there is . . . there are so many mangoes, very nice. One is Langra; another is a small. I forget the name. That is also very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about Alphonso?

Prabhupāda: Alphonso and Hapus, the same. Indians, they cannot say Alphonso. They say Hapus. (laughs) The big name Alphonso they have made short-cut, Hapus. (hums) (to other devotee) So you can work together with your friend here. He will make fair copy and make translation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: While we are here, he can sit here with Gopīnātha?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So while we are still here, he can come here in the daytime for working with me. Prabhupāda said. And even when we're traveling, after you get your copy corrected, you can send it to him, and he'll write out a fair copy and then send it for printing. Plus he can do his own translating work also. That'll be good. Otherwise Gopīnātha would be slowed down if he had to write everything once again. (devotee offers obeisances and leaves)

Prabhupāda: He is doing nicely. He has got control over language.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One advantage I see also is that because he's been to the West, he is not so enamored by . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because he has already been to the West, his mind is not so much agitated with thinking to get something from this movement.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes that is a problem here in India.

Prabhupāda: Both of them.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Have you met his friend yet? That Sarvabhāvana? He is very nice, also. Sarvabhāvana brought Gopīnātha to the movement. They were friends in Germany.

Prabhupāda: They both of them know English very nicely. Now some Bengali literature should come out. Hindi, Bengali, English, any, sufficient for the time being. Gujarati.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gujarati. But no one from the Bengali side is as expert and hard-working in this matter as Gopāla Kṛṣṇa is here. That's one point. Pañcaratna is a good man, but I mean he himself doesn't speak the language. So I feel that Gopāla will get more done in Hindi than they can get done in Bengali because . . .

Prabhupāda: No, Bengali he's useless. After finishing . . . (indistinct) . . . we will simply print. When the task is finished, printing, Gopāla can print.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's my thought. He should do the printing of all the books.

Prabhupāda: And he will do that. He'll do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is expert businessman. And one good thing is that because this Sarvabhāvana is here, so Gopāla . . .

Prabhupāda: He can read the proof.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Proofing. Simply they have to find a good press who can do the work.

Prabhupāda: Press, Usha Press is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can they do Bengali work?

Prabhupāda: Any work he'll do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Offset printing.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Their letter said they don't have here Bengali type.

Prabhupāda: Type printing is now abolished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So the composition can be done in Bengal, and then it can be sent here for printing by offset.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nice. And that boy . . . what is that boy's name in Māyāpur, the one who was in England? He can read the proof.

Prabhupāda: Subhāga.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Subhāga.

Prabhupāda: You can reach by mail.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now with these books coming out, I think it is only a matter of time until we get many, many people joining us.

Prabhupāda: And respectable position. The more we publish books, we become respected.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This was practically the only criticism I ever heard against us, was that, "Why your books they are all in English? We don't speak English." Just like Bajaj. Whenever I used to see him, he always used to say: "Oh, it is very nice, but . . ." And he would only speak to me in Hindi. He knew I could not properly understand, but he's such a Hindu, pro-Hindu, that he would speak to me in Hindi.

Prabhupāda: Then . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And he wanted our books in Hindi, so now they are coming. (break)

Prabhupāda: . . . so much money, is it possible?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. No ordinary man could have ever done it.

Prabhupāda: In the history it is unique. Crores of rupees' property, and all over the world, buildings, temples. It is all Kṛṣṇa's. Nobody can harm them. It is not for me. There is no history. In one . . . ten years only, books like this, which are being received with so much adoration. They are simply Kṛṣṇa. If I want to take credit personally, this is wrong thing. So money does not come in that way unless Kṛṣṇa gives. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). If Kṛṣṇa wants, He can give the whole world. My father used to say: "God has got ten hands. If He wants to take away from you, with two hands how much you will protect? And when He wants to give you with ten hands, with two hands how much you will take it?" That's a common . . . but people are after money. (break)

Upendra: . . . garlands. They should be taken down.

Prabhupāda: They are not changing?

Upendra: He has stopped bringing flowers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Later he will bring. I told them. These should be probably taken down after one day. They get brown.

Prabhupāda: These can be distributed to the devotees. Today I have explained the Bhāgavatam, prāṇu-mānāya: how this bodily concept of life is dangerous. These things they do not know. Leaders, big, big papers, big, big propaganda. What is the purpose of life and how dangerous this civilization is, bodily concept of life, they do not know. Bhagavad-gītā begins when they understand that, "You are not this body." The whole subject matter is on that soul, the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Bhojendra-gehe 'gni-śikheva ruddhā, sarasvatī jñāna-khale yathā satī (SB 10.2.19). I see Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, so exalted knowledge and so beautifully literary presented. Śrīmat. Śrīmat means beautiful. Throughout the whole world, you won't find any literature. This is India's fortune, and they are keeping it packed up. Jñāna-khaleṣu. Jñāna-khala means envious. You have got some knowledge, but you are envious; you don't want to distribute to anyone. They are called jñāna-khala.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jñāna-khala. One who keeps knowledge to himself.

Prabhupāda: Monopoly. They are called jñāna-khala. But real jñānī means if you have got some knowledge, you should daily distribute it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.

Prabhupāda: No, any knowledge. Just like modern scientists, they do. When they discover something, they give it; they go from university to university. Whatever . . . they may be wrong. They want to give it. That is the way. In India such vast knowledge, it is kept for professional Bhāgavatam readers. How much harm they have done! Some professional Bhāgavatam readers, it is their property. And they will gather some women and talk of rāsa-līlā and Bhāgavatam reading. Some lazy old men, some woman, they will gather and sit down with their grammar. Karma-kāṇḍa, so that his material position will be better off. And the reciter will gather so many dozens of food and umbrella and cloth, and take it away and sell it in the market, and employ it for his son's marriage, daughter's marriage . . . (indistinct) . . . and this is Bhāgavatam. This is going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is there some verse in the Bhāgavatam which states that the Bhāgavatam reciter must be a very qualified person?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Svarūpa Dāmodara said, "You read Bhāgavatam from a person who's life is Bhāgavatam." Bhāgavata paḍa giyā bhāgavata sthāne. In Rādhā-Dāmodara temple one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhāgavatam daily as a meeting, for half an hour. And half a dozen woman would sit down. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ". . . we will anxiously await a report on . . ."

Prabhupāda: No, what is the trustees?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The BBT trustees means of the different publishing arms of the BBT. French trustee is Bhagavān . . .

Prabhupāda: Oh, BBT.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: BBT, yes. They had a meeting in Māyāpur discussing some common points of interest and concern. It says: "We will anxiously be awaiting a report on Śrīla Prabhupāda's reaction to the various points, and it would be good if you sent copies to all the trustees directly if there are any urgent points. I am going to Los Angeles in a few weeks, at which time I will make it my business, as one of the U.S. trustees, to look into the Press matter. I will send a report after doing so. I also share your concern in this matter. I am going to France in a few days and will send a report on my findings. I am especially concerned to see that BBT be set up along standard lines. I have heard that Śrīla Prabhupāda's health has improved somewhat. Please be so kind as to send reports on this from time to time, as all the devotees are very much concerned. We are all praying to Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva that His Divine Grace's health will be completely restored. I remain your servant, Jayatīrtha dāsa. P.S. I will be visiting Africa in May." This letter is dated 25th March.

Prabhupāda: (surprised) March?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It is quite a . . . it's about two weeks old. Somehow or other, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the mail is . . . this was sent to Hyderabad, this letter. So that accounts for it. "BBT Trustees' Meeting. 1) Yogeśvara dāsa was appointed the Los Angeles production manager for all international publications and will also act as assistant to the English production manager, Rādhā-vallabha." Yogeśvara dāsa was already in Los Angeles, and the various different foreign BBTs were complaining that they weren't getting the proper help from L.A. BBT.

Prabhupāda: He?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were complaining that they weren't getting things timely. So Yogeśvara will handle all the international business of the L.A. BBT.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. He's very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "2) Rādhā-vallabha will train up Vipra dāsa in New York to oversee the color printing done at Tandem Press." The reason for this is that every month, at least once a month if not more, Rādhā-vallabha has to fly to New York.

Prabhupāda: No, this should be stopped. Extravagance.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Up until now, Rādhā-vallabha has claimed that no one else is qualified to do this, but . . .

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: . . . the BBT felt that he could be trained. Vipra dāsa is about forty years old, and he's a trained photographer for many years.

Prabhupāda: And every time Rādhā-vallabha changes something, that should be stopped. He is very much inclined to change something. This practice should be stopped.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "3) There will be a BBT budget meeting every week in Los Angeles at which all Press expenditures will be discussed and approved by Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, and a monthly financial statement detailing the Press expenditures will be sent to all the trustees."

Prabhupāda: This unnecessary expenditures like Sanskrit department and art department, this should be curtailed. We require money for Bhaktivedanta Institute.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "4) Every BBT division must make a monthly BBT report showing the income and expenditure and reviewing Press activity. All forms must be stated in U.S. dollars except the Indian statement, which should also be stated in rupees." One of the reasons for this, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is that the only two, or I should say, the only three BBT divisions, or four, that gave regular reports was English, that was Rāmeśvara; Spanish, Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja; German was Jayatīrtha and then Harikeśa. But the French were not giving any kind of regular statement. They have never given any statement.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, Bhagavān says he didn't have the necessary accountants. He gave a number of reasons. But the BBT Trustees rejected all the reasons and said that now there has to be a regular statement monthly. Similarly from India, there was no regular monthly statement given out to the other trustees. So now every month all the trustees must send a regular statement." 5) The Deity worship book will be printed by Jayatīrtha dāsa without BBT funds." This is that book. I forget the Sanskrit name, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Devotee: Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. So Jayatīrtha wants to print it on his own. Means he doesn't want to take BBT funds. So the trustees felt that that was very good, since funds were scarce, he does a nice printing. He said he would take responsibility for printing and distributing it. Because it is a very limited edition, it's not going to be sold to the common people, just to devotees.

Prabhupāda: No. Few copies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. "6) Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja will settle the Portuguese money through Satsvarūpa Gosvāmī." I don't exactly know the meaning of that. "7) Sa-vijñānam Journal"—that's the Bhaktivedanta Institute Journal, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the scientist journal—"will be printed and paid for by BBT India and exported to the Bhaktivedanta Institute." So that monthly journal or quarter, you know four times a year journal, will be printed here in India, because we felt the printing could be done much less expensively. And it will be sent from here.

Prabhupāda: But he was going to print it at Los Angeles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure if he's printing these . . . I think he is not printing a Sa-vijñānam Journal. He's printing some other booklets. But this regular journal, which comes out regularly, will be printed from India. "8) The scientists' book, Life Comes from Life, will be printed by BBT India, 5000 copies, and paid for by BBT U.S. 9) No brochure will be printed for individual standing orders at this time. Rather, a selective market should be concentrated upon." This is in regard to Tripurāri Mahārāja's trying out some standing orders door to door in homes. So we decided that the BBT will not print any kind of special brochures at this time, but that he should first of all see what the market is like and make some experiment before we spend money.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "10) The property committee should also be consulted on leases." Up until now, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have a property committee, consisting of Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, Jayatīrtha Prabhu, Ātreya Ṛṣi and myself. And we have always been consulted on all property purchases. But we now decided that we should also be consulted on property leases. Because leases are also very . . . they can be very disastrous also if they are improperly entered into, especially any long-term leases. Of course, they also have to deal through their local GBC, but then they also deal with it practically. "11) It was noted that a total of $630,000 would be available for construction purposes between now and the end of 1977. $300,000 dollars is the minimum required for emergency U.S. loans. This leaves $330,000 dollars for India. Of the $330,000 dollars, $240,000 is required to complete the pledge of one crore to Bombay. The balance should be available for the other projects in India, contingent on the Bombay project staying within its budget. That is $90,000." So this poses a problem which you partly solved already, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Surabhi Swami informed us that the original budget of one million dollars would be not sufficient, but it would reach more like one and a half million dollars. So this means that half a million dollars has to come from somewhere. So Gurukṛpā Mahārāja agreed to send 200,000 dollars. But still there will be a balance of about . . . Rāmeśvara said there is 100,000 left to send. So still there is going to be a balance of about 200 to 300,000 dollars needed. So we will have to find out where that can come from for finishing this Bombay project. "12) Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja was appointed to oversee the BBT monies sent to India. He will work in collaboration with the Indian GBC." That means when they send money from overseas to be spent here, they wanted me to see that it was properly spent, along with the GBC man of the local temple. "13) It is not the BBT's business to pay for publishing children's books."

Prabhupāda: No, not . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "14) All foreign language editions of Back to Godhead will include a section of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

Prabhupāda: Hmm, that's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "15) Foreign temples will receive records for approximately 75 cents, while North American temples will pay one dollar. All profits made by the BBT for records will go to ISKCON Food Relief. Prices may increase if the costs rise. 16) Harikeśa Mahārāja will take responsibility to prepare the Māyāpur brochure. 17) The BBT Trustees for each division are responsible for setting priorities in each division." That means printing priorities. "18) The U.S. BBT will experiment with importation of books from India as soon as . . ."

Prabhupāda: What happened to that book, Dialectic Spiritualism?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Spiritual Dialectics?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Dialectic Spiritualism.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dialectical Spiritualism. I think Harikeśa was working on that, wasn't he, when he was here . . .?

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is finished. It was being edited by . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, okay. Well, I'll write and ask.

Prabhupāda: . . . Hayagrīva. But he is doing nothing and taking money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, they've stopped his salary now. "18) The U.S. BBT will experiment with importation of books from India as soon as practical. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa will make further efforts to increase the quality."

Prabhupāda: Yes, quality must be there. It is not yet standard. Unless quality is improved, it cannot be exported and spoil the market.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hmm. So those were the resolutions we passed, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)