720422 - Conversation A - Tokyo

Conversations by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

(note: the previous 720422 - Conversation A - Tokyo is now 720421 - Conversation with Dai Nippon - Tokyo

720422R1-TOKYO - April 22, 1972 - 26:05 Minutes

Prabhupāda: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21)

What is that, that . . . (indistinct) . . . the Deities?

Devotee: Oh, the Deities?

Prabhupāda:

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

(Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka 3)

Wherefrom we got this?

Sudāmā: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa sent these from Los Angeles three years ago.

Cintāmaṇi: They stayed in the closet.

Prabhupāda: So who will paint?

Sudāmā: Cintāmaṇi will paint.

Prabhupāda: So take note. So eyes are all right. Eyes are all right. It is all right. Simply you have to . . . all the hairs to make black up to the . . . it is all right?

Cintāmaṇi: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then His hands should be red.

Cintāmaṇi: What about this? She's holding?

Prabhupāda: She holds the sārī, skirt. She holds some cloth.

Sudāmā: Some cloth.

Prabhupāda: Like this.

Cintāmaṇi: Oh.

Prabhupāda: This is the . . . do it. And this hand is betel nut.

Cintāmaṇi: Betel.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Cintāmaṇi: What color it should be?

Prabhupāda: Green.

Cintāmaṇi: Green.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Green. Green. In dancing mood, She is offering a betel nut to Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is dancing and playing with flute. So this should be white and red. These are petals. It should be red. And this should be white. And a little black line. Is that all right?

Cintāmaṇi: Hmm. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then this, they should be all red. And the nails should be white, nails.

Cintāmaṇi: Also.

Prabhupāda: Hands red and nails, yes, you can make white. You can . . . go on. So any other?

Cintāmaṇi: I made wigs, but I don't . . . maybe they are too long.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Cintāmaṇi: I made hair. But I don't know how long it should be.

Prabhupāda: That you can see Kṛṣṇa's picture.

Cintāmaṇi: Picture of Kṛṣṇa? Is His hair curly?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Curling, wavy, black.

Cintāmaṇi: Is this too long?

Prabhupāda: Too long. This is also too long.

Cintāmaṇi: Too long. How long should it be?

Prabhupāda: It should not come below, Rādhārāṇī, the waist.

Cintāmaṇi: Oh. And Kṛṣṇa's?

Prabhupāda: And Kṛṣṇa's should be up to the neck.

Cintāmaṇi: Thank you. Kṛṣṇa wears tilaka, like we do? . . . (indistinct) . . . tilaka?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Rādhārāṇī only red spot.

Sudāmā: We have some . . .

Prabhupāda: Any other questions?

Sudāmā: Yes.

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Since we are going to have three altars, then we should also have three different plates, a different plate for each altar?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is already known to you. Bhānu knows very well. You have seen in Los Angeles. Why three plates? If you can spare more plates for each, that will be nice. Just like one for Rādhā and for Kṛṣṇa, one for Jagannātha, one for Balarāma, one for Subhadrā, (laughter) one for guru, one for Gaurāṅga, Pañca-tattva, five.

If you can increase, you can manage, that is nice. Otherwise, one plate to guru is sufficient, if you cannot spare. If you can spare, you can increase as many plates as you can. Otherwise one plate to guru is sufficient.

Devotee: On Ekādaśī, we can offer the Deity grains?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. But not guru. Ekādaśī observed by jīva-tattva, not by viṣṇu-tattva. We are fasting for curing our material disease, but Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu also may not be offered grains, because He is playing the part of a devotee. Only Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha can be offered grains. Otherwise, Guru-Gaurāṅga, no. And the prasādam should not be taken by anyone. It should be kept for next day. What is that?

Cintāmaṇi: I tried to make a flute for Kṛṣṇa, because He doesn't have a flute. Is that okay?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Sudāmā: We will order one flute from India.

Prabhupāda: Why India? You can get it here. Any goldsmith can do.

Bhānu: In the morning, the Deity should be woken up not before five? The Deities should be woken up at five in the morning? Some temples it is 4:30, some temples five.

Prabhupāda: Just one and a half hours before sunrise. If the sunrise varies, then the waking time also should vary.

Sudāmā: So according to season, we should . . .

Prabhupāda: The rule is that one and a half hours before sunrise. So that you have to make, when the sunrise, then just one and a half hour before, maṅgala-ārati.

Sudāmā: So that's when the ārati begins, when the curtains are opened and we start offering.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Sudāmā: One and a half hours before sunrise is when the ārati begins. Then you wake them up before.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Just waking, ārati begins. And then you can offer something.

Bhānu: We should offer the plate after the ārati.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhānu: After.

Devotee: Is it all right for the Deities' hair to show?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: Sometimes, at some temples, the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deities, sometimes Their hair shows.

Prabhupāda: Shows?

Devotee: Yes. Like Rādhārāṇī's hair is down in front. Is that all right, or should . . .?

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter. That is for beauty, as it is possible. Better keep it that side. Just like Rādhārāṇī's hair . . . there is picture? That gopīs, they have got their hair that side. Rādhārāṇī is also one of the gopīs, but She is the dearmost gopī. That's all. Otherwise, She is also gopī. Then? What else?

Sudāmā: Bhānu had a question about something.

Bhānu: Does evening ārati vary according to the sunset? Or it fixed time.

Prabhupāda: No. Sunset.

Sudāmā: And how many full āratis should we perform, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Three main: maṅgala-ārati, bhoga-ārati and sandhya-ārati. These are main. Then you can offer śayana-ārati before going to bed. Śayana-ārati. And these four, and dhūpa-ārati just after lighting, or before lighting.

Then, after rest in afternoon, dhūpa-ārati. After dressing, dhūpa-ārati. So two, three dhūpa-ārati, and three, four full āratis. Three must be, and four also, four, full āratis. And dhūpa-ārati at least three, four. In this way.

Bhānu: The full ārati will be in the morning, maṅgala-ārati; there will be the noon ārati; there will be one in the evening. When should the other full ārati be?

Prabhupāda: When the Deities are going to bed. Before going to bed.

Bhānu: I have seen in Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Śayana-ārati. It is called śayana-ārati. Sandhya-ārati, bhoga-ārati, maṅgala-ārati. You write down. Maṅgala-ārati early in the morning; bhoga-ārati at noon, offering prasādam, then Sandhya-ārati just after half an hour or one hour sunset, Sandhya-ārati.

Bhānu: One hour after sunset?

Prabhupāda: Yes. One hour or half an hour. It must be dark.

Bhānu: Oh, the śayana-ārati.

Prabhupāda: No. Sandhya-ārati. Sandhya-ārati must be as soon as it is dark. And then śayana-ārati. Śayana-ārati. Śayana means going to bed.

Bhānu: What time should the śayana . . . the time?

Prabhupāda: After.

Bhānu: Should the Deities be offered grains for breakfast?

Prabhupāda: No. Grains . . . grains, only bhoga-ārati and at night . . . purī also grain. It is also grain. And during daytime, cāpāṭī, rice, ḍāl, like that. Breakfast: fruits, milk, sweets, breakfast. And early, maṅgala-ārati, condensed milk. And breakfast: butter, sugar candy, casein. You are calling Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme.

You must offer Him nice things. It's not a poor man gets like Him. He's the richest man. If a poor man can be supplied so many things, how the rich man should be offered? And as far as possible, distribute prasādam. (break) People should be called.

Sudāmā: So we should take the Deity prasādam and our prasādam and go to all the houses?

Prabhupāda: No, no. You invite them, that "Anyone, you are welcome. Take prasādam." We can announce. Then you can judge how many people are coming daily. You should announce that "Anyone can come and take prasādam at noon." It is the duty of a gṛhastha to loudly cry, "If anyone is hungry, please come. We have got still food."

That is the duty of a gṛhastha. If one does not come, then the chief of the house, he takes prasāda. If somebody says, "I am hungry," so he should offer his own food, "You eat." This is duty of gṛhastha. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanti āt . . . those who are cooking for themselves, they are simply eating sinful things. That's all. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13).

So hospitality is the one of the duty of the householder. Atithi. Atithi. Atithi means guest without any information. That is called atithi. Tithi, tithi means date. So if I go to your house, I inform you that, "Such-and-such date I am coming there." But atithi, he does not inform you; all of a sudden comes. So you should have to receive him. That is called atithi. Pāntha. People are moving . . .

Formerly, if some of the walkers in the street, suppose he has become hungry, so he enters anyone's house so, "I am hungry, sir. Give me something to eat." He'll immediately, "Take." Pāntha-bhāga. There is a stock of foodstuff which is called pāntha-bhāga. If somebody comes all of a sudden, he should take.

Pradyumna: The temple should always have some prasādam there?

Prabhupāda: Temple must have. Even ordinary gṛhastha. That is Vedic civilization. Not that we cook for ourself, for my husband, for my wife and children, eat it sumptuously and go to bed. No. Even gṛhastha, he should be always prepared to receive guest. Yes. And even a guest comes, your enemy, you should receive him in such a nice way that he will forget that you are all enemies.

Gṛhe śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akutobhayam. This is Vedic civilization, not that "Beware of dog. Please don't enter here. You are forbidden to come here. And if you come, I shall shoot you." Sometimes they do that. This is not human civilization. It is cats' and dogs' civilization.

So actually we are teaching what is human civilization. But we must be also like human being, not cats and dogs. Otherwise, how can you teach? If I am like cats and dogs, I cannot criticize others as cats and dogs. I must be first of all human being, then I shall teach others how to become human being. I must become first of all devotee; then I shall request others to become devotee. Āpani ācari jīve śikhāilā bhakti (CC Madhya 1.22). First behave yourself perfectly; then teach others to become perfect. That is preacher.

So we are selling The Process of Creation, but if I do not know what is the process of creation, we do not read, if you go to sell some book, then if he goes, "What is the process of creation? You explain," and if you say: "All right, let me consult my book . . ." Kuto gata vedyaḥ para-hasta-gataṁ dhānam.

Para-hasta-gataṁ dhānam means, "I have got enough wealth." "Where it is?" "It is in other hands. It is not in my possession; in others' possession." This kind of possessing wealth has no value. Similarly, when somebody asks you some question, if you say: "Let me consult my book," that knowledge has no value, "Let me consult my book."

So all these books are there. You see one śloka studying, knowing, it takes one hour. So there are millions of ślokas. How much you have to study. So these things are to be noted. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means perfection, all-round perfection. Then people will much appreciate. There is no doubt about it. And we can go anywhere, everywhere, because we are pure. We are giving the right thing.

So is there any artist here who can draw? You can?

Cintāmaṇi: Little bit.

Prabhupāda: So can you make a rough sketch just of this building, and in front a temple with arches. I will take and give you photograph. You have got those photographs, Śyāmasundara?

Śyāmasundara: You haven't given me yet.

Prabhupāda: Second set of photographs it was taken?

Śyāmasundara: Oh, oh, of the temple. Yes, I have.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you can make drawing.

Cintāmaṇi: Make a sketch of this end . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes. And in front a temple, high arches, big temple. I will give you the photo, photo. Where is the photo?

Śyāmasundara: I have negatives. I have to get some photos made.

Prabhupāda: No, you got some photos made?

Śyāmasundara: That other boy in Sydney, Śyāmalālānanda, he has.

Prabhupāda: Anyone takes, but he sleeps. He doesn't deliver. I wanted to send immediately to Bombay.

Śyāmasundara: Bombay has a set of photos in the temple.

Sudāmā: If you have the negative, we can get them developed while we're at Dai Nippon—thirty minutes. If we take negative today, we can get them developed very quickly at Dai Nippon while we are waiting.

Prabhupāda: All right. That's all right. You take it.

Śyāmasundara: Get several sets.

Prabhupāda: So when we have to go to Dai Nippon?

Sudāmā: The car will come around noon, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So send Nanda-kumāra to give me massage. I will be ready.

Sudāmā: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we set the date of installation for the third, next Wednesday, beginning from 4:30 in the afternoon.

Prabhupāda: 4:30?

Sudāmā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Sudāmā: And is there any special thing we should make, prepare for the installation? I think the other . . . this one boy, Steven, is taking initiation on that day.

Prabhupāda: So that will be nice.

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Is it all right to offer the Deity condensed milk that is already condensed?

Prabhupāda: Hmm? No. Call . . . where is Nanda-kumāra? I shall take massage.

Devotees: (obeisances) (end)