720701 - Conversation - San Diego

Conversations by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720701R1-SAN DIEGO - July 01, 1972 - 15:01 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . so decomposes. So the outer skin has become dry. Nobody cares for it. It is lying down, the outer cover of the squash, and one dried bamboo. You have seen? You know bamboo? Part cut, it is also lying somewhere. And a piece of wear.

Śyāmasundara: Wire.

Prabhupāda: Wire, that is also lying somewhere. Nobody cares. But one gentleman, he collected all these three things and prepared a string instrument. He joined the bamboo with the dry cover of squash and fitted the string, and it began to ting, ting, ting. It is called ektara. There is instrument, in India it is called ektara. The example is that so many things individually lying useless, but if somebody knows how to combine them, it becomes an instrument, very sweet, very sweet to hear.

Similarly, in this world, so many things are lying dead and frustrated . . . but if they are combined together by an expert, it becomes useful. So although this world is dead body, when there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it becomes enlivened. That is our movement. We are trying to inject Kṛṣṇa consciousness in everything dead within this world. (Prabhupāda drinks) Now just see all these ingredients—strawberry and . . . what is that?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Orange juice.

Prabhupāda: Orange and honey . . .

Devotee (1): Peach.

Prabhupāda: . . . and peach, they are natural products from the jungle. Nobody goes to manufacture; automatically comes out. But when they are combined together, it is nectarine. None of them is manufactured by man, either this honey or the strawberry or the pineapple. Given by God. So in every step you can perceive the hands of God. Every step. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This nice taste you cannot create by any chemical combination. It is not possible. Because God's hand is there, it has become so tasteful drink. Man cannot make. This flower, man cannot make. This fruit . . . nothing man can make. This nice flower stick, how nicely it is made.

So everything you can perceive the hands of God. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When you perceive the hands of God, presence of God, presence of the energy of God, then you become happy. That is the way of happiness. In every step of life you feel the hands of God. We are teaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means how to perceive, realize, presence of God in everything. So there will be no disappointment.

(aside) Take more. Go on eating.

Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything there is. Actually that is a fact. People are so foolish. They are not trained up to understand the presence of God in everything. So we are training that status of life, to perceive presence of God in everything. In everything. (pause) This is called peach?

Śyāmasundara: Um-hm. Like those trees we saw on the walk this morning.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Śyāmasundara: We saw some peach trees, small ones.

Prabhupāda: This is also peach?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. No peaches in India?

Prabhupāda: Not so big. It is very nice. These fruits are there in India. What is called?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Cherries.

Prabhupāda: Cherry.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You have sour cherries too?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Sour cherries? It's sour.

Prabhupāda: It is sour?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There is some kind of cherries which is very sour, for cooking.

Śyāmasundara: Those are sweet.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: These are sweet.

Prabhupāda: They become bigger more?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No.

Prabhupāda: What are those biggers?

Śyāmasundara: Plums.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There's strawberries.

Śyāmasundara: They're plums. Looks like a cherry. And these are avocado.

Prabhupāda: Fat. Vegetable fat? It is fatty. These fruits are meant for offering to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam. Flowers, leaves, fruits He wants. So these are Kṛṣṇa's food. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26).

What is your problem of life?

Devotee (2): We're miserable.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (2): We're miserable.

Prabhupāda: Why miserable?

Devotee (2): We never get satisfaction.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is good sign, because then you will be searching after the source of satisfaction. The source of satisfaction is Kṛṣṇa. Śānti. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (BG 5.29). When you know Kṛṣṇa as the friend of everyone, at that time you get satisfaction. How nice. Everything is so nice.

Śyāmasundara: Just see how bright this . . .

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Śyāmasundara: . . . how bright these flowers are.

Prabhupāda: Wherefrom this beauty, nice flavor, nice leaves, everything comes? Wherefrom? (pause) So I shall have to go?

Śyāmasundara: The television show is at seven?

Viṣṇujana: Yes, seven o'clock. Would you still like to go for a drive and see some of the city? The car is all ready.

Prabhupāda: (to guest) Take more.

Come to our temple daily in the morning at seven. Are you coming there?

Guest: Yes. I was staying at the Detroit temple with Bhagavān.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Guest: I was helping the band a little bit. And I came to see you, and I was wondering what I should do to serve you. I should go back to Detroit?

Prabhupāda: Or you can remain here also, anywhere. We have got temple in Los Angeles. Have you been in Los Angeles?

Guest: No.

Prabhupāda: So come to Los Angeles and stay there for some time. I am going to Los Angeles tomorrow, so you can come. Live with us and you will be happy. We can guarantee you will be happy. Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Our Vedic mission is sarve sukhino bhavantu, everyone be happy. This is our mission. And we know how to become happy. That is our credit.

We know. How to become happy, we know. Therefore, you can inform others also how to become happy. Happiness is our birthright. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Living entity is ānandamaya, full of happiness, but they have fallen in a different condition.

Therefore unhappy. Different condition. Just like fish taken out of the water and put into the land, a different condition, and it is throbbing, flapping, unhappy. Take it, put it in the water again, and it will be happy. That's it. (pause)

Guest: I don't want to take too much of your time up.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very . . . (cut) (end)