Conversation , Delhi , 1971-12-04
Śyāmasundara: …the last called, Acyutānanda. Bhavānanda and Girirāja were out making Life Members.
Prabhupāda: Hmm.
Śyāmasundara: The story goes that the beach paṇḍāl is out of the question now; they can't do it. So there's one good plot of land called the Congress Grounds in the center, just like Connaught Circle. But it's owned by the Congress Party. And they won't know 'til Saturday if they can have it for sure. So meanwhile, they can't advertise or do anything or raise funds even, until they know for sure if they can get the grounds.
Prabhupāda: Oh, the land is not yet secure?
Śyāmasundara: Not secure until Saturday.
Prabhupāda: That is also doubtful?
Śyāmasundara: That is shaky, but... I know Acyutānanda; it's not the same as talking with Bhavānanda or Girirāja. Sometimes Acyutānanda is negative about things, when there may be other things we don't know. So I've asked him to call..., to have Bhavānanda call… [break]
Prabhupāda: …otherwise they shall not like us.
Śyāmasundara: Yes. Bhavānanda will give us the real picture, because he knows.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Śyāmasundara: I'm sure Bhavānanda and Girirāja are doing all the work on the thing. They can give us a clearer picture. [break] [begins reading a letter that Prabhupāda wrote] It says, "My dear Jayapatāka, Please accept my blessings. I am sending Bihārīlal Prabhu to Calcutta for the purpose of collecting four first-class khols, ten karatālas and a few thousand magazines for taking with him for our Madras program.
We distributed twelve thousand magazines here in Delhi, so I think twelve thousand magazines should be sent to Madras. For payment for the other things, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa will pay. You may please assist our Madras party by arranging these items for Bihārīlal to bring.
"I am also sending Maṇibhaṇḍa Prabhu to Calcutta to relieve you of export business. I think now we may only export drums, karatālas, japa-mālas and ārātrika articles. You may now devote your full time to preaching work and making members. Karāndhara has sent me one telegram inquiring about Kṛṣṇa book, whether you have sent the shipping documents to him.
"You will be pleased to know that we are trying here in Delhi for permits for a large India party to be in Mayapur for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day. I think it may not be necessary to have a second paṇḍāl program in Calcutta in January. What do you think? I hope this meets you in good health." [break] …so it is not a very good position.
Prabhupāda: Whether this, he will be able to bring.
Śyāmasundara: Bihārīlal? Well with this letter, Tamāla…
Prabhupāda: No, then. It's going to take time?
Śyāmasundara: Oh, yes. Bihārīlal can arrange these items, because he worked with Jayapatāka on that… [break] [indistinct]
Indian devotee: Perhaps last night, Prabhupāda, I had…
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Indian devotee: Perhaps last night I had only one mattress, and floor was very cold. Perhaps, I am not sure; can be, cannot be.
Śyāmasundara: He slept without any blanket covering last night.
Indian devotee: No, I slept with one blanket.
Śyāmasundara: Oh, one blanket.
Prabhupāda: That was not sufficient? You had mattress and you had blanket?
Indian devotee: Yes. One mattress and one blanket.
Prabhupāda: So that's not sufficient?
Indian devotee: No.
Śyāmasundara: We'll get another one, another blanket. [break]
Prabhupāda: We're getting good response from the public, provided we can maintain the position. We have got men also. We're getting money also. But this internal strife… Somebody said that he does not [indistinct], that I don't like to handle the complaints. Then things become very difficult. For this purpose… [break]
Śyāmasundara: …Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Where's Jaya Gopāl? [break]
Śyāmasundara: …different publicity reasons. So I wrote him for them, like on the back.
Prabhupāda: Mr. Candra Sen. This photograph has the effect.
Śyāmasundara: Distributing prasādam in Tamāla-kuñja. [break] [end]