Room Conversations , Vṛndāvana , 1977-07-07
Prabhupāda: Just see. For cutting the throat of cow, he's going thousands of miles. This is the civilization. He's an expert butcher, and he has got service in Australia, and he'll go. This is livelihood, personal duty. What a nonsense business, and he's going to... Mā jīva vā māra. A butcher is advised, "Don't die; don't live. If you live, it is a horrible business, and if you die, you'll go to hell. So don't die; don't live."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has a question to ask. He says, "Is it permitted to use shells for making jewelry, crowns, etc., for Deities? Or is it to be considered as the bone of an animal?"
Prabhupāda: No, you can do it.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 'Cause they're very beautiful.
Prabhupāda: The bone of animal is the conchshell, and that is used in Deity room. It is... Conchshell is nothing but bone of an animal.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. He says that he has a plan. "We want to inlay the thrones for the new temple with beautiful shells if it is permitted."
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's says he's trying to increase the book distribution by arranging a big door-to-door program.
Prabhupāda: That is my earnest desire. Fulfill it.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's all he has to say. That was all the mail that came.
Prabhupāda: You can send him some old newsletter with a note that "How your other Godbrothers are doing. Compete with them in this line."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. Simply fighting, what gift? Fighting between brother and brother, that is going on perpetually, but do something for the father. By right I'll take[?].
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Satsvarūpa's... Rāmeśvara sent an article, that one of Siddha's papers, they published an article which was against the devotees.
Prabhupāda: Who?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Siddha-svarūpa's.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It was against the devotees' book distribution tactics. So...
Prabhupāda: So you can send them = "This is not good." Let him know.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Satsvarūpa wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper---it's a newspaper which is put out by Siddha's people---saying that "This is not at all proper. You should not..." He gave so many śāstric references why it is not good.
Prabhupāda: It will be corrected.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: It will be corrected.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I mean the main... It's not so serious. The main point is, as you said, they're chanting and all these other activities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So we shall go now?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's getting late.
Prabhupāda: Where is Jao Prasad?
Devotee: I don't know [break] [end]