Room Conversation with Pranavdas Gupta about Astrology Report , Vṛndāvana , 1977-07-19

Prabhupāda: There was avocado tree.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, in your garden there. Oh, boy, that was a nice house you had there.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Big window, picture window looking out to your garden. That Florida property is wonderful. Very, very good property in Florida. They call it New Naimiṣāraṇya. They have about ten peacocks flying free, wild peacocks. They trained them. First them put them in a cage and keep them on the ground and feed them and everything. Then, after they get accustomed to it, then they let them loose. They have some all-white colored peacocks, special, and then many colorful peacocks. Peacocks are wild.

Prabhupāda: There are no fox.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. The danger is not from the fox; it is from the other people. They catch the peacock and eat it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, no. [indistinct]

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They don't know. They think it is a pheasant or something. They have no idea it is a peacock, special bird. I asked Abhirāma. Sometimes they fly away and they don't come back. I said, "Does it mean that they got lost?" He said, "We don't know exactly what it means, but we are guessing." The people there are...

Prabhupāda: Rākṣasa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, rākṣasa. [indistinct comment aside] And, of course, there's lots of coconut trees. Coconuts. That is a special feature of Florida especially. Many people... You see, the thing is... Like mangoes, for example. The people, they don't want the mangoes or the coconuts or the avocados. And in fact, like when you go out, you can go to people's home and say, "Sir, can I have these?" They say, "Yes, please take them away. They're creating a mess." They want you to take these things.

Prabhupāda: Hawaii also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Same thing. And now in Florida they have developed a tree. It is a coconut tree without the coconuts.

Prabhupāda: Why not make mango industry?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mango industry.

Prabhupāda: Mango is such a fruit, when it is not ripe, the green from that, up to the full ripe you can have.

Indian guest (1): [Hindi conversation about mangoes] [break]

Prabhupāda: ...known as a religious man, so that they can do business very exploitively.

Indian guest (2): He was a very pious man.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he was very pious.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Made a lot of money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His big thing was that...

Prabhupāda: They were called by Guru Mahārāja, dharma-dhvaji.[?] Exploit [Bengali]. Guru Mahārāja used to say dharma-dhvaji. "Daṇḍavat class."

Indian guest (2): Daṇḍavat class.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He knows simply to offer daṇḍavats. [laughs] Even so nice word = "Oh, he's a daṇḍavat class." My Guru Mahārāja was very humorous. He was a Calcutta bhap.[?] Therefore he liked me. All others, they came from East Bengal. I was the only disciple, Calcutta. All others...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night I heard on the radio---they were having news---yesterday in the Raja Sabha [Senate of the Indian Government] the Communist leader Bhupesh Gupta, he said that the government should close the Māyāpur center.

Prabhupāda: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Suspend the Communist government. Why suddenly the Communists are saying that "Oh, here is CIA"? Now, if they're saying that, Prabhupāda said, then you they should ask them, "Oh, there's a big thing with them. Let us investigate." Investigate the whole matter thoroughly.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're doing that now. The CID is investigating.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the Central Government should investigate. Then it will be...

Prabhupāda: It should be taken by the Central Government.

Yaśomatīnandana: Because the Bengal government is all...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The CID is under the Central Government.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, it is all ci... It is a Communist manipulation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're still in jail. [indistinct discussion between devotees]

Prabhupāda: Some books you have brought for selling?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, these are just advance copies. They'll be coming by regular mail.

Prabhupāda: Some books are ready or not?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I just brought these with me. They have...

Prabhupāda: Hindi books are selling now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They have a big stock of 1.1, all the other Hindi books.

Prabhupāda: So I am very much pleased that we have got some nice Hindi books.

Yaśomatīnandana: Yes. Actually now we have also three, four books now, we can...

Prabhupāda: Gargamuni is getting many, what is called, standing orders for Hindi books.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's just started. But there's very good scope.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Very good scope. You see... Just always remember that Gita Press, third-class printing and fourth-class subject it is, and they were maintaining seventy-five big machines. Seventy-five in Gorakhpur. And Pitagar[?] paper against. Still, they could not supply. There is so much scope for Hindi books.

Yaśomatīnandana: The only thing is, the people tell me Gita Press things was very cheap.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say, third-class printing, fourth-class paper. And if we give first-class paper, first-class printing, there is scope.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if we give these books for fifteen rupees...

Prabhupāda: Whatever you give, they'll purchase.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's very cheap.

Prabhupāda: The Hindi-speaking people, they are not poor. Mass of people may be poor, but we want to approach respectable persons. They are not poor. They will pay. Why third-class printing, fourth-class matter? Our first-class matter, first-class printing. We have got better scope than Gita Press.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Don't take less important this Hindi publication. You stock. I shall take charge of selling books.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually we are now also selling a lot. We are getting these distributors who are very interested.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I want stock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wants a big stock.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have a stock of all the books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, but printing three thousand is not a big stock.

Prabhupāda: Why not print ten thousand of each?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: If we print ten thousand of each every month... Because now we are producing one book per month...

Prabhupāda: There is no "if." Print.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Yaśomatīnandana: We don't have money now.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, you also, Gujarati.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We are working together, but we don't have that much capital.

Prabhupāda: Why not? Use it... You can...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But that we are using for the export order.

Prabhupāda: If they take money, that, and use it. Then...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, as we get money. Like the first shipment has just gone, and we... Till it comes back, we are... But one point is clear, that there's no book that we're printing in India that is out of stock. We have... There's no book out of stock. Sometimes devotees misinform you for selfish reasons that we are out of stock, but there's no book out of stock that we are printing in India.

Prabhupāda: This paper is nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa = Yes.

Yaśomatīnandana: We will have a few, at least a few books ready in a few months.

Prabhupāda: No, the manuscript you take. I want to see at least manuscript is not left idle. That is...

Yaśomatīnandana: Now, with your blessings, we'll go very fast.

Prabhupāda: Now we have got some position, Hindi books.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Gujarati books also should be same standard.

Prabhupāda: Yes, same standard. Very nice, Hindi books. All right.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Be enthusiastic to print books. And these items are very, very nice, greeting.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Greeting cards. This will overtake India, take everyone by storm. Plus, we are coming out with calendars next year.

Prabhupāda: Yes, make money and spend it for printing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And plus, the temples make money also. It's a new source of income for the temples. And if we don't do it, the karmīs are doing it in any case.

Prabhupāda: No, no, we shall do exactly like karmīs, but not for us---for Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Same thing they are doing. Therefore these Māyāvādī cannot understand. "Again form?" The example is just like a man like me, he's diseased, he's suffering. And when they say, "Mother Yaśodās' crying," "So again crying?" He does not know what is this crying. He thinks this crying and that crying the same. Therefore Māyāvādī. They want to make it zero---no crying. But we take it a great blessing, crying for Kṛṣṇa. But they cannot understand. They say, "Again crying? Then what is the benefit?" And this is māyā. You understand? This is the simple understanding of Māyāvāda. As soon as there is crying, they say, "Oh, it is māyā. No crying." Nirviśeṣa-vādī. Crying is a great transcendental pleasure. That they cannot understand, the poor fund of knowledge. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was simply crying. That is love. So that they do not understand, how crying can be pleasure. That is Māyāvāda. All right.

Yaśomatīnandana: One thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja was saying yesterday, that if we apply to the Home Minister, we should not apply for citizenship, because why should we lose the citizenship of the better countries? But then there is no such arrangement as permanent residency in the government.

Prabhupāda: Then citizenship.

Yaśomatīnandana: At least for a few managers.

Prabhupāda: I don't think you have to give up your American citizenship.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's the thing. That's not the best. Try for, yeah, but if there's nothing else, then do it.

Yaśomatīnandana: Yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll leave this behind also. This is the cover of First Canto, Part Three.

Prabhupāda: The same cover?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Only this picture inside changes. It's the same as the English. Only this changes inside. Explanation, everything, is the same.

Prabhupāda: So you please complete this. Jaya. [break] Otherwise you just grow cotton and pluck. Problem solved. Get some lamb fur. It is not killing. They grow. Take the..., what is called?

Bhakti-caru: Fleece. Wool. Wool? Fleece.

Prabhupāda: Wool, yes. You make some warm cloth. Very easy to live.

Bhakti-caru: [Bengali]

Prabhupāda: [Bengali conversation]

Upendra: She said that they would be soft, because there is honey.

Prabhupāda: Oh, there is honey?

Upendra: It's made with honey and brown sugar, molasses. All these are soft sweeteners. And since there's no preservatives...

Prabhupāda: Call the [indistinct]. And distribute. [break] [Hindi or Bengali] [break]

Devotee (1): Tamāla Kṛṣṇa was saying to me earlier on, Prabhupāda, last night, that it is very pleasing to you possibly if we can supply some ghee...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Devotee (1): ...from Australia. So I'm thinking that this might be good to do with any money that we have.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: What we have decided is that Food Relief money which Australia has to give, it's going to send it in the form of ghee.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We had a meeting, Jayapatāka Swami, myself, and Bali-mardana...

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...that we'd sell to the temples, and then the temples would pay for it, and that money would then go back into Food Relief.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And the books I don't want to touch, because it is for the government of India.

Prabhupāda: No. That's nice. We have got so many avenues. So print books as soon as possible. This gives me life. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya. [devotees offer obeisances] [break]

Prabhupāda: Send this copy to this Communist man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: [laughs] Give him a little heartache.

Prabhupāda: Just photograph a copy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. When Yaśomatīnandana goes to Delhi he can make a photocopy. Hand it to the... Send it to the man by mail = "Thought we'd let you know, CIAs are back in Māyāpur." [break]

Prabhupāda: ...because there is psychological difference.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, one thing is that... Of course, when one has no energy, when one has no strength, then it's hard to be active. But then the other thing is true, that when one is active, he gets appetite automatically.

Prabhupāda: Therefore those who are physically active, they can eat more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's true.

Prabhupāda: But those who are not physically active, they cannot eat.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. That's the difference between the Bengalis and the Punjabis. Punjabis work very hard.

Prabhupāda: No, they eat also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they eat very nicely.

Prabhupāda: They are healthy men.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Bengalis, they do a lot of clerical jobs, sitting in one place.

Prabhupāda: They get diabetes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really?

Prabhupāda: No, no, not the Bengalis. Anyone who cannot physically work, they eat sitting, and it is not digested, and therefore the diabetes. Diabetes is caused by eating more which is not digested. They say it is medically proven, and that's a fact. And tuberculosis is the wasting disease. As much food he requires, he'll not get.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is that about tuberculosis?

Prabhupāda: As much food he requires, he does not get.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Starving.

Prabhupāda: People do not get nowadays proper nutritious food.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tuberculosis. And diabetes, getting the food but not digesting.

Prabhupāda: So if we remain nice, then digest; or anyone who works, brain work, that is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another thing, if we go to Los Angeles, we'll be able to see that exhibit of Baradrāj's, and that's really enthusing. Los Angeles will be very enthusing to see that. There's a lot of devotees there.

Prabhupāda: You can go directly from London to Los Angel...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. There's a direct flight, I believe. I think there is a direct flight. Yes.

Prabhupāda: What is the benefit?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In terms of time? You mean flight time instead of stopping in New York, what is the benefit of flying direct? Just the landing time in New York you'd save. The flight is pretty much the same. You save about an hour---at least an hour to an hour and a half, two hours. Because when the flight goes from London to New York, when it first hits America, it hits America north of Canada practically, and then they go down the Eastern Seaboard. It hits Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and then it goes south down Massachusetts, like that, Connecticut, and then to New York.

Prabhupāda: But it does not stop.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. So I'm saying if it was going direct to Los Angeles it wouldn't have to go down. It could keep going. It would be like this, straight. So you'd save time.

Prabhupāda: Generally from London to New York, six hours. And from...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: New York to LA is about four and a half hours. That's ten and a half hours.

Prabhupāda: Ten hours.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So I think, probably, London to Los Angeles would be about nine hours. That would be my guess.

Prabhupāda: So far I remember, London to Paris from, er, Paris to Los Angeles I went. Took about ten hours.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ten hours. London might be closer...

Prabhupāda: Than Paris.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...than Paris. Say nine to ten hours.

Prabhupāda: And that Nova... What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nova Scotia?

Prabhupāda: That I have seen from the plane.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: From the plane.

Prabhupāda: There big, big chunks.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of ice. We did...

Prabhupāda: You were also in that plane?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't remember. I don't know.

Prabhupāda: Śyāmasundara was.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I wasn't with you then.

Prabhupāda: And we reached Los Angeles, local time, about four o'clock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You gain time. You gain a lot of time.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That means Paris to London took about five minutes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: New York to London?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: New York to Paris?

Prabhupāda: No. Paris to... Because we started at twelve local time. And we reached Los Angeles...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At four or five.

Prabhupāda: Four. The same thing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like you go from India to New York, you leave India at, say, one or two in the morning, three o'clock in the morning, Delhi, and you reach New York three o'clock in the afternoon same day. Twelve hours. Actually you've been traveling twenty hours or more, but it's twelve hours only on the clock. It's a very nice experience. You feel like you've gained something, put something over on the material energy. It feels like you've gained something, gained time.

Prabhupāda: The more you go western side, you save time. The more you go eastern side, you add time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, there's some science fiction that if you go like that fast enough, then you can go back into history. Time machine. By going at a certain speed in a certain direction you can go back into history, and if you go the other way you can go ahead into the future. There's a H. G. Wells. He's a famous science fiction writer. So he wrote a..., called The Time Machine. He was going back into history.

Prabhupāda: H. G. Wells, he was a good writer, but he was a scientist also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, not really a scientist. Science fiction writer. So he wrote this book The Time Machine.

Prabhupāda: From imagination.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, well he got it... He goes back into history, and then he... [to devotee:] Did you read it? Ahead in the future. What happens there?

Devotee (2): He sees that the world is getting transformed by water, and [indistinct].

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I think that having the devotees like Jayatīrtha Prabhu and Bhagavān Prabhu around you will be very enthusing. I mean their... When you're around so many devotees who are giving their lives so much for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, assisting you, it's really enthusing. The main thing is that you don't have to speak so much. It's your presence, your seeing the devotees and them seeing you. It doesn't require that so much to speak. So in that sense it won't be exhausting in any way. You won't be called upon like that. It's a good climate now too, August, in London, a very good time. It's not too hot, and it's not too cool.

Prabhupāda: Los Angeles is hot.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Los Angeles will be hot. That's why when I made that itinerary that's the last place practically. You'd reach Los Angeles by, say, the middle of September. By then it's cooler. New York is quite good towards the end of August. New York, is one of the nicest times of the year, the beginning of fall.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very pleasant, New York and other places. And the fact is that any time, if you really felt the need, we could rush back to India. [break]

Prabhupāda: ...Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, if we celebrate... If you're in America for Janmāṣṭamī or Vyāsa-pūjā day, all the devotees in the whole country will come to wherever you are. Thousand, two thousand will come. It will be the most fantastic...

Prabhupāda: Śrī Kṛṣṇa caitanya rādhā kṛṣṇa nahe anya. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya wants that pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma [CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126]. And Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's grace. This new building, it may not divert attention from Deity worship.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In London. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Library, restaurant, lecture. How many rooms are there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, first of all there's a basement, which is the restaurant area. That restaurant area is, say, I would say four times the size of this room.

Prabhupāda: Four times?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Three to four. Of course, not so high. And it's not straight. I mean, it's shaped little bit of an L shape from what I recall.

Prabhupāda: You have seen it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I went in.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was on my way with Bhavānanda to go to Africa for Brahmānanda Mahārāja. So we stopped for half a day in London, so they showed us the property. At that time they had not yet bought it, so the karmīs owned it. So I had to go in as if I was a customer there at the pub. I didn't buy anything, but I looked around. So then on the next floor it's the same... Basically it's a building, say, three rooms like this and then up.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Quite big.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's not real big, but then again, in that area and for what we want, it doesn't have to be real big. It's not meant to live a lot of people there. Upstairs, on the top floor, there's about I think four or five rooms for living or for other activities. Then the two ground and basement... I don't know the exact layout. I only went in quickly. I'm trying to think if it was basement plus three---basement, ground, first and second---or basement, ground and first floor. Probably there was basement, ground floor, first floor, second floor. It must have been like that. So the two upper floors have rooms. Yes, that's what it is. They have rooms where you can do different things.

Prabhupāda: Brick building?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not a big building. No, it's not that big.

Prabhupāda: Wooden.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, brick building. Yes, Prabhupāda, brick building. It is brick.

Prabhupāda: In London mostly they are brick.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 'Cause of the cold climate. But the location is...

Prabhupāda: Very costly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...very, very important. Just off Oxford Street.

Prabhupāda: The corner.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just off the corner, in the middle of the block.

Prabhupāda: They said that report following will come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Report is coming. In the telegram that we received? Yeah, it said, "Report follows." [pause] I think some activity is good. That's what I'm feeling. Somehow I get the idea that you need to be more active. I know that you don't have any strength, but still, it seems to me unless you are active, you won't get your strength.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. That's a fact.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're not... By nature you've never been inactive. We can begin the activity by airplane travel and then a little car journey to the temple, and then we can carry you around in certain places. Like at the New York farm. Oh, we can give you wonderful ride in the palanquin. That's very appealing, if you go on the palanquin in the fresh air. No? That'll be, I think...

Prabhupāda: No, activity will give appetite.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it has to. Change of atmosphere gives appetite also.

Prabhupāda: So let us artificial activity. I think this is a now hopeless [indistinct].

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Upendra and I could see it for the last... [break]

Prabhupāda: And nobody is going to disturb you there. Make your own field and continue to become ṛttvik and act on my charge. People are becoming sympathetic there. The place is very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. He says, "The introduction of Bhagavad-gītā has been translated into Tamil, and I will have the second chapter done next. Then publish a small booklet for immediate distribution."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I have also found a young man to translate Sinhalese language."

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "This coming weekend we have a two-day festival in Colombo. We expect about two thousand people per night."

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Sunday feast here has become so popular that whereas before only fifty people would come, now at least three hundred came yesterday."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "And all of them got full prasādam---halavā, purīs, samosā, sweetballs, sweet rice, rice, vegetables..."

Prabhupāda: I want to eat, but I cannot. Very good. Very good. Although I cannot eat, simply hearing the names I am satisfied. Very good. He's doing nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "However, the collections are poor. Only sixty-five rupees. I was wondering if we could also get some of the Food Relief money being sent to India to Sri Lanka."

Prabhupāda: Why not? Oh, yes. America's money collect and send. So that is my proposal---American money and give this culture. They are squandering so much money. Channelize to spend through this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Their money will be properly utilized and our Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be spread.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "People say they have never had such wonderful tasty food. If we can get money from Food Relief, it should be sent directly here."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. First thing is you get ghee.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We are already giving him one fifth of what Hari-śauri sends. "The newspapers gave some account of an incident in Māyāpur. When asked to make a statement to the press, however, I do not know what happened. Please let the secretary inform us." I made a copy of Jayapatāka's report, and I made five copies of it, so I'll send him one. I did it for this reason.

Prabhupāda: That's good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then... "I hope this letter finds Your Divine Grace in good health."

Prabhupāda: It doesn't depend on my good or bad health. It is all spiritual news. Spiritually I become very much enlivened.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I tell him what you're thinking about going to the West?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When that news goes out... Whew!

Prabhupāda: All right, don't say now. It will be known automatically.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's his letter. Then...

Prabhupāda: Three hundred people coming, newly opened. It is not joke. And he's feeding sumptuously.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What?

Prabhupāda: Feeding sumptuously.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Feeding sumptuously. Here's a... This is a thing called the "Bhakta Program Newsletter." Just like you have a saṅkīrtana newsletter, this one reports how many new devotees are joining. So the top temple in the world for making new devotees last month was Rome. Second was the Bhaktivedanta Manor. That's where you're going next. Then Sao Paulo, Brazil; then Honolulu, Hawaii; then France, and like that. [temple bells ring]

Prabhupāda: Jaya Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: [indistinct background conversation] Then another letter came from... This is becoming more and more prevalent. It's called the "Parents' Newsletter."

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness Parents' Newsletter---ISKCON New York." Put out by Śravaṇānanda's mother. "Ratha-yātrā '77 is Coming." It tells all the parents that they should come to Ratha-yātrā. Then there's an article, "The Roots of the American Krishna Movement."

Prabhupāda: Who has written?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By a brahmacārī named Tattvavit dāsa brahmacārī. Because you said just like they have an American Christian movement, now we should be known as the American Krishnas. So he wrote, "The American Krishna Movement." Then the public likes it = "Oh, it's American."

Prabhupāda: American [indistinct] is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "The Society's founder is A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. He left India at an advanced age aboard the merchant ship Jaladuta with only seven dollars and a trunk containing scriptures he had translated into English. The ship's captain became Śrīla Prabhupāda's friend and purchased the first books distributed in the US. Śrīla Prabhupāda had been instructed by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, his spiritual preceptor, to broadcast Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the English language. That request was made in 1922. In the years that followed Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote an English commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā and started an English magazine in 1944, which he wrote, printed and distributed himself. He arrived in America in September of 1965, and by July of '66 he had formed ISKCON Incorporated. Historically, this corporation is part of the spiritual tradition whose followers preserve the pure teachings of the scriptures such as Vedas, Upaniṣads and Purāṇas. The tradition..." He goes on and on. Should I read on?

Prabhupāda: Hmm!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Says "The tradition began long, long ago. The message of the scriptures was recorded by Śrīla Vyāsadeva in order to benefit men living in the present age. This historic event is even mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam..." [break]

Pranavdas Gupta: ...calculated is 1st September, 1896. The date is here. See the old calendar of..., that is Samvat 1953.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Pranavdas Gupta: The Samvat comes... Because when the date is 1896 we have to add fifty-seven years. Suppose when we want to get samvat, then we have to add fifty-seven years. So then we added fifty-seven years it comes 1953. Then he took out the old, very, very old [indistinct], and I saw that, that he took out that calendar, and pañcama, and then he calculated. He saw this. And I told him that "We can look at the date. I don't know exactly what the date is, but just following Janmāṣṭamī." No. Day I did not disclose. Then he said... Then he saw after Janmāṣṭamī that's navamī. Then he said, "The day is Tuesday." I knew the day is Tuesday. "That's correct." Then what is the date? And he said, "First September." When we look here if it is 1st September then that must be adit-masa[?] also, because we are getting Janmāṣṭamī 6th September. That year also it must be adit-masa[?]. He said yes. Then he saw there were Jyeṣṭha, at that time, Jyeṣṭha or Asadhar. That was adit-masa[?] He saw in your pañcama. Then he prepared all these things. Then he said that according to raṣi... "Do you know his name?" I said, "No, name I don't remember," because I am not to disclose anything...

Prabhupāda: I'll tell you, therefore, "Let him ask."[?]

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I didn't want to... He said, "What is the person's name?" So I told him, "Don't tell it's Prabhupāda's name." I didn't want him to know. I wanted to see how much these men knew.

Pranavdas Gupta: I did not disclose anything about, even where I have come from, for what..., even not of the temple, I said. And he was not going to prepare this. I'm, "Look here, I am from Govardhana Hotel. Whatever extra you want, I'll pay you, but I want today. You sit down." Then he said, "All right." Then he did. So then he said according to the raṣi the name comes to Kamala Nārāyaṇa. He said that the name comes to Ka. "Maybe it is not Kamala; it may be ka. Yes, according to that ka." Then I asked three questions. The Mahārājī asked those three questions. Should I tell those three questions' answers?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hmm.

Pranavdas Gupta: Then first I want... Because you know these days our sannyāsīs are going abroad for the preaching. I didn't say anything. I mean he also wants to go just like that people too. Then he said, "This year there is some doubt about him going abroad. But after the next year, '78, he may go. But 1977 I have got doubt about his going." Then I said, "Now, how you say about the I.M.H.?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Within two years he said he could go?

Pranavdas Gupta: Ah, yes. Within two years he may go abroad.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said not just now.

Pranavdas Gupta: Not just... But he may go. He may go. But not certain that way. About the age I inquired. He said "Look here, up to 7th September... One thing strike me very much, because I think the date of birth comes 7th September."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And your appearance day is on the 7th of September this year. And this man... I don't know if he knew that, but he said...

Pranavdas Gupta: No, he didn't knew that. No, he never calculated this year's birthday. He said up to 7th September, his days are very difficult. And if he crosses 7th September, then up to 92, ten years' period is there. And if he crosses 92, then 102, another ten years. So these are his periods. So this period, to 7th September, is troublesome. "And what troubles he has got?" He said, "He must have complete pain in his body, he must have a stomach pain, and particularly on account of his stomach he has got throughout his body pain." And what he did... Actually, he's a very elderly man. He's from this hill area. So he also... He took a pretty long time, and he discussed with me so many things. Then he wanted my date of birth, and when he came to me, "I belong to Govardhana Hotel. I am the proprietor." Then he asked so many things about my how my all... "Look here. Your relation has increased with him, and if he is going, it is just possible you may also accompany him." So many things. So these are the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then he did these charts.

Pranavdas Gupta: He has given in this chart. Mahārājī, your Śukra is very nice = Venus. Śukra means Venus. And in the seventh place Śukra is very, very... To him this is very good place of Śukra. But on the eleventh house, Rahu, "That has rather forced him to take sannyāsa. That has rather forced him to take... But what was he doing before taking sannyāsa?" "I actually do not know what he..." Because I had to say like that. "He might be in some good post," he said. "He might be in good post. Then he has taken sannyāsa. Was he a married man?" "Yes, he was a married." This I say. "Has he got issues?" "Yes, he has got issues." Then all these calculations. "But his eleventh house, that Rahu, made him like that. But Śukra in the seventh house is very good for him. As regards the others, these are good, but this is the best, the Śukra, the Venus, in the seventh house." So he has given this Janma Lagna and he has also given this Chandra Lagna. These are almost the same as now. But he was impressed that way, seeing all the horoscope. I did not disclose anything. I'm coming from Vṛndāvana, so he hold that I'm [indistinct].

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So now we have one. That is one horoscope. Now we make comparison the next two that come in. They're both coming tonight to give reports. Bhakti-prema has returned, and Yaśodānandana Mahārāja has returned. So after we hear all three, then, if necessary, you can consult a kavirajā. Or everyone may say the same thing. Then we'll know if it's confirmed.

Pranavdas Gupta: You can ask in Bangalore also. They are very expert. Raman, there is one. Because by... [break]

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says up to September 7th there's very... [break]

Prabhupāda: ...surrounded with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That was my great fortune. My father, mother, my relatives, my neighborhood... I had the opportunity mixing with [indistinct---tape noise] [break] Everywhere there was Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And they were all well-to-do, rich. This was the opportunity. Then gradually it developed. My father was a great Vaiṣṇava. He was worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Our family Deity was Dāmodara. So hereditary we are Vaiṣṇavas, followers of Nitāi-Gaura.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it will be very nice if he does this book. And I'll find the right time sometimes... There will be opportunities when we can sit, and I can ask these questions and you can speak about them.

Prabhupāda: And I had the opportunity of associating with Rādhā-Govinda of the Mulliks from childhood. We were playing there. I was seeing the Deity... [break] ....and I questioned, "Here is God," like that. [break] Atmosphere was all Kṛṣṇa conscious. [break] He was a retired pleader. He was our neighbor, so nice Vaiṣṇava.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Was he that elderly man who would sleep sometimes when he was offering obeisances?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere... My maternal uncle, they were very... They were not rich. Formerly they were rich, then reduced, but so much devotee. My aunt's house, mother's elder sister, mean this was the society. So all Vaiṣṇavas. Not strictly following the Vaiṣṇava regulation, but still, they were Kṛṣṇa conscious. Even our maidservants, they were Kṛṣṇa conscious. They were inviting their guru. They were trying to satisfy them. Used to keep the guru for learning Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Such was the atmosphere, even maidservant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The whole society sounds Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Prabhupāda: That was the atmosphere I had the opportunity to get. [pause]

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That gentleman who brought you the oils yesterday? He brought another type. I wanted to bring it to you. He said especially during the wintertime it would be good for you. I'll just bring it. [break]

Prabhupāda: Very pet child.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pet child.

Prabhupāda: Whatever I shall want, they will supply. I was not a unwanted child for killing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You told the story that one time, because you were accustomed to liking purīs more than capātīs and your mother didn't supply you, you ran upstairs and refused to eat. Then your father came home and became very sorry. And he made your mother cook immediately purīs for you. Was that one of the sto...?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. The name was kept Abhaya. Abhaya means "There is no fear of death of this child." In my maternal uncle's house, because I was born on the Nandotsava, they kept my name Nandadulal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nandadulal? Why were you called like that?

Prabhupāda: Because I was born in Nandotsava day.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did they used to call you Nandadulal?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. In my maternal uncle's house I was called Nandadulal. Nandu.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nandadulal. It's always very nice for the devotees that we celebrate your appearance day just following Janmāṣṭamī. Guru and Kṛṣṇa, both together. Actually, when this book is written properly, I know for a fact that it will actually attract people to join this movement, because I read once a biography of a very bogus person, but I was so much... People become so much impelled or attracted when they hear of a great personality and his activities. It makes them want to link up with such a person. So this book will have preaching effect, no doubt, and it will be filled with philosophy also. [pause]

Prabhupāda: How people were happy in those days. A small income, they were satisfied. Nowadays they simply want money. Nobody was unhappy even if he had very small income. He would adjust, and develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These things we have seen. I have seen that even the maidservant, what to speak of gentlemen. Where those days gone? And nobody was hungry. What is this nonsense civilization? Simply want of money and unsatisfied in every step. Especially in the Western countries they're becoming hippie. Why? The training is different.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now we are being given a new training by you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've become happy. Actually, apart from the devotees, there are no happy people in the whole world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Because we are accepting Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person, enjoyer, He is the proprietor, we immediately accept this philosophy. Therefore we are getting little peace. Today I am thinking of massaging with oil. What do you think?

Upendra: Well, it's been some days now, huh?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, a little bit. Every three days or so. I don't think there's any harm. That oil massage seems to give you... You seem to enjoy it more, Śrīla Prabhupāda. What is the reason?

Prabhupāda: It makes the whole body soothing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hmm. [pause] Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [break] Should I go on, Śrīla Prabhupāda? "This grand temple opening and Janmas..."

Prabhupāda: Very encouraging letter. Very encouraging letter. I am very pleased. If our farm project is organized all over the world [indistinct] [break] [end]