Morning Walk

Prabhupāda: You know that business in your country. What is that? Topless, bottomless?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: No? They want. There is regular business. In India also. In the hotels there are regular business to pick up college girls and enjoyed by the guest. So many things are going on on this basis of sinful activity—all over the world. So they become polluted, whole... population, then how they can expect good government? Some of them will take the charge of the government, and he's polluted. [pause] Indigestion. You know that? Indigestion.

Satsvarūpa: Hah.

Prabhupāda: You have not digested your food. [break] Any carpenter working in... [break] The government was pleased to reply that they're maintaining themselves by selling literature. Similarly, if it comes to the notice of the government that we're maintaining ourselves by production of food, they'll like very much.

[break] ...in your temple.

Devotee: Feeding.

Prabhupāda: [chuckles] [break]

Devotee: ...the society would go to the gurukula, and there it would be decided what their work would be?

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all there should be an instructor on the spiritual life, then according to his position... Our spiritual life is meant, we should always remember... But for management we have to make divisions. That is...

Devotee: Actually, the whole society could be Vaiṣṅava.

Prabhupāda: Ah. They're Vaiṣṅava. But because they have got to live in the material world, there must be division of work. If everyone wants to become the brain, who will be act as leg? That is also required. If everyone says, "No, no, I'm not going to do the work of leg. I want simply to work as..." No. It is needed. The brain is needed, the hand is needed, the belly is needed, the leg is needed. So that we have to divide: who will work as brain, who will work as hand, who will work as leg... The main aim is how to maintain this body perfectly fit. That should be the aim, how the society will go on nicely. And for management, this hand, leg, brain, belly must be divided. Just like there's slight difference, those who are directly engaged in temple worship and those who are going to sell books. Apparently there's difference, but basically there is no difference. Like that. If one can sell books nicely, why he should be, I mean to say, engaged in the temple worship? He can do better work in that way. But there is no difference between selling the books and temple worship, or washing the dish. There's no difference, because it is all transcendental. Just like aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti [Bs 5.32]. Kṛṣṅa's hands and legs, there's no difference. You've read this verse?

Haṁsadūta: Yes, aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya...

Prabhupāda: But still leg and hand.

Madhudviṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Madhudviṣa: Kṛṣṅa says, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyam [Bg 18.68].

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Madhudviṣa: He says, "Those who repeat this message of Bhagavad-gītā are most dear friends to Me, and there's no one more dear to Me than he."

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Madhudviṣa: Wouldn't that indicate that a preacher is higher than a worker?

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is preaching. This is preaching. You help. Suppose you are preaching, and if I help you... Just like I'm preaching; you're helping. You are also preaching.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Also this building is preaching.

Prabhupāda: This is also preaching. So it is not that preaching means simply talking. Preaching means everything. The construction is also preaching. The designing also preaching. Everything is... Otherwise, what is the use of spending so much money if it is not preaching?

Devotee: Jaya.

Haṁsadūta: Ha. [break] Everything that has to do with propagating Kṛṣṅa...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: ...in any way.

Prabhupāda: That is preaching. Just like... Nava-vidhā-bhakti [Cc Madhya 15.107].

[Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṅa once, a person is relieved from all the reactions of a sinful life. One can complete the nine processes of devotional service simply by chanting the holy name.]

śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

They're all perfect, but it appears śravaṅa, hearing, is different from kīrtana, or kīrtana is different from smaraṅam or pāda-sevanam or arcanam. But they're all perfect. So one should be engaged either in śravaṅam, kīrtanam, smaraṅam—as he's fit. This is the way. Suppose I cannot speak, kīrtanam, but I can hear. That is as perfect. Huh? Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ. So one may argue that "Speaking is better than hearing." No. Both the ways, either hearing or speaking, they're the same thing, because it is for Kṛṣṅa. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ. In our Society every work is transcendental: for preaching. Every work. But one must be engaged with some work.

Prabhupāda: That is important. Otherwise every work is preaching. See that everyone is engaged. There was an advertisement by the railway department: their monogram was a wheel of carriage, and they have written that every employee of the railway should see that the wheel is running on. Wheel is running on. Now suppose in the office the clerks are working, so how he will see the wheel is running on? Because in the office of railway there is some complaint, there is some claim, there so many things... But that is depending on that wheel. So they should expedite their business so that wheel may not stop; it must go on. It is very nice instruction. So the wheel is going on. Suppose some station has asked for ten wagons immediately, and that requires the sanction of the divisional superintendent. That is in the office. So the clerk should help the progress that immediately the sanction is done. Then the wheel will go on. Do you understand? So everyone can help that the railway wheel is going on, although apparently it will appear that "What this clerk has to do with the wheel going on?" Is it clear?

Bhagavān: So there's so much to do in Kṛṣṅa's service, everyone can be engaged in some...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that everyone should know... Suppose one is engaged in cooking prasādam. You should see that nice prasādam is served to the worker, quickly, so they can take prasādam, be healthy and go on preaching. So he is helping preaching by cooking. Just like you are walking and the brain is also working, "Go this side, go that side, the car is coming." Brain says, the... "Leg, come this side." Everyone is working. The leg is working, the brain is working, the hand is working, the tongue is working. But the business of the tongue and business of the leg is different. The aim being..., the central point being Kṛṣṅa, to help, to serve Him, then everything is work, absolute. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand it. They think that "Kṛṣṅa is working like ordinary man. How He can become God? It is māyā. Therefore Kṛṣṅa is also māyā." Therefore we called them Māyāvādī.

Bhagavān: A leader must be very expert so that people will be happy in their engagement.

Prabhupāda: Everyone should be expert. The leaders must be expert and the worker must be expert so that they may follow the instruction of the leader. If the leader says something and the workers, "Hmm, I shall consider it later on," then how the leader will execute his leadership? Both of them should be cooperating and know that "We are all working for Kṛṣṅa." Somebody was coming back and going... Coming this side or... Our men? No.

Devotees: No. [break]

Ātreya Ṛṣi: ...woman.

Prabhupāda: Ah?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There are so many... So few compared to other religions, but we make so big propaganda always...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: ...because...

Prabhupāda: It is admitted. Hare Kṛṣṅa movement is admitted.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Because we are not lazy like Māyāvādīs.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. "I have become now Brahman—stop work. Eat and make your belly..." You see how Māyāvādī sannyāsī... Ah. [Prabhupāda gestures; devotees laugh] They think that "Now I have become Brahman, I have nothing to do. [laughs] I have become Nārāyaṅa." "If you've got nothing to do, then why you are eating?" And for one cāpāṭi you'll find there are many Māyāvādīs. They're busy simply collecting cāpāṭis. [laughter] [aside:] So what is the time of your starting?

Gurudāsa: We're starting at nine.

Prabhupāda: Nine.

Gurudāsa: Prasādam is being served at eight. [indistinct discussion between devotees]

Prabhupāda: Oh. This Christian land is not available?

Gurudāsa: There's no reliable information on it. They say...

Prabhupāda: You can get from that gentleman... [end]