Room Conversation with Tirupati Paṅḍita and Government Minister

Prabhupāda: Nowadays people are taking to the imagination of industry. But we don't find in Bhagavad-gītā, there is any suggestion for industry. Kṛṣṅa said...

[aside:] It started?

Hari-śauri: Yes. It's recording.

Prabhupāda: No, no, you stop this.

Hari-śauri: You want to play this tape back?

Prabhupāda: Yes. [break] That's nice.

Paṅḍita: So until the father makes one dvija of Śrī Vaiṣṅava... And the śaraṅāgati makes them assured of mukti. So kṛta-kṛtya. Now, the later part of life, [Sanskrit]. [Hindi] ...of Rāmānuja school. That is, our..., this Rāmānuja school has been fortified by his works, so many works on Vedānta, like [Sanskrit names of books]. These are all the major Vedānta works he has composed. All these works I have sat before a guru and studied for eight years at Śrī Raṅgam. My ācārya has been a great scholar in Vedānta and tarka, who was lecturer in...

Prabhupāda: I know, Rāmānuja sampradāya, they are very learned scholars. I know that.

Paṅḍita: And they are very particular about ācaraṅas also, more than...

Prabhupāda: Sadācāra.

Paṅḍita: Hah. Sadācāra.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Paṅḍita: And I have been given guidance by these ācāryas to stick to this paramparā sampradāya ācāra. So I belong to this Ahobila Math. I have taken initiation from this guru, as well as Vedāntic knowledge from another guru. I am practicing my ācāra, sampradāya ācāra, very strictly in that order. As far as I see, there is... Without disturbing this set-up, I can do service, I think. Is it not?

Prabhupāda: No, our mission is to spread Kṛṣṅa's mission. That's all.

Paṅḍita: Mission. That's all. We need not change the other set-up, need not. Necessity is not there.

Prabhupāda: No. We have got already set up, what Kṛṣṅa says: sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg 18.66]. So our business is how to teach people to surrender to Kṛṣṅa. That's all.

Paṅḍita: Ācchā. Now, this Bhagavad-gītā, this Śrī Bhāṣya of Rāmānuja, and commentary on which is Śruta-prakāśikā, composed by one Sudarśana Suri... He was later, about hundred years later than Rāmānuja. He has commented on Śrī Bhāṣya. These works are the standard works, for [indistinct]. Actually, it is the foundation over which the superstructure is constructed by Vedānta-deśika.

Prabhupāda: You see, we have got different philosophical... Ultimately, the conclusion is how to surrender to Kṛṣṅa.

Paṅḍita: That is it.

Prabhupāda: So the Western countries, their brain is not so sharp to clearly understand the difference between viśiṣṭādvaita, śuddhādvaita advaita-dvaita, dvaitādvaita or advaita. [laughs] Their brain does not allow to think very deeply about... So we are simply teaching them, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

That includes all philosophy. In this way we are preaching all over the world, and there is little response. We are selling our books very nicely. So our main purpose is to spread Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is our mission. So what is your idea now? How you want to utilize your learning about Vaiṣṅava philosophy? Yes.

Paṅḍita: That is what I want to do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. How you want to do it?

Paṅḍita: Now, this is my idea. That knowledge that I have must be utilized in this manner. It can be utilized in this manner. You are creating so many disciples. They are interested in learning Gītā and the philosophy and other things. Serious students who are interested in philosophy, who would like to go sit and...

Prabhupāda: You'll find hardly anyone interested in philosophy nowadays. They are interested in technology. In Western countries the universities are closing philosophical class. No student is coming. This is the position.

Paṅḍita: I came for philosophy, even in this age.

Prabhupāda: No, no, your case is different. But generally people, they are losing interest in philosophy because they are becoming śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. They are after some job to get money. So they see that "What I shall get by learning philosophy? Let me learn technology. I'll get a good job and good money and enjoy life." This is...

Paṅḍita: That is general trend. Of course, I know.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In India also the same thing.

Paṅḍita: Yes, yes. I was working in Bombay as a stenographer in a private company. In 1964 I resigned my job after reading Vivekananda's works. I'll tell you about some of my own history. Afterwards I went and joined the... I went and stayed in Rishikesh Shivananda āśrama for two months, and I wanted to study this philosophy, etcetera, in the originals. But at Shivananda āśrama it was not...

Prabhupāda: They have no idea.

Paṅḍita: They have no facilities. No facility. So I left there. I came all the way, decided to select a place for myself. After touring Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, all these places, Kāśī, I came to Lucknow. In Lucknow Ramakrishna Mission I had been to. There was one Gauri Shivananda. He discussed with me, and he directed me to Calcutta. Then I went to Calcutta, and when I went to Calcutta, that Swami Gambhirananda, who is the general secretary now, was there. He asked me to join the Mission. I joined Ramakrishna Mission. I was in Ramakrishna Mission in Calcutta for one year. And I was taking care of their printing section, this proof-reading, editing, etcetera. Ramakrishna Vivekananda literature, for one year. But still, my idea of going to the original texts of this Vedānta [indistinct] etcetera was not fulfilled. So I was not satisfied. Then I left that Ramakrishna Mission and traveled all the way from Calcutta to Kerala. There is another āśrama at Kerala, Palakkad, near Trichur, where there was one Swami Purnananda Tirtha who used to come to Bombay every year for giving lectures. So I went to his āśrama. I knew of that. And there I started studying this Śaṅkara Bhāṣya, Gītā Bhāṣya and Sūtra Bhāṣya for six months under one Swami Atmananda, who is no more, who has written Śaṅkara's words, the words, in his own words, teachings in his own words. Bhavan's Journal has published, and the four yogas and so on and so forth, such books. He was a disciple of Swami Ramadasa of Kanaiḥ. So after six months that was also not satisfying to me. I then came to Śrī Raṅgam. There I went to a Vaiṣṅava ācārya. He said, first you equip yourself with the fundamental śāstras of tarka, vyakāraṅa and mīmāṁsā. Then come to Vedānta. Then, later on, in Sanskrit College I went and studied for two and a half years this fundamentals of Vedānta, tarka, vyakāraṅa, mīmāṁsā, and then I came to Śrī Raṅgam back and studied Vedānta. There, for eight years I studied Vedānta. Say in all twelve years. Ten years. Another two years... I have been in Tirupati for the past two years, specializing in the higher texts of Mīmāṁsā.

[indistinct aside question by devotee to Prabhupāda]

[pause]

Prabhupāda: Then?

Paṅḍita: So this is how for the past twelve years I have been going in search of this sources from where I can get all this knowledge, and after much roaming about, I have got this knowledge. So I would like to put it to proper use. I would like to teach it to so many people who are interested in it. At least... That is all...

Prabhupāda: So that opportunity you'll get in our mission.

Paṅḍita: That is how I want to serve.

Prabhupāda: That opportunity you'll get. [aside:] So now give him some resting place just now. And you take some of our books and go on. Then, after taking my meals, I shall come.

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this Minister Rao, he's just arrived.

Prabhupāda: Just now? So...

Hari-śauri: What shall I do? Ask him to wait or...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: It's ten minutes before prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Call him. Come in.

Paṅḍita: I shall wait till you finish your meals.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you can take in your room. Give him some place. [greeting Mr. Rao:] Hare Kṛṣṅa. [Hindi]

Mr. Rao: [Hindi, mentions Sai Baba]

Prabhupāda: Take prasādam. You give him. [Hindi] [to Pālikā:] So you have brought? [to Mr Rao:] So if you kindly wait, then I can finish my meals. Then I shall talk.

Mr. Rao: Oh, yes. We will go. We have come here just to have your darśana.

Prabhupāda: No, I have to talk with you something. So if you kindly wait...

Mr. Rao: I will wait.

Prabhupāda: Then give him some place. Give him some book. He may read it.

Mr. Rao: I'll sit for a while.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Rao: In the evening I am coming to six o'clock. [indistinct]

Devotee (1): Seven o'clock.

Mr. Rao: Seven-thirty, plane takes off, I think.

Devotee (1): Yes, but Prabhupāda's going to the... Before one hour.

Mr. Rao: Before one hour?

Prabhupāda: So I heard that you were coming at 4:30.

Mr. Rao: Five o'clock, they said, because I won't be able to come here. That is why I thought that now I'll just go and have your darśana and take your program of Delhi, whenever you're going to be. Now I've become chelā of yours. [laughs]

Prabhupāda: I have asked your wife and children to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra before Bālajī as much time as possible.

Mr. Rao: As many times as possible.

Prabhupāda: So she has told you?

Mr. Rao: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Rao: They're doing that.

Prabhupāda: It is a great fortune that Bālajī is there in your home. Take full advantage and simply chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Simple. Then everything will come automatically. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te [Bg 10.10]

[To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.]

This is the very easiest method. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra. Sit down as much time as you can devote. The Lord is at your home. It is a great fortune. So do this, both, all family together. Yes. And I have seen, you are fortunate enough that you have got good wife and good children. That is a great fortune. Nobody is against you. Everyone is favorable. Oh, that's a great opportunity. In some family the wife goes another way, the children goes another way. That is very disturbing. But you are so fortunate that everyone is just obedient to the head of the family. So utilize, whole family, this simple method. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. Sit down before Bālajī. You are fortunate Bālajī is there. Do this. Then we shall talk further.

Mr. Rao: Right. So when shall we meet?

Prabhupāda: As you like.

Mr. Rao: I'll come to Delhi.

Prabhupāda: So if you are coming to the airport, then we shall talk further. That all. Thank you very much. You have taken little prasādam?

Mr. Rao: Yes, I have.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. [break] [end]