Conversation with Tamāla Kṛṣṅa about Yadubara

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yadubara... There's one letter from Yadubara Prabhu. Actually, he was hoping to get to see you.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? What shall I advise? I have no experience about this. You do. But this scientific film should not be done independently.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: His reason for coming to India this time was to give you that film and to now make a film about India. He proposes to travel to holy places and festivals to show people engaged in the nine processes of devotional service. "My first immediate trip," he says, "would be to Trichur, Kerala, to show the Pooram Festival, where thousands of people join in a procession through the streets. A Deity of Kṛṣṅa is carried on an elephant. At some of these big festivals there may be many non-Vaiṣṅavas. Is it all right to show these people? Or should we only show Vaiṣṅavas in this movie?"

Prabhupāda: No, no. But what will be the benefit of our taking photograph of other procession? There are so many processions like that. So what will be benefit?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says his general idea is that "to present and establish Kṛṣṅa as a factual personality and not just some mythical character." To do this, he wants "to show historical sites of His pastimes combined with paintings to illustrate Kṛṣṅa's birth, His Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā pastimes, speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, and His teachings as given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then we would show His, Kṛṣṅa's, teachings, how Kṛṣṅa's teachings were passed down..."

Prabhupāda: This is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: The idea is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yeah, it sounds very good.

Prabhupāda: So you decide.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He wants to show how Kṛṣṅa's teachings were passed down through the ages by the great ācāryas through the different sampradāyas...

Prabhupāda: That is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: ...Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Śaṅkarācārya...

Prabhupāda: It is not fictitious, as rascal... I have discussed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. This is exactly what his purpose is. He wants to show there is Kurukṣetra. It's not in someone's mind. "And perhaps even including Lord Buddha's explaining his real identity and role in bringing people to a higher platform."

Prabhupāda: These are good ideas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: "And then to include Lord Caitanya, the Six Gosvāmīs and other great ācāryas in our line, up to Your Divine Grace, the foremost preacher of the science of Kṛṣṅa consciousness in the world today."

Prabhupāda: Very good. This is all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: "Then we would show how Lord Kṛṣṅa's teachings are still manifest in India today by the nine devotional processes and the predominant role Kṛṣṅa plays in the culture and religious life of the people in temple worship, painting, dance, music and lifestyle, including offering and taking prasādam, varṅāśrama-dharma, etc... Then testimonials could be given by prominent supporters of our movement, and perhaps a short statement by Your Divine Grace..."

Prabhupāda: There is some big, big temples and their proprietor... In every city there are so many Kṛṣṅa temples. Just like in Kanpur there is very important Dvārakādhīśa temple. Many such big cities they have got Kṛṣṅa's [indistinct].

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says, at the end he would like to get "a short statement by Your Divine Grace in the movie on the importance of the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement in the world today. This film could, hopefully, be distributed to schools and colleges, showing that India is full of transcendental knowledge and that this knowledge is meant for the entire world for the benefit of all humanity."

Prabhupāda: That I am speaking of, that this, that this knowledge should not be kept locked up. That is my mission.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: I think this is an important movie to make, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the way he described it. He says in regard... He says, many people are approaching him with ideas for other films, and he doesn't want to get misdirected, so he's mentioning to you. He says...

Prabhupāda: Whose idea is this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says they've been requested by the various temples around our Society to film Sudāmā Mahārāja's theater group playing "The Age of Kali" and, perhaps, other plays so that these films could be shown at Sunday feasts, because they can't have the theater group in every temple.

Prabhupāda: Oh, it is good idea. Good idea.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: You like that idea.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says, "Also these films could be shown on television. 'The Age of Kali' play is especially dramatic and would appeal to a mass audience for television." He says, "In this way we could introduce our philosophy to many millions of people. The players are very expert, and I feel the people in general will appreciate their efforts."

Prabhupāda: He can do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says he's also eager to help Svarūpa Dāmodara in whatever way he can, because his project is so much stressed by you.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He plans to meet with Svarūpa Dāmodara in Boston when he returns in July to discuss the possible films to make. He says he decided with Svarūpa Dāmodara that it would be best to wait before making a film until they have published their thesis and had some feedback from the material scientists. It's a good point. "Because their theories are always changing, our scientists also have to change their approach. It is for this reason that a film does not seem so suitable for their purposes, because it cannot be so easily changed, as with a slide presentation. Also Svarūpa Dāmodara's presentation is highly scientific, and I feel somewhat dry for the film medium, which is more an artistic medium."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: So he frankly admits that it is a little difficult to make a very scientific film, because it may become very, you know, a little bit dry for the...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So they may not film. Their lecture is good. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Right. And slide show accompanying. He says slides are good, but a movie may be too...

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says, "I feel that these points should be carefully considered before taking on a subject..."

Prabhupāda: No, no, don't make film. Let them have slide.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Very good. He says, "One last thing. About three years ago Your Divine Grace asked Viśākhā Prabhu to write a book based on the movie 'The Hare Krishna People.' The book would present the basic idea of the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement to people in general."

Prabhupāda: Book we... Others are writing. They may not bother.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: That is not their business. They are doing very... Slide...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Well, I think you've given him a lot of information that he wanted, Śrīla Prabhupāda. These are the guidances.

Prabhupāda: They may not bother, writing book. [end]