Room Conversation

Prabhupāda: We restrict the tongue, practicing. Anything can be done by practice. So if we take kṛṣṅa-prasādam, the tongue is restricted, locked to some limited... Then our all other senses become controlled. And spiritual life means sense control. We are not going to kill the senses. The yogīs, they artificially want to stop the activities of the senses, but that is not possible. Senses are there. Life means senses. Aprākṛta. Prākṛta, and when senses are engaged in Kṛṣṅa's service, that is aprākṛta, transcendental. That is described, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc Madhya 19.170].

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

Our senses are now upādhi—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that." Senses are there, everywhere, but it is designated. So we have to free the senses from this material designation. And when the designations are washed away, at..., with that senses, hṛṣīkeṅa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. Purified senses without any designation, when we engage in the service of Kṛṣṅa, that is called bhakti.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati... samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg 18.54]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

So senses without designation engaged in the service of Kṛṣṅa is called bhakti, or transcendental activity. Is that clear?

Devotees: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You have given little oil? Eh?

Bhakti-caru: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No, no, not so... [break] [Bengali]

Bhakti-caru: [Bengali]

Prabhupāda: Mustard. [Bengali]

Bhakti-caru: [Bengali with Prabhupāda]

Upendra: Your hands might have had that previous oil on them.

Bhakti-caru: No, not that.

Prabhupāda: [Bengali] So, you want to stop here?

Jayādvaita: If you want to go on, we can go on, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have no objection.

Jayādvaita: You've been speaking so strongly just now that I was sorry that I suggested that we stop. So now I'm glad that you're continuing. Flashlight?

Prabhupāda: Yes. [break] Aprākṛta, transcendental. Whatever we discuss, that is on the transcendental platform, nothing to do with this material world. The Māyāvādī impersonalist, they cannot understand this. They think this is also material. Then? Read. You are going to read?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There is just one more point on that verse. He says there are some verses that say upaniṣada puruṣaḥ or namo vedānta vedyāya kṛṣṅāya. So Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṅa has raised a question that it says Kṛṣṅa is not seen by the Upaniṣads, but then there's some verses that say He is known by the Vedas, He is known by Upaniṣads. He says it is proved that the Absolute is able to be known by Vedas, veda-gamyatvam kintu... Then he quotes other verses, he says, but sakalyena avedatvam, He cannot be known completely through Vedas, only through devotional service

Prabhupāda: Yes. When one is purified by Vedic knowledge, then mad-bhaktir labhate param. Then he is allowed entrance in devotional understanding. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā [SB 1.2.12]. There is a...? Eh? In Bhāgavatam?

Jayādvaita: First Canto.

tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā [SB 1.2.12]

[The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti.]

Prabhupāda: Śruta-gṛhītayā. And śruta-gṛhītayā is Vedānta knowledge, not sentimental. Śruta-gṛhītayā. That is sound knowledge. Discuss Bhāgavatam daily, as much as possible. Everything will be clarified. Because Bhāgavata is the essence. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. And vyāsadeva-kṛta. Kim anyaiḥ śāstraiḥ. When he's self-realized, he made this. Mahā-muni-kṛte. The more we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the knowledge becomes clarified. Each and every verse—transcendental. Is this clear?

Devotees: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Pradyumna: So should I read the next verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda? [break]

Prabhupāda: Ah, how are you?

Dayānanda: Very nice, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Thank you.

Prabhupāda: So everything is going nice?

Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I brought you some fruits. Ātreya Ṛṣi told me to bring you some oranges and some lemons.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you are all so kind. How is your family?

Dayānanda: Very nice, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So...

Dayānanda: It's very encouraging to hear that you're...

Prabhupāda: Restaurant.

Upendra: Restaurant.

Dayānanda: Yes, it's doing very nicely, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We're getting a lot of nice...

Prabhupāda: You are all happy?

Dayānanda: Yes. We are also happy to hear that you're translating, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: [laughs] Trying. So at night there is no need of giving juice. Tomorrow. Eh?

Upendra: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. No. Tomorrow. Fruit juice at night is not good.

Prabhupāda: No. People are appreciating our Movement?

Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We are trying to speak to people who are more intelligent, people who are more...

Prabhupāda: There are many intelligent persons, Iran. Eh? Is it not?

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere dull-headed, intelligent... You are working at computer?

Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So, what salary they gave?

Dayānanda: About little over a thousand dollars in a month, about 1,200 dollars.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So how you are spending that money?

Dayānanda: I'm giving... Now I live in my own apartment, I'm giving fifty percent to the ISKCON Tehran projects, and fifty percent I keep for maintenance.

Prabhupāda: So there is no scarcity? Eh?

Dayānanda: No, there's no scarcity, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And in my spare time I am working in the restaurant, helping to manage the restaurant.

Prabhupāda: It is a big company?

Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all over the world.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Dayānanda: They have offered me a position in Russia. They said that I can go and work in Russia, but I am very much attached to Tehran project. So in companies like this we can go. I can go...

Prabhupāda: Anywhere.

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: What is the company?

Dayānanda: It's a computer company. Univac, it's called. It's like IBM. It's a competitor of IBM.

Prabhupāda: American? No. The company originated from America?

Dayānanda: Yes, yes, American company.

Prabhupāda: IBM also American, eh?

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, when there is opportunity you can go for preaching. But here you are situated nice, Tehran, eh?

Dayānanda: Yes. Ātreya Ṛṣi would rather have me stay. Ātreya Ṛṣi wants me to stay at least for this, for now. Maybe in the future I can go to some other place for preaching.

Prabhupāda: That is good.

Dayānanda: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Jaya.

Dayānanda: Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. [break]

...nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu kṛṣṅaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... [Bs 5.39]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṅa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.]

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya... govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... [Bs 5.38]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṅa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.]

Jaya Kṛṣṅa-Balarāma. [break]

Girirāja: ...says that we hadn't met anyone with so many wonderful transcendental qualities.

Prabhupāda: [laughs] This... It has to be developed. Transcendental qualities are already there. Only when we are designationless it manifests. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Sevonmukhe jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ: when we are sincerely in service mode, this is manifest. It is already there. By māyā's veil it is now covered, but when we become prone to give service to Kṛṣṅa, it becomes revealed. It is already there. Nothing is imported. Now print book and distribute. In Australia they have sold all the Gītās. They will require more. Jaya Kṛṣṅa-Balarāma.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya Kṛṣṅa-Balarāma. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akaroti... [Bs 5.39].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṅa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.]

That's all right.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [break]

Prabhupāda: Baradrāj, you are helping the Society in so many ways. So we are indebted to you. So Los Angeles, what is going on there?

Baradrāj: Now they are...

Prabhupāda: You gave me the other day plan, very nice. If you put into shape it will be wonderful.

Baradrāj: By your blessings, Śrīla Prabhupāda, it can become possible.

Prabhupāda: So who is looking after now?

Baradrāj: Now? Ādi-deva.

Prabhupāda: The room, formerly Deity room, this is now complete?

Baradrāj: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: What has been done there?

Baradrāj: It has been made into a museum, complete museum. There is twelve different exhibits. And the first exhibit is exhibit of Your Divine Grace writing books at Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, introduction. The next exhibit is Kṛṣṅa-Arjuna on the battlefield, and Kṛṣṅa begins to explain dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā [Bg 2.13] to Arjuna.

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

And the third exhibit is showing changing bodies, showing how the body is changing but the soul remains the same. The fourth exhibit shows the chariot of the body—the five horses, the five senses. The driver is the intelligence; the soul is the passenger. Then there is the fifth exhibit. It shows how a man can become degraded and how he can become elevated from a neutral position in life. And the sixth exhibit shows that when a man becomes elevated by Vedic wisdom he becomes sama-darśinaḥ, paṅḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ [Bg 5.18].

[The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṅa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]]

He sees everyone equal—dog, elephant, a cow, even brāhmaṅa—everyone, the same spirit soul. And he also sees Paramātmā in the heart of everyone. Then the seventh exhibit shows how Paramātmā, the original Paramātmā, is Kṛṣṅa, Govinda, and that He comes... Then different incarnations are shown. Then the eighth exhibit shows Kṛṣṅa's viśva-rūpa, explaining how everything is created, is maintained and is annihilated, all within the potency of the Supreme Lord. Then the ninth exhibit shows how Kṛṣṅa personally comes on Garuḍa to deliver those who are faithful from the ocean of birth and death. It shows a man struggling in the ocean, swimming, but he cannot save himself. And then Kṛṣṅa comes down on Garuḍa. The Lord Himself intervenes. In this way the man is saved. And the tenth exhibit shows the incarnation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, how He is delivering the whole world by this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa. The eleventh exhibit explains how the soul... It shows Kṛṣṅa in Vṛndāvana surrounded by eight gopīs and different animals and peacocks and birds and flowers. And it explains that the soul has eternal form and that it can enjoy, that the soul enjoys in eternal loving pastimes with Kṛṣṅa.

Prabhupāda: Eleven.

Baradrāj: Then the last exhibit is being..., it's not yet complete. It's a film. It shows Kṛṣṅa and Arjuna at the end talking, and then Kṛṣṅa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg 18.66]

Then Kṛṣṅa asks Arjuna, "Have you heard all this with your mind at full attention, and is your doubt and illusion now dispelled, and are you prepared to act according to My instructions?" And Arjuna says, "Yes, I shall do whatever You like."

Prabhupāda: Very good. So it is not yet officially open.

Baradrāj: No.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Baradrāj: Officially it is not open yet. The reason is because there's still some minor difficulties in the computer, and so everything is not... When I left, everything was not yet functioning smoothly. So, many important people have been taken through, but it is not open to the public yet. But it will be open very soon. Actually, when I left, everything had already been... The computer is now working, but there was some lights being checked out, some wiring. And as soon as that is finished, then the programming will be done. I have sent a letter back to Los Angeles, asking them to complete the programming while I'm here in Vṛndāvana, at least a temporary program. So it is not difficult to do; it is complicated to do it. And I've asked them to make a film of the exhibition and send it here so that you could see it.

Prabhupāda: I cannot go there?

Baradrāj: [chuckles] You can do whatever you like.

Śatadhanya: After Bombay, Śrīla Prabhupāda, if you're strong enough, then we could go.

Prabhupāda: There is... And who is making khol?

Baradrāj: Soul?

Prabhupāda: Khol, khol.

Baradrāj: Oh, khol. Īśāna. Īśāna dāsa.

Prabhupāda: He's doing nice?

Baradrāj: Yes. They are producing many, and they are very, very strong.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Baradrāj: They are very strong, and they sound good.

Śatadhanya: They say that you can throw them on the floor and they will not break.

Baradrāj: Made for Kali-yuga.

Prabhupāda: How many khols he has already prepared?

Baradrāj: I don't know exactly, but I think it was close to about two hundred when I left.

Prabhupāda: Where he is making?

Baradrāj: Well, they are having most of the parts done outside, by outside people, professionals, and Īśāna is assembling, and he's working very hard.

Prabhupāda: It is plastic?

Baradrāj: Yes, completely, everything. And it can be tuned also on the spot. There is a key, and with this key you can tune it up. The heads never break, but if they happen to break, they can be immediately replaced within... They can get extra heads, and it takes about two minutes to change, to put a new head on.

Prabhupāda: Hmm!

Baradrāj: So Īśāna has worked very hard to fulfill your order, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Now he's successful.

Baradrāj: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where is his wife?

Baradrāj: She is in New York with the child. She is working with Yogeśvara there on children's books.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Baradrāj: Īśāna has taken to vānaprastha. He is living in New Dvārakā, but he's living in a shack, in a very simple room, and living just like in Vṛndāvana. He has given up comforts.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Go on chanting. [break] ...of Rāmānuja-sampradāya, with that big, big...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Tilaka?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. He is preparing makara-dhvaja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: What kind of jala?

Prabhupāda: Makara-dhvaja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Makhara dāl?

Prabhupāda: Makara-dhvaja is a Āyurvedic medicine. So this kavirāja was preparing makara-dhvaja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Is that the one with musk in it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Oh, yes, we have that medicine.

Bhavānanda: That we have, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He has prepared it. We have it here.

Prabhupāda: So, why not try it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: What did the kavirāja say about it?

Bhavānanda: Er, I'll get Bhakti-caru.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: You dreamt that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Hmm.

Prabhupāda: What is the time now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: It's seven o'clock now, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yesterday you were really on fire, lecturing and translating.

Bhavānanda: Bhakti-caru has gone to the kitchen to bring some... But I recall that when we went to see the kavirāja he said... We had showed him your urine when it was muddy, filled with pus. He said he wanted that before this medicine could be given, he wanted to see that your urine had cleared up. But he had prepared the medicine, and we have it here.

Prabhupāda: What is the dose?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: [aside:] Do you know the dosage?

Bhavānanda: Here is Bhakti-caru. Bhakti-caru? Prabhupāda had a dream last night that there was a Vaiṣṅava from the Madhva-sam...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: No, Rāmānuja.

Bhavānanda: Rāmānuja-sampradāya, and he was preparing that medicine, the musk medicine? What is it called?

Bhakti-caru: Makara-dhvaja.

Bhavānanda: He was preparing it. So Prabhupāda has asked about that medicine the kavirāja... What had the kavirāja told us when we went and got that medicine?

Bhakti-caru: He said that he didn't want to give the medicine right now because he's too weak for that. So when he gets little strength, when the weather turns a little cold, that would be applicable to him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: He says that the kavirāja is waiting for you to get a little stronger, and the weather should be a little colder.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, so I have some grape juice here, and a little bit of ice cream. If you could take that now it will help you become strong.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can take. [break]

Viśvambhara[?]: This is also M.D., also physician, but that is Āyurvedic and this is allopathic. The only difference is this. Both are physicians. Might not be the combination... [break]

Prabhupāda: So he...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: It's not... I don't think that it's a problem. What we have to do is simply send a letter to the bank with...

Prabhupāda: No, no, he says you do not require. He said you collect through bank. Bās.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: But just like when you collect through a bank, you first of all have to sign.

Viśvambhara[?]: You have to sign.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. You have to give the signed certificates to the bank, and they'll make collection. But you have to sign them. So the signers are here in Vṛndāvana.

Viśvambhara[?]: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: No, I say the people who have to sign are here in Vṛndāvana.

Viśvambhara[?]: So you have got bank account here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes, we can collect through the bank here. But first of all we have to get the certificates in order to sign them. That you have to explain to Prabhupāda. He's thinking that without signing...

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll collect here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: But, Prabhupāda, your sister first of all signed them. Her son collected, but she signed on the back first of all.

Prabhupāda: Did the...

Viśvambhara[?]: [Bengali]

Prabhupāda: [Bengali]

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Then how are we going to do it?

Viśvambhara[?]: If you have already power of attorney, then I think that...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: We already have power of attorney for signing any kind of..., these kind of businesses, joint power of attorney.

Prabhupāda: In Mathurā, why don't you go just now? He is also going?

Viśvambhara[?]: [Bengali with Prabhupāda]

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: See, first you have to have the certificates. That's what I'm trying to explain to Prabhupāda. This is only an identity slip. This has to be surrendered with the certificates.

Viśvambhara[?]: To any post office.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Right.

Viśvambhara[?]: Or any bank will collect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: And they're going to want to see Prabhupāda's signature. But since Prabhupāda is not signing, then we will show them our power of attorney, yes, power of attorney, as well a copy of our notarized signatures, so that they see that these are the same people, and then we will sign on the back on behalf of Prabhupāda. And we can do it through our bank. I won't directly approach the post office. We'll do it through our bank account.

Viśvambhara[?]: If you have power of attorney, that will be done.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Through the bank. That's much easier.

Viśvambhara[?]: That's much easier. Moreover, you can ask much.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: At the post office. So you're going to Mathurā now?

Viśvambhara[?]: Yes, I am going to Mathurā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: So you want to go with me to the post office there?

Viśvambhara[?]: Because I have no time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Oh, time is short. See, Prabhupāda, I was planning to go to the post office.

Viśvambhara[?]: Or I can let you know everything to him about [Bengali].

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yeah. The main question's just that... And actually there is no need to...

Viśvambhara[?]: But if you have power of attorney, then everything will be... But you have to collect it from bank. That would be easier.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. We will do it through the bank, not directly.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you do that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: That's what we're doing.

Prabhupāda: It is going to be due within fortnight.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: First thing that has... Prabhupāda, one thing is that this power of attorney is to Girirāja and myself. So, one thing Girirāja is doing when he—he's reaching Bombay tomorrow—is that the power of attorney doesn't show our authorized signatures. In other words, a notary has to notarize our signatures, that these are actually the signatures.

Prabhupāda: This Asnani has gone?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Excuse me?

Prabhupāda: Asnani already left? That...? Our lawyer friend?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Mr. Asnani executed a power of attorney to Girirāja and myself for signing on your behalf. But our specimen signatures have to be notarized. So that, Girirāja is getting done by the same notary who notarized the power of attorney. Then Girirāja is sending me that document. Soon as he gets to Bombay, he'll have it done on Monday. Then he's sending it to me. Then I'll have the copy of the power of attorney plus the copy of the notarized signatures, and these two together I'll send with a letter to the bank to send the certificates here. When the certificates come here, then I'll present them to the local bank to make collection from the post office.

Viśvambhara[?]: Yes, that is the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: That's the system. It's going to take a little time.

Viśvambhara[?]: By this time it will be..., it will be matured.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: I hope that... It will be matured. It may take a week or so more, because we have to send from Bombay and then to Calcutta, then it has to come back here. Even if it takes an extra week, there's no great harm, I think. We'll try to have it done by the date, but I think it may take a few extra days.

Viśvambhara[?]: No, even it takes more time, they will give you the tax for tax deduction. [indistinct]

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: You can explain to Prabhupāda that the system we are doing is the correct system.

Viśvambhara[?]: Because we cannot sign now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: No. But you should explain to him that you agree.

Prabhupāda: I can sign, but it will not be...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: The same.

Prabhupāda: Therefore...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: In any case, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have to bring the certificates here. That's the first thing. Whether it's your signature or whether it's our signatures, the certificate has to be brought here.

Viśvambhara[?]: You may sign. If both of these will be given to me, that will do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. We'll give in this plus the certificates to the bank, and they'll give us a receipt.

Viśvambhara[?]: The bank is guarantor of Prabhupāda signature.

Prabhupāda: So you can take the copy of the safe custody receipt and inquire into Bank of Baroda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: You want me to give him the receipt?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: But then how will we be able to get the certificates out? The receipt has to be presented when you want to withdraw from a safe custody...

Prabhupāda: No, give him the copy and let him explain to the bank manager that we want to check it.

Viśvambhara[?]: [Bengali, explaining what they plan to do]

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Now, if I give you this... Prabhupāda wants me to give you this, but it says here that "This memorandum will be returned to the bank when delivery of securities is required." So if I surrender this memorandum now, then I... Prabhupāda wants me to give you this memorandum. My point is that if I give you the memorandum, then it's...

Prabhupāda: No, no, he can take a copy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: A copy.

Prabhupāda: And inquire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: I can give him the details.

Viśvambhara[?]: Yes. Details I have already understand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: I can give you the details and the number, account number. You can make a specific inquiry. The main thing is just to inform them of the fact that there's a power of attorney coming, with a notarized specimen signatures are coming, and there will be a letter of direction with those two signatures, directing them to send the certificates by registered mail here, because Prabhupāda can't sign the same signature. That's basically all you have to do.

Viśvambhara[?]: [indistinct]

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: This bank has already accepted one copy. [indistinct] Either way... [indistinct] [break] Śrīla Prabhupāda? Gopāla Kṛṣṅa is here. He just returned from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: What news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Prabhupāda said, "What news?"

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: I have a new Hindi Back to Godhead for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I had met the Home Minister about two months ago regarding permanent residency visas.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: I got a letter from the Home Minister's secretary, saying that they're considering it very seriously, and he just asked me for some more information. And actually the answers to all the questions that they have asked are positive. In other words, they have asked questions like "For these foreign students, will ISKCON pay for their boarding and lodging? How many years' course is it?" So it appears... I'm going to see them again next week. We may get our permanent residency visas. This is the first positive sign.

Prabhupāda: They have made some inquiry.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. I met the Home Minister two months ago, and I gave him an application. So that was the reply. I've just received a reply.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Is it for permanent residency? Not for two or three years. Permanent.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. Even if they give for five years, that'd be good. So this would be very nice, because you always wanted this.

Prabhupāda: So do it carefully.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. We just printed twenty thousand copies of a new Hindi Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Send to Fiji immediately.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. I got a very nice letter from Vāsudeva. Every ship that goes to Fiji, we automatically send them books. Even if there is no order, we automatically send them, so they have a stock of Hindi books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Hari-śauri has finished distributing all the Gītās that you sent. They already ran out.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Another ship just left. Well, I sent as much as he had ordered.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: They exhausted their stock.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: That's good. Also, this is the biggest woman's magazine in India, Eve's Weekly.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: This... I have with me a copy of the biggest woman's magazine in India, called Eve's Weekly. And on the third page of that Eve's Weekly your advertisement for your Gītā is there. I mean, we didn't pay for it; our distributors are paying for it. But these ads are working very, very well.

[background whispering]

Prabhupāda: No Hindi book?

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Er, the Hindi 2.1 is being composed. There was a little slowdown in big Hindi books because Prem Yogi had left us for about two months. But we have reprinted all the small Hindi books again, like Beyond Birth and Death, Perfection of Yoga. They were all sold out.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: How many copies?

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: So we have reprinted ten thousand copies each. The reprint is going to be ready tomorrow. And we just, two weeks ago, we reprinted the Scientific Basis of Kṛṣṅa Consciousness, which I gave you a week ago, and now we just got this Hindi Back to Godhead.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: How many copies of this?

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Twenty thousand. Hindi Back to Godhead we are producing every second month now, twenty thousand copies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Different issues?

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. Every second month a new Back to Godhead.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: It's nice this time.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: And the Hindi Gītā is being composed. It will be ready by middle December, the latest. And also the Hindi Kṛṣṅa book is being composed, plus we have eight books in Gujarati which are in various stages of production. And the Tamil Gītā is being composed and printed, and we're doing a Gītā in Kanarese language, and also a Back to Godhead in Kanarese.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Is that enough stock? Ten thousand? Doesn't seem like a very big printing. Jayapatākā came there. His van came there, and they couldn't get any books.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Well, they were out of stock... They didn't have that much when they leave.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: It may happen again.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes, but now we have reprinted many new titles. In total we have fifty thousand books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: That's not much. You have so much distribution. [indistinct background discussion about quantities of books]

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Plus we are starting to construct a BBT godown. Surabhi Swami is working on that, because now we are printing so many books, and also we have a big shipment of books from America that we definitely need a very huge godown in Bombay. Last time you had approved, given a loan of four lakhs for the godown.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: No, three lakhs. One lakh for printing, three lakhs for the godown.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: [softly] No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. You said that the godown would only cost three lakhs.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Anyway, three to four is the estimate. I mean, we don't have an exact.

[to Prabhupāda:] So we are going to start work on the godown in November.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yeah, that's nice. Now, as soon as our six Gujarati books are ready, we are starting this mail order campaign even for Gujarati books and for Hindi books. Actually, by this mail order technique we will sell more books than we sell on the streets or in colleges. Just in two months I sold more Gītās...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: How many?

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Over a thousand..., than we did in two years of library party. And I'm expanding this to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: No. They sell more. They have more than that, standing orders.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: What I'm saying it's very good. A thousand Gītās in two months is very good. Now I'm expanding this to the Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless you have good godown, it will be stolen and sold in the market at cheap price.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. A good godown is very, very necessary, so we're starting work on it right away. And in three to four months it will be completed.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Can you turn onto your back again so I can do your other leg and your arms?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. You can turn me any way. Deal with the Home Minister's letter very carefully.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Deal with the Home Minister's letter very carefully.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually, the first meeting I had with him was very, very nice, by your grace. He took great interest. He called me for one minute, and he sat down for twenty minutes with me. So... Now, actually, it is his secretary who is handling it. The big thing is getting his approval, which we already have. Now we are dealing with the secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Prabhupāda: A set of books Hindi may be taken there to the secretary.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: To the Home Minister?

Prabhupāda: To the secretary.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: The secretary.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes. I gave your Hindi Bhāgavatam to the Home Minister. I think we'll give it to the secretary also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This kīrtana that's in the temple, can you hear it?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: I wanted to know whether... The person who's singing is Śveta-varāha from Māyāpur. In Māyāpur they use a small microphone, not for the drums but for his voice, and he has a very sweet voice. So normally we don't use mic at all, but sometimes the devotees don't know how to sing very sweetly. Whether we should use a small microphone for his voice?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: We can try it, and if it's not nice we can stop it.

Prabhupāda: It is going on without microphone?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: The drums are... Right now the drumming is very loud.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: But the voice is hard to hear. Should I try a little microphone? I can take it off immediately if it's not good. I think you'll...

Bhavānanda: Last year in Māyāpur, Śrīla Prabhupāda, during the festival and before when you were there, they would, this kīrtana group of your disciples, they would be chanting over microphone so that Your Divine Grace could hear it in your room. I remember you commented many times on how sweet and nice it sounded.

Prabhupāda: It is already very loud.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: It's very loud actually. [indistinct whispering] All the devotees were very happy when they heard that you have started translating again.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yesterday Prabhupāda translated for nearly two hours. The edited work, Śrīla Prabhupāda, sounds very beautiful. It's very first class when it's finally edited. The whole staff is here, and it sounds very nice.

Prabhupāda: Tamāla Kṛṣṅa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: In the horoscope we have dragged the life through so many catastrophes, but ultimately how long the life we have dragged?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: As far as I recall... I mean, each... The horoscope is written in such a way that if you survive these catastrophes, then it mentions that... He said that you would live for another five or six years.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Well, there are different horoscopes. One... I can show you that some of them say that you will live for more than five or six years. One of them said you could live up to one hundred.

Prabhupāda: So there is no...

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That is not standard.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Well, according to this man, your life should have been over at the age of seventy-five. In other words, when someone is a pure devotee, then he is not conditioned by the laws of birth and death. For people who are conditioned, there is standard. But in your case they cannot... They admit openly that there's no question of material standard. They can simply tell you... According to your birthday they can predict which days will be difficult for you because of the position of the planets. But so far as your ability to conquer over these difficulties and to live, that they completely accept is completely within Kṛṣṅa's hands, that you're not bounded by the material energy.

Prabhupāda: Karmāṅi nirdahati.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: What's that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Karmāṅi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs 5.54].

[I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who burns up to their roots all fruitive activities of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains for each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one's activities, of all those who walk in the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously performed works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of indragopa than in that of Indra, king of the devas.]

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, do things very carefully. I am already dead. But still, I am giving you instruction as far as I can. And this is not life, [chuckles] a bundle of bones.

Gopāla Kṛṣṅa: You are still the inspiration for everything we do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That I shall go on till the last breathing. Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: [loud] Hare Kṛṣṅa. [laughter] [end]