Discussion with BTG Staff Prabhupada: This Krsna consciousness movement is composed of four different stages. The first stage is to understand the relationship with Godhead, or Krsna. Because the conditioned souls at the present moment, they have forgotten self. They have forgotten their relationship with Krsna. Actually the relationship is there, eternal, but under the influence of maya he is thinking that “I am something of this material world,” identifying himself with this body. So we have to awake them from that illusory existence, what he is not. The whole mistake of the modern status of life… I don’t say modern civilization. This is coming up since the creation of this material world. Sometimes it is in greater degree and sometimes in lesser degree. In Satya-yuga the same condition, but in lesser degree. But in Kali-yuga the condition is in greater degree. So the first business is to awake the conditioned souls from their illusory position, that he is thinking, “I am this body and anything in relationship with this body is very important.” Janasya moho ’yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. This is illusion. We speak of illusion, maya. This is illusion, that “I am this body and anything in relation of this body…” I have got special relationship with certain woman, so I think, “She is my wife. I cannot do without her.” Or another woman from whom I have taken birth, “She is my mother.” Similarly father, similarly sons. In this way, country, society, at the most, humanity. That’s all. But all these things are illusion because they are in bodily relationship. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. Those who are passing on on this illusory condition of life, they are compared with the cows and the asses. So our first business is to wake up the general mass of people from this illusory condition of life. So Back to Godhead is specially meant for that purpose. We are pushing our Back to Godhead to the general mass of people to the first condition, first status of enlightenment. And then those who are becoming enlightened, coming forward, “Swamiji, or the society, please make me a member. Please initiate me,” he is coming forward, understanding his position. So that is second stage, to train him how to awaken his, that dormant love of God. That is another stage, training. Sambandha abhideya. Then, when he is actually in love of Godhead, then he can understand the higher status of loving exchange between Radha and Krsna and the Vrndavana. This is third, third stage, yes. And the fourth stage is paramahamsa stage, who is always enjoying. Santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti… When one is completely merged in the ocean of love of Godhead, he will relish in any condition of life Krsna, present. Krsna present means, Krsna present, His name present, His form present, His lila present, His paraphernalia present. Everything. Krsna is not alone. We are not impersonalist. As soon as we say, “Krsna,” Krsna means with His name, fame, opulence, entourage, pastime, etc. So Back to Godhead generally deals in two stages of understanding, the, to awaken the relationship and to train them. Although our aim is… That is our aim, to come to the highest platform of loving exchange, but generally, we are dealing with the mass of people. Therefore our propaganda should be how to, by reasoning, by philosophy, by science, by argument, how to convince him that he is in illusory stage. These politicians, these scientists, these philosophers, they have no advanced knowledge except the human being. That’s all. Their ultimate goal is that if they can do something, humanitarian work, welfare work to the… The Vivekananda, or the Aurobindo, or this, what is called, the Russell, or Romain Roland, and so many, they are coming. And the yogis, they are trying to be self-satisfied by meditation. But nobody is concerned with God, or Krsna. Nobody is concerned. This is the position of the world. So under the circumstances, our first business is how to awaken people from this illusory condition, that he is thinking, “I am this body,” or the most well-being is taking care of this body or bodily relationships. So we have to take out from that illusory condition. So that should be the policy of our Back to Godhead. And the, so far the editors are concerned, they are supposed to know all these conclusions. Now we have got two editors, Hayagriva and Satsvarupa. I believe both of you know the conclusion which I am trying to push on within this movement. So you should work cooperatively in such a way that you don’t deviate from the policy, and conjointly, consulting together, so that I may be relieved from petty minor things. But if there is some difficulty, I am at your service. Now what is the difficulty at the present moment? [break] Hayagriva: So we want to discuss content first? I have a list. Do you have a list, Satsvarupa? Satsvarupa: I have a different list. Prabhupada: And so far the article Hayagriva written, it is very nice. It should be published. Yes. I have seen it. Satsvarupa: That means that we can make reference to the gopis. Prabhupada: Oh, it is done. Gopis are boycotted. Satsvarupa: No, gopis are not boycotted. Prabhupada: The policy should be that the people may not understand gopis like ordinary girls or like that. You should be careful to present the gopis. It does not mean that “We shall not utter even the name of gopis. We have taken vow to boycott the gopis.” No. They are our worshipable devotees. How we can avoid them? Satsvarupa: What about writing down “kissing the lips of Krsna”? Prabhupada: No. That we should avoid. That we should avoid. But that is not abominable. According to time and circumstances… That thing I have described. The fact is fact. Just like when I am describing Krsna’s lila—I writing Krsna’s life—so I cannot give up that portion of His life, when Krsna is actually kissing the gopis in rasa dance. Satsvarupa: But that’s in the books. Not in the public… Prabhupada: Yes. So in such circumstances, of course, we can give. But as far as possible, very cautiously and very rarely we shall present. Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s life we see that in public He never discussed about Krsna’s lila with the gopis. That was very confidential discussion amongst His own circle, Raya Ramananda, Svarupa Damodara, like that. And He inquired… Even a learned scholar, He discussed about the philosophy, that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. But when there was a great devotee like Ramananda Raya, He relished gopis’, I mean to say, intimate behavior with Krsna. So we should remember this, that public may misunderstand this. Therefore we have to present these things very cautiously, not very openly. They may misunderstand. But so far this article is concerned, that is nicely written. That is quite in order. So this should be published. Hayagriva: There is nothing specificially objectionable? Prabhupada: No, no. There is nothing. Hayagriva: Our process thus far has been to halve up the material about 50-50. He takes half, and I’ll take a half, and that seems to be working fairly nicely. Prabhupada: That’s all right. But first thing is that when you are in the post of editors, you are supposed to know. But whenever there is some difficulty, either you get it solved by consulting amongst yourselves, or if it is not possible, then refer to me. That’s all. Satsvarupa: Oh. Then I have one question to ask you. What about quoting even Vaisnava literature that you haven’t translated, like the Caitanya-caritamrta or cantos that you haven’t translated? That doesn’t seem right. Prabhupada: Huh? Satsvarupa: Other translations than your own. What if we want to quote them in some article? Prabhupada: Other translations means? Satsvarupa: Well, sometimes I see Caitanya-caritamrta. Silavati even wrote a book about Deity worship, and there’s a long quote from Caitanya-caritamrta. I don’t know if that’s bona fide. I know that the literature is bona fide, but I don’t know of any translation that’s bona… Prabhupada: Caitanya-caritamrta? He has written a book? I have not seen it. Satsvarupa: No. I just mean that devotees, sometimes they write an article and they say, “As it says in the Caitanya-caritamrta,” and they quote a book that they read by some scholar, very good Vaisnava literature, but translated by somebody that may not be good. Prabhupada: No. Somebody… So far Caitanya-caritamrta, that Navina-candra Raya… You, mean to say that… Brahmananda: That six volume set? That is all right? Prabhupada: That is all right. That is translation. That is all right. Brahmananda: That is the one which is in use, I believe. It’s not anything, you know… Prabhupada: That is simply translation. But Caitanya-caritamrta is now presented in our TLC. Actually that is our conclusion. And Navina Raya’s translation, there are sometimes little defects, but not very dangerous, not very dangerous. Hayagriva: Should your… In the content, should we put in… How many articles can we put in by you? These are the most important contributions we have, and, say, would it be too much material to put in, say, an essay by you and maybe a lecture or… Prabhupada: Or whatever it may be. That any article may not be more than two, three pages, printed. That will be nice. And if the number of articles are more, how many pages we are going to print? Hayagriva: We’re going to print more pages, aren’t we? Brahmananda: Well, there’s some discuss… If we print it on our own press we can print it, we could add eight more pages, which would make it forty pages. But we may continue with Dai Nippon in Japan. So I don’t know if we’ll increase the pages. Prabhupada: So by increasing the pages, what do we immediately get profit? Is there any special advantage we get? Satsvarupa: More reading material. More reading material. The customer gets more for his money. Prabhupada: That’s all right. We should be businessmen. They should get less for their money. (laughter) We are to please Krsna, not our customers. So if we are not increasing the price, then why should we increase the pages? Either we print in our own press or Japan, there is extra labor, extra energy. But we are not getting extra money. So there is no need. Satsvarupa: But, Prabhupada, the point was, can there be more than one article by yourself? Or only one… Prabhupada: No. No. One. One. Everyone one, not more. One man’s article, not more than two, either of mine or anyone. But so far our news is concerned… Hayagriva: Not more than two or not more than one? Prabhupada: No. Not more than one. Not more than one. Hayagriva: You said two or three pages. Maybe four pages would be all…? Prabhupada: Four pages, that’s all. But not more than four pages. Hayagriva: There was an excerpt from, I think, Krsna Book… Prabhupada: No. Whatever is done is done. Now you follow this policy, that one… Hayagriva: What about excerpts from your books? Is that all right? Prabhupada: Oh, excerpt from my book or my article, the same thing. The same thing. So there is no difference. That is also my writing. And whatever you are writing, that is also my writing. So everything is all right. (laughter) Hayagriva: It’s all your vibration. Prabhupada: Yes. But they should be divided into different names. (laughter) Just like… Hayagriva: I have though of doing Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s Brahma-samhita. Do you think we could serialize it maybe in three or four Back to Godheads? Or could we print it ourselves in a little pamphlet? Or which do you think would be better? Prabhupada: No, if you publish in Back to Godhead, then by portion, similarly, three, four pages. That’s all, continually, Bhaktisiddhanta’s… So when there will be articles sorted, first Guru Maharaja’s, Bhaktisiddhanta’s, then mine. Like that. Yes. Hayagriva: Yes. Do you think it would be a good… Prabhupada: If you write something, quotation, from Bhaktivinoda Thakura, that should be first. Just like guru-parampara, when we offer our respect, first our own spiritual master, then his spiritual master, then his spiritual master. In this way. But when putting article, that should be the opposite. First Bhaktivinoda, then Bhaktisiddhanta, then my, then my disciples, like that. Kirtanananda: Why don’t you write some purports to that? Prabhupada: Huh? Kirtanananda: To Bhaktisiddhanta’s Brahma-samhita. It would be nice if you would write some purports to it. Prabhupada: Purports? Kirtanananda: Yes. Some of us have difficulty understanding Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Prabhupada: Yes. So if I get time… My time is very limited. So even there is difficulty, let them read over and over and again. Then they will understand. Why should we change it? Let it be presented as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati has given, and… Then don’t give more than one or two pages at a time. Their brain will be puzzled. (laughter) Yes. When Guru Maharaja was speaking, at least my brain was puzzled. (laughter) Even he would speak in Bengali, it was very difficult to understand. He was speaking from a very, very high platform. But I wanted to hear him. That’s all. Even I did not understand it. That he appreciated, (laughs) that “This boy does not go away. He hears.” Actually that was my position. In the beginning I could not understand what he was speaking, but I wanted to hear him. That’s all. I was very much anxious to hear him. That he marked. And he was kindly pleased on me, that “He wants to hear. He does not go away.” That was my policy, that “let me hear. Even I do not understand, let me hear.” That’s all. Yes. Actually I did not understand in the beginning what he was speaking. So Bhaktisiddhanta’s writing is not very easy to understand. Yes. But we should try, read and read again, and simply that vibration will help us. That’s all. It is transcendental vibration, not that everyone will understand. But if you simply give aural reception to the vibration, that will make him advanced, not exactly that anyone has to understand it. Yes. Just like a man is sleeping and somebody is calling him. In his sleeping condition he does not understand. By calling, calling, calling, he gets up because that vibration is there. Not that in his sleeping condition he is understanding what is this sound is coming. So similarly, we should give reception to the transcendental vibrations made by Krsna and His bona fide representatives. That will make us awakened. Not that we understand everything. Satsvarupa: Prabhupada, in editing, there are two different policies about using capitals. One is to use as few capitals as possible or to use many capitals, in grammar capitalized, or to use few. So sometimes your Nectar of Devotion has got very few capitals. When Balarama is referred to as “he,” there is no capital. But the other policy is to always put… Krsna’s Hands, capital H, Krsna’s Feet, capital F, Krsna Who, capital W. Which is… Prabhupada: No, no, no. Don’t follow that policy. That will not be very… Then… Satsvarupa: The less capitals, the better? Prabhupada: Yes. I think. What do you think? Hayagriva: Well, I think, when referring to Krsna, we should always have a capital “H.” Prabhupada: Especially. Yes. Especially for Krsna, you can. Hayagriva: And if we want to, for Radha, capital “S.” Prabhupada: But Balarama is not different from Krsna. Satsvarupa: So He is capital “H.” Hayagriva: So He is capital “H.” But then here we go. (laughter) Prabhupada: No, no. You limit to these three. That will do. Hayagriva: Limit to those three. Prabhupada: Or Visnu. Yes. Visnu. Hayagriva: What about avataras, in reference to Christ or Buddha? Prabhupada: Buddha is capital used. Jesus Christ is capital used. Satsvarupa: Yes. But he… Like “He.” He means Buddha, “Who.” Hayagriva: No, “He.” Prabhupada: No. That you can use… Satsvarupa: Small. Prabhupada: Yes. Satsvarupa: Then words like Krsna’s “pastimes,” “entourage,” His “will.” Prabhupada: No, small. Satsvarupa: Small. Prabhupada: Yes. Hayagriva: The possessions of Krsna, small. Prabhupada: Small. Satsvarupa: His hands and feet, small. Brahmananda: Lotus feet? Prabhupada: Yes. Satsvarupa: Lotus flower? Prabhupada: Yes. All small. Simply name. Stick to name. Hayagriva: The pronoun, Krsna, “who.” The pronoun “who,” that’s not… Prabhupada: No, no. Use small. Hayagriva: Thank you. There’s so many… That causes a headache for everyone. Prabhupada: No. It is better to make everything sound but slow. We want to create this position of Back to Godhead as very authorized representation of the science of God. In future people may refer to it, so we should very cautiously and very nicely do it. It is very important thing, Back to Godhead. If our movement is going to be recognized as scientific, God consciousness movement, then this Back to Godhead will be referred as authorized scripture. So therefore we have to prepare in such a way, nothing non-conclusive can be introduced in this. That should be our policy. And actually it is the position of Back to Godhead. Satsvarupa: Prabhupada, about glossaries, the glossary? I have prepared a glossary… Brahmananda: It’s for the books. Satsvarupa: Oh. Well, this is… Prabhupada: Glossary? Satsvarupa: For the Isopanisad. And Hayagriva Prabhu thought that there was too much preaching in the definition. Like, say, in the definition of bhakti, I shouldn’t say, “Bhakti is the highest form of yoga.” Well, I don’t know if… I’m not speaking your words, but to make it, not to preach more, but I thought that was right. Prabhupada: Glossary should be short as possible. Satsvarupa: Short as possible. Prabhupada: Yes. At the same time carrying the meaning. Satsvarupa: The conclusion of Vaisnava philosophy. That’s the absolute meaning. Prabhupada: Yes. It should not be describing the definition. That is not glossary. Glossary should be explained in gist, but the meaning should be carried. Hayagriva: Well, can we use, for instance, the glossary to your Srimad-Bhagavatam printed in India, can we use that as a model for…? Is that…? Prabhupada: Srimad-Bhagavatam? Hayagriva: You have a glossary at the end of the first volume. Is that the type of glossary…? Prabhupada: Yes. I have given glossary. You can follow that principle. Yes. And at the end of each book, glossary, index, will carry weight. Hayagriva: Well, that was fairly terse if I remember, though. That was fairly terse. I mean very short, brief. Definitions were very… Prabhupada: One thing may appear to be very simple and to other, terse, but you do your own duty. Another thing: where is the Bhagavad-gita with my full translation and synonyms? Where is that manuscript? Hayagriva: I have… There are several existing manuscripts. I have… The manuscript I went over is in Columbus. Prabhupada: Whole? Hayagriva: The total manuscript is there. Prabhupada: So we have to prepare for next publication, revised and enlarged, giving in the same process: original verse, transliteration, synonyms, and translation, and purport. Hayagriva: English synonyms. Pradyumna was preparing… Pradyumna: I’ve already started that, the first chapter. Prabhupada: Our first printing will be this, what is name? Nectar of Devotion. And then, if possible, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, revised and enlarged. Satsvarupa: Isopanisad is even before Nectar of Devotion. Prabhupada: Yes. Isopanisad. That is already… And then Bhagavatam. Then Bhagavatam. And so far Krsna is concerned, Krsna we shall print after this Nectar of Devotion in our press if it is printed. But if I get some money, contribution, from George Harrison, then I may get it printed immediately from Japan. Yes. Devotee: Haribol. Brahmananda: Jayadvaita Prabhu says that… Jayadvaita: There’s another manuscript of Bhagavad-gita also in New York, the original. Prabhupada: Oh. You have got? Jayadvaita: Yes. It’s in New York except for the first two chapters. Everything else is there. Prabhupada: So first two chapters might be with Janardana. But you have got the whole thing, Hayagriva. Hayagriva: Yes. That has been… I have gone over that, the one I have. The one that is in New York, no one has gone over that. Jayadvaita: Some of it has been edited by Rayarama, but you can see around it and go to the original behind it. Prabhupada: So whatever is lacking, you ask me. I will supply you. Hayagriva: Well, I have nothing lacking. But I would like to see that version. Jayadvaita: That’s with a dictaphone. So it’s… Hayagriva: I would like to see that in going over mine. I’ll have to go over it chapter by chapter. But I will compare the version I have with that version, and… I know the translations themselves, they were somewhat changed in Bhagavad-gita As It Is as it came out in Macmillan. Did you like those translations? Prabhupada: Whichever is better, you think. That’s all. You can follow this Macmillan. Hayagriva: That was the second… They’re good. I think they’re very good. Prabhupada: Yes. You can follow that translation. Simply synonyms he can add, transliterations. Hayagriva: And we have all the purports. We can include everything. Nothing will be deleted. Everything will be in there. Prabhupada: That’s all right. Satsvarupa: Prabhupada, I have a question and it applies only to me, but it’s important. A year ago you wrote me in a letter when I was…, said the editing was going slow, to pay more attention to managing the temple. So… Prabhupada: Yes. Managing, you, why don’t you make this Giriraja as the temple manager? Satsvarupa: But still… I’ve already done that. I’ve made him, but practically I’m still managing anyway. And I made Murari manager, but still I’m… I don’t spend much time in editing. People are always coming, and I’m running all over the place. I don’t edit at all. It makes me sad. I don’t… Prabhupada: No, no. They must give relief to you. You can give them instruction, but the actual execution should be done… Pradyumna is there. He can also do. But anyone who is expert in management, he should be… Temple management should not be done directly by you. You can give him policy that “You do like this.” That’s all. Because you have got so many other things to do. Yes. So you create. If there is no expert manager, you create some manager. That is most important thing, to create. To become… (laughs) In our college there was one Mr. Kidd, professor of economics. He was always chastising us. We were student; he was our professor. “Oh, you cannot have independence. You cannot manage it. You cannot manage. You can work just like ass, but if some asses are given under you, you cannot work.” He was talking like that. “So don’t cry for independence. You are not yet nation.” He was talking like that. So actually his experience was nice, that since the Britishers have gone away, the management of Indian government is not nice. They cannot manage. So he was experienced. He told. I sometimes remember that Professor Kidd told me like that. (laughs) So we have to create nice administrator. That is another function, you see? Every department, we shall create assistant, assistant. So that in case he is ill or he is sick, he cannot work, somebody must work for him. Brahmananda: That is how we can expand also. Prabhupada: Yes. Some assistant always must be there, training of assistant. So far your editorial is concerned, you can train. Now Purusottama, he can also assist you. Similarly, Gaurasundara can assist you. Satsvarupa: Jayadvaita is already… Prabhupada: Ah, Jayadvaita. So in this way you should create assistant editors also. Hayagriva: Then the process thus far we have, someone types off the dictaphone. Now, thus far you’ve been doing this? Satsvarupa: Yes. Hayagriva: Thus far Satsvarupa… Prabhupada: That dictaphone can be done in Detroit. That boy Bhagavan dasa is here. He has offered service. Satsvarupa: There’s one thing… It seems to be easy, but it’s very difficult to hear your voice. Prabhupada: That will require practice. He may commit some mistake in the beginning, but when he is practiced, he will do the right thing. So that you cannot avoid. You cannot change my voice. Satsvarupa: No. But I can hear it. I can understand it. Kirtanananda: Yes, but you can’t go on forever, doing typing. Brahmananda: We’ve learned, so someone else can. Satsvarupa: So just now you’ve sent a Krsna tape. Should I, rather than do that, give it to Bhagavan? Prabhupada: No. First of all test him, who will do that. Test him here, whether he can understand. (break?) Hayagriva: A tape recording of dictaphone. Jayadvaita: Yes. And you check the copies. Hayagriva: And you can check the copies after. Why don’t you do that? Make a tape recording, and then, when the manuscript comes back, you can check it off the tape recorder. I’ve done that before. Brahmananda: I also have a dictaphone in New York, Prabhupada. Prabhupada: That is mine. Brahmananda: No. I have another one also. I also can have tapes typed. Prabhupada: So that can be distributed, tapes. Yes. In different centers they will have dictaphone and they’ll do it. Satsvarupa: And then send me the copy to edit. Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. Hayagriva: I have a dictaphone also, so they can also be sent to Syama dasi. Satsvarupa: Yeah. Hayagriva: But before you send them, make a tape, make a recording of them so you can check them over if you want to check them over. ’Cause I don’t have time to do that. Prabhupada: Yes. So taping, recording, that does not take much time. Hayagriva: No. Somebody can do that for you. Prabhupada: You can keep it and record. Yes. So manage in that way. We have to train so many things. So tactfully you have to do that. Hayagriva: Then he does the first editing. After it’s typed up off the dictaphone, Satsvarupa does the first editing. Then I go over what he has gone over and check the manuscript… Prabhupada: Yes. What you do, he goes. And what he does, you go. Then final. In this way. But the last editing should be checked twice. The dictaphone, then checked by him and then by you. Or checked by you and then by him. That’s all. Hayagriva: Yes. And Pradyumna does the Sanskrit after. Prabhupada: Yes. That’s all. That is printing department. Hayagriva: And then Jayadvaita does the composing. Prabhupada: Jayadvaita and others. Satsvarupa: Palika and Arundhati. Prabhupada: Now, I heard that you are composing fifty pages daily, altogether? Jayadvaita: No, not fifty pages. The manuscript pages, yesterday we composed about forty manuscript pages. Prabhupada: Correct, all? Complete? Jayadvaita: Yes. The original… It’s done twice. So those first pages, the first time, they’d already been done. Prabhupada: No, no. These forty pages, they are complete? Jayadvaita: Yes. They are complete. Prabhupada: That’s nice. That is encouraging. So even if you complete thirty pages daily, that will be very nice. Pradyumna: They’ll get faster because Syama dasi and Arundhati were just typing fourteen hours a day in Columbus and they were getting at least twenty manuscript pages done, and now it’s… Prabhupada: Anyway, you are the in-charge of this composition. You or Jaya-govinda? Who is in charge of the composition? Jayadvaita: Mostly I am doing it. Prabhupada: Accha. Then you get easily not less than thirty pages daily, complete. That will satisfy. Is that all right? Jayadvaita: That’s all right. Prabhupada: Yes. Then our books are, biggest book, four hundred pages. So thirty pages daily means, what is that? Within fifteen days you can complete. Jayadvaita: Thirty manuscript pages, thirty book pages? Prabhupada: Thirty book pages. No. Or what is the manuscript pages? I do not understand. Jayadvaita: When it’s typed out, we’ve been doing about… Prabhupada: I want complete for being photographed. Jayadvaita: Yes. Brahmananda: When you say a page, do you mean a page… Jayadvaita: He means the typed copies. I’ve been doing forty of those… Brahmananda: How many manuscript pages? Jayadvaita: That’s what I mean. Forty of those pages. Forty pages like that. So Nectar of Devotion is about 580… Pradyumna: Forty of these. Prabhupada: Oh. All right. These are forty pages. Such, say, in fifteen days how many pages? Satsvarupa: 450. Prabhupada: So you take up twenty days, one month for one book? Hayagriva: I cannot edit much faster than forty pages a day. Prabhupada: No, no. Don’t do it, I mean to say, so hastily. But do it slowly and surely. That will be nice. Yes. Brahmananda: One book, one month. Prabhupada: No, that you are printing, that “one book, one month” for the last six months. (laughs) That is in theory only. Actually it has not happened. Now do everything solidly so that at least in two months we finish one book. That’s all. Is that all right? Jayadvaita: Yes. Prabhupada: You say everything all right. (laughter) Anyway… Brahmananda: Today, Pradyumna prabhu, you edited how many pages? Pradyumna: I didn’t edit so many today. I edited fifty yesterday. Prabhupada: So I think I want… I shall be very glad to see the Nectar of Devotion is finished before I leave this place and you begin some other book. Jayadvaita: The second part… We’ve finished the first part. We’re now into the second part. Prabhupada: Second part, which second part? Jayadvaita: Where the qualities of Krsna are described. We’ve started that part of the book now. Pradyumna: How many pages, manuscript pages, composed? 250… Jayadvaita: 260 manuscript pages. Pradyumna: 260, out of 574, done. Jayadvaita: Almost half the book. Pradyumna: But it’s going pretty fast. Hayagriva: You want me to do Nectar of Devotion and then Krsna and then Bhagavad-gita, in that order? Prabhupada: Yes. So everything is all right, brhat-mrdanga department? Major sankirtana party. They are going, sankirtana parties in different cities. That is junior. But your, this party, it is senior. You are sitting one place; you have to work thousand times more than them. Yes. You have to edit in such a way. Where is that water? Brahmananda: It’s being offered, Prabhupada. Prabhupada: All right, all right. That’s all… Satsvarupa: I have a question from the art department. Prabhupada: Art, yes. Satsvarupa: Jadurani asks are they going too slow? She wants to know are they going too slow. They have thirty pictures ready. Prabhupada: One thing, that Jadurani should have some assistants. She alone cannot do that. Satsvarupa: Well, Prabhupada, you used that word once before, assistant. So then when Jahnava saw that letter she said, “That means I should paint.” So all that assistant meant was that they all painted. And Saradiya began to paint. I don’t know what you mean by assistant. Prabhupada: Assistant means that they should work under her direction. That is assistant. Satsvarupa: And produce pictures side by side with her. Prabhupada: Yes. I give some idea, sketch, and then under that sketch, instruction of Jadurani, and… Satsvarupa: So according to Jadurani, only she, Muralidhara, Devahuti, and Baradraj were good enough, that the other weren’t good painters, Jahnava and Saradiya. But I don’t know that. Prabhupada: Then they may practice. They may be given to practice, not the actual work. So… But they are scattered in different places. Brahmananda: Baradraj is coming to Boston. Prabhupada: Baradraj is good. Yes. He can… If he likes, he can do much work. Satsvarupa: And Muralidhara is good and also produces. Devahuti is good, but doesn’t produce. Prabhupada: So Devahuti has gone. I would have talked with her. Brahmananda: Yes. I don’t have her address. Prabhupada: Oh, she does not live in the temple. Brahmananda: No. And she doesn’t come often to the temple. I do not know her address, so I don’t know how to… I will call up her daughter in Dematine(?). See if I can get her address and write her. Kirtanananda: What about Madhava-lati? Prabhupada: Yes. She is good painter. Kirtanananda: She’s exhibiting a much nicer atti… She had a sari on today, Prabhupada. Prabhupada: Huh? Kirtanananda: She had a sari on today. Prabhupada: Sari? Kirtanananda: Yes. She was wearing a sari at the temple. She looks very nice. Prabhupada: No, she is nice. She is talented. Satsvarupa: She could be an assistant painter. Prabhupada: And why not somebody marry her? If somebody want to marry, then she will be all right. Brahmananda: Nayanabhirama wanted to marry her. Prabhupada: Then why not ask and get her married? Yes. Then she will be fixed up. I think she requires to be married. Then she will be satisfied. Satsvarupa: One more question from art was… Prabhupada: She is here. I recommend that just ask her to get married. If she agrees, that, what is that boy? Brahmananda: Nayanabhirama. Prabhupada: Let them marry and live here. Satsvarupa: The other question was, is the subject matter, as they’re being done, is there any criticism or should it be changed? The paintings that have been finished thus far, should they be changed in some way? Prabhupada: Then… These paintings are first-class, these paintings. Brahmananda: Is that one first-class there, Prabhupada? Prabhupada: No. Satsvarupa: What’s the trouble? Prabhupada: The trouble is that Krsna’s body is… Why it is made so big? Why the others, inhabitants of Vrndavana, smaller? Satsvarupa: He’s supposed to be up in the front. He’s supposed to be in the front, and they’re all behind Him. But it mustn’t be done well enough. Prabhupada: Well, that is… Do you think that is represented? Krsna did not show His gigantic body. As He was, He lifted. Yes. Hayagriva: He seems gigantic. Prabhupada: Krsna could show His gigantic. Actually He expanded His gigantic body. Otherwise how He could lift? Kirtanananda: These are very nice. Prabhupada: These things are… Yes. Brahmananda: Do you like this one, Prabhupada? Prabhupada: This is also not bad, but… Kirtanananda: The calf looks like a dog. Prabhupada: Huh? Yes. Satsvarupa: So they should be done over. Prabhupada: Yes. Prabhupada: Yes. This is all right. You see? So you can take some photograph like this picture. This is also… Krsna is patting a cow. Satsvarupa: That’s a good one. Prabhupada: Yes. Brahmananda: We should just reproduce that as it is? Prabhupada: Yes, why not? Hayagriva: Gurudasa has some very excellent pictures from the archives taken from books that were printed several hundreds of years ago, Bhagavad-gita and some woodcuts of Nrsimha, which would be considered quite artistic, but maybe we can send them to you to see if they meet your approval and maybe reproduce them. Prabhupada: No, whatever card, form, we get, unless we have got arrangement for worship… Of course, we can keep, but our, any form, wooden or stone, that should be worshiped. Hayagriva: These are photographs, these are pictures. Prabhupada: Oh, pictures. Then it is all right. All right. It is all right? Satsvarupa: Yes. That’s all. Prabhupada: That’s all. So now distribute prasadam. First of all, chant once more Hare Krsna. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
December 24, 1969, Boston