Garden Conversation
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
September 3, 1976, Vrndavana

Prabhupada: …with some Indian wife they were called Eurasian, and Englishman marrying Indian wife they were called Anglo-Indian. There was a big Anglo-Indian community and they were given good facilities by the Britishers for government jobs, railways. In railway, almost cent percent. The driver, the guard, the ticket inspector, all, means, semi-important jobs, they were all given to these Anglo- Indians. Because they were not very much educated. And officers, they were all Britishers. Officers, secretaries. And Indians were clerks. Indians, they were accepted as clerks only. No officers. In military, Indian Sikhs and Gurkha, especially Sikhs, they were very valiant. Still they are valiant. They were given the post of captain. Not general. General all Englishmen.

Caranaravindam: I have seen many Sikh soldiers. They’re very big. They’re very noble looking soldiers.

Prabhupada: They’re very, martial race. Practically, the Britishers expanded their empire with these Sikh soldiers and Gurkha soldiers.

Hari-sauri: The Gurkha, they’re very…

Caranaravindam: And Nepalese soldiers.

Prabhupada: Nepalese. They are very brave.

Hari-sauri: Yes, they’re very renowned.

Prabhupada: Sikhs are very brave. They’re martial. And another martial race, Jats. They are ksatriyas. Oh, they can fight… When Britishers possessed India they organized this military with Sikhs especially, Jats, and Gurkhas. And they expanded their empire, Burma, Ceylon, Africa, all these British Empire possessions. And not only that, they fought two big world wars with these Sikhs soldiers. They conquered over this Mesopotamia, Middle East.

Caranaravindam: They worked so hard. It’s a pity they weren’t doing it for Krsna.

Prabhupada: They like military. They want military jobs. Very ksatriya spirit.

Caranaravindam: They collected so much, but they lost it because they didn’t give it to Krsna.

Prabhupada: Ah, their bad policy that they wanted India for Britishers’ benefit. That is not duty of the government. Government should be for the welfare of the people. Then that government will continue. But they exploited the Indian people for the benefit of their own countrymen. That is the failure. That policy was not good. Therefore they finished within two hundred years. They began their ruling 1775, like that. And 1947… Not even two hundred years.

Caranaravindam: And now nothing.

Prabhupada: Now, after losing India, they have no more British Empire. Because they cannot maintain without Indian soldiers. Therefore they voluntarily left.

Caranaravindam: I used to see in my grandmother’s house, in her front room she used to keep special…

Prabhupada: Where? In London?

Caranaravindam: That was in Yorkshire, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yorkshire.

Caranaravindam: Yorkshire, near his birthplace.

Prabhupada: You are also Yorkshire?

Hari-sauri: Almost. Just near, Lincoln.

Caranaravindam: And in her front room she had many things that my great-grandfather collected…

Prabhupada: …from India.

Caranaravindam: From India, yes. And then his son, my grandfather, he was also a soldier. He was a captain, and he was in India and in Hong Kong, and China, Tinsing. And he collected many things. He was also in the Boer War.

Prabhupada: And your father?

Caranaravindam: He was born in Tinsing. My father’s family was there, where he’s serving. Then he became later, he was a commander in the Royal Navy.

Prabhupada: Oh, he was engaged in the Navy.

Caranaravindam: Yes.

Prabhupada: Practically all your family is military.

Caranaravindam: Yes. Now he is retired. He is living in…

Prabhupada: Your father is living? How does he like you have become Vaisnava?

Caranaravindam: At first he would not even speak to me. Then I used to visit next door and my mother would come to see me. And then after awhile he would talk to me from the other side and I quickly used to go and see. I would sit down. I would not preach to him. I would just be social.

Prabhupada: After all, father and son, affection, where it will go?

Caranaravindam: Now he likes. He says, “This is better what you are doing than all the other things you were doing.” I’ve not seen him now for three and a half years since I left England. They are a little sick now.

Prabhupada: What is the age of your father?

Caranaravindam: Sixty-five I think.

Prabhupada: Grandfather died.

Caranaravindam: Yes. (indistinct) when I used to go in the temple there…

Prabhupada: Grandfather was living at that time?

Caranaravindam: No, when I was a little boy I used to see him. We were very close. He used to take me for walks, like this, and then he died. And grandmother lived long time and then she died. But she would not leave the family…

Prabhupada: His grandmother is still living. Your grandfather also living?

Hari-sauri: Yes.

Caranaravindam: They live long time. Much longer it seems than in Midlands, Midlands and Yorkshire. They would quite often live much longer.

Prabhupada: His grandfather is of my age. I think two-three years older.

Hari-sauri: He’s the same age as yourself, about 81.

Prabhupada: Here, all my disciples, they’re of my grandsons’ age. Their father may be my son’s age, father, mother. My grandson is thirty-two years old. Granddaughter, she is also about 25.

Caranaravindam: It seems strange. Life seems to go by so quickly. A few years ago it seems to my mind I was a little boy. Now I’m 32 and my father and mother are sixty-five and they will soon leave their body and it is all going rush, rush, rush. It will seem, a few more years time I will look back, “Oh, when I was 32 and walking round.”

Hari-sauri: At least we’re not wasting our lives now.

Caranaravindam: Yes.

Prabhupada: My granddaughter, she came to see me in Mayapura. So I was remembering just the other day she was child and walking, catching my hand. Now she is mother of two children. (Someone comes by) Who is he?

Hari-sauri: He’s the carpenter.

Caranaravindam: Very good fellow.

Prabhupada: Carpenter. So it is nice. When there is rain I can lie down here. When it is raining, to lie down in a cottage like this is very pleasing. At least in this country. Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk-raining, not very forcibly.

Caranaravindam: A little shower.

Prabhupada: Shower, yes. Oh, it is very pleasing. So this place is very nice.

Caranaravindam: You like this…

Prabhupada: Oh yes. You have got idea. You have all done nice. Nobody (laughs) got this idea. You have done nice.

Caranaravindam: I wanted to make you a beautiful palace.

Prabhupada: You can fix up a little fan, then this labor can be saved.

Caranaravindam: You would like electric fan or hand pulled. Hand pulled?

Prabhupada: No no, electric. A small table fan. Just like in the railway carriage. Let them fix up. Small ceiling fan.

Hari-sauri: You can get very small ones that fasten on the front of motor cars on the inside for fanning the driver. Just a small unit.

Caranaravindam: I was wanting to, in the future, build you a very beautiful construction here.

Prabhupada: No, it is all right.

Caranaravindam: You like this. I thought you would also…

Prabhupada: This is made simple. It is very nice. Rather, you can… No, it is all right. There is no space. In India, on the roof, we allow to grow squash.

Caranaravindam: You would like some growing?

Prabhupada: Very small.

Caranaravindam: I plan to grow malati up this side.

Prabhupada: You grow, on the thatched roof they grow squash.

Hari-sauri: I think they were doing that in Mayapura. There was one big plant growing on the…

Prabhupada: So that the family can get one squash, that is sufficient for family. Vegetable. People used to live formerly without any worries. Everything was so easily available, at least foodstuffs. They had no anxiety.

Caranaravindam: Little effort, just basic, a little work and…

Prabhupada: They got their own paddy from the field, milk, some vegetables. Those who are fish eaters, they have got small lake, fish. Whole family without any… “Where I shall get money?” “How shall I eat?” These things were absent. Even the poor man.

Caranaravindam: Actually I have seen that even in all these villages in Africa and India, they have no real connection to the city politics. Because if the city breaks down they could move back to… They have their cow, they have field, vegetables…

Prabhupada: If there is war they were not affected. And the soldiers would not bother the public. It is said during Mohammedan period the soldiers of one party will ask the cultivator, “Where the other soldiers gone?” They would say, “I have seen and they have gone this side.” The cultivator is going on. The fighting is going on, but the cultivator is not affected. He is free. “You fight between themselves and whoever the victor is, I shall pay taxes. That’s all. I have nothing to do with politics.” This was… Between two parties of king or political, they may fight. Citizens, they have nothing to do who is the victorious. “You fight and one of you will become victorious. So you take taxes. I am concerned with paying tax. And tax, tax means whatever I have grown, you take one-fourth. You see this I have grown. Now you can take away one-fourth.” No income tax, no sale tax, no this tax or that tax. And if some year, by chance, he has not grown anything—no tax. “I have not produced, I could not produce anything.” Very simple. Soldiers, they were not paid. They were given land by the king. “You enjoy this land without any price. But when there is fight you have to come out.” Fight is not going every day. It may take place after some years. So they are living peacefully.

Caranaravindam: It was similar in old England in the knights’ time.

Prabhupada: That is the whole world history. Now they have made encumbrance. Naturally, a class of men, they became soldiers. They were trained up, and…

Caranaravindam: Whenever I visited a village in India, people were always very friendly. “Sit down, take some meal.” Or if I walk through a field they will pick something from a tree, some tomatoes, or some vegetables and give it to me.

Prabhupada: You can grow some tomatoes here. That is a very easy thing.

Caranaravindam: I have also some and some different seeds to plant.

Prabhupada: Tomato, squash.

Caranaravindam: You would like to see growing in your garden a little sabji?

Prabhupada: Yes. It is very… Cucumber. These things can be grown very easily. And zucchini. Called zucchini?

Hari-sauri: Yes. It’s like a small marrow, zucchini.

Caranaravindam: I would like to get, I don’t know…

Prabhupada: No, there is not much place here.

Caranaravindam: Some things we can grow.

Prabhupada: But this green banana if we get that will be nice.

Caranaravindam: These should flower soon, these bananas. They are one year old now. Within the next six months they should give some flowers.

Prabhupada: So it is very pleasing spot. You have done nice. I’m feeling nice.

Hari-sauri: Your pleasure is our pleasure.

Caranaravindam: It is your mercy. It is ecstasy to come in here and do something on the garden for you. Very good. I want to see lotuses growing. Then I will be happy. Nice lotuses. When I can pick a lotus and give to you, then it is nice. Then it is finished. Lilies, lotus, nice bushes, very happy inside. This grass has just been laid and I think after two weeks it will be very first class.

Prabhupada: Nobody should walk.

Caranaravindam: No. I have still this section here to finish of nice turf. And then watering twice a day.

Prabhupada: And due to this fountain it will be very nice, green always.

Caranaravindam: And I will sprinkle it with gobar water. Gobar mixed with water and sprinkle. That will be good for…

Prabhupada: Is there any good painter here?

Hari-sauri: Artist? Who is here?

Prabhupada: Artist?

Caranaravindam: Devotee?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Caranaravindam: One new boy that just came.

Prabhupada: So I want his service. I want to paint that picture which is published in that French Back to Godhead.

Hari-sauri: Oh. The portrait?

Prabhupada: Not portrait. That I was beating on my… What is called? That dundubhi we call it. What do you call this. Bango? Bang?

Hari-sauri: Oh, gong?

Prabhupada: Not gong. It is one side covered with skin.

Caranaravindam: Like a tambourine.

Hari-sauri: No, it’s… You mean a drum…

Prabhupada: Drum. Not two-sides. One side.

Hari-sauri: Like a tom-tom drum.

Prabhupada: Yes. So that picture is very nice. If somebody paints it will be…

Caranaravindam: I wish I could make the malati grow faster and the ratnavani.(?) I wish I could make it grow faster to give perfume. It is not like painting a picture. You can paint the flower and the creeper and the tree very quickly, but when you are growing it and you have the idea and no plant, it takes so many years for it to come to a finish.

Prabhupada: And who is growing it? That is Krsna’s hand. His hand is working invisibly. Krsna’s hand is there. Krsna says, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. “I am giving direction to the nature and she is manufacturing.” That’s a fact.

Caranaravindam: And He paints wonderful flowers with perfume.

Prabhupada: Anything, anything. Krsna is giving dictation, “Do like this.” Intelligence is of Krsna.

mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate [Bg. 9.10]

Caranaravindam: Lord Caitanya, He had the mango tree grow almost instantly with His direction.

Prabhupada: Yes. He can do that because He is Krsna. Immediately He can do. That is His inconceivable energy. Now by medical treatment man is made into woman, and woman is made man. Is it not?

Hari-sauri: Yes, there was that article in the Blitz the other day.

Prabhupada: So formerly, by simply desire of very exalted person like Lord Siva and others, they could turn a man into woman, woman into man.

Hari-sauri: I heard a story, Visvamitra once he grew people from trees. Is that correct?

Prabhupada: Everything is possible by Krsna’s inconceivable energy. Everything is possible. That is inconceivable. It is called therefore “inconceivable.” You, we cannot conceive how it is done. Our intelligence is very little. We cannot conceive. Therefore we say, “Oh, this is all mythology.” Because we cannot conceive of it. Whatever we cannot conceive we take it as mythology. Nothing is mythology. Everything is possible. That is inconceivable. But they cannot understand what is inconceivable. Unless it is conceivable by them, they do not accept. That is their foolishness. We can see at night worms or flies so small Just like if you divide one grain of rice into one hundred divisions one division—such a small fly. They are independently walking, flying. Freedom. Now just imagine how their anatomic physiology is manufactured within that small (indistinct) of life. But he’s exactly doing everything just like a big fly. How it is doing? Therefore I said in that, my interview.

Hari-sauri: Oh. “They can manufacture a jumbo jet but they can’t make a mosquito. Neither can they supply the pilot.”

Prabhupada: And the mosquito is with the pilot. They are manufacturing jumbo 747 plane. It requires a pilot separately. But Krsna is manufacturing an airplane, mosquito—everything complete, with pilot. This is inconceivable. You can manufacture a big airplane. The pilot is separate. You cannot manufacture the pilot. Krsna is manufacturing not only the smallest airplane, but with a pilot. This is inconceivable.

Caranaravindam: Also he makes those, you wrote in the Bhagavatam there are those giant birds that fly in space.

Prabhupada: And there will be hundreds and thousands mosquitos, they will fly. There will be no accident.

Hari-sauri: No collisions.

Prabhupada: No. Anywhere it will be… Not only flies. The birds, when they flock together, so there is no collision. And they very forcibly go like this, this, this, this, all together, but you won’t find one accident. And this is Krsna’s inconceivable energy. What you can do? You cannot fly hundreds of planes at a time. There will be at least three, four accidents.

Caranaravindam: They have great difficulty doing these air displays. Many planes flying together, these air displays. There is so much difficulty for them. A lot of them, they have accidents. Also…

Prabhupada: Formerly I used to see three, four, more than four flies going together. Nowadays I do not see.

Caranaravindam: Flies.

Prabhupada: No, aeroplanes. During wartime when they used to come to bombard they used to come in four, five together because the enemies, they used to shot down. So if one is shot down the other will be bombing.

Caranaravindam: You wrote in the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada, that in outer space there are those giant birds like eagle. Very, very big. Giant size. Enormous.

Prabhupada: They go from one planet to another.

Caranaravindam: It is like a big plane. Bigger than jet.

Prabhupada: And while flying they lay down eggs. And the eggs, while falling down, they become birds. By the, what is called?

Hari-sauri: Friction?

Prabhupada: No, no. When they, what it is called. Velocity of falling down, it becomes fomented, and then the birds come out. Just like parasites. No? Parachute?

Hari-sauri: Yes, parachute.

Prabhupada: While falling down, it opens. This is God’s creation. Inconceivable. And that aeroplane, flying machine, is so perfect.

Caranaravindam: And it will find its own food.

Prabhupada: There are birds who can take away the elephant for eating. Such big birds. They can carry elephant like a small rat.

Caranaravindam: Is such a bird the bird that was a servant of Sita?

Prabhupada: And monkey-eating birds I have seen in Los Angeles. They go very high on the top of a tree and capture a monkey. And take him high and drop him. As soon as he falls he dies, then again comes down and eats it.

Caranaravindam: We need one of those birds here to capture these monkeys.

Prabhupada: There are so many wonderful creations. That is God’s inconceivable energy. (end)