Room Conversation
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vrndavana, February 9, 1974, (new98)

Prabhupada: Seven hundred?

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Oh.

Devotee: On the other side of (indistinct). I think it crosses…

Prabhupada: In USA…. [break]

Guru dasa: Even car, the roads are so big.

Prabhupada: Ah, bus service is all right? So transportation for the USA. Take Greyhound. (Hindi) [break]

Guest (1) (Indian man): I don’t think these people have seen the car here, have you?

Prabhupada: Huh?

Guest: Have you seen the car?

Prabhupada: I think it is now obsolete.

Guest (1): Obsolete now. I don’t see it now.

Guru dasa: Train?

Guest (1): No. (indistinct) (laughter) Just like (indistinct).

Prabhupada: With car, there is a platform like this. It moves on the roof of the house. (laughter) (Hindi) Helicopter.

Guest (1): Helicopter.

Prabhupada: (Hindi) [break] …New York, goes to Los Angeles and then to Honolulu, then Tokyo, then Hong Kong, then New Delhi… No. Hong Kong to Bangkok, Bangkok to New Delhi, New Delhi to Karachi, Karachi to Beirut, then, I think, London, then again New York. One, one round. (Hindi) One round.

Guest (1): (Hindi) [break] (laughter)

Prabhupada: (Hindi) (laughing) [break] Fifty crores.

Guest (1): Huh? More than that. (laughter) Why not?

Prabhupada: Not fifty crores. Fifty-five lakhs.

Guest (1): Fifty-five lakhs. Oh.

Prabhupada: This George Harrison, he came there.

Guest (1): George Harrison? He has donated in cash for that building?

Prabhupada: Not that building.

Guest (1): That building.

Prabhupada: He has purchased for me.

Guest (1): Accha.

Prabhupada: It is named Bhaktivedanta Manor.

Guest (1): Accha.

Guest (2) (Indian man): Bhaktivedanta….?

Prabhupada: Manor.

Guest (2): Manor.

Prabhupada: He contributed for this book $19,000. Practically he gave start. Yes. No. Starting was that Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I printed. Then I printed this book. Then by selling this book, this book, that book, like that. He is very good boy. He is chanting Hare Krsna.

Guest (1): Chanting?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guest (2): (Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi). Now what is the latest record?

Guru dasa: “Krsna, I miss You. Krsna, where are you?”

Guest (1): The song?

Prabhupada: There was…

Guest (1): Song?

Prabhupada: Yes, song. His song, as soon as one record is published, then millions is sold. Then millions.

Guest (1): I see. And this is the song he has sung, on the recording. Wonderful. Mahaprabhu has chosen right, perfect method of prasada.

Prabhupada: No, all the musicians, they’re attracted to me. Big, big musicians. Another is, what is his, Dylan?

Guru dasa: Bob Dylan.

Prabhupada: Bob Dylan. He is as good as, or more than. He has asked one of my students, “Ask Prabhupada, what can I do for him.’’ He is reading my books. There is another Indian, Ravi Shankar, he also came. He also attracted.

Guest (1): He’s also attracted.

Prabhupada: Bombay (laughing), all the cinema artists, they’re attracted with the movement. One, one that actress Vijaya?

Guru dasa: Vaijayanti Mala.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Guru dasa: Vaijayanti Mala.

Prabhupada: Vaijayanti.

Guest (1): Vaijayanti Mala. She’s a very famous actress.

Prabhupada: She’s very nice girl, actually. (aside:) Namaskar. (Hindi) [break] (Hindi-break)My eldest son was born in 1921.

Guest (2): I was born in 1917.

Prabhupada: Seventeen. (Hindi conversation with many breaks) …trustees. Because he contributes. He contributes and that boy, Gopala Krsna, he also contributes. [break] (laughter) You are not religious, huh? (laughter) [break]

Guest (3): … stay at Radha-Ramana in Purusottama Gosvami’s old house, in Radha-Ramana. Lately I’m staying at Bon Maharaja’s asrama. (indistinct-break)

Prabhupada: So what is the condition of the work, finished?

Guru Dasa: Not finished. [break]

Prabhupada: He requires so many things.

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: Whether he is connected(?). Encourage him to the deity worship, Yamuna. What can we do? (pause) So wood has come?

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: So they’re arranging for roofing?

Guru dasa: Any for roof? No, this is for scaffolding. Actually, also some wood planks for the roof to be casted with the steel. So that plank wood has also come, and the (Hindi) for casting, uh, for scaffolding has also come. And Gunarnava spoke to Tejiyas on the telephone, and he said that within a few days the steel would be ready. So I’m also going to go to Delhi the day after tomorrow and check on the steel, and I think we’ll bring it down and start.

Prabhupada: (indistinct)

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: (indistinct)

Guru dasa: Yes, we’ll do that. I’ll do that. [break] …so want to learn Deity worship in Vrndavana. I also will learn that Deity worship.

Prabhupada: (indistinct), they are doing very nice.

Guru dasa: Hm.

Prabhupada: (indistinct)

Guru dasa: Hm. That’s nice, that’s nice.

Prabhupada: Three men at the time of arati.

Guru dasa: I was wondering. In Imlitala they do one man, but I was thinking three is very… At that JK temple in Kanpur, three men. That’s nice.

Prabhupada: Three men (indistinct).

Guru dasa: Very nice.

Prabhupada: (indistinct) they do gorgeous, most gorgeous. You learn to do like that here in Vrndavana.

Guru dasa: Hm.

Prabhupada: Very gorgeous. All decorated, (indistinct), gongs, bells, mrdangas. Keep at least twelve trained devotees. At least twelve. (indistinct) [break]

Guru dasa: Some people make the, cut the coat to fit the pocket.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Guru dasa: Cut the coat to fit the pocket.

Prabhupada: That’s right.

Guru dasa: Basics. Then after everything is built and nicely established, then we will increase. Very clear and very nice.

Prabhupada: That is good. One who desires well-being(?)…

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: ….he is called Surya.

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: So he is determined(?).

Guru dasa: Yes. And he is not motivated.

Prabhupada: No.

Guru dasa: He is very good, good. Kapoor also is increasing more and more, very much favorable. (indistinct) also is favorable. He is nice.

Prabhupada: (indistinct)

Guru dasa: Somewhat influential, but…. [break]

Prabhupada: …that, but now from Radha-Damodara Temple we cannot take anything.

Guru dasa: No.

Prabhupada: So how he will maintain?

Guru dasa: I don’t know. He must have some money.

Prabhupada: And what Panchu is doing?

Guru dasa: Panchu I have not seen, because I have been here mostly, on the construction site. I don’t go so much.

Prabhupada: How he has left for some service.

Guru dasa: Maybe. I can inquire.

Prabhupada: No. There is no… Why you should go? Let them do their own work.

Guru dasa: Yes.

Devotee: I can sweep over here?

Prabhupada: Huh? Yes. Why not?

Guru dasa: Next month is again rental, rent time. I paid him six months in advance previously. So it would go to February. Because I knew that the Saivite was changing, so I wanted to do like that. Next month is again, March 1st, payment…

Prabhupada: But whenever you give money, you must take receipt in this printed.

Guru dasa: Yes. Printed receipt.

Prabhupada: Yes. Printed form.

Guru dasa: So I should again pay to Gauracand Gosvami? I think so.

Prabhupada: This, this, this (indistinct) complete…

Prabhupada: But that, that will be complete soon. Saurabha says it will be complete soon.

Prabhupada: Yes. Next time I, when I come…

Devotee: Come, it, roof should be ready.

Prabhupada: …I want to see that it is, roof is complete, and then we begin. So another thing: should I take rates for the marble from others, or we shall accept this?

Guru dasa: I’ve already taken rates, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Guru dasa: And now this man, Narayana Das, says that yesterday they said that it did…, the rates did not include people to put the marble in. It did not include laborers to install.

Prabhupada: No, no. They have, they have to order this, because (indistinct) include everything.

Guru dasa: If it includes, it is a good rate.

Prabhupada: Ah.

Guru dasa: But in, in Makrana I got the rate seven-fifty, eight rupees. Seven, seven-fifty, eight for dangri(?), that kind. And about two-fifty to three extra for labor. So if they charge eight or seven, including labor and delivery and polishing, it is good rate, but if it is just delivery it is not a good rate.

Prabhupada: So, Mr. (indistinct) said that he’ll send the contract form. So we have to see.

Guru dasa: If it does not include the delivery and the polishing…

Prabhupada: (indistinct) include delivery, polishing, everything.

Guru dasa: If it does, it’s good rate. Also this black marble, I’ve gotten the price in Makrana four, four rupees and fifty paise.

Prabhupada: That is excluding labor.

Guru dasa: Yes. So if they can do it for five, it is good rate.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guru dasa: But if they do it five for just the marble, it is not good rate.

Prabhupada: No, no. That is not good. It is included everything, that I was informed by…

Guru dasa: Then it’s, then it is good. It is very good for us.

Prabhupada: Then we shall accept.

Guru dasa: Oh, yes. It is good quotation. But he is not willing to do the bank guarantee.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Guru dasa: The pound, the hunda, what is it called?

Prabhupada: Hundi.

Guru dasa: Hundi.

Prabhupada: No. That we shall… He is not bringing all the goods at a time.

Guru dasa: Oh.

Prabhupada: Partially. We have to pay.

Guru dasa: All right. [break] Srila Prabhupada, I want you to feel that we will do this, and this work, and spend frugally and thrifty.

Prabhupada: Very frugally. You have already become very unfrugal.

Guru dasa: I am agitated that you are anxious about it, because yes, I commit many mistakes, no doubt.

Prabhupada: So, that’s all right. Don’t commit more, that’s all.

Guru dasa: Yes. But there’s also some mistakes I have not committed. There’s some very good things that have happened.

Prabhupada: That’s all right. Don’t commit mistake.

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: Devotee should not commit mistake. He’s above it.

Guru dasa: But I want you to feel…

Prabhupada: No. It is my business to worry.

Guru dasa: Yes, yes. You are the best father I have. My father spared the rod. He spoiled me.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guru dasa: And you are not doing.

Prabhupada: But don’t take, because I do not show the stick, don’t take advantage of it.

Guru dasa: You have shown the stick, verbally.

Prabhupada: Now do it nicely. Keep me less anxiety.

Guru dasa: I want to do.

Prabhupada: It is natural when money is misspent, one who brings money is (indistinct).

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: I take so much trouble and then…. That is, that is always (indistinct).

Guru dasa: Yes. I also would feel that way.

Prabhupada: So the money raised for the other business, that should be spent for that purpose.

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: And the temple money… So you’ll go to the bank tomorrow? Yes?

Guru dasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: Which bank he has dispatched the 50,000?

Guru dasa: Yes, Syndicate.

Prabhupada: But they have not yet informed. How is that? He said he has already sent.

Guru dasa: He has telegrammed.

Prabhupada: Who?

Guru dasa: Giriraja has telegrammed.

Prabhupada: Ah.

Guru dasa: But the bank has not informed. Gunarnava is checking today.

Prabhupada: Telegrammed the money?

Guru dasa: Giriraja has telegrammed myself, directly…

Prabhupada: Oh.

Guru dasa: ….that he has sent it.

Prabhupada: When he has sent it?

Guru dasa: Telegrammed yesterday…, day before yesterday, evening.

Prabhupada: Day before yesterday.

Guru dasa: Evening.

Prabhupada: Evening.

Guru dasa: Late evening.

Prabhupada: So they must have received the money by today.

Guru dasa: Yes. Gunarnava is checking. (end)