Room Conversation
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
November 5, 1977, Vrndavana

Giriraja: The construction is going on. And this man Mr. Lord, from England, he’s getting more active.

Prabhupada: England?

Giriraja: He’s about fifty-year-old gentleman who was the manager of a big club in London. So he had been associating with the devotees in London, and they suggested he come to India and help manage our restaurant and guesthouse. So he was the aide-de- camp of the Viceroy of India.

Tamala Krsna: Remember, I told you about him, Srila Prabhupada?

Giriraja: So he knows a little Hindi. He has a very distinguished…

Prabhupada: Which viceroy?

Tamala Krsna: Which viceroy?

Giriraja: The last viceroy, Mountbatten. And he’s very diplomatic in dealing with people. And when he meets with the Indians, they immediately respect him, just like in the old days. So I think he’ll be a very good personality to have in the restaurant and guesthouse. People will be happy to meet him. He’s tall, he has a nice British accent, and he’s following our regulative principles. He’s a devotee.

Tamala Krsna: I met him at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Srila Prabhupada, when we were there. He came a couple of times, very nice gentleman. He’s working without any salary. Simply he asked for a room, and he wants to devote his life. Real gentleman. He’s more British than any Britisher I’ve ever met.

Prabhupada: Forty years?

Giriraja: Well, he’s about, I think, sixty years old now. And when he was a young man of twenty he was the aide-de-camp of the viceroy. And I think he was also the secretary to the governor of Punjab when it was under the British.

Tamala Krsna: He met with Gandhi and all of these other leaders.

Giriraja: Then, just after I left… Before that, I spoke to Gopala Krsna, and he was arranging for Mahamsa Swami and Mr. Polareddy to meet the President of India to invite him to be the chief guest because Mr. Polareddy of Hyderabad knows the present President. And then, so far as the publicity for the opening, we felt that we should actually fix up the chief guest first, because if some big person like the President comes, that will be an important part of the wording of the invitation and the other publicity.

Prabhupada: So finishing?

Tamala Krsna: Construction?

Giriraja: Well, the building was not finished. I think that… I mean the inside of the temple and the theater and the restaurant and lobby of the guesthouse and many of the guestrooms will be ready, but the marble work on the domes was very behind schedule. So when I was there only about ten or fifteen percent of the marble on the three big domes was up, and the… Of course, the three domes at the entrance were almost ready. So the three main domes could be finished by the time of the opening, but there will be marble work that has to go on after the opening.

Prabhupada: It will never be finished. When the date is being fixed?

Giriraja: Well, we fixed it for January lst and begin the ceremonies on December 29th, which is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s Disappearance Day. And… The ceremonies begin a few days before the actual installation of the Deities. So those ceremonies, or yajnas, those will begin on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s Disappearance Day, which is December 29th, in about six or seven weeks. And then, a few days later, on January lst, which is the English New Year’s Day and Sunday, that will be the actual installation ceremony, and thousands of people will be coming. And we also discussed that there should be very opulent prasadam distribution, and different arrangements for receiving the people and kirtana and darsana and festival activities.

Prabhupada: Still work is going on.

Giriraja: Yes. Actually on the date that we were planning to open on Dussehra, nothing was actually ready—even the things that were, we were sure would be ready. But I feel even if some things are not ready this time, most of the things will be. But there has to be some final date, otherwise it will never end.

Prabhupada: Brahmanas?

Giriraja: Well, before Yasodanandana Swami left, he had written the brahmanas that the new date was going to be January lst, and I spoke to Yasodanandana Swami’s assistant, Smara-hari, and he was not sure whether the brahmanas had confirmed this. So he was going to write them today and ask them to confirm that January lst was all right. But he received a letter from Yasodanandana Swami saying that Yasodanandana Swami would be coming December 26th. So he’s definitely planning to be there in time. And at the time that we postponed the last opening, the brahmanas said that whenever we want to have the opening, they are always ready to come. So it seems that they should be able to come on December 28th or 29th to begin the ceremonies.

Prabhupada: The brahmanas must be fixed first of all.

Giriraja: Yes. So he said he would write today, and this evening I’ll confirm it that he wrote and sent that letter, and then, within a week, we should actually get the confirmation. Otherwise they are very eager to do this and the only thing would be the date. So this afternoon we’re planning to execute the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust and also the amendment to your will. So Visvambhara Prabhu and I are supposed to go to Mathura now to meet the registrar and some other people. So is it all right if I go now? [break]

Tamala Krsna: The medicine can be given for ten or twelve days and everything will go exactly according to some plan. This was my point from the beginning. It’s not a very difficult thing. The kaviraja probably can adjust very easily to stop stool from passing. Naturally, if you stop the medicine, maybe the stool will stop, but that doesn’t actually solve the problem. That doesn’t cure the disease. The disease is not that you’re passing stool. That’s a side effect of, perhaps, the medicine or maybe something you’re eating. The medicine is required for getting better, but now, if the medicine causes you to pass stool, if that’s actually the reason, then it has to be adjusted.

Satadhanya: Just a couple of days ago, Srila Prabhupada, you were constipated, and you were thinking that it was necessary to take an enema.

Tamala Krsna: But stool-passing this many times is not right either. Passing stool five, six times, that is not right. It’s obvious that it’s a result of something. It’s either the medicine or the diet. Prabhupada says it’s the medicine, just like last time when he took that makara-dhvaja, and he was right. It was the medicine. [break] …the best thing to do. There may be some good effect by taking the medicine in addition to the causing you to pass stool. So if by giving you some other small medicine at the same time, you can still take this medicine and you don’t pass stool, then that’s the best thing. This only a kaviraja knows. I don’t know this. I have no idea. Maybe we should take the help of that… This doesn’t seem like a very difficult thing, Srila Prabhupada. Passing stool is something that any kaviraja should be able to treat, and maybe for this small thing we should call that assistant who was here yesterday. That’s why that kaviraja from Calcutta arranged for there to be an assistant here, in case… In other words he came and diagnosed the disease, and he made a very complicated thing, medicine that an expert had to make. And for the fact that there might be some side effect, that you may not sleep properly or you might be passing stool, something of this kind, he found out one assistant for the purpose of helping in these cases. So why not carry through with that and take the help of this assistant, see what he says? This is a common ailment that people have, diarrhea or passing stool too often, loose bowels. That’s not a very major problem.

Prabhupada: No, you have to stop.

Tamala Krsna: No, that’s not necessarily the only solution, to stop. I just explained, Srila Prabhupada, that that is not the only way. Another way may be that they add some other kind of medicine which stops the passing of stool. The medicine you’re getting is supposed to be doing good to your kidney and liver. That it causes you to pass stool, that is not good, but at the same time, it may be doing good for the kidney and liver. If you stop taking it, then how will you heal the kidney and liver? Simply by not passing stool, that’s not going to heal the kidney and liver. What we want is that you should not pass stool too much and at the same time you can still have your kidney and liver healed. Naturally, if you stop taking medicine, the stool may stop passing.

Prabhupada: And he is not experienced.

Tamala Krsna: Well, I don’t know …He’s not as… The point is, for such a thing that you have now, passing stool, I don’t think that requires a highly learned kaviraja. That’s a common ailment, that someone passes stool too easily. That’s not a very difficult ailment to take care of.

Prabhupada: So consult him.

Tamala Krsna: Hm. I think this is the time to do that. This is a side effect of taking the medicine. Just giving up taking medicine may solve one problem, but it’s not going to solve the main problem. This is to say that we’re putting some hope on this kaviraja from Calcutta. If eventually he is shown that his medicine didn’t work, then I won’t…, I wouldn’t say anything. But I’m going on the argument that his medicine is doing some good. So I don’t want to see it stopped. So you have no objection if we consult the other kaviraja, do you?

Prabhupada: What can be done?

Tamala Krsna: No. I think this is the purpose for which he was chosen, at such a time like this that he should be consulted. I’ll tell Bhakti-caru to consult him. [break]

Bhakti-caru: (Hindi)

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Satadhanya: Finished with urine, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: (Bengali)

Tamala Krsna: Bhakti-caru, Prabhupada is talking to you.

Bhakti-caru: Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: (Bengali)

Bhakti-caru: Srila Prabhupada wants him to come every day, once a day, and check him out. (Bengali)

Tamala Krsna: Hundred cc’s, Srila Prabhupada. Your urine was 100 cc’s.

Prabhupada: No, urine is all right. Urine, it is all right. I am lying here. He can come conveniently.

Tamala Krsna: Bhakti-caru, Prabhupada says he’s lying here, so the kaviraja can come whenever it’s convenient, ’cause he’s always here.

Bhakti-caru: Right. That’s what I told him.

Prabhupada: And you should pay for that.

Tamala Krsna: No problem.

Prabhupada: Appreciate.

Tamala Krsna: Appreciate. There’s no problem for that, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: (Bengali)

Bhakti-caru: Srila Prabhupada is asking him how did he get to know Shastriji. So he said that it’s I who took him there and…

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Tamala Krsna: How will we stop the stool?

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Bhavananda: Bhakti-caru, what is he saying?

Bhakti-caru: He’s saying that for controlling the stool he’s going to just give juice of ginger roots and honey mixed together, and just that. He’s not going to give any other medicine for that.

Bhavananda: Gentle.

Tamala Krsna: That will stop the stool?

Bhakti-caru: He’s saying yes. He doesn’t want to change this medicine. He says that none of these medicines has any ingredient that might cause stool or might make him pass stool. (Hindi) He’s saying that passing stool is due to the old stool that was in the stomach. That is coming out. They are not laxatives, as such. Now I remember, he was telling also, that Shastriji, that Srila Prabhupada’s intestine has become shrunk, dried up. Now they are slowly, slowly, they have got to become loose and looser, and this might be one thing like the intestine is loosening, and that is causing the bowels to move.

Tamala Krsna: So if that is true, then why stop the stools?

Bhakti-caru: No, I mean since it’s causing inconvenience… He’s saying that these two agents are natural digesters, both ginger juice and honey.

Tamala Krsna: Natural digestives? So what does that have to do with stopping the stool?

Bhakti-caru: Anyway, since he said, we can just try it. (Hindi) He’s not actually causing it to stop. He said that it will… Now, last few times, Srila Prabhupada has passed very light stool and liquidish. So ginger root and honey will make it sort of thicker.

Bhavananda: That’s all.

Bhakti-caru: Yes.

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Bhakti-caru: He’s asking whether, while passing stool, there’s a feeling that stomach has been cleared, kind of a constipated feeling, in spite of… Srila Prabhupada said that it was happening like that before, but last few times it was liquidish. It was watery stool, so there is no question of…

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Bhakti-caru: (Hindi with kaviraja assistant and Prabhupada)

Tamala Krsna: Bhakti-caru, what’s going on?

Bhakti-caru: He was wondering about one medicine that has some roots and herbs mixed together and boil it for a long time and just give the extract of that. He was wondering whether that medicine, how I have that medicine… There are different items in it. That vaidyaji already made, mixed it together. So he was wondering about that medicine, how it is, how do I keep it.

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Bhakti-caru: (Hindi) So he told me yesterday also that there should be continuous prayers.

Prabhupada: (Hindi)

Bhakti-caru: (Hindi)

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Prabhupada: He said that “I want to see you, your, this very much.” (?) Still, we can pay him. I’ll do. And this… Send him car. (Hindi)

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi)

Svarupa Damodara: We’ll do that, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: (Hindi)

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Prabhupada: So you do… Account for that.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, I know. We’ll do that.

Prabhupada: (inaudible—conversation about paying the kaviraja’s assistant’s fare to and from his home) [break]

Tamala Krsna: …notarized copies of everything. This registrar is not the real registrar. He’s only a clerk. The registrar is on leave. So because this man is not so experienced, it takes a little extra time to do everything with him. So Giriraja and I have had a little bit of experience, so we had to teach him some things. Now everybody understands clearly. Everything is now completed. Your signatures were quite good, Srila Prabhupada. Your signatures were not bad.

Prabhupada: This thing? What is that?

Tamala Krsna: Your signatures were fairly good. Some of them were very good. They remarked that the signature was strong… [break] I tried to make it as quick as possible. Now I have the receipts, and I will keep them locked in the almirah just like we did last time. And after about one week we’ll be able to get the original documents after they’ve been registered. In the meantime, on Monday we’re going to open up a bank account in the name of Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust in Punjab National Bank, New Delhi. Giriraja, who is the secretary of the Trust, and Bhavananda Maharaja, who are the treasurers, will open the account. So the interest from the fixed deposits will go directly into that account. Is that nice? That was your idea. And the bank will be happy that we’re keeping the money in their bank. All of your plans are perfect, Srila Prabhupada. And our perfection is simply to carry them out without changing in any way. You have such complete plans that we don’t have to do anything new. We have to work our whole lifetime simply to carry out what you’ve planned. Even then we won’t be able to complete everything. We’ll have to trust to those who come after us to finish everything. So I’ll just finish everything now with them, Srila Prabhupada, and lock everything away, and then I’ll come back. I don’t want to leave Giriraja alone. It’s nice to do everything together, two. I’ll come right back afterwards. [break]

Prabhupada: The Trust deed somebody may read.

Tamala Krsna: Oh, yes. I can bring it just now.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: I can read it to you personally.

Prabhupada: All right. [break] San Diego, we have got a temple.

Jayadvaita: Oh, yes. We have… They just moved to a nicer location, nicer building. They have maybe seventy devotees. It’s quite large temple near the ocean in San Diego. They have… Every year at Govardhana-puja they have a very nice festival in the park. They have chanting and discourse and distribute prasadam. Then in the spring again they have a very nice festival. You were there one time. You spoke. Your Divine Grace spoke at one festival in the park in San Diego. They also go to preach just over the border in Mexico, and many Mexican boys join our San Diego temple, Mexican boys who’ve come to America. They join our temple in San Diego. The Deity there is very beautiful and very nicely dressed also in San Diego.

Panca-dravida: Their new temple is very nicely decorated, with arches and everything. Radha-Giridhari.

Jayadvaita: The president is Guna-grahi Prabhu. He’s been a devotee for a long time. The management is also very nicely going on. [break] You sent Bhavananda there many years ago when they were in Brooklyn and ordered him to make the devotees happy. And ever since then, they’ve been peaceful… (indistinct) Even before that. I remember when I first came to New York, when the storefront was there. I came on Sunday, and there were so many different preparations. Hamsaduta Maharaja was cooking. And so many different preparations. And after taking that feast I decided that I would not leave—“This is too nice.” So they’re going on, still very opulent, sumptuous prasadam. And people are deciding that “Oh, this is very nice. Let us not leave. Let us go on taking prasadam.” And in the restaurant very respectable people come. (pause)

Prabhupada: You read some more.

Jayadvaita: Yes, with great pleasure. Teachings of Lord Kapiladeva.

Prabhupada: Krsna.

Jayadvaita: Krsna book. Any particular part that you’d like to hear, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Anywhere. From Second Part.

Jayadvaita: Second Volume. “Akrura’s Arrival in Vrndavana.” Is that all right?

Prabhupada: Hm.

Jayadvaita: “Narada Muni did not mention Krsna’s killing Vyomasura…” [break]

Prabhupada: …depend on you. For me, wherever I am kept, I shall remain. This is the position.

Tamala Krsna: What, Srila Prabhupada? Wherever you are kept?

Prabhupada: Wherever you kept, keep, I shall remain. The institution depends on the GBC.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. I think that the time that you always were looking forward to—of the GBC managing things—has come, and that if you can survive, then you can simply be free to translate…

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: …chant.

Prabhupada: If I am sane, then I’ll do. But in this condition… Ah, ha… Hm. What is to be done now?

Tamala Krsna: What is to be done now? In regard to that Trust?

Prabhupada: No, Trust or whatever. I have freed myself from everything.

Tamala Krsna: In regard to what were you asking?

Prabhupada: In this condition.

Tamala Krsna: Well, what we have to do is carry on with this medicine, medical treatment, and let the kaviraja come. Then, when he comes from Calcutta, he’ll review everything that’s happened and he’ll see what your condition is like. And if he feels that the liver and kidney have been cleared up a little bit, then he’ll begin to give medicine for giving you strength. And we will make him stay here until you get sufficient strength. And if you do get sufficient strength, which means his medicine is working, then he can take you to Mayapura. And after some days, if he gives you medicine for strength and you don’t get any strength, then there’s no reason to leave Vrndavana. He may go back, but we will stay here. I think that should be our course of action. We certainly… I’ve looked just now with Upendra, and pretty much, you’ve increased by about double what you drink and you’ve increased by about double the amount of urine. But that’s not going to give you strength very much. And the kaviraja has also said that he’s not giving any medicine for giving strength at this time. Mostly he’s giving medicine which should help the kidney and liver. I can’t see inside your body to know if your kidney and liver are better. That he has to say. And if he says that it is getting better, then he can give the medicine for giving strength. And that’s something that we can notice. Once he gives the medicine for strength, we’ll be able to see if you’re actually getting strength. After five or six days, if you’re not getting any strength, then we’ll know that the medicine is not effective. If it is effective, then we can go with him. You’ll have more strength and we can go to Mayapura. He can take us there and we’ll carry on. And if for some reason it’s not effective, then we have to trust simply in krsna-nama. That we’re doing anyway, but that’s… We’ll have to do exclusively at that point.

Prabhupada: Hm. Get on…

Tamala Krsna: Does that sound right, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: There is no alternative.

Tamala Krsna: No. There’s no alternative. There’s no question of going to any more kavirajas. This is the last one. He’s the best we’ve found, and if his medicine doesn’t work, then let us simply depend on Krsna.

Bhavananda: That was fifty and clear, Srila Prabhupada. Fifty and clear.

Prabhupada: Bhavananda, you are not feeling well?

Bhavananda: No, now I’m feeling better, Srila Prabhupada.

Tamala Krsna: We’re all praying to take some disease from you. We’re all praying to take over your disease onto us.

Prabhupada: That is not desirable.

Tamala Krsna: Not desirable?

Prabhupada: (laughs) If you all become diseased.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, but you single-handedly can spread this movement better than all of us together.

Prabhupada: That is the problem. You are all become stationed to me.(?) Who will work?

Jayadvaita: At least this disease of Krsna consciousness is very infectious. Everyone catches it from you, Srila Prabhupada. They can’t find any medicine to stop it. It just keeps going on more and more.

Tamala Krsna: They call it epidemic. [break] …dream last night that you were eating all kinds of nice fruits.

Prabhupada: What is that sound?

Tamala Krsna: That’s one of the brahmacaris shaking out the dust in the rugs. In my office we have some rugs, so he takes them outside and shakes them. He’s a nice brahmacari, young boy from the Gurukula, from Mexico. Is it time to go on, Srila Prabhupada? [break] …today. So I would meet him last night, and if he was to come this evening I wouldn’t think that there would be any harm, that he could come this evening, I think it’s not bad in that it sort of sometimes has an effect to encourage the patient if the doctor or kaviraja comes. It’s reassuring. So I think it’s nice that he comes. There should be someone with a little bit of knowledge who we can consult each day. He may not be as expert as the Calcutta kaviraja. Still, he is more expert than we are. And he was appointed by the Calcutta kaviraja to come and check up on you and see how you are doing, see if there were any side effects. The real question is that your kidney and liver should be getting better. There’s no doubt that you’re getting weaker now. That I can see. I’ve never seen you this weak. But according to the…

Prabhupada: Very weak. I sit up…, oh, everything…

Tamala Krsna: Finished. No, I could see that when you were sitting up, everything was becoming dislocated, everything. You can’t sit up very much, neither you should sit up, Srila Prabhupada, very much. But I would recommend you to sit up when you have to drink only. This bathing we could do at other times. This drinking, unless you sit up, you won’t drink. I’ve seen that. You don’t drink hardly anything. Unless you’re willing to let us… See the trouble is that when you lay down and drink, you’re used to drinking just a little bit. So if you’ll allow us to give you the same amount that you drink when you sit up, then there’s no problem.

Prabhupada: How you can?

Tamala Krsna: Well, just like when you sit up… It’s natural, when someone sits up, it’s easier to drink. Laying down, it’s more difficult. But still, you require the nourishment. You shouldn’t decrease your drinking because you can’t sit up. It just means you have to be willing to drink the same amount, but drink it while you’re laying down.

Bhavananda: Which will take some longer time.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, it’s a little more difficult, but it’s not that you can’t drink. It’s just that it takes longer. So if that’s all right with you, then we won’t even request you to sit up when it’s time to give you something to drink. Would that be all right? Okay.

Bhakti-caru: Can I give you some barley milk, Srila Prabhupada, now?

Prabhupada: Now acceptable.

Tamala Krsna: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. How many cc’s is that, Bhakti- caru?

Bhakti-caru: It’s about forty.

Tamala Krsna: Forty. So give Prabhupada two more of those. Actually, usually you drink about 200 cc’s of barley milk, and you’ve just drank about 50.

Bhakti-caru: Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: No, more.

Bhavananda: You can wait a few minutes, Srila Prabhupada, and then, when you’re feeling able to, you can take a little more. There’s no rushing.

Tamala Krsna: He’s not going to… Srila Prabhupada, what is the trouble to take more now? It’s a botheration? But that’s… At least you should take the same amount you were taking when you were sitting up.

Prabhupada: I cannot.

Tamala Krsna: It’s difficult. This means you will stop practically getting any nourishment at all now. So then we should call the Calcutta kaviraja. Prabhupada’s not being able to maintain his program. So we’ll call the kaviraja from Calcutta, Srila Prabhupada, because now you are not able to keep to the program which he fixed up. And this other kaviraja, he can’t do anything this difficult. Usually by this time you’ve drank about 400 cc’s of liquid or more. Today you haven’t even drank 100 cc’s yet. So in this way you will go back to about two or three weeks ago, when you were planning to depart. So that’s a little premature, because we agreed that we will first go through with this program which the kaviraja has given. So now it seems like it’s too difficult to do that, so we should call him so that he can…

Prabhupada: What is the use of calling him?

Tamala Krsna: The use of calling is that he… According to him… This is what I understood. The main problem you’re feeling is that you have no strength. This is the sum and substance. There’s no strength.

Prabhupada: So how he can give strength?

Tamala Krsna: How can he give strength? Just like makara-dhvaja is for giving strength.

Prabhupada: Makara-dhvaja was not giving strength.

Tamala Krsna: No, that was not makara-dhvaja. That kaviraja said that was not makara-dhvaja.

Bhavananda: And he also said that in your condition now you can’t take makara-dhvaja.

Prabhupada: I cannot take anything. I feel comfort only lying down.

Bhakti-caru: You can take something lying down, Srila Prabhupada. Just a little…

Prabhupada: That I have taken.

Bhakti-caru: Yes. Then should we give you some more after half an hour? Then you have to take it more frequently then.

Bhavananda: (whispering) But he won’t do that.

Prabhupada: That is not possible. This is comfortable.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, but this is not the road to recovery.

Prabhupada: But what can I do?

Tamala Krsna: No, we have to do something. We have to…

Prabhupada: Then that means… That means force me and give me trouble.

Tamala Krsna: No, that we won’t do. But I’m suggesting that if we call the kaviraja in Calcutta, he can suggest some medicine which will give you strength. I mean he has not given you any medicines which he claims will give you strength yet. At least we should give him an opportunity.

Svarupa Damodara: I think it’s a good idea to call kaviraja from Calcutta.

Prabhupada: Hm?

Bhavananda: We’re all in agreement that the kaviraja should be called from Calcutta.

Prabhupada: What he’ll do?

Bhavananda: Well, that’s up to him, to decide what to do. We don’t know what he will do, but he has medicines which can give you strength. He wanted to wait some time before administering. But now what would be the loss if he administered them to you now? If they’re going to work five days from now, they’ll work now. Let us try. There’s no loss. And if you get strength, then all gain. The kaviraja said that the one great quality that you have in this sickness is your incredible willpower. If you lose your willpower, desire to remain here, then nothing will work. But he said that if you continue with this strong desire to remain, then it will be easy.

Prabhupada: That strong desire has now disappeared.

Tamala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada? One thing is that this kaviraja’s medicine has never had any adverse effects. Everybody else’s medicine has had some adverse effects except for his. And in fact, the thing which he said his medicine would do has been done. He said that his medicine would cause you to pass more urine, and that actually has happened. He did not say that the medicine he gave you would make you stronger at this time. So nothing has gone wrong by taking his medicine, and in fact, what he said would happen has happened. He said that after giving that, he would begin to give medicine for giving strength. So what is the harm if we call him and let him give the medicine which he says will give you strength? If it gives you strength, then welcome. And if it doesn’t give you strength, then we’re not any worse off than we are now. You are feeling hopeless; therefore it doesn’t matter to you. But as we are hopeful still, therefore it matters very much to us. He is our last hope. We have to admit, if his medicine does not work, then we simply have to depend solely on Krsna.

Jayadvaita: Also this kaviraja, he wants to render you some service. It’s his desire that he be allowed to render some service to Your Divine Grace. He wants that opportunity.

Tamala Krsna: And he requested us that if such a time as this which now is happening were to come, we should immediately call him, that he would drop everything and come. So why should we not give him that chance to come, if we are still hopeful?

Prabhupada: You can. But I am…

Tamala Krsna: We know that you are hopeless, Srila Prabhupada, but as your disciples, it is our duty to remain hopeful, at least to the point where we should try this last kaviraja. We also accept that if this kaviraja is not successful, then finish with all kavirajas and medicines. (pause) Would you like to have some kirtana, Srila Prabhupada? [break] The kaviraja is here now. Kaviraja is here.

Prabhupada: How? The young kaviraja, oh.

Tamala Krsna: Bhakti-caru and Satadhanya have gone to Mathura, Srila Prabhupada, to call the Shastriji from Calcutta. (Svarupa Damodara and kaviraja assistant—Hindi)

Tamala Krsna: What did he say, Svarupa Damodara?

Svarupa Damodara: He said that it’s a little increased, the heartbeat. There’s a little increase in the pulse.

Tamala Krsna: The pulse has increased? That’s good. It is stronger or weaker?

Upendra: Did we give him medicine today so far?

Bhavananda: Yes.

Svarupa Damodara: Which medicine?

Upendra: I don’t know. Bhakti-caru never writes which one it is.

Bhavananda: That one that you boil up.

Upendra: Oh. What’s it say? It’s the one you boil, cook for some time. Maybe he knows… It’s the one you cook for some time.

Bhavananda: Where is the prescription? [break]

Tamala Krsna: …cannot drink very much liquid. And if he doesn’t drink proper amount of liquid, then what will happen?

Svarupa Damodara: (Hindi)

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Svarupa Damodara: He’s saying that among those medicine, first one or second one has some ingredients that give some little strength. He’s asking whether Prabhupada was asleep last night. Actually Prabhupada rested very well from nine to two o’clock last night.

Tamala Krsna: He did?

Svarupa Damodara: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: The problem is weakness.

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Svarupa Damodara: (Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi)

Svarupa Damodara: Prabhupada said, “No appetite.”

Kaviraja assistant: (Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi)

Svarupa Damodara: He’s asking whether Prabhupada passes air. “Little, little,” Prabhupada says. (end)