February 10, 1975, Los Angeles
(in car)
Jayatirtha: ...in maya. He doesn’t feel that he’ll be able to surrender to whatever instruction you give so he doesn’t want to appear before you.
Prabhupada: (indistinct) He doesn’t want to become a cheater.
Jayatirtha: Exactly.
Prabhupada: (chuckles) That’s all. Formerly...
Jayatirtha: Just like that Sudama and Subala...
Prabhupada: Yes. Not like that.
Jayatirtha: They came for instruction, but then, when you gave them instruction, they said, “No.” So what was the use of their coming? That’s his feeling.
Prabhupada: Yes. No, in that way he’s very sincere, I know. So what is there? I love him. Let him come. After all, he is my son. There is no harm. Let him come. [break]
Hridayananda: Right here. See on the left there?
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. [break] (inside)
Ramesvara: ...admire your books, Srila Prabhupada. Sometimes they sit here and they pull books to examine the quality of the printing, and they always read the Back to Godhead magazine while they wait.
Prabhupada: Harer nama harer nama... [Adi 17.21]. Ah. Latest publication?
Hamsaduta: Yes.
Ramesvara: The Back to Godhead printer frames these for us. He brings them over after every issue.
Prabhupada: Oh. They are giving good service.
Ramesvara: They are very fond of us. They spend more time on our magazine than anyone else.
Prabhupada: What is the picture?
Ramesvara: This is Sita, the wife of Advaita Acarya receiving...
Prabhupada: Oh, Lord Caitanya.
Ramesvara: It is in Adi-lila, Volume Three.
Prabhupada: Who has painted?
Ramesvara: Jadurani.
Prabhupada: Jadurani has got good talent. Hare Krishna. (chuckles)
Ramesvara: This is the office where I work.
Prabhupada: This is developed photo.
Ramesvara: It is a drawing by a boy in New York named Peter Hawkins.
Prabhupada: Drawing?
Ramesvara: A drawing.
Prabhupada: Oh. Harer nama harer nama... [Adi 17.21].
Ramesvara: We have two warehouses... [break] ...to the wall and up to the ceiling.
Prabhupada: So they are going or simply stock?
Ramesvara: No. It is greatly reduced since they have arrived.
Prabhupada: So Hamsaduta, he has to make a go-down like this.
Hamsaduta: Yeah.
Prabhupada: Then he’ll defeat these charges. Eh? When the nation, German nation, will accept these books, then that will be proper reply, charges.
Ramesvara: This forklift lifts these pallets high up to the ceiling.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Hridayananda: Does Prabhupada want to see how it work? Sruta-srava, you can show him how it works? Quickly.
Ramesvara: These racks we purchased for storing the books that will be sent to the libraries and colleges. When Satsvarupa Swami gets the orders, they are reserved over here, five hundred copies of each book, and then, when we run out, another five hundred copies goes in the rack. So that way, we always keep books. Even if we sell out, we always have books reserved for the libraries. Sruta-srava manages our warehouse. (engine started)
Hridayananda: Make it go up.
Prabhupada: I first saw this machine in the Commonwealth Pier, Boston. (machine moving around, crashing sound)
Jayatirtha: What are you doing, Sruta-srava?
Ramesvara: Sometimes because of that roof you can’t see what you’re doing.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Ramesvara: So usually he’s very careful.
Prabhupada: Sometime they are breaking also. (laughter)
Ramesvara: So far, no accidents.
Kirtiraja: Just today.
Ramesvara: He’s a little nervous. (laughter)
Prabhupada: What is the rent?
Ramesvara: 1,800 dollars each month for all the offices in the warehouse. It’s considered a good price in this area. We have a speaker system, so during the day, while they work in the warehouse, they’re always hearing your lectures.
Prabhupada: Accha? (chuckles)
Ramesvara: This is the other warehouse.
Hridayananda: Back to Godhead.
Prabhupada: There is arrangement for fire?
Ramesvara: Yes. We have fire insurance and fire alarm. We have fire alarm?
Kirtiraja: Yeah.
Ramesvara: We have fire alarm? These are Krishna Trilogies.
Prabhupada: All these? All these, stock?
Ramesvara: We always require large inventory because the temples order so fast. Bhagavad-gitas in this corner, and on this back wall here, all the Srimad-Bhagavatams and Caitanya-caritamrita volumes... These books have just arrived from the printer.
Prabhupada: Where is that Prajapati? He’s not here? That play yesterday... Last evening I saw. It was very nice.
Gurudasa: Yes. They also did Pralambasura for the guests.
Prabhupada: No... Now we have got Caitanya-caritamrita and Bhagavatam. If such demonstration are done very nicely, it will be very much appreciated even by the public. We can collect some money.
Jayatirtha: Yes. We plan to make a tour this summer all the way up the West Coast, and in the amphitheaters...
Prabhupada: And in India also. Simply you have to change the language, dictate.
Jayatirtha: Of the narration.
Gurudasa: Yes. They’re planning to do that.
Prabhupada: In our festival let them come and show. What is this? That man? What is his name who showed Gauranga lila?
Gurudasa: Yes, Harigovind.
Prabhupada: It will be hundred times better than that.
Gurudasa: Thousand times. Ten thousand, yes.
Prabhupada: So show this nonsense that “We can do better than you.”
Gurudasa: It’s much more beautiful.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jayatirtha: They’re coming to Mayapur.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Gurudasa: Yesterday at the love feast they did Pralambasura, and the guests loved it. Wonderful.
Jayatirtha: They applauded.
Prabhupada: They must love it. It is very nice, very nice. Organize this very nicely. We have got so many boys and girls. They can play simply. And they haven’t got to speak. This system is very nice. Let them play. What is this called, system?
Hridayananda: Narration.
Prabhupada: No, there is...
Jayatirtha: Like pantomime.
Gurudasa: Mime.
Prabhupada: Even they play with tape. Tape... Tapes... The tape is going on, and then are playing.
Gurudasa: Yes, they also do that sometimes. They have tapes.
Prabhupada: Yes. So organize this, and all over the world this will be appreciated. And now we have got so many books. From the book you get subject matter and make a playwright in all languages. It will be very nice.
Gurudasa: They have a repertoire of eight main ones that they can do, and now they’re starting to do others also, from Caitanya-caritamrita, etc.
Prabhupada: Yes. I think he is good director, Prajapati.
Jayatirtha: Yes. His wife is very expert also.
Prabhupada: Oh. And also you can call... What is he? Jagad-dhita...? That Australian girl?
Gurudasa: Oh, yes, Jagatarini.
Prabhupada: Jagatarini.
Jayatirtha: She can come here?
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. She is expert dancer. She was very popular actress before joining. Very, very popular actress. You know?
Visakha: I’ve heard the name, yes.
Prabhupada: Yes. There was a newspaper, big, big..., that “This girl has given up everything, now has joined Krishna.”
Gurudasa: Yesterday one professional skydiver, one who parachutes from a plane for money, I talked to her. She’s joining the dance company. Yesterday. Thirty-four years old, professional parachuter woman, she is joining the dance company. (laughter)
Prabhupada: Our dance company?
Gurudasa: Yes, our dance company. She saw the dance, and I preached to her. She’s joining.
Visakha: We plan to make a motion picture of the Bhagavad-gita dance that they do. My husband and I...
Prabhupada: Do it. Apply your American brain how to serve Krishna. That is success.
idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va
svishtasya suktasya ca buddhi-dattayoh
avicyuto ’rthah kavibhir nirupito
yad-uttamasloka-gunanuvarnanam
[SB 1.5.22]
Whatever talent one has got... These talents are also acquired after austerity. It is not ordinary thing. So everything should be employed to describe Uttamasloka, Krishna. Krishna is Uttamasloka. So we have got so many Krishna’s pastimes, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastime. We can overflood. Just like you can overflood with this literature, we can overflood... This is art. Art, music, everything we can utilize. In any way one is addicted—let him eat only, let him sing only, let him paint only, let him dance only—we have got everything. That is Krishna consciousness. Let him do business also. Yes. Engineering—construct temple. It is so all-perfect movement, Krishna... That is Krishna, all-attractive. Everyone can be attracted and give up everything. He will be attracted by Krishna in such a way that he’ll give up all nonsense. That is Krishna consciousness. No more other enga... Anyabhilashita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11].
anyabhilashita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavritam
anukulyena krishnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.11
All other attraction finished. Simply Krishna. What are these?
Hridayananda: Back to Godhead.
Prabhupada: Oh, magazine.
Ramesvara: These boxes have come from the printer all ready to go to different countries, and they stamp the address on it. These are those newspapers you saw yesterday called “Spiritual Revolution.”
Prabhupada: I think this Revolution is not very important. Make revolution with magazine, this Back to Godhead. What are these?
Ramesvara: The Caitanya-caritamrita, Lord Caitanya in Five Features, that chapter that we printed.
Jayatirtha: These are the ones that you wanted us to bring for distribution to the Mayavadis.
Prabhupada: Yes, Mayavadis.
Ramesvara: Just before Christmas this wall was filled up, and now it is practically empty. We have sold so many books just in a few months. All up to the ceiling it was filled up. Now we have to reprint.
Prabhupada: Now it is only in English language. In every language such big go-down should... Yes. (chuckles) You have taken Spanish, and he is German. Then... Then overflood. No more other literature. (laughter) Ara nahe baba. They’ll say, “No, no, we don’t want any other literature.” Yes, George says, “No more singing anything except Krishna.” Does he not say? He says like that.
Gurudasa: Yes. Sometimes. (laughter)
Ramesvara: Sometimes.
Prabhupada: I don’t think... Is he singing any other song, no?
Gurudasa: Now he is not. He’s going to Vrindavana next week.
Prabhupada: Oh. Vrindavana. Where he’ll stay?
Gurudasa: I wrote him a letter to stay with us, but he may stay in Mathura. I’m not sure. I wrote him a letter to stay at our place.
Prabhupada: Hare Krishna.
Ramesvara: We have enough space here to store all the Spanish books, because they are printed in Los Angeles, or in America.
Prabhupada: That’s all right.
Ramesvara: Maybe we should walk around again.
Prabhupada: I think no religious publisher have seen such big go-down in their life, throughout the whole world. As soon as they will hear about religious book they immediately avoid it, especially the Communist country. And bring some Communist country man to show him that “You are trying to avoid God. Now see how we are preaching God.”
Jayatirtha: In one country, Communist country, Albania, they made it against the law to pray in public or in private. Anyone who is found praying in public or in private may be arrested.
Prabhupada: Accha?
Jayatirtha: Albania. It is the first country...
Prabhupada: Armenian country?
Jayatirtha: Albania.
Prabhupada: Albania, oh.
Ramesvara: East Europe.
Prabhupada: Just see how demons they are becoming. What is this room?
Hridayananda: This leads into the other rooms.
Ramesvara: These are offices. The first office is where Kirtiraja works. He is managing all the distribution for the libraries and colleges. Satsvarupa’s party sends in the orders, and they process them from here. They handle all the business from this part of the warehouse.
Prabhupada: What is this?
Hridayananda: That’s Mayapur, Lord Caitanya’s birthplace.
Gurudasa: Yogapitha.
Prabhupada: Oh. Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s family. “Book Digest.” They publish our books?
Kirtiraja: We are trying to arrange that now. All of these different... There are so many magazines we are trying to get our books listed in them. Srila
Prabhupada, here’s a magazine which one Christian press nearby has printed, very fancy magazine, and they were distributing it for free. They just recently printed a letter and then sent this. They have gone from this to this because they cannot afford to do it any more. No one is giving them donations any more, so they’ve gone from big fancy magazine to a small, plain paper. This people would like to see, but now this just looks like garbage. They won’t even read it.
Prabhupada: So it has degraded.
Kirtiraja: Yes. We have gone from this to fancy.
Prabhupada: Hare Krishna. This is our catalog.
Kirtiraja: Yes, we are printing a new one now.
Prabhupada: What are these?
Kirtiraja: Unfortunately those are returns. When people don’t want the books, then they return them.
Ramesvara: Very few returns.
Kirtiraja: Very few, though.
Prabhupada: Never mind. That is not as strong.
Kirtiraja: Now we have about almost 125 standing orders for Srimad-B
Bhagavatam and about almost one hundred for Caitanya-caritamrita.
Prabhupada: That’s nice.
Ramesvara: We have just recently given Satsvarupa a new car. So now he has four vans and a station wagon car.
Prabhupada: Four vans?
Ramesvara: Four vans and one station wagon car, so he’s able to cover so many universities very quickly.
Prabhupada: Very nice.
Ramesvara: This is Hridayananda Swami’s office.
Prabhupada: Oh, Spanish office.
Hridayananda: These are the color pictures for our Bhagavatam we are printing this week.
Prabhupada: Oh. Mas Alla? (pronounces “masalla”)
Gurudasa: It’s not spice.
Hridayananda: That means “beyond.” “Beyond Birth and Death.” And that’s the cover for our Bhagavatam.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Gurudasa: It is also spicy.
Ramesvara: It’s very convenient for him to print here because he has all the credit from BBT, so the printers immediately want to do business with him.
Prabhupada: That’s it. Yes, businessman never invests his own money. He does business with others’ money. That is business. Just like I am doing. (laughter) I brought only forty rupees. That was also not spent. (laughter)
Ramesvara: This is our Golden Avatar studio where they record... They change your lectures into master tapes which can then be duplicated at high speed, and this is a complete library of all of your lectures.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Ramesvara: We keep it very carefully. It’s very important. They are cataloging it according to title of book, so if someone wants to see what your Divine Grace has lectured on Bhagavad-gita, they have one section on Bhagavad-gita, and on Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto...