Chapter Twelve

April 11th, 1976

We landed in Bombay at 10:30 a.m. to a big airport reception from the devotees. The ISKCON Bombay devotees honored Śrīla Prabhupāda with a lavish foot-bathing ceremony and guru-pūjā on his arrival at Hare Kṛṣṇa Land. They do this every time he visits. 

The landscape is changing rapidly, with construction work steadily progressing. Śrīla Prabhupāda was pleased to see that contractor, E.E.C., has already begun work. They’ve started the actual temple structure and will soon begin work pre-casting the domes.  

This evening Prabhupāda gave a long darśana that lasted until 8:30 p.m. 

April 12th, 1976

Prabhupāda made a careful inspection of the entire building site before taking his walk on the beach. All the ground-floor construction for the temple, the auditorium, and the twin-towered guest house is finished.  

As usual, Dr. Patel joined us. Their discussion was lively. Śrīla Prabhupāda told him about our recent application for 350 acres of land in Māyāpur. He also informed him of his plan to build a Vedic Planetarium to exhibit the different planetary systems.  

Dr. Patel said he had recently read a news article wherein Russian scientists were prepared to accept that there are other planets in the cosmos that have human life. He thought that the Russian interest in Vedic culture would eventually bring about an end to the purely materialistic philosophy of Marx, replacing it with the idea of spiritual communism. He declared that in another twenty years, Communism would be as watered down in Russia as it presently is in India.  

When Gurudāsa Mahārāja said absenteeism from work is the biggest problem in Russia, Prabhupāda joined in with a short story to illustrate the problem of centralization. “There is a story in Bengal. A woman had seven sons. The mother requested her first son, ‘My dear boy, now I am going to die. Take me to the Ganges side.’  

“He said, ‘Why? You have got so many other sons, why you are requesting me?’  

“And then second son, third... Everyone said like that, and she died without Gaṅgā. So this [Communism is like that]...Everyone has to work. And he thinks that ‘Why I shall work? Let him work. No work today.’” 

Dr. Patel conjectured that it is therefore important for individuals to have a sense of possession. Even with all of our philosophical understanding that we are not the body, we still have the sense that we possess a body. This concept is difficult even for aspiring devotees to give up, what to speak of the Russians. 

Prabhupāda, however, pointed out that spiritually there is a higher sense of possession. Everything is possessed by God; that is perfection. 

* * * 

Class was on the verse brahmacārī gurukule vasan danto guror hitam, from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.12.1.  

In the simple setting of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Rasabihārī’s temporary, open-sided, tin-roofed temple, now looking more inadequate than ever as the very large complex rises by its side, Prabhupāda delivered a strong lecture. He emphasized the need for tapasya, or austerity, in human life.  

He said that Vedic culture means to control the senses, especially the sex urge, because sex is the highest material pleasure. One should therefore learn the life of brahmacārya, celibacy, from the guru. However, if one becomes a devotee, his taste for material life automatically diminishes. Therefore there is no need to practice brahmacārya as a discipline separate from devotional service.  

Yet even advanced devotees are sometimes victimized by sex desire. Thus he warned us that although mixing between men and women is inevitable, we must be very cautious. “Therefore you should be very, very careful. Very, very careful. Just like in our Society, compulsorily we have to mix with women, not only women, very beautiful young girls. But if one is not agitated even in this association of beautiful women and girls, then he is to be considered paramahaàsa, he is very advanced. Paramahaàsa means he’s above all these material qualities. So we cannot avoid in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.  

“That was the problem from the very beginning. In India there is restriction between men and women, free intermingling, but in your country there is no such restriction. Therefore I got my disciples married. They criticize me that I have become a marriage-maker. Anyway, I wanted at least to regulate. That is required.”  

Prabhupāda explained that if a man gets married and sticks to one wife, and if he takes permission from his spiritual master before having sex, observing the garbhādhānasaàskāra, or purificatory rites, then he is also considered a brahmacārī.  

He said the ability to observe the brahmacārī standards depends on the relationship between the guru and disciple. “This can be possible when one is very thickly related with the guru. Otherwise ordinary relationship will not do. One who is convinced that ‘If I can please my guru, then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased...’ This is called sudṛdha, full faith. ‘And if I displease my guru, then I have no place.’  

“Of course, guru cannot be a false guru. False guru has no such thing. If guru is genuine and the disciple is genuine, then both of them are benefited, and they go back to home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much.” 

* * * 

Gurudāsa Mahārāja told Prabhupāda that Mr Kanailal Taparia, a Bombay Life Member, has offered the use of some land and buildings near Fogal Āśrama in Vṛndāvana. It’s about a seven-minute walk from our temple, just off the parikrama path. The property has a few buildings on it but is mostly undeveloped. Prabhupāda is eager to get it because we need a place for our householders to live. The women and children currently occupy rooms in the guest house, and Prabhupāda is not happy at the disturbance they cause for our guests. 

* * * 

As in Vṛndāvana, Prabhupāda also wants a gurukula here in Bombay. There may be a side benefit from this as well: there is a law that we can rightfully evict any existing tenants if we claim use of the buildings for a school.  

April 13th, 1976

On the walk along the sands of Juhu beach, Dr. Patel suggested to Śrīla Prabhupāda that he have a Sanskrit school in the new temple complex. Prabhupāda said that he has no objection, but it is not essential since he has already translated so many Sanskrit texts into English, which any educated person can read.  

Dr. Patel still seemed to think that there was an advantage to reading the original language, but Prabhupāda said that even so-called Sanskrit paṇḍitas cannot read it properly. Apart from that, it isn’t just a question of understanding the language, it requires hearing attentively. The message of the Vedas is learned by hearing, not by studying. The message is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.  

He quoted a song by Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura that states that if one does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness he is knowingly committing suicide. Being absorbed in material affairs is exactly the same as drinking poison.  

Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, but generally people do some meditation for fifteen minutes and think of something else for twenty-four hours. Prabhupāda described a personal experience he’d had with Mohandas K. Gandhi. “I have seen Gandhi’s prayer meeting; I attended. Utmost, five minutes reading Bhagavad-gītā, then again politics, immediately. Immediately politics. I was in Delhi. I attended the meeting when Noakhali prayers ....This was his prayer. I have seen. And as a result of this, in that prayer meeting he was killed. He could not chant the holy name.” 

Regarding Dr. Patel’s suggestion for learning Sanskrit, Prabhupāda concluded that if a student is serious he can learn simply from reading his books, because in them he has given the word meanings. After studying a few sentences one can understand the verb, the subject, object, and so forth. Prabhupāda told Dr. Patel that if he would have had more time he would have made a Sanskrit grammar based on Bhagavad-gītā, but now he is too busy. He suggested Dr. Patel do it, since he knows both Sanskrit and English. “You can do that. People will read it, Bhagavad-gītā grammar. On the Bhagavad-gītā teach them grammar. Just like Jīva Gosvāmī compiled Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyakāraṇa, similarly, you write. You have the knowledge of Sanskrit, and through English, [teach it using] Bhagavad-gītā grammar. People will take it.” 

* * * 

In today’s class from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.12.2, we continued on with hearing a description of the activities to be performed by the brahmacārī student.  

Prabhupāda stressed that development of character is the first stage of training, because without good character everything else is useless. He told the story called punarmūṣikabhava—Again You Become a Mouse.  

A mouse was being chased by cats, so by the grace of a great sage, he was transformed into a cat. Then he had trouble with dogs, and again the sage transformed him, this time into a dog. In this way, eventually he was changed into a powerful tiger. But then he looked hungrily at the same sage who had elevated him. Instantly, the sage turned him back into a mouse.  

The idea is that by the grace of a higher power one may be elevated to a higher position in life, but if one abuses the privilege, then again the opportunity may be withdrawn. Scorning the material scientists, Prabhupāda told us not to misuse our human form of life. “So our civilization is like that, that in the gradual process of evolution we have come to the platform of human being. This human being is meant for understanding God, but they are forgetting God. Therefore the next stage is punarmūṣikabhava, again become monkey. That is waiting us. The nature’s law is like that, that from monkey we have become human being, and in the human being we are dancing like monkey. So nature will say, ‘All right, again you become monkey.’” 

He told us that a devotee also has the potential to return to his origins. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā that if one prepares himself correctly, one can go to the heavenly planets, to the abode of the demigods, or even beyond, to the spiritual realm.  

“This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply a very scientific movement that will help the human society not to be degraded again; to be elevated....Kṛṣṇa says ‘If you prepare yourself to come to Me, back to home, back to God, you can do that.’ So what should be our aim of life? We shall go to the higher planetary system or back to home, back to Godhead? ‘Back’ we say, because we have come from God.  

“Just like a man is put in the prison house. He has come from his free home. By his work he is criminal; therefore he is put into the prison house. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of God. Our real home is Vaikuṇṭha. But we have come here. How we have come, that is a very mysterious thing, but we are part and parcel. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama phale, pori bhavārṇava jale. Somehow or other we have fallen; therefore the real aim of life, how to get out of this bhavārṇava, nescience, that is the aim of life.” 

The verse mentioned the importance of worshiping the guru, and Prabhupāda stressed this as the most important aspect of human life. He also explained who is a real guru. “If you have got real guru, and if you follow him, then your life is successful. There is no doubt. But if you have a so-called, bogus guru without any knowledge of the śāstra, then your life will be spoiled. Especially the Māyāvādī guru, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned. Māyāvādī guru means one who thinks that everyone is God—if you approach such guru, then your life is spoiled: māyāvādī bhāṣya śunile haya sarva nāśa. Finished. Your spiritual progress finished.” 

He concluded that training should begin at a young age and be centered on character development. Afterward, further academic studies can be introduced. He quoted a Bengali phrase, “When the bamboo is green, you can bend it, but when it is yellow, dried, it will crack.” 

* * * 

Pradyumna dāsa, tall, bespectacled, thin, and somewhat eccentric, arrived from South India today. He has a reputation among the devotees as a Sanskrit scholar. Some of them, even Prabhupāda sometimes, call him Paṇḍitjī.  

His wife, Arundhatī dāsī, had spoken with Prabhupāda in Māyāpur, and he had requested that Pradyumna come to see him. Prabhupāda wants him to join his party as his Sanskrit editor. Rather than translating all the Sanskrit himself, he wants Pradyumna to do it. This strategy will save a lot of time and effort and speed up the publication of the Bhāgavatam, because it will free Prabhupāda to concentrate on writing his purports.  

After some discussion it was decided that Pradyumna prabhu will join us in Hawaii in May. 

* * * 

Punjabi Premananda, a local student, sent a letter to Prabhupāda after attending the walk this morning. He asked a number of questions, seeking clarification from Śrīla Prabhupāda on his comments that knowing Sanskrit and studying are not as important as simply hearing the śāstras. He is currently reading a Sanskrit work by Rāmānujācārya, the Vedānta-sāra, with Sanskrit commentary by two other ācāryas. He asked whether he should stop this and simply hear.  

He also mentioned that a number of politicians were going village to village on pādayātrā, traveling by foot, and in this way getting many donations of land. He suggested that Śrīla Prabhupāda might do the same.  

Typing sometimes in capitals for emphasis, he said, “IF YOU STARTED PADAYATRA or at least if YOU WENT TO VILLAGES IN CAR FOR THE TIME (FOR A FEW MONTHS) then naturally many people will give land which can be used for KRISHNA’S SERVICE. AND SO MANY PEOPLE WILL BE BENEFITTED BY HAVING YOUR DARSHAN (VISION). I am not at all commanding you, just an idea that struck my mind regarding the above said content of the PADAYATRA.” 

Finally, on the comment Prabhupāda had made that Gandhi was simply reading the Gītā for five minutes and then discussing politics, he added his agreement that it is very difficult to think of Kṛṣṇa and work in an office. He is studying for his B.A. in philosophy and psychology, and he wanted to know how he could keep his mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa consciousness.  

He added a telling comment, a confirmation of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s many remarks about the unfortunate condition of the youth of India. “I find so much opposition, when I just mention about Krishna, or try to tell them about Krishna consciousness to my College friends. They simply criticize and say, ‘Oh, you are a bore, you always bore us, why do you speak about other-worldly?’” 

Śrīla Prabhupāda answered all his points, first of all explaining that reading Bhagavad-gītā is all right, but if one does it independently there is a chance of being misled. Therefore one should hear from an authorized source, i.e., a self-realized person, a bona-fide guru. 

“Mental speculation will not help. Hearing is the main point. In the Bhagavad-gita it is written, dharmaksetre kuruksetre...when you hear from a realized soul, a person who knows things, he explains that Kuruksetra is a place where religious ritualistic ceremonies are performed from time immemorial....But if you read the books of some cunning politician, he’ll mislead you, and you’ll learn that Kuruksetra means this body, which is not actually the fact.” 

Concerning his suggestion for pādayātrā, Prabhupāda welcomed it. With the same enthusiasm he has recently injected into Hansadūta Mahārāja, Prabhupāda encouraged the boy to participate. “If Indian young men join me, I am immediately ready for this traveling touring from village to village, town to town. However, my foreign disciples have the language defect, they can’t speak the village language, otherwise I would have started this program long ago. If some young men like you would join me then along with some foreign disciples I can immediately take up this program. If you are very eager, please get hold of at least half a dozen young men like you then with another half dozen foreign disciples, I can immediately take up this program and tour village to village and town to town. It will be very, very effective, I know that.” 

On the boy’s last point Prabhupāda gave him the simple straightforward method for remembering Kṛṣṇa: simply chant. “Your associates are harassing you for your interest in spiritual culture; yes, that is due to India’s great misfortune. They’re impressed with so-called politicians and scholars of the modern age. The example is given in this connection that when a man is ghostly haunted, he speaks all nonsense. At the present moment they’re all ghostly haunted and in this delirious condition, the only cure is chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.” 

* * * 

Prabhupāda showed us how to prepare lunch with his three- tiered cooker today. Before his massage was finished, he got up and we went to the kitchen. He loaded the cooker, putting dāl in the bottom tier, rice in the middle, and vegetables on top. He set the cooker on a low flame and had Pradyumna make some capātī dough. Thirty-five minutes later he came back to the kitchen and chaunched the dāl, spiced the vegetables, made capātīs, and then ate. It was a simple, wholesome meal, expertly prepared with a minimum of fuss.  

We were fortunate to share his remnants, which to me tasted far better than usual, having been cooked with his own hands.  

* * * 

Prabhupāda has had me collect the bitter leaves of the neem tree and dry them in the sun on the roof. Today, after crushing the dried leaves, I filled a bag with the fine powder, to take with us on the coming tour for use in cooking, to stimulate and improve his appetite. 

A few other items which have also been left on the roof to be exposed to the sun’s powerful rays are some of the many books Prabhupāda uses for translation work. These books have been stored in his almirah, and when Pradyumna sorted through them he discovered that many had become infested with book worms. Thus Prabhupāda prescribed a prolonged dose of sunshine to remedy the problem.  

April 14th, 1976

Today is Hanumān Jayantī and Balarāma Rāsayātrā. The devotees celebrated with a big festival.  

* * * 

Prabhupāda talked a lot on his walk, especially focusing on the topic of the gurukula. He told Girirāja, the temple president, that a large gurukula should be constructed on our land here in Bombay. He said that twice a day the boys can come to the beach and sport and swim. In this way they will grow healthy, get a good education, and become men of good character. They will learn to control their senses, and this will save them from becoming “nonsense.”  

Prabhupāda said there are many wealthy persons in Bombay who would want to put their children in such a school, because they are not concerned whether their children become expert technologists or not. When you have wealth, you can hire others to do such work.  

He told of a man he knew in Allahabad who was a Ph.D., yet he could not get a job. The man was manufacturing soap bars at home and going by cycle every day to sell them in the market. Although he had a Ph.D., he was living like a coolie. 

Prabhupāda emphasized that therefore one should not make much endeavor for economic advancement, because whatever one is due, either success or failure, is already decided. Getting a Ph.D. will not change that. One should simply try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. He mentioned that Mr. Modi, the founder of Modinagar, where we recently had our program, was not an educated man, but he had fifty thousand people working for him.  

Girirāja told a similar story about Henry Ford. He had been criticized by a newspaper that he was an ignorant man. He brought a case against the paper, and in court the defense lawyer began asking him questions on science and history. At one point Henry Ford turned to the judge and said, “In my office I have a panel of buttons, and I can press any button and someone will come running to answer any of these questions. So am I ignorant?”    

In the course of the walk, Prabhupāda also told us a couple of amusing stories. “When I was a child my father gave me one red gun; I was not more than eight years. Then, after getting one, I said, ‘I must have another one.’ 

“Then father said, ‘Why another one? You have got already one.’ 

“So I said, ‘No, I have got two hands. I must have two guns.’ Then my father, ‘No, you are not...I am not going...’ Then I made so much agitation, he was obliged to give me two guns.”  

We all laughed at his description as he went on to tell us that he was the “very pet child of my father and very pet son-in-law also.” Then he added that he was the pet disciple of his guru also.  

The other story he told illustrated how intelligence is superior to strength. “There was a lion in the forest, and he was disturbing all the animals. So there was a peace conference: ‘Sir, you don’t disturb every one of us. We shall come automatically.’  

“So one day it was the turn of a rabbit. So he was a little late, so the lion said, ‘Why you are late? My time is over.’  

“‘Yes sir, another lion on the way, he wanted to eat me. So I said, ‘No, you cannot eat me. I will be eaten by such and such Mr. Lion.’  

“So he became very angry. ‘Who is that?’  

“‘Yes, come on. I will show you.’ So he got him near a well, and he said that ‘Here is the lion.’  

“So immediately, ‘Graww!’  

We laughed as Prabhupāda imitated the lion growling.  

“And there was sound, ‘Graww!’ Then he saw the reflection and immediately jumped over. Buddhir yasya balaà tasya nirbuddhes tu kuto balaà paśya siàha madonmataḥ śaśaḥ kena nipatata: A śaśa, rabbit, killed a big lion by intelligence.” 

This story is from the Hitopadesha. Śrīla Prabhupāda mentioned that Aesop’s Fables, popular in the West, were actually derived from the Hitopadesha. 

On the way back into the temple grounds, Prabhupāda noticed a new minibus. It is for Acyutānanda Swami to tour South India in. When he heard that they are planning to have Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa installed in the bus, he suggested Gaura-Nitāi would be better. But on being informed that the people in South India like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and are not so familiar with Gaura-Nitāi, he conceded. 

As we walked on past the building site, Saurabha said that work on the temple structure is going on smoothly and quickly. Only three stories remain to be built on the twin towers that will be the guest house. 

* * * 

This morning’s verse for class emphasized the necessity of studying the Vedas under the guidance of the guru. Prabhupāda explained that this does not mean everyone has to know Sanskrit. One simply has to hear and chant nicely; it isn’t required that one be an erudite scholar. So the program he advised for the gurukula is for the students to attend maṅgala-ārati and guru-pūjā, and then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class. “So one should read or hear: candāàsyadhīyitaguroḥ. It is guru’s duty. Transcendental knowledge, one should approach guru. So gurukula means ‘guru’s place.’ So he keeps the disciples to learn the Vedic literature. This is gurukula.  

“We are constructing such big, big houses. Why? We are inviting people to come here and live in this gurukula and learn Vedic literature. This is our purpose. Bombay is a very big city, people are rich, so we can give you nice room, nice prasādam. Come here, live here at least once in a week and learn Vedic literature, Vedic civilization. The essence of Vedic literature is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.  

“Our mission is to invite people to take advantage of learning Vedic literature. And what is the ultimate goal of studying Vedic literature? To understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our Movement is known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.” 

He also gave a practical example to show the nature of the exchange between guru and disciple. This is something that we on his personal party experience daily. “The son may be offender, but when he comes and offers his respect to the father, he [the father] forgets. 

“So that should be done regularly, suyantritaḥ, just like machine. As soon as one sees guru, immediately he must offer obeisances. Beginning, end also. When he comes to see guru he must offer obeisances, and when he leaves that place he must offer obeisances. And in the in-between, coming and going, he should learn from the guru Vedic understanding. This is the principle of living in gurukula. So our students, they are very obedient. And if our students see the guru hundred times, he practices this process, offering obeisances while meeting and while going. These things are to be practiced. Then he’ll be self-controlled.  

“Obedience is the first law of discipline. If there is no obedience there cannot be any discipline. And if there is no discipline you cannot manage anything. That is not possible. Therefore this is very essential, that the students should be very disciplined.” 

He told us how this idea of gurukula training had long been on his agenda, complaining again about the unfortunate mentality that has overtaken the people of India. “This is essential. To make the human life really civilized, the children should be sent to the gurukula. But there is no gurukula at the present moment. So we are starting. We have some gurukula in the United States, Texas. We are starting another gurukula in Vṛndāvana, and we can start another gurukula here in Bombay to train the students.  

“I wanted to start this gurukula long, long, ago before going to the USA, in 1960. Say ’62, ’61. But I approached so many gentlemen friends; they never agreed to give their sons to gurukula. They never agreed. Everyone said, ‘Swamijī, what benefit there will be by training our students in the gurukula way? They have to earn their bread.’ So that is India’s position now. They do not care for their original culture. They are after money.” 

Prabhupāda emphasized that without proper training one is living a very risky life. There is danger of gliding down to become a cat or dog in one’s next life. Therefore, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to remove that risk. 

* * * 

Jayapatāka Swami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, and Abhirām prabhus have come to Bombay to obtain Saurabha’s plans for the development of the Māyāpur and Calcutta projects.  

Our chances of actually getting the lake across the street from the temple in Calcutta are apparently growing. Now we must show our plans for development.  

* * * 

In his room in the afternoon Prabhupāda discussed the visa problems faced by our foreign devotees. Viśāla and his wife, Viśālinī, who were formerly living in Vṛndāvana, have just returned to India after having been forced by the government to go back to the West to renew their visas.  

Śrīla Prabhupāda suggested that ISKCON devotees should now lobby in Parliament for recognition of our true Vaiṣṇava status. We should state that we are coming here on pilgrimage. Why should we need visas, or even passports, he asked? Other religious pilgrims do not require to have visas in visiting Mecca or Jerusalem, etc. Why should we be put into difficulty? If this tactic fails, he suggested that we approach the United Nations as well.  

* * * 

Since there were only a few visitors today, before taking his massage, Śrīla Prabhupāda replied a small amount of mail as he sat in his sitting room. He sent Akṣayānanda Mahārāja a letter informing him of Mr. Taparia’s offer to let us use his house in Vṛndāvana. There are a dozen rooms there altogether, and he instructed that the householders could all move there and occupy the ten smaller ones. He suggested that the two large rooms may be used as a temporary gurukula. Śrīla Prabhupda is so keen to end the regular commotion in the guest house caused by having families living there as permanent residents that he told Akṣayānanda Mahārāja they can move onto the property even though the land is not ours. He said that later on we can negotiate to purchase it, or Mr. Taparia may even be willing to donate it. 

Śruta Kīrti, who Prabhupāda wrote while we were in Māyāpur, is now in Boston with Ambarīṣa prabhu. Śruta Kīrti telephoned Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Swami the other day and reported that there is a good opportunity to begin a restaurant there. Ambarīṣa is prepared to invest a substantial amount, but there is a lack of manpower.  

Therefore Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote to Hāsyapriya dāsa, the Los Angeles temple president, to suggest that perhaps eight devotees could go from there to work on the project. He said that it would also be a good opportunity for Hāsyapriya to learn how to run a restaurant, because Ambarīṣa and Śruta Kīrti have already successfully opened one in Hawaii. 

Śrīla Prabhupāda also read an advertising pamphlet distributed by one of his Vṛndāvana-based Godbrothers, Bon Mahārāja. It mentioned his life history and his preaching expeditions to the West: “following the tradition of Vivekananda, Ram Tirtha and Ramakrishna sannyāsīs.” Prabhupāda shook his head disapprovingly, saying, “I had a little respect for him before, but now I can understand him. This means he is a Māyāvādī. He is giving advertisement to Vivekananda.” 

The tract also described how Bon had spent four years undergoing penance in an underground cell. When he came out he was inspired to start his college. It seemed it was meant to sound as if he had undergone great austerity and emerged at the end of it with a divinely inspired revelation. 

Śrīla Prabhupāda explained that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta had actually never liked this man. After His Divine Grace’s departure one astrologer told Bon that he was an offender to his spiritual master. He was conscious of this, so the atonement was given that he should offer leaves of the Bael tree to Lord Śiva. Thus he went into his cell.  

Prabhupāda told us that this was a mundane attempt to rectify himself. He had planned to create a Vaiṣṇava University and worked very hard on the project, but it was never successful.  

* * * 

In the evenings Śrīla Prabhupāda is enjoying the warm atmosphere by sitting out on the roof. We take up an āsana for him and pillows and mats for any guests that come. Generally there are only a few guests, so Prabhupāda has a chance to relax, although he is always keen to preach.  

During tonight’s session, Prabhupāda told a visitor that the potency of chanting done in the temple is increased a thousand times compared to that done elsewhere. Therefore so many people go to places like Vṛndāvana to chant.  

April 15th, 1976

One of the memorable features of being in Bombay is waking up in the morning to the all-pervasive stench of an open sewer channel that runs right past our back boundary. It is enough to make you gag, and it seems all the worse to me because our quarters are at the back of the land. The smell only disappears once the sun comes up, so it is something of a relief to go down to the beach every day and breath some fresh air. It is an unfortunate blemish in an otherwise idyllic setting.  

* * * 

This morning’s beach walk gave rise to a long, interesting conversation between Prabhupāda and the barefoot Dr. Patel. Śrīla Prabhupāda explained everything to him—from the uselessness of vegetarianism, to the perfection of Communism. 

As far as being vegetarian goes, Prabhupāda told us about a Jain monk who came to meet him in Berkeley, America. When Prabhupāda had asked him what the results of his preaching were, the man replied that he had converted one million people to vegetarianism. But Prabhupāda didn’t give him much credit for that. Although the Jains advocate nonviolence, Prabhupāda pointed out that being vegetarian is violence, since one has to kill the vegetables. Nor does being vegetarian or nonviolent mean one is on the spiritual platform. Garuḍa is the personal carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, yet he eats snakes; and Kṛṣṇa ordered Arjuna to kill his enemies. He said that the real point is to follow the order of Kṛṣṇa.  

Dr. Patel interpreted the meaning of this as “feeling that one is doing every thing for Kṛṣṇa.”  

Prabhupāda responded that the orders are factual, not feelings. He also showed the vital role the spiritual master plays. “Not feel, but actually it’s an order. Arjuna did not feel; he took order to kill. Not that you manufacture your idea. No. You take order directly and then do it—otherwise you’ll be responsible. Therefore the guru is required to act as representative of Kṛṣṇa. If he says, ‘Yes, it is all right,’ then it is all right. Otherwise not. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. Otherwise why guru is required? We must take every moment order from him.”  

Prabhupāda told the doctor that simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious one develops all good qualities, so there is no need for a separate endeavor to be vegetarian. 

The discussion moved on to the topic of scientists, and Śrīla Prabhupāda highly praised his disciple Svarūpa Dāmodara, for writing the book The Scientific Basis of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. “Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara, Ph.D.; you have read that book? It is first class. The scientist, so-called scientist, unless he is insane, he cannot say that there is no God. He has written so nice.” 

Dr. Patel interjected. “But the real scientists are also God conscious.”  

“That is all right. He is real scientist.” 

“You have been unfortunately against them,” Dr. Patel argued, “but think of Albert Einstein. He was totally God conscious throughout his life.” 

“Yes,” Prabhupāda agreed. “He is all right, but mostly they say, ‘What is the use of God? Now science, everything science.’ They say like that.” 

Dr. Patel protested. “You have been very harsh to the scientists.” 

“They are misleading,” Prabhupāda said. “These rascals are misleading. That is the way.” 

“He was very God conscious when he made the atomic bomb,” Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa added sarcastically. 

Dr. Patel found it disagreeable and bridled a bit at his junior’s disrespect. “How many of us are scientists here? He might help you also!” 

Prabhupāda gave the ultimate perspective to settle the issue. “We know a real scientist because we know the biggest scientist, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are scientists. Without Him we don’t claim to be scientists—fools, rascals. He is everything. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you become scientist, philosopher. And I was never a scientist, so we challenge the scientists, and I have produced this scientist [Svarūpa Dāmodara] to challenge them. But I was never a scientist. That book is actually revolutionary amongst the scientists. ScientificBasis, you have read that? Very nicely he has written, very, very nicely, from all scientific...He has challenged the scientists. He has clearly declared, ‘Darwin is wrong, and scientists, they do not know.’” 

The conversation moved on to one of their favorite topics, Communism. But this time Prabhupāda offered a different perspective. He disagreed when Dr. Patel said that Communism is finished. He said that it simply needs the addition of Kṛṣṇa, then it has value. Like a zero with a one placed in front.  

The Communists say that religion is the opiate of the people, but Prabhupāda pointed out that opium also has its proper medical use. It is poison undoubtedly, but if it is in the hand of a physician, it is nectarine. Dr. Patel agreed that opium is the first thing they use in heart-attack cases. Therefore, Prabhupāda said, whatever God has created has some use; one must simply know how to utilize everything properly. Thus Communism will become perfect, as soon as it is connected with Kṛṣṇa. 

* * * 

During Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class, which continued with the description of brahmacārī life, Prabhupāda explained the essential difference in attitude between the people of the East and West.  

He said that human beings are thoughtful. We have developed consciousness, but when this is not applied to higher thoughts, or when there is no spiritual idea, it is misused to artificially increase the necessities of life. Nowadays even a simple action like shaving requires a machine. In the East, however, the mentality is to minimize everything. 

 “This is the distinction between East and West. Eastern civilization is, ‘If I can lie down on the floor, where is the necessity of a bedstead or a cot? If I can lie down, resting my head on the arms, why there is necessity of pillow? If I can, say, drink water with my palms like this, what is the use of any water pot?’ Minimize. Minimize. Spiritual life does not mean artificially increasing the necessities of life.” 

Once again he expressed his strong disapproval of India’s unfortunate plight and his sympathy for the young. “So the whole thing is topsy-turvied. We have given up our own culture and imitating the foreigners and the Western countries. That also we cannot do very properly because we are meant for a different purpose in India.  

“One who has taken birth in India, it is understood that in his previous birth he tried to cultivate spiritual culture; therefore he has been given the opportunity to take birth in India. India is so fortunate. But as soon as he takes birth, the rascal leader spoils him. The rascal father spoils him. The rascal teacher spoils him.  

“So what can they do, the poor younger generation? They are being taught that ‘The spiritual culture is useless. Because we are so much spiritually inclined, the foreigners came and they ruled over us. Now give up all this nonsense. Become technologist.’ This is going on. So this will not make us happy.” 

* * * 

Prabhupāda has been taking his noon massage sitting on the tiny balcony between his bedroom and the kitchen. When we began today, I slipped the Hare Kṛṣṇa ring from his finger. He has been wearing it continuously since it was given to him in Māyāpur, but because it is a little loose I usually take it off to massage his hand.  

Prabhupāda looked at it when it came off. Then he looked at me and said, “It is loose? So, now you try it.”   

Surprised, but very eager, I put it on the little finger of my left hand, but it was a bit slack.  

He said, “Oh, too big?”   

Not wanting to lose the opportunity, I didn’t reply but quickly tried it on the little finger of my right hand, and it fit nicely.  

“All right,” he smiled, “you can have it!”   

I immediately offered him my obeisances and very gratefully tucked it into the fold of my gamchā.  

Prabhupāda doesn’t give away such items often, so I was in ecstasy to get this special gift from him without any prompting and for no apparent reason. 

April 16th, 1976

On today’s walk along the beach, Śrīla Prabhupāda continued his discussions with Dr. Patel, focusing again on the topic of scientists.  

Dr. Patel predictably took a contrary view but, as always, submitted to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s superior reasoning. Being a doctor, he often gives credit to the scientists’ progress, yet he also accepts the limitedness of material science, and his conviction ultimately lies in spiritual knowledge.  

Prabhupāda had him laughing today when he called the scientists “double mūḍhas.” 

* * * 

Today’s Bhāgavatam verse continued to elaborate on the life of brahmacārya. One responsibility is to go out each morning and evening collecting alms on behalf of the spiritual master. Whatever a brahmacārī does must be for the benefit of the guru. 

Prabhupāda told us that this is the standard he has in mind for the new gurukula here. “A small collection, it is going to the temple for offering prasādam to the Lord and prasādam to the Vaiṣṇavas, brāhmaṇas. Therefore something must be given. If we open this gurukula as we are contemplating, the students should be trained up to go house to house and take little alms. It doesn’t matter one has to give one kilogram, no. Whatever you can, you must give. This is the system all over India still.  

“So here it is said that sāyaà prātaś cared bhaikṣyam. Twice in a day the brahmacārīs should be trained to collect alms, in the morning, and evening. And whatever collection is there, it should be offered to the guru. Not that something kept for my own purpose. No. Everything should be offered, whatever you collect. You cannot keep, because everything in the gurukula or in the temple, is for the interest of guru.” 

He did, however, recognize that in this age of Kali-yuga many of the standards mentioned in these verses are extremely difficult to follow.  

He therefore quoted from the Twelfth Canto of Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam, explaining that the essence of everything is the holy names.  

“So these things as far as possible we shall introduce, but our main principle is chant. If the brahmacārīs are trained up to rise early in the morning and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, attend maṅgala-ārati, then go to the sea for taking bath and again come and again attend vaidhika school. And veda-vyāsa...Veda-vyāsa means to study Kṛṣṇa literature. Because nowadays it is not possible that the students, especially foreign students, they will be very much inclined to read from Sāma-Veda,Yajur-Veda,Ṛg-Veda,Atharva-Veda, or pronounce the Upaniṣad,Brahma-sūtra. The time is changed. As far as possible...But there is essence of all these Vedic literature. Bhāṣyayam brahma-sūtrānāà vedārtha-paribṛàhitam. This Bhāgavata, this is the essence of Brahma-sūtra.  

“We are contemplating to start this brahmacārīāśrama, so these things should be followed, that a brahmacārī should always remain dedicated to the guru. Whatever collection he makes, he should offer to the spiritual master, and spiritual master will ask him, ‘My dear such and such, my dear son, please come and take your prasādam.’ If he forgets, then we should not go personally. And we should wait, or we shall fast. These are the some of the rules and regulations as far as possible.” 

* * * 

Kiśorī dāsī arrived from Vṛndāvana today. She was in quite a disturbed state. She has come to see Prabhupāda to complain that her son was mistreated at the gurukula. She said that he had been hit, and therefore she had taken him out of school.  

Prabhupāda was very upset to hear that a young boy was hit by a teacher. He emphasized very strongly that this should not be done for any reason. “If a teacher hits a child he should not just be sent away, he should be hanged!  He should be hanged! He should be hanged!” he declared, stabbing his right index finger in the air for emphasis. 

 Later, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa discounted Kiśorī’s claim and said that her son is quite incorrigible and has caused considerable disturbance at the school. Contrary to Kiśorī’s assertion that she is keeping him away, he said the teachers are not allowing him to attend.  

Despite this, Prabhupāda continued to stress the point that teachers must be very kind and loving with the children, as well as strict.  

April 17th, 1976

We took our last walk along Juhu Beach this morning, as Śrīla Prabhupāda will be leaving tomorrow to begin his world tour. The conversation took up from yesterday’s discussion about science. Dr. Patel began by stating that the scientists of aparā-vidyā, or material knowledge, and those with parā-vidyā, or superior spiritual knowledge, like Śrīla Prabhupāda, must not have any quarrel.  

Prabhupāda’s response was frank. “No, there is no quarrel, but we say that these are for the rascals. Yes. Aparā-vidyā is for the rascals.” Unless one comes to the point of understanding Kṛṣṇa, he said, he is still in the aparā-vidyā and is therefore less intelligent.  

Dr. Patel was firm in his belief that although we are spirit soul, aparā-vidyā is necessary since we have a body. 

Again Prabhupāda disagreed. “No, no. No. That is to make the best use of a bad bargain, how to use the body best to perfect parā-vidyā. That is intelligence. Just like you have a car. A car is not neglected. We don’t kick out the car, but it must be used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” 

“That is what I say, sir, that you must have the knowledge of car, and that knowledge of car is aparā-vidyā. 

“No. No. No. There is no need of. You have the car, you can go from this place to that place very quickly, so utilize it for Kṛṣṇa conscious.” 

“They must know how to drive it. That is knowledge. Why do you say no?” Dr. Patel protested. 

“That automatically comes,” Prabhupāda said. 

“How automatically? Nothing can come automatically.” 

Prabhupāda explained. “You’ll see many drivers. They do not know about mechanics, but they are very first-class driver.” 

Dr. Patel said. “Well, learning driving is a knowledge of driving.”  

“You are a physician,” Śrīla said. “You are not a motor mechanic, but you know how to drive. That is not a very difficult thing.” 

Gurudāsa Mahārāja grasped Śrīla Prabhupāda’s point. “Isn’t it when you drive for Kṛṣṇa, doesn’t it become parā-vidyā then?” 

“Yes,” Prabhupāda answered. “Everything is done for Kṛṣṇa, that is parā-vidyā.” 

 Dr. Patel clearly likes to think of himself as an appreciator of both disciplines. He seemed intent on proving that scientists are not as bad as Prabhupāda makes them out to be. This is probably because, as a doctor, he considers himself something of a scientist. In his opinion, if they studied Kṛṣṇa’s energy, in one sense they are connected to Kṛṣṇa. He obviously felt that this study was necessary in order to come to higher spiritual knowledge. 

Śrīla Prabhupāda pointed out, though, that the intentions of the scientists are not as noble as the doctor likes to think. “Now scientists say that ‘Now we are advanced. We don’t require God.’ There is a book. Yes. ‘We don’t require God. Now we shall adjust. We shall create human beings according to our necessity.’”  

Dr. Patel conceded the point, yet persisted in trying to defend the scientists. But as we walked steadily across the sand, occasional jets booming overhead and the docile sea waves continuously breaking along the shore, Prabhupāda repeatedly reduced his arguments, and he gradually began to let down his defense.   

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s playful criticisms of Dr. Patel’s arguments often make us laugh. But for Dr. Patel, being constantly defeated in front of Prabhupāda’s young disciples is sometimes a little hard to take, as he wants us to show him respect. Today though he took it all good naturedly because he actually has great appreciation for Prabhupāda. “So I look a fool and they’ll become wise, all of them, eh?” he said. 

Without irony, Prabhupāda immediately reassured him. “Oh, yes. You are wise.” 

“They want that I should say something, and then you call me a rascal, and they take pleasure in it.” 

Gurudāsa Mahārāja assured him that although we may laugh, we do not do it out of envy, or pleasure in seeing him discomforted. “No, no. Para-duhkhī. A Vaiṣṇava is not happy in someone else’s misery.” 

Śrīla Prabhupāda encouraged him that actually he should associate more with the devotees [sat-saṅga]. “Amongst devotees, if you remain, then Kṛṣṇa-kathā will be so pleasing, rasāyanakathā.”  

“Even good literature saṅga is also sat-saṅga, is it not?” Dr. Patel asked Prabhupāda. 

“Yes. Yes.” 

“So in the morning I do your sat-saṅga, and afterwards I do the sat-saṅga of Bhāgavata and Bhagavad-gītā. So it is a continuous sat-saṅga. So don’t say I am not doing it,” Dr. Patel laughed.  

“No, no, I don’t say that you are rascal,” Prabhupāda humbly said. “Rather, I think myself rascal because I could not draw you in my temple.” Everyone laughed at this.  

Dr. Patel immediately appreciated and reciprocated the sentiment. “You have drawn me lot, but still, you are dragging me by leg nowadays. I think I am not fit to be with you, so far I consider myself. I must correct myself and all my defects. Otherwise I would pollute you.”  

It was a pleasant exchange. Dr. Patel was encouraged, and he gave Prabhupāda his assurance that he intends to fully dedicate himself to spiritual life. “I will become after sixty-five.” 

Prabhupāda laughed. “You are 15 years late already!”  

* * * 

For his final class in Bombay, Prabhupāda elaborated upon some of the qualities of a brahmacārī described by Nārada Muni.  

One of these qualities is dakṣaḥ, or expert. He gave the example of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī who was completely disinterested in material affairs. Yet when it was required, he rescued his uncle from a difficult situation by expert political dealings. Prabhupāda said that being a devotee does not mean we cannot do anything else. 

“This is called dakṣaḥ.” Not that because he has become Kṛṣṇa conscious and Vaiṣṇava, he is unable to do anything of this material world. No. One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is conscious of everything, and he knows how to deal with them. That is called dakṣaḥ; not that ‘Because I have become Kṛṣṇa conscious I have no knowledge in other things.’ No. That is intelligence, to know something of everything and to know everything of something. That is wanted. You may be expert, a devotee. You know everything of devotional service, but you should not be callous. You know something of everything.”  

Another quality he described was śraddadhānaḥ, being fully faithful to the words of one’s spiritual master. Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda is the epitome of this quality. He told us that when he read a purport on a verse in Bhagavad-gītā by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he realized the importance of his Guru Mahārāja’s instruction to him to preach in the English language. 

He urged us to take particular note of the Ṭhākura’s advice. “Śraddadhānaḥ, faithful. Faithful to whom? To the spiritual master. Whatever he says, the brahmacārī should take it: ‘Yes, it is my life and soul.’ That is the explanation given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He is explaining with reference to the verse vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. He very nicely explains. You have perhaps read it. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has taught very, very nicely about guru. Therefore he has written in Gurv-aṣṭaka, ‘yasya prasādad bhagavat-prasādah.’  

“He is the practical example of guru-bhakti, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He accepted his guru, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. So he said, ‘I am not interested for my salvation or going back to Godhead. I am not interested. Interested means it may come; it may not come. That I don’t mind. But I am interested only with the words of my guru. That is my life. Whether I will be successful or not successful, it doesn’t matter. I must take the words of my Guru Mahārāja as my life and soul.’ Actually that is the secret of success. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau/ tasyaite kathitā hy arthaḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ. So that is the secret of success, śraddadhānaḥ, to accept the words of guru very, very faithfully.” 

Prabhupāda’s words had all the more impact because he is the embodiment of faith in guru. With nothing more than faith in the words of his spiritual master, he struggled for thirty years to preach in India before Kṛṣṇa rewarded his efforts with the phenomenal success of his worldwide ISKCON society. It is evident that all the secrets of Vedic knowledge have been revealed to Prabhupāda, and now he is revealing his secret of success to us. 

* * * 

Some film producers came to see Prabhupāda during the evening darśana on the roof. Midst the swaying fronds of the coconut trees and as a cooling breeze gently blew, Prabhupāda sat comfortably on his āsana and preached to the guests until 9:00 p.m.  

They spoke briefly about the guru who advertises “TM” or “Transcendental Meditation.” When Prabhupāda asked what the purpose of this process was, one of the visitors said that it pacifies the mind, and that also helps to relieve high blood pressure.  

Prabhupāda had me look up the meaning of “transcendental” in the dictionary. It was given as “going above the mind.” So he asked, if transcendental means “above the mind,” why is this guru calling his system “Transcendental Meditation” when it only deals on the level of the mind’s activities? It is simply cheating, he told them. 

April 18th, 1976

Prabhupāda took his massage at 5:00 a.m. after which he bathed. 

I had been rushing about rushing about since 3:30 a.m. preparing for the trip. First I packed Prabhupāda’s suitcase, then my own. After that I massaged Śrīla Prabhupāda, and while he bathed, I put away his dirty cloth, set out a clean set and then changed into my clean clothes. After I packed the massage paraphernalia, I set up his tilaka in his room. As he sat at his desk to apply it, I rushed to pack his bathing gear. And after he had finished his tilaka, I hurried back to complete the packing of his desk items.  

When I came to his room at 7:00 a.m. with everything packed and ready to go, he was ready to leave and noted that I was also. But he didn’t budge. Instead, he looked at me, tipped his head up slightly, and said, “So, you have something?”  

I could not think what he was alluding to; perhaps I had forgotten something.  

With a slight upward gesture of his eyebrows he indicated my vest pocket, and it suddenly dawned on me what he was referring to. Last night, at the end of the evening darśana, I had picked up a ten-rupee note that one of his guests had placed at the foot of his āsana. Usually, Prabhupāda immediately puts such dakṣiṇa in his desk drawer or his red bag, and later it is deposited in some account, such as the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust. This time, however, I had slipped it into my pocket, thinking to give it to him later. But I had forgotten about it. I took itout of my pocket, and he called Girirāja in, handed over the note, and told him to deposit it. That matter settled, he then headed out the door. 

Prabhupāda does not overlook the slightest detail. He is always very, very careful to see that whatever anyone gives him is used in Kṛṣṇa’s service and not wasted. He is exact down to the last rupee. Being such a conscientious manager, I can understand why he becomes upset at wasteful and careless disciples for whom, in the Western countries, money is so easily available.   

Finally, at 7:10 a.m., together with Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Swami and myself, he left for the airport to begin the long journey to Melbourne, via Colombo and Singapore. 

Within a short while we were seated on the plane, on our way to Australia. Śrīla Prabhupāda and I were seated in first class, and Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja sat in the economy section. As we took off, I glanced out the window for a last look at Bombay. We won’t return until August.  

As soon as we were airborne, Prabhupāda had his breakfast. I set out each of the four circular, stainless-steel containers and filled them with whatever Prabhupāda indicated from his well-packed tiffin box. From the multi-tiered container he ate sabjīs,purīs, rice, some fried savories, vaḍa, and samosā, as well as some fruit and sandeśa. I served him very carefully, much to the interest of the other passengers.  

As he does wherever and whenever he travels, Śrīla Prabhupāda maintained his regular eating schedule. Knowing this I was well equipped for the journey, and I am by now well-versed in all the items that Prabhupāda requires when traveling. On planes he never accepts anything provided by the airlines, because they handle meat. He doesn’t even use the utensils like knives, forks, and spoons, because generally the metal ones have already been used. He will use new plastic ones though. He won’t eat anything touched by karmīs. He will not even accept the salt that they provide. So in addition to the prasādam, I carried small packets of salt, pepper, and ginger.  

Generally he eats alone, but on the plane this was not possible. Unperturbed by his surroundings and the curiosity of the passengers, he simply continued following his daily schedule. He ate very slowly and carefully. By watching him take prasādam it was easy to understand that the Lord’s mercy, prasādam, is to be rendered service by the devotee. Prasādam should be eaten as humbly as one performs other forms of devotional service. Completely free from lust and other mundane attributes, His Divine Grace’s devotion is apparent even in the most basic activity of eating.  

When he finished his meal, Prabhupāda told me to call Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja. Together, we shared whatever was left over. I always feel a little uncomfortable eating in Prabhupāda’s presence, thinking that it may offend him. But he always insists that his servants take prasādam whenever he does, and he is concerned to see we are taken care of. Some of the passengers saw us eating the remnants of Prabhupāda’s half-chewed purīs, and I think they were a little shocked. But, of course, in Prabhupāda’s association we were unaffected by their mundane opinions.  

At the end of his meal, Prabhupāda very carefully cleaned his mouth with a toothpick, then poured a little water on his hand to cleanse it, before drinking from the cup. He first swilled his mouth out and then drank, and thereafter he completed his ablutions in the bathroom. By the time he returned, I had cleared everything away. 

Śrīla Prabhupāda spent the rest of the time before our arrival in Colombo silently chanting japa.  

The plane landed in Colombo at 10:30 a.m. As we waited on the tarmac, Prabhupāda recalled his first trip there in 1965 aboard the Jaladuta, bound for the USA. He had never been to Śrī Lanka before, and so the captain of the ship very kindly arranged for a car to take him around the city to show him the sights. 

On the two-hour leg to Singapore he read the typed manuscript entitled Matter Comes from Life, sent to him by Mādhava dāsa, one of our scientist devotees.  

I moved to an empty seat nearby to give him some room and privacy, and also to nap and chant my rounds. 

The plane touched down in Singapore at 5:00 p.m. for a four-hour transit stop. Because Prabhupāda and I were in first class, he decided to use the first-class lounge to rest in. However, it was located inside the airport, and to get to it we had to pass through immigration.  

As soon as the officials saw our shaved heads and robes they refused us entry. I felt angry to see these mundane men obstruct the entry of a pure devotee, yet sad that they were guaranteeing their stay in the material world by their offense. Prabhupāda is undergoing so much trouble, with no personal motive whatever, simply to do good for others, yet they were such rascals that they wanted obstruct him.  

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Swami argued with them for nearly fifteen minutes before they agreed to let us through. They gave us a special pass, and we proceeded to the lounge, which turned out to be a public bar. It was closed when we first walked in, so Śrīla Prabhupāda sat at one of the tables and took his lunch. Afterward, he lay down on one of the seats to nap.  

But before long the bar was opened, and the place soon filled up with noisy drinkers and smokers. Prabhupāda went out to sit—for what turned out to be several hours—on the uncomfortable molded-plastic seats in the terminal. 

The plane was due to begin boarding at 8:15 p.m. for a 10:00 p.m. departure to Australia, but some mechanism on the plane required attention, and we boarded an hour late. There were further delays, and we had to sit on the aircraft for another three hours. To keep everybody happy, the crew handed out free drinks to the passengers. Consequently everyone became very noisy and boisterous. Prabhupāda sat patiently through the ordeal without complaining. It was not until 12:30 a.m. that the Qantas flight took off.  

Flying in the first-class section offered more sitting room but little facility for lying down. So after a short while in the air, Prabhupāda went back into the economy section and lay across an empty row of seats until about 3:30 a.m.  

Our seats were directly in front of the movie screen, and when Prabhupāda returned there was a war movie playing. Without headphones, we both watched as the hero, David Niven, ran up a mountain side, got shot, then blown up, and then again began fighting in hand-to-hand combat.  

Prabhupāda looked for a couple of minutes and then turned to me with mock surprise. “Still alive?” he said, and laughed. With the sound turned off the movie looked like what it was, a silly make-believe, the epitome of the material world. Prabhupāda turned away and chanted japa. 

Although he tolerated everything without complaint, the unbroken, seven-hour flight to Australia, plus the long delay in Singapore, was very difficult for him. He mentioned that any trip longer than three to four hours is a strain. Nevertheless, for preaching he is prepared to accept any difficulty; his own personal comfort is his last consideration.