A Day in the Life of Srila Prabhupada - December 29

December 28 - December 30

Srila Prabhupada's letters, lectures and conversations throughout consecutive years

Click on the year dates to go to the Timeline of Srila Prabhupada's Life for that year.

The Days in the Life of Srila Prabhupada presents 2200+ of his lectures; 905+ of his conversations; 490+ of his morning walks; 65+ of his interviews and 6,570+ of his letters.

This listing covers all available material and includes:

10,300+ links to Vanisource - our repository of all of Srila Prabhupada's words;
450+ short audio clips - Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada sprinkled throughout the months;
1,080 short video clips extracted from lectures, conversations, morning walks and interviews, with subtitles in up to 88 languages, sprinkled throughout the months;
13,350+ concise statements, drawn from Srila Prabhupada's lectures, conversations and letters, highlighted within quoteboxes;
For further study on the different subjects addressed, each statement links to the various categories in our thematic section of Vanipedia named Vaniquotes.

These statements from the Days in the Life of Srila Prabhupada offer unparalleled insights into his devotional character; his vision to re-spiritualize human society; his dedication to translate, publish & distribute his books; his expertise to tirelessly lead & manage his worldwide movement; his empowered ability to encourage, care for, train & clearly communicate the disciplines he expects from all his disciples as he engages them in their pursuit of Krsna consciousness & performance of missionary activities. Through all these situations one can also experience how Srila Prahhupada consistently represents the pure teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates.

See also: A Month in the Life of Srila Prabhupada.

1966 - December 29

Lecture CC Madhya 20.358-359 - New York

vanipedia.org

We have been discussing about the symptoms, characteristics, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One characteristic is that is eternally constant, or present with Him, and another characteristic is that it is sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. These two characteristics are called the superior energy and the inferior energy. Manifestation of the superior energy is always constant, present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And manifestation of the inferior energy, that is not always present. It is sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. Just like we have got also.

1967 - December 29

Letter to Balai written from San Francisco

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Balai is the name of Baladeva., Krishna's elder brother. His wife is called Balai dasi, or His girlfriend is called Balai dasi. Baladeva. is not different from Krishna. He is first expansion from Krishna. All the incarnations and expansions begin from Baladeva.

Letter to Brahmananda written from San Francisco

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Regarding Mr. Alan Watts introduction, I may inform you if the books will sell nicely by Mr. Watts introduction I do not mind his nonsense.

Letter to Jadurani written from San Francisco

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The picture and contents of the article appearing in Harvard Crimson is very nice. Krishna has already recognized you as one of the prophets of this missionary work, and I approve this statement. Please go on in Krishna Consciousness and I'm sure even in my absence you will be doing nicely acting as prophet.

1968 - December 29

Lecture Purport to Gauranga Bolite Habe - Los Angeles

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Rūpa-raguṇatha-pade haibe ākuti. When I shall be very much eager to study the books left by the Six Gosvāmīs. Ākuti means eagerness. One Because Rūpa Gosvāmī is the father of this devotional service. He has written that book, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. In that book there is nice direction. Of course, in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and other books we have given the summary of those direction in our book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

Letter to Dayala Nitai written from Los Angeles

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English is a foreign language to me also, but I try to speak it, not to be a big scholar, but to be a servant of Krishna. So do not be disturbed if you feel that your language ability is not yet very expert.

Letter to Nandakisora written from Los Angeles

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I am glad that you are working sincerely for spreading this Krishna Consciousness movement. Please continue in this way and Krishna will surely help you to advance more and more and finally to go back to Home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Satsvarupa written from Los Angeles

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So far as the new book, "Krishna, I have already sent suggestions to Jadurani, and as soon as the pictures are drawn, I will send to you the tapes. In this way the Krishna book will be completed.

Letter to Upendra written from Los Angeles

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You will be glad to know that just yesterday, in the Los Angeles Times there was publication of my opinion about the moon planet excursion. Such work with the local newspapers as you are nicely doing is very good. Try to agitate as far as possible our activities. Always be engaged so that maya will not disturb you.

1969 - December 29

Letter to Syamasundara written from Boston

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I reached Boston as scheduled on December 21st, and there was a good reception by the devotees for Krishna's servant. The newspaper article published remarked on this occasion that "in the Logan Airport there has never been anything like this."

1970 - December 29

Lecture Hindi - Surat

Letter to Hladini written from Surat

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Proper Deity worship, with all attention to cleanliness, is of the utmost importance. If you can please the Deity by your sincere service, then your temple will flourish. To be able to personally serve the Deity is a great privilege and such a person is very fortunate indeed. So you continue in this way and Krishna will surely bless you.

Letter to Jagadisa written from Surat

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I am so pleased to know that your efforts at placing our books in the local libraries is successful and it is especially heartening to learn that they already have got our books on their shelves. That is factual proof that these purely transcendental literatures are very attractive to the reading class of the public.

1971 - December 29

Letter to Chaturbhus written from Bombay

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As far as the restriction for reading the 10th canto pastimes of Krishna. That is only for those who do not know what is Krishna. but you are initiated, so you can read because you know who Krishna is. for example. when Krishna was 7 years old he lifted Govardhana Hill. The nondevotee scholars say that it is mythology, but a devotee will know immediately that Krishna can do anything.

1972 - December 29

Lecture Lecture SB Hindi - Bombay

Lecture BG 13.01-2 - Bombay

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A drop of the sea water is also the same, qualitatively. The same chemicals. Similarly, we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are not subjected to the material conditions. But we have put ourself in this material condition. That is called māyā. We wanted to enjoy separately, diffe... separated from Kṛṣṇa, and therefore we are put into a condition which is illusion.

Letter to Bhavananda written from Bombay

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I have heard one rumor from Gargamuni that Kanupriya and Hayagriva are smoking ganja. In that case, Hayagriva should be asked to leave for U.S.A. immediately to sit down in New Vrndavana and do what he likes.

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He is big leader, and if it is common knowledge that he is using such intoxicants, the others will follow his example and there will be havoc throughout the society. That would be a catastrophe.

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He may remain wherever he likes in India, but he must live separately from the devotees, and if he continues this thing he may be requested not to associate with any of our devotees further.

Letter to Cyavana written from Bombay

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I note that you have returned from another successful preaching mission in distant parts of Africa. I am always so much pleased to hear such good news how the traveling preachers are spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement to every nook and corner of the world.

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If someone wants to become devotee but he is little weak, never mind he is living outside, he may come regularly to the temple, chant at home and at his work, and offer his foodstuffs always to Krsna, like that, and gradually he will develop the surrendering attitude and accept voluntarily the life of austerity or tapasya which must be practiced in the temple living.

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If anyone agrees to live with us in the temple he must without any exception follow the four rules and regulations, plus the other regulative principles, otherwise he may be asked kindly to leave the temple and live outside. Or he may not be invited to live in the temple until he has agreed and has proven his ability to obey the regulative idea. The point is that we should not be over anxious just to recruit men if they will not be of the best quality.

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Without such voluntary understanding of the principles and agreement to obey them, no one is qualified to live in our temples.

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Of course if there are one or two instances of falling down, that may be excused, we are not so overly critical, otherwise who would be qualified of any of us to become devotee? So that tolerant attitude must be there to a certain extent, but we must remain also always firm on this point, that the brahmacaris living in the temple shall not disobey the orders of the spiritual master.

Letter to Deva Mira written from Bombay

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Bali Mardan is my trusted senior disciple, do you think I am a fool to choose him for running on My big New York temple. Rather, if anyone criticizes him, they must be the fool.

Letter to Madhudvisa written from Bombay

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There is no question that Siddha Svarupa is only pure devotee and no one else is pure devotee. All of my disciples, as soon as they surrender themselves to Krsna, they become pure devotees actually. If you see Tusta there you may see also the copy of my letter to get the right idea.

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Recently, I had sent one letter to reply Tusta Krsna's questions about Siddha Svarupa, namely, that Siddha Svarupa may be pure devotee, but so all of you are also pure devotees. There is no question that Siddha Svarupa is only pure devotee and no one else is pure devotee. All of my disciples, as soon as they surrender themselves to Krsna, they become pure devotees actually.

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My plan is to remain here in Bombay until January 23rd for holding our second Hare Krishna Festival in the Cross Maidan. I think last time you were one of the leaders of that first Hare Krsna Festival, so you know how much important occasion that will be. Already there are many banners all over the city advertising this movement as the world's greatest spiritual culture movement.

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I think you wanted me to stop in Djakarta first, so that is all right, but if there is too much strenuous traveling program, that will not be favorable. Better stop in fewer places and have first class programs there, but I am simply at your mercy and I have only the protection of Krsna in all circumstances; therefore, whatever you make me to do, that I am prepared.

Letter to Pusta Krsna written from Bombay

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That is wanted, that all of you will take upon yourselves the responsibility of preaching widely everywhere the message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

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So you are very determined and intelligent boy, you have got a cool head, so I am very much confident that you will be able to render more and more the best service to Krsna and to your spiritual master. That means that you will simply introduce our Krsna Consciousness program anywhere and everywhere, without any compromise or deviation from the highest standard of devotional practice, as chalked out for us by our great predecessors.

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If you yourself remain always pure, then your preaching will have effect. As soon as there is little impurity, the whole thing will deteriorate and go to hell. So we shall not like to take the credit in that case.

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I am praying simply that all of you, my advanced disciples, GBC men, sannyasis, temple officers, like that, that all of you will become sober-minded and feeling always very much responsible how the things will go on as I have given them.

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If you simply do as I am doing, not avoiding anything which may have to be done for pushing on Krsna's movement, remaining always stuck up very tightly to the footsteps of Rupa Gosvami, then without any doubt you will remain always fresh and enthusiastic for working very energetically on Krsna's behalf, without any falldown.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha written from Bombay

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Unless the basic determination to become successful in Krsna consciousness is there, any type of occupation or any place where you are serving Krsna will similarly become a source of restlessness and troubling of your mind. Therefore, my advice to you is simply this: that you search out in yourself whether that basic determination and faith in our Krsna consciousness program is strong in you, and whether if, by going here or going there or doing this or doing that, this determination and faith will be enhanced.

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Sometimes Krsna may put us into some difficulty just to purify us and force us to advance in Krsna consciousness. The devotee should always see his difficulty in this light, that Krsna is so kind upon me for creating this condition of struggling, thus He is relieving me of so many billions of lifetime of sinful reactions by this very insignificant and temporary condition of suffering something.

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If our attachment for Krsna is not yet developed, and there is still attraction for the ordinary life of householder life, together with friends, family, children, working, like that, that is all right.

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By that process if one contributes something of his income to the preaching work and attends himself with family the temple for the class and kirtana, gradually he will get some enthusiasm and develop his attachment for Krsna. But that is the slow and troublesome way.

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There is no harm for having children, that is no impediment for preaching endeavor.

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Too much attachment for children, home and work will spoil your opportunity to get very quickly the mature benefit of Krsna consciousness or self-realization.

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And Kṛṣṇa Himself, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. "As many villages and towns are there, sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma, that My name will be celebrated in every village, every town." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a crippled movement. It is very broad movement, claiming all living entities to come to Kṛṣṇa, back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore we should not be bodily conscious.

1973 - December 29

Morning Walk - Los Angeles

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Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because they say something which cannot be proved by experimental science, that does not work, calling science.
Prabhupāda: So then how do you say that life is from matter? That cannot be proved by experiment.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is why they are going to prove it. They are trying to prove it.
Prabhupāda: Then again, "going to prove." They cannot prove, they'll not not admit it.

Lecture SB 01.16.01 - Los Angeles

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I told you that in my horoscope it was declared that after seventieth year, I shall go to foreign countries and I shall establish many temples. In my horoscope that is. Now I see it is coming practically.

Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada

"Go-rakṣya, cow protection is very, very essential in human society because it gives the milk, the miracle food. You can prepare hundreds and thousands of preparation, all not only delicious, but brain-maintaining. You can get good brain. Therefore go-rakṣya, cow protection, is especially recommended, not that animal protection. If you want to eat meat, you can eat many other animals, there are. But don't eat the cows. This is Vedic civilization."

731229 - Lecture SB 01.16.01 - Los Angeles