Author: Vrindavanachandra Das

Upon noticing a colony of bhangis, or "untouchables," Mr. Reddy mentioned that the government was distributing land to them. He asked whether ISKCON was engaged in any sort of social welfare work, because many people have asked him what our Society did to benefit others. Prabhupada replied by asking him what he considered the best social welfare. When Mr. Reddy said serving the poor and the natives, Prabhupada told him, "Everyone is poor. Who is rich? First of all find...

Temples and monasteries should be constructed for the preaching of spiritual consciousness or Krsna consciousness, not to provide free hotels for persons who are useful for neither material nor spiritual purposes. Temples and monasteries should be strictly off limits to worthless clubs of crazy men. In the Krsna consciousness movement we welcome everyone who agrees at least to follow the movement's regulative principles -- no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling. In the temples and monasteries,...

We should not fall down. Because if we have got enthusiasm and patience, we shall not fall down. But suppose we fall down. Sastra says, tasya abhadra abhud amusya kim. There is nothing inauspicity because whatever you have done sincerely, that is recorded in the book. In Krsna's book. Krsna has got accountant. He keeps nice account of the activities of His devotees. That's a fact.

...for all devotional service, the main pillar is sravanam, hearing. Without hearing, other processes of devotional service will not be perfect. Therefore hearing is most important. Hearing, according to our Vaisnava philosophy, especially Lord Caitanya's, this hearing and chanting are two main pillars for devotional service.

...the graces of the Lord are abhaya, free from fearfulness. In the material world, if someone accumulates a million dollars, he is always full of fear because he is always thinking, "What if the money is lost?" But the benediction of the Lord, bhagavat-prasada, is never to be lost. It is simply to be enjoyed. There is no question of loss. One simply gains and enjoys gaining.

Let us remain in our position, but at the same time, simultaneously, side by side, let us have spiritual culture. Just like we are holding this class. This is also spiritual culture, sravanam kirtanam [SB 7.5.23]. With your multifarious duties you come here thrice in a week and try to understand. This is also spiritual culture. This will not go in vain.

Now India there is scarcity of foodstuff. But the same India was producing so much grains, even during British time, that many thousands and thousand tons of rice were being exported from India to other countries. That I have seen.My maternal uncle was very rich man by simply exporting rice to the foreign countries.

Any householder requires some deposit in the bank for emergency. That is, of course, allowed for householders. But we are sannyasi; we are renounced order. We haven't got to accumulate any money. That is the system of Indian philosophy. But those who are householder, family men, they may have some deposit for emergency.

Prabhupada: What do you mean by faith? Atreya Rsi: Conviction. Prabhupada: What is that conviction? Describe it. Atreya Rsi: That Krsna is the controller. Prabhupada: Krsna is controller. You may have faith or no faith, that doesn't matter. Hari-sauri: If one is convinced that Krsna will always protect him.

Madhudvisa: Prabhupada, I have heard from different sources that there is a vibration that is going on in the universe at all times. When they refer to this vibration, are they referring to the om, the sacred om vibration? Prabhupada: First of all, you should stop to receive any knowledge from any other source.