A Day in the Life of Srila Prabhupada - June 16

June 15 - June 17

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.

1968 - June 16

Lecture SB 07.06.03 - Montreal

Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada

"This human form of body, it is very rarely obtained. It is not to be misused. That is the first knowledge. But people are not educated in that way. They are encouraged that, go on sense enjoyment: 'Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy'. Some rascal comes, so he also says, 'All right, go on, enjoy. Simply meditate for fifteen minutes'. But actually, this body is not meant for aggravating sense enjoyment. We require sense enjoyment because that is a demand of the body. If we want to keep body in healthy condition, then the demands of the body—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—must be provided. But it should not be aggravated. Therefore in the human form of life, tapasya. Tapasya means austerity, penance, vows. These are the teachings of all scriptures."

680616 - Lecture SB 07.06.03 - Montreal

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So this frustration, confusion, is expression of spiritual unhealthiness, because actually we are spirit. That we do not know. Suppose you have got a very nice coat, and within that coat you are actually, so far we are concerned at the present moment. Now, if you simply take care of the coat and shirt, and if you don't take care of your actual person, how long you can become happy?

Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada

"Suppose you have got a very nice coat, and within that coat you are actually, so far we are concerned, at the present moment. Now, if you simply take care of the coat and shirt, and if you don't take care of your actual person, how long you can become happy? You will feel so much inconvenience even if you have got a very nice coat. Similarly, this body, this gross body, is just like our coat. I am actually spiritual spark. This body, gross outward covering, and there is inward covering: mind, intelligence and ego. That is my shirt. So shirt and coat. And within the shirt and coat, actually I am there. dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhiras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13)"

680616 - Lecture SB 07.06.03 - Montreal

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Prahlāda Mahārāja advises very nicely, "My dear friend," tat-prayāso na kartavyo yata āyur-vyayaḥ param, "don't exert yourself for increasing the paraphernalia of sense enjoyment. That is simply wasting your valuable time, your valuable duration of life." Because, we must know, the duration of life is limited. That will finish. "As sure as death." And before death comes again, we must prepare in such a nice way—no more death, no more birth. That is education.

Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada

"In a golden cage, there is a bird. If you don't give any food to the bird and simply wash the cage very nicely, oh, there will be always, (imitates bird) 'chi chi chi chi chi'. Why? The real bird is neglected. Simply outward covering. So similarly, I am spirit soul. That I forgot. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: 'I am Brahman'. I am not this body, not this mind. So people are trying to burnish the body and the mind. First of all they try to burnish the body. This is material civilization. Very nice clothing, very nice food, very nice apartment, very nice car or very nice sense enjoyment—everything is very nice. But that is to this body. And when one is frustrated to this very nice arrangement, then he goes to the mind: poetry, mental speculation, LSD, marijuana, drinking and so many things. These are all mental. Actually, happiness is not there in the body, nor in the mind. Real happiness is in the spirit."

680616 - Lecture SB 07.06.03 - Montreal

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Everyone of us should always be conscious that this human form of life, although the body is material and there are so many material demands, so we have to adjust things in such a way that my major portion of my attention or energy may be applied for advancing spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should be the motto of our life.

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Sleeping, eating, mating or defending. It is simply due to my bodily consciousness these things are required. But when one is actually spiritually advanced, he has no such appreciation. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified, but he never protested because he had no bodily consciousness at all.

Letter to Aniruddha written from Montreal

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No, food which has been offered should never be put back into the refrigerator with the unoffered foods, or brought back into the kitchen. You should prepare as much as can be consumed, and after offering, nothing should be put back in the refrigerator, or kitchen.

Letter to Satsvarupa written from Montreal

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You are trying your best at that center, and Krishna will help you certainly. I am very glad to see that you are not disappointed. This is a good sign. One should work with courage and patience, and certainly Krishna will be pleased.

1969 - June 16

Lecture SB 01.05.13 - New Vrindaban

Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada

"We are spirit soul. We cannot be under any material condition. Just like our normal condition is healthy life, not under feverish condition. That is abnormal life. If one is attacked with fever, that is not his normal life. That is temporary, abnormal life. Actual life is healthy life. We should nicely eat. We shall nicely sleep. We shall work very nicely. We..., our brain must work very nicely. These are healthy signs. But when I cannot work nicely, I cannot sleep nicely, I cannot work nicely, I cannot act my brain very nicely, that means abnormal condition. So at that time, he requires to be treated by expert physician. So here is the expert physician, Nārada Muni. And he is advising his disciple to make him expert. This is called paramparā system."

690616 - Lecture SB 01.05.13 - New Vrindaban, USA

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We are spirit soul. We cannot be under any material condition. Just like our normal condition is healthy life, not under feverish condition. That is abnormal life. If one is attacked with fever, that is not his normal life. That is temporary, abnormal life. Actual life is healthy life. We should nicely eat. We shall nicely sleep. We shall work very nicely.

Nectar Drops from Srila Prabhupada

"We are under the grip of material nature. The... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You are working under the influence of certain material quality, and you are preparing your next life. You cannot say, 'All right, I am very happy. I am... I'm born in America. My nation is very great nation, and we are very rich. So I shall, next life also, I shall come to America. I shall take my birth here and enjoy like this'. Oh, that is not in your hand. That you cannot say. That is daiva-netreṇa. Daiva. Daiva means that is in the supernatural power. Daiva. The same thing: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). You cannot say. Daiva-netreṇa. You are preparing your life. The higher authorities will give you chance. If you prepare yourself nicely, you get good chance; you get birth in higher planet. Or if you prepare himself..., yourself nicely, then you go to Kṛṣṇa even. Now it is your choice."

690616 - Lecture SB 01.05.13 - New Vrindaban, USA

Letter to Arundhati written from New Vrindaban, USA

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When you are typing, you should know that it is as good as chanting, because the work is also on the matter of Krishna. Chanting on the beads and chanting on the typewriter Composer machine are both transcendental sounds of Krishna. Krishna's Name, His Fame, His Qualities—all of them are on the absolute platform, and therefore there is no difference between one and another. So do not be misled that you are typing and not chanting.

Letter to Pradyumna written from New Vrindaban, USA

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Now Arundhati and Syama Dasi shall be in charge of composing at least four hours alternately. In this way, the machine should be used from 7:00 in the morning till 10:00 at night. Syama Dasi may type from 7:00 in the morning till 11:00 o'clock. Then Arundhati will type from 11 till three. Then Syama Dasi from three until seven o'clock, and Arundhati from seven o'clock until ten o'clock. In this way, you and Hayagriva shall guide them so that the machine will be fully utilized.

Letter to Rayarama written from New Vrindaban, USA

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As your beloved spiritual master and father, it is my duty to give you all protection; but if you allow Maya to act upon you without any resistance, then it is your own choice.

Letter to Rupanuga written from New Vrindaban, USA

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You are successfully carrying on the Sankirtana Movement, and Krishna is giving you encouragement by mercifully giving some money also. So rest assured that Sankirtana Movement is specifically benedicted by Lord Caitanya for achieving all kinds of success. Stick to the principles seriously and faithfully, and there will be no difficulty.

Letter to Steve written from New Vrindaban, USA

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We now have published several books which delve deeply into the topic of the Absolute Truth, so you should read them very carefully, and gradually the knowledge will become revealed to you. The first book you should study carefully is the Bhagavad Gita As It Is.

Letter to Visala written from New Vrindaban, USA

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The association and instructions of the purified servants of Krishna, the living entity gradually comes to remember that "I am not part of this miserable material world, but I too am the eternal servant of Krishna, and my only business is to give pleasure to the Lord in pure Krishna Consciousness." In this way, such devotee becomes himself eligible to lead others back to the path of devotional service and thus he too may become a Spiritual Master. This process is called parampara, or the line of disciplic succession.

1971 - June 16

Letter to Karandhara written from Bombay

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If the book distribution program is going so nicely, then we should produce books on our own press in great quantity.

1972 - June 16

Lecture SB 02.03.20 - Los Angeles

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These people, the voidists and impersonalists, because they have no information of the Supreme Lord and His activities... Activities are there. Kṛṣṇa is coming, showing His activities. But they will say, "It is māyā. Kṛṣṇa is māyā." Although Kṛṣṇa is practically showing them that it is not māyā, it is completely spiritual, but their dull brain cannot accommodate that Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Absolute Truth.

Letter to Bhagavan written from Los Angeles

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In future through out the society, it is better so far as possible that we should rent. Big house means big responsibility. So unless there are many men, and very big propaganda, buying house is risky and unnecessary.

Letter to Bob written from Los Angeles

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I advise you to daily read our books as far as possible and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision by discussing frequently with the devotees at New York Temple. In this way you will become gradually convinced, and by your sincere attitude and devotional service you will make progress. Yes, by having some faith in me and in this Krishna Consciousness process, that is the first and only requirement for getting actual wisdom. If there is faith, understanding will follow.

Letter to Jayapataka written from Los Angeles

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You have described the building progress there, but if you can send me photo then I can understand the situation as it is.

Letter to Madhudvisa written from Los Angeles

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You GBC men are my selected few for insuring that what I am doing will be carried on very nicely for the pleasure of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

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I fully approve of your program for traveling, now you combine the sannyasi requirement for traveling extensively, and at the same time as GBC man you shall be my personal secretary for maintaining the highest level of Krishna Consciousness amongst the devotees in your zone.

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Now you must all my senior disciples and leaders become very, very much aware of your grave responsibility to the human society for delivering them from the clutches of catastrophe.

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Be always cool-headed and utilize every moment in the best manner possible. I am successful only because I am following strictly the orders of my Guru Maharaja, and I do not deviate. Therefore people respect what I am saying and they listen because I do not say one thing and do another.

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Now you are doing my work and you shall be like me and be yourselves the worthy representatives of our disciplic succession.

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I am very much stressing at this point that all of my students shall be very much conversant with the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, and that they should read our books very diligently at least one or two hours daily and try to understand the subject matter from varieties of angles.

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Read one sloka and discuss and then go on to the next sloka on the next day, and so on, and even you discuss one verse each day it will take you 50 years to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam in this way. So we have got ample stock for acquiring knowledge.

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If the students get knowledge more and more, they will automatically become convinced and very easily perform their duties for tapasya or renunciation of the material bondage, and that will be their successful advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So I want that advancement amongst all of my students, so your are responsible that the standard will be maintained.

Letter to Prajapati written from Los Angeles

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We hear from the authorized sources, and then our hearing is perfect. So you are the leader of big temple, you should know these things and avoid them, and instruct the other students there to stick to whatever is mentioned in our books and try to understand that subject matter from every angle of vision, without trying to adulterate by adding anything rumor.

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Our preaching must be based upon the subject matter from books and nothing outside of them. The actual fact is that worshiping the Deity and chanting the glories of the Lord are both within the nine processes of devotional service recommended by Rupa Goswami. Besides chanting and hearing and remembering there are six other recommended activities in devotional service.

Letter to Satsvarupa written from Los Angeles

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You mentioned that you are not yet a very bold preacher, but you will become bold, if you have got sincerity. In the beginning also I could not speak.

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But Krishna is within you, and when you are serving Him sincerely He will give you courage, boldness, everything. We are not going to bluff anyone or cheat others, and we are delivering the message on behalf of the Supreme Lord, so we haven't got anything to fear and we should be always mindful of our topmost position of occupation of life. To be the messenger of the king is practically as good as to be the king, so the king is the most exalted position.

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I act like a king because no one can defeat me, and similarly, you should take your responsibility very, very seriously as being the representative of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Who is God Himself, and always remember that you are one of the few men I have appointed to carry on my work throughout the world and your mission before you is huge.

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My first business is to give the devotees the proper knowledge and engage them in devotional service, so that is not very difficult task for you, I have given you everything, so read and speak from the books and so many new lights will come out.

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We have got so many books, so if we go on preaching from them for the next 1,000 years, there is enough stock.

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As for the GBC members, if we study one sloka daily in our classes it will take you more than 50 years to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam alone, so at least 50 years matter is already there minimum. So we can finish Bhagavatam once in our lifetime and the next generation can begin again, like that. From a practical point of view, as I have not yet finished Srimad-Bhagavatam and we have got now 100 branches, so by the time I am finished with Bhagavatam there must be at least 1000 branches. I have worked alone, now you are so many.

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Our scope is unlimited, resources unlimited, so we must be exceptionally enthusiastic and sober-minded and responsible for working in that spirit.

Letter to Tribhuvanatha written from Los Angeles

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You can make a sign-board that says "Guests are requested to offer a flower to the Deity". The flower market is near-by and any gentleman will bring flowers, and give them prasadam. A gorgeous temple means many flowers, beautiful decorations, and prasadam distribution. Some sort of kirtana must go on continuously. Further, chanting 16 rounds must be completed, that is our spiritual strength.

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I am very much stressing nowadays that my students shall increase their reading of my books and try to understand them from different angles of vision. Each sloka can be seen from many, many angles of vision, so become practiced in seeing things like this.

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If we are selling the books but we do not know what is inside the book, that will be a farce, especially if you are preaching and selling books to the students of Edinburgh.

1973 - June 16

Lecture SB 01.10.01 - Mayapur

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Law means the order given by the government. The supreme government is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat. There is nobody better than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the order given by Kṛṣṇa is dharma. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that dharma.

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Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti: (BG 16.23) "Anyone who avoids or disregards the injunction of the śāstras and acts whimsically, he will never get perfection." Na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim. Therefore our principle is, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we strictly follow Kṛṣṇa. Our leader is Kṛṣṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). So everyone requires a leader. I have talked many times that "Leader must be followed."

1974 - June 16

Lecture BG 02.01-5 - Germany

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Kṛṣṇa advised that "Everyone must execute his prescribed duty without consideration of any personal loss or gain." According to Vedic civilization, there are four divisions of the society. Everywhere the same divisions are there all over the world. This is very natural. Just like we can study from our own body, there is head, there is arm, there is belly, and there is leg.

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Fully equipped with all opulences means Bhagavān is the richest personality. How much rich Bhagavān, or God, is, we can understand that we are proud of possessing a few acres of land, and Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of the whole universe. Therefore He is considered the richest. Similarly, He is considered the strongest. And similarly, He is considered the wisest. And similarly, He is the most beautiful personality.

1975 - June 16

Morning Walk - Honolulu

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Why they are unnecessarily proud, and denying the authority of God? How foolish they are. Therefore I don't like them. The most heinous type of atheist; not gentlemen. Whenever they hold some conference they say, "Don't talk of God. Then you cannot come to the conference." Do they not? What is that principle?

Conversation A - Honolulu

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You have very good engagement. You have got so many qualifications for Kṛṣṇa's service. Be engaged always in this work; you will never feel solitary.

Conversation B - Honolulu

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The mind is so speedy that in one second you can reach Māyāpura, 15,000 miles away—within a second. That is everyone knows. But the gross body cannot do that. Your mind can do it. If I want to transfer my body here immediately to Māyāpura, that will not go. But by yogic process you can do it. That is called laghimā-siddhi.

Conversation C - Honolulu

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They mix with some straw dust and cow dung. That is not permanent, but they very quickly work, one or two days they make one doll. Our Bharadvāja knows it perfectly. He is doing already, clay. They are so expert, in one day they will make one doll. And as soon as it is little dried up, then there are cracks, then they will finish it, fill up these cracks, and then at last they fix up the head. Head at last.

Conversation D - Honolulu

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These Māyāvādīs, coming to the spiritual platform, (but) they do not take the spiritual attraction; therefore there must have some attraction. Attraction. Unless one has got spiritual attraction, he will be attracted by the material.

Letter to Narayana written from Honolulu

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Regarding your report on Hanuman, I am forwarding your letter to Hrdayananda Goswami who can present this problem to the GBC for their solution.

Letter to W. D. Currier written from Honolulu

Letter to Yadunandana written from Honolulu

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Now, everything has been rectified. That is good. Please continue executing your Krishna Conscious activities, strictly following all of the rules and regulations carefully. Always remain engaged in the service of Krishna and you will be sublime.

1976 - June 16

Morning Walk - Detroit

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Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They say that "Thou shalt not kill," that's okay, but this is an impossible instruction. Prabhupāda: This is rascaldom. Hariśauri: That's a common philosophy. The Ten Commandments are there, but they're an ideal that no one can ever achieve. Prabhupāda: Then you go to hell, rascaldom.

Lecture SB 06.01.50 - Detroit

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The soul is pure spirit, and other twenty-four elements, they are different varieties of material covering. In this way we are entangled, and we are desiring, and nature is giving us facility to enjoy our desires. This is the material world. So unless we are free from all kinds of desires, we shall be entangled with these elements. Therefore bhakti, bhakti-mārga, devotional service, means no more material desire.

Conversation - Detroit

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This is practical training. That is wanted. Simply theoretical knowledge... That is helpful, but training, that is the greatest need, that we have to create a set of first-class men. Then the world will be all right. That is an attempt of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to make first class, ideal.

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