GEORGE HARRISON and SRILA PRABHUPADA

March 29, 2005

SRIMAN GEORGE HARRISON and his guru SRILA PRABHUPADA

"...Mr. George Harrison, the famous English musician, who is my uninitiated

devotee." --- "I think George does not require to become my formal disciple

because he is already more than my disciple." ~ Srila Prabhupada

(Scroll down to see more pictures.)

George Harrison met Srila Prabhupada in the late 1960s and from there he

accepted more and more spiritual knowledge from him. At one point he even asked

to move into the Hare Krishna ashrama. That did not happen but this is how

sincere he was. Many do not know it, but Prabhupada had many wonderful things

to say about George and thought quite highly of him.

What follows on this site are various excerpts, conversations, letters, or

anything related to George Harrison and Srila Prabhupada. As you read, you can

get a glimpse into their relationship unfolding, as well as George's spiritual

advancement increasing as time goes on. Though they are not necessarily in

chronological order. If you want to figure that out, simply read the dates at

the end of each quote.

I don't have everything but I have lot. That which was not included here that I

do have, is to be found on one of the web sites of some of my Inspiration

Newsletters. The topic of Sriman George began to be included upon his passing.

To read those scroll down and see the links on the bottom.

.

Hare Krishna!

..

Your Servant,

Prtha devi dasi (Pronounced "Priitaa")

..

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

" Dayananda has told me that Mr. George Harrison is interested to see me, and he

is going to stay one week more, and so let us see what happens." ~ SP (Srila

Prabhupada) letter to Mukunda, Gurudasa, Los Angeles, 12 November, 1968

-----

"Mr. George Harrison appears to be very intelligent boy, and he is by the Grace

of Krishna fortunate also. On the first day, he came to see me along with John

Lennon, and we had talks about 2 hours. He wanted to talk with me more, but he

is now gone to his sick mother in Liverpool." ~ SP (Srila Prabhupada) letter to

Tamala Krishna, Tittenhurts, Sept 19, 1969

-----

"I am very glad to know that Sriman George Harrison is nicely cooperating with

your endeavors, and this action of him will not go in vain. Any little bit of

service rendered to Krishna does not go in vain, so I am sure George will be

benefited in the matter of Krishna Consciousness without doubt. Please convey

my thanks to him for his willing cooperation with our men." SP Letter to

Syamasundara, Hamburg, Aug 31, 1969

(NOTE: The Vedic spelling is: Syamasundara dasa, but the pronunciation is

Shyamasundar das. It may be spelled several ways throughout this web page.)

----

"Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated

August 19th, 1969, and I am so glad to learn that the activities in Los Angeles

temple are going very nicely. The first day I arrived we had talks about two

hours with the Beatles, but because they are materially very rich, it is little

difficult for them to understand Krishna Consciousness philosophy. In the

Bhagavad-gita, perhaps you have read, it is said there that those who are too

much addicted to materialistic way of sense gratification, they cannot put

their faith in Krishna Consciousness. Anyway, whatever they are helping, that

is welcome. Their record is selling nicely, and George Harrison is more

inclined to our movement. Now he is not in London, because his mother is very

ill and he has gone to Liverpool. I am living in the guest house of Mr. Lennon.

He has spared a very nice temple house here where we hold

our kirtanas, since our own temple house in London proper is under renovation."

SP (Srila Prabhupada) letter to Nandarani, Tittenhurst, 30 September, 1969

-----

“Please offer my blessings to Sriman George and all the other Prabhus there. I

am marking that George has the serving spirit, and that is making him advance

gradually.” - Srila Prabhupada. Letter to: Syamaasundara, Los Angeles, 4 May,

1970

George blissfully chanting Hare Krishna kirtana, Yamuna devi dasi on Harmonium

-- Thank you Cosmic Empire/Jim. (See his link below.)

(From SP's Letter to Syamasundara, Hamberg Germany, Aug 31, 1969)

I am also very glad to learn that you are meeting with Mr. Harrison for

negotiating with the Archbishop for the church. That will be very very nice.

Please try for it very seriously.On the whole, your sincere endeavor for

serving Krishna is gradually being accepted by the Lord, and the more you

endeavor for such service, the more you'll feel sublime in existence in direct

contact with Krishna day after day. I am also very glad to learn that you have

already prepared a groundwork in England of the Krishna Consciousness Movement,

and if I go there I shall take the opportunity to convince the people in

general, philosophers and religionists of London about the importance of the

Krishna Consciousness Movement. Sometime back I sent one letter addressed to

the Archbishop of Canterbury, supposed to be presented through Mr. George

Harrison, and

I shall be glad to know what happened to that letter. If it was not presented

before, it may be done so when George Harrison meets the Archbishop for the

church. Actually our Krishna Conscious movement is genuine Christian movement.

Christ means Krishna, love of Godhead, Who has His face annointed with tilak.

There is a word Kristos in the Greek dictionary, and this word is supposed to

be borrowed from the Sanskrit word "Krishna," and Christ is derived from

Kristos. I find these things in a book known as Aquarian Gospel of Lord Jesus

the Christ. Anyway, any genuine Christian will find our movement nice and

perfect. We simply want their cooperation in this matter that they allow us to

use their many vacant churches in the Western countries for rejuvenation of

spiritual life in this part of the world. So if the Archbishop kindly gives us

a church through the intervention of Mr. Harrison, it will be a great success

for our movement. So try your best for this achievement.

Please offer my blessings to all others and especially to your daughter, who

I think is growing nicely in Krishna Consciousness.Your ever well-wisher,A. C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami

----

"Today I received letters from Guru das and Mukunda, and it is understood that

Mr. George Harrison is arranging for a first class temple, better than the one

to be had on Baker Street. In the meantime I have received a letter from

Petamber Dindayal in Guyana, and he has invited me to go there. There is an

invitation to go to Hawaii also, but above all I am very much anxious to see a

London temple established first. So please let me know by return mail if there

is an immediate chance of my going to London. Then I shall make my program in

that way. I do not mind any climatic condition there; I am quite fit, and

whenever required, I am prepared to go there. You have mentioned a very

encouraging invitation that my visit there will be the biggest event in London

since the time of the Roman

Invasion. Actually this will be so. This time there is no question of invasion,

but this time, if England is prepared, they will receive something sublime

which they cannot produce in their country, neither in Manchester, Glasgow, nor

Edinburgh. As I stated in my last letter to you that London is still a leading

city of the world, and if Mr. George Harrison cooperates with us, certainly we

shall be able to deliver something sublime to the world by joint endeavor. ~

S.P. Letter to Shyamasundara dasa, Jan 11, 69

----

Prabhupada: “...given the facility of assembling in this nice house, this good

boy George Harrison, we must give him all glories. We must be thankful to him

that he has given us the facility, and Krsna will bless him more and more.” -

S.P. Arrival Address, London, July 7, 1973

----

"So we are opening centers all over the world. In America we have got about

fifty centers, and in your Europe we have got about half a dozen or more than,

dozen centers, including France, Germany, Amsterdam, England, and Ireland,

Scotland. So this is a new center opened by us. This house has been very kindly

given to us by George Harrison. He is a nice boy. He is taking to Krsna

consciousness. So you have got good facilities now to understand what is this

Krsna consciousness movement. So we shall simply request you to take advantage

of this center. We are not charging anything. You haven't got to pay anything.

Srila

BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff66">Prabhupada Lectures and Classes, London, Aug 26, 73

This is a mansion, on 23 acres, that Sriman George Harrison donated to the Hare

Krishna movement to be used as a temple of worship for Lord Sri Krishna. And it

is, to this day. It has been named the "Bhaktivedanta Manor" though often

referred to as just "the Manor."

"But one thing is, our experience is that such big men will not help

us--except if there is some rare soul like Mr. George Harrison, and they must

be guided also by our personally contacting them again and again and slowly

build-up the relationship. We are more interested that the mass of men shall

support us--what good a handful of high-class supporters will do? Just like in

your country, there was election, and the opponent of Mr. Nixon, he was

supported by all high-class men, but because Mr. Nixon had help of the common

men he was successful and won the fight. But, if even one such high-class man

becomes preacher on our behalf, if he actually becomes converted to Krishna

Consciousness preaching work, then that is the best contribution of your

preaching also. Just like George, now he is

practically converted and he is only preaching about Krishna, and he has done

that from the beginning--I think you knew him in London also, so you know how

he is helping us push on the preaching-- " SP letter to Mukunda, Bombay India,

Dec 27, 72

George and Symasundara das

"Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated

7th May, 1970, written on Hare Krishna stationery of George Harrison. My hearty

thanks are to George Harrison because now he is chanting Hare Krsna so

enthusiastically. May Krsna bless him more and more, and he may advance in

Krsna consciousness." SP letter to Shymasundara, LA, May 14, 1970

----

"Regarding Rathayatra Festival in London, it is my great desire that you must

perform it. I hope you have already secured permission from Scotland Yard in

this connection. You will be glad to know that Mr. John Lennon had an interview

with Vibhavati, and a nice article was published in the Montreal Star in which

it is understood that he also is interested in our Krishna Consciousness

Movement. You have already spoken about George Harrison, about his leaning

towards Krishna Consciousness, and I understand they are anxious for some peace

movement in the world. So when I go there, and if these interested young men

talk with me, I think something very important may come by our mutual

cooperation. So in your next letter as indicated in your letter under reply, I

shall expect your final word as to when you like

me to start for London." ~ S.P. Letter to Shyamasundara, New Vrindaban, 12 June, 1969

This picture appeared in our Back To Godhead magazine shortly after George left

his body. It was taken in 1994 at Friar Park Manor. From left to right:

Symasundara das, George, George's son Dhani, Mukunda Goswami, Guru Das, and

George's business manager Derek Taylor.

"Please convey my blessings to the others there. I was so glad to talk with them

the other day on the telephone. I enjoyed hearing their voices, and I was happy

that they were also very much pleased to hear me. I will be glad to hear if Mr.

George Harrison attended the love feast ceremony yesterday as I was informed he

would. Please continue to try and understand the essence of this Krishna

Consciousness movement, and try to convince others also of its importance." SP

letter to Jim Doody, L.A., Ca., 2/8/69

George, sitting like a yogi with japa beads in his bead bag for meditation on

the Holy Names of Hare Krishna.

"So as suggested by you I am deleting the words "of the famous Beatles", and

simply putting his name and his present transcendental change by chanting Hare

Krsna. In the Preface the one paragraph is being replaced by the following

words, suggested by him. 'If there is a God, I want to see Him. It's pointless

to believe in something without proof, and Krishna Consciousness and meditation

are methods where one can actually obtain `God perception.' You can actually see

God, and hear Him, play with Him. And He is actually there, actually with you.'

" SP letter to Shymasundara, LA, May 14, 1970

<p

----

---

"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your latest letter, undated,

along with two advance copies of Back to Godhead #46 and #47. I have handed over

these copies to Mr. George Harrison who is enjoying them very much. Yesterday he

has taken me to one 75-acre farm near London which he has found for our London

asrama." Srila Prabhupada Letter to BaliMardana dasa, London, Aug 5, 72.

----

Hari-sauri: This is Prabhupada's latest book just came out.George Harrison: Hare

Krsna. What was it he was saying? I thought you were going to read out of here

something about Krs-na, the two...Pradyumna: This was about the brahmacari in

the gurukula, in the school, what a young child should learn to practice.George

Harrison: Yes. But I thought you were saying something about the sound of the

two sounds of Krs and na.Prabhupada: Ah, krsneti varna-dvayi.Gurudasa: Ah, yes.

"I wish I had ten thousand ears to hear the sweet sound of Krsna, and ten

thousand tongues to say it."George Harrison: So this isn't..., I didn't get

this one?Mukunda: Not yet, no. That's latest. It just came out.George Harrison:

Seventh Canto, Part Three.Hari-sauri: They bring the first two

copies to Srila Prabhupada wherever he is. This we got in New York just before

we left.Gurudasa: It's right off the press.Prabhupada: These pictures are made

by our boys.George Harrison: Yes, beautiful.

Prabhupada: They are learning more and more.

SP Conversations with GH, July 26, 1976, London

.

Various jackets for the "Hare Krishna Mantra" recording including his guitar and

some vocals, produced - by George Harrison.

<

"I am very pleased to note that you have made such a nice recording of Hare

Krishna, which may be released by the Beatle's Company. If you are able to send

me a copy of this tape, that would be very nice." Srila Prabhupada letter to

Syamasundara, LA, Ca, July 31, 1969

----

Yamuna: The Hare Krsna mantra was number one in Czechoslovakia. We have one

record. I just chant Hare Krsna over and over, the maha-mantra, and in that

country it was the most popular of all records.

Prabhupada: In Germany also. We sold fifty thousand records in Germany. And

there is another record, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. That is also

selling very nicely. And recently another record you produced? What is that?

Yamuna: Yes, that will be a long-playing record, Srila Prabhupada. It's name is

Bhaja Hure Mana, Mana Hu Re.

Prabhupada: Ah, bhaja hure mana, sri nanda-nandana, abhaya-caranaravinda re.

Yamuna: And samsara prayers, vande 'ham prayers.

Prabhupada: So that is not yet out?

Yamuna: Well, from what I understood, Mr. Harrison wants to get it out before

Christmas, but I have not heard from Syamasundara what has developed.

Prabhupada: There is one boy, George Harrison. Perhaps you know his name. He is one of the Beatles.

Indian man (2): Harrison, yes.

Prabhupada: Harrison, yes. He paid me nineteen thousand dollars for my

publication work, and he is a very good boy. And he is helping in pushing on

our record. He is very popular.

Indian man (2): Very popular.

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. And he has got to sing with him. Yes. (break) ...in London

I was guest in one of the Beatles' palace. They have got each one a big, big

palace. So we shall all take leave, Maharaja. Thank you. (break), " ~ SP

Speech to Maharaja and Maharaini and Conversations Before and After, Indore,

Dec 11, 1970

Govinda record jacket

“In London, however, we get some income by sales of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record

and similarly in the U.S.A. we get some income by selling "Govinda" records and

other similar records. From London the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record has

worldwide sales. This is managed by Mr. George Harrison, the famous English

musician, who is my uninitiated devotee. This boy has paid me recently $19,000

for publishing my Krishna book. The whole amount will be required for

publishing the book in Japan”. Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Hanuman Prasad

Poddar, Los Angeles, 5 February, 1970

------

" I am so glad that Mr. Harrison is composing songs like "Lord which we so long

ignored". He is very thoughtful. When we actually meet, I shall be able to give

him thoughts about separation from Krishna, and they will be able to compose

very attractive songs for public receptions. The public is in need of such

songs, and if they are administered through nice agents like the Beatles, it

will surely be a great success. In your previous letter you advised me that Mr.

Harrison has desired to have me live in the house which they are counting to

give us because he has many questions to ask me. I am very much pleased to meet

persons who put sincere questions in the matter of Krishna Consciousness. So it

will be a great event if the Beatles try to

understand this science of Krishna Consciousness with intelligent questions and

try to understand it seriously. Anyway, I am expecting your next letter wherein

you will mention "at last, at last", as you had mentioned in your letter dated

January 2, 1969.

Please convey my hearty blessings to the others there with you. I hope this

finds you all in very good health.Your ever well-wisher,A. C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami

(SP Letter to Symasundara, L.A., CA, July 15, 1969)

------

Although this editorial by a devotee is from one of my newsletters, and I am

trying not to put duplicates here, I feel a couple would be acceptable and even

good to share. This next story is so spiritually beautiful -- I just had to. :-)

Y.S., Prtha d.d.

A STORY ABOUT GEORGE AND SRILA PRABHUPADA

by Nanda Kumar Das

Hare Krishna Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad. All glories

to Bhakta George Harrison, who is very dear to His Divine Grace.

I would like to share a story about their connection on one occasion in London.

I was traveling with Srila Prabhupad, as well as Syamasundar Das and Pradyumna

Das, in 1972 (I have a poor memory for dates. I believe this was the year).

Syamasundar was instrumental in connecting George with Srila Prabhupad and our

movement and had a lot of association with him. They were close friends.

I was in the secretary's office, which was more like a large closet off of

Prabhupad's quarters, typing letters, when a head popped in the door, and in a

very British accent, someone said, "Hello, is Syamasundar here?"

I looked over and said that he was out and would be back later. I went back to

my typing and then did a double take, as it was George. I got up and went over

to him and said that I would tell Prabhupad that he was here.

He said, very humbly, "No, no, I don't want to bother him."

I assured him that it would not be a bother, and I went into Prabhupad's room to

tell him that he was there. Prabhupad immediately said, "Oh! Have him come in."

I went back out and told George that he wanted to see him. He was removing his

socks and looked over at me and said, "I get so nervous when I am around His

Divine Grace."

I told him that I felt the same way. He had just shaved his beard and cut his

hair back to a Beatle's style, and he said, "I just got my hair cut to see

Prabhupad." He was so humble and unassuming. It was like being around a great

devotee. It was being around a great devotee.

He went into the room and closed the door. I could not stay outside, I had to go

in and see the exchange. I opened the door, and George was doing full dandavats

and offering both prayers to Prabhupad, with perfect pronunciation. Prabhupad

had an ear-to-ear smile. George got up and sat back by the door.

Prabhupad said "Come in, come in" and George edged forward towards Prabhupad's

desk, very shy and respectful. Prabhupad said "No, here, here" and patted the

asana he was sitting on. George came around his desk to the edge of his asana,

and Prabhupad reached out and pulled him into his chest, hugging him, laughing,

messing up his hair, and saying, "It is so good to see you. How is Patty?"

They had a wonderful conversation, where at one point George asked him if he

should move into the temple and shave his head. I believe he would have if

Prabhupad had said yes. But Prabhupad said emphatically "No! You have a great

gift for the world in your music. Just continue your music and Krishna will be

greatly pleased and He will bless you." Then he said "I will give you some

ideas for your songs" and he got out Srila Bhaktivinode's Songbook and went

over a number of the songs, reciting the translations for George.

It was soon after this that he wrote "My Sweet Lord." George came daily for a

week, along with Ravi Shankar, to have Prabhupad's darsan in the afternoon.

Ravi Shankar is a Bengali, so he and Prabhupad talked and laughed together as

Bengalis.

Of course, Srila Prabhupad's remnants were always a transcendental treasure for

all the devotees, and I was blessed to be able to distribute them after His

meals. During this week, when I would take the plates away, many of the temple

matajis would crowd around, asking "Could I have some of George's remnants,

please?"

I have remembered this story so many times over the years, with joy and great

respect for Bhakta George. He is truly a humble devotee and a great man. I am

currently living on Maui, where George had a home, and the stories from the

local people are all good. He spread goodness wherever he went. I am greatly

honored to have met him on that occasion, and I send him my love. There is no

doubt in my mind about where he is now. I hope to see him again.

Offered to the Vaishnavas with love and respect.

Your servant,Nanda Kumar Das

George: "...Prabhupada's definitely affected the world in an absolute way. What

he was giving us was the highest literature, the highest knowledge. I mean

there just isn't anything higher." ---- SP: "There is no difference

between chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and meeting Krsna eye to eye, face to

face. Simply one has to realize." ~ Srila Prabhupada, Bombay India, 1-12-73

Mukunda: In one of his books, Prabhupada said that your sincere service was

better than some people who had delved more deeply into Krishna consciousness

but could not maintain that level of commitment. How did you feel about this?

George: Very wonderful, really. I mean it really gave me hope, because as they

say, even one moment in the company of a divine person, Krishna's pure devotee,

can help a tremendous amount.

And I think Prabhupada was really pleased at the idea that somebody from outside

of the temple was helping to get the album made. Just the fact that he was

pleased was encouraging to me. I knew he liked "The Hare Krishna Mantra"

record, and he asked the devotees to play that song "Govinda." They still play

it, don't they?

Mukunda: Every temple has a recording of it, and we play it each morning when

the devotees assemble before the altar, before kirtana. It's an ISKCON

institution, you might say.

George: And if I didn't get feedback from Prabhupada on my songs about Krishna

or the philosophy, I'd get it from the devotees. That's all the encouragement I

needed really. It just seemed that anything spiritual I did, either through

songs, or helping with publishing the books, or whatever, really pleased him.

The song I wrote, "Living in the Material World," as I wrote in I, Me, Mine,

was influenced by Shrila Prabhupada. He's the one who explained to me how we're

not these physical bodies. We just happen to be in them.

Like I said in the song, this place's not really what's happening. We don't

belong here, but in the spiritual sky:

As l'm fated for the material worldGet frustrated in the material worldSenses

never gratifiedOnly swelling like a tideThat could drown me in the material

worldThe whole point to being here, really, is to figure a way to get out.

That was the thing about Prabhupada, you see. He didn't just talk about loving

Krishna and getting out of this place, but he was the perfect example. He

talked about always chanting, and he was always chanting. I think that that in

itself was perhaps the most encouraging thing for me. It was enough to make me

try harder, to be just a little bit better. He was a perfect example of

everything he preached.

~ From "Chant and Be Happy." (See link below.)

----

"When I remember all of you in London, as well as George Harrison, I become very

happy because the combination is very much hopeful. I am so glad to learn that

George has said, "I don't want to make nonsense records any more." This version

of George I consider very valuable. His popularity and his great talent can be

very nicely utilized by producing such nice records as "Govinda," instead of

producing something nonsense. In our Vaisnava literature there are hundreds and

thousands of nice purportful songs, and if those songs, under George's

supervision, are recorded, I think it will bring a great revolution in the

record making business. SP Letter to Gurudasa, LA, March 15, 1970

..

George ecstatically chanting on Apple's rooftop with devotees in England.

David Lawrence: I feel that students need to be able to see that somebody who is

God conscious can really, really enjoy life.

Prabhupada: Oh yes. Certainly. That is life. This is not life. Harav abhaktasya

kuto mahad-gunah. Life means with high qualities. So one who is not God

conscious, they cannot have any good qualities. It is not possible. Harav

abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah. He's simply hovering on the mental plane. Asati

dhavato bahih. And he has to come to these non-permanent things, material

things. Asati. Asati ma sad gama. The Vedic injunction is, "Don't stick to this

asat. Try to come to the sat, eternal." Tamasi ma jyotir gama. These are the...

"Don't remain in the darkness. Come to the light."

David Lawrence: That was one track on George's record which really, really got

through to our boys, I think. "Light, is it? Light of the World."

Syamasundara: "Light, there is, Light of the World." (?)

David Lawrence: Really...

Prabhupada: So his record has become very successful.

Syamasundara: Number one everywhere. In America.

Prabhupada: Now, even they are appreciating.

David Lawrence: Very successful even with one boy, you see. That's success, isn't it?

Prabhupada: Yes, yes.

Syamasundara: He likes to hear it.

Prabhupada: "I am in material world."

Syamasundara: We get letters from all over the world addressed to George

Harrison care of Radha-Krsna Temple London. (laughter) From Poland, from behind

the Iron Curtain even. Russia, China, every place, they send.

Prabhupada: And he has mentioned my Bhagavad-gita in my name also.

David Lawrence: Yes.

Prabhupada: In the in...? What is that?

Syamasundara: In the insert, in the record insert.

David Lawrence: Yes. In fact, when they picked up my copy of the Bhagavad-gita

As It Is, which was on my desk, two or three boys immediately said, "Ah, that's

on the George Harrison L.P."

Prabhupada: He has very intelligently connected.

David Lawrence: Yes, yes. It was there.

Prabhupada: This Krsna consciousness movement with his...

Syamasundara: He doesn't want to do it overtly because they will think he is

crazy. So he's doing gradually.

David Lawrence: Very gradually.

Syamasundara: Yes.

Prabhupada: And what is that song, "I am not the same..."?

Syamasundara: Something. "I'm not the same..."

Prabhupada: "I have changed."

David Lawrence: Oh yes. "I've changed."

Syamasundara: "Somehow I'm..."

David Lawrence: "Somehow I've changed."

Syamasundara: Yes. "My friends all criticize me for the change, but I don't care."

Prabhupada: But he's not loser. He's gainer. (laughter) He's gainer. That he can

understand. And he's determined. He says, "Even if I am loser, I don't mind."

David Lawrence: If commercial success went, he wouldn't worry.

Prabhupada: Yes.

David Lawrence: Well, I mean these sort of riches is just unfathomable, aren't they?

Prabhupada: Hm. (Break) (end)"

Room Conversation, Srila Prabhupada & David Lawrence, July 73

George in 97, playing harmonium at Bhaktivedanta Manor, the temple he donated to

Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.

TO:

George Harrison

c.o Bhaktivedanta Manor,

My dear Sriman George,

Please accept my blessings. I would be very much pleased if you can meet me

the next time that I am in London. I am scheduled to be there from July 20th to

July 26th, 1976, and for further details you can contact Mukunda das. I am

looking forward to seeing you again.

Hoping that this meets you in good health." SP letter, New Vrndavana, 1976

...

[NOTE: The following is their meeting.]

.

.

George Harrison and Srila Prabhupada:

London Room Conversation, July 26, 1976 (Prabhupada is very hoarse)George

Harrison: How do you feel?Prabhupada: I have old man's disease, cough and cold,

so coughing. But still, work is going on, and I shall complete eighty years this

month. September, eighty-one. So now, due to age, it is becoming little

difficult.George Harrison: Yes.Prabhupada: Anyway, by the grace of Krsna.... So

how are you?George Harrison: Quite good.Prabhupada: Chanting is going on?George

Harrison: Yes.Prabhupada: Thank you. That is our life and soul. Grhe va vanete

thake, 'ha gauranga'

bole dake. Wherever you live, it doesn't matter, chant Hare Krsna. That's all.

That is our only support. So bring food here.Jayatirtha: We should have the

lunch here?Prabhupada: Yes.George Harrison: All the devotees are looking really

good.Prabhupada: Eh?George Harrison: The devotees are looking great.

Strong.Prabhupada: (laughs) Yes. Phalena pariciyate. By the result, one has to

study. Yesterday, one devotee's father and mother came, Hari-sauri. She and his

father were very pleased to see him healthy, bright.Mukunda: They hadn't seen

him for six years.Prabhupada: Six years, yes. So we are inviting everyone,

"Come here. Such a nice house given by George (laughs). You live here

comfortably, eat nicely, and chant Hare Krsna." We don't

want any factory work.George Harrison: No.Prabhupada: (laughs) Simply kartal and

mrdanga. Still, people do not come. They'll prefer to go the factory, whole day

work in the hell. (laughs) They prefer.George Harrison: I suppose some day the

whole of the world will just be chanting in the country.Prabhupada: That is not

possible, but if some of the leading men, they take it seriously, then others

will follow. Just like in our book, your signature is there, "Oh, George

Harrison. Yes." They take it without any consideration. Krsna book. Yad yad

acarati sresthas tad tad evetaro janah. If the leading man does something, then

his followers also do. This is the way. So if some of the leading men of the

world, they take this movement seriously, then people will be happy. There's no

doubt about it. You have come alone, without any associate?George Harrison: Just

on

my own.Prabhupada: That's all right.George Harrison: It took me a while to find

it. They're always building new roads everywhere and change the whole

countryside. So I got a little lost.Prabhupada: You came here twice,

right?George Harrison: Yes, I've been here three times. Where will you be in

India when you go back to India?Prabhupada: Most probably in Bombay. You have

been in my Bombay?George Harrison: I was going to go to Bombay. Yes, Bombay and

Vrndavana when they were just building.Prabhupada: Oh, Vrndavana, if you come

there, stay for some time.George Harrison: Yes, well, ah, this

December...Prabhupada: We have got very nice houses, both in Bombay and

Vrndavana. And

Mayapur also. Wherever you like. You will not be very uncomfortable.George

Harrison: I was going to go to Bombay for a wedding. Some friends are getting

married.Prabhupada: When?George Harrison: December the fifth, I

think.Prabhupada: Very nice season in Bombay. Best time.George Harrison: You

know, I think you met Laksmi Shankar, lady singer? Her daughter, who is also a

singer, Viji, Viji Sri Shankar, and she's marrying a South Indian violin

player, L. Shankar.Prabhupada: He's also Shankar?George Harrison: Well, he's

called L. Shankar. You know that South India they have a funny way around them,

they have like a surname. He's just called L. Shankar. His brother is called L.

Subhramanyam.Devotee (1): George says he wants to spend some time in

Vrndavana.George Harrison: I was only there

for about thirty-six hours last time.Prabhupada: We have got now very good

centers. Another gentleman, he's offering us a very good place at

Mahabalesvara. That's one of the famous India stations. A very nice climate. So

you can come and stay there. We have got now many good centers.George Harrison:

I'll come and see if you're in Bombay, because I'll be near where the temple

is.Prabhupada: Yes. Bombay is just like garden. As good as your place here. No.

Not so big. It is seventeen acres, and Bombay is five. Just go on. (prasadam

being served) Give him whatever you have got to give. But don't give much. When

he wants something more.... Waste not, want not. Give more, that preparation,

you should give more. (laughter) That is called (indistinct). You can bring it,

prasada.George Harrison: I'll just wash my hands.

#ffff66">Prabhupada: You can wash here. The sink is there. Here is also water.

You can put the bowls outside, here, so that there will be sufficient place.

Our Indian system is like this. That's all right. Sit down, you also sit

down.George Harrison: I see you've done new books. You've been so busy, there's

so many books.Prabhupada: Yes. There are already fifty-four, and another at

least thirty books I have to finish before my death. (laughs) That I am....

Give him a puri. Where is Ravi Shankar?George Harrison: He's in.... I think

he's in New York. He'll be here the first of August, and then I think

he's...Prabhupada: He has got his house there? In New York?George Harrison: No,

just a house in Benares. Benares. He doesn't have anything. He just stays in

hotels.Prabhupada: I thought in

Washington somebody told me that George Washing..., George Harrison has got his

house here.George Harrison: Yes, he had a little house here, but

he...Prabhupada: No, you have got your house in Washington?George Harrison:

No.Prabhupada: No. Now we can begin.George Harrison: Okay, Hare Krsna.Gurudasa:

Nimbu-pani?Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. You give him two more samosas, he likes it.

So now you can begin also. Yes. All the boys and girls are so nicely qualified

for Krsna's service.George Harrison: They are looking better and better all the

time. It's nice for me to see Gurudasa. He's turning into a mountain.

(laughter)Prabhupada: His wife has also sannyasi, renounced. Have you seen her

latest?George Harrison: No.

black; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff66">Prabhupada: She has cut hair and white dress,

living alone in the temple. Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam. This bhakti-yoga

means vairagya-vidya, means detachment. That is the perfection of life. If we

remain attached, that is conditional. Maya has made so many things attractive

so that we have to remain attached, and to come out of this attachment is

called bhakti. So one man, you can sit down, you can eat. Pradyumna, you can

eat.Pradyumna: I've taken some milk before.Prabhupada: Oh, you don't require.

Now you can eat, go on. Prasada prapti matrena. Our Jayatirtha prabhu is a good

manager. Management, looking after. Yes, he's a very good manager,

experienced.George Harrison: Hm?Prabhupada: He's experienced

manager.Jayatirtha: Not very good managing this place now.George Harrison:

Well, it seems okay. Seems to be

taken over pretty good. Peacefully.Prabhupada: He was also managing Los Angeles.

Now we have brought him here to see things nicely managed.George Harrison: It

feels good, nice vibrations.Prabhupada: Yes. One thing, Jayatirtha, why don't

you sprinkle this water in this ground?Jayatirtha: Well, we do sprinkle

it.Prabhupada: Just have an ordinary pumping, then it will be green.Jayatirtha:

There's a kind of a limit on the amount of water pressure you can get these

days.Prabhupada: Limit?George Harrison: There's been a drought in England,

there's no, very little water.Prabhupada: This is very dangerous. Everything is

now yellow.Jayatirtha: It's greener here than most places

around, but...George Harrison: Everything's so dry this year, lots of trees and

things dying without water.Prabhupada: That is the punishment for this age. It

is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. There will be scarcity of rain and there

will be scarcity of food and heavy taxation by government. And people will

become mad on account of these three things. Anavrsti, durbhiksa,

karopi.(?)George Harrison: It's getting dryer in England each year. It's

probably going to end up as a desert in another hundred years.Prabhupada: They

expect like that?George Harrison: Well, I don't know. I think the whole world's

changing. Somebody said it's the pollution, leaves so much..., there's so much

of the oceans now with polluted and with oil on the top, there's not so much

evaporation anymore.Prabhupada: Not in the

ocean. It is the sinful activities of the populace. That is real problem. They

are all engaged in sinful activities. Especially this innocent animal killing.

These are the all reaction.Gurudasa: In New York they had one island of refuse

floated in to shore. For years they were building up island of refuse, and it

floated in, and now no one can go to the beaches.Prabhupada: Samosa. Where is

samosa? There is only one left?George Harrison: I'm okay, actually.Devotee (2):

There is sour cream.George Harrison: I've got plenty, thanks.Prabhupada:

Prasada, we can eat up to the neck. (laughter) There is no harm. You'll never

get indigestion. You have got some fruits?George Harrison: Yes.Mukunda: There's

a very nice mango preparation there, did you taste?George Harrison: Which

one?Mukunda: Mango.George Harrison: Oh, this one.Prabhupada: One German girl

has prepared. We are introducing restaurants like this, and people are liking

very much. We have got one restaurant in Hawaii, another restaurant we are

organizing in Boston. That is being directly done by Alfred. You have met

Alfred?Gurudasa: Alfred Ford, the grandson of Henry Ford.George Harrison: No,

I've never met him.Prabhupada: Oh. He is also a very nice boy. Of course,

younger than you. He's only twenty-four years. What is your age now?George

Harrison: Thirty-three.Prabhupada: Thirty-three. That boy is also very nice

young boy. Give Jayatirtha? No?George Harrison: Do you feed everybody who comes

Sunday?Prabhupada: Sunday we have about five hundred to one thousand.George

Harrison: So they must cook for

days to feed all those people.Gurudasa: No, day before, night before.George

Harrison: Do they bring food as well?Gurudasa: They bring grains or something

like that.Prabhupada: We had a very gorgeous Ratha-yatra ceremony in New York

last Sunday.George Harrison: Hm?Prabhupada: Sunday, eighteenth.Pusta Krsna: A

week ago yesterday.Prabhupada: Give...Gurudasa: We fed about ten thousand that

day.Prabhupada: Cauliflower. Take little.George Harrison: I can't finish.

(laughter) I'm trying to finish one so I can start on the next. I was sick also

lately. I had something, I went yellow. I had jaundice. Don't know why, just had

food poisoning or something, and it affected my liver.

#ffff66">Prabhupada: Who cooks for you?George Harrison: Sometimes me, sometimes,

ah.... I don't know, I think we'd had some Chinese food.Prabhupada: Oh, you

should not take.George Harrison: Because I was working as well, so I, you know

I think I was pretty tired.Prabhupada: Better you cook simple food yourself and

take it.George Harrison: The only thing I could eat was papaya.Prabhupada:

Papaya is very good, yes.George Harrison: I still have...Prabhupada: Give him,

give him, give him. No, that is the different. Oh, all right. We are just

attempting a big planetarium in Mayapur. We have asked government to acquire

land, 350 acres. That is negotiation going on. We shall give a Vedic

planetarium.George Harrison: Is that the one

you were talking about? With all the...Prabhupada: In the Fifth Canto.Gurudasa:

The planetarium will be 350 feet high and show the cosmology of the spiritual

world.Prabhupada: The construction will be like your Washington capital, like

that.George Harrison: A big dome.Prabhupada: Yes. Estimated eight crores of

rupees. Is there any dahi preparation? Oh, that's all right. Now, there is

fruit. You...George Harrison: Very good. Fantastic. Maybe just a little bit of,

but now I'm not.... Thanks. That's fine. No, okay, thanks, fine, that's enough,

that's fine.Prabhupada: That watermelon, you can give. It is water.George

Harrison: Now let me finish all this.Prabhupada: This is that

mango preparation.George Harrison: Okay.Devotee (2): It's coming.Prabhupada: You

like that preparation? Yes.George Harrison: We used to have this with milk at

Hrsikesa. Every day they'd leave outside of the door. It's good. Do you,

Mukunda, break even with all the costs, running cost? Do you do okay with all

this food, fruit and stuff?Mukunda: Oh, yes. More than even. We have about

thirteen hundred life members in the Indian community. And then when they come

on the weekends they bring food, they bring these hundred pound donations,

money in the box.George Harrison: At one time you just had the Godhead and

incense.Mukunda: Yes, now it's all public support.Jayatirtha: We don't sell

incense anymore.Mukunda: And the books we just sell for very little; we hardly

make any money on them at all.Prabhupada: Are you reading sometimes my books?

Which one?George Harrison: Mainly Krsna.Prabhupada: That is the main book.

(laughs)George Harrison: Mukunda gave me the new books, but there's so much in,

ah, there's just so much to read.Prabhupada: Philosophy.George Harrison: I don't

know how anybody could have written it, it's difficult enough to read all that

amount.Prabhupada: Sometimes they are surprised how one man can write so many

books, but it is Krsna's grace. Otherwise not possible. Human being, it is not

possible.Mukunda: That one series of books I brought you, the

Caitanya-caritamrta.Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Hari-sauri? There is no sweet

melon.Mukunda: And every single word is written by hand, five hundred years

ago.

#ffff66">Prabhupada: You are in the same house?George Harrison: Hm?

Henley.Prabhupada: Henley, yes. Very nice house.George Harrison: Hm, very nice.

I work from the house. I have a studio, recording studio in the house. So I

don't have to go to London anymore.Prabhupada: Oh, you have all arrangement

there. That's very nice. How many acres?George Harrison: It's about

thirty-five.Prabhupada: Oh, very good area.Devotee (2): Do you get

(indistinct).Mukunda: Yes, only five hundred pounds.Devotee (2): Really?

Amazing.George Harrison: Five hundred pounds!Mukunda: Yes, for four

acres.George Harrison: That's quite cheap.Mukunda: Yes, we were really

surprised. But if it hadn't been for that, we'd have had no cow pasture. Cows

are out there.

BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff66">Prabhupada: We have got one cow, many cows in

Philadelphia. The milk bags, she gives hundred and two pounds daily.George

Harrison: Of milk? Who owns this? Who milks the cows?Gurudasa: Some of the

devotees.Prabhupada: We have got tanks for storing milk, tanks.George Harrison:

Yes?Prabhupada: Yes. All up-to-date refrigerator and everything. That extra milk

they are selling. Similarly, in New Vrindaban we are getting one thousand pounds

milk daily. One thousand pounds.Mukunda: That's our place in West

Virginia.George Harrison: How many cows? Must be hundred of them.Prabhupada:

But the Philadelphia is more organized.Jayatirtha: Yes.Prabhupada: Through the

nozzles, milk carrying, always hot water is

washing it.Jayatirtha: There's much better facility in that Pennsylvania place.

New Vrindaban's kind of.... They built it up from scratch by

themselves.Gurudasa: Rustic.Jayatirtha: Yes, rustic is the word. (laughter)

Pennsylvania they bought this fabulous farm all made up.Prabhupada: Pradyumna,

give him little, this one here.George Harrison: Oh, no, no. Please, no more.

I'm really full. I won't have to eat for a few days. (laughter)Prabhupada:

Sweets.George Harrison: Very well.Prabhupada: Sweet will help you digest. Don't

give three--at least four.George Harrison: I won't be able to eat much

more.Prabhupada: Three is given to the enemy. According to our Indian system,

if you give somebody three, that means he is

enemy.George Harrison: Oh, really? I always liked the number three.Prabhupada:

(laughs) You must give at least four.George Harrison: I like three, five,

seven, nine. Those numbers.Prabhupada: Bring some fruit. What are the three

enemies? Kama, krodha...Pradyumna: Lobha.Gurudasa: Lust, anger,

greed.Prabhupada: Three enemies--lusty desire, anger and greediness.George

Harrison: Yes. But there's a lot of nice threes.Prabhupada: Yes. Just like

Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara. Three worlds, sankha, martya, padma. Trinity. These

are nice things.George Harrison: Tri-guna.Prabhupada: Tri-guna, yes.Jayatirtha:

The three modes, they're not so nice.George Harrison: Well, they're

all necessary.Jayatirtha: Yes.George Harrison: I met, I think, one of your

master's other devotees, I forget his name. Gosvami, big, in Vrndavana, big,

tall, with a staff, bald hair. Said you knew his name?Gurudasa:

Purusottama?George Harrison: Purusottama? Yes.Mukunda: In Vrndavana.Prabhupada:

He's not a sannyasi.George Harrison: Pardon?Prabhupada: He's not sannyasi.George

Harrison: Oh, well, the one I met had a staff. Maybe it was a different

one.Gurudasa: Madhava Maharaja maybe.Prabhupada: Maybe Madhava.Jayatirtha: He's

big.Prabhupada: He's my Godbrother.George Harrison: Yes, but he didn't speak

English. But all the people I was with said he spoke very good Sanskrit, had a

good understanding of Sanskrit. But

I couldn't understand anything that he, you know.... I just watched

him.Pradyumna: I think Purusottama Gosai.Prabhupada: He's talking of

Purusottama.Pradyumna: Gosai.Prabhupada: He's blackish?George Harrison:

No.Prabhupada: Not fair complexion. Purusottama.George Harrison: I think he was

fair, but he was very tall, very big, and you know, like this, huge size. You

know that place where I stayed the night?Pradyumna: That's his place,

Purusottama Gosai.Gurudasa: He's not a sannyasi.Prabhupada: He's not sannyasi,

he is householder.Jayatirtha: He's married man.George Harrison: Yes, he had....

His son lived there.Jayatirtha: Yes.George Harrison: But maybe he's taken, I

don't know, I thought he had a danda, one of

those staffs. I saw the little temple in the garden, Krsna and Radha, where they

stay in bed. It's like a bed like this. You know the one?Pradyumna: Nidhuvana

Mandir.Prabhupada: Nidhuvana.George Harrison: I saw that, where He's been out

all night so He doesn't get up until ten o'clock in the morning.Prabhupada: You

have not seen our temple since it is inaugurated? No.George Harrison:

No.Prabhupada: This time you come. Many thousands people come to see

daily.George Harrison: I saw the photograph, looks really nice. It's

big.Gurudasa: Now they say it's the most beautiful modern temple in

Vrndavana.Prabhupada: You have seen our.... There is any film of the

temple?Gurudasa: No, but there's photographs.Jayatirtha: We have a nice

photograph at the reception room downstairs.George Harrison: Actually it was

half built.Gurudasa: Yes. Even the building you went into, there's more, the

roof.Prabhupada: That courtyard is very beautiful. There is a tamala tree. That

is a very valuable tree. The Bisanchand Seth asked me to cut.Gurudasa: Yes, I

remember.Prabhupada: What a nonsense, such a.... He has no idea. Now, on

account of that tree, it looks so beautiful.Hari-sauri: It is, it's very

wonderful. The whole tree has flourished since the temple began.Gurudasa: We

planned the whole temple around that tree. The whole plans.George Harrison:

It's a big old tree?Pradyumna: Tree's just in the courtyard of the temple, so

we left it there.Gurudasa: Same color as Krsna, syama. Like a fresh rain cloud

color. So when Radharani sees the tree, She thinks of Krsna. So when we see the

tree we think of Krsna. And Srila Prabhupada sits underneath the tree and

watches.Prabhupada: Radharani in separation was embracing that tree, tamala

tree. And they say that in Vrndavana, only there are four tamala trees

left.Gurudasa: Yes, they've said four or six. Very few.George Harrison: Is this

tree still living?Devotees: Yes, it's alive.George Harrison: My compliments to

the chef. (laughter)Prabhupada: What is this water?Hari-sauri:

Lemonade.Prabhupada: Is there any more?Hari-sauri: I just took it out. I can

get some.Prabhupada: Bring little. So I am very much pleased that you take so

much trouble to come here.George Harrison: It's my pleasure.

black; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff66">Prabhupada: Yes, give a little for drinking.

You want little more?George Harrison: Are you ever going to stop

traveling?Prabhupada: That is Krsna's desire. I don't want, personally, but if

Krsna wants, that is everything. We have got more hundred and two centers,

different parts of the world.George Harrison: Still six more to go.Prabhupada:

Yes. (laughter) We have got a very nice house in Detroit. If you sometimes go

there...George Harrison: Whereabouts?Prabhupada: Detroit.George Harrison: Ah,

Detroit. They need one there. Crazy place.Jayatirtha: Heavy place.Prabhupada:

That house was constructed fifty years ago at the cost of six million dollars,

and we have got it very cheap. Three hundred

thousand dollars.George Harrison: Was it a big house?Hari-sauri: A very big

mansion on the riverside.George Harrison: Colonial house?Prabhupada: Not as

big--four acres of land--but the building is very costly. One room will cost

now three hundred thousand dollars. So nicely made.Hari-sauri: They estimated

it would cost about fifteen million to build such a house now.George Harrison:

Yes, they probably wouldn't even bother or be able to, at least. Is it an old

house?Hari-sauri: Fifty years old. It's very solid, though, very good condition

as well.Prabhupada: And on the house on bottom, there is river. Not directly,

but an offshoot of river. People come, rowing. A very nice situation, and

because it is black quarter, nobody was purchasing. So I said that "For us,

what is black or white? Purchase it." So we got very cheap. At that time I paid

them hundred and fifty thousand, and (indistinct). So we purchased.George

Harrison: Did they find a temple in Hamburg? In Hamburg. I was there once, but

they just had a little tiny house, and they were trying to get

another.Prabhupada: Hamburg, I think closed?Jayatirtha: They have a place in

Frankfurt, where the devotees are.... Just outside Frankfurt.George Harrison:

So they haven't got a place in Hamburg.Jayatirtha: No, it's a heavy city.George

Harrison: I was there one year when they were having fights. It's...Jayatirtha:

Rockers. It's a heavy place.Mukunda: Rockers.George Harrison: It is full of

gangs.Prabhupada: And we have got another palace, what is that

village?Jayatirtha: South of Paris? That one?Prabhupada: No, France.Jayatirtha:

Yes, south of Paris. It's near

a place called Valancey. Very nice place.Pradyumna: French chateau.Mukunda: It's

on about 250 acres.George Harrison: Really?Mukunda: Huge fields, beautiful

place. Show you a picture of it.George Harrison: Yes. So that's one of the

goals now, one hundred and eight temples.Jayatirtha: Should be able to do it

this year, I think.Prabhupada: Eh?Jayatirtha: Should have a hundred and eight

this year, I think.Hari-sauri: Centers. One hundred and eight

centers.Prabhupada: Oh.Hari-sauri: Temples and farms.Prabhupada: We want

worker. Otherwise, Krsna is giving us so many centers. In India I can get so

many places, but how to manage? Simply taking from persons, and if I cannot

manage nicely, that does not look well. Therefore I say first of all get men,

then take donation. There is no

harm. How many devotees were living here?Jayatirtha: There's about a hundred,

Srila Prabhupada.Prabhupada: Yes, then it is all right. And if there was no

devotees, ten devotees, then how could we manage?Jayatirtha: We have about

fifteen devotees that work full time on the grounds.Prabhupada: So what is the

difficulty sprinkling water that quarter? It is costly?Jayatirtha: We'll try to

sprinkle more, but there's a lack of water pressure.Prabhupada: No, pressure, by

pump.George Harrison: That's what we have, we had a little Honda pump, but you

had to start it off. It's a gasoline engine, I think. And put one pipe into the

lake and just pump out of the lake, and then you have a sprinkler on the other

side. Makes a noise, though, that's the

only thing. Makes a noise and gives off an exhaust.Prabhupada: A pump for, say,

one hour, two hour.George Harrison: You could use the water out of the lake,

then nobody could really complain about that.Jayatirtha: That's how we'd have

to do it, I think.George Harrison: That probably wouldn't be enough, it

wouldn't take the level down. How do you fill that up?Mukunda: That's a natural

watershed. This is the lowest place in the area in about four miles every

direction. So we have all those underground water tables feeding it.Prabhupada:

If there is rain then there is no scarcity of water. The water comes here.

Yes.George Harrison: But how, when you drain it, then how did you stop it from

filling up?Mukunda: Well, it did fill up in the winter quite a bit, but then in

the summer it went back down. It's filled up now--we had to use city water to

get it started. But as soon as it rains it goes up about this far.Jayatirtha:

It's evaporated about six inches sinceMukunda: You don't have a well in your

place?George Harrison: No, just, well, that (indistinct) pond. Originally the

lakes all were filled just like this as well as flooding the drains, and when

it rained off the house everything would go, and we have a big storage tank,

and then there's ball cocks, and underneath that big bank of rhododendrons was

like a room built there, which was a storage tank. Then any other water he must

have used just from the mains. But these days, you know, they have meters on the

mains, so you have to pay for every gallon.Mukunda: What about getting those

water diviners to come and find water?George Harrison: Well, you can find it I

think anywhere if you just bore a hole. So what we did was just bore at the end

of the lake. But you have to go down to the depth of the riverbed, and there

there's not much water because the

rain, it's all chalk and limestone, so the rains.... That's the problem with

watering in the summer, if you put water...Prabhupada: From your house the

river is near?George Harrison: Yes.Prabhupada: Thames?George Harrison: Yes. But

then the Thames is here, and we're up on the hill, so we bored a hole right down

to the three hundred feet, I think, three hundred and fifty feet, to the level

of the river, and then a pump, we can pump that. But when it does rain or if

you do water the ground, it's so chalky that it runs right through it. So it's

hard to keep a lot of moisture in the water. But also at the same time all the

rain water runs through, then it hits the rock level of the riverbed, there

must be tons of water down there. We can pump out of there all day long for

months on end, and nothing seems to dry up.Jayatirtha: Fantastic.Mukunda: You

could

even do it by hand if you were out of electricity.George Harrison: The hole

is..., the bore is actually only about this wide. You can have a little bucket.

(laughter)Jayatirtha: You have to apply for permission, actually, to dig a well,

but around here at least you have to get permission.George Harrison: We did too.

You have to put your name on the list, public notice in the local papers, and if

somebody wants to complain about it, then they have a chance to. And once it's

been up there for a few days or a week or something, and if nobody's made any

formal complaint for any reason, like maybe they've got one and want to bore a

hole, and you may be (indistinct) there, so then you just go ahead. Then it's

all approved, and then your names goes on the list someplace in the county

surveyor's office. So you do have to go through a, you know, a couple of months

of waiting. Just to, say, bore a hole to replenish, and you have to just pay for

the cost to bore a hole and the

pump. To lay out electricity to where the pump is. The pump is, you know, just

in the ground, you can't even see it. You know, by that weeping willow

tree?Prabhupada: So if you want to take little rest, we can arrange for that.

Resting.George Harrison: Rest?Prabhupada: Yes, for you.George Harrison: No,

no.Jayatirtha: I think, Srila Prabhupada, you want to rest.George Harrison: You

take a rest.Prabhupada: I am taking rest now these twenty-four hours. I have no

other business than to take rest. (laughter)Jayatirtha: Always resting at the

lotus feet of Sri Krsna.Prabhupada: That is real rest.krsna

tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantamadyaiva visatu me

manasa-raja-hamsahprana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaihkanthavarodhana-vidhau

smaranam kutas teThe Mukunda-mala-stotra... There was a big emperor, Samrat(?),

Kulasekhara, emperor Kulasekhara, he was a great devotee. So he wrote some

poetry. Formerly, kings were so advanced, rajarsi. They are king, at the same

time, saintly persons. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said imam rajarsayo

viduh--this science of Bhagavad-gita was learned by the rajarsis. People were

happy therefore. The head, or the executive, they were all saintly persons. So

this Kulasekhara, he writes in the beginning of his poetry, "Krsna, O Krsna..."

Krsna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam. The pankaja means lotus flower. So

Krsna's lotus feet is just like lotus flower. The lotus flower has stem down,

and the swans, they take pleasure to go down the water and entangled by the

stem. Have you seen their pleasure? Yes. That is their great sporting, to be

entangled by the stem and come out, in this way,

go deep, this is their sporting. So this Kulasekhara is praying, "My Lord Krsna,

let my swan of mind be entangled with the stem of Your lotus feet." Krsna

tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam adyaiva: "Immediately"--visatu--"let enter."

Who? Adyaiva visatu me, "My," manasa-raja-hamsah, "my mind, which is just like

a swan." So why adyaiva, immediately? He says that prana-prayana-samaye, "At

the time of death," prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih, "when the physical

condition of the body will be in disorder," kapha, pitta, vayu will not be in

order.... Prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih kanthavarodha, "At that time

I shall not be able to speak. I'll 'ahn, ahn,' but that's all. So I may not be

able to chant Hare Krsna. Better I am now in good health, so let my mind be

entangled in the stem of Your lotus feet." Very nice poetry.krsna

tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantamadyaiva visatu me

manasa-raja-hamsahprana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaihkanthavarodhana-vidhau

smaranam kutas te"At that time I may be not able to utter 'Krsna' or think of

You, and now I am healthy, let me finish this business." That means "Let me die

immediately. Now I'm healthy, I'm quite fit." This is the ideal. Ante

narayana-smrtih. At the time of death, if one remembers Krsna, then his life is

successful. Immediately he goes to Krsna. Just like Ajamila. He chanted

"Narayana," and immediately his path to Vaikuntha become clear. So this

practice means, whatever we practice all through life, there is chance of

coming that remembrance at the time of death, and then it is successful, life

is success. If at the time of death one can remember Krsna, then his whole life

is successful. Our one student, Karttikeya, his mother was very fortunate. So

his mother had nothing to do with this Society, but the boy was attached, and

she heard several times "Krsna," that this boy is attached to Krsna. At the

time of her death, she asked her son, "Is your Krsna here?" and died.

Just see how fortunate she is. She simply uttered this word, "Is your Krsna

here?" then she died. Very fortunate. So on account of her son she got

salvation. Otherwise, Karttikeya told me that he went to see his mother, and

the mother was going to ball dance, and the mother did not receive him well.

"All right, you sit down. I'll come again." She was such lady. But by Krsna's

grace, at the time of death, she inquired her son, "Is your Krsna here?" Very

fortunate.George Harrison: When my mother died I had to send my sister and

father out of the room, because they were getting emotional, and I just chanted

Hare Krsna.Prabhupada: She chanted.George Harrison: I did.Prabhupada: Oh, very

nice, so she could hear?George Harrison: I don't know, I don't know, she was in

like a coma or something. It was the only thing I could think of.

BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff66">Prabhupada: When it happened?George Harrison: In

1970. It was the only thing I could think of that may be of value, you

know.Prabhupada: Anyway, if she has heard Hare Krsna, she'll get the benefit.

Either she chants or somebody chanting, if she hears, sravanam kirtanam, both

the same thing. Little chance. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato

bhayat. So let us practice in such a way that at the time of death we may

remember. That is success. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya. So

you are reading Krsna repeatedly? Krsna book you are reading repeatedly?George

Harrison: Well, you know, I read it every so often. I always take the Gita with

me wherever I go. I mean that's the one I just keep all the time. But you know,

I'll just sometimes read a little of something, a little bit of something else.

I've never been a great reader.

#ffff66">Prabhupada: (laughs) No, you have got chance here to think soberly. But

on account of your chanting "Krsna" so many people are chanting.George Harrison:

I don't think it's on my account.Prabhupada: No, they say "George chants Hare

Krsna." They say. Do they not?Mukunda: Yes.Prabhupada: And you have got many

thousands followers.George Harrison: It's nice, but I think we

all...Prabhupada: Anyway, you go on chanting. That will influence. There is a

poetry written by, I think in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Rupa Gosvami is

wondering, "I do not know what sweetness there is in these two words,

Krs-na."Gurudasa: The verse starts with priya, "dear."Prabhupada: Varna-dvayi.

You remember this verse? No jane, "What kind of nectar it is

there in these two words, Krs-na?" You have seen Deity today? No, it was

closed.George Harrison: It was closed.Jayatirtha: It's open again

now.Prabhupada: When it is open?Jayatirtha: It's open now, the arati is going

on.Prabhupada: Oh. Sometimes you can come and stay here, see the arati, at

least one day, whole program, how they are doing. What is the program whole

day?Jayatirtha: It starts at four-fifteen, the arati, then we worship

Tulasi-devi, chant japa and have class, and then prasadam eight-fifteen. Then

during the day we all work, and in the evening again, seven o'clock, everyone

comes together for the arati, class." ~ SP Conversations with GH, July 26,

1976, London

<George with devotees, 1969

By Sevanandi dasi: My god-brother, Sripad Sarvabhauma dasa Adhikari of Maui,

Hawaii, was kind enough to lend me his cassette recording for the following

transcription, which I pray will be pleasing to the devotees. Aspiring for the

service of the Vaisnavas, Sevanandi dasiTridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta

Swami PrabhupadaA UNIQUE ROOM CONVERSATIONJuly, 1974[George Harrison:]

Syamasundara and I were talking just on the way here, and it's like when you

commit yourself to something, in a way it's like putting your head on the

chopping block.[Prabhupada:] Not chopping block.[George Harrison:] Because

somebody can turn around and chop it off, or it may be you're lucky and it

doesn't get chopped off. I find that the more commitment I've made, though it's

such a

little commitment relatively speaking, it's such a little one, now I'm getting

in the area where I find that people are...it provokes...[srila Prabhupada:]

Thoughts.[George Harrison:] Sometimes it provokes bad reactions.[syamasundara

dasa:] Sometimes people become agitated by his words.[srila Prabhupada:]

Murkhayo 'padeso hi prakopaya na santaye. There is a verse, which states that

if one is foolish and if you give him good instruction, he becomes angry. Payam

panam bhujanganam kevalam visa-vardhanam. The example is given that if you keep

a snake and give him milk, the result will be that his poison will be

increased. Sometimes it happens that if one is foolish and you give him good

advice, he becomes angry. But has it happened like that? No, I don't think

so.[George Harrison:] I can feel that a little animosity comes from people who,

and I don't know for what reason, but people...[srila Prabhupada:]

Enviousness.[George Harrison:] And in some ways the more committed you are to

the thing, and the stronger you are in what you do, then the stronger the

animosity.[srila Prabhupada:] The other side[George Harrison:] Sometimes I get

the feeling that maybe there's one person who it means something real to and

ten people who it doesn't mean anything to; and I'm not sure how or if it all

balances out in the end.[syamasundara dasa:] But if you reach one

person...[George Harrison:] But say you don't reach any people, and then you

have a choice of reaching people, and you only reach one, and by reaching that

one you have twenty people who are annoyed.[srila Prabhupada:] Yes, sometimes

it

happens.[syamasundara dasa:] His question is that if you preach and you meet

many men, ten men, you may make nine of them enemies but one will become helped

by your preaching. So how is that...[George Harrison:] But if you don't say

anything, then maybe all ten of them are quite friendly.[syamasundara dasa:] So

how is that beneficial?[srila Prabhupada:] Yes, the preaching is different. You

see, when one preaches he must tell the truth - just like Lord Jesus Christ.

People did not like his preaching, but he did not stop his preaching. That is

another point. In the preaching propaganda there is possibility of creating

animosity. Yes, there is possibility. Unnecessarily, some of my god-brothers

[unclear - in a certain temple], although we are innocent, we are simply

worshipping, we have given them money, and everything is all right, but they

are creating some animosity.Especially in God

consciousness such things are possible, you see? We have to pay sometimes. Even

Prahlada Maharaja. He was a five-year old boy, and his only fault was his Krsna

consciousness. His father became his enemy, what to speak of others. Because his

father did not like God consciousness, he became the enemy of his child, even

though the child was only five years old. So there is possibility of such

things.[syamasundara dasa:] Those who take the biggest risk for Krsna, even

though they stand the risk of losing everything, Krsna always comes to help and

protect them.[srila Prabhupada:] That is the history of everyone. Just like the

Pandavas. They were bereft of their kingdom, bereft of their wife, they were

insulted, so many things. Still, at last they came out victorious. Arjuna and

Yudhisthira. And the other party was defeated the Kuruksetra war. That is fact;

Krsna protects His devotee. That mercy is there. Kaunteya

pratijanahi na me bhaktah pranasyati .So you have this record album, Living in

the Material World, and I heard that it was appreciated by so many people. Even

one teacher was telling me...[syamasundara dasa:] Our teacher came to visit

Prabhupada. He said he played your record in his classroom, he teaches

religious education, and they were standing, the children, and one of them

began to pray. It had a great effect.[George Harrison:] There is one song in

particular, which is directly the result of the conversation we had when you

came...[srila Prabhupada:] Yes, in your house.[George Harrison:] About fame and

fortune and...[srila Prabhupada:] So the record is now received well there...

the people are seeking after something, about spiritual enlightenment. That's a

fact.

Especially in the Western world. That is a fact. We have to administer very

cautiously and carefully, and then it will be taken. One thing is when you

speak of restrictions, the four principles, that is when they become angry.

Because everyone is addicted to these things. ~ July, 1974p>.

KRISHNA BOOK ~ WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIEND: GEORGE

Though I have used the following editorial in one of my newsletters, since not

every person will get to each and every newsletter, I felt it would be all

right to put this topic-related story here. It's a spiritual editorial that

sure makes one think! <s> And it is the story of how George decided to help out

with the publication of "Krishna Book" in a most interesting way. ~ Y.S,

Prtha dd

MEMORIES OF GEORGE HARRISON - Editorial, Dec 1 02 (VNN)By Shymasundara

DasaEDITORIAL, Dec 4 (VNN) — The following memories of George Harrison by

Shyamasundar dasa were recorded in Vrndavana, India in November of 1999. They

were part of Shyamasundar's memories of Srila Prabhupada who obviously had a

great influence on George's life:Prabhupada treated George like an old, old,

friend. (Tears up) I spent some time with George this summer. I'm talking 1999,

now. And George has reached a very high level of spiritual development, I am

happy to say. He chants Hare Krishna every day. And he is totally serene and he

has accepted life as it is. He has actually achieved a much higher level of

self-realization that I can ever hope to achieve. He is peaceful and serene to

a degree that is rare

in a person, and at such a young age. Same age as I am. Prabhupada benefited him

so mcuh I mean he knew the buttons to push and not to push because of their

natural hesitancy to have anything public to do with Prabhupada because they

would see us then as just going after their money or their fame and not giving

them the real thing. So I tried and Prabhupada, by his example, showed me the

way to treat them is like this; Always just keep giving them stuff. Never ask

them for anything.Although one time, Prabhupada did call me into his room and

said, You know we only have one book. We have Bhagavad-gita, that's it. And

maybe there was Nectar of Devotion. He said, Krishna Book has been finished for

some time and I got news today that it is ready for publication.

How can we publish? We need this book. He said, I want you to go and ask George

for the money for this book. So, then I said, Aww, no, Prabhupada. You know the

reason that we are this far with George, and he has helped us so much to date is

that I've never asked him for anything. I always wait until he offers. And

Prabhupada says, Yes, but we really need this. And I go, Well, how much is it?

He said, Nineteen thousand dollars. In those days that was like saying a

hundred thousand dollars. Whew. So I said, I don't really think it is a good

idea, Prabhupada. And he said, Yes, yes it is. You'll see. Krishna will help

you. Watch this. So the next day we had made arrangements to go look at marble.

George had said that he would donate a new slab of marble for the altar.To help

us select this marble, he had called on

his friend, David Wynn, who is the sculptor laureate of England, a very famous

sculptor who had designed the coinage and who had done the famous busts of

Queen Elizabeth and the Beatles, too. And so we went with David Wynn to the

marble yards and afterwards we went to David Wynn's house for dinner. And all

this time I was trying to screw up my courage. Because I had one mission that

day, How am I going to ask George for this money? Here he has given us this

three or four thousand pound slab of marble. How can I ask him for something

more on top of that today? So we had dinner and we were all finished eating and

it was getting late at night, it was dark. And it was a long ways from where I

had to go in London. And George had to go all the way out someplace in the

suburbs. So, finally I just did it. I said, George . . . (I made Prabhupada the

bad guy.) Srila Prabhupada asked

me to ask you if you would donate money to print Krishna Book. And I explained

what Krishna Book was. And his face just got increasingly got grimmer and

grimmer.And I could see this whole thing passing through his face thinking, Oh

man, they are just another one of these groups. Here it comes. Then the room

went quiet for a moment while he thought about it and fixed me with this really

belligerent stare. And suddenly all the lights in the house went out! And BWAM!

This bolt of lighting hit the house. True story. The whole house shook. The

sound and the light were simultaneous. (Laughs) And we sat in silence for some

minutes after that, stunned. The lights came back on and I looked over at

George and he had this huge grin on his face and he said, Well, how much is it

then? (Laughs) And I told him and he said, Well, what can I do after that?

(Laughs) And he came the next day and talked to Prabhupada about

it.YSShymasundara

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

"Also, it is very encouraging to learn that you think Mr. George Harrison will

be happy to print our Krishna book. This will be a very great service to the

mankind at large, if he can be of assistance in this connection. We are giving

a unique contribution with this book; a book which tells of the activities of

God. There is no other book that has been authoritatively presented to the

Western World up till this time which has given so high a contribution. If

persons will simply read this book or even look at the many pictures within,

then this alone will bring immense spiritual benefit to their lives." Srila

Prabhupada letter to Syamasundara, LA, Ca, July 31, 1969

----

"In your last letter you informed me that George Harrison may be interested

to publish my book, Krishna, so I am carrying with me the manuscript. I want to

print this book with many pictures, and the pictures are also ready in Los

Angeles and Boston. So if possible, you can talk further with him about this

publication, and if he does so, it will be very nice for him as well as for

us." SP letter to Syamasundara, Hamberg Germany, Aug 31, 1969

----

“I am so glad to learn that Sriman George is making good advancement in Krishna

consciousness. He is a good soul and I am praying for him to Krishna, so surely

he will make advancement. His book, Krishna, is already ready for being sent to

the press.” Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Syamasundara, Los Angeles, 6 January,

1970

----

"Regarding KRSNA book, one copy was sent from Japan directly to George's address

attention of your name. Perhaps George has got it. Please inquire and see to

it." SP letter to Shymasundara, LA, July 19, 70

.

----

"Herewith please find one cover addressed to George Harrison, and I hope you

will deliver it with my blessings. I am very glad that his service is

effectively working on him, and that is the way of realization, Krsna

Consciousness.

The description of Krsna Consciousness movement in London gives me a great

pleasure with hope and interest. Lord Caitanya was also checked in His

Sankirtana movement by the then police officer, and He led a procession of one

hundred thousands of men to the house of the Kazi. So I think Lord Caitanya is

planning a situation which will help us in pushing the Krsna Consciousness

movement throughout the whole world. I therefore request you all to chant Hare

Krsna mantra very rigidly sixteen rounds a day and thus be fixed up in your

spiritual strength and everything will come out successful.

The cover of George Harrison is open, and after reading it you can close it

and deliver it to him. So far his contribution is concerned, I shall duly

acknowledge it as I do usually in the Krsna book also. Besides that, I wish to

put his good name on the dedication page of devotional service.* I would have

done this in the Isopanisad, but this book was already printed. I hope you like

the letter which I have addressed to George.

Hope this will meet you in good health. Offer my blessings to Malati, your

daughter, Sarasvati, and all other boys and girls at the Temple. Your ever

well-wisher,A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami *The "Nectar of Devotion" Book (known

in Sanskrit as Bhakti Rasamrita Sindu).

SP Letter to Shymasundara dasa, LA, Feb 16, 1970

----

"Sriman George Harrison has certainly done an unique service by contributing

$19,000 for publishing my Krsna book. When I was in London, he saw me four

times and he was very submissive and devout and he was not at all proud of his

very well-to-do material position. He has a reputation as a first class

musician and he is considered to be rich or as they say one of the richest men

in the world. Still he was not at all puffed up, but was humble, meek, polite,

and devout. So all these qualities and his service to Krishna will certainly

help him in his advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Thus I see that although

he is not an initiated disciple, still he has been trying to help us in so many

ways.

This change of his heart has been possible by the endeavor of

Syamasundara... Syamasundara, tried to win his friendship by all means and the

result obtained thereof was offered to Krishna. In the London Temple the first

class Italian marble throne worth about $3,000 was also contributed by George

through the service of Syamasundara.. So actually George's leaning towards

Krishna Consciousness has been greatly influenced by Syamasundara.'s endeavor.

Srimad-Bhagavatam recommends that we shall employ our life, money, intelligence,

and words for the service of the Lord. So Syamasundara, employed his

intelligence to bring George Harrison into the service of Krishna Consciousness

and thus George's money has been employed in Krishna's service. This is the

whole process of Krishna Consciousness--First of all one should dedicate his

life for Krishna's service; that is very nice. If he cannot dedicate his whole

life, then let him devote his money; if he cannot devote his money, then let

him devote his intelligence; and if he cannot devote his intelligence also,

then let him devote his voice in Krishna Consciousness by uttering Hare Krishna

Mantra. Therefore Hare Krishna Mantra is the greatest common factor for

self-realization. Please preach this philosophy

whole-heartedly and Krishna will be very much pleased upon you." ~ S.P. (Srila

Prabhupada) letter to Bhagavan dasa, LA, Feb 8, 1970

"I wish to put his good name on the dedication page of devotional service. I

would have done this in the Isopanisad, but this book was already printed."

Srila Prabhupada letter to Symasundara, 2/16/70

"I am glad that your friendship with Mr. George Harrison is gradually working,

so much so that he is now prepared to spend $3,000 for an altar slab and a

block of bluish marble for carving Krishna or Lord Caitanya. For Lord Caitanya

yellowish marble or white marble should be used. If yellowish golden colored

marble is available, that is very nice. Another thing is that these Forms

should be worshipped. Our Deity worship is not heathenism. If we keep Forms of

the Lord without worshipping the Deity under regulative principles, it will

gradually turn into idol worship, which is an offense. The Deity of the Lord

and the Lord Himself are identical. Krishna can act through the Deity

perfectly. As I have given several times the example, the mailbox can act

perfectly as the post office because it is authorized. Similarly, when the

Deity is installed under authorized regulative principles, the Deity is as good

as

Krishna Himself. So you may advise your friend on this principle. But I am so

much pleased that he is coming forward to offer his hard-earned money for

Krishna's purpose. I am also glad to learn that George has purchased one nice

house for his family, and there he will be building a very rich altar which

will be bedecked with jewels and gold work. I have already given you one design

for the throne. If such throne is made with golden or silver pillars, platform,

ceiling, and canopy bedecked with jewels, and if the Deity is kept within such

throne, it will be a super-excellent manifestation. So when you do such work

you can consult me, and I shall give you some right directions. I am also glad

to learn that you are going to press some records of the Hare Krishna Mantra

with the help of the Beatles and Co., cooperated with some of the celebrated

artists like Donovan and the Rolling Stones. " ~ Srila Prabhupada letter to

Syamasundara, LA, Ca, July 15, 1969

----

Hamsaduta: George Harrison has just bought us a big house.Prabhupada: Some

rascal might have taken, but I know George is our very good devotee.Guest:

George Harrison is your member?Prabhupada: Yes. Oh, yes."

SP Arrival Speech, Stockholm, Sept 5, 73

----

Prabhupada: This instruction of Srimad-Bhagavatam was never given before in the

Western countries. This is the first time.George Harrison: Yes.Prabhupada:

Therefore they're appreciating. We are selling our books daily sixty thousand

dollars. All over the world.Mukunda: Srila Prabhupada, you're going to outdo

Shakespeare soon. You'll have written more English words than William

Shakespeare. (Prabhupada laughs) Maybe you already have.Hari-sauri: I don't

think Shakespeare's brought out fifty-six books.Mukunda: The Encyclopedia

Brittanica wrote to us asking for...Prabhupada: They have said...George

Harrison: These books are

such a lot of work. I don't know how he did it all.Gurudasa: While everyone else

sleeps, Prabhupada...George Harrison: Yes.Prabhupada: At night I don't sleep.

Not that because I am nowadays sick. But generally I don't sleep. At most two

hours. At most.Hari-sauri: I think it's a long time since you've taken any rest

at night.Prabhupada: I take little rest during daytime. So on the whole, three

to four hours. But actually I do not like to sleep.George Harrison: No, it's a

waste of time.Prabhupada: I think it is, when I go to sleep, I think that now

I'm going to waste my time. I actually think like that.George Harrison: What's

the word for..., the call it a little, little death. Sleep is the little death.

BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff66">Prabhupada: The sastra also, Prahlada Maharaja

describes the sleeping is waste of time. You find out that verse.Hari-sauri:

It's in Seven, Two?Prabhupada: Seventh Canto. He's estimating you have got

hundred years at most. Out of that, fifty years lost, sleep. And then twenty

years playing as child, a boy. And in old age, another...Hari-sauri:pumso

varsa-satam hy ayustad-ardham cajitatmanahnisphalam yad asau ratryamsete 'ndham

prapitas tamah"Every human being has a maximum duration of life of one hundred

years, but for one who cannot control his senses, half of those years are

completely lost because at night he sleeps twelve hours, being covered by

ignorance. Therefore such a person has a lifetime of only fifty

years."Prabhupada: Fifty years immediately minus. Then out of the fifty years?

Hari-sauri:mugdhasya balye kaisorekridato yati vimsatihjaraya

grasta-dehasyayaty akalpasya vimsatih"In the tender age of childhood, when

everyone is bewildered, one passes ten years. Similarly, in boyhood, engaged in

sporting and playing, one passes another ten years. In this way, twenty years

are wasted. Similarly, in old age, when one is an invalid, unable to perform

even material activities, one passes another twenty years wastefully."

durapurena kamenamohena ca baliyasasesam grhesu saktasyapramattasyapayati

hi"One whose mind and senses are uncontrolled becomes increasingly attached to

family life because of insatiable lusty desires and very strong illusion. In

such a madman's life the remaining years are also wasted, because even during

those

years he cannot engage himself in devotional service."

Prabhupada: So hundred years finish. (laughs) Fifty years, twenty years,

twenty years and ten years.

George Harrison: Which volume is that?Hari-sauri: This is the one before that

one.George Harrison: Part Two.Hari-sauri: Yes. This is Prahlada Maharaja's

instructions.Prabhupada: You can give that volume also.George Harrison: Did

you, do you.... I'm not too sure which ones I've got up to.Mukunda: He's got up

to.... You've got about two more coming before that. I'll give them to

you.Prabhupada: Krsna varna-dvayi, you have got that?Jayatirtha: I found that

verse. Actually, Rancor found it. Tunde tandavini ratim vitanute

tundavali-ladbhaye.Prabhupada: Yes. Pradyumna? You just note down this verse

and give him.Jayatirtha: And the translation is "I do not know how much nectar

the two syllables 'krs-na'

have produced. When the holy name of Krsna is chanted, it appears to dance

within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the

holes of the ears, we desire many millions of years. And when the holy name

dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind,

and therefore all the senses become inert." That was Rupa Gosvami.Prabhupada:

That is very nice poetry. Read it gain. Tunde tandavini...Jayatirtha: The

English? I don't chant very well. Harikesa Maharaja.Prabhupada: Yes, you first

of all recite. Very nice.Pradyumna:tunde tandavini ratim vitanute

tundavali-ladbhayekarna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarbudebhyahsprham

cetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtimno jane janita kiyadbhir

amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi

#ffff66">Prabhupada: One thing you can record and give him.Hari-sauri: I'll make

a copy of this tape and give it to him.Prabhupada: Yes. No, you should recite

very properly, and then it will recorded. Then it will be right.George

Harrison: This is Sanskrit.Jayatirtha: That's Sanskrit.Prabhupada: In India,

all different states they have got different alphabets, but the Sanskrit is the

same. There is no change in Sanskrit. India's culture, all the provinces, they

talk a little Sanskrit. If you chant this mantra according to the Sanskrit

tune, oh, your admirers will take it very nicely. (laughter) And that will be a

great benefit to the mass of people.George Harrison: I don't know if they'd like

it.Prabhupada: Yes. (laughs)George Harrison: They don't understand. Already they

don't

understand such a lot. Even if you say it in English. Even when you say things

to them in English, they don't understand.Prabhupada: That word Krsna, if they

hear, that will be sufficient.George Harrison: We were in Vrndavana, somebody,

we were singing, singing in the morning, singing this "Jaya Krsna."Prabhupada:

Sri Krsna Caitanya.George Harrison: And he asked, this person said to me, "You

should make it into a song in English." So I wrote English verses, and in each

chorus it as "jaya krsna, jaya krsna, krsna krsna, jaya krsna, jaya sri krsna;

jaya radhe, jaya radhe, radhe, jaya radhe, jaya sri radhe." I don't know, did

you..., if you heard that song. It was on that "Extra Texture"--you know that

one? "He who..." I wrote the English words. "He whose eyes have seen what our

lives have been, and who we really are--it is He, jaya sri krsna." And then it

has a

chorus. "He whose sweetness flows to any one of those that cares to look His

way, see His smile, jaya sri radhe," then the chorus again.Mukunda: This is on

George's new record.George Harrison: No, it was last year. And "He who is

complete, three worlds at His feet, cause of every star, it is He, jaya sri

krsna." It's a nice song. But I took the old, the tune that we sang in

Vrndavana, and just make slightly different, you know, with chords, chord

patterns.Prabhupada: So in your next record, you can give this.

(laughter)George Harrison: (break) ...this little girl, he had a baby girl and

was trying to think of a name, so I told him to call it Dhara, you know? 'Cause

from Radha--radharadharadha--it becomes dhara. So he called his girl that

name.Jayatirtha: There's a story of Valmiki, you know that story?Gurudasa:

Maramaramaramaramaramara.Jayatirtha: Valmiki was a murderer, or a dacoit,

thief. So he was

met by Narada Muni, I think.Prabhupada: Yes, Valmiki.Jayatirtha: And he was

advised by Narada Muni to please chant the holy name of the Lord and give up

this thievery. So he wouldn't. So instead Narada Muni said, "You chant mara."

Mara means death. So he agreed.Prabhupada: Maramara, rama.Jayatirtha: Later on,

this Valmiki, he wrote the Ramayana after having chanting rama, mara, he became

purified.Hari-sauri: Transcendental trickery.Jayatirtha: All glories to Srila

Prabhupada.

#ffff66">Prabhupada: Jaya. (end). SP Conversations with George Harrison, July 26, 1976, London

“Is it not possible to have a small temple in George's house so you can engage

in temple worship? That is necessary. If there is a small temple there, then

you and your wife and others can be nicely engaged. I think George does not

require to become my formal disciple because he is already more than my

disciple. He has sympathy for my movement and I have all blessings for him. He

can easily spare that chapel for developing it into a nice Krishna

Consciousness temple. We do not want any proprietorship right, but we want

simply to utilize the nice place into a nice temple.” -Srila Prabhupada Letter

to Syamasundara, Los Angeles, 12 April, 1970

.

..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MISC.

"I am also glad to learn that you are going to press some records of the Hare

Krishna Mantra with the help of the Beatles and Co., cooperated with some of

the celebrated artists like Donovan and the Rolling Stones. It is a very good

opportunity that you are making friendship with these famous men, and if you

can turn them as they are already a little inclined towards Krishna

Consciousness ... " ~ SP letter to Shymasundara das, LA, Ca., July 15, 69

----

"Syamasundara. wanted to go to London; what is his opinion about this? I am very

much eager to open a center in London. If Syamasundara. and Malati go there,

then one or two other Brahmacaris may go there to organize a center in London;

and as soon as it is in makeup then I may also go there for sometime, to deal

with the Beatles who are so much anxious to understand about spiritual

knowledge. Any sincere person, never mind whether he is hippy or Beatle, if he

is actually searching for something beyond this hackneyed material sense

gratification, surely he will find the most comfortable shelter under the Lotus

Feet of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Who is non-different from Lord Krishna." ~

SP letter to Mukunda, Allaston Mass, May 6, 68

----

"...in 1969 I was guest in the house of John Lennon in London. So there was a

ghost in... It was a big plot. There was a guest house. So they complained,

"Sir, here is ghost." So I advised them to chant Hare Krsna, and the ghost went

away. Yes. This is fact. When there is Hare Krsna chanting, these ghostly,

demonic living entities, they'll not be able to stay there. They'll go away."

SP lecture BG 16.7, Hawaii, Feb 3, 75

----

"Recently Mr. John Lennon had an interview with one of our disciples, Vibhavati,

and it appears that he is also sympathetic with our movement." ~ S.P. letter to

Gurudas, N Vrindavana, june 21, 69

----

"This Thursday morning we shall be going to London, and they have arranged nice

living quarters on the estate of John Lennon." ~ S.P. letter to Advaita,

Hamburg, Sept 7, 69

---

"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September

9th, 1969 addressed to the Hamburg center. Now I have come to England. Our

temple here is not yet finished, so I am staying in the house of Mr. John

Lennon. He is very much kind upon us. Here also there is a nice big hall,

exactly suitable for a temple, and the devotees are enjoying the opportunity by

chanting there twice, thrice daily." ~ S.P. letter to Satsavarupa, Titenhurst,

Sept 14, 69

----

"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September

9th, 1969 addressed to the Hamburg center. Now I have come to England. Our

temple here is not yet finished, so I am staying in the house of Mr. John

Lennon. He is very much kind upon us. Here also there is a nice big hall,

exactly suitable for a temple, and the devotees are enjoying the opportunity by

chanting there twice, thrice daily." ~ S.P. letter to Satsavarupa, Titenhurst,

Sept 14, 69

----

"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated June

7, along with your article published in the Montreal Star on the same day.

Everything appears to be very nice, and your service in this connection is

recognized. You have done a great service by meeting with Mr. John Lennon. He

is an influential man, and at least you have been able to publicize our Krishna

Consciousness Movement in a way that the people will understand that the Beatles

are interested. In London, Mr. George Harrison is also inclined to this movement

and to our disciples, and recently a letter from Syamasundara. conveyed Mr.

Harrison's respectful obeisances unto me. Mr. John Lennon is anxious for peace

in the world, so also is everyone anxious for peace in the world, but it should

be known how that peace can be attained. If we keep the human society as it is,

there is no

possibility of peace. It is not a question of simply accepting God as the center

of everything and peace will be achieved, but the question is how to live in

God. Mr. Lennon wants to stop war, but the war is the creation of different

politicians. So unless on the summit of administration there are actually

Krishna Conscious men, we cannot stop war. Therefore people in general must

understand the importance of Krishna Consciousness, and they must in this

democratic day send their real representatives who can make right decisions

whether there should be war or no war. We find from the history of Mahabharata

that the battle of Kuruksetra was because of the belligerent attitude of

Duryodhana. So such war as is was conducted under the advice of Lord Krishna is

not bad, but war declared and executed by demonic politicians is certainly very

bad. A Krishna conscious person like Arjuna is not inclined to the activities

of warfare, but when there is a necessity for peace in the world to

educate men to become Krishna Conscious, a Krishna Conscious person does not lag

behind. Therefore the first necessity for peace in the world is to instruct men

how to become Krishna Conscious, because as soon as one becomes Krishna

Conscious all the good qualities in human society are manifested. So if it is

possible that the party of Mr. Lennon and Mr. Harrison cooperate with this

Krishna Consciousness Movement, I am sure we shall be able to stop all this

nonsensical war." ~ S.P. letter to Vibhavati, New Vrindavana, June 12, 1969

----

"Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter

dated September 30th, 1969. Our temple is situated at 7, Bury Place, London, but

I am staying at the garden house belonging to Mr. John Lennon, a world-wide

famous man in music and one of the richest men in England. The news which you

have read in the Gujarati newspaper that some young English boys are chanting

Hare Krishna Mantra in a garden house near London is this place. Here also we

have got a nice temple given to us by Mr. Lennon, and sufficient land is here

also so we are collecting young, enthusiastic devotees to come and live here

and make another colony of Vaisnavas like our New Vrindaban in West Virginia.

So there was a nice reception here when I arrived, and I am enclosing herewith

one of the newspaper clippings and my London lecture list also. Last Monday I

lectured on "Teachings of the Vedas", and it was

very much appreciated by the audience. I spoke for about one hour and after that

they continued clapping, which confirms their appreciation. Our temple at 7,

Bury Place is being nicely decorated, and as soon as my apartment is fixed up

nicely I shall move there." ~ S.P. letter to Dr Sharma Sundaraji, Titenhurst,

Oct 8, 69

----

Disciple: Once I remember John Lennon asked you, "How will I know who is the

genuine guru?" And you answered, "Just find out the one who is most addicted to

Krsna. He is genuine."

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. The genuine guru is God's representative, and he speaks

about God and nothing else. The genuine guru is he who has no interest in

materialistic life. He is after God, and God only. That is one of the tests of

a genuine guru: brahma-nistham. He is absorbed in the Absolute Truth. In the

Mundaka Upanisad it is stated, srotriyam brahma-nistham: "The genuine guru is

well versed in the scriptures and Vedic knowledge, and he is completely

dependent on Brahman." He should know what Brahman [spirit] is and how to

become situated in Brahman. These signs are given in the Vedic literature. As I

said before, the real guru is God's representative. He represents the Supreme

Lord, just as a viceroy represents a king. The real guru will not manufacture

anything. Everything he says is in accordance with the scriptures and the

six months. This is not a guru's business. A guru's business is to canvass

everyone to become a devotee of God. That is the sum and substance of a real

guru's business. Indeed, he has no other business. He tells whomever he sees,

"Please become God conscious." If he canvasses somehow or other on behalf of

God and tries to get everyone to become a devotee of God, he is a genuine guru.

Reporter: What about a Christian priest?

Srila Prabhupada: Christian, Muhammadan, Hindu--it doesn't matter. If he is

simply speaking on behalf of God, he is a guru. Lord Jesus Christ, for

instance. He canvassed people, saying, "Just try to love God." Anyone--it

doesn't matter who--be he Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, is a guru if he

convinces people to love God. That is the test. The guru never says, "I am

God," or "I will make you God." The real guru says, "I am a servant of God, and

I will make you a servant of God also." It doesn't matter how the guru is

dressed. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Whoever can impart knowledge about Krsna

is a spiritual master." A genuine spiritual master simply tries to get people to

become devotees of Krsna, or God. He has no other business.

Reporter: But the bad gurus...

Srila Prabhupada: And what is a "bad" guru?

Reporter: A bad guru just wants some money or some fame.

Srila Prabhupada: Well, if he is bad, how can he become a guru? [Laughter.] How

can iron become gold? Actually, a guru cannot be bad, for if someone is bad, he

cannot be a guru. You cannot say "bad guru." That is a contradiction. What you

have to do is simply try to understand what a genuine guru is. The definition

of a genuine guru is that he is simply talking about God--that's all. If he's

talking about some other nonsense, then he is not a guru. A guru cannot be bad.

There is no question of a bad guru, any more than a red guru or a white guru.

Guru means "genuine guru." All we have to know is that the genuine guru is

simply talking about God and trying to get people to become God's devotees. If

he does this, he is genuine." ~ Science of Self Realization, Ch. 2 - Saints and

Swindlers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INSPIRATION NEWSLETTER BACK ISSUES

For more information on Sriman George Harrison and his spiritual side, issues

number 46 + of my newsletter include such info on him. Most are quotes or

pictures you probably won't find in the news media. (Although I did use a few

of my newsletters pics here, but not all with their descriptions. The rest can

found on my newsletter web pages themselves.)

..

GEORGE HARRISON LEFT HIS BODY: Just as I was about to mail the newsletter, I

found out that George Harrison left his body (died). What a shock. Thus I

decided not to send the newsletter as-is but instead to change it, adding an

important part in honor to Sriman George. Also -- pic of George with Srila

Prabhupada. Inspiration Newsletter #46

...

LET US PRAY: First, readers are requested to pray for Olivia and Dhani. Then,

potent quotes from Vedic literature that prove George made it out of the

material world and on to the Spiritual Sky; followed by an interview (book)

between Mukunda Goswami and George, also known as: "Chant and Be Happy", plus a

couple of posts in honor of George's passing. Pic of Sriman George chanting -

kirtana style - with devotees on the roof of Apple Studio's. Inspiration

Newsletter # 47

...

George Harrison's SPIRITUAL SIDE: Remembering Bhakta George – Hari’s Son, by

Kulaksekara das, where George tells "who" he wrote the song about called: "Here

Comes the Sun." Memories of GH by Syamasundara das (Krishna Book story), George

Died Amidst Chants of Hare Krishna – Hindustan Times, Sunday Mirror (excellent

article), many more. Devotee Memorial Posts, What Prabhupada Said about George,

Etc. Inspiration Newsletter # 48

...

GEORGE THE ROCK STAR? or GEORGE THE DEVOTEE?, Plus “Memories of My Sweet George"

by Mukunda Goswami - his lifelong devotee friend, George Talks w/Prabhupada,

Srila Prabhupada’s letter to George and a lovely one he wrote about George,

devotee posts in memory of George (many interesting stories!). Inspiration

Newsletter # 49

..

ROCK CONCERT IN HONOR OF GEORGE BY HARE KRISHNA YOUTH: More Interesting Devotee

Posts in memory of Sriman George, letter from my godsister who lives only 6-8

miles away from George Harrison's home, etc. Inspiration Newsletter # 50

..

WHO WAS SRIMAN GEORGE HARRISON- PURE DEVOTEE, KRIPA-SIDDHI -OR FALLEN DEVOTEE?

An endearing story about Sriman George and Srila Prabhupada, More Memories

about George, Hari’s Son. Inspiration Newsletter #51.

While I have not had time to put together a "thorough" write-up for each, the

following Inspiration Newsletters contain a little something about George and

his spiritual side.

Bhakta George Harrison Leads Bhajan in London temple on video (info how to

obtain), Letters section includes one about George. Inspiration Newsletter # 52

Letters Section: Long, interesting letter about George, Chant and Be Happy video

info. Inspiration Newsletter # 53

Devotees sing at George Harrison's concert. Inspiration Newsletter #55

George Harrison to Receive Garden Tribute. Inspiration Newsletter # 57

George Harrison Devotional Video's, picture of Sriman George Harrison wearing a

HariNama (Holy) chaddar (shawl) with the Sanskrit words, "Hare Krishna," on it,

and he is playing acoustic guitar. Inspiration Newsletter # 59

A post about George Harrison by a godsister who saw him when he went to the

temple in England for a festival, some time in the 90's - she speaks about his

humility and various devotee qualities. Inspiration Newsletter # 60

Letters Section: Interesting input by a reader about a hard-to-find quote

regarding Prabhupada benedicting George that he would indeed go back to

Godhead! - She found it, sort of. (Long story, just read her letter & my reply.

<s> ) Inspiration Newsletter # 61

>

Letters Section: Follow-up letter from a different reader explaining the

previous mentioned book. George Harrison was displeased with it due to its

fabrications about him - this readers recommendation is don't buy it. Next

letter informs us that the mentally ill man who attacked and nearly killed

George and Olivia has been let out. This reader gives info on who to contact

with a complaint which may help. Inspiration Newsletter # 62

Letters Section: A devotee writes in with evidence that George was a vegetarian.

(One of her relatives was interviewed to work for him.) Inspiration Newsletter #

63

ONE YEAR PASSING OF SRIMAN GEORGE HARRISON: (Newsletter #64) Letters and

Tributes from devotees, related editorials contributed (Section: "In

Remembrance of George"), recent interview (Nov 26, 02) Katie Couric and Olivia

Harrison, Krishna Book Section starts with info about George and the

publication of Vedic literatures some may not know he paid for. Next, the

"Prabhupada Uvaca/Said" Section begins with comments Prabhupada made about

George, followed by Who Is Jayananda section, Bhagavad-gita, "Thirty Minutes or

Less (Reiki),

More. Several Inspirational Quotes at the end about the potency of chanting Hare

Krishna. Pic of George with devotees. Inspiration Newsletter # 64

Inspiration Newsletter # 65 What does the song, “SOMETHING” really mean? George

revealed the answer to a friend. Who is LORD SHIVA and why is His picture

included within the CD packaging of “Brainwashed” if George believes Krishna is

God? And why did he chant a mantra on that CD to Shiva and Parvati if he is a

devotee of Radha and Krishna? Prabhupada and the Vedas give answers. -- This

Newsletter begins with the passing over of a godsister JayaRadhe, devotee

posts, an editorial on death, link to JayaRadhe’s beautiful artwork and

intended book. Then followed by the format basically used in each newsletters

(including all those listed): a Prabhupada Uvaca (Said) section, a Jayananda -

Modern Day Saint section, Krishna Book chapter, Bhagavad-gita text, Distant

Healing ("Reiki Works, Does Prayer?"), Vegetarian Recipe section, inspirational

quote at end about the potency derived from the chanting of Hare Krishna.

http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/InspNewsL/sixtyfive.htm

Inspiration Newsletter # 72: TWO YEAR PASSING OF SRIMAN GEORGE HARRISON:

Letter/Tribute to George - originally by Shymasundara in Dec 01 (I have yet to

see this on the net), Good article about Sriman George which includes links as

well as video you can obtain. Boycott Powerbar and other GM foods, Who Is Lord

Chaitanya?, A Devotee Remembers (the Old Days in the Hare Krishna Movement),

Beautiful Sanskrit Poem “Krishna is Everything,” Distant Healing Section,

Prabhupada Uvaca (Said) section. Who Is Jayananda – Link to great web page,

Krishna Book, Bhagavad-gita, Looking for Senior Devotee Godsisters, Veggie

section, uplifting quote at end about chanting Hare Krishna.

http://www.geocities.com/priitaa108/InspNewsL/seventytwo.htm

All of the above links may, or may not, be published yet. (Most should be by

now.) OR they may be published but incomplete. Please have patience with me and

know I am trying to get to it. What is not there can be found (in written form)

on my newsletter e-group, the URL which follows. Once you go there the back

issues can be located under "Messages." Also, you can if you want, or

just read. http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/InspNewsL/back_issues.htm

Though a little different, I feel this is significant to be added here since

George believed in Krishna AND Jesus, both. Therefore some folks out there may

wonder how he did that, what is the connection? Thus, this web site: CHRIST and

KRISHNA, should explain it. From Jesus as a vegetarian, to excerpts from the

Aquarian Gospel, to Jesus in India (Yes! A little known secret slowly coming

out), to the Shroud, mention of Jesus in India's ancient scripture the Bhavisya

Purana (part of the MahaPurana), and other unique info, this web page, which

leads to two others to cover all this, sheds light on many points that have

been hidden or ignored. It also includes my belief, supported by facts, that

Jesus was an "undercover" Hare Krishna devotee. :-) Read it and decide for

yourself. http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/christ_and_krishna

Back Issues of ALL Newsletters (web version):

Inspiration Newsletter BACK ISSUES

Here's another devotee's site about George Harrison and his connection to Srila

Prabhupada. Wonderful pictures! Many of them!

If anyone wishes to add my link to their web site, Cosmic Empire was kind enough

to created a logo banner for me, so please feel free to use it with my link:

My Krishna Conscious Web Sites Thus Far

And now you have basically everything I have. :-)

Unless of course, something new is sent around the net by devotes. <s> If that

happens and if it finds its way to me, I will add it here. Therefore you might

want to check back from time to time. Please bookmark to your favorite places.

Thanks!

...

..

Yes, George wanted everyone to be happy, to Chant and Be Happy. :-)

..

Please chant: "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama

Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare" and your life will be sublime!

I hope you enjoyed this web page Tribute to Sriman George Harrison. If you have

any questions or comment, feel free to email me. I would love to hear from you!

(This invitation is only for those genuinely interested in the basic topic

presented herein. Prtha_devi_dasi (AT) hotmail (DOT) com

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GEORGE HARRISON and SRILA PRABHUPADA

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