Bhagavan:
“Fifteen hundred.”
Prabhupada:
“No. According to our present calculation, about 180 mounds. So, there should be 120 mounds excess of grain. Instead of excess, they want ten thousand rupees for maintenance. This is… This management is going on. These things were not discussed in GBC? So, what kind of discussion was there? Simply talking? No practical? And the estimate of budget was presented for ten thousand rupees per month. And… And when it was scrutinizingly studied, immediately it came down to six thousand. So, what kind of budget? So, management should be in that way, that nobody is sitting idly. Automatically he’ll fall sick. Sickness means idleness. Or excess eating, sleeping. No excess, no less. Yuktahara-viharasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha. Yukta. Yukta means actually what you need. So everywhere, in each center, this system should be introduced, and there must be practical application of the varnasrama. At the same time, this program of devotional service. Then it will go on very nicely.”
Hrdayananda:
“Should devotees be formally designated in a particular occupation?”
Prabhupada:
“No. Devotees are devotees. Actually, devotees are above this brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. But for management of material things, we have to divide. Just like in the body there are divisions. There are… Krishna. Krishna was acting as a ksatriya. In His boyhood, He was acting like a vaisya. But Krishna is neither ksatriya nor, nor brahmana. This is the example. He was a cowherd boy. That is business of vaisya. And when He was fighting in the Battlefield, He was a ksatriya. He was marrying as a ksatriya. So, although He was acting sometimes as ksatriya, sometimes as vaisya, but He’s neither of these. So, devotee is like that. He may act in any position, but He is above all the material conception of life. That is perfection. Hari Krishna, Hari Krishna…”
Nitai:
“What should the Ksatriyas be taught?”
Prabhupada:
“Ksatriyas should be taught that he is manager. He must see that everyone is engaged. And if there is any fight, they must come forward to fight.
This is Ksatriya’s business.
There may be fight. Somebody may attack us. Not that chanting,
‘Hari Krishna Hari Krishna Krishna Krishna…’
No. They must come forward,
‘Yes, we are prepared to fight.’
That is ksatriya.”
Tamala-Krishna:
“In our centers we are awarding brahmana initiation, second initiation…”
Prabhupada:
“No, no. Initiation should go on. Even… You do not understand what I have said, that that is for Vaisnava. A Vaisnava and Visnu… Just like Krishna is Visnu, He’s not human being, but He was acting like human being, similarly, Vaisnava is transcendental. But for proper management of the material world, one should be acting like brahmana, one should be acting like ksatriya. That is required. Just like actually we are doing so. Some of you are preaching, and some of you are cleansing the temple. It does not mean that a sannyasi who is preaching, he is better than that man who is cleansing. The… Their position as Vaisnava is the same. But for the management, one is cleansing, one is seeing the construction, one is going to preach, like that. That should be there. It is not that “Because I have taken sannyasa, therefore I cannot any more do anything.” If need be, he has to act as ksatriya. Or a sudra. It does not matter.”
Hrdayananda:
“Oh.”
Prabhupada:
“Does not matter. But manage, for management, this division must be there. Otherwise, it will be mismanagement. Yes. A Vaisnava coming to the position of doing the work of a sudra does not mean he has become sudra. He’s Vaisnava. Try to understand this point. Just like in the stage. If you want to play something, one must be king, one must be queen, one must be…, but neither of them king or queen. That is stage play. Similarly, to manage things in the material world we have to… Guna, karma. Karma there must be. Therefore, the karma should be done, executed, according to quality.”
(Conversation Continues in Next Segment)