Mr. Raju was quick to assure him that the funds were not being improperly spent. "But just one thing, let me explain Swamiji. We are not directly giving to industry. What we are doing is we are depositing in a fixed deposit in certain banks, getting the highest interest. That interest we are utilizing for Sanskrit studies, Vedic studies, etc. We invest in your bank, but bank shall invest in a productive industrial purpose -- we put a condition. The interest that comes we utilize only for religious purposes, like, as I said, the dharma-pracara, veda-pracara, all that we are doing."
"So, I have taken this veda-pracara," Prabhupada told him. "Why not come and join with us?"
And when the minister said that he definitely would, Prabhupada told him that the work done so far, all around the world, was only a single-handed effort. If the government came forward to join with him, at least ten times that amount could be done.
Mr. Raju stressed his sincerity in wanting to work with Prabhupada. He said he had not wanted to simply waste Prabhupada's valuable time; rather, he has been studying his words and actions. "Therefore I have found that your aims are what we have been thinking of for the society."
He also said that they had already begun to implement a program of veda-pracara; however, it was a little different from Srila Prabhupada's. They have discovered there are about 300 veda-panditas in the state, most of whom want to stay in their villages. So they are encouraging them to meet together and chant the Vedas for one or two hours each day.
Srila Prabhupada was a bit dismissive that such a program could be successful. He said that even if they got one or two persons interested, it could not work. The recognized process was given by Lord Caitanya. "What is that? Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana. [Lord Caitanya's Guru Maharaja] has said, 'You are rascal, you cannot read Vedas and Vedanta. You are rascal. You chant Hare Krsna.'
"So He's Krsna Himself," Prabhupada said. "He's neither rascal nor fool. But He represented the rascal and fools that who will read Vedanta. Everyone is after this Veda, but student will come to study Vedanta. That is not possible in this age. You see? Maybe somebody interested, but generally they'll not come. Even if one is born in the brahmana family, he is no more interested."
"May I submit, Swamiji," Mr. Raju interjected, "therefore what we did was, these 300 people, if they chant, 300 rupees for a dana-patha, and 200 rupees for him and 100 rupees a..."
"No, no," Prabhupada shook his head. "Brahmana, why he will take money?"
"No, we are giving it as daksina," Mr. Raju replied.
Prabhupada wasn't so naive. "Because you are giving daksina, therefore they are chanting. And you stop that daksina, nobody will come."
Mr. Raju laughed. "True. You are correct." He said they were giving 100 rupees to a man to teach his own child, and 40 rupees for the child.
"When the 100 rupees will not be sufficient," Prabhupada said skeptically, "they'll give up."
Apart from that, he said that giving money to chant simply was not the process. "Caitanya Mahaprabhu's process should be taken. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu represented Himself that 'I am fool.' He is not fool, He's representing the fools of this age. So if we take that process, it will be successful."
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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