Srila Prabhupada’s Vision for Sri Mayapur-dhama

• My only desire is that our temple must be a living temple by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra… I am glad hundreds of visitors are coming by our songs.
  (740106 – Letter to Bhavananda and Jayapataka written from Los Angeles)
• The Krsna consciousness movement has established its centre in Mayapur, the birth site of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to give men the great opportunity to go there and perform a constant festival of sankirtan-yajna, as recommended herein (yajnesa-makha mahotsavah) and to distribute prasada to millions of hungry people hankering for spiritual emancipation. This is the mission of the Krsna consciousness movement.
  (SB 5.19.24 Purport)
• Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s aspiration that the Europeans, Americans and Indians all together dance jubilantly and chanting “Gaura Hari.”
  So this temple, Māyāpur Chandrodaya temple, is meant for transcendental United Nation. What the United Nation has failed, that will be achieved here by the process recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāmasarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126). So you have come from all parts of the world and living together in this temple. So train these small boys. I am very glad, especially, to see that the small children from all other countries, and Indian, Bengalis, all together, forgetting their bodily consciousness. That is the greatest achievement in this movement, that everyone forgets the bodily conception of life. Nobody thinks here as “European,” “American,” “Indian,” “Hindu,” “Muslim,” “Christian.” They forget all these designation, and simply they are ecstatic in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So kindly what you have begun, do not break it. Continue it very jubilantly. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the master of Māyāpur, He will be very much pleased upon you, and ultimately you will go back to home, back to Godhead.
  (760115 – Lecture Excerpt – Mayapur)
• One day Prabhupāda called in the G.B.C. members. It was in the afternoon, and we could see he was feeling very blissful. He was hearing the kīrtana in the temple. He said everyone should come to Māyāpur and chant twenty-four hours a day.…Prabhupāda said that batches of devotees should come to Māyāpur so that there should always be five hundred men present. Then a devotee said, “In America they are trying to chant more, twelve hours a day, trying to get a twenty-four-hour kīrtana schedule.” “Yes, everywhere,” Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “This chanting should go on. Instead of meetings, resolutions, dissolutions, revolutions, and then no solutions, there should be chanting.
  (Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, Volume Two, Chapter Forty-Nine India: Unifying ISKCON)
• We have got great ambition to develop this place nicely and gloriously, and fortunately we are now connected with foreign countries, especially with the Americans. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s great desire was that the Americans would come here and develop this place, and they would chant and dance along with the Indians.
  (760221 – Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati – Mayapur)
• Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has therefore established two very large centers, one in Vṛndāvana and another in Māyāpur, Navadvīpa. There one may bathe in the Ganges or Yamunā, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and thus become perfect and return home, back to Godhead.
  (SB 6.5.27-28 Purport)
• Now we have got this center, Māyāpur center. We have got hundreds of centers, but this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s birthplace. You have come from very, very distant places all over the world. So here, you simply take prasādam, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, then your life is successful. It is not at all difficult.
  (750407 – Lecture CC Adi 01.14 – Mayapur)
• The International Society for Krishna Consciousness now has its world center in Navadvīpa, Māyāpur. The managers of this center should see that twenty-four hours a day there is chanting of the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, with the addition of haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ, for this song was a favorite of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s. But all such saṅkīrtana must be preceded by the chanting of the holy names of the five tattvas—śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. We are already accustomed to chant these two mantras—śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda and Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Now, after these, the other two lines—namely haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ/ gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana—should be added, especially in Māyāpur. Chanting of these six lines should go on so perfectly well that no one there hears any vibration other than the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. That will make the center spiritually all-perfect.
  (CC Adi 17.123 Purport)
• Many devotees, led by Jayapatāka Swami, went out on parikrama very early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. But they ended up returning after the start of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lecture, and he was not at all pleased with this. He said that the morning program of hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is more important, and so there should be no more early parikramas.
  (Transcendental Diary, Volume 1, Chapter Nine, Śrī-dhāma Māyāpur, March 13th, 1976)

• My only desire is that our temple must be a living temple by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra and distributing prasadam as well as distributing books to the intelligent class of men.
  (740106 – Letter to Bhavananda and Jayapataka written from Los Angeles)
• If you make it a first-class temple, there will be no lack of visitors for preaching, you will never even have to leave that place for preaching. And if you serve nice prasadam, the whole of India will come.
  (720730 – Letter to Jayapataka written from Amsterdam)
• Now in Mayapur there are two much important programmes…The second important programme is this distribution of prasadam, without any discrimination, so that everyone will get equal portion, no matter how little or how much is there.
  (720414 – Letter to Bhavananda written from Auckland)
• [36:29]  Prabhupada plans to build a temple of understanding to house the world’s largest planetarium.
  [36:34]  and around it a spiritual city with schools, shops, farms.
  [36:40]  And many temples for worshipping Lord Krishna.
  …
  [36:58]  No one should go hungry within a ten mile radius of the temple, Prabhupada instructs.
  (ITV Subtitles – Your Ever Well Wisher)
• We have to see that nobody goes hungry within a 10-mile radius. The temple is the house of God. God is everyone’s father, Krishna is everyone’s father. So in the presence of the father, the son doesn’t go hungry. So we have to make an arrangement that people get fed.
  (Following Srila Prabhupada-A Chronological Series by Jayapataka Swami)
• Yes, I fully agree that “What is the use of a temple if there is no prasadam distribution?” Prasadam distribution on a large scale must be resumed. Such a temple where there is no such distribution has no value, I agree.
  (740111 – Letter to Tamala Krishna written from Los Angeles)
• A dollar 25,000.00 Prasadam Distribution Pavilion attached to the new kitchen complex will also be built. Gargamuni Swami has pledged half the cost, and Hamsaduta Prabhu has sent dollars 4,000.00 from Germany and promises more. 1,000 people will be able to be served prasada at one sitting.
  (741025 – Letter to Ramesvara written from Mayapur)
• The Gurukula and poor feeding programs should be developed and it will make us very popular.
  (750714 – Letter to Jayapataka written from Philadelphia)
• I’m so glad that prasadam distribution is going well, the cows are healthy and agriculture products are coming out nicely. So go on with the regular temple worship method and attract more persons. That will engladden me.
  (730509 – Letter to Jayapataka and Bhavananda written from Los Angeles)
• The news that you are able to keep up the prasadam program which [handwritten] is now up to 1500 persons on Sunday is very welcome and I hope you can continue this without stoppage.
  (740509 – Letter to Jayapataka and Bhavananda written from Bombay)
• Just like in our temples, everywhere, we are daily feeding so many daridras. So many. In Los Angeles, in New York, and Māyāpur also, daily we are feeding five hundred to one thousand people. They are daridras. So that is the duty of every temple. There we’re feeding not only Hindus and, only, but Muslims also. Anyone. Anyone come here and take prasādam. And the whole village is so satisfied with these activities. Temple means there must be sufficient foodstuff. Anyone who comes for foodstuff, he should be given.
  (730126 – Lecture Initiation Sannyasa – Calcutta)
• Especially in Africa we have seen, there is very much distinction between white and black. But in our Society there is no such distinction. The Indians there, they hated with the . . . Because the Africans are working as servant to Indians. So now this time they agreed to take prasādam, all in the same line. The Europeans, Americans, Indians, Africans, even brahmins, high caste, all. I also. We sat down to take prasādam. In our Māyāpur they are distributing prasādam. Perhaps it is for the first time that Hindus and Muslims are taking prasādam in one line.
  (720422 – Lecture SB 02.09.02 – Tokyo)
• Yes. We are also distributing food. Yes. In our Māyāpur daily we are distributing food to two thousand, three thousand. So that is one of our program, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and distributing prasādam. We are distributing… When I started this movement I was cooking myself and distributing prasāda. But we do not discriminate that “He is needy…” Everyone is needy. So actually, everyone is in need of spiritual understanding. So by distributing food, the spiritual food, simply by eating, he will be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if he does not do anything. But actually, we are inviting persons to come, sit down, chant with us Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and take prasādam and go home. That’s all. This is our program.”
  (720406 – Lecture at Christian Monastery – Melbourne)
• Prabhupāda: This rascal theory has meant an atheist. (break)
  Vāsughoṣa: . . . mānava-sevā say, “I don’t have to support your society or your temple because God is everywhere.”
  Prabhupāda: This is also mānava-sevā. We are giving this knowledge to the human society. Is it not sevā? They are remaining in darkness of their position, and we are giving them this knowledge. This is not sevā?
  Vāsughoṣa: But what about the poor, hungry, and the suffering bodies?
  Prabhupāda: Yes, poor, hungry, come. We can give you food. We are giving, already. Show the pictures. You have not seen the pictures of Māyāpur, how two thousand, three thousand people we are giving? That is included. Bhāgavata-sevā includes that.
  (761205 – Morning Walk – Hyderabad)
• Actually, you have seen in our Māyāpur there is no question Hindu, Muslim. Everyone takes prasādam. There is no question.
  (770106 – Conversation A – Bombay)
• Prabhupāda: Otherwise I’ll not give to Govinda. Income tax officer will take, “Govindāya namaḥ.” So if you distribute prasādam of Govinda among the poor men . . . we have got already in Māyāpur. Increase that. There is . . . they are drum-beating that, “Anyone who is hungry, please come and take prasāda.”
  Girirāja: That they accept as charitable.
  Mr. Asnani: Yes.
  Girirāja: They want charitable.
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  Girirāja: So what could be more charitable than feeding?
  Prabhupāda: No, you keep always kitchen, and by drum-beating that, “Any who are hungry within this area, or anywhere, come here. Take cāpāṭis, roṭī,” and distribute prasādam. That is in our program.
  (770108 – Conversation B – Bombay)
• The report that Hindus and Muslims are taking prasadam together is very encouraging. Please continue this program. All the Muslims in Mayapur have now become very friendly toward us. For the last 50 years our Godbrothers were but they could not make arrangements for the Hindus and Muslims to take prasadam together. The picture is very attractive, and is fitting the devotees. I am so pleased that Tamal Krishna Goswami is working so hard, so combinedly you do the project together quite successfully. That will please my Guru Maharaj and me also.
  (720325 – Letter to Bhavananda written from Bombay)
• The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has established its center in Māyāpur, the birthsite of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to give men the great opportunity to go there and perform a constant festival of saṅkīrtana-yajña, as recommended herein (yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ) and to distribute prasāda to millions of hungry people hankering for spiritual emancipation. This is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
  (SB 5.19.24 Purport)
• In the San Kirtan festival pandal if a very big kitchen arrangement can be made, then we shall distribute prasadam daily. Try to make this arrangement. Puri, halevah, kichri – whatever can be arranged as much as possible. Tamal Krishna and Giriraj have all the ideas. Some professional men should be engaged 24 hours preparing prasadam. There are many volunteer organizations in Calcutta. They should come forward and help us distribute prasadam.
  (710424 – Letter to Jayapataka written from Bombay)

• Vrndavana is for residence, Bombay is office for organization, and Mayapur is for worship of the Supreme Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
  (770518 – Letter to Gurukrpa written from Vrndavana)
• I am very glad that you are doing such a nice service by worshiping Radharani and Krishna so nicely and giving Them so many nice clothes and ornaments and taking such nice care, so now I am very much relieved to know everything is going well in Calcutta during my absence. Now you make Mayapur into a gorgeous palace for Radha and Krishna, and I shall come there immediately and sit down there permanently to stay by Them.
  (000000 – Letter to Palika written from Bombay)
• Jayapatākā: The whole world will be coming here to . . .
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  Jayapatākā: . . . visit.
  Prabhupāda: Just like they come to see the Taj Mahal . . .
  Hṛdayānanda: Yes.
  Prabhupāda: . . . the architectural culture, they‘ll come to see the civilization culture, the philosophical culture, the religious culture by practical demonstration with dolls and other things.
  Jayapatākā: And we’ll be advertising that all over the world.
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  Hṛdayānanda: It is a perfect plan.
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  Jayapatākā: There can be a model of that temple in every temple all over the world.
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  Jayapatākā: So then people can . . . then advertising, “Come here.”
  Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Actually it will be an unique thing in the world. There is no such thing all over the world. That we shall do. And not only simply showing museum, but educating people to that idea.
  Hṛdayānanda: Preaching.
  Prabhupāda: Right. With factual knowledge, books, not fictitious.
  (760227 – Morning Walk – Mayapur)
• The schedule to be followed in worshiping the Deity is as follows. Morning Artik may be performed at 4:30 until 5 am. Then immediately following the Deity room should be washed clean and the dirty utensils removed. Then everyone can chant before the Deity until 6:30. The Deity should then be bathed and dressed and fresh flowers put. It should not take longer than one hour to bathe and dress the Deity if one actually knows how it is done. But it may take longer so you may offer the bhog at 8:00. The idea of bathing the Deity after offering bhog is not correct. So please follow this schedule as I have advised.
  (711226 – Letter to Jayapataka written from Bombay)

Quote “In most temples the biggest offering of the day was the noon offering, called the raja bhoga, or the king of enjoyment, but Srila Prabhupada said, “Radha-Madhava feast at night.” So, between two and three p.m., we’d start cooking the eight-fifteen p.m. offering of fourteen to sixteen preparations.”
Srila Prabhupada is Coming! – Mayapur April 1976

Quote “Mäyäpur,” Prabhupäda said, “is where I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Prabhupäda conceived of a temple to be built in Mäyäpur that would be the grandest of all temples in his movement. He and his devotees would worship the Supreme Lord there in such a magnificent style that the whole world would be attracted to Prabhupäda’s place of worship, the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir.”
Satsvarup Das Goswami – Prabhupada Lilamrita Vol.5, Capt. 44. Let There Be a Temple

• Prabhupāda: Now you all together make this Vedic planetarium very nice, so that people will come and see. From the description of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you prepare this Vedic planetarium. How do you like this idea, Vedic planetarium?
  Ambarīṣa: It seems like a very nice idea.
  Prabhupāda: You also like? So finance this project. (laughter) Vedic planetarium.
  Ambarīṣa: Where will this be?
  Prabhupāda: Māyāpur. My idea is to attract people of the whole world to Māyāpur.
  (760615 – Conversation B – Detroit)
• Devotee (4): Temple and planetarium.
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  Devotee (4): “World’s largest planetarium and Temple of Understanding.”
  Prabhupāda: No “Understanding” simply Vedic “Temple of Vedic Planetarium,” That’s all. We shall show the Vedic conception of planetary system within this material world and above the material world. (break) We are going to exhibit the Vedic culture throughout the whole world, and they’ll come here.
  Jayapatākā: The whole world will be coming here to . . .
  Prabhupāda: Yes.
  (760227 – Morning Walk – Mayapur)
• Jayapatākā: . . . exhibit the farce of modern science.
  Prabhupāda: Hmm?
  Jayapatākā: Farce of modern science, and every philosophy and science group, where they are just cheating the public. Then exhibit how Kṛṣṇa consciousness is showing the real way.
  Prabhupāda: Yes. So do that in this planetarium.
  (760318 – Morning Walk – Mayapur)
• And we have asked government to give us 350 acres of land in Māyāpur to construct Vedic planetarium, 350 feet high. It will require eight crores of rupees minimum. I shall exhibit there all these planetary system, Bhurloka, Goloka . . .

(760412 – Morning Walk – Bombay)

Quote “Prabhupada:… from the Bhagavatam. So this should be mentioned. It is not only a temple, but a planetarium according to Bhagavatam, where which planet is situated, where is Vaikunthaloka, where is Goloka Vrndavan, where is…
Tamal Krsna: You want a real planetarium just like in the West.
Jayapataka: That’s what I told them, Prabhupada…
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jayapataka: …that this is not a temple; this is like a big cultural exposition, museum, planetarium.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamal Krsna: Boy, Prabhupada, the people will pay… Everyone will pay a rupee to go in and see that. One rupee for that, one rupee to ride the escalator.
Prabhupada: And there will be escalator to take them to different planetary system. Mention there.”
Morning Walk – Mayapur 28.2.76

Quote “Jayapataka: The whole world will be coming here to…
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jayapataka: …visit.
Prabhupada: Just like they come to see the Taj Mahal…
Hrdayananda: Yes.
Prabhupada: …the architectural culture, they’ll come to see the civilization culture, the philosophical culture, the religious culture by practical demonstration with dolls and other things.
Jayapataka: And we’ll be advertising that all over the world.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Hrdayananda: it is a perfect plan.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jayapataka: There can be a model of that temple in every temple all over the world.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Jayapataka: So then people can…Then advertising, “Come here.”
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Actually it will be an unique thing in the world. There is no such thing all over the world. That we shall do. And not only simply showing museum, but education people to that idea.
Hrdayananda: Preaching.
Prabhupada: Right. With factual knowledge, books, not fictitious.”
Morning Walk – Mayapur 27.2.76

Quote “Here at Sridhama Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada gave further impetus to the main temple project. It will be a 30 story skyscraper temple based on the following verse of Brahma-samhita: goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale… There will be the main temple that will extend upwards the full 30 stories, as well as different levels depicted in doll tableaus, first the material world, devi dhama; then mahesa dhama, then vaikuntha dhama, and finally goloka vrindaban.”
Letter from Bhrahananda to Ramesvara – Mayapur 25/10/74

Quote “Pusta Krsna: ‘In our Planetarium, Srila Prabhupada, we want to actually show the different qualities of life on the different planetary systems also?’ Prabhupada: ‘Yes, as far as possible.’”
Morning Walk – New York 13/7/76

Quote “If there is opportunity, as we are contemplating, we shall show here in Caitanya-candra…, er, Māyāpur-candrodaya temple. That is our plan, to make a very big temple and to show all the planetary system within that from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It will not be an ordinary temple, so that people from the whole world, they will come. This is our contemplation.”
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 — Mayapur, February 15, 1976

Quote “Prabhupāda: We are just attempting a big planetarium in Māyāpur. 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…
Prabhupāda: In the Fifth Canto.
Gurudāsa: The planetarium will be 350 feet high and show the cosmology of the spiritual world.
Prabhupāda: The construction will be like your Washington capital, like that.
George Harrison: A big dome.
Prabhupāda: Yes.”
Conversation with George Harrison — July 26, 1976, London

Quote “Prabhupāda: Within that temple, there will be the tree of planetary system, electric bulb, and they’ll move round. And upon that, sun will run. That requires electrical mechanism. (break) …all side, other, different planets and Vaikuṇṭha-loka… There will be escalator to go.
Yaśodānandana: I think in some of the Western countries they have these elevators with brass windows all around, so that one can, even though he’s going up, he still sees all around. It would be very fascinating for these people.”
Morning Walk — March 17, 1976, Mayapura

Quote “Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The scientists are getting smashed to bits by your statements, Śrīla Prabhupāda. This destroys their whole theory. Orbs, round spheres. I think that this Māyāpur building, we must build a big planetarium in it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That, that I am going to do, Vedic planetarium.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, boy. You’re going to bring a lot of…. A lot of scientists will come here just to dispute this.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Wonderful attraction.
Prabhupāda: World people will come to see the way the planetary systems…”
Morning Walk — March 18, 1976, Mayapura

Quote “We must have a nice center at Mayapur because we are expecting there students from all over the world. Plans of the temple have already been made and you should have received them by now. The buildings should be exactly in the same pattern. The size may be changed according to the engineering technology. I have shown in London the Westminster Abbey to Syamasundara, Bhavananda and Nara Narayana. Perhaps you have also seen it. I want the inside just like the Westminster Abbey. You will understand from the plans what is my desire in this connection.”
Letter to Tamala Krsna — Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971

Quote “Practically this institution is the real U.N. We have the co-operation from all nations, all religions, all communities, etc. It will be and international institute. To see the Planetarium and how things are universally situated has nothing to do with sectarian ideas. It is a scientific presentation of spiritual life.”
Letter to Jayapataka Maharaja – New Vrndavan 26.6.76

Quote “We are going to have a very big project at Mayapur. We have to acquire 350 acres of land from the Government and construct a spiritual town at the expense of Rs. 200 Crores. The plans and contemplations are going on in different phases, now when Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be pleased it will be taken up.”
Letter to Dinesh Candra Sarkar written from Delhi – 76/08/26

Quote “Prabhupäda spoke about a colossal temple, its great dome rising above a transcendental city. This Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir would house the greatest planetarium in the world, depicting the universe as it is described in the Vedic literature.”
Satsvarup Das Goswami – Prabhupada Lilamrita Vol.5, Capt. 42. Developing Mäyäpur

Quote “Srila Prabhupada was extremely enthusiastic about the plans. He wants the Planetarium to demonstrate the Vedic alternative to modern scientific cosmological propaganda, illustrating the structure of the universe as described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
A Transcendental Diary Vol.1 – Mayapur 21/1/76

Quote “In this morning’s class Srila Prabhupada described his ambitious plans for showing the higher regions of the universe in the Vedic Planetarium he’s proposed for Mayapur. ‘There is a Siddhaloka. We shall show how this planet works, Siddhaloka. The description of the Siddhaloka is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.’
A Transcendental Diary Vol.1 – Mayapur 15/2/76

Quote “There are many lokas, Caranaloka, others. They are all described. So if there is chance, we shall present these lokas, how they are situated, where they are situated, how they are moving, how the sun is moving around them. The sun is not fixed up; sun is moving. All these things, we have got such dream to show. If there is opportunity, we shall do.”
A Transcendental Diary Vol.1 – Mayapur 15/2/76

Quote “Srila Prabhupada then expressed his concern: ‘We must exactly follow the description of Bhagavatam. As we are going to spend many crores of rupees, and there will be those who will try to find fault in our presentation, ‘Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion.’ I have explained whatever I could already in my books.”
TKG’s Diary – Vrndavan 30/5/77

Quote “Our cow-protection program in India should be the exemplary standard for the whole world. So, if you like, come to India as soon as possible. You may come directly to Calcutta and from there you can easily go to Sri Mayapur-candra-daya Mandira. I want to improve our Gosala here in Mayapur first.”
Letter to Devakinandana — Mayapur 8 April, 1975

Quote “This program is very very important. If you can help to organize our cow program in Mayapur, it will be a great credit for you. We must be able to grow our own fodder for the cows. We don’t want to have to purchase food for the cows outside from some other party. That will run into a great expense. Cow protection is the business of the vaisyas and along with our preaching, this is the most important work. We must have a good section of brahmanas in our society and we must also have a good group of vaisyas who can grow grains and tend cows, and thus supply the society with food-grains and milk products from the cow like ghee, curd, cream, etc. If you can help in Mayapur it would be very much appreciated.”
Letter to Hasyakari Das – Honolulu 26/5/75

Quote “Cheerful attitude.” If cows know. They have got intelligence that “We will be killed.” Therefore they are not supplying sufficient milk. They cannot, just like if your mind is full of anxiety, you cannot work fully. So because they are denied this cheerfulness, you are getting less milk. If you keep them cheerful, they will give more milk. This is nature’s economic development. Artificially you cannot increase the production of milk. But according to the instruction of scripture, if you keep them cheerful without any fear, they will deliver double milk. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that cows should be protected in the human society. If you want to eat meat, you can kill insignificant, small animal, but don’t kill cows. There are other animals-hogs, pigs, goats, lambs or birds, so many, fish—if you are at all interested in meat-eating; but don’t kill cow. Find out this verse from Bhagavad-gītā, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam BG 18.44 . Those who are vaiśyas… Economic development… Vaiśya means economic development. They should produce ample food grains and give protection to the cows. Just like our Kṛṣṇa’s life, His foster father was a vaiśya. So he is keeping so many hundred thousands of cows, and Kṛṣṇa was entrusted to take charge of the calves, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. So although They were very rich father’s son, still They were taking the calves in the forest for tending in childhood. Still… You have seen in Māyāpur? The small children, they are taking care very nicely of the cows. After all, it is animal. The small child has got a stick, and he has been trained up how to allow them to graze. They have done. So according to Bhagavad-gītā… But that is very nice, that economic development means you produce more food grains and more milk. Then it will solve all posit… There will be no scarcity of food or happiness. Our, these Kṛṣṇa society young boys and girls, they have prepared so many nice things from milk. It is nutritious, very palatable, every…, everything.”
Room Conversations — July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach

Quote “You say we must have a gosala trust, that is our real purpose. krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya karma svabhava-jam,  [Bg 18.44]. Where there is agriculture there must be cows. That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade. This is a no-profit scheme. For the agriculture we want to produce our own food and we want to keep cows for our own milk. The whole idea is that we are ISKCON, a community to be independent from outside help. This farm project is especially for the devotees to grow their own food. Cotton also, to make their own clothes. And keeping cows for milk and fatty products.
Our mission is to protect our devotees from unnecessary heavy work to save time for advancing in Krsna consciousness. This is our mission. So there is no question of profit, but if easily there are surplus products, then we can think of trading. Otherwise we have no such intention. We want a temple, a gosala and agriculture. A community project as in Europe and America. We are making similar attempts in India in several places.”
Letter to: Yasomatinandana — Vrindaban 28 November, 1976

Quote If you have got land and cow, then everything is complete. This is basic principle of Vedic civilization. Have some land. Have some cows. Dhānyena dhanavān gavayaḥ dhanavān. Not industry. There is no need of industry. Because you want some food, nice food, nice milk, nice fruit, that will be produced by nature. You cannot manufacture all these things in the factory.
So by Kṛṣṇa’s grace if we actually become dharmic, follow Kṛṣṇa, the milk supply will be so profuse that everyone, even the animals, can take the butter and yogurt. That is wanted. That is civilization. Produce sufficient quantity of grains, let the milks . . . cows, supply sufficient quantity of milk. All economic question solved. There is no use of industry. No use of man’s going fifty miles to work. No. There is no need. Simply land and cows. Here is the statement. Kāmaṁ parjanyaḥ, vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā. Everything you’ll get from the land, even luxury articles.
Lecture SB 1.10.04 – Mayapur

Quote “I wish the temple community to be self-sufficient by producing their own food grains. In foreign countries we are organizing our centres on this principle. Here also in Mayapur we are doing the same thing.”
Letter to Sri Kashinatha Mallick – Delhi 24/3/76

Quote “You live locally, and be self-sufficient. They will see that it is possible to live locally without movement, and still highly cultured men, self-sufficient. That is required.”
Morning Walk — May 28, 1974, Rome

Quote “I am presently at Mayapur and it would be a great satisfaction if you could kindly visit our establishment and see how things are being conducted. We are developing a plan to be self-sufficient. Namely, to produce our food grains, maintain cows, for drinking milk, and weave cloth for garments. We have plans for erecting a magnificent international city based on this Vedic culture.”
Letter to: Sri Chaudhuri—Mayapur-23 January, 1976

Quote “While travelling here to Melbourne I was thinking how wonderful our Mayapur project is and how it can be developed in future. I want that Mayapur be self-sufficient by having its own production of grains, vegetables, fruits and milk products etc. to the extent that you will be able to feed at least 500 men daily. This will be better than trying to arrange for maintenance funds to come from outside. So we can make some scheme for purchasing sufficient quantity of land. The land there is very fertile and if your men can manage the program then we can go ahead.”
Letter to Tamal Krsna, Jayapataka, Bhavananda & Gargamuni – Melbourne 10/2/73

Quote “As we are doing in Mayapur and many other places, I want to develop self-sufficient centres with cloth and food production by the devotees locally and save time as much as possible to devote themselves to chant Hare Krsna.”
Letter to Syama Sundarji – Vrndavana 15/11/76

Quote “We have already done in Māyāpur. We are producing our own food, our own cloth, own milk, and we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the simplest life. This life is meant for not working like hogs and dogs. That is the instruction.”
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 — Bombay, December 25, 1976

Quote “Yes. (break) …encouraging in our society to take to agriculture to support this center. I am purchasing land in Vṛndāvana and Māyāpur to become self-sufficient. Whatever production you make, you be satisfied. Little vegetable, little grain and little milk. That is sufficient… This is the civilization, cheating, bluffing. That’s all. They don’t care for the citizens. And as soon as there is some agitation, they declare war, so that they can be engaged, attention is diverted. This is going on.
Now you have to reform them. That reformation is Krsna consciousness. So you have to make an example, what is actually human life… some of them, those who are intelligent, they will see, “Yes, here is life.” So you have to become an ideal society. You live locally, and be self-sufficient. They will see that it is possible to live locally without movement, and still highly cultured men, self-sufficient. That is required.”
Morning Walk at Villa Borghese — May 25, 1974, Rome

Quote “So according to Bhagavad-gétä, as we are preaching, we are also opening centers, self-help center. In New Vrindaban, West Virginia, we have already opened a very big community center. We are going to open in California also, and we have already opened in India also, that we occupy a certain tract of land, we produce our own food, we keep our cows and take their milk, and there is no scarcity. Everything, there are. We don’t require to go outside the land for our livelihood. So we are advising, we are making centers like that, that “Be self-sufficient. Save time for spiritual culture.” That is human civilization.”
Lecture at World Health Organization — Geneva, June 6, 1974

Quote “Grow food first of all to feed yourself sumptuously. You must get strength, and that is needed. But not for trade. The policy should be that you should be self-sufficient and save time for advancing in Kåñëa consciousness. That is wanted. Yavad-ärtha prayojanam. Yuktähära-vihärasya yogo bhavati siddhi-daù. You shall eat whatever you require for proper upkeep of the body, not eating too much and sleeping whole day. Don’t do that. Eat only what is absolutely necessary. Then you’ll never be in want.”
Morning Walk — October 28, 1975, Nairobi

Quote “My idea is to purchase land for agriculture so inmates may not depend on outsiders but grow food there and things may go on nicely.”
Letter to Dinesh Candra Sarkar – London 14 August 1971

Quote “Now, we should have self-sufficiency. This means to make our own food grains grow and to weave our own cloth—like in Mayapur. If we have food grains, milk, and cloth life becomes easy and we can save time for preaching and chanting. Not that everyone should do these activities of farming, but if one is less intelligent, or not intelligent enough to preach nicely, he can do. If one is capable, then he should preach. On the whole, our society should be divided into 4 divisions, but such divisions are not material. Just like Krishna belonged to the Vaisya community, but he is worshiped by the brahmanas. We shall utilize everything for Krishna’s service.”
Letter to Mahamsa — Bombay 19 January, 1975

Quote “Prabhupāda Everywhere you’ll find this division, natural. One class of men, very intelligent. One class of men, very strong, good brain for management, administration. (aside) Jaya. One class of men, fit for tilling the ground, field, and produce food, take care of the cows. And the balance, śūdra. That’s all. So in our society, this division should be there. The most intelligent class of men, they should be engaged in preaching, reading books and instructing, taking care of Deity worship, temple, and another class should be strong managers that things are going on nicely. Everyone is engaged, not that eating and sleeping. Everyone must be engaged, employed. So, so if one is very much adapted for eating and sleeping, he should be engaged with plows. You see. He must be activity. Otherwise, there must be dysentery, eating and sleeping. He cannot digest. Yes. So in this way, our society should be managed. Not that “Give me second initiation, a sacred thread.” And after getting it, business finished: “Now I’m liberated. Let me eat and sleep.” This should be stopped. We have got fifty bighās of land, and I have calculated in Māyāpur, setting aside twenty bighās for the temple and grazing ground for the cows, thirty bighās of land. The production should be three hundred mounds of grains. And three hundred mounds of grain, I have calculated. How much you can…?”
Morning Walk — March 12, 1974, Vrndavana

Quote “Jagadīśa:”ISKCON is also building a model Vedic community in Māyāpur near Calcutta based on cottage industry and agriculture. The important principle is that everyone must be gainfully employed. In ISKCON’s Māyāpur project hundreds of persons operate spinning wheels and more than a dozen handlooms, dye the cloth, and (indistinct) printed in popular design, process rice and dāl by hand, crush sugarcane for sugar products, and manufacture by hand wooden shoes and other items of daily use. On twenty-five acres of agricultural land in Māyāpur, ISKCON is developing and demonstrating scientific farming procedures such as crop rotation, organic fertilization, and using improved strains. ISKCON is also cross-breeding cattle from Canada and Australia with Indian cows to increase milk production. Thus the community provides its own cloth, food, and other daily needs, acts as an agricultural development and demonstration center, and additionally feeds thousands of people twice every week.
Within the next ten years, according to ISKCON plans, the Māyāpur project will extend into a complete Vedic city with fifty thousand…”(50000)
Prabhupāda: We have applied for 350 acres of land from the government. The process is going on. If we get, then we shall spend crores of rupees for…
Jagadīśa: “Within the next ten years, according to ISKCON plans, the Māyāpur project will extend to a complete Vedic city with fifty thousand inhabitants, its own university, airport and stadium. It will also claim the world’s largest planetarium, with 410-ft-high Temple of Understanding…” (break) …civilization.
Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper — November 6, 1976, Vrndavana

Quote “From so many wonderful varieties of vegetables, you will get very soon full of vitamins. Keep a cow, then there will be no question of scarcity or relying upon somebody else for your maintenance.”
Letter to Jayapataka Maharaja – Amsterdam 30 July 1972

Quote “So Mayapur inhabitants can be engaged in such a small manufacturing enterprise as well as farming to become self-sufficient. Side by side increase our spiritual consciousness by attending to the temple routine work, Deity worship sankirtana, attending class. The idea is we must have the necessities of our life as far as possible independently. But we should not be business minded. Our main business is to develop our dormant Krsna Consciousness.”
“The summary is that our men must learn these four things: doll making, mrdanga making, karatala making and if possible making saris.”
Letter to: Jayapataka, Bhavananda -Los Angeles – 9 May, 1973

Quote “Regarding handloom, can they not produce fine cloth? Fine cloth will be received in any part of the world.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Vrndavana 28/9/76

Quote “Prabhupäda: “We’re not only chanting, we are giving them work. We are trying to become self-sufficient, the same idea of Gandhi’s village organization, so they may not come out from the village. They’ll be satisfied, village economics. That we are doing.”
Press Interview – October 16, 1976, Chandigarh

Quote “Here it is said that avidya-kama-karmabhih. By ignorance, they are thinking by opening factories they will be happy. That is avidya. He does not know that this is ignorance. Why you should open factory? This is called ugra-karma. There is no need of opening factory. You have got land. Here are so many lands. You produce your food grains. Annad bhavanti bhutani. You eat sumptuously food grain, milk, and that will be available without any factory. The factory cannot produce milk or food grain. The present scarcity of foodstuff means everybody is engaged in the city, producing bolts and nuts. Who is producing food grain? This is the solution of economic problem. Annad bhavanti bhutani. Therefore we are trying to engage our men to produce their own food. Be self-sufficient so that these rascals may see that how one can live very peacefully, eating the food grains and milk, and chant Hare Krishna. This is our mission. We don’t deny this food.”
Lectures, October 15, 1974, Mayapur

Quote “Regarding our proposal for West Bengal: West Bengal people may come and join us without any distinction of cast and creed. The occupation will be according to one’s capacity. They will be employed in cottage industry backed by spiritual advancement of life, to understand the mission of human life or relationship with God and act accordingly. The idea is that we are prepared to give all facility for maintenance of the body without sinful activities like illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Everyone should live peacefully in healthy condition of life with the purpose of advancing in spiritual consciousness. In this concept we can accept anyone from any part of the world, what to speak of West Bengal, and give them shelter, food, occupation and enlightenment.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Vrndavana 29/9/76

Quote “You say that everyone is working without any caste or race consideration.  That is required.  That is the basic standard of Krishna consciousness.”
7/12/76 Hyderabad – Jayapataka Swami

Quote “So our philosophy is “Simple living, high thinking”
(Note: Prabhupada mentioned “Simple living high thinking” 13 times throughout his work.)

Quote “Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter with enclosed contribution towards the development of our Mayapur City in W. Bengal, and I thank you very much. We are trying to construct a city where people from all over the world can come to visit and live according to the Vedic tenets of “simple living and high thinking.””  I am pleased to hear that you appreciative of our humble efforts and if you would like to contribute in the future towards this great spiritual city you can send your contributions to me
Letter to Mr. Hunter – Los Angeles-5 June, 1976

Quote “It was the desire of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura that Europeans and americans would come here (mayapur) and chant Hare Krsna Mantra. That prophecy in now being fulfilled, and that is my satisfaction.”
Arrival Lecture — Mayapur, September 27, 1974

Quote “Our Krsna consciousness movement now has centres in Vrndavana and Navadvipa so that those who want to live a retired life, whether they be devotees or not, can go there and with determination give up the bodily concept of life. One is welcome to live in those holy places for the rest of his life in order to achieve the highest success by the very simple method of chanting the holy name of the Lord and taking prasada.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.39 Purport

Quote “Now the war is nearly settled here, our programs are resuming, and I think that I shall also build a very nice temple in Vrindaban and Mayapur, so that our students and friends all over the world may come there and enjoy real spiritual life.”
Letter to Vaikunthanatha — Bombay 18 December, 1971

Quote “Anyone who cannot collect money, they should go to Mayapur and live there and simply eat and sleep, like women and widows. I shall arrange for their eating and sleeping. But in cities, those should live who can collect and earn. The widows are not earning in Hindu society, they eat and sleep at others’ expense. So if you are not able to earn in Calcutta, better all go to Mayapur and eat and sleep and I shall accommodate all widows, women, and others at Mayapur and Vrindaban. Otherwise why should we maintain such large establishment in Calcutta simply for eating and sleeping and spending. These two places will be reserved for those who cannot collect. For them I am making provision. Only the active members who can collect, they shall live in the city. Eating, sleeping members, they shall live in Mayapur, that’s all. ”
Letter to Bhavananda – London 14 July, 1972

Quote “We must have a nice centre at Mayapur because we are expecting there students from all over the world.”
Letter to Tamal Krsna Dasa – Kenya 16/9/71

Quote “Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila (Bhaktisiddhanta) Prabhupada desired that such American and European devotees may live at Mayapur for studies of Sri Caitanya philosophy, and now the time is ripe when many American, European, and Japanese students working as my disciples are ready to go there for this purpose.”
Letter to Tirtha Maharaja – Los Angeles 7/2/69

Quote “The business community you can impress upon them that throughout the whole world there is no institution to impart education in the matter of spiritual understanding. So we are going to open a big centre in Mayapur where this education will be internationally imparted. Students from all parts of the world will go there to take education in this important subject. Modern civilization is running on the bodily concept of life. Such a civilization is nothing but polished animalistic civilization. They can never bring the right knowledge to the human society. So our Krishna Consciousness Movement is especially meant for enlivening men in this novel educational system.”
Letter to Atreya Rsi – London 20/8/71

Quote “Part of the space will be used for a school and college of this Krsna Consciousness, especially to attract the bright young Indian boys and girls, so I think that you shall have to come here in future to take charge of such institution of learning, either in Bombay or Mayapur.”
Letter to Hayagriva – Madras 13/2/72

Quote “If we spend 25 to 30 lakhs Rupees then our Mayapur program will be a great success. So we have to do it. It will be a world centre for teaching spiritual life. Students from all over the world will come and we shall revolutionize the atheistic and communistic tendency of rascal philosophers. So we must be responsible for this great task.”
Letter to Tamala Krsna — London 1 September, 1971

Quote “Education means to lead the people gradually to Krsna consciousness.”
Lecture SB 1.3.20 Los Angeles 1972

Quote “But the Europeans and Americans, they are going to India for learning brahma-vidya. That is education. The Europeans and Americans, when they go to Vrndavana and Mayapur, they do not go there to see how we have manufactured cycle and machine for sewing. They have seen enough of this. … Education means how to make one brahmana, how to teach him how he become sense controlled, sama, dama, mind control, how to become truthful, how to become clean, how to become simple, how to become full of knowledge, how to apply knowledge in practical life, how to know God. That is education.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture – Detroit 3/8/75

Quote “For the present you should continue going to school because education is important. Without education nobody has any social position and all our students in Krishna Consciousness are expected to be preachers. So preachers must have sufficient education because they have to meet with so many opposing elements. Education should be continued at the same time chanting should be continued. There will be no difficulty.”
Letter to: Indira and Ekayani – San Francisco 17 December, 1967

Quote “Human life is meant for cultivation of spiritual knowledge, in eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the executive heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart this lesson to the citizens by education, culture and devotion.”
[Bhagavad Gita, 4.1. Purport]

Quote “Prabhupāda: … this is another college, varṇāśrama college.
Satsvarūpa: For the public in general?
Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes. Anyone. Just like engineering college is open for anyone. He must be ready to take up the training. Similarly, this varṇāśrama college, he must be ready, the student must be ready to take up the training….”
Morning Walk ‘Varnasrama College’ — March 14, 1974, Vrndavana

Quote “Prabhupāda: Vedic university. So that is our plan.”
Morning Walk — August 15, 1976, Bombay

Quote “In our Vedic Universities we will not encourage anyone to be merely a bookworm. There must be life—rising early in the morning, attending mangal arati, taking prasadam, etc. The man who is studying will be brahmana, the farmer will be vaisya. In this way there will be divisions, but they are all one in service to Krsna.”
Letter to Tusta-Krsna – Bombay 9/1/76

Quote “So in the beginning if we start a varnasrama collage to teach international students from all over the world to learn to be educated as brahmanas, as ksatriyas, as vaisyas, as sudras, by quality and work that will be the basic principle of Krsna consciousness. It is the duty of the government to see that everyone is employed. This is only possible when varnasrama is established.”
Letter to Tarun Kanti Ghosh Babu – New Delhi 11/3/74

Quote “The aim is to make it an international institute for taking perfect spiritual order of life; we shall give titles like bachelor of divinity, master of divinity, doctor of divinity. Besides that as I have already told you all several times in India, respect-able gentlemen want to educate their children through the English medium. If we can organize such an institution such as St. Xavier’s college in Calcutta and Bombay and we can give them instruction through the English medium and raise them in a Krsna Conscious culture we shall get unlimited number of students from respectable families of India. … our mission is solid. Our philosophy is not utopian. Our men are being trained for exemplary character. So we shall have a unique position all over the world provided we stick to the principles, namely unflinching faith in Spiritual Master, and Krsna, chanting not less than 16 rounds regularly and following the regulative principles. Then our men will conquer all over the world.”
Letter to Tamal Krsna & Gurudas – London 23/8/71

Quote “Prabhupāda: Hobby. That they can understand. So on account of this political situation, the government is not very favorable to our movement. But we have to counteract it by our behavior, by our propaganda. It is not difficult if you do it very nicely. We opened this college program that foreigners should come here, then it will be solved. If it is recognized by the university and you come, you people come as students, then the whole situation will be solved.
Devotee (1): Here in Māyāpur.
Prabhupāda: Hm. (end)”
Room Conversation — April 4, 1975, Mayapur

Quote “Your idea for making our Mayapur adventure as Vaisnava University …
[PAGE MISSING]”
Letter to Acyutananda — Los Angeles 14 June, 1970

Quote “Your idea for a three day benefit to raise 4 lakhs towards our International University for Study of Vedic Culture is a very sound proposal, so do it and make the idea concrete. That will be very good.”
Letter to Madhudvisa — New York 23 July, 1971

Quote “Bhagavān: …the society would go to the gurukula, and there it would be decided what their work would be?
Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all there should be an instructor on the spiritual life, then according to his position… Our spiritual life is meant, we should always remember… But for management we have to make divisions. That is…
Devotee: Actually the whole society could be Vaiṣṇava.
Prabhupāda: Ah. They’re Vaiṣṇava. But because they have got to live in the material world, there must be division of work. If everyone wants to become the brain, who will act as leg? That is also required. If everyone says, “No, no, I’m not going to do the work of leg. I want simply to work as…” No. It is needed. The brain is needed, the hand is needed, the belly is needed, the leg is needed. So that we have to divide. Who will work as brain, who will work as hand, who will work as leg… The main aim is how to maintain this body perfectly, fit.
Morning Walk — March 14, 1974, Vrndavana

Quote “Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Those gurukula boys, as they grow up, they should be trained to protect Māyāpur.
Prabhupāda: Therefore I say kṣatriya. Some of our men should be trained as kṣatriya.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is required.
Prabhupāda: Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). There must be division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—not that all one class. That is all wrong.
Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De — July 8, 1977, Vrndavana

Quote “The most instruction I had from Srila Prabhupada was in Mayapur in 1976. I was asked to come and see Srila Prabhupada by Tamal Krishna Goswami and Prabhupada talked to me about how to he wanted to start a university in Mayapur. What he described was basically a graduate research institution because he wanted to affiliate it with the University of Calcutta. He wanted me to go and talk to the people at the University of Calcutta about the possibility of affiliating this graduate school. He said, “We’ll get a list of all devotees with B.A. degrees.” I said, “What degree will we give?” He said, “ph.D.-B., Doctor of Bhagawat Philosophy. People will study with us, they will write their thesis under our supervision, but the final exam can be given by University of Calcutta and they give the degree.” That was the arrangement he wanted. He was very serious it seemed to me. He wanted me to start working with the Mayapur co-directors about designing a building for it and everything.
…. I went and talked to this official at the University of Calcutta about three times, and it could be done. In fact, the Ramakrishna Mission had that exact arrangement. But when Prabhupada had told me what he wanted, I said to him, “We’re going to have to have a big library.” And he said, “Only our books.” I thought, “Oh, gee a shelf this big. This may not be serious.”  Then when I got to Calcutta, they emphasized a big library, a research library. So that’s where I thought we were going to have a problem because Prabhupada said only our books, which at that time you could fit them all on one shelf. …. Then I said to Prabhupada, “But they want us to have a big library.” And Prabhupada said, “Oh, we can have a big library, all the books from the four sampradayas.” I thought, “Whoa!” I immediately suggested to him, “The way we could get such a library is by microfilming them.” First of all, many of the books would be hard to get- they’re rare, out of print. But if they let you go into where they have them, they’d be happy to have them copied. Prabhupada said that was a good idea, and he said he will get the BBT translation team to immediately start making up a list of books.
RAVINDRA SWARUPA: On Education in Mayapur. From Memories of Vrndavana book (40th anniversary)

Quote “Prabhupāda: Our, this gurukula should be taken care of very nicely. So nice preachers may come out. Brāhmaṇa, nice brāhmaṇa.
Room Conversation — July 9, 1973, London

Quote “I consider this Gurukula school to be one of our most important aspects of this movement and it should be given all serious consideration by the members. If we are able to make a whole generation of our children into fine Krsna Conscious preachers that will be the glory of our movement and the glory of your country as well. But if we neglect somehow or other and if we lose even one Vaisnava, that is very great loss.
Letter to Stokakrsna – Los Angeles 20 June, 1972

Quote “It is very encouraging that you have got license from the Board of Education to continue our children’s school. Kindly organize it nicely and it shall be a great achievement. We have to concentrate to give them some idea about God–that should be our first business. In art class they should be encouraged to draw pictures of Krsna, Kuruksetra, etc. There are so many subjects for drawing as it is stated in our book Krsna. If they are trained, they will come out nice devotees. It will depend on the process of training. Regarding some misbehavior that we have to check by training peacefully. Your attitude of tolerance and kindness very nice, so train them in this way. It is Lord Caitanya’s order that we have got to discharge welfare activities on behalf of Lord Caitanya.
Letter to Bhavananda 70-10-28

Quote “Gurukula is our most important project. If the children are given a Krsna Conscious education from early childhood then there is great hope for the future of the world.
Letter to Dayananda, Nandarani – Calcutta 27 January, 1973

Quote “Now in Mayapur there are two much important programs, namely, first of all, a school must be started in English medium. The children may work in the temple compound for gardening and cleansing, then they shall attend class. If they are given sufficient comfort, they will stay with us and develop nicely. Comfort means no bodily discomfort, and for this Krishna Consciousness education, many Calcutta rich men will send their children. Actually the Bhaktivinode Institute was started for this purpose, but they have turned it into an ordinary school… Our girls can be engaged for teaching as well as temple worship.”
Letter to: Bhavananda—Auckland-14 April, 1972

Quote ‘Child is the father of Man’, so if you can train these children in Krsna consciousness by kind instruction, feeding them, it will be great service to Lord Caitanya.
Letter to Jayapataka – Los Angeles 17/5/72

Quote Here in Mayapur we are trying to create a place of inspiration for people throughout the world.
Letter to P. R. Mohapatra written from Mayapur – 4/3/1976

Quote “So Gurukula means to teach how to become very, very faithful, cent percent faithful, to the bona fide guru. That is Gurukula. So you have to teach like that. By behavior, by life, by action. That is Gurukula.”
Room Conversation — July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm)

Quote “Prabhupāda: …chance should be given during childhood. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This bhāgavata-dharma, that is our idea in Gurukula. Learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of childhood.”
Morning Walk through the BBT Warehouse — February 10, 1975, Los Angeles

Quote “It is necessary for the leaders of the Krsna consciousness movement to start educational institutions in different parts of the world to train children, starting at the age of five years. Thus such children will not become hippies or spoiled children of society; rather, they can all become devotees of the Lord. The face of the world will then change automatically.”
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.12.23 Purport

Quote “Regarding the ISKCON Gurukula presently situated in Dallas—The Gurukula must be based on the principle of renunciation; vairagya vidya nija bhakti yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). Bhakti is based on the principle of the renunciation of material desires beginning from the earliest age; “
Letter to Jayatirtha — Mayapur 20 January, 1976

Quote “The children should be trained in early rising, attending mangal arati, some elementary education: arithmetic, alphabet, some of our books, like that. They should go to bed by 8 p.m. and rise by 4 a.m. for mangal arati, getting 8 hours sleep. If they take 8 hours sleep, they will not fall asleep during arati. When they get up they should wash with a little warm water, at least three times wash face. They may sleep one hour in the afternoon and there is no harm. Encourage them to chant as much japa as possible, but there is no question of force or punishment. If there is need you may shake your finger at them but never physical punishment is allowed. Try as far as possible to discipline them with love and affection, so that they develop a taste for austerity of life and think it great fun to serve Krishna in many ways. Rising early and mangal arati, this is enough austerity. Besides that, let them learn something, chant, dance, eat as much prasadam as they like, and do not mind if they have playful nature–let them also play and run, that is natural. It is nice if they eat often–if children overeat it doesn’t matter, that is no mistake. Boys and girls should be educated separately.”
Letter to Aniruddha 72-01-10

Quote “Now beginning from this year’s Mayapur festival the devotees will begin preparing for Bhakti-sastri examination. Therefore we require a guidebook for Deity worship, arcana-paddhati, based on Hari-bhakti-Vilasa. All brahmanas will be responsible to learn this book. I would like to have the manuscript ready as soon as possible, preferably my Gaura Purnima. So please work diligently for this.”
Letter to Nitai — Bombay 9 January, 1976

Quote “Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhaktivedanta, and Bhakti-sarvabhauma. All our brahmanas and anyone wanting to become brahmana, will have to sit for examination once a year at Mayapur. They will be expected to know Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, a book soon to be published on Deity worship, as well as all the small paperbacks. If they pass the examination they will be awarded Bhakti-sastri certificate. Sannyasis will be asked to sit for Bhakti-vaibhava examination which will include the first six cantos of Bhagavatam.”
Letter to Tusta Krsna — Bombay 9 January, 1976 

Quote “Therefore I am suggesting examinations. Bhakti-sastri—(for all brahmanas) based on Bhagavad-gita, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, and all the small paper backs. Bhakti-vaibhava—the above plus first six cantos of S.B. Bhaktivedanta—the above plus cantos 7-12 S.B. Bhakti-sarvabhauma—the above plus Caitanya-caritamrta.
These titles can correspond to entrance, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. So just consider how to organize this Institute. At Mayapur we shall finalize everything.”
Letter to Svarupa Damodara — Bombay 10 January, 1976

Quote “Dharmādhyakṣa: Also, should this college have men and woman or just men?
Prabhupāda: No, why? Everyone. We have no such discrimination. But not cats and dogs. (laughter) Human being. Never mind what he is.
Bahulāśva: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Māyāpur you were speaking about you wanted Māyāpur to become a college for the University of Calcutta?
Prabhupāda: No, why Māyāpur? Everywhere. The whole educational system should be changed.
Bahulāśva: We should take it over.
Prabhupāda: Not changed. At least this will remain as a departmental knowledge.
Bahulāśva: Yes.
Prabhupāda: It is not possible to make wholesale change, but at least let them accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness as a departmental knowledge.
Bahulāśva: We were wondering if Ravīndra-svārupa could come and help on this project. Because if we can get established in Berkeley first… It’s such a big university.
Prabhupāda: Yes, do that.”
Garden Conversation with Dr. Gerson and devotees — June 22, 1975, Los Angeles

Quote “Regarding the approval of the University, we have got both students and teachers and can supply the list to them. But first we must know the conditions which they are asking of us to fulfill.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Bhaktivedanta Manor 26 July, 1976  

Quote “Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Everywhere. But you make higher study, higher study, higher study.
Gurudāsa: Māyāpur can be the highest.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct), or everywhere this existence(?) should be lower class, higher class. But our all institutions should be for giving spiritual. We have got so many books. Simply he has to learn English and Sanskrit, that’s all. (indistinct) So we are not going to follow the university curriculum, no. We have got our own.
Room Conversation – Vrindavan 25 October 1972

Quote “He wants roads parks, gardens, like the descriptions of Dvaraka in the Krishna Book. Prabhupada personally surveyed the sites for a large lake as well as the second residential building. He called for a wall with a large front gate to be built.”
Letter to Ramesvara From Brahmananda Swami, West Bengal-25 October, 1974

Quote “The words udyanopavanakrida-pura-mandira-karmani indicate that there should be a serious endeavour to construct beautiful temples and Vaisnava cities with ample parks, orchards and flower gardens. And outstanding example of such endeavours can be presently seen in India at the Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.11.34-41 Purport

Quote “Prabhupäda asked Surabhi to draw a master plan for Mäyäpur City. Staying up all night, Surabhi made a preliminary architectural sketch, showing specific areas of the city for brähmaëas, kñatriyas, vaiçyas, and çüdras. The sketch also showed temples, schools, streets, walkways, residential buildings, cottages, a stadium and an airport, as well as self-sufficiency features like windmills, irrigation systems, and agricultural fields.

Prabhupäda was taking his massage when Surabhi brought him the drawing. Prabhupäda’s golden body was glistening with mustard oil as Hari-çauri carefully, strongly massaged his head, back, chest, and limbs. Prabhupäda was relaxed and silent, his eyes closed in meditation. But when Surabhi entered with the drawing of Mäyäpur, he became animated. Prabhupäda liked the drawing and talked about it for an hour. Now Surabhi should make a formal drawing and approach professional architects and appropriate government agencies. The devotees coming to Mäyäpur should also see it. As fabulous and far-reaching as it was, the Mäyäpur City should now become a reality.”
Srila Prabhupada Lilamarita – Vol. 6. Chpt. 49.

Quote “As we walked, the discussion turned to how to combat the flooding of the Ganges in our future city here in Mayapur. He told us to make a system of canals to drain the land.”
A Transcendental Diary Vol. 1 – Mayapur, 9 March 1976

Quote “With regard to the Mayapur house I may suggest that you make one roof garden. On the top of the house you can put soil of six inches and then plant so many tulsi plants and nice bushes. I like garden very much. Just like here in Los Angeles temple they have made on very nice garden for me and I sit there every evening. So you please also make first class Mayapur garden.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Los Angeles 16/4/73

Quote “Make everything green there. Why not install your American sprinkler system? Move the dirt from the pukur. It may be cleared and the dirt put along the sides where we shall make rooms at the high level for the flooding. The lake water should be clear.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Philadelphia 14/7/75

Quote “I want that all rooms and verandas and especially the Deity hall should have first class paintings. They will appreciate how expertly the American artists are doing.”
Letter to Bali-mardana — Los Angeles May 6, 1973

Quote “Prabhupāda: Just try to understand. Our lake in Māyāpur we shall make like this, all sides clear and four sides, the steps, ghāṭa, and garden.
Viśakha: Four sides, the steps?
Prabhupāda: These steps, you see? Here, there… There is no… Just opposite.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Four corners.
Prabhupāda: Four… Not four corners. Four sides.
Viśakha: And also with that in the center? Island?
Prabhupāda: No, island is not required. Make a program like that.”
Morning Walk — July 8, 1975, Chicago

Quote “While walking up the stairs in Mayapur one morning, Prabhupada began complimenting Bhavananda. “You are a good manager because you keep things clean. If you keep everything clean, then you are a good manager. That’s all there is to it.” As they walked up the stairs, Prabhupada could see that everything was shiny and clean; the walls, the pictures on the walls, the marble floors, everything was clean. But when they went to the roof, Srila Prabhupada found a scrap of paper and dust in a corner, and he began to criticize everyone for neglect.”
Little Drops of Nectar – Mayapur 1972

Quote “From there he inspected the kitchen area, a separate building with accommodations for householders on the upper floor. He was not pleased to see dirt on the steps. He said they looked as if they had not been cleaned “for three hundred years,” and he demanded to know why. When told the place was cleaned every night, he retorted, “What is the use of such cleaning, if it is dirty the next morning?” One of the managers said it was difficult to get the devotees to clean in the early morning because they all wanted to complete their japa. Prabhupada, however said cleaning must come first, and the chanting of japa another time. He stressed that unless they are prepared to work, no one should be allowed to join us.”
A Transcendental Diary Vol.1 – Mayapur 18/1/76

Quote “So Śrīman Jayapatāka Mahārāja, Bhavānanda Mahārāja and devotees, I thank you very much for keeping this temple, Māyāpur-candrodaya Mandira, so nicely cleansed, and it appears everything is going nicely.”
Arrival Lecture — Mayapur, September 27, 1974

Quote “Yet Srila Sarasvati Thakura did not regard these exoteric improvements as the essence of his service to the dhama. Although materialists may consider that laying roads, excavating ponds, sinking tube-wells, and arranging for a post office and electricity are laudable village-uplift projects, his only intention in making such arrangements was to glorify Sri Gaurasundara and promote his teachings. He wanted to attract the public to Mayapur and educate them that Mayapur was both the gateway to and non-different from Vrndavana.
However, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati vetoed the planned laying of a branch railway line from Dhubuliya to Mayapur and construction of a bridge over the Ganga from Navadvipa to Mayapur, fearing that by giving easy access to all stripes of hodgepodge people, Mayapur would become as commercialized as modern Navadvipa. Privately he said, “Don’t increase the weight of the dhama by bringing materialistic people here to pass stool.” He wanted that except during festivals, the pristine environment suitable for bhajana and seva reside at Sri Caitanya Matha.”
Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava – Volume One, Page 365

Quote “A Vaisnava travels to places of pilgrimage to purify them and reclaim fallen conditioned souls. This is one of the duties of a Vaisnava. Actually, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not a living entity but the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Consequently, He is a fully independent controller, yet in His position as a devotee, He carries out the activities of a devotee.”
Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 10.14

Quote “Since everything is the property of God, and all living entities—not only human beings but even animals, birds, plants and so on—are children of God, everyone has the right to live at the cost of God with God consciousness. This is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.” (Not specifically Mayapur)
CC Adi 8.20, Purport

Quote “This Mayapur is meant for this purpose, to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world as it was desired by Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada’s Appearance Day, Lecture — Mayapur, February 8, 1977

Quote “I am sure this mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu will be successful. It must be successful, because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted it to be done. Simply we, the workers, the servitors, must be very sincere. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu will give us more and more facilities so that we can work very well. So keep this mission always in view and do your best. That is my only request. Thank you very much.”
74/09/27 – Lecture Arrival – Mayapur

Quote “To His birthplace we offer our namaskars, but from the place of His activities we get inspiration. And, what was the Lord’s activity at Puri? It was preaching. Our temple must be active with preaching and not a dead place.”
Letter to: Ramesvara From Brahmananda Swami, West Bengal-25 October, 1974

Quote “So we established this temple, Mäyäpur-candrodaya. So this is the idea, that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is just like moon. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, He appeared in this land of Mäyäpur; therefore He is said here as “the moon.” Therefore we say candra, Mäyäpur-candra. Now, as Çré Mäyäpur-candra is rising… Rising. Rising means He is to distribute the moonshine all over the world. This is the idea, moonshine. Çreyaù-kairava candrikä-vitaraëam. Çreyaù-kairava. Caitanya Mahäprabhu personally said. Don’t keep Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu compact in your room and take some monetary profit. This is not required. This is not required. You must allow Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu to rise more and more so that this sun, moonshine, may be distributed all over the world. That is wanted. Therefore this temple is situated.”
Lecture – CC Adi 1.6 – Mäyäpur, March 30, 1975

Quote “I have named this temple Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, the Rising Moon of Mayapur. Now make it rise, bigger and bigger until it becomes the full moon. And this moonshine will be spread all over the world. All over India they will come to see. From all over the world they will come…”
Letter to Ramesvara — West Bengal 25 October, 1974

Quote “In Śrīdhāma Māyāpur there is sometimes a great flood after the rainy season. This is an indication that from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya the inundation of love of Godhead should be spread all over the world, for this will help everyone, including old men, young men, women and children. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so powerful that it can inundate the entire world and interest all classes of men in the subject of love of Godhead.”
CC Adi 7.25, Purport

Quote “At present, however, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His cult is being propagated all over the world, and it is most probable that in the future history of Lord Caitanya’s movement, Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Australians, South Americans, Asians and people from all over the world will be celebrated as devotees of Lord Caitanya. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already constructed a big temple at Māyāpur, Navadvīpa, which is being visited by devotees from all parts of the world, as foretold by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and anticipated by Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.”
CC Adi 10.122, Purport

Quote “Of course, the great author Kavirāja Gosvāmī has depicted the activities and teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this Māyāpur is the birthsite of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Five hundred years, 488 years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu traveled on this street. Now, still, that memory is going to be revived by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world because Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted this.”
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 — Mayapur, March 1, 1974

Quote “Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh, yes. (break) Therefore our mission is to bring Māyāpur everywhere.
Devotees: Jaya.
Prabhupāda: This is the greatest peace movement, to bring peace to the suffering humanity.”
Morning Walk — March 17, 1976, Mayapura

Quote “Actually, our main business in this country shall be to distribute our books profusely. Mayapur, Vrindaban, these temples shall be utilized for the most part by foreigners. So far the work in India of spreading Krsna consciousness, there are already millions of temples, so what shall our two more temples accomplish for spreading Krsna consciousness? They are meant for the foreigners and big life members. But our emphasis for preaching work will be on these books. Just as I introduced this life membership program based entirely on books, so you and other leaders here in India meet together or correspond frequently to devise more and more methods for introducing our literatures to the Indian public. That is the most important business.”
Letter to: Bhavananda—Bombay-3 January, 1973

Quote “I am very much encouraged by Bhavananda Maharaja and Gargamuni Swami’s preaching attempts. Now we have just published 30,000 Gitar Gan’s (although I am not satisfied with the new cover, why they have changed?). So go on preaching very very nicely. Everyone will like our program.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Los Angeles 6/6/76

Quote “Prabhupāda: No, no. In Māyāpur all the books should be displayed.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. We’ll get a complete set for display also.
Prabhupāda: Caitanya-caritāmṛta especially, it should be displayed in Māyāpur. Immediately ask to send to Māyāpur. And whatever books you have got already, you send them immediately. You select what books you want. Harer nama harer nama (CC Adi 17.21).”
Morning Walk — November 18, 1975, Bombay

Quote “I am most pleased especially to hear that you are distributing many books.* Go on increasing books, and go on increasing my pleasure.”
Letter to Giriraja — Bombay 28 December, 1971

Quote “For the last 50 years the Gaudiya Math people are there but their relationship with the local inhabitants is not to cordial. If we continue this philanthropic work to give them enlightenment and food without any discrimination, it will be appreciated by all people.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Los Angeles 17/5/72

Quote “Prabhupāda: Yes. Because you are sons. Although you are insignificant, you are God’s sons. So He likes to talk with His sons. Just like a small child. Everyone knows that he cannot talk. Still, father tries to make him talking, to enjoy. Māyāpur-candrodaya Temple is teaching all these fools and rascals how to talk with God. That is our mission.”
Morning Walk — April 5, 1975, Mayapur

Quote “The program for Nitai Chand to visit the villages and preach and make men join is very good.”
Letter to Jayapataka Swami Philadelphia 4/7/75

Quote “This means that by the grace of Krishna, not only our Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir has become very popular all over Bengal, side by side you have also become the attractive feature in Bengal.  So it is Krishna blessing you.  Take this opportunity for preaching in Bengal.  Especially please go from village to village with a party of 5, 6 men and preach the message of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with great enthusiasm.  Along with preaching simultaneously Gitar Gana will be distributed.”
Letter to Bhavananda Goswami – Vrndavan 10/11/76

Quote “I shall be returning in March to officially open the first residential block of our World Headquarters at Sridhama Mayapur, District Nadia, West Bengal.”
Letter to Ram Prashad — Calcutta January 29, 1973

Quote “The temple would also house a miniature palace in which the Deities of Rädhä and Krsna would reside, surrounded by silks and pillars of silver, gold, and jewels. The Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir and the Mäyäpur city would be ISKCON’s world headquarters.”
Satsvarup Das Goswami – Prabhupada Lilamrita Vol.5, Capt. 37. The Land Is Yours

Quote “…tomorrow we shall be celebrating the Lord’s Appearance Day by laying down the corner-stone for our World Headquarters here at Mayapur.”
Letter to Caturbhuja – Mayapur 28/2/72 (Braja’s book says 26^th, Folio 28^th)

Quote “You are the best man for this task of being responsible for our world headquarters at Mayapur, thank you very much for helping me in this way.”
Letter to Jayapataka – Vrndavan 22/10/72

Quote “Prabhupāda: Germany branch, Kṛṣṇa dāsa. There is a branch. But my headquarter is in Los Angeles. And now, since I came to India, I am trying to make my headquarter in Māyāpur. That’s the place, the birthsite, of Lord Caitanya. We have purchased land there.”
Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky — June 22, 1971, Moscow

Quote “Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: …presents us as a bona fide Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Vaiṣṇava cult. Says that the ISKCON center, the Māyāpur…, “ISKCON plans to build in Māyāpur a world center for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will comprise an enormous…”
Prabhupāda: This news has been very much advertised.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When will we begin?
Prabhupāda: As soon as we get the land.”
Room Conversation — July 10, 1976, New York

Quote “During the festival hundreds of devotees from countries all around the world all very much appreciated that these transcendental spots, Mayapur and Vrindaban are place of spiritual inspiration for all devotees of ISKCON. They are the best places in the world to come and chant Hare Krishna and prepare for going Back to Home, Back to Godhead.”
Letter to: Bhavatarini—Bombay-3 April, 1974

Quote “ [37:15]  As the Mayapur project develops Prabhupada invites his disciples from six continents
[37:21]  to join together yearly on the anniversary of Lord Caitanya’s appearance.
[37:26]  Prabhupada wants them to be purified and inspired by remembrance of the Lord in His holy land.
ITV Subtitles – Your Ever Well Wisher

Quote “The best time and place is Mayapur on Lord Caitanya’s Appearance Day. That is not only the best for me but for everyone. Mayapur is meant for that. If possible all devotees from all our centres should go for 8 days at that time.”
Letter to Tamal Krsna – Bhaktivedanta Manor 20/7/73
 
Quote “The members of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness should go to India during the birthday ceremony of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Mayapur and perform sankirtana congregationally.”
Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-Lila 11.96 Purport

Quote “Now many of our American and European devotees are coming to our temple in Mayapur and on completion of the Vrindaban temple we shall be able to give facilities to our ISKCON devotees all over the world to visit these two most holy places in the world.”
Letter to Gurudasa — Calcutta 4 July, 1973

Quote “I am very anxious for Lord Caitanya’s Appearance Day to be celebrated by all of our devotees in Mayapur in February. … So do everything with great determination as I want very much that this occasion shall be observed by all of our members. Write me and tell me what is your progress.”
Letter to Bhavananda — Bombay 6 January, 1972

Quote “The Caitanya Candrodaya temple offers one a good opportunity to associate with devotees. Let us all take advantage of this opportunity.”
SB 6.2.39, Translation and Purport

Quote “Yes, we should stand in our position and defy all nonsense propositions. Our math in Mayapur is not for Bengalis, the math is for you foreigners, to give you facility for offering respects to Lord Caitanya.”
Letter to: Bhavananda – London – 14 July, 1972

Quote “(Mayapur) It is a very nice, open place. Here we have got our temple and nice accommodation for respectable men.”
Letter to Mr. Jayakar — Mayapur 9 October, 1974

Quote “Just like here at Mayapur, because we have this very nice house, people are coming to visit and stay. They attend the aratis and listen to my lectures, and take prasadam. If we did not have this house, then they would not come. So this is the meaning of a temple. There must always be activity. Not that we have a nice house for comfortable living. We simply want to bring people back home, Back to Godhead. That is the purpose of our temples, of our books, and our festivals, and preachings.”
Letter to Uttamasloka – Mayapur 24/10/74

Quote “Following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we have constructed temples in both Vrndavana and Mayapur, Navadvipa, just to give shelter to the foreign devotees coming from Europe and America. Since the Hare Krsna movement started, many Europeans and Americans have been visiting Vrndavan, but they have not been properly received by any ashram or temple there. It is the purpose of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness to give them shelter and train them in devotional service. There are also many tourists eager to come to India to understand India’s spiritual life, and the devotees in our temples both in Vrndavana and in Navadvipa should make arrangements to accommodate them as far as possible.”
Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-Lila 25.183 Purport

Quote “Therefore I am so much after books. If we forget our position, if we become pound-shilling man, property man, then Kṛṣṇa will be finished, because Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-gocara. Therefore we should always remember that we possess this nice house not for our comfort, but people will come because they are not accustomed. If we would have invited people, “Come and sit down on this Māyāpur ground,” no, there was no possibility. Therefore we must possess Kṛṣṇa’s temple very nice so that people will come, and we shall preach. That is philosophy, not that because we have got this nice house, therefore we should be very much attached. Attachment must be there—for Kṛṣṇa’s service. The temple must be very cleansed. The establishment must be very nice. What for? For attracting devotees. This is the purpose, not for our personal benefit. That is the way. My Guru Mahārāja introduced these big, big palaces, temple.”
Lecture on SB 1.8.26 — Mayapura, October 6, 1974

Quote “Prabhupāda: We are offering best facility.
Indian lady: No she is saying, she wants to…
Prabhupāda: Similarly, you have seen our Navadvīpa also?
Indian lady: Māyāpur dekhi.
Prabhupāda: Māyāpur, yes. So we are giving, as far as possible, comfortable life. Because modern man, he cannot go to the forest and live underneath a tree. That is not possible. Therefore by begging, begging, spending blood, we are getting money all over the world and spend it like this. For me, I can live anywhere. And I can collect one or two roṭi anywhere. It is not for me. It is for you. I have invited. Come here, stay and preach this cult, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. That I want. People are being cheated all over the world shamelessly.”
Room Conversation — December 26, 1976, Bombay

Quote “Bhaktivinode Thakura desired that American disciple would come to Mayapur to take advantage of the birthplace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I wanted to make one American home there, and I asked for a piece of land there from my Godbrother, Tirtha Maharaja. He has simply acknowledged receipt of my letter, and there has been no other reply as of yet. In the meantime, Acyutananda has given hope of purchasing land there. If we purchase some land, it may be that some American people will construct a nice temple there and a home for American visitors. So what is your idea if we purchase some land there? But if we do something there, it must be done very nicely. Otherwise it will be an insult to your people who are so rich. People must go there to see the American home and the American devotees. That is my idea.”
Letter to: Brahmananda — Los Angeles – 11 July, 1969

Quote “Prabhupäda explained to his disciples that although a sannyäsé traditionally does not involve himself with money, the devotee’s desire is to unite Lakñmé (the goddess of fortune, represented by wealth) with Näräyaëa (God). He said there was truth to the common saying “No one listens to a poor man,” and were he to advertise A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami discoursing in an empty field in Mäyäpur, no one would come. Westerners especially should be able to hear about Kåñëa in a comfortable, attractive setting. Prabhupäda planned, therefore, that visitors to ISKCON’s transcendental city be well accommodated. Gradually, the world would be deeply affected by the dynamic demonstration of the artistic, philosophical, and humanitarian aspects of Kåñëa consciousness.”
Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita – Vol. 6. Chpt. 49.

Quote “Let many foreign students and disciples come to India for staying with us in these places (Mayapur & Vrndavan). We shall be content to sit down there, chant and have kirtana very vigorously 24 hours, if anyone calls us we shall go for a few days and have program. … But now many foreign tourists are interested to come here to taste the spiritual life, so we shall concentrate on that field. Recently we have received on letter from Cox and King’s, one of the world’s biggest travel agencies, requesting us to kindly assist them by providing facilities for all the tourists coming from foreign places who are interested in seeing the real spiritual life of India. So in this way we shall work here.”
Letter to Giriraja — Bombay 28 December, 1971

Quote “One thing is I have just now heard from Gurudas that the American Government agency which is providing us the foodstuffs for Mayapur is prepared to give us much more provided we fully utilize what they have already given. And I am informed by Gurudasa that the distribution program in Mayapur is not very widespread. Why you have neglected this very important program? I want that you shall distribute prasadam at least to hundreds of persons daily, and advertise very widely all over Nadia Province for people to come there and take prasadam daily without charge.”
Letter to Bhavananda — London 1 August, 1972

Quote “No, we give food. Anyone come and take food. Here also. There is no question of Bangladesh. Let anyone come and take food. In our Māyāpur center we especially give food distribution on Saturday and Sunday. At least five thousand people come. So all humanitarian work is included.”
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer — June 19, 1974, Germany

Quote “Prabhupāda: Therefore I started Māyāpur this prasāda distribution. And it is coming to be successful. People are…, politicians are appreciating that here is Hindu-Muslim unity.
Rāmeśvara: All the devotees will appreciate this, then, that the records now, the money is going to be used for food relief.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And we can increase. The same thing we see in the farm, in the village, “Come on, any number, I shall feed you. Come here, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam.” And we shall increase the quality of the prasādam. They will be very much pleased to come and chant. That I want. I am interested in these rascals (indistinct), fighting amongst themselves. What can I do? You can go for some time, see what is the reason he has come. (indistinct) …elderly person, he will come. And if you deliver something (indistinct) younger brothers (indistinct) but that he has no power to do. Misunderstanding there will be; after all, it is the material world. You go and see why he said(?). (pause) I used to think like that. In all our temples the prasāda distribution should be so round-up(?), that within ten miles nobody should remain hungry. There are many persons in India, they are half time hungry. And if you distribute prasādam, “Come over here. You are hungry, take prasādam. If I cannot supply you daily, I’ll supply at least two days, three days weekly.” And they’re coming. You have seen Māyāpur (indistinct), that big prasāda distribution hall. Regular two thousands people are coming, Sunday, Saturday. And Hindu, Muslim, they’re sitting down. No grudges.
Hari-śauri: Is there any reason why we are…, just distribute on a Saturday and Sunday?
Prabhupāda: Oh, if we can, we can distribute every day.
Hari-śauri: Let them come every day.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is (indistinct). Otherwise I want. Let them eat. They can eat.”
Conversation and Instruction On New Movie — January 13, 1977, Allahabad

In Mayapur I was in the room with Prabhupada and Surabhi when they were looking over the Master Plan for the Mayapur complex. At one point in their discussion, Prabhupada said, “Surabhi, you forgot something.” “What, Srila Prabhupada?” “The jail.” Later on in a class I remember Prabhupada commenting, “When an architect prepares to design a city, even though there currently are no prisoners, a jail must be built because they know there will be criminals in the future.” I remember that statement because he was very firm.
https://vanipedia.org/wiki/Kishori_devi_dasi_Remembers_Srila_Prabhupada