July 19, 1977 : Vrindavan
Tamala Krishna: Abhirama Prabhu arrived and reported to Srila Prabhupada about Mayapur. We learned nothing new from his report. Srila Prabhupada inquired why Abhirama had come. I explained that he had decided to take up business and was considering which city to work in, perhaps Bangalore or Bombay. He didn't think it was safe to leave his family alone at their Mayapur house, neither had he gotten much encouragement in his work there.
After His Divine Grace retired at night, he called for me. He was lying in bed under his mosquito net, thinking about Abhirama, "Our grhastha devotees, unless they remain in connection to attend our temple functions, if they remain aloof from the temple community, gradually the karmi poison will make them lost. One must live in the temple or near the temple. If a brahmacari makes love [after getting married] and lives at the cost of Society, that is to be discouraged. But if they have a business, just like Abhirama, he is very good. I don't want him to be lost."
"My fear is that after training our men so much, if he is lost, it's a great loss. Future of our Society will be hopeless. But if someone can't maintain his family, why he should get married? Alexander the Great could not maintain his empire. Suppose I conquer Bombay and go to conquer Karachi, but in the meantime Bombay is lost. I am stressing therefore book selling, not opening temples. Now I have given my program, you G.B.C. tackle it. At least, don't make me Alexander the Great in my lifetime."
I said, "Prabhupada, it is your mercy to allow us to serve you."
Reference: Room Conversation, July 19, 1977
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