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I was doing a search on Mothers this morning and this interesting bit of conversation jumped out at me…
Room Conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Wax,
Writer and Editing Manager of Playboy Magazine
July 5, 1975, Chicago
Writer and Editing Manager of Playboy Magazine
July 5, 1975, Chicago
Prabhupāda: Yes. So all the mothers of my disciples, they will get salvation because she has got nice son like…
Jayatīrtha: All the mothers will get salvation.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Mrs. Wax: Oh, good. (laughter)
Devotee (3): What about the fathers.
Prabhupāda: Father also. Both the father and mother. Because they are father and mother of a Vaisnava devotee, so they will be taken special care. You’ll find from the Pralada Mahārāja’s description. Even a father like Hiraṇyakaśipu, he got salvation because Pralada was son.
Prabhupāda: Yes, if they read. Even if they touch. That is the difference between this book and ordinary book. Even they touch and they read one line and says, “Oh, it is very nice,” he makes a step forward. If he simply says this word, “Oh, it is very nice,” that is sufficient to bring him. Therefore I am trying to push. He has paid some money. He will then say, “What these nonsense have written. Let me see.” (laughter) And if he sees and says, “Oh, it is very nice,” then the beginning is immediately. Therefore we are trying to push. At least let him say, “It is very nice.” The Kartikeya’s mother, the practical experience… The Kartikeya, when he used to go to see his mother, the mother was going to dance, ball dance, and she would not speak: “All right, sit down. I am coming.” She used to go out. The same mother gradually, in the association of her son, became Krsna conscious. So at the time of death she asked Kartikeya, “Is your Krsna here?” and she died immediately. This is the effect. So anta-kale, she remembered Krsna, so her life was successful. She inquired like this, “Is your Krsna here?” And immediately died. So she got the benefit of her son’s Krsna consciousness. You can ask Kartikeya also. She said that.
Jayatīrtha: Yes, he told me that story.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So all the mothers of my disciples, they will get salvation because she has got nice son like…
Jayatīrtha: All the mothers will get salvation.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Mrs. Wax: Oh, good. (laughter)
Devotee (3): What about the fathers.
Prabhupāda: Father also. Both the father and mother. Because they are father and mother of a Vaisnava devotee, so they will be taken special care. You’ll find from the Pralada Mahārāja’s description. Even a father like Hiraṇyakaśipu, he got salvation because Pralada was son.
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, it seems strange that so many parents who are engaged in meat-eating and illicit sex and intoxication and gambling, could have a son who would become a Vaisnava.
Prabhupāda: Therefore they will get the advantage of the son. Somehow or other, they have produced a son, Vaisnava, so the son’s activities will react upon the life of the parents. Because naturally the sons think of the father and mother, that is beneficial for them. However one may be renounced, he cannot get rid of family affection. That is natural. So the Vaisnava son sometimes thinks of the father and mother. So they are getting the benefit.
Devotee: So sometimes the attachment is beneficial, then?
Prabhupāda: Yes. What is this Krsna consciousness movement? We are trying to be attached with Krsna. This is our movement. Instead of having attachment with this whole material world, we are turning to transfer the attachment to Krsna.
For the entire conversation go to; https://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1975/jul/with_mr_and_mrs_wax_writer_and_editing_manager_of_playboy_magazine/chicago/july/05/1975