Discussion about New Vrindaban Gurukula — December 24, 1969, Boston

Prabhupāda: …form a committee from education in your… 

Hayagrīva: They have to be taught reading, and for this they have primers. 

Prabhupāda: Primary readings. 

Hayagrīva: And this is all right to use? 

Prabhupāda: Because we haven’t got any books yet. 

Hayagrīva: What about taking the primers and changing the names of the people to people like Satyabhāmā and give them spiritual names. Would that be nice? 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Pradyumna: Hari-nāmāmṛtam. 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Hayagrīva: All right. Arithmetic should be taught? 

Prabhupāda: Arithmetic? Yes. That is necessary. 

Hayagrīva: What about any history? World history or American history or American literature or English literature? 

Prabhupāda: American history. That’s all. They are Americans. They should learn American history. Don’t bother much. 

Hayagrīva: Any Indian history? 

Prabhupāda: Indian history, that… Bhāgavata is all right. 

Hayagrīva: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? 

Prabhupāda: That Kurukṣetra battle. That’s all. And there are many other stories in the Bhāgavatam. They are all historical. 

Hayagrīva: What about literatures? When they get older, of course. This would be for when they are older. 

Prabhupāda: Literature, we have got so many. Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. 

Hayagrīva: Any English literature, American literature, English literature? 

Prabhupāda: Yes. Any… Some of the English literature, recognized. 

Hayagrīva: Any of the sciences at all? 

Prabhupāda: I don’t think we require any science. What do you think? 

Hayagrīva: Biology? 

Kīrtanānanda: No. 

Hayagrīva: Geology, zoology, astronomy. 

Prabhupāda: Biology, you can teach them the evolution of the species from Padma-Purāṇa, 8,400,000’s, one after another. Yes. 

Hayagrīva: What about astronomy? Anything like that? No. Okay. Any animal husbandry they can learn out there. Animal husbandry they will learn… 

Prabhupāda: That they will learn practically, cow keeping. 

Hayagrīva: At what age should they be taught to cook prasādam? 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Hayagrīva: At what age should they be taught to cook? 

Prabhupāda: After twelve years. 

Hayagrīva: After twelve. And you think they can be taught typing, for instance? A skill like typing and how to use typewriter? 

Prabhupāda: Does it require all? Well, just this knowledge is required. 

Kīrtanānanda: Whatever is practical. 

Hayagrīva: And the only other… Oh, how old should they be before Deity worship, they do Deity worship? 

Prabhupāda: Just after ten years. 

Hayagrīva: After ten years? Then they can do Deity worship? 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Hayagrīva: That’s Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity worship. 

Prabhupāda: Any Deity. Or worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. 

Hayagrīva: Well, the boys are keeping Deities now, aren’t they? 

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. 

Hayagrīva: He said after ten. 

Prabhupāda: No, they are keeping as plaything now, not they are regularly worshiping. 

Kīrtanānanda: He means in the temple they can officiate, do ārati and things… 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Hayagrīva: Oh, I see. So from just very small they can keep Deities. 

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. As small as they want to. 

Hayagrīva: And you suggested… I have it written down somewhere. You suggested a certain number of hours for their school, about five hours or four hours a day. 

Prabhupāda: Three hours in the morning, two hours in the evening. That’s all. Not at a stretch. Morning, evening. And in the noon they should take their prasādam, take little rest. 

Hayagrīva: Because our literatures are a little difficult to read… 

Prabhupāda: Yes. You have to make some suitable literature. 

Hayagrīva: Something… When they can do that, then they can read Bhagavad-gītā. They try a little, but it’s very difficult to begin. 

Prabhupāda: No. 

Hayagrīva: They cannot begin. 

Prabhupāda: Yes. [end] 

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