Discussion about New Vrindaban Gurukula Prabhupada: …form a committee from education in your… Hayagriva: They have to be taught reading, and for this they have primers. Prabhupada: Primary readings. Hayagriva: And this is all right to use? Prabhupada: Because we haven’t got any books yet. Hayagriva: What about taking the primers and changing the names of the people to people like Satyabhama and give them spiritual names. Would that be nice? Prabhupada: Yes. Pradyumna: Hari-namamrtam. Prabhupada: Yes. Hayagriva: All right. Arithmetic should be taught? Prabhupada: Arithmetic? Yes. That is necessary. Hayagriva: What about any history? World history or American history or American literature or English literature? Prabhupada: American history. That’s all. They are Americans. They should learn American history. Don’t bother much. Hayagriva: Any Indian history? Prabhupada: Indian history, that… Bhagavata is all right. Hayagriva: Srimad-Bhagavatam? Prabhupada: That Kuruksetra battle. That’s all. And there are many other stories in the Bhagavatam. They are all historical. Hayagriva: What about literatures? When they get older, of course. This would be for when they are older. Prabhupada: Literature, we have got so many. Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavata. Hayagriva: Any English literature, American literature, English literature? Prabhupada: Yes. Any… Some of the English literature, recognized. Hayagriva: Any of the sciences at all? Prabhupada: I don’t think we require any science. What do you think? Hayagriva: Biology? Kirtanananda: No. Hayagriva: Geology, zoology, astronomy. Prabhupada: Biology, you can teach them the evolution of the species from Padma-Purana, 8,400,000’s, one after another. Yes. Hayagriva: What about astronomy? Anything like that? No. Okay. Any animal husbandry they can learn out there. Animal husbandry they will learn… Prabhupada: That they will learn practically, cow keeping. Hayagriva: At what age should they be taught to cook prasadam? Prabhupada: Yes. Hayagriva: At what age should they be taught to cook? Prabhupada: After twelve years. Hayagriva: After twelve. And you think they can be taught typing, for instance? A skill like typing and how to use typewriter? Prabhupada: Does it require all? Well, just this knowledge is required. Kirtanananda: Whatever is practical. Hayagriva: And the only other… Oh, how old should they be before Deity worship, they do Deity worship? Prabhupada: Just after ten years. Hayagriva: After ten years? Then they can do Deity worship? Prabhupada: Yes. Hayagriva: That’s Radha-Krsna Deity worship. Prabhupada: Any Deity. Or worship Radha-Krsna. Hayagriva: Well, the boys are keeping Deities now, aren’t they? Kirtanananda: Yes. Hayagriva: He said after ten. Prabhupada: No, they are keeping as plaything now, not they are regularly worshiping. Kirtanananda: He means in the temple they can officiate, do arati and things… Prabhupada: Yes. Hayagriva: Oh, I see. So from just very small they can keep Deities. Kirtanananda: Yes. As small as they want to. Hayagriva: 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. Prabhupada: 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 prasadam, take little rest. Hayagriva: Because our literatures are a little difficult to read… Prabhupada: Yes. You have to make some suitable literature. Hayagriva: Something… When they can do that, then they can read Bhagavad-gita. They try a little, but it’s very difficult to begin. Prabhupada: No. Hayagriva: They cannot begin. Prabhupada: Yes. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
December 24, 1969, Boston