It was all right to chant only eight or ten rounds

Today is Sunday and the traditional feast was held in the afternoon. I went down just to check out the crowd and was surprised to see a small procession of placard-carrying demonstrators pacing back and forth on the front side-walk. They were apparently disgruntled parents hoping to attract the attention of His Divine Grace while he is here. I asked Ramesvara Maharaja about it on my return upstairs, and he informed me they were part of the new so-called ‘deprogramming’ group. He dismissed them as a nuisance only. I asked if Srila Prabhupada knew about them, and he said no; he had not told him because he didn’t want to unnecessarily disturb him. I agreed that was the best policy. Because Srila Prabhupada was not requested to speak to the feast crowd, he went on with his usual program of receiving guests in his darsana room, unaware of the demonstration. A famous professional tennis player visited in the late afternoon with some members of his coaching organization who are interested in Krishna consciousness. He told Srila Prabhupada that the men he signs up as staff coaches must follow the four regulative principles, and if they break them they are released and can not rejoin; this is actually written into their contracts. They try to preach, although not too directly, and if someone shows a favorable attitude they try to nurture it. A few of them who are tuned into the more spiritual side of things are gradually introduced to the philosophy if they show some inclination. He said the biggest difficulty, is the long hours they work; a regimen of sixteen or eighteen-hour workdays makes it difficult for them to chant sixteen rounds each day. He asked Prabhupada if it was all right to chant only eight or ten rounds. Prabhupada appreciated their sincerity and was very friendly to them, but he held firm to the standard of sixteen. The meeting was very congenial. Srila Prabhupada thanked them for their efforts, and encouraged them to continue. Prabhupada is still meeting with Hayagriva prabhu on the philosophy book. He has done Sartre and several others during the last few days. Today he finished his critique of Augustine and started with Aquinas. Prabhupada continues to go into the garden each afternoon, at least for a couple of hours. Many guests come and when there are no questions to answer he has the devotees read from his books.