Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Srila Prabhupada
So Bhagavad-gita, although containing the high philosophy of the Vedic wisdom, is for the beginners in the transcendental science, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is for graduates and postgraduates in the transcendental science. Therefore literatures like Mahabharata, the, puranas and similar other literatures which are full of the pastimes of the Lord, are all transcendental literatures, and they should be discussed with full confidence in the society of great devotees.
The difficulty is that such literatures, when discussed by professional men, appear to be mundane literature like histories or epics because there are so many historical facts and figures. It is said here, therefore, that such literatures should be discussed in the assembly of devotees. Unless they are discussed by devotees, such literatures cannot be relished by the higher class of men. So the conclusion is that the Lord is not impersonal in the ultimate issue. He is the Supreme Person, and He has His different activities. He is the leader of all living entities, and He descends at His will and by His personal energy to reclaim the fallen souls. Thus He plays exactly like the social, political or religious leaders. Because such roles ultimately culminate in the discussion of topics of the Lord, all such preliminary topics are also transcendental.
“If You Actually Feel for People”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.14
Los Angeles, May 31, 1972
Thursday, September 4, 2008
1972 September 7 : “Lord Caitanya wanted this, so by the parampara system through my Guru Maharaja and my humble self, the matter is handed over to you. Now it is up to you American boys and girls to do the needful.”
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
“Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees, due to their own want of unalloyed devotion, are apt to impute to the devotees their own defects of partisanship and opposing views.” Sri Brahma Samhita 5.37 purport (p.72 in BBT edition)
“So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy.
Letter to: Mandali Bhadra : 69-07-28 Los Angeles
“Among Vaishnava’s there may be some difference of opinion due to everyone’s personal identity, but despite all personal differences, the cult of Krsna consciousness must go on. We can see that under the instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja began preaching the Krsna consciousness movement in an organized way within the past hundred years. The disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja are all Godbrothers, and although there are some differences of opinion, and although we are not acting conjointly, every one of us is spreading this Krsna consciousness movement according to his own capacity and producing many disciples to spread it all over the world.”
SB 4.28.31
“Practically there is no difference of opinion in our missionary activities, especially because we all are deriving inspiration from His Divine Grace Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. I think all of our Godbrothers are doing the same missionary activities without a doubt, but still the regrettable fact is we are doing all separately, not in conjunction.”
(Letter to Bhagavata Maharaja, August 21, 1969)
“Disunity between individual souls is so strong within this material world that even in a society of Krsna consciousness; members sometimes appear disunited due to their having different opinions and leaning toward material things. Actually, in Krsna consciousness there cannot be two opinions. There is only one goal: to serve Krsna to one’s best ability. If there is some disagreement over service, such disagreement is to be taken as spiritual. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance.” SB 4.30.8
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Srila Prabhupada and his god brothers
Narrated by HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja
I remember we went with Srila Prabhupada to see one of his god brothers. And Srila Prabhupada, he was very conscious about relationships between the different devotees. He would never allow us to criticize his god brothers. “They are my god brothers. I can criticize them. I can, you can’t. We have a different relationship.” If one of his disciples started to become.. like Srila Prabhupada sometimes to warn off , he would say that “this godbrother has this problem and that one has that problem and you be careful. Because they may criticize like this, but don’t listen.”, and then maybe one of his secretaries would start to repeat that, “your godbrother has this problem, your godbrother has that problem.”
Srila Prabhupada would get upset and impatient: “You cannot criticize my godbrothers..” Which seemed like a contradiction superficially, because “Srila Prabhupada was just criticizing, why can’t I?” But then Prabhupada explained that “I can, because he is my godbrother. I am telling you to protect you; you may go and listen to him and he may say so many things. So just to warn you I am telling you these problems. But not that you have the right then to take it up and then you can criticize. That wasn’t the purpose. The purpose is simply to caution you to not be affected in case they criticize.”
Sunday, August 31, 2008
1969 August 30 : “Everyone should treat Godbrothers as Prabhu and nobody should try to claim any extra honor on account of an official position. Why he says his authority overrides yours. Everyone is working under my authority.”
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969
1970 June 17 : “This is parampara. I am simply an instrument in the hands of my Spiritual Master. I do not know how far I have got the capacity to carry His order, but I may say that I have a sincere desire to do it.”
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
14 July, 1975
Philadelphia
My Dear Gopala Krishna das:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated July 4, 6, & 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents.
Yes, everybody says like that, that I am incarnation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Actually Krishna and Krishna’s representative are not different. Anything that is Krishna’s is not different from Krishna. Therefore it is said saksadharitvena ’samasta sastrair. The spiritual master is accepted by all advanced devotees as Hari.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
1965 August 20 : “The ship is stranded on the Arabian Sea about four miles from the coast. Today the captain arranged for Janmastami and I spoke on the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna and there was distribution of Prasadam.”
Prabhupada Journal :: 1965
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
4 August, 1975
Detroit
My Dear Madhudvisa Swami:
…
The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am in the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Excerpted from Srila Prabhupada’s own personal, hand-written letters:
“My Dear Narayana Maharaja/Sripada Narayana Maharaja,
…I have taken so much help from you, and I request that this time also you will help me in this preaching work. I will be so grateful to you. (NY 21.8.66)
Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another…From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At the first sight of me Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love.
…You wrote to me,”You can engage me in any preaching work in India according to my ability. I shall always be ready to do so.” So I can preach wholeheartedly by your good wishes.
…My only concern is that due to my absence from India my printing work is held up. Regarding this, if you can supervise a little, then I will have no worry. (NY, 28.9.66)
In your previous letter I came to know that you are willing to help me, but from your current letter I see that this is difficult for you now. At present there is no need to send anything.
…I was very enthusiastic to learn from your previous letter that your help will always be available, but having come to learn from your present letter that you are not well, I am discouraged. Whatever happens according to Krsna’s desire is for the best. Make me happy by replying to my letter as soon as you receive mine and give me news of Vrndavana. (NY, 19.11.66)
…I came to know that my disciple Candrasekhara from Delhi wrote you a letter. Candrasekhara sent me a copy of your reply to him. In that letter I came to know that foolish Candrasekhara had blasphemed you. Fools do not know how to honour Vaisnavas. By your greatness, please excuse him. I haven’t instructed him to do such a thing. I only told him to visit you.
Anyway, excuse his aparadha. Candrasekhara is a good man, but out of foolishness he used bad words to you. You please forgive him and me by your good qualities.
(NY, 15.12.66)
Accept my dandavats in this letter. I received your letter dated December 21st and I came to know all the news. (NY, 30.12.66)
…If in this way everything is done under your supervision I shall be very glad. I hope you will ever oblige me by helping in this way. Kindly send me my mrdanga and karatalas that are in Vrndavana. (NY, 14.4.67)
Because in all the Gaudiya Maths, I think that you are the real guru-sevaka, so I always correspond with you and I always give my full love and affection to you.
…If I was not thinking like this and putting so much trust in you, I would never have sent you my key and my money. I have so much faith and love for you. (NY, 17.5.67)
Accept my dandavats. I received your letter dated 19.5.67 and became very happy to read it.
…I always consider you as my son!
…I always have a very high opinion of you. (NY, 24.5.67)
If I obtain all of your blessings, I hope I will quickly finish my work and be able to return to Sri Vrnadavan dhama. I pray you are well. (NY, 1.7.67)
I am very pleased that you have so kindly despatched the books from Delhi.
(NY, 12.7.67)
I thank you very much once more for all the trouble you are taking for me… Let us co-operate for propagating Krsna-consciousness all over the world.
I am very happy to receive a letter in your own handwriting dated the 8th of July. I have received all of your letters and I have replied to each.
…You bless me so that I can return to Vrndavana.
…Gradually life is coming in my dead body and there are some improvements. That is why I am writing to you in my own handwriting. You are a sincere Vaisnava. Krsna will certainly listen to you. (CA, 14.7.67)
Affectionately yours/Your ever well-wisher/nivedana (I offer myself to you)/vasamvad (gratefully)/krpa parthi (I want your mercy)/ Yours,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami”
(The above are all excerpts from ‘Letters From America’, 17 remaining examples of Srila Prabhupada’s personal correspondence to Srila Narayan Maharaja, handwritten in Bengali and translated into English for the first time just two years ago).
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
1962: June 1
Vrindaban
Dear Sri Puri,
Yesterday evening I have come to Vrindaban for a flying visit and shall return to Delhi on Monday 4.6.62 to attend the Jayal meeting on Tuesday 5.6.62 morning. I am glad to see that my Thursday lectures have brought some changes in the mind of the young offenders. If the lectures are continued I am sure to turn these offenders into saintly characters.
The means which I have adopted is spiritual and it works quickly than any material means. If you give me chance to speak to all the members of the Jayal, it is quite possible for me to turn them into ideal characters.
In my next lecture on Tuesday the 5.6.62 morning, I would request you also to be present and see it personally how the transcendental medicine is acting upon them. I am just trying to make spiritual method as much practical as any other material cures with greater and persisting effect.
[PAGE MISSING]
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Saturday, December 28, 1968
Los Angeles, Calif.
My Dear ???,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 24, 1968 which was sent from the Halawa Jayal.
It is nice that you are doing preaching work there, but you should know that such practices like stealing are against the principles of Krishna Consciousness. I always want that my students should be very ideal in character and not discredit our society. Actually, one who is in Krishna Consciousness automatically develops all of the good qualities which are possessed by the demigods. So we should always try to develop in this way by becoming fully surrendered to Lord Krishna.
For Krishna we can execute any activity, but this is not free license to act whimsically. Arjuna was able to fight on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra because this was Krishna’s desire, not because it was simply his whims. So please try to remember this and Krishna will help you surely as you are sincere soul.
Friday, August 1, 2008
In India all the acaryas and their descendants later on acted only from the man’s side. Their wives were at home because that is the system from old times that women are not required to go out. But in Bhagavad-gita we find that women are also equally competent like the men in the matter of Krishna Consciousness Movement.
Please therefore carry on these missionary activities, and prove it by practical example that there is no bar for anyone in the matter of preaching work for Krishna Consciousness.
Monday, July 21, 2008
1964: March, 13
Delhi
AN APPEAL TO THE VAISNAVA SECT AND SPECIALLY TO THE VALLABHA SAMPRADAYA OF BOMBAY AND GUJARAT.
SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM is very dear to all Vaisnavites and especially to the Vallabha and the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The glories of Vrindaban and Mathura are magnified by these two Sampradayas and the undersigned as an humble servant of all Vaisnavas, has tried his best to render it into elaborate English version for its publicity all over the world.
The first and second volumes of the publication are already out and there are still 58 fifty eight parts to be published to finish this mighty project.
I am therefore appealing to the Vallabha Vaisnavites specifically to help me in this mighty project. I am a Sannyasi and as duty bound I have attempted this heavy task for benefit of all human beings and I am seeking your valued cooperation.
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Friday, July 18, 2008
Immediately return and live with devotees and take care of the Deities and tulsi. That is our main business.
My Guru Maharaja condemned living alone in a lonely place. He wrote as follows:
dusta mana, tumi kisera Vaisnava
pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare,
tavra hari-nama kevala kaitava
“O rascal mind, what kind of Vaisnava are you. In a lonely place your chanting of Hare Krishna is simply cheating.”
And, Narottama Das Thakura says:
tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame haya, ei abhilasa
“To serve the feet of the acaryas in association of the devotees is my desire birth after birth.”
Why I have opened this Society? I was living with four children, and now I have 4,000. There is no good in living alone.
I hope this meets you in better health.
Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Sunday, November 11, 1973 New Delhi
My Dear Bhakta dasa:
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 17, 1973 and have noted the contents.
I thank you very much for your invitation for your Govardhana celebration. I would have come, but I received your letter late, but I hope anyway that you have enjoyed Govardhana-Puja. The photos are very nice, and Radharani looks very satisfied, as I see in the features of Her face in the photo. If She is pleased, then Krsna is pleased, and all living entities are pleased.
I thank you very much for installing Radha-Giridhari. From my childhood I was very much fond of Radha-Krsna, and now my good disciples are helping me to open so many Radha-Krsna temples all over the world. It gives me so much pleasure. Now introduce Ratha Yatra. That was my childhood activity. I want to see my disciples all over the world introduce two items, opening Radha-Krsna temples and Ratha-yatra festivals. Do this under the protection of Guru-Gauranga.
Please do everything cooperatively for you will be happy, your countrymen will be happy, and all living entities will be happy. If one waters the root, then all the branches, twigs, and leaves are automatically nourished. That is the philosophy of Krsna consciousness.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. You engage your senses. So this is practice. First of all think of the Deity. First of all think of the lotus feet, then the knees, then the eyes, then the belly, then the chest.
In this way, as you become practiced, then go further, advance. In this way, when you become fully practiced, then automatically, in whatever condition you are, you will be able to meditate upon Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life. Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Satatam cintayanto mam. If you always think of Krsna, always chant… Chanting is also meditation.
As soon as you chant, you immediately remember Krsna, His form, His name, His quality, His pastimes. So where is difficulty? The Gosvamis practiced it.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.19
Nairobi, October 29, 1975
Friday, July 4, 2008
1957: May 7
Kanpur
Sri Padampat Singhania,
Kamla Tower,
Kanpur
My dear Sri Padampat Ji,
In continuation of my yesterday’s letter, which I hope you have duly received by this time, and with reference to your request of submitting the way of powerful Mantra for broadcasting all over the world, I beg to inform you further that in every Mantra the prefix of Namah is generally added.
Just for example you said the other day Namah Sivaya. Now this Mantra is practically indicating the holy name of Lord Siva. Na means negation and Ma means false ego or Ahamkara. Therefore Namah means surrendering to the name Siva. In other words to accept the supremacy of Lord Siva means Namah Sivaya.
Therefore the conclusion is that in Mantra the name of the deity is unavoidably amalgamated. And in the Mantra the spiritual power, by the Rsis like Narada etc. is surcharged like the copper is electrified by magnetic force. The etymological alphabets are so surcharged with spiritual potency and as such all Mantra indicating the transcendental holy name of God or Godhead is to be understood in that way.
When we chant the Mantra as were presented by the authorities–the process helps communication with the personality of Godhead by the sound waves as we have now experienced in the material world of physical waves vibrations. The powerful Mantras have such potency if they are sounded in the right direction. And by chanting the Mantras only one can spiritualise the whole existence as heat can expand on the spherical objects.
Mantra Siddhi means complete liberation. Therefore, there is no difference between the holy name and Mantra. Man means mind and tra deliverance. That which delivers one from mental speculation is called “Mantra”. “Mantra Siddhi” is to transcend the gross and subtle mental plane. The same meaning is for ___
In this age all the Mantras that can help us reaching perfection up to the plane of Godhead–has been still more concentrated into the Harinama. We find therefore in the Brhannaradiya Puranam (38.126) a particular stress on Harinama which is stated as follows:
harinama harinama harinama eva kevalam
kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha
The above statement is very important in the following manner. There are two different processes for acquiring knowledge. The one is Deductive Process and the other is Inductive Process. In the Deductive Process we deduce the conclusion from the statement of higher authorities whereas by the Inductive Process we make a research in the truth by our own imperfect knowledge and induce a conclusion.
Say for example if we want to know how man is mortal then we have to make a research in statistics of daily death occurrences. Rama dies, Syama dies, father dies, mother dies, he dies, she dies, etc. all these experiences may help us in the conclusion that after all man dies and therefore the conclusion man is mortal made. But the defect of this process of knowledge is that it may be that we have not seen a person who is still living even after some thousands of years.
As soon as we get this information the whole conclusion that a man is mortal–is at once changed and we have to say that some men are mortal. In this way the research work of scientific thought are constantly changing because the very research work is done by person who is himself a condition by the four principles of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection.
Therefore, the Deductive Process is more effective. Man is mortal we have heard it from very authoritative sources like the Vedas and we have accepted it. The Vedas say that stool is impure but the stool of the cow is pure. The Vedas say that bone is untouchable but the conchshell which is also a bone is perfectly pure.
For the common man the statements of the Vedas appear to be contradictory. But in spite of such contradiction, because we Hindus accept the Vedas as authority we accept cow dung as pure and allow it to be used even in the kitchen. So also we accept the conchshell. The conchshell is after all a bone of an animal but because it is accepted by the Vedas we allow conchshell to be used in the sanctified room of our family deity. If we examine in the physical laboratory or analyse it by chemical test we won’t find any difference between the stool of a man and that of a cow or the bone of an ox and that of a conch.
And yet the whole Hindu Muslim conflict, the whole struggle of Gandhi and Jinnah and the whole question of Kashmir problem in the UNSCO have arisen from this petty difference of bones only. In the Hindu temple the bone conchshell is already there but as soon as a Muhammadan throws a piece of bone of the ox in the temple–the whole trouble began, resulting in the partition of India and Pakistan.
So an impartial mundane student who will enter into the research work of such bone affairs in the annals of Indian History–surely he will come to the conclusion of unrestricted obedience to the words of the Vedas or that of the Koran or that of the Bible that lead to all sorts of Jehad and crusade. As a matter of fact the so called intelligent persons of the modern age have taken the shelter of secularism on the strength of past unfortunate religious feuds. This is another type of nonsense.
Therefore in the present age respect for Deductive Process is dwindling whereas respect for Inductive Process is increasing although we know so far the Inductive research is concerned the process has not been successful. The conclusion is that we have lost our faith in the traditional Vedic knowledge handed down from the Guru to Chela or from the father to the son, although such system of Deductive Knowledge from the authority is the most perfect form of knowledge.
The ultimate truth which is far beyond the reach of our imperfect senses can never be known by such inductive research work. The imperfect senses could not even measure the distance of the physical product The Sun or the Innumerable stars in front of us–and what such imperfect senses can make a research in the Mantras which are purely spiritual affairs.
We have to accept the Mantra and its potency from the Vedic source and follow the practice and principles only to arrive at reality of truth. Research work by imperfect senses is practically a revolt against the established truth. Let us therefore accept the Vedic injunction of Brihannaradiya Puranam
I have already mentioned about this Mantra in my previous letter and I beg to confirm it further that the Name “Krishna” even up to the foreign words like God and Allah, if they at all aim at the Supreme Personality–then the Name is as much holy and potential as perfect is the Supreme Lord–because in the Absolute Realm or Spritual Nature everything is identical with everything as all of them are qualitatively spiritual and therefore pure, eternal, liberated and perfect.
For all practical purposes if we systematically preach to chant the holy name of Godhead, I think no body even the religious fanatic will take objection to it. Every human being has a conception of the supreme truth. That conception is presented in some concrete shape. If therefore the Mussulman or the Christian denies to chant the name of Rama or Krishna we may ask him to chant the name of Allah or God respectively and I think therefore there will be no objection even by the Buddhists if we simply ask them to chant the name of Lord of Buddha in the systematic way.
The systematic way means to avoid the ten different offences in the process of chanting, which are all philosophical truths.
If by such propaganda of chanting the holy name, the filthy atmosphere of jealousy, bickerings, selfishness, falsehood and so many other affairs of the modern age–can be avoided, and if by such chanting the complete process of self-realisation can be achieved–is it not our duty to do this service by combined force.
In this age of quarrel and fight everything has to be done by combined force to achieve ready success. As the topmost person of a group of large scale industries, your good personality knows better than me how combined forces and diverse energies make the particular industry a successful establishment.
In the same way we have to combine the different forces of Sociology in men, money, intelligence and field work to make the spiritual movement a grand success. If we do not do that we shall be failing in our duty to serve the complete whole.
No partial service or temporary benefit can lead us to perfection. The world is mad after such temporary benefit and partial service and it is our duty to change the face altogether by an authorized spiritual movement.
The other day I was very glad to hear your ideas about it and in our next meeting I wish to say some thing about it as I have realised.
Hope you are well.
With my regards.
Yours sincerely,
Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta
Editor–”BACK TO GODHEAD.”
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
1956: November 21
Delhi
Letter to the President
His Excellency Dr. Rajendra Prasad
President Indian Union,
Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi
(Through His Private Secretary Sri Visvanatha Varma)
May it please your most exalted Honor,
Kindly accept my humble obeisances. It is the custom of India from a time immemorial that a citizen of the state would approach the king, to express his grievances for redemption and the king would very kindly consider his case as duty bound and give him necessary relief by the royal judgement:
At the present moment, your excellency is seated in the position of the king by the will and Grace of the Lord and as a true Vaisnava I must accept your excellency as the representative of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, as He has expressed Himself in the pages of Bhagavad-gita. As such I beg to lay before your most exalted honour, the following few lines for favorable consideration and do the needful in pure consciousness.
Your Excellency is the Representative of Sri Krishna by authority and I hope Sri Krishna will direct you from within in the matter of my transcendental service to Him.
I beg to submit herewith that by the Grace of Sri Krishna through His mercy personified–my spiritual master, I have realised it most thoroughly that going “Back to Godhead” is the highest privilege of mankind and that is the supreme perfection of human life.
Unfortunately, the present day human civilization is very much attracted with the beauty of Apara Prakrti the illusory material Nature and as such they are overpowered by a demoniac form of propensity in the atheistic set up of civilization manifested in the matter of sense gratification. This tendency is dangerously harmful to the real progress of life.
The aim of life should be to make a sincere effort to go “Back to Godhead” but contrary to this, the tendency is to go back to hell or in the cycle of evolutionary animal life as it is described in the 16th chapter of Bhagavad-gita.
Please therefore save them from the great falldown. Believe me or not, I have got the clue of going “Back to Godhead” just after leaving my present material body and in order to take along with me all my contemporary men and women of the world, I have started my paper “Back to Godhead” as one of the means to the way.
Please do not think of me as an wonderful or a mad man when I say that I shall go “Back to Godhead” after leaving my present material body! It is quite possible for everyone and all of us.
In the Bhagavad-gita it is said very clearly that whosoever may adopt the specific principle of accepting Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead, he will be able to achieve the highest transcendental goal of life,–never mind what he is either a born untouchable, a fallen woman, a laborer or a man dealing in rupees annas pies. His being so, what is there difficulty for a pious “Brahmin” and devoted king for going “Back to Godhead”? Everyone should therefore adopt this principle of going “Back to Godhead” in order to get released from the world of miseries, with temporary existence.
This fact is corroborated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the practical demonstrator of Bhagavad-gita and as the most magnanimous incarnation of Sri Krishna–the Personality of Sri Krishna Caitanya has made the path of going “Back to Godhead” so easy for every one that even a boy of the world can swim across the ocean of religiosity, although it is injected with so many dangerous animals ready to devour up a fallen person in that great massive water.
I have simply adopted the easy method of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu just suitable to the modern people in general. As such I am feeling as sure of going “Back to Godhead” as I feel without any doubt after taking my dinner that I have eaten to my satisfaction. This feeling is a necessary concomitant factor of the great science of devotional service in the approved line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
I am therefore very eager to broadcast the secret of my success to all men and women of the world as a natural consequence and I am seeking your excellency’s help and co-operation in this great attempt of transcendental service.
I am enclosing herewith 12 (twelve) copies of “Back to Godhead” (I to XII) for your excellency’s reference. If possible kindly go through them all and I am sure that your honour will understand me right about my assertion. If it is not so possible, your excellency can kindly give a glance over the head lines only, and I am sure that will also give your excellency an idea of my definite assertion.
To make a world wide propaganda for this most essential service to humanity, it is necessary that your excellency will stretch the helping hand necessary in this matter, as your exalted honour is personally fit also to do this job. Although the method is very simple for universal adoption, it is not possible for me to express in this letter all the words that I wish to tell your honour. As such, I am seeking an interview with your honour herewith.
When your excellency will see personally the papers and programme of work about my bonafides, I am sure your excellency will be interested in co-operating with me. There is immense work to be done so far India’s spiritual asset is concerned and I think the Govt. may take up the matter scientifically for the good of all men. India’s specific culture demands that there should be a ministry of spiritual affairs to save the great culture of “Bharatavarsa”.
I am crying alone in the wilderness at the present moment. So please help me in this noble cause and oblige.
Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply, I am,
Yours in the service of the Lord,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Sunday, June 29, 2008
1955: January 1
Allahabad
1st form No-1.
The circular letter addressing as “Dear Brother”
to be sent along with the Prospectus by book Post
2nd letter on receipt of the reply of the 1st circular letter.
(For inner members who are willing to live with us for spiritual upliftment)
Dear Brothers,
I am very much glad that you are willing to live with us. As already informed we have no restriction for admitting inner members, so far nationality, caste and creed are concerned. But the inner members will have to abide by the following rules, which are necessary as basic principles for spiritual upliftment. The inner members will not have:
(1) illegitimate connection with women.
(2) He shall not be addicted to intoxicating habit. No member shall be allowed to smoke, chewing betel, drink tea etc. inside the house.
(3) He must be satisfied with “Prasadam” which will be served to him & must be strictly vegetarian. No inner member shall be allowed to eat fish, meat, eggs, onions, etc.
(4) the inner member shall not indulge in unnecessary indoor or outdoor games, sporting or gambling habit. The nominal boarding charges is Rs 25.-. No charges for lodging.
(5) the inner member must enroll himself as regular member in the A. B. or C. Category. Members with voting power will have to pay the scheduled monthly subscriptions The lowest rate of subscription is Rs 10.- per month. Any one unable to pay the membership fee may apply for free membership or lesser subscription for consideration of the Board of Executive members. The executive committee. can decide on it.
(6) The inner member is requested to rise early in the morning before sun-rise and finish his morning duties for inner & make cleanliness. And after finishing such duties, he will have attend to “Mangalaratric” service to be held in the temple of “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu & Radha Govinda”.
(7) The inner members will be served with Prasadam after “Mangalaratric” (mostly some milk-preparation)
(8) After partaking the “Mangalaratrik” Prasadam, he shall attend the morning class of “Path Kirtana” in which chanting of the holy name of God along with musical instruments, will be sung before and after reading of “Srimad Bhagavad-gita” “Bhagavatam” etc. This function will continue from 6 to 8 in the morning.
(9) After this a cup of milk along with other foodstuff will be served to the inner members as break fast.
(10) After breakfast the member can devote himself, for studying book in this connection which will be supplied to him by the League.
(11) At eleven noon, the “Bhogarati” service will be done in the temple and the members will be requested to attend this ceremony after bath, __.
(12) Just after “Bhogarati” function, the members will be served with “Prasadam” which shall consist of the following items: (1) Rice, (2) Dal, (3) Capatis with ghee (4) 2 curry (5) Bhija (6) Khicheries (7) ___ (8) Sauces (9) Pampar (10) miscellaneous.
(13) After taking “Prasadam” in the noon the member may take rest from one to three in the after noon.
(14) At three in the after noon there will again “Baikali” ceremony in the temple which the members will be requested to attend. And again at the end of the “Baikali” ceremony at about 4, the members shall be served with Prasadam consisting of a cup of milk & some fruits.
(15) the member shall then attend the Path Kirtana class from 5 to 7 in the evening as is done in the morning.
(16) from 7 to 8 pm there will be “Sandhyaratrik” ceremony in the temple & the members will be requested to attend to this.
(17) At nine in the night, there will be again Bhogarati ceremony which members will be requested to attend. After this “Prasadam” will be served consisting of capatis or rice with dal, currys & some milk preparation at the end.
(18) From 10 to 4 at night the members shall take rest for the night,
(19) After six months of living or earlier as the case may be the members will be expected to be initiated in the devotional service of Theism or Vaisnavism.
(20 For such initiation the member will have to accept “diksa” according to the rules of the Gosvamis & just become a qualified “Brahmin.”
(21) Initiated members shall observe the “Ekadasi Brata” twice in a month and on that day he will be allowed to take only fruits & none of the cereals.
(22) Initiated members shall adhere his body with the marks of Vaisnavism;
(23) He shall chant the holy name of God systematically & regularly according to the rules of the Goswamis.
(24) He shall try to worship in the temple after learning the art from another co-worker. The initiated member is converted & accepted as bonafide Brahmin & thus he can enter the temple.
(25) He may enhance his spiritual education taking lessons from Geeta, Bhagavata, Science of Devotion, Lord Caitanya etc. and prepare for the examination of Bhakti-Sastra, Bhaktisiddhanta, Bhaktivedanta etc.
(26) If he desires to be a preacher, he will be trained up in that way & will be given the titles of ___ ___ ______ according to preaching capacity.
[PAGE MISSING]
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
25 June, 1972
Los Angeles
My Dear Aksoja,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter from Amsterdam dated June 21, 1972.
I look forward with pleasure to attending some of your meetings there in Holland near end of July. Yes, the two engagements for July 28 and July 29 sound all right, and as you have kindly invited me, if you make all nice arrangements, then I shall be very glad to attend them.
One thing, you have mentioned a band for playing in the park.* If we hold public meetings, we can only hold kirtan, with our usual program of preaching being the main feature of attention. We shall stick only to the Vaisnava standard set for us by the great acaryas and saintly persons, namely, the Hare Krishna Mantra and other mantras which I have taught to you, but we shall not produce something artificial by writing and playing our own songs as we like.
Also, as you have requested, I shall be very much pleased to install Lord Jagannatha in the temple on the Sunday, 30th July, before continuing onwards.
Hoping this will meet you in good health,
Your ever well wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Wednesday, 28 June, 1972
Los Angeles
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20025
My dear Mr. President:
Several thousand years ago a great pious emperor ruled over this planet. He was a descendant of the great Kuru dynasty and the grandson of Arjuna, the hero of the Bhagavad-gita and the personal associate of the Lord, Sri Krishna. The people lived under his domain in peace. He provided protection for the people and the cows, as well as all other living entities.
He engaged many brahmanas, spiritual leaders, to educate his people and advise him in all matters. The people were just and God-conscious. They had a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of life and lived in happiness and prosperity. They respected their emperor and received kindness and benedictions from him.
You are a great president of a great nation. In this age of unrest and quarrel, your strength, as well as the strength of your nation, will be lasting if it is built upon the pillars of spiritual knowledge and Absolute Truth.
I am seventy-six years of age and am in the renounced order of life. I came to this country from India six years ago to introduce Krishna Consciousness, the scientific process of spiritual life, to the English-speaking people of the Western world. Now by the grace of Krishna I have many thousands of disciples, young American and European boys and girls.
Many of them have come to me bewildered, rebellious, and addicted to all sorts of sinful activities. Like so many of the young people today, they were lost and confused. Now they are all leading a disciplined and regulated life. They follow strict principles of spiritual life, with no desire for intoxication of any kind, or illicit sex life.
They are always engaged in meaningful work, serving God and their fellow man. They have become the flower of your country and all over the world they are being treated with the highest respect.
I would humbly like to request an interview with you to discuss the possibilities of my providing further service. My disciple, Atreya Rsi das (Mr. Marz Attar of Arthur Young and Company, 277 Park Avenue, New York, N. Y., phone 212-922-5957) will assist your aides to arrange a suitable time and place for a meeting.
I hope this meets you in best of health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Saturday, June 21, 2008
1968 June 21 : “We cannot divert our attention for money making activities. If we direct our attention like others, then it becomes karma. And karma is very dangerous for persons who want to go back to Godhead.”
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
26 May, 1975
Honolulu
My dear __ dasa,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 12, 1975 and have read the Cintamani poetry book.
It is indirect, impersonal and useless. Who will read these things? Krishna’s name is only mentioned in two poems in the whole book. What is this? There are so many poems written by great acaryas. Why do you try to concoct something like this? It is not in our line. How is that our _______is there and he has approved printing this? It is a waste of time, paper, money, ink, and labor.
There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this. You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Tuesday, April 9, 1968 San Francisco, Calif.
So far standard Sanskrit transliteration, that which Pradyumna is doing will be our standard. The spelling should also be standard, and based on his work. So far the word “Ksatriya”, this is the correct spelling. All these discrepancies are happening on account of my students being unaware of Sanskrit language. Therefore, I requested Pradyumna to learn Sanskrit very seriously. He has got the aptitude, and I hope he may come out very successful.
Yes, everyone of us should be ideal to the other so everyone can get impetus to make progress more and more. The college engagements sound very nice; I shall reach there by the first of May.
Friday, June 6, 2008
1949: May
Calcutta
Dear Sir,
Mother Nature is, as She should naturally be, the most faithful mistress of Godhead and She becomes angry for the behavior of the Asura and thus assume the role of Daivamaya (generally known as the Mohakali, Durga, Bhadrakali etc.) and take at once Her grim trident and inflicts the weapon in the heart of the asura who is also Her son. The asura thus becomes subject to threefold miseries and this is done according to the plan of Godhead as the mother has to chastise the disobedient son in order to make him alright.
This process of chastisement is necessary for the benefit of both the asura and the daiva sons in order to stop disorder in the great plan of Godhead. As sons as the asura, however, surrenders unto Godhead as the obedient son and servitor of the plan of Godhead the asura is turned into a devata. The angry mode of Mother Nature at once subsides and she appears to such godly sons as the most affectionate Mother in the role of Yogamaya (commonly known as Laksmi, Sita and Radharani etc).
So according to Bhagavad-gita the whole trouble of the world is due to the increase in the number of the asura and decrease in the number of the daivas. Who is a daiva and who is a asura is clearly defined in the Bhagavad-gita. Thus the whole problem has to be solved according to expert advices and it is not possible to solve the world problem so easily as by holding occasional discussions by some who are already themselves under the influence of the asuric qualities. This should be done most scientifically which is above mistakes and illusion.
As stated above the asura, as soon as he surrenders to Godhead makes the whole problem solved. But unfortunately the ____ to the threefold miseries of mother Nature and thus befooled by his repeated foolish activities will not easily surrender unto Godhead due to his long forgetful relation with the almighty Father.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
1947: July 13
Cawnpore
Raja Mohendra Pratap
World Federation
Prem MohaVidyalaya
P.O. Brindaban.
Dear Raja Sahib,
In continuation of my last post card, I beg to inform you that I have finished the reading of your book Religion of Love. In my opinion the whole thesis is based on the philosophy of pantheism and the approach is made by the services of mankind. Religion of love is the true religious idea but if the approach is made through the service of mankind only, then the process is made imperfect, partial and unscientific.
As you say the waves of the creations are the different aspects, why a particular type of waves namely the mankind should be partially selected and offered services and why other types of waves such as the beasts or birds, the plants and the stone shall not be offered a similar type of services? In that case how can you say that the worship of a stone is sinful while a man who is more than a stone shall be considered as the object of love? These are some of the questions that arise out of a critical study of your book.
If you so desire I can enter into discussions about it and my opinion is that your approach is partial and unscientific. There is no hesitation to accept the principle of the Religion of Love because the Absolute Truth is, as we have known, Godhead Who is sat, cit and ananda. Without ananda there cannot be any love that is an accepted fact. Your delineation of society, friendship and love among the human beings is based on this ananda portion only but you have avoided the other portions of eternity and cognition of God the Whole Soul. Thus the approach is partial and unscientific.
The true religion of love is perfectly inculcated in the Bhagavad-gita. When we speak of love there must be the object of love and the lover too. Here in this world we find that the object of love and the lover both are the cheater and the cheated in their reciprocal dealings. That is our experience. But the ultimate end being one Whole Soul, the dual existence of the object of lover and the loved loses identity. In that case the eternity and cognizibility of the loved and lover vanish at once. In this way there arises many questions which may be put forward to you for further discussions to adjust your ideas of religion.
Besides you have not quoted any authority for all your statements. So it is more or less dogmatic. If different men put different dogmatic views about religion and its essentials who is to be accepted and who is not be? Therefore the approach shall be and must be authoritative, scientific and universal. Your delineations do not conform to all these necessary things. That is my main contention.
If you have time to discuss on it, I shall be glad to substantiate my contentions as far as possible. My basis of arguments will be Bhagavad-gita which is the most authoritative, scientific and universal. To summarise the conclusions of Bhagavad-gita it may be said that,
1) God is one and everything is in Him and He is in everything.
2) To render transcendental service unto God is to serve everything that be, just like to water the root of the tree is to water the different branches and numerous leaves of the tree or to supply food to the stomach is to vitalize all the senses and the sense organs of the body.
3) The parts are automatically served when the Whole is served but when the parts are served the whole may not be served or not served at all.
4) The parts and the Whole being eternally related, it is the eternal duty of the parts to render service unto the Whole.
5) A recipient of the services of the parts, God’s sat-cit-ananda vigraha i.e. the all-attractive Cognizant and all-blissful Personality eternal. He can reveal Himself by His own potency without any help of the external potency called maya in order to be cognizable by the limited potency of the parts and as such He is not only the greatest of all but he is the smallest of all. That is His prerogative.
6) He is better realized when He by His causeless mercy agrees to descend in this mortal world but he He is never realised by the partial speculations of the empiric philosophers however systematic and long-termed it may be.
7) Sri Krishna is the Personality of Godhead and is the Summum Bonum Cause of all Causes proved by fact and figures in the statement of Bhagavad-gita, but He reserves the right of not being exposed to the sensual speculations of the empiric philosophers.
8) One should therefore surrender unto Him if one wants to know Him as He is and that is the real process to approach the Infinite by the infinitesimals.
9) Sri Krishna is easily available by the religion of love i.e. by love and service as conceived by the damsels of Vraja who had practically no education whatsoever and much less any claim for high class birth right.
10) The highest service that can be rendered to the mankind is, therefore, to preach the philosophy and religion of Bhagavad-gita for all the times, all the places and all the people.
I hope you may agree with me and thus make a combined effort in this direction for the benefit of the mankind.
Yours sincerely,
Abhay Charan De
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
June 4, 1970
Los Angeles
Regarding your first question, the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha is observed by His Lordship standing in a bathing tank while each of the devotees in turn offers prayers and obeisances, then pours water to bathe the Lord, then offers obeisances and the next devotee follows the same procedure. All the other devotees are holding kirtana throughout the bathing ceremony which takes place on June 19th.
Regarding your second question, after being bathed, Lord Jagannatha catches fever and at that time you may carry Him along with Balaramaji and Subhadra to my room for recovering. During this time, up to Rathayatra, any repairs may be made.
In Jagannatha Puri during this recuperation period the Deities are completely repainted. But that is especially in Jagannatha Puri that this is done so. Then Lord Jagannatha reappears on the day of Rathayatra festival. During His convalescence Bhoga is offered as usual, but no visitors are allowed to see the Lord.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Monday, January 6, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif.
So the first medicine which you should be concerned with is to chant Hare Krishna and to become increasingly steady in Krishna Consciousness. Study Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad-Bhagavatam and continue to help your god-brothers in developing Krishna Consciousness. So develop your preaching abilities in this way, and this will be the most successful and appreciated endeavor.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Monday, June 2, 1969
New Vrindaban
My Dear Bharadraja,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 28, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully.
I can understand that you are having some difficulty in finding time to paint because of your other duties, but I think that all of these duties may be stopped so you can devote your full energy and time to painting. This painting you are doing is very important, so it will count as your temple work. There is no necessity either for you to go out on Sankirtana if this will take away your time from your real work.
I understand that you are also very musically talented, but this talent is not so much required on Sankirtana Party because for chanting Hare Krishna it is not necessary that all instrumentation be so much polished or complicated.
If it is necessary for you to work part time to earn money for artist supplies then you should do it, or else if Isana das can continue to help you in this connection, that will be better. Both you and your wife, Rukmini, are very nice artists, so please tell me what ideas you have so that you may get as much artistic work done as possible.
For the time being, you should complete your Sankirtana painting, and then as you have asked about the Krishna Book, I an enclosing an idea for a painting of Krishna showing the universe within His mouth to Mother Yasoda. So you may complete this painting also as soon as possible.
I have so many ideas for paintings, and we will be requiring so many expert paintings as you are able to do, so please be very serious to do this work nicely and quickly. It will be great service. In our Krishna Book we are showing the Western World for the first time what is God.
“Getting Uncontaminated”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.01
Bombay, December 13, 1974
Therefore the Vedic instruction is, to get perfect knowledge, you have to approach a person who is guru. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. And who’s guru? Guru means representative of Bhagavan. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih **. Guru… Because the real guru, he’s representative of Krsna, saksat-hari. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. In all scriptures it is described that guru is as good as Bhagavan. Means he knows from the right source. Therefore he may be, not maybe exactly, but as good, saksad-dharitvena. Why? Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Guru is servant, servant God. The master God and the servant God. Krsna is the master God and guru is the servant God. Although he’s respected as Krsna, still, kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya; He does not claim that “I’ve become Krsna.” No. He’s very dear to Krsna. Kintu prabhor yah priya. Priya. Priya means dear. Why he’s so dear? Because he preaches the master’s message. Therefore he’s pure. If he preaches his own message, manufactured, then he’s not good; he’s deceit.