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Activities in devotional service (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"activities in devotional service" |"activities of devotional service" |"action of devotional service" |"devotional activities" |"devotional activity"

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Real duty begins in Krishna Consciousness. The impersonalist cannot accommodate such spiritual activities of devotional service therefore they are satisfied only by so-called knowledge of self.
Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 12 December, 1967: You should not waste too much time for editing as we have done in the matter of Gita Upanisad. If there is good English it is welcome but we should not edit as Hayagriva has replaced "devotional service with "knowledge of self. Knowledge of self is not complete until one is actually engaged in devotional service. There are many citizens who have complete sense of national knowledge but out of many of them, one who is engaged in national service like Washington or Gandhi, he becomes the most prominent with national consciousness. Similarly, when one is mature in knowledge of self, he must knows what is the duty of the self. The impersonalist due to poor fund of knowledge, forgets of the self. They are much concerned for being freed of all duties which is not possible by the living force. The living force is always dynamic, therefore the living entity cannot stop discharging duties. Real duty begins in Krishna Consciousness. The impersonalist cannot accommodate such spiritual activities of devotional service therefore they are satisfied only by so-called knowledge of self.

1968 Correspondence

Our devotional activities are executed by transferring epithet; our senses are there, they are acting pervertedly and putting us into difficulty.
Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968: Nirguna means untouched by material contamination. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Supreme Enjoyer is uncontaminated by the material qualities of goodness, passion, and ignorance, but His qualities are transcendental without any touch or tinge of material qualities. For example: sex life, the most prominent feature of this material world. This sex life is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3rd Canto, in the explanation of Vaikuntha world, when it is said that in the Vaikuntha planets, the women or the fair sex is many many more times beautiful, well-constructed, their face and smiling more attractive, their breasts and hips are very high, and they clearly and freely mix with male devotees,, But their strong sense of devotion towards the Lord and being absorbed in Krishna Consciousness, all the features of womanly beauty cannot stimulate their sex passion. In the material world the same reflection of beauty and bodily features at once stimulate sex passion. Therefore, the enjoyment of opposite sex in the Vaikuntha world has no action of sex life whereas in the material world the perverted reflection of beauty has resultant action of sex life which is the cause of dragging material existence. So the description of the Vaikuntha life is nirguna, and the description of worldly life is sahaguna. Our devotional activities are executed by transferring epithet; our senses are there, they are acting pervertedly and putting us into difficulty. The Impersonalist philosopher wants to stop this difficult reactions of the senses but they don't know how to place the senses in healthy life. For example: one may try to get out of diseased condition. This attempt does not mean that one should be killed so that one may get out of miserable condition of diseased life. The real method is to remove diseased condition and be placed in healthy life. Krishna Consciousness means to get out of the material qualities and be reinstated in the spiritual nirguna activities. When one can understand nirguna he can understand nirakara, also. This akar or form of material existence is temporary. When we get out of this temporary changes of different forms as we are transmigrating from one form to another and be placed in our real spiritual form, or purified our existence, that is called nirakara. Or in other words nirakara means absence of material form. Praiidrabya is mentioned by Dr. Naik as the counteracting agent of matter. I do not know whether this word is in Bhagavad-gita, but praii means transcendental and drabya means matter, that which exists. This praiidrabya is explained in Gita as paraprakrti or internal energy which is exhibited in the transcendental world. What interpretation I have replied Dr. Naik later. We have one difference of opinion of the scientific statement of antimatter. I have interpreted antimatter as spiritual where there is opposite matter or eternal. Matter is temporary manifestation and I interpreted antimatter as eternal manifestation or paraprakrti.
The word klin is significance of the mantras being the root of devotional activities.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Montreal 3 July, 1968: The word klin is significance of the mantras being the root of devotional activities. Krishnyaya, unto Krishna; Govindaya, unto Govinda; Gopijanavallabhaya, unto the Pleasure Reservoir of the damsels of Vraja, and Svaha, offering oblations unto Him. You will get in time the translations of all the mantras.
Materialist person perform all pious activities or devotional activities for some material gain, and as soon as there is any hindrance in the path of material gain, they at once become demon.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 3 July, 1968: Materialists are always careful for maintaining his material status quo first, and then please Visnu. Although they profess to be devotees of Visnu. Therefore the Krishna Consciousness persons are greater than such materialistic worshippers. Materialist person perform all pious activities or devotional activities for some material gain, and as soon as there is any hindrance in the path of material gain, they at once become demon. Therefore bhakti means without any material desires. That is the sign of pure devotee. He has no motive to satisfy his material desires by devotional service.

1970 Correspondence

Again, when there is creation, the living entities who are not liberated at the time of dissolution, are given chance to liberate themselves in the manifest creation by devotional activities.
Letter to Jananivasa -- Los Angeles January 26, 1970: Jananivasa is the name of Lord Visnu. Jana means the living entities. Lord Visnu in His incarnation of Mahavisnu lying in the Causal Ocean gives shelter to all living entities who are not liberated at the time of dissolution. Again, when there is creation, these living entities are given chance to liberate themselves in the manifest creation by devotional activities. This process is going on eternally, and fortunate living entities take advantage of this manifest creation and return back to the spiritual world by devotional activities. So the rest of the living entities during dissolution is Mahavisnu. Thus His name is Jananivasa.
Please continue to see that these two nice boys and all the other devotees there are following rigidly the scheduled program of regulated activities in devotional service.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 26 May, 1970: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st May, 1970, along with the letters and beads from Roger and Bob. I have accepted them as my initiated disciples as you have recommended, and their beads and reply letters have been dispatched on Sunday May 24th, I hope you have received them by this time. Please continue to see that these two nice boys and all the other devotees there are following rigidly the scheduled program of regulated activities in devotional service, chanting the rounds, attending classes and studying our philosophy as well as going on Sankirtana, etc.
You are a very hopeful student and intelligent devotee, so you continue to pursue your devotional activities patiently and Krsna will open your path of Krsna consciousness so you will progress more and more.
Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 25 July, 1970: I am very glad to know that you are reading our literatures and you are very thoughtful about them. I am always happy to answer your questions, but you should practice to get the answers from your husband and try to find them out by reading further in our books. All questions will be clarified if you simply read our books very thoroughly and follow the simple process of devotional service as we have given it to chant regularly and rigidly observe the rules and regulations. This is our principle that the spiritual science becomes revealed to the devotee from within the heart according to the degree of his surrender to Krsna. You are a very hopeful student and intelligent devotee, so you continue to pursue your devotional activities patiently and Krsna will open your path of Krsna consciousness so you will progress more and more.
Please see that the standard of devotional practice is kept very high by strictly observing the regulative principles and executing devotional activities with determination and enthusiasm.
Letter to Krsnakanti -- Bombay 29 November, 1970: Please see that the standard of devotional practice is kept very high by strictly observing the regulative principles and executing devotional activities with determination and enthusiasm. If the standard practices are followed then the atmosphere will naturally be joyful and enthusiastic for working cooperatively for the satisfaction of Krsna.
Simply by keeping a nicely regulated temple schedule with many integrated devotional activities and our preaching program is sure to be a success.
Letter to Tulsi -- Surat 28 December, 1970: Simply by keeping a nicely regulated temple schedule with many integrated devotional activities and our preaching program is sure to be a success. Following the regulative principles strictly is our strength in spiritual life. If they are neglected, then all our efforts simply become spoiled. So go on in the way you have described and Krishna will surely bless you.

1971 Correspondence

I am so glad to hear that our Philadelphia temple is running so smoothly, "filled with love and truthfulness." Such an atmosphere is so congenial for advancement in Krishna Consciousness and if the Prabhus there continue their devotional activities in such a spirit, so many people will be attracted.
Letter to Vrindaban Candra -- Allahabad 8 January, 1971: I am so glad to hear that our Philadelphia temple is running so smoothly, "filled with love and truthfulness." Such an atmosphere is so congenial for advancement in Krishna Consciousness and if the Prabhus there continue their devotional activities in such a spirit, so many people will be attracted. Also I am glad to note that you and your wife are cooperating so nicely in Krishna's service. So you should set an ideal example of household life in Krishna Consciousness for all to follow. In this way continue your program there in Philadelphia and Krishna will surely bless you.
Go on with your devotional activities there in Chicago whole-heartedly and always depend on Krishna.
Letter to Urukrama (Jefferey) -- Los Angeles 10 July, 1971: So go on with your devotional activities there in Chicago whole-heartedly and always depend on Krishna. Just like you said that you had been experiencing so many difficulties, but that is Krishna's mercy upon you to make you turn to Him more and more. So work cooperatively with Bahulasva Prabhu and make our Chicago center a grand success. That is my request to you, so work in that way with full enthusiasm. And stay strong in Krishna's service by regularly chanting your rounds, by reading our literatures, by going for Street Sankirtana, etc. In this way go on and you will be happy and your life will know success.
I am so glad to hear how nicely Mrs. Dossa is doing and how she is engaging in devotional activities.
Letter to Danavir -- Nairobi 27 September, 1971: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th September, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am so glad to hear how nicely Mrs. Dossa is doing and how she is engaging in devotional activities. She is a neophyte, so try and help her in every activity so that she may become fixed up. And if Chayadevi can help her children I have no objection.
One cannot be independent and at the same time become a devotee because all devotional activities are based on surrender.
Letter to Rayarama -- Bombay 22 October, 1971: I welcome you for your coming back to our society and you are feeling very nicely the association of devotees. Srila Rupa Goswami has described that devotional service can be advanced by six processes. Perhaps you know them. They are as follows: enthusiasm, patience, conviction, following the regulative principles, being honest in one's profession, and in the association of devotees. So this Krishna consciousness society is especially meant for giving people the opportunity to associate with devotees. Devotees means who are following the regulative principles. One cannot be independent and at the same time become a devotee because all devotional activities are based on surrender. So in the association of devotees we learn this important item—how to surrender, but if we keep our independence and try to become devotees, that is not possible.

1972 Correspondence

This is the highest type of devotional activity, this preaching work.
Letter to Sucandra -- Bombay 11 January, 1972: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of December 25, 1971, and I am very pleased to note that you have got a nice place in the central part of Munich city and that a good response has been found by you there. When we become fully engaged in serving Krishna by preaching His message, especially by opening centers in places where there is not much previous knowledge about Krishna Consciousness, then our all anxieties disappear and we feel ourselves really happy. This is the highest type of devotional activity, this preaching work. So I am very glad that you are working in this way, and I think that you will find no impediments to advancing yourself very rapidly in spiritual life.
We may execute more than one, we may execute several or even all nine activities in devotional service, but even if we execute one perfectly we shall be completely successful in devotional service.
Letter to Prajapati -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972: Regarding your questions, we should not take any stock of rumors which may come, that is not our process to act upon rumors. We hear from the authorized sources, and then our hearing is perfect. So you are the leader of big temple, you should know these things and avoid them, and instruct the other students there to stick to whatever is mentioned in our books and try to understand that subject matter from every angle of vision, without trying to adulterate by adding anything rumor. Our preaching must be based upon the subject matter from books and nothing outside of them. The actual fact is that worshiping the Deity and chanting the glories of the Lord are both within the nine processes of devotional service recommended by Rupa Goswami. Besides chanting and hearing and remembering there are six other recommended activities in devotional service. So if we are able to practice even only one of these activities perfectly, the result will be the same. Or we may execute more than one, we may execute several or even all nine activities in devotional service, but even if we execute one perfectly we shall be completely successful in devotional service. So there is no question that one activity is more important than another or that Deity worship is more important than Sankirtana, but one individual may be able to perform one activity more satisfactorily than another, so to him that activity will be more important. But in general we cannot say that any of the nine processes is more important than the others, except that if hearing, chanting and remembering are there, that is the most vital consideration for the general class of men in this age. Service to the Deities, as you are asking me, begins whenever you remember Them and offer all your services by remembering at the same time. All activities, words, everything should be offered as service to the Deities, and this offering with remembering will gradually increase as you practice it.
The main point is that these children may be given the two-fold program of education in Krsna Consciousness, namely, chanting and performing devotional activities on the one hand, and some knowledge of our philosophy and other subjects of knowledge on the other hand.
Letter to Stokakrsna -- Los Angeles 20 June, 1972: I have indicated in my previous letter of several days back some hints for giving Krsna Consciousness children their proper education. I consider this Gurukula school to be one of our most important aspects of this movement and it should be given all serious consideration by the members. If we are able to make a whole generation of our children into fine Krsna Conscious preachers, that will be the glory of our movement and the glory of your country as well. But if we neglect somehow or other and if we lose even one Vaisnava, that is very great loss. So I am very glad that you are taking your business very seriously and you may consult always with Satsvarupa in all matters of management and policy, and if he cannot answer to your satisfaction, you may also ask me something. For children it is a long time between 8:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., therefore they are naturally hungry long before the lunch time. If it is convenient you may add another period for light prasadam between those times. The children should e allowed to eat as much as they like, therefore if children are complaining from hunger we must feed them. On the second point, if someone is coming to our school for the first time, still, they must eat what we are eating, namely Krsna prasadam. Yes, everything should be prepared for the pleasure of the Lord, without any other consideration. Our policy is that the children should be so trained that they will enjoy performing austerities, it is not that we shall spoil them at young age by indulging them in sense gratification. If there is obedience then there will be discipline, and without any discipline the management is very difficult. So first obedience by the children. That is not always by punishing or by force, but sometimes by showing the stick, without necessarily hitting and sometimes it is learning how to trick them or even cheat them into obeying you voluntarily and enjoying by their obedience. If there is difficulty for taking the smaller children on public sankirtana, there is no need. Unless tey are behaving, what is the use of taking them into public? The smaller children can have their sankirtana party within the school grounds daily and they will enjoy as much. The main point is that these children may be given the two-fold program of education in Krsna Consciousness, namely, chanting and performing devotional activities on the one hand, and some knowledge of our philosophy and other subjects of knowledge on the other hand.

1973 Correspondence

They were putting their legs on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and were forgetting who He is, and Krsna is taking the feet of His devotee on Himself. Krsna is so nice. The mayavadis can never understand this exchange of devotional activities.
Letter to Acyutananda -- New Delhi 1 November, 1973: This was the statement of Srila Sukdeva Goswami when he saw Krsna carrying the cowherds boys on His shoulders. To be in such a position could only be the result of the performance of many, many pious activities. They were putting their legs on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and were forgetting who He is, and Krsna is taking the feet of His devotee on Himself. Krsna is so nice. The mayavadis can never understand this exchange of devotional activities.
Please therefore all of you go to your respective positions and revive your devotional activities without any further delay, and if you cannot cope with the GBC men, which I suppose there must have been some disagreement, I shall deal with you directly.
Letter to Tusta Krsna -- New Delhi 7 November, 1973: So kindly take my word and do not leave our society. If you cannot agree with the GBC, I can take up your matter personally and do the needful. I love you all very much, and if you go away and stay independently that will be a great shock for me. I want to meet you all together. Let me know where I shall go to meet you. Just now I have received the news that in Hawaii the tulsi plants are drying for want of watering. How has Govinda dasi left the tulsi plants which she nourished so lovingly? Please therefore all of you go to your respective positions and revive your devotional activities without any further delay, and if you cannot cope with the GBC men, which I suppose there must have been some disagreement, I shall deal with you directly. But, do not leave the Krsna consciousness movement, at any cost.

1976 Correspondence

Regarding making a movie to help people become Krishna Conscious. If we show such devotional activities as worshiping the Deity, the karmis will think it is some sentiment, people worshiping a statue.
Letter to Jnanagamya -- Mayapur 27 January, 1976: Regarding making a movie to help people become Krishna Conscious. If we show such devotional activities as worshiping the Deity, the karmis will think it is some sentiment, people worshiping a statue. Unless they hear from devotees and then practically perform devotional service themselves, what benefit will there be? As far as your point that those who say movies about Hitler identified with him and followed him, Hitler was still finished despite so much propaganda. Napoleon, Mussolini, Churchill—they all made so much propaganda—but the French, Italian, British, and German empires are all lost now. Our real propaganda is to chant the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, and let the mass of people chant and dance with us. If this movie induces people to chant and dance it is O.K. If it aids our cause then it is welcome. The best thing is for you to give this subject matter to your GBC for discussion at this year's GBC meeting in March.
Page Title:Activities in devotional service (Letters)
Compiler:Archana
Created:13 of Oct, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=19
No. of Quotes:19