Advancement (Letters 1951 - 1969)

Expressions researched:
"advancement" |"advancements"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: advancements or advancement not "advance* civilization*"@5 not "spiritual advancement"@3 not "material advancement"@3

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 14 September, 1951:

When we speak of Philosophy it is something higher than the attempt of combining the East and the West. The whole cosmic situation is a complete unit and unless and attempt genuine is made for harmonizing the whole disturbed system and partial attempt on our part however large in magnitude will fail to approach the ultimate goal.

Sages of India realized this by a perfect deductive process which descends on human consciousness by the transcendental unbroken chain of disciplic succession—that material civilization is a gigantic temporary demonstration of a rabid process of sense-gratification. In that mode of civilization the sense organs are given unrestricted liberty to gratify ever-increasing desires and the whole show of cultural advancement in science, art, education, trade, industry economics and politics is only varied activities of the sense organs.

While I appreciate contribution by Swami Nikhilananda of Ramakrishna Mission in New York towards "India American relation—A way to world peace." It will not be out place to mention that comparative study & philosophical ideas expressed by different religious heads will not only bring large contributions to the said _ _ but will also give the public at large a conviction of the Bhagavad. gita.

Smoke emanates from the fire under certain condition but it is a disturbing condition of the fire. We need the fire and not the smoke.

Letter to Sir -- Delhi 15 April, 1961:

The human form of life is the highest developed stage in the evolutionary process and thus a civilization based on spiritual culture is the right type of human civilization.

The human being must know what he is, where from he has come what is the position after death; why we are suffering threefold miseries of life; what is the ultimate goal of life; what is this cosmic universe; what is matter and what is spirit; which of them is superior etc. There are so many things to be learnt by the human being.

Unfortunately, the present human society by the advancement of scientific knowledge, has manufactured lethal weapons to kill and destroy. They have no discovery for living and building peaceful and progressive life. The world has no information for the great problems life.

I am very glad that some of your noble countrymen have taken notice of this defective civilization and have very timely invited this important congress with a future idea of forming an international body like the United Nations Organization not for conflict but for HARMONY.

I am very glad to know this and I am anxious to meet you and render my full cooperation in this great, important and noble endeavour for welfare of the entire human society. I hope this noble movement will unite the communists and the capitalists alike for the common goal of life which still remained veiled for want sufficient intelligent class of men.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 30 January, 1967:

I understand that Neal has left us and you have taken the responsibility for typing the records. Please let me know how many tapes are with you. I think you have five tapes with you because I have got only three with me. See that the tapes do not miss. You are a sincere devotee of the Lord and certainly He will bless you with auspicious advancement in the matter of spiritual understanding. Your assistant Ranchor is doing well with me. He is not now disturbed in his mind. I hope you are all in full cooperation in the service of Krishna. I shall be glad to hear from you.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 7 April, 1967:

I am so pleased to have your association and I always thank my Spiritual Master Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja for His favor by sending me some sincere representative of Him in missionary activities in this part of the world. I came here to execute His Will and by His Grace I have so many good souls like you, Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Hayagriva, Rayarama, Haridasa, Mukunda etc. I consider you all as representative of my Guru maharaj to help me in this helpless condition. My Godbrothers did not help me but my Spiritual Master has helped me. So do not think that I can ever forget you even for a moment. I pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Be happy and execute more and more service for Krishna and Krishna will accept you in His association.

I am very glad to learn that Lord Jesus Christ has approved our activities. Perhaps you have marked it in my preaching work that I love Lord Jesus Christ as good as Krishna; because He rendered the greatest service to Krishna according to time circumstances and society in which He appreared. Similarly Hajrat Mohammed and Lord Buddha also rendered greatest service to the human society according to circumstances. So work with more enthusiasm and we are sure to be successful in our great mission.

Last night we had very successful meeting at Berkeley and I think there were about three hundred students who participated in the meeting for two hours, danced with us and after the close of the meeting they surrounded me to offer their respects and some of them inquired various questions. Every one appreciated what I could speak in the meeting for about forty minutes and so I was very much encouraged.

Letter to Janaki and others -- New York 10 April, 1967:

My Dear Janaki Devi, Haridasa, Mukunda Das, Syamasundara Malati Devi, Hayagriva Das, Harsarani Devi, Devakinandana, Lilavati, Ravindra Svarupa, Haladhara Dasi, Upendra Subala Das, Krishna Devi, Dayananda, Nandarani, Jayananda, Ballabhi Dasi, Syamadasi, Ramanuja Yamuna Devi, Gurudasa, Yogamaya, Mr. Mathews, and all other devotees and friends,

Please accept my hearty greetings and blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your devotion and affection for me. I thought of you all throughout my journey from Francisco to New York and I was praying to Lord Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness. On my arrival here I was received by hundreds of devotees and friends although Mr. Ginsberg was out of the town. One young professor from India first greeted me and told me that Swamiji you are doing here real work whereas others who have come from India, have simply formed some groups of old lady students without any real information of Indian original culture. Any way the reception in New York was very good organized by our students here and there was distribution of varieties of Prasadam to about 100 men in the temple. I was not least tired and after landing from the air ship although there was some blockade in my ear still I continued meeting for three hours. I am now very well although I am feeling your great separation. Please continue Kirtana as usual with devotion and you will make more and more advancement in Krishna consciousness.

Letter to Janardana, Hamsaduta, Himavati, Pradyumna -- New York 28 June, 1967:

While on my sick bed I was so much encouraged by your successful carrying on the Montreal Branch even in spite of the absence of Kirtanananda. There is a verse in the Bhagavad gita tenth chapter that anyone who serves the Lord sincerely with love and affection is certainly instructed by the Lord from within. The Lord helps us in two ways: internally as paramatman, and externally as Spiritual Master. So I think your sincere activities are being appreciated by the Lord from within and He is dictating you all for advancement of Krishna Consciousness. I hope that I may be able to go to San Francisco on July 5th, and from there if I get my permanent visa I shall go to Vancouver where there is every possibility of opening a new branch. There is a friend who is prepared to cooperate, and I understand that there are many Indians also. From Vancouver I may come to Montreal, perform the opening ceremony of installation of Radha-Krishna Vigraha. Then I may go back to India for six months, as there is a program for construction of an American house for training preachers at Vrindaban. Vrindaban is the only solitary transcendental abode within this universe where Krishna Consciousness automatically reveals. Therefore I have a great hope to train some of my disciples for preaching work, even in my absence. I am now old man, and attacked with serious disease; I may be overcome by death at any moment. Therefore I wish to leave some trained preachers so that they can do the work of Krishna Consciousness in the western world. That is my ambition. I hope you all pray to Krishna so I may be able to execute my duty properly.

Letter to Janardana, Hamsaduta, Himavati, Pradyumna -- New York 28 June, 1967:

Then I may go back to India for six months, as there is a program for construction of an American house for training preachers at Vrindaban. Vrindaban is the only solitary transcendental abode within this universe where Krishna Consciousness automatically reveals. Therefore I have a great hope to train some of my disciples for preaching work, even in my absence. I am now old man, and attacked with serious disease; I may be overcome by death at any moment. Therefore I wish to leave some trained preachers so that they can do the work of Krishna Consciousness in the western world. That is my ambition. I hope you all pray to Krishna so I may be able to execute my duty properly.

Thanking you all for your nice advancement.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Vrindaban 4 August, 1967:

I am glad that Sri Radha Krishna Murti etc. has arrived. For the present you can keep the murti packed. I am expecting to return within six months, as I told you; and maybe earlier, calculating on the present improvement.

I have already instructed you that Gargamuni should get married. They should get a marriage certificate as soon as is possible. In the temple the ceremony should be observed by chanting Hare Krishna before the fire, offering the clarified butter with the word Saha, and the bride and groom should exchange their garlands before the Lord Krishna deity and promise not to be separated in life. They should know it that bodily relation between the husband and wife is secondary; primary factor is that both should help one another in the matter of advancement of K.C.

I sang this mantra at the airport: K, K, K, K, K, K, K, HE (twice); K, K, K, K, K, K, raksa mam; K, K, K, K, K, K, pahi mam; Rama Raghava, Rama Raghava, Rama Raghava raksa mam; K. Kesava, K. Kesava, K. Kesava, K. Kesave pahi mam.

You have written nothing about MacMillan. Please let me know about this. Please send $30 from three centers, and also some stationery. I am sorry the old chariot broke down.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- San Francisco 21 December, 1967:

I thank you very much for your letter of Dec. 21, 1967. And I am glad to learn that you are getting strength in Krishna Consciousness so that you have decided to remain in the Temple in the absence of your husband. This is very nice. We should learn to depend on Krishna more and more. Actually, Krishna is always guiding us as Supersoul, but due to our forgetfulness, we do not understand that Krishna is friend everlasting. With advance of Krishna Consciousness one is able to realize that Krishna is always with His devotees—not only with His devotees, also with the non-devotees, but the devotees can recognize His Presence and the non-devotees cannot. The more you make advancement in Krishna Consciousness you will see Krishna everywhere. Not only on the bank of the river, but also on streets, trees, lampposts, and so on. The more you see like that you know you are making tangible advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Actually, there is nothing but Krishna all around us. This is explained in the Gita. He is the taste of water, light of the moon, the fragrance of the flower, light of the sun, sound of the sky, the power of the strong and so on. so one who is actually making progress in Krishna Consciousness, he can see Krishna everywhere. At every stage of life, who can avoid the sunlight, the moonlight, the fragrance of the flower, the taste of the water, the sound of the sky, and so on; but one has to learn it, that there is Krishna in all these varieties of existence. Without Krishna there is nothing. It is simply by the influence of Maya that we forget the relationship of Krishna with everything that be.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1968:

I understand that sometimes you feel sex urges and frustration. In the material world sex urge is the binding force for material existence. A determined person tolerates such sex urges as one tolerates the itching sensation of eczema. If not one can satisfy the sex urge by legitimate marriage. Immoral sex life and spiritual advancement are incompatible proposition. Your full engagement in K.C. & constant chanting will save you from all inconveniences.

You have accepted me as father, so I have also accepted you as my dear and real son. Relationship of father & son on spiritual platform is real and eternal, on the material platform such relationship is ephemeral and temporary. Although I cannot give you anything as father, still I can pray to Krishna for your more & more advancement in K.C. Your sincerity & service mood will always help you in advancing your genuine cause.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 12 February, 1968:

We cannot cheat people like him. We must say the truth, as they are prescribed; in the Bhagavad-gita there are 18 kinds of austerities, 13rd chapter. The restrictions which we are following are austerities. Without austerity, without celibacy, any amount of nonsense meditation will not help. So there is no comparison of our method with Maharishi's method. We are not out to counteract any kind of vandalism. We must present the genuine thing before the public, and if they are intelligent enough they will take it up and realize it. The followers of Maharishi are not intelligent class of men. If you have any advancement in the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, you can test any follower of Maharishi, you will find he is nil.

The idea for Japan is very nice, but who will bear the expenses, that is the problem. And who will take charge of the pavilion, that is the problem. If you can manage to construct such pavilion, I have no objection. But consult with Janardana and others in this connection. Your good wish is very nice, and I can also go there, but it requires thousands of dollars to give effect to such proposal.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1968:

My Guru Maharaja used to say that for one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar. One who thinks the books is the thing is content in this way. But we should learn the secret to open the jar and taste the honey. In this way, if we can simply understand one book, or one sloka, the perfection is there. Lord Caitanya warned about reading too many books, although I see in America this is very popular to get volumes and volumes of books and not understand one. Anyway by sincerely working by carefully executing the instructions of the Spiritual Master, you will be all successful by Krishna's Grace. I am always praying to Krishna for your advancement in Krishna Consciousness, all of you, sincere souls.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter dated Feb. 15, 1968. I can appreciate your advancement in Krishna Consciousness by the sentiments expressed by you. As I have repeatedly said, that Krishna Consciousness is developed by following two parallel lines, means service of Krishna, and service of the Spiritual Master. This is the secret of success. The Spiritual Master must be bona fide, that is, he must come down from a bona fide Spiritual Master and must act according to the directions of the Spiritual Master, and by doing so, he gives proper directions about Krishna and the devotees serve Krishna under the direction of such Spiritual Master, and Krishna accepts service, and in this way the whole thing becomes beautiful and successful. I am very much pleased that you are following the same principle and there is no doubt that you will develop more and more in the service of Krishna. I always pray to Krishna for your advancement, and what I can do more than this.

Letter to Robert -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1968:

It is very good. It is as good to see Brahmananda because he is my representative, and he can inform you everything which I could have done by meeting you. Anyway, please act under the guidance of Brahmananda, so long I am not able to see you, and probably it will be possible to see you in the month of April next, when I am going to N.Y. I thank you once more for your service spirit to Lord Krishna, and I am sure He will bestow upon you more and more service spirit.

So far school is concerned, we know that modern education in schools and colleges is not very much helpful in advancement of Krishna Consciousness, but still we have to take advantage of such institutions in absence of any other good organization. But I shall advise you that by leaving your school, you have got immense books and literatures for studying, so you should form the habit of studying and understanding the philosophy very nicely and when there is difficulty in understanding, Brahmananda or Rayarama, or myself, will help you in all respects. School may be bad, but studying is not bad, it is very good. So we should not give up the habit of studying, especially Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Brahma Samhita.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Los Angeles 7 March, 1968:

It is very good news that you are holding kirtanas at universities; I very much appreciate your endeavors for holding Kirtana. Krishna has given you good opportunity for serving and you are doing it sincerely, so there is no doubt about your being promoted to the transcendental platform, of eternal life, bliss, and knowledge. I thank you very much for your good energy in the matter of executing Krishna Consciousness. I thank you once more, and I shall always pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well.

Letter to Pradyumna -- San Francisco 23 March, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 20, 1968, regarding your illness. So long we have got this material body, the miseries will be coming and going, simply we have to tolerate them and try to make advancement in Krishna Consciousness as best we can. I am forwarding your letter to Brahmananda for taking care of your hospital charges; I do not know just what arrangements can be made, but Brahmananda will think how to take care of it.

You mention that you have enclosed the transliteration work of Srimad-Bhagavatam, but I do not find it here. You may have missed it. Anyway, I am happy to hear you are steadily studying Sanskrit and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam—that is very good.

I shall be praying to Krishna for your steady recovery and continual advancement in Krishna Consciousness, and hope you will be feeling physically stronger when you come to see me in New York. Please keep me informed how you are feeling.

Letter to Aniruddha -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 5, 1968, and I thank you very much for it. I am very glad that you are taking responsibility for Krishna's sake, this is advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is full in Himself. He can exert His energy to do anything wonderful, but still He presents Himself as unable to do so. Just like the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, He said all these men are already dead by my arrangement, none of them are going back home to live, the plan is already settled. And Arjuna was supposed to take responsibility and the credit of being victorious. Krishna is so kind, He does everything, but He gives the credit to His sincere devotee. So the more you take responsibility, Krishna is pleased on you. I am very glad you are feeling such responsibility and Krishna will bless you.

Please work combinedly with respect to develop a very nice Temple, and Mukunda has the transcendental ambition to construct our own temple there, and try to cooperate with him. Stop the idea of casting for the present, unless we see one pair nicely made, we cannot order 17 pairs. If actually he has made such statues nicely, never mind in other forms, made of yellow brass, I shall be glad to see it.

Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968:

This conception that when one's material concept of life is finished, the material vision of this also vanishes. Actually there is one energy of Krishna, which is spiritual. Material consciousness of life means forgetfulness of Krishna; when one is fully Krishna Consciousness, there is no more any material existence in the vision of such advanced devotee. We have to learn it step by step; just like we prepare prasadam, and ordinarily it is rice, dahl, and capatis. But when it is offered to Krishna, it becomes prasadam. How ordinary rice, dahl, and capatis turns into spiritual prasadam is to be understood by advancement of Krishna Consciousness, but actually anything in relation with Krishna is spiritual energy.

Letter to Unknown -- New York 19 April, 1968:

I am so much pleased to hear that you are not afraid to stand alone, and to maintain the temple there nicely; krishna is always there with you, and He will see to your success. Do not feel that you have offended me. You have served Krishna very nicely and are continuing to do so very nicely. There is no question of your falling from my grace: you have always my blessings upon you, and I am always thinking of you, and praying Krishna to help you and give you more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So please do not be disturbed in that way. Just continue with what you are doing there, and Krishna will give you all facilities and all protection.

I have arrived here in New York on the 17th afternoon: the trip was very quickly passed, and we were very nicely received at the airport, by both the press and the devotees. Here there are so many new flower-like young boys and girls, and they are all so much interested in Krishna Consciousness very seriously. I am surprised at their great enthusiasm, and I am very happy amongst them. Just try to make your temple there as successful as this one in New York; just work sincerely, and it will come.

Please keep me informed of your activities: I am so much happy to hear you are contacting reporters and radio and tv stations; please send me a copy of the news article whenever it appears.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Allston, Mass 5 May, 1968:

And as I was at that time very young man, and an educated college student, I wanted to marry again, in spite of my wife being present. Because amongst the Hindus one can accept more than one wife (of course the law is now changed). So, whenever everything was all ready for my marriage with another girl, my great father who was a great devotee of the Lord, called me and instructed me in the following words:

"My dear boy, I understand that you are trying to get yourself married again, but I would advise you not to do this. It is Krishna's Grace that your present wife is not just according to your liking. This will help you not to become attached with wife and home, and this will help you in the matter of your future advancement of Krishna Consciousness."

Now, I accepted my father's advice, and by his blessings, only, I was never attached to my wife or home which resulted in my complete liberation from worldly attachment and devote myself fully in Krishna Consciousness. Therefore I think your separation from Karunamayi is also the same opportunity for your being cent per cent engaged in Krishna Consciousness.

I thank you very much for your check of $50.00, and I am very glad to learn that you are already in possession of a nice storeroom for exhibiting your sellable goods. There are samples of pictures in the temple there, and whichever picture you like, to have in your store, I shall advise Jadurani to dispatch for selling purposes.

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

That will make Krishna, myself, and all others eternally happy. It is so nice, sublime and easy to perform.

Teaching the girls to sew nicely is also a very good idea. Take some Indian samples from Purusottama and try to make exactly like that so that we may make very good profit for the society. Our society requires millions of dollars for propaganda work, but Krishna has made us financially poor. I think it is good to remain financially poor because always we shall be able to pray Krishna, asking His help to execute His service. If all of a sudden we become very strong financially, Maya may dictate us for sense enjoyment, and we may fall a prey to her tactics. Therefore to remain poor is one of the qualifications for advancing in Krishna Consciousness. Our predecessors, the Goswamis, they voluntarily gave up everything for advancement in Krishna Consciousness. We do not require any money for our personal account, we shall always be happy with anything Krishna is happy to supply us for maintenance, but for the preaching purposes, we can accommodate to receive all the riches of the world. So let us try with sincerity, and Krishna will help us in the matter of our advancing the cause of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

There is no need of separation. Live together and train up your mind, that is all. Artificial separation is never recommended. And when you see, living together, you have no desire for sense gratification, then that is the highest stage of perfection. Voluntary restraint is tapasya, austerity, and this is possible with advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Artificial separation is foolishness. We recommend voluntary restraint, not artificial separation. So you should understand that there is no objection to live together as husband and wife. The tendency is there, it is natural. But if one can check it, that is very good. But it is not compulsory. And not to be checked artificially, but with advancement of strength in Krishna Consciousness.

Yes, to call one another prabhu is all right, but not to become prabhu. To accept others as prabhu, and remain as servant is the idea. But because somebody is calling you prabhu, one should not become a prabhu, and treat others as servants. In other words, everyone should feel himself as servant, and not to think himself prabhu because he is being called prabhu. This will make the relationship congenial.

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Montreal 20 June, 1968:

I am so much pleased to receive your nice letter of June 11, 1968, all full with humility and love and very nice sentiments. Your simplicity is a great asset for Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is very kind to the meek and simple, so dullness of the material world and consciousness about Krishna go well together. Too much intelligence in material activities are detraction from Krishna Consciousness. Better to remain dull and simple as you are, and thus make advancement in Krishna Consciousness. There is a nice story about Bharata Maharaja, who remained just like a dullard, in order to avoid material association. And he was known as Jada Bharata, but when he was tested, Maharaja Rohugan found him highly advanced in Krishna Consciousness, and became his disciple.

Yes, you stay in Boston. Please learn this painting under care of Jadurani. Please always talk about Krishna amongst you two sisters, and enjoy life. This is very good opportunity that you are talking and painting about Krishna, so that your mind, hand, and attention are all absorbed in Krishna samadhi, and tongue chanting Hare Krishna. This is first class samadhi, and the highest position of the greatest yogi. Try to continue this atmosphere happily.

Now, Devananda and Satsvarupa, and you and Jadurani try to develop the temple very nicely. Satsvarupa and Devananda shall live separately and you and Jadurani shall live separately, in different compartments, that will be very nice. And be always engaged in Krishna topics, then Maya will never touch you.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Montreal 16 July, 1968:

I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtana party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtana in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtana. for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.

Your appreciation of the Rathayatra festival and realizing the beauty of Kirtana and Jagannatha as well as the magnanimity of Lord Caitanya in His sublime teachings, are some of the wonderful things that I mark in your progressively advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please try to continue this attitude and you will be more and more happy in your life, and at the end, get entrance into the association of Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna, both husband and wife, regularly, and worship Lord Krishna's Sri Murti, as you are doing, and try to elevate others in Krishna Consciousness, which has nothing to do with academic education; I therefore wish that instead of wasting your time for 2 or 3 years for taking a degree, you may increase your scope of activities for recruiting such boys and training them in Krishna Consciousness. But if your state laws do not allow it to hold any class without such degree then you must get such degree. On the whole you have got a very nice engagement for training children in Krishna Consciousness. And I think you are very fit for it. I am sure if you endeavor in this line of service, Krishna will be very much pleased and will shower His blessing more and more. You are very nice girl and I have got full faith in you and I wish that you can develop this line of service to the society.

Letter to Yamuna devi -- Montreal, Quebec Canada July 16, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated July 9, 1968, giving a vivid description of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtan party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtan in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtan for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.

Your appreciation of the Rathayatra festival and realizing the beauty of Kirtan and Jagannatha as well as the magnanimity of Lord Chaitanya in His sublime teachings, are some of the wonderful things that I mark in your progressively advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please try to continue this attitude and you will be more and more happy in your life, and at the end, get entrance into the association of Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna, both husband and wife, regularly, and worship Lord Krishna's Sri Murti, as you are doing, and try to elevate others in Krishna Consciousness as you are doing. These things are the right line of activities, and you must continue to do so.

Letter to Pope Paul VI -- Montreal 3 August, 1968:

In India, which was one day the land of religion and Brahminical culture, things have deteriorated to such an extent that a man in a higher caste is recognized simply by putting a piece of thread on the body as a sign of sanctity. The so-called Swamis are cheating the public because the public also want to be cheated by cheap method of self-realization. They are practicing so-called yoga performances for the matter of reducing fat, and keeping the body fit for sense gratification. If somebody has no sufficient money, it is very hard for him to get justice from the court. And if anyone can simply bluff by so-called advancement of knowledge, he is offered the doctorate degree. If a man is poor, he is at once accepted as non-civilized. If a man is falsely proud, he is accepted as civilized. By frustration, people are gradually becoming communists and hippies, and the guardians of the society must now take up the situation very seriously, without further delay.

The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are creating men of character, and we are training our disciples to become Lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) Sex life outside of marriage, 2) Meat eating, or eating of any animal food, 3) All forms of intoxication, 4) Gambling and idle sports. The teachings are based on authorized movement of Lord Caitanya, on the principles of Bhagavad-gita, as the beginning, and Srimad-Bhagavatam as the graduation.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 13, 1968, and noted the contents with so happiness. I am glad to see in your letter indication that within very short time, you have been entrapped by Lord Krishna's Grace and you have expressed your transcendental feelings in such a nice way, that I cannot but admire your capacity to grasp so quickly about the whole philosophy and I must pray to Lord Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness, and be happy and successful even within this very life. That is my ardent desire.

The Krishna Consciousness is certainly the need for the western countries; I think timely I have come to your country, and if the younger generation like you will cooperate with me, I am certain this movement will give the western youngsters a transcendental gift which will be recorded in the progress of history. I am so much grateful to you and other devotees of the Krishna Consciousness society that it gives me a great pride that Krishna has given me association of such nice boys.

Letter to Jayananda -- Montreal 22 August, 1968:

And let us see what happens. But I understand that you can get a personal certificate from the police officer or the police station nearby, if it is possible, get it. That will help us very much. And you may know that London party has already left Montreal and they are in New York, and from there sometimes within this week they will go to London.

I understand from various sources that our San Francisco center under your good leadership is going on very nicely; I thank you for your such transcendental activities, and Krishna will be certainly very much pleased and give you more and more strength to understand Krishna Consciousness and make advancement in that line.

I also beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your letter dated July 13, 1968, which was not delivered so long due to mail strike. And you enclosed in that letter a check for $75.00 which has been duly received. Regarding Tamala Krishna, I have replied separately, I understand from different sources that he is doing very wonderfully. And he has become a great assistant to you. It is all Krishna's Grace. Please ask him to enhance the Sankirtana party more and more, and then the whole San Francisco city will be followers of our Krishna Consciousness movement. It is so pleasing that more and more boys are joining the Krishna Consciousness movement and I wish that the whole group known as the hippies may take advantage of this movement, and make their life very successful.

Letter to Bon Maharaja -- Montreal 23 August, 1968:

They want to come to Vrindaban to study the Krishna philosophy as authorized by explained by the Gosvamis and specifically by Jiva Goswami in his six Sandarbha. Some of them are U. s of U.S.A. and Canadian universities. I beg to inquire what facilities you can offer them if they come in India for such studies. I may also inform you that my disciples are not from rich community of America. Most of them are whole time worker in my society. But they have sincerely developed Krishna Conscious by the recommended process of Lord Caitanya. You will be glad to know that they have been able to draw the attention of the Ambassador of India and Consul General in N.Y. by their Krishna Conscious activities. I hope you will cooperate for their further advancement in their search of Krishna Conscious philosophy.

Letter to Gurudasa -- San Francisco 18 September, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd Sept., and I am so glad to learn that you are active in preaching Krishna Consciousness in London. You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. So I am sure by your combined effort in London, there will be a great successful center. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well, and please convey my blessings to your good wife, Yamuna devi.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- San Francisco 19 September, 1968:

Regarding Deity worship: It is very much essential and in this connection you can consult Brahmananda who is doing Deity worship in New York very nicely, and how is he feeling. One after another, Deity worship should be practiced by everyone. That cleanses the contaminated body very nicely. It is really the custom that before entering one must be cleansed and bathe himself regularly. The whole idea is that we must very much sincere in our activities to serve Krishna, and everything will automatically be convenient for prosecuting our Krishna Consciousness. And I hope you are doing very nicely, and Krishna will give you more and more strength. Hope this will find you in good health. Offer my blessings to all the students, and especially to Himavati. I am pleased to learn that Subhadra is looking on you; it is good sign, that she is favoring you in your good activities. She is sakti of Krishna, or the internal potency and by her mercy glance, you will be more and more successful in your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Thanking you once more for your kind letter.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 20 September, 1968:

A sannyasi is not supposed to be asked about anything sexual. But still, because you are so much dependent on my instruction, so I must give you information as far as possible. Married life is not for sex indulgence. The principle of marriage is on the background of getting good children. So the householder is allowed to have sex life once in a month, just after the menstrual period. The menstrual period prolongs at least for 5 days, so after this 5 days, one can have sex life provided he desires to get a child. And as soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life, until the child is born and is grown up at least for 6 months. After that, one may have sex life on the same principle. If one does not want more than one or two children, he should voluntarily stop sex life. But one should not strictly use any contraceptive method and at the same time indulge in sex life. That is very much sinful. If the husband and wife can voluntarily restrain by powerful advancement of Krishna Consciousness. That is the best method. It is not necessary that because one has got wife, therefore you must have sex life. The whole scheme is to avoid sex life as far as possible. And if one can avoid it completely then it is a great victory for him. Married life is a sort of license for sex life on condition of raising children. So you should try to understand these principles of married life and use your discretion. You should not imitate great personalities like Bhaktivinode Thakura, but you must follow His footprints. But it is not always possible to have the same success as great personalities like Bhaktivinode Thakura achieved. So in all circumstances you should try to follow the footprints of authorities but never to imitate them. Unless Jadurani develops a better health and strength, I do not advise her to become pregnant. I think you will understand the instruction as I have given and try to follow it as far as possible.

Letter to Syama -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:

Regarding your question no. 4, Gayatri mantra means it is chanted by a qualified Brahmin. A devotee of Krishna is understood to have surpassed the stage of becoming qualified Brahmin, so Gayatri mantra can be chanted by qualified Brahmin, and the meaning of Gayatri mantra is Gayat—Gayat means sin, and tri means deliverance. Gayatri. And mantra, man—means mind, tra means deliverance. So the things chanting which one is delivered from the mental platform is called Gayatri mantra, or mantra. So all mantras are like that, but this is the meaning of Gayatri mantra.

I am so grateful for your nice sentiments for me, and Krishna will bless you. I am very poor and I have nothing to return for your loving service, but I can simply pray to Krishna for your gradual advancement in Krishna Consciousness. I think that is the best blessing which we can have in this material existence. Thank you very much for your writing me, and occasionally please try to write such letters whenever you find convenient. I am going to Montreal on the 23rd, and from there I shall go to Santa Fe, and then I shall come back to Los Angeles. Maybe I may go to San Francisco also, or you may come there to see me. Hope this will find you in good health.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968:

That is also recommended by the Goswamis in their instructions. It is better to remain alone than to mix with materialistic persons. But this is not applicable when we have the opportunity to get the association of pure devotees. Our program is negative and positive simultaneously. We want to negate the materialistic side and make positive the spiritual side, it is not one sided. If you have no positive standing, negating only will not make you successful. Therefore it is better to remain positively within the society of pure devotees. That is also recommended by the Goswamis. That one should be occupied in activities in the modes of goodness and associate with spiritualistic persons, that will make one's advancement very quick.

Persons who want to take advantage of cheap reputation they imitate great personalities like Haridasa Thakura, who was alone chanting 300,000 of Holy Names daily. By such chanting, lonely chanting he got so much spiritual power that he could convert even a harlot to become a great devotee whereas an ordinary person falls easily a victim to such allurement. So one should not imitate such great personalities but one should try to see how much taste he has developed for chanting, so that one can remain alone simply being engaged in chanting. If one can remain alone simply being engaged in chanting, that is very good, but it is difficult also. A conditioned soul in conditioned life it is very difficult to concentrate our mind in chanting absolutely. Better to be engaged in preaching work, that will make one gradually successful. Besides that, when we are actually engaged in with the preaching work, we gradually acquire our spiritual strength without failure.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

So father and mother is possible in any form of body, but only in this human form of body one can get in touch with Krishna and a bona fide Spiritual Master. That is the highest gain of our travelling in different species of life in different planets.

I am so pleased that you are feeling for me and listening to my old tapes with pleasure. As you are remembering our old meeting days on the second avenue, when I first started my lectures there, similarly I also remember the incidents and speak to so many friends and disciples. So our meeting was Krishna's desire. Apparently it was accidental but actually it was Krishna's plan. So we should always remember this plan of Krishna and must continue to work jointly for advancement of Krishna Consciousness movement in this part of the world. I shall always pray to Krishna to give you more and more strength and confidence in this great responsibility and I shall pray for your long life to execute this mission.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 19 December, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 5, 1968 and I have noted the contents. I have also heard from Purusottama who has spoken to Brahmananda on the telephone yesterday that your father has made it clear that he will not confide in you or trust you to make advancement very easily in his business. Also I have heard that you have decided to leave back to the New York temple. This idea is alright under the circumstances and I think that your father will one day come to regret that he has not cooperated with your plans.

Purusottama has also heard that you are considering to open a store of Indian imports in the new temple on 61 2nd Ave. This idea is approved by me and please try to do it nicely to help support and make improvements in the new large temple. If this temple can be made very attractive then surely it will attract many people to join us in kirtana and to take interest in Krishna Consciousness. Also you may resume your job as circulation manager, we have a much improved Back To Godhead since you have last done this job in New York and I know that you may do very good service in this regard. If you can help your god-brothers in selling ads also, it will be very nice.

So I think that Krishna has seen that your services can be better utilized in the new temple and all the other work that is going on and He has seen fit to give you clue to leave your father's business and come back to the temple. So because you are sincerely in Krishna Consciousness there is no loss. Actually, for the devotee who is working for Krishna there is only gain of spiritual advancement. The fruits of our work is always given to Krishna and so Krishna accepts the responsibility of what these fruits shall be. So this is our principle of work and I request you to always remember this.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 1 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your two letters December 21 and December 23, 1968. I am very glad to know of your sincere activities in Krishna Consciousness. You are just a child and only by Krishna's Grace you've taken the courage to go to Germany to open a center and work very hard. So I am rather envious of your advancement in Krishna Consciousness because when I was of your age I had no such energy, although my father was always educating me in Krishna Consciousness from the very beginning. So I am sure that your efforts will be successful.

Sivananda is also a very good soul like you and he is sure to help you. I have already written one letter forbidding him to quit Hamburg for New Vrindaban because there is no work for him presently in New Vrindaban due to the winter season. So surely he can work in Hamburg for three months more, and I am glad that he is engaged in temple construction work. Let him do this without any interference. You do not interfere in any of his work. Let him do what he likes and at his own discretion, and you simply respect him as your older brother. I am sure that he will be peaceful there shortly. It may be due to so much bodily trouble that he was becoming distressed but this has subsided and he will continue to work as usual.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

Regarding the draft problem, I am enclosing a certificate which I have issued to many students, and I think that this will be effective. Within a few days we will have prepared official certificates for both you and Kanupriya which will certify that you are duly initiated disciples of this Krishna Consciousness movement.

Please try to introduce the reading of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is in your university where you shall be teaching. I understand that some rubbish commentaries upon Bhagavad-gita are allowed to be studied in every university, so if you can replace our Bhagavad-gita As It Is it will be a great advancement for our missionary activities, and people will thereby be benefited.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1969:

I was very glad to receive your letter of January 11, 1969.

I have received good report that you are selling Back To Godhead very nicely, and similarly you should try to sell our Bhagavad-gita As It Is and always request people to chant Hare Krishna. This will increase your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So I am very much pleased with your activities there. Everyone of you should always be engaged in your respective duties depending upon Krishna, and things will come automatically very nice. Thanking you again for your encouraging letter.

Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of January 16, 1969, and I thank you very much for this. The deity clothing that you have sent are all very beautiful, and everything is fitting just rightly. Regarding your thoughts of separating from your husband, I do not think this is a very good plan. You should always live with your husband and help him with his personal comforts, and he will look after your all necessities of life. There is no question of separation. By mutual agreement and advancement of Krishna Consciousness you can stop sex life, but there is no question of separation. Separation is artificial. As Hamsaduta advances in Krishna Consciousness then by his company you will also profit. So the husband and wife are mutually beneficial. This idea of separation was developed also in Govinda Dasi, but I have sent her back to her husband, and she is now following my instructions. There is no question of separation between husband and wife until the time when the husband takes sannyasa. At that time the wife cannot remain with the husband. Even in vanaprastha stage, or retired life, the wife remains with the husband, but without any sex relations.

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1969:

Regarding your German acquaintance, I understand that he may be a very intelligent man and believes in science. But even the most advanced scientist depends on the statements of authorities. Science begins on some definite data, just like Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravitation, and so much scientific advancement depends on such authoritative statements. So even scientific knowledge has to stand on the evidence of authority. He admits that we are all spirit soul inside the body entrapped, and he believes this body is composed of various chemicals about which we know a great deal. But unfortunately, with all this chemical combinations combined together, we can not produce a body like this; this is also a scientific fact. Just like rasgulla is a milk product everyone knows. But how to make a rasgulla from milk requires expert further knowledge. Therefore, simply to know that this body is made of chemicals is not sufficient knowledge. When one can reproduce a similar body with the known chemicals, then he is to be considered as the expert scientist. The spirit soul is impossible to find out by materialistic scientific means, but if one will hear from the right authority, he may understand. The gentleman is disappointed that probably no one will ever know about spirit, but this is not true. We know what is spirit, how does it work, how does it transmigrate from one body to another or from one planet to another.

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1969:

We can refute any dogmatic arguments against this conviction, and how do we do that? Simply because we start our understanding from the data of authoritative sources like Krishna or His representative. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna speaks about spirit soul from the very beginning. Unless one understands what is this spirit soul, his further advancement of the Supreme Spirit God has no value. So this gentleman is puzzled in his understanding about wherefrom we have come, what we are, and where we are going. But we are certain about it. So if he wants to know all these things, there is bona fide source for understanding these problems, providing he agrees to give a submissive aural reception to the respective authorities as much as he believes in the authoritative statements of Sir Isaac Newton. So either to accept the statements of Sir Isaac Newton or the statements of Lord Krishna, the beginning is a kind of faith. Unfortunately, these so-called scientific men can usually pin their faith on Sir Isaac Newton but not to the statements of Krishna or his representatives. So try to explain to him in this way.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 16th 1969. And I've also received the letter from Uddhava. I heard about the house indicated by you from Kirtanananda Maharaja, so if it is approved by you all as a suitable place then purchase.

In answer to your questions concerning sex life: sex life restriction does not mean that husband and wife live separately. The idea of marriage is to increase spiritual consciousness as far as possible. And by advancement of Krishna Consciousness that restriction becomes automatically practical. Sex life for begetting Krishna Conscious children is as good as Krishna Consciousness. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita so one has to use his own discretion in this matter and Krishna will help such discriminatory method. It is not that in every state you have to concern me but you have to concern Krishna Who is situated within. On the whole, sex life, like that of ordinary materialistic men, is not recommended for a Krishna Conscious person. My Guru Maharaja although he was Brahmacari, sometimes he used to say that if I could beget Krishna Conscious children I am prepared to indulge in sex life a hundred times. The summary is sex life should be utilized only for begetting Krishna Conscious children—that's all.

Regarding your new engagement in Wheeling, it is a very nice offer and you must accept it. The yoga center class may be conducted by Pradyumna and assisted by someone else. What is the position of the Yoga society class now? Are the students purchasing our Back to Godhead magazines and the Bhagavad-gita?

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1969:

We are educated people how they can develop their dormant love of the Supreme Lord without being impaired by any material condition.

We should train our disciples as well as ourselves in such a spirit that even if the whole world is against us, which is impossible to happen, the Sankirtana Movement must be pushed on without any reference to archeological evidence or any such scientific advancement of knowledge. Besides that, the argument that archeological evidence will lead many people to accept the philosophy of Lord Caitanya has no evidence. For example, the Christian religion principle is now established in archeological evidence, but still it is not that the whole people of the world are attracted by Christian religion. Even a great scientist, Professor Albert Einstein, was Jewish by religion, but because the Christian religion gives evidential proof of archeological discovery, still he did not become a Christian. No religion or no principle is accepted by the whole world; that is a fact. I can give you a statement of Albert Einstein in which he says "The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is in the sensation of the mystical. It is a shower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, he who can no longer stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power which is revealed in the comprehensible universe forms my idea of God."

Letter to Madhusudana -- Hawaii 10 March, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of March 5th, and you can take it from me that I give you clear sanction to get yourself married to Kancanbala dasi, at the earliest possible date. From her side, her mother has agreed, and from your side, I have agreed. So Kancanbala is an ideal girl, Krishna Conscious, and I want that some ideal families of Krishna Consciousness should be established in your country, so that people can see that our movement is not one sided or dry. So we do not want dry renouncers. Krishna Himself married so many wives as a Ksatriya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu although He was to take Sannyas at the age of 24 years, still He married twice within 20 years. Lord Nityananda Prabhu also married. Advaita Prabhu and Srivas Prabhu, they were also householders. So to become married is no impediment for advancement in Krishna Consciousness. One should be vigilant only that he is not diverting from Krishna Consciousness. One has to follow the footprints of the great Acaryas then everything is all right. I was also a married man—my family is still existing. So you should always remember that marriage is not impediment. The greatest enemy is forgetfulness of Krishna. There are many Impersonalists and voidists—they renounced this material world very early in their life; just like Sankara Acarya. He took sannyasa at the age of 8 years. Lord Buddha left home just in the beginning of his youth. But we are not concerned with them. So I hope by this time, by serving this Krishna Consciousness movement for the last two years you must have gotten some taste of the nectarine. Now you must be fixed up and execute your specified duty as ordered by me, and then I am sure there will be no difficulty. But you should always remember that wife is not a machine for sense gratification. Wife is your half body for nourishing your Krishna Consciousness status. So your are getting a wife who is already trained up in Krishna Consciousness and if you live carefully and faithfully there will be no difficulty. That is the verdict of all Acaryas. I think this will simplify your agitated mind.

Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

If your church or school has been recognized by any public or institutional accreditation, by whom, and where.

8. Please let us know what your requirements are for a ministerial student in your school in the two following categories: (a) full time and (b) part time.

9. Please state the date your ministerial school began operating, as such, the number of students presently enrolled in each of the categories specified in question 8 above, and the number of students in each particular year or level of advancement.

10. If your ministerial school is co-educational, we would like to know the present number of students of each sex.

11. Please send a roster of your school faculty and indicate the degrees and academic or religious accomplishments possessed by each instructor.

We trust you will understand the nature of this inquiry and will appreciate that such information is essential if we are to accord to your members, that have dealings with this agency, their just rights under the law.

Letter to Himavati -- Hawaii 23 March, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter of March 17, 1969, and I thank you very much for it. Your feelings of appreciation are too much kind, and I can see you are making good advancement with your humble attitude of service to the Lord and His devotees. This is very nice. Yes that is the way—Krishna wants to be approached through His devotee. Just like the prayers we sing—yasya prasadat bhagavata prasada.

Keep Narottama das very nicely. He is a very good boy, sometimes he is attracted by maya but this is not very usual thing. So kindly try to protect this boy as much as possible, and when you come to N.Y. he may also come so that I may see him again.

Yes I received the package of clothing, and they are too much beautiful, but still must be a little longer. The first set which you made for Them was the perfect fit. So I am sending them to you, so that you can measure from this first set of clothes and make more in the same size. I think this will solve the fitting problem.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Allston, Mass 30 April, 1969:

I have already got five books; three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one volume Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and one volume Teachings of Lord Caitanya. This year most probably we will have another three books; namely Nectar of Devotion, and two further volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam. So the future hope for expansion is selling of books and magazines. So if you can make some organizational idea, you will please send it to me and I shall consider it.

I am very glad that you are thinking of marrying. Why don't you marry one Krishna Conscious girl? I think instead of going to India, you should find out some Krishna Conscious girl, either from America or Canada. We have got so many nice girls in Krishna Consciousness, and she will help you in your further advancement. You are already accustomed to the climate in this part of the world, and you have got a nice job. Therefore, I would recommend you to get married here. Lord Ramacandra once said that wife can be found in every country. DESHE DESHE KALATRATRANI. DESHE DESHE means in every country, and KALATRATRANI means wives. So all the ksatriyas married in different countries. Of course you are not expected to have many wives in different countries, but if you have one wife in one country that does not hamper. But I recommend you to marry one Krishna Conscious girl from our group. Then you will be happy.

Letter to Dayananda -- Allston, Mass 1 May, 1969:

Just yesterday morning I was thinking of you that I did not hear from Dayananda for so many days, and immediately I got your nice letter dated April 25, 1969. You are such a nice soul that you are always thinking of Krishna and becoming more and more purified in Krishna Consciousness. As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, Twenty-Seventh Verse, Krishna is sitting in everyone's heart and He is purifying one who is Krishna Conscious. The symptoms of advancement in Krishna Consciousness is gradually feeling detached to materialistic way of life. Although you are young man, you have got your nice young wife and child, and by Krishna's Grace, everything is all right so far as your family is concerned, still you are feeling detached. That is very nice. But when your wife and child all are cooperating in your Krishna Consciousness, there is no hampering in your progress. So keep yourself always in Krishna Consciousness with your family members, raise your children to that standard, and employ your energy for serving Krishna. Then, even though you are in family life, you are as good as sannyasi.

Letter to Revatinandana -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 1, 1969, and I have signed the letter to the draft board as you have requested. If it will be of help to you, I shall also send you one certificate stating that you are my disciple. I thank you very much for the nice sentiments you have expressed, and surely this nice attitude will be a great asset for your further advancement in perfecting your life in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Jayasri -- Columbus, Ohio 13 May, 1969:

Our process is to faithfully follow the rules of no illicit sex-life, no meat-eating, no intoxication, and no gambling. Also we should chant at least 16 rounds each day, trying to avoid the ten offenses. You have very nice association with your godbrothers and godsisters there with you in Hawaii, and you should help them to propagate our movement in that area. So consult with Gaurasundara and Govinda, and there will be ample engagement for you in this connection. When any questions or difficulties arise, you may consult with them there, or if you like, I am always at your service to help in any way that I can. So now you have great opportunity to make perfection of your life, and my request to you is to be very serious always about this and Krishna will give you all facilities for advancement.

Letter to Isana -- New Vrindaban 23 May, 1969:

Rupa Goswami has recommended that for enhancing this spirit of devotional service one should be very enthusiastic, one should be patient, one should be firmly convinced, one should follow the regulative principles rigidly, one's occupation should be very honest and straightforward, and one should keep company with devotees. Anyone who follows these six principles of devotional life is sure to achieve success. Similarly there are six principles which we should avoid. They are as follows: eating or accumulating money more than necessary, wasting energy for material gain, talking unnecessarily, following the regulative principles fanatically without any sense, not following the regulative principles, and to become too much greedy and associate with persona non-grata. So as you are serious in the matter of advancement in Krishna Consciousness, you will remember the above instructions given by Rupa Goswami, and you will feel more and more secure in your endeavor. I am keeping your daily reports, and they shall be a good example for the other students.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 26 May, 1969:

I do not know why you had wanted permission from your father. In the material world everyone is interested in pound-shilling-pence. Your parents must be thinking that upon your being initiated you shall become a mendicant and the pound-shilling-pence you are sending will be stopped, and they will suffer materially. But you can assure them they will be better off materially after you are initiated. Anyway, now I do not know what to do with you. Shall I wait till you get sanction from your parents, or shall I initiate immediately? In my opinion, because you wanted permission of your parents, you should wait at least for such time when your parents will permit you. But if you are strongly desirous, then you can disregard your father's desire and make advancement in Krishna Consciousness. On hearing from you I will do the needful.

Letter to Sripati -- Moundsville 28 May, 1969:

Also, we must chant at least 16 rounds each day, trying to avoid the ten kinds of offenses. You have very nice association with your nice godbrothers in Montreal temple, and you should help them to propagate Krishna Consciousness in that area. So please consult with Hamsaduta, and there will be ample engagement for you in this connection. If any questions or difficulties arise, you may consult with the older devotees there, or if you like, I am always at your service to help you in any way that I can. So now you have great opportunity to make perfection of your life, and please always be serious about this. Then Krishna will surely give you all facilities for nice advancement.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

So probably I will have to change to some other shipping agents, and I have already advised Acyutananda to do the needful. The second batch of Deities which you sent to Los Angeles has been received by them. I am very glad to learn that you are feeling enthusiastically in the German center, and it is clear that Krishna wanted you there. Please work there with your full energy in cooperation with your other godbrothers. Krishna Das, yourself, Sivananda and Uttama Sloka all are good souls and sincere devotees of Lord Krishna. So as you faithfully continue to work under my direction, your further advancement is sure. I have received a letter from Mandali Bhadra that they are reaching there on the 27th June, and when they arrive, do everything very nicely in a cooperative spirit.

I hope that by this time you have secured the typewriter and things are going on with the German translations. You have inquired if you should learn the German language, and my answer is yes, you should learn it by all means. Here in New Vrindaban the atmosphere is exactly like Vrindaban. They are performing the routine activities from 4 am. in the morning till 10 pm. at night. The aratriks are going on several times daily as you have seen in Vrindaban. The pictures which you have taken of Vrindaban have been published in BTG, and I have seen a special advance copy sent from Japan. It is very nice article, and you have done nicely.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- New Vrindaban 8 June, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 2, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I understand that you are feeling some inconvenience due to police interruption, but we have to make the best of a bad bargain. There is a Sanskrit proverb, sati shatyam samacharit, and this means if somebody is cunning, we must also become cunning. To a cunning person we must not be a simpleton. Krishna Conscious devotees are expected to be very intelligent, so we have to work very intelligently to prove our advancement in Krishna Consciousness. I think you should keep a table by the Sankirtana Party, a table with a charity box and our books and literatures for sale. You go on with your work as usual and when the police come you say you are not canvassing. You have simply kept a table and whoever wishes to purchase may do so. This is called sati shatyam samacharit.

Regarding the Beatle hero, certainly you will find him nonsense. Actually they are nonsense, but in the Western part of the world it is a folly to be wise, and ignorance is bliss. This whole material civilization is gross ignorance, and therefore you cannot expect very intelligent persons in this part of the world. Even though one is a great philosopher, writer, or something like that, it does not qualify him to be one of the selected intelligent persons who take to Krishna Consciousness. There is another proverb in Bengali that in the forest a jackal is considered to be a great nobility because he is very cunning. Similarly, in the materialistic way of life everyone is blind, and in spite of thousands of big blind leaders, the followers who are also blind cannot get any tangible benefit. So you have done your duty to give him some impression about Krishna Consciousness. That is all right. We should not waste much of our time with these so-called leaders because they are jackals in the forest. They are not actually leaders. The only leader is Krishna and one who is Krishna Conscious. Others are simply misleaders.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- New Vrindaban 21 June, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 18, 1969, and I am very glad to understand that things are being arranged in Hamburg so nicely. Your attitude for Krishna's service is very much laudable, and I am very much proud of having a disciple like you. May Krishna bless you more and more in the advancement of Krishna Consciousness. If you want me to go to Hamburg, then you can arrange for it after the second week of July, because I am going to Los Angeles on the 23rd of June. Tamala Krishna wants me there immediately because some of the devotees are very much eager for my presence there, and probably I will also frame our future program for opening sub-branches in the Los Angeles area. In neighboring places, such as Laguna Beach, there is good prospects for a center. I understand that you are in correspondence with London for some financial arrangement, but recently, just the day before yesterday, I received one cable from Mukunda asking me to give them a loan for $1,025.00, so I have asked Gargamuni to send them this money. Under the circumstances, I do not think they will be able to arrange financially to receive me there immediately. But there is no need of hurrying the matter. You can arrange for my reception conveniently, although I am always ready to go to Europe at any moment. I think that when London will be ready to receive me, at that time my going to Germany will be the most profitable. But if you think that you can manage to receive me directly in Hamburg, I have no objection. But anything you arrange must be after the second week in July, in which time London may also expect to receive me. In their last letter I was informed that I shall not be required there before the 20th of July. So on the whole, there is no question of hurrying. Do everything carefully and by mutual consent.

Letter to Labangalatika -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1969:

I am just looking over the letter that you had given to me in New Vrindaban, so I shall reply to it herewith. You are a very good girl, and I have seen with pleasure your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. It appears that in your previous life you had cultured this knowledge, and on account of your pious life, you have got a very good son who is developing in Krishna Consciousness. So New Vrindaban is the right place for you now, simultaneously to advance in Krishna Consciousness and to take care of your boy directly in your presence. I have advised Kirtanananda Maharaja that girls who are living in New Vrindaban should be engaged in the following activities; 1) taking care of the children, 2) cleaning the temple, kitchen, etc. 3) cooking, and 4) churning butter. So for the time being, you remain in New Vrindaban, follow the principles carefully, and I am sure that your life will be successful.

Letter to Subala -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated June 25, 1969, and I am pleased to note the contents. By Krishna's blessings surely you will find a nice place soon, and your enthusiasm for Krishna's service will be fulfilled. Srila Rupa Goswami has recommended six principles for advancement in Krishna Consciousness: enthusiasm, patience, conviction of success, executing the regulative principles, honest endeavor, and association with devotees. So these six principles you try to follow very rigidly, and wherever you go you will be successful. I am confident that Krishna will help you, because two centers, Los Angeles and Santa Fe, were given start by you, and they are still existing. But this time, Philadelphia, you should not leave half finished. Philadelphia is a very nice place, one of the most important places in your country, so try to stick there, and all facilities will be given to you by Krishna.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 11 July, 1969:

The answer is yes, this is the rule. Therefore, every student should be very much careful not to commit any offense which will be detrimental to this promotion to the Spiritual Kingdom, and thereby the Spiritual Master has to incarnate again to deliver him. This sort of mentality will be a kind of offense to the Spiritual Master. Out of the ten kinds of offenses, the number one offense is to disobey the orders of the Spiritual Master. The instructions given to the disciple by the Spiritual Master at the time of initiation should be strictly followed. That will make one advance to the spiritual path. But if one deliberately defies such instructions, then his advancement is hampered from the very beginning. This defying means to disconnect the relationship with the Spiritual Master. And anyone who defies and therefore disconnects the relationship with the Spiritual Master can hardly expect the assistance of the Spiritual Master life after life. I hope this will clear up this question sufficiently for you.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 21 July, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 14, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. When Lord Caitanya was discussing with Ramananda Roy "who is the best educated man," the answer was that a person who is in Krishna Consciousness is the topmost educated man. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja stated before his father that one who has taken to Krishna Consciousness, he is supposed to be the best educated man. In Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is said that unless a man is Krishna Conscious, his external advancement of knowledge has no value. On the other hand, any person who is on the platform of Krishna Consciousness is supposed to have acquired all the good qualities of the demigods. So your present engagement is very nice; neither I think that you can be better educated in the universities. Practically we find that in your country there are so many big universities, and the government arranges for educating the entire population, but still the hippies are coming out from the educational institutions. It is understood that in some of the big universities the entire student body has turned to be hippies. Of course the hippy philosophy is nice in the sense that they have been disgusted with the materialistic way of life. Therefore they want to renounce this stereotyped way of life. Unfortunately, they have no good leader, neither they have information that there is another beautiful life in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Vrndavanesvari -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

I am pleased to note that you and Jaya Govinda are learning to speak German language. Please help all of the boys to become a little conversant with with this language. That will facilitate your business there. I think that for American boys it will not be difficult to learn to speak German quickly.

You have mentioned about some criticism made by Jaya Govinda which upset you. I do not know exactly what is the point, but if there is some honest criticism, there should be no cause of becoming upset. Krishna has so kindly led you to this path of Krishna Consciousness, and now you have only to follow the prescribed rules and regulations very seriously and sincerely, and surely you will understand how you are making practical advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Actually, Krishna is kind to everyone, but when He sees that a living entity is becoming a little serious to make perfection in life, then Krishna takes special care to give such living entity all necessary facilities. Now you have the greatest opportunity to do very nice service to the Lord, because you are now in a foreign country and are helping to pave the way for a very successful Krishna Consciousness temple in Germany. So continue to take advantage of this opportunity as the Lord has kindly given you, and surely He will bestow all of His blessings upon.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

The purport of my letter is that there is no cause for any disappointment, and you can perform this ceremony on Janmastami Day if you are able. From the description of your letter it appears that the structure of the Ratha was too heavy for the wheels to carry the load. From Gurudasa' letter it was not clear to me if you at all held a ceremony on a smaller scale. But in any event, I think we may take it as Krishna's Grace that the difficulty took place at the very beginning of the procession and not later on when the Ratha was in a more populated area. So do not feel discouraged at all. By Krishna's Plan everything will come out for the best. We have only to work very sincerely, depending fully on the Mercy of the Lord, and in this consciousness we can make very quick advancement in Krishna Consciousness. If you think you will be able to perform the ceremony on Janmastami Day, then I shall give you further instructions on how this is to be done.

I am very pleased to note that you have made such a nice recording of Hare Krishna, which may be released by the Beatle's Company. If you are able to send me a copy of this tape, that would be very nice. Also, it is very encouraging to learn that you think Mr. George Harrison will be happy to print our Krishna book. This will be a very great service to the mankind at large, if he can be of assistance in this connection. We are giving a unique contribution with this book; a book which tells of the activities of God. There is no other book that has been authoritatively presented to the Western World up till this time which has given so high a contribution. If persons will simply read this book or even look at the many pictures within, then this alone will bring immense spiritual benefit to their lives.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 12 August, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd Sept., and I am so glad to learn that you are active in preaching Krishna Consciousness in London. You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. So I am sure by your combined effort in London, there will be a great successful center. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well, and please convey my blessings to your good wife, Yamuna devi.

Letter to Jananivasa -- Los Angeles 19 August, 1969:

Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master, 4. Minimizing the authority of the Scriptures, 5. Interpreting the Holy Name of God, 6. Committing sin on the strength of chanting, 7. Instructing the glories of the Lord's name to the unfaithful, 8. Comparing the Holy Name with material piety, 9. Inattention while chanting the Holy Name, 10. Attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting. The four basic regulative principles to be followed by all initiated devotees is as follows: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating or fish or eggs, and no gambling. If you will follow all of the above rules very carefully, then surely you will make very nice advancement in Krishna Consciousness and your life will be sublime.

Actually, one who is Krishna Consciousness is to be understood as the topmost intelligent man and the best yogi. The whole purpose of the yoga system is to gain control of the mind and concentrate the full attention on Lord Visnu within the heart. In Krishna Consciousness, by chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, we immediately fix our mind upon Krishna's Name, which is exactly identical to Krishna Himself, and Krishna is the source of Lord Visnu. So one who has taken fully to Krishna Consciousness must be accepted as having surpassed all of the perfections obtained in other yoga processes. This idea is confirmed by Krishna Himself in Bhagavad-gita when He instructs Arjuna that one who worships Him in transcendental loving service is the highest of all yogis. Now you have very good opportunity to make perfection of your life, and do it very, very seriously in the association of your Godbrothers. Help Pradyumna, Jaya Gopala and the others as much as possible to propagate the Sankirtana Movement, and surely Krishna will bestow all blessings upon you.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 19 August, 1969:

Regarding the press, I wish this to be in Boston because you are now getting your own house there. In your last letter you also invited many householders to live there. Because all the press managers are householders, and you are also householder, so combinedly if you manage the printing and publication of our books, that will be a great success. If we have got our own press, we can earn some money by outside work when there is on pressure of our own work. So this is very important subject matter and keep me informed about the advancement of the idea.

Regarding my going to Boston, yes, I wanted to go there to see the press started before my going to Europe. We must have many books printed, either by ourselves, or through publishers or through any other means. This is more important than my touring in Europe. Regarding Krishna, formerly you were sending me the transcribed copies as early as possible, and if you continue the same process, then I shall also send you the tapes consecutively. I think this book with pictures by Jadurani will come out a unique publication. I shall be glad to know if the pictures can also be printed in our own press. That is also a very important thing. I am very glad to learn that Brahmananda, Advaita and others have gone there and you are doing the needful. If you think my presence will further help in this connection, on hearing from you I shall immediately go.

Letter to Nandarani -- Tittenhurst 30 September, 1969:

In the Bhagavad-gita, perhaps you have read, it is said there that those who are too much addicted to materialistic way of sense gratification, they cannot put their faith in Krishna Consciousness. Anyway, whatever they are helping, that is welcome. Their record is selling nicely, and George Harrison is more inclined to our movement. Now he is not in London, because his mother is very ill and he has gone to Liverpool. I am living in the guest house of Mr. Lennon. He has spared a very nice temple house here where we hold our kirtanas, since our own temple house in London proper is under renovation.

I am so glad to learn that Candramukhi is getting Krishna Consciousness from the very beginning of her life. This is the advantage of her previous life's advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please take care of your children and make them perfectly Krishna Conscious. That is very great service. If by your endeavor one or two souls who come under your protection become liberated in this life, that is a great transcendental service to the Lord. So I am sure your children under the care of both you and Dayananda surely have salvation in this life, along with their parents, and they will not have to come back in this miserable condition of material life. That is the injunction of Srimad-Bhagavatam to the Krishna Consciousness parents. Please offer my blessings to Karatieya and Silavati for their good service and also please hand over the enclosed note to Srimati Rekha.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Tittenhurst 15 September, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd Sept., and I am so glad to learn that you are active in preaching Krishna Consciousness in London. You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. So I am sure by your combined effort in London, there will be a great successful center. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well, and please convey my blessings to your good wife, Yamuna devi.

Letter to Vasudeva -- London 20 November, 1969:

At every moment we should be doing this or that service for Krishna's transcendental pleasure. If we do not remember this, then Maya is right there to grab us. It all depends upon our leaning towards Krishna or towards Maya. If you lean towards Krishna, you will be in Krishna Consciousness; and if you lean towards Maya, then you will be captivated by material nature. Krishna and Maya are just like light and shadow which are directly next to one another. If you move a little this way, you are in light and there is no question of shadow. But if you move a little the other way, you are in darkness. So if we remember to always be engaged in Krishna's service, then there will be no Maya and everything will be all right. Please always remember this great secret of advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So as you are showing promise to be a nice artist, I think you may next paint some pictures of the Spiritual Masters in the line of disciplic succession. Also, continue to fix up the new temple nicely and promote the Sankirtana Movement as far as possible. These, along with promoting our literatures will give you sufficient engagement to fill your time. Also, continue to chant all of your rounds daily, and read our magazines and books as much as possible. In this way your future will be very bright, and surely you will be able to do great service to this movement within your lifetime.

Letter to Pradyumna -- London 27 November, 1969:

If you can maintain this standard of composing and transliteration, that will be quite sufficient for my satisfaction. I see that your letter was posted sometimes on the 20th November, and you sent it by Special Delivery air mail. But unfortunately I received it only today and the envelope was torn out. Anyway, although it was delayed I have got it now, and I shall go through it critically and let you know in my next letter about my criticism on it.

Thank you very much for your letter and be blessed by Krishna. Offer my blessings to Srimati Arundhati. She is a very nice girl, sincere servant of Krishna, and I shall always pray for her advancement in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Steven Hebel -- London 6 December, 1969:

This depends upon the capacity of the bulb to accept the electric current. Similarly, the Lord is not partial to anyone, but according to one's sincere desire to render unalloyed devotional service, so will He respond to enlighten such devotee. So the way for you to increase the capacity of receiving Krishna's Mercy is to chant Hare Krishna regularly, at least 16 rounds per day, to associate with devotees of Krishna, and to follow the rules and regulations. In this connection Brahmananda and the others will be able to give you good guidance. My request to you is that you stick with this process sincerely, and I am sure Lord Krishna provide all facilities for your advancement. I shall be returning to Boston around the 21st of this month, and I hope you shall come to visit me at that time.

Letter to Sucandra -- London 8 December, 1969:

So if you dedicate your life to the service of Krishna, the Supreme Father, don't you think that Lord Jesus Christ will be pleased with this? At the present moment we have to preach in an enlightened society. So Krishna Consciousness has got inexhaustible treasurehouse of philosophy, logic and science to convince people about God-consciousness. So if you are actually serious about following the footsteps of Lord Jesus Christ, you should take advantage of the great philosophical background of this Krishna Consciousness Movement and make people God-conscious, dedicating your life. One should try to make progress. One should not try to remain satisfied at a point which awaits further advancement. For example, the Commandment says "Thou shalt not kill". This means one should be non-violent. This is a good principle, but in the actual field, for want of sufficient knowledge, even this Commandment is being misinterpreted and misused. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find there are 20 items for advancing in knowledge. Perhaps you have read in the 13rd Chapter. Out of the 20 items, this non-violence items is one. But devotional service is so potent, that if one is engaged in devotional service to Krishna, automatically all good qualifications are there. Thus, from the practical point of view you can see the distinction between our disciples and any other group of religious faith. We do not indulge in illicit sex-life, which includes not to covet with another's wife or daughter; We do not eat meat, and that means automatically we are non-violent. We do not indulge in intoxication, and that means we are sane in considering things in their true perspective.

Letter to Sucandra -- London 8 December, 1969:

You have asked to know what is the difference between Jesus Christ and Krishna. That we have several times explained in many meetings, that Krishna is God and Jesus Christ is the son of God. And as there is no difference between father and son, so there is no difference between Krishna and Lord Jesus Christ; but still the son is never equal to the father. So you have got advantage of reading our many books for advancement of knowledge. The best thing will be for you to engage your time more in Sankirtana Party and reading our Krishna Consciousness literature.

You write that you loved the Deities some time ago, so why don't you love Them now? What is the reason? Let me know the reason how you liked to worship the Deities, and why you are not liking this now. Then I can explain the situation to you. The best thing is that whenever there are some doubts you should ask me or some senior student. We shall try to explain. But don't try to make any compromise and be agitated. I know you are a sincere boy, so try to understand everything very clearly.