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Ascertain (Conversations & Letters)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Hayagrīva: Now Kali is depicted as a male. As male?

Prabhupāda: As male, yes.

Hayagrīva: Because sometimes I know he's depicted as female.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Male, his feature black, and dressed like a king. Black means ignorance. And similarly the scene is also blackish.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: These things should be ascertained(?). Then, it is mentioned there, exhibit illicit sex, slaughterhouse, intoxication, gambling. Then the third scene is very nice. Rāsa dance.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 28, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: This is research. Yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam. Uttamaśloka. Uttamaśloka means Kṛṣṇa. Guṇānuvarṇanam. Describing His qualities. Avicyuto 'rthaḥ. This is success of life. Avicyutaḥ. Avicyutaḥ means infallible. And how it is ascertained? Kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. By great personalities. They have decided: "This is the perfection of life." Kavibhiḥ. Yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam avicyuto 'rthaḥ. This is Bhāgavata. Each word, each line, volumes of volumes of philosophy. This is called perfection. This kind of writing required. Not that I have researched, find out, and after fifteen days: "No, no. It is not right." Another thing. This is not science. This is childish play. I say: "Today it is all right." And, after fifteen days: "No, no. It is not all right."

Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:

Jesuit Priest: ...looked after me, I wouldn't be here this afternoon.

Prabhupāda: So next life, how it will be ascertained? What kind of body I am going to next life?

Jesuit Priest: I don't think it matters very much. I couldn't care less what's happening after I'm dead. All I know, there's not annihilation. I'm going to be joined with almighty God.

Prabhupāda: No, it cannot be blind.

Mother: We're going to almighty God. That's all.

Jesuit Priest: Not that I want another life.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Mother: We're going to almighty God when we die. We don't have to worry.

Jesuit Priest: That's in his hands.

Car Conversation after meeting with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: I am a human being. You accept that I have got soul. By what symptoms you accept that I have got soul? First of all you have to ascertain that. What is the symptom that we agree that I am human being. I have got, I am a soul. By what characteristic, analytical study, you accept that I have got soul, and the dog has not got soul? What are the different characteristics? First of all, we have to enumerate that thing. If we find in the characteristics, then we can say there is no soul. But if we see that both the animal and the human being have the same characteristics of living condition, then how you can say the animal has not soul?

Yogeśvara: His point was that the animals don't show the same symptoms. They don't think as...

Prabhupāda: Why not, why not? The general symptom is animal eats, you eat, animal sleeps, you sleep, animal has sex, you have got sex, animal also defends, you also defend. Where is the difference?

Morning Walk -- December 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But the one thing is, who is poor? Admitting. We admit, of course, that God is specially interested with the fallen or degraded. But first thing is that who is fallen? Who is poor? That is to be ascertained.

Guest (1) (Indian man): But there is one more thing. I don't think God could be so partial that He would...

Prabhupāda: No, God cannot be partial.

Guest (1): ...that he would look only to the poor. But as there is a saying in Hindi that (Hindi) So they say, "When a man is poor, and he is miserable, then he remembers more God."

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Not necessarily. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna, ārto arthārthī (BG 7.16). When one is distressed he remembers God, if he is pious. If he is not pious.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 10, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Mean, I say this is going on. But śāstra says if one is engaged in a particular type of occupation, he should be called that. Yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañ-jakam. To designate into certain type of varṇa, there are symptoms. That symptoms, yadi anyatra vidhiṣyeta, if it is found somewhere else, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35), one should ascertain by the symptoms. This is the sastric injunction.

Indian man (5): According to the work it is known.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Even a man is born in the brāhmaṇa family, but if he is working as something else, so he should be... Practically also... Just like somebody is paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa, but if he is doing the work of an engineer or doctor, he is addressed as "Doctor Saheb." That is practical. "Doctor Saheb. Engineer Saheb." Not "Paṇḍitji."

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: That you may think, but you do not know the nature's law. You have to accept. Just like this apartment, either you accept or somebody accept. Similarly, these bodies are apartment. You have to accept or your brother has to accept. Somebody must accept. They are also living entities. Wherefrom they are coming? As I am a living entity, they are also living entity. So changing body, I may change to that body, he may change to this body. Where is the unreasonableness? We are all living entities. These are different types of bodies. So we have to accept some body. Similarly, he has to accept some body. So he may accept my body, I may accept his body. This apartment change. I may go to this apartment, he may go to another apartment. But there are so many apartments, gṛha. Therefore it is called gṛhamedhī. If you say, "No, no, I am not going to accept that apartment." "No, no, it is not your judgement." Daiva-netreṇa. "What money you have got, sir, to occupy?" "I have no money." "All right, then go this apartment." You must accept. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). By your work it will be ascertained what kind of apartment you will get. It is not upon your decision.

Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are different airs within the body and controlling the airs and putting this soul... Soul is already floating in the air. So the yogi mystic process can bring the soul from different places, and then they bring it here and they ascertain where he has to go, and then, from this hole... What is called, this hole?

Madhudviṣa: Brahma-randhra.

Prabhupāda: Brahma-randhra, we say.

Satsvarūpa: Skull.

Devotee: Cerebellum? Cerebral...?

Prabhupāda: There is some hole. From that hole the soul goes out to any planet he likes. That is perfection of yoga. But here in your country the yoga means a certain type of exercise. Yes.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: No, when we come to argument that... We are supposed to be all believers in God. We are not nonbelievers. We simply want to ascertain who is that God. We are not nonbelievers. Then some persons who believe in God come together so to ascertain who is God. So just like when we come to a meeting to elect a president, so they are not nonbelievers. They are not nonbelievers. As there are so many personalities, candidate for president, now who is the right person to become the president? That is wanted. To the nonbelievers, he has no access. About discussion in God he has no access. When we discuss about God, it is supposed they are all believers. So if you say... Just like we are holding meeting to ascertain... There are so many names of God. Now we ascertain who is real God. God means there should be no more above Him. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). That is God.

Garden Conversation with Professors -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: It is... Very simple answer is: when the mother certifies, "He is your father," that's all. You don't have to make research. That is futile. By research, you cannot understand who is your real father. You can understand your real father only by the certificate of your mother. That's all. Therefore our Vedic mantra says that religion and God cannot be manufactured by speculation. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkena yojayet. Just like this example, father. Father was existing before my birth. So after my birth, with limited knowledge I make research who is my father—you will never find your father. But if you take the certificate of your mother, that is there. Similarly, acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā, things which are beyond our conception, that cannot be established simply by argument, logic, so-called science and philosophy, that is not possible. The same example: by argument, logic, science, philosophy you cannot ascertain who is your father.

Morning Walk -- June 25, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Animal condition. Not only horrible, it is animal condition. They do not want to know God. Just like these animals, they are not interested. So they have no church, the animals, or temple. But in the human society, either he is Hindu or Muslim or Christian, there is some arrangement for understanding God. Now they are also neglecting that, everyone, all over the world. Now they are clearly... The Communists, they hate to say anything about God. So ultimately they are coming to such position, the Communists, that "No word about God." So this is the position. Now apart from them, just like theologists and theosophists. They are, at least, after understanding what is God, but they cannot ascertain definitely. So why do they not take? We are offering, "Here is God." Where is the objection? Why they should object? If you do not know something and if I give you the information, why you should not take?

Television Interview -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:

Nitāi: Well, if the brain has been ascertained as being half the size then why should it change by now? Should it change?

Woman reporter: Well, do you think that the Romans weren't as tall as men are today?

Nitāi: No, but the... But then, within fifty years there is not going to be any change in the brain.

Woman reporter: Not in the 1900's. Why do you use the technology that you use? You didn't have cars in those days, this television. Things have changed since 1920.

Prabhupāda: So what change has become? Can you give any evidence that woman is more powerful in brain than the man during these years? Can you give any evidence?

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: There is karma, cause, but I cannot ascertain. To me the cause is invisible. Therefore, we take adṛṣṭa. But there is cause.

Harikeśa: They always reason that because somebody is born like that, that sometimes somebody could be born from an ape like a man.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: Over a very long period of time... Let's say in one ape somebody was born without hair, and then after a long period of time in the same line from that person who was born without hair...

Prabhupāda: But why the ape does not give birth now?

Harikeśa: But we have not seen all the apes.

Prabhupāda: But how do you suggest?

Morning Walk -- October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Possess, you can possess. Tena tyaktena bhuñjithā (ISO 1). The real proposal is that everything belongs to God. Then God's representative, king, he gives you land. But you require for ten men's foodstuff. You calculate the ten men's foodstuff, for producing, you require so much land, so the king gives you land. You work and grow your food. And because it is God's property, you give some tax. Whatever you produce, twenty-five percent give to God or king, and balance, you enjoy. If there is no production—no tax. This is peaceful life. You work. You take land, God's land. You cannot... Why you have occupied so much land? Others, they are not allowed to enter; where there is overpopulation? How you can expect peace? Just like in China and India and other places they're overpopulation. Why don't you allow them, that "In Africa there is no sufficient population. Please come and toil and grow your food and live peacefully"? Where is that formula? Rascals, they are wanting peace. All rascal, rogues. And why they have become rascal, rogues? For want of God consciousness. They do not know that it is God's property, falsely thinking, "My property." And today I am thinking, "My property," and next day I become a dog on the same property. Hm? This dog loitering, who can say he was not formerly a Mr. Smuts? Who can say? Maybe he was Smuts; now he is dog. How can you take him? This is nature's process. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). After death you'll have to accept another body. Now who can guarantee that General Smuts did not accept a dog's body? Who can guarantee? Where is the science? You think that he is dead and gone, but Kṛṣṇa does not say like that. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Now what kind of body he has got? Where is the scientist to ascertain that "Mr., General Smuts has got now this body. He is living here"? Where is the science? You simply see like a fool and rascal, "My father is gone." Where your father gone? Where did he live so long? Why did you not see him? Where is the science?

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: Therefore the whole Bhagavad-gītā, all Vedic knowledge, is there. We have forgotten our position. Our posit..., normal position, is to love and serve Kṛṣṇa. Therefore anādi bahir mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karila. Because we do not know... From time immemorial we cannot ascertain when this incidents have happened, to forget Kṛṣṇa, but it is practically... Life after life, life after life, we are changing body, but forgetting Kṛṣṇa. So here, in the human form of life, there is the opportunity to revive our original position, and we require the help of knowledge, perfect knowledge. And that is there in the Vedas. Atha eva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karila. If we don't take advantage, although we have got... We can read Bhagavad-gītā, and if we don't take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and go on whimsically, then we'll suffer. You cannot non-cooperate with Kṛṣṇa as you cannot non-cooperate with the stomach. This is the... You must. There is no question of alternative. You may, may not know. It is not. You must.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: This is a spiritual movement, and at the present moment people are more interested with material improvement, but our real interest is... Not only our, every human being's interest should be for spiritual upliftment. Just like our body is there, and within the body I am the spirit soul, also I am there. So we are taking care of the body but not of the spirit soul. So the nature's law is that a spirit soul, changing in different position of the body, as we experience in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, similarly, after giving up this body, we'll have to accept another body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. We do not know what kind of body we are going to accept according to our activities and mentality. At the time of death the mentality will ascertain what kind of body we are going to get next. So these things are completely not discussed, neither they have any knowledge.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: We have got three platforms, generally. Material platform divided into two-gross and subtle, and there is spiritual platform. The body is material platform, divided into two, gross and subtle. And then if you are fortunate enough to come to the spiritual platform, then your life is successful. So the karmīs generally... Just like we see in the city, they are all busy, working very hard. They are on the gross material platform. And then next class, just like scientist, poet, philosopher, they are in the subtle platform. And above them, there are persons who are simply interested in spiritual understanding. They are on the spiritual platform. So according to the platform, there are thoughts and activities also. Your question is what is about these so many things. So first of all you have to understand in which platform he is situated. Then his activities are ascertained. If you are in the material platform, doing some business, making some profit, and if you bring there question—"What is this, use of material profit, this body is temporary, why I am..."—then your material activities will be diminished.(?) So we have to understand first of all what is our actual objective. And then if we stand in that platform, then our life is successful.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: But I did not know. Mukunda suggested this is good place, all right, live here. And actually happened to be good place. Gradually, all my disciples came. So I had no disturbance. I was living in the Bowery Street, and on my door these bums were lying with urine and wine bottles and everything. Still, they were so respectful. When I'll come, "Yes, you can enter. Please." (laughter) I had no quarrel with them. They were very kind. They welcomed me, they opened the door, "Please go." They also knew that "He's a harmless..." So, platform, if you remain on the spiritual platform, this material condition cannot hamper you. Ahaituky apratihatā. Then yenātmā suprasīdati, in that condition you can execute. First of all, we have to ascertain on which platform we shall stand. And if you want to stand on the spiritual platform, nothing can check it. That is not conditioned. So why not stand directly to the spiritual platform and make you life successful? That is our preaching. People in general, they do not know the importance of the spiritual platform.

Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: For ascertaining real gold, the acid test one has to pass to become real gold.

Nava-yauvana: (break) ...this test depends on one's faith in Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Faith in Kṛṣṇa? What do you mean by faith?

Hari-śauri: If you want to pass the test, he says, does that depend on one's faith?

Prabhupāda: What does that faith mean?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Conviction.

Prabhupāda: What is that conviction? Describe it.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: That Kṛṣṇa is the controller.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is controller. You may have faith or no faith, that doesn't matter.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Harikeśa:

dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ
(SB 6.3.19)

"Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas."

Prabhupāda: Nobody can. This is the principle. So when so many rascal dharma is introduced, that is dharmasya glāniḥ. So we must know this. Then we can understand what is the mission of Bhagavān. When rascals are introducing so-called so many dharmas, that is dharmasya glāniḥ. Do you accept or not?

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That means a person is thinking of God. So that is my point, whether an individual person can think of God and ascertain that "Here is God."

Guest (4): He comes to that particular conclusion though, your holiness, he says that ahaṁ nirvikalpa nirākāra rūpa...

Prabhupāda: So nirākāra... If you are speaking, then how he can become nirākāra?

Guest (4): He actually defines what prevails in the universe, what is that element which governs us.

Prabhupāda: Let us just discuss from the point. As you say, that I think and I speak, so when you speak, when you think, whether you are nirākāra or ākāra.

Guest (4): He defines, ultimately, after all thinking...

Prabhupāda: I am asking you.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: So that is a controversy, that you want to take his freedom and still, you are accusing that, that way.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, that's actually the fact. The want to take their freedom, but they are accusing us.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if you are sane man, let us sit down. First of all ascertain what is religion. Then we shall see whether your religion is genuine or my religion is genuine. First of all ascertain. Let there be an assembly, that "What is religion?" "We say that the law given by God is religion. Now you refute this." Nobody can manufacture religion. "God is one, and whatever He has given, law, that is religion. Now you refute it?" Give them this challenge.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: Yes. God will play. That is God. God is not dead. Your God is dead. Our God is alive. That is the difference. God must be alive. Why God should be dead? (break) So you are under God's control. Then you say whether Jehovah is God or Kṛṣṇa is God. First of all you must know. You must let us know what do you mean by God. If you describe, "I mean God... by the word God, I mean this," then see whether it is applicable to Jehovah or to Kṛṣṇa. It is not the name. It is the person and the symptom. Just like water is liquid. So you say water, I say jal. But the liquidity of water is the same. So first of all you know what is the nature of God. Then you may say "Jehovah," I may say "Kṛṣṇa," another may say something else. It doesn't matter. Water is water. That is liquid. That's all. So first of all ascertain what is the symptom of God. Can we challenge them that "What is the symptom? How do you know that here is God?" Just like we understand here is water.

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: Where... Just the place would have to be... Their place is a bit irregular. Seeing the ultimate plan, we have to find out one place. It would be in this area somewhere. Now they're keeping records of how much is spent on agriculture, and how much is received. So what is the profit or loss, that can be ascertained. And actually that's not such a threat because I know that many of the things he is doing by contract. If at some time we need outside laborer for, say, harvest time, we need to harvest—so we pay them ten rupees or twenty rupees to harvest one bighā. So there is no question of labor. That is the contract.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: In so many ways we can...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So that change takes place according to your mentality. You are subtle thing, psychological. One man is thief. By change, he can become a saintly person. One man is saintly person; he becomes a thief. So that change, according to three qualities... Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). You cannot ascertain immediately because you are changing from sattva-guṇa to rajo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa to tamo-guṇa. So how you can be ascertained? But there will be change. That is fixed. So we have to take this word change. So you cannot expect what changes. Are you going to be dog or hog or god? That will depend on your work. How you can expect to see, that "I do not see"? But that is not certain. There are 8,400,000's of different types of change of body. But you have to change. Not that you have to become a dog. You can become a demigod. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti... But change is certain. So if change takes place, then where is your position? Whatever you have done-śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8).

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 10 June, 1967:

I hope you have already received my yesterday letter with enclosure of certificate of photostatted copies. The original copies are lying in my room; they could not bring them, but if you think that the same certificates will serve our purpose, and the original are needful, then I will arrange to send them somehow or other. But you must ascertain whether that certificate will serve the purpose. I am a bona fide preacher in the line of Lord Caitanya. There is no doubt about it. That is practically proved. The certificates are also there. I am very much anxious to know if this will serve your purposes and a reply by return post will give me great relief. The idea is that if I get that permanent visa, then I shall settle things up in that way. I do not mind whether I am in the U.S.A. or Vrndavana, because my life and soul is to preach Krishna Consciousness; but if you think those certificates are not sufficient for my permanent visa after consulting gentlemen like Mr. Dhar or others whom you are consulting, then I shall think of going back to India.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Upendra -- Tittenhurst 27 October, 1969:

Therefore the living entity is called marginal energy. But when the falldown has taken place for the conditioned soul is very difficult to ascertain. Therefore two classes are designated: eternally liberated and eternally conditioned. But for arguments sake, a living entity being marginal energy, he can't be eternally conditioned. The Time is so unlimited that the conditioned souls appear to be eternally so, but from the philosophical view he cannot be eternally conditioned. Since we cannot trace out when we have become conditioned, there is no use of arguing on this point. Better to take care first how we can get rid of this conditional existence; as much as a patient should take care for treating his disease more, and less waste his time in finding out the cause of his disease.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- London 7 November, 1969:

If you think the major portion of the audience can understand directly English, then it is much better. I am not very much enthusiastic to speak in a place where English is not directly understood. Besides that, I am expecting to be engaged in important business here, which will be ascertained on Monday next, November 10th. At that time I shall decide whether I shall go. If there is no very important engagement, then I shall go to Hamburg, and the decision will be informed to you by telegram on the 10th instant. You will have enough time for advertising because the meeting will be held sometime on the 23rd. So you will get confirmation at least 10 days in advance.

In the package you received from India, did you get Deities also. If not, then the same Deities I had there will go back to Germany for being installed. If in your store you can sell musical instruments and other goods imported from India, then I shall give you good addresses for such imports.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 18 November, 1969:

Regarding the building, if it is already acquired by the university, then if you purchase, the university authorities must give you guarantee that they will return the money, whatever we have paid, after deducting the usual rent only. On this we can negotiate. For the land, first of all ascertain the real situation as I inquired in my last letter. Then try to secure it. But the university course should be given more stress than purchasing the house or securing the land. This is a very important thing. If such courses are taken by you, then practically there is no need of my employment there. Regarding Citsukhananda, I do not know whether his Spanish education is sufficient for the purpose of right translation, but he can make some portion and send it to me. I shall examine it and then give my direction. In the meantime he can try to translate our BTG and you may try to print a Spanish edition of BTG as you were doing in Montreal of French edition. That will be a nice job for him and an opportunity to nicely expand our literary activities.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1970:

Regarding press propaganda under Syamasundara and Gurudasa, do it very nicely. You want to see the Beatles with Syamasundara but I have not as yet received the money offered by George. His lawyer has given him suggestion which is not very palatable. Will you try to ascertain from them what is the actual position. The best thing would be that George Harrison may simply ask his banker to assure Dai Nippon Co. about payments that the printing may be immediately taken up. The printing process will take at least 2 months. In the meantime, he can manipulate the scheme suggested by his lawyer.

It is pleasing to hear that young boys and girls are coming from different parts of European countries. I am so much enthused to know that we can open our centers in Amsterdam. Stockholm, Munich, Rome and other adjoining cities. Mr. Appa Pant, the high-commissioner of India, is already impressed with my activities.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 2 June, 1970:

In the present Krsna book everything is done nice, but there are many mistakes, but on the whole the work is nice. So if our books are regularly printed and the magazines are regularly distributed, and occasionally you visit the centers, that will be very nice program.

So far possibility of opening centers, it is now definitely ascertained that there will be no difficulty to maintain a center anywhere on the basis of present procedure. The only thing required is that we have to create some nice devotees and expand opening of centers. Gargamuni is very much enthusiastic on this point, and he has recently opened another center in San Diego. Rupanuga also informs that there is possibility of opening many other centers. He was recommending Chicago as a very nice place for opening our center. So kindly you all together help me in these missionary activities and open at least 108 centers—that will satisfy me—and complete the publication of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Bombay 15 November, 1970:

I am so glad to hear that in Hamburg your program is going on smoothly. Always work cooperatively, in Krsna Consciousness, without any self-motivation, and your progress towards the perfectional stage of Krsna Conscious life is ascertained.

I have already sent one Gayatri Tape to London and it is being kept safely there along with a full set of instructions for performing the ceremony. The mantra is to be heard only by the new initiate (through earphones) and once only. So if you find Natabara, Yogesvara, Indrani and Haripriya properly qualified you may perform the ceremony duly. So far Mandali Bhadra's marriage with Srimati Haripriya, I think it is alright, so they may be married with my full blessings upon them in their work together in Krsna's service.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Syamasundara -- Indore 13 December, 1970:

Because of the proposed meeting with Indira Gandhi on the 18th instant, our Gorakhpur program is not fixed up. If you have already purchased tickets in the meantime, you may go there as planned, but our arrival from this end is not yet ascertained.

Please keep me informed by daily letters as you promised before my leaving for Indore.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1971:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to the other artists. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 19th June, 1971 and addressed to London. The letter was just now forwarded to me here in L.A. and so this late reply.

So far your questions: The demigods, when they try to ascertain who is the Supreme, they become bewildered, what to speak of ordinary men. Their senses are also limited. Therefore the speculation process is condemned. The picture is fine. There is no need to show the demigods bewildered; I have already explained in my previous letter that inside the body the soul is suffering and that suffering is expressed by the bodily features. Everyone in this material world is suffering. So simply the idea is there, that's all. All the details it is not possible to show. Suta Goswami is not a very old man, but that is all right. Krishna in a boat with the gopis, that picture is all right. He is enjoying.

Letter to Dinesh Candra -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1971:

So gradually you can introduce and disclose that according to the Vedic faith God is called Krishna, just as he is called Jehova or Allah. Indirectly you can say that God has no name but because we are accustomed to understanding everything by giving some nomenclature, so God has names which are ascertained by His activities. For example God is creating, so if I call God "the master of the world" (Jagadisa) then what is the wrong there? And who can deny that God created the world?

We are not concerned with the common man because they will think that we are criticizing. So speak on general features of how we understand God. God is called great in every religion. Our appreciations of greatness are six in number. These are stated in the Krishna Book Introduction. So you have to introduce the matter of God scientifically, and that will be appreciated by any reasonable man.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Nairobi 26 September, 1971:

In the matter of the Amersey house, we should take into consideration the hospital just by the side of the house. So if we perform kirtana whether it will be an inconvenience to the hospital establishment. That is to be ascertained.

The Peddar Road property sounds very nice, so negotiate seriously for it, taking help from Mr. Chambria. In the meantime, if possible you can send me a little description of the house. We require a big hall. That is essential. What is the use of taking the Neapensy Road apartment if kirtana is not allowed? Better forget this place. So far Akash-Ganga, the month to month payment is very nice arrangement, so go on with it.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Aksayananda -- Nellore 6 January, 1976:

Regarding the land of Sri R. N. Bhargava, since he is offering it to us for our unconditional use, why not take it? Naturally, if we start a Gosala there, later on we can start a Vedic school for the higher class of people. Study of the Vedas is not meant for children. You should ascertain definitely by asking some knowledgable persons, whether or not the Ganges will come again. Another point is whether the government can be induced to build a road there. So, if there is possibility of developing the land, then we can take it.

The other piece of land near the Kailash Temple is the most important place in Kanpur. Please enquire from Mr. Kapur what is the actual size of the land and what would be the conditions for transferring it to our name. That land would be most ideal for establishing our center in Kanpur.

Page Title:Ascertain (Conversations & Letters)
Compiler:SunitaS, RupaManjari
Created:25 of Jul, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=25, Let=12
No. of Quotes:37