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Chosen (Letters)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Lilavati -- Calcutta 23 October, 1967:

I'm just in receipt of your letter. Your child should be named Subhadra, the name that you have already chosen, this is nice. Regarding the horoscope, it is a nice idea and if I meet a good astrologer I shall try to get one for your little child. I'm glad that you have sent me the exact time and date of birth, this will help.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

We aren't after stopping the war, but we are after utilizing war actions for satisfying of Krishna, as Arjuna practically performed. War cannot be stopped from the material world, but it can be purified. Therefore, so called humanitarians are our target of Krishna Consciousness. Their statement about Krishna that He is an Individual chosen by God as His representative means that they have no knowledge of God. They require to learn what is God, then they will understand Krishna. Generally speaking everyone has got the conception of God, but actually they do not know what is God. That is explained in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, therefore our knowledge of God is far better than any other one in the world. That means if the Ba'hais do not accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they have never read Bhagavad-gita as it is. Their claims of reading of Gita is false. You should try to convince them of the Supremacy of Godhead Krishna. Whenever we are able to meet such opposing elements about Krishna, we should know that our Krishna Consciousness is perfected.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

The Ba'hai people if they are really sincere, they should try to understand Bhagavad-gita sincerely. As soon as they say they have understood Bhagavad-gita and at the same time accept Krishna as a chosen individual person, their sincerity fails. There is less rational thinking in Ba'hai philosophy as I can understand from the pamphlet. There is already contradiction that they accept Krishna as chosen person and not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is contradiction of Bhagavad-gita.

I have received letter from Prabhansu Chosal and I understand that they appreciate your service very nicely. I understand that your God-brothers are as your younger dependent brothers; kindly treat them as your younger dependent brothers and try to advance them in Krishna Consciousness as good as you can.

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

Hope you are well. I am so much pleased that you are studying seriously our Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Please continue with your sincere efforts for Krishna. Now, regarding your question about Brahma, he may be chosen either from the liberated or the conditioned souls. In this case Brahma is a liberated soul from the beginning; therefore there is no contradiction that Brahma can be Haridasa Thakura. Those who are conditioned souls are eternally so, which means that it is never possible to trace out how long ago the conditioned existence began. We simply say that misuse of the little independence we have got creates so much trouble for us. But now by adopting Krishna Consciousness, we may finish this conditioned life immediately. That is Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968:

Bhismadeva was endowed with the power of leaving his material body at his will and his lying down on a bed of arrows was his own choice.' Did Bhismadeva get wounded by arrows at the battle of Kuruksetra, or did he simply chose to leave his mortal body and thus lay down for passing on a bed of arrows") Bhismadeva was surely wounded by the arrows of Arjuna. But wounding is not always the cause of death. In our own practical experience we know that many soldiers become wounded in battlefield, sometimes very severely, but still one is not dead—he recovers in the hospital. So Bhismadeva was certainly such severely wounded, but that was not the cause of his death. He preferred to lie down on the bed of arrows and all Pandavas and Krishna arrived there to see his passing away. So his passing away was just on his own will—that was the benediction given by his father. In the battlefield Bhismadeva also wounded very severely Krishna.

Letter to Cidananda -- Seattle 15 October, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 11, 1968, and I have noted the contents carefully. I also thank you for sending my passport along with the two certificates which I have duly received yesterday and I am utilizing it for my medical examination, and other activities in connection with my permanent visa in USA. It is so much encouraging that your Sankirtana party is going everyday collecting some money and encouraging also that you are selling Back To Godhead. Similarly the Sankirtana party here also led by Tamala Krishna is doing very nicely. I understand that the son of Tulasi devi, Karnapura, has chosen coins in his Annaprashan ceremony. It is very nice. I think this boy will earn enough money for spreading Krishna Consciousness.

1969 Correspondence

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

So I am sure that to have such nice parents who are devotees of Lord Krishna, your child Nandini is very, very fortunate. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna instructs us that for one to be born in the family of devotees means that such person was the most pious of all living entities. So raise Nandini very carefully in Krishna Consciousness, and surely Krishna will bestow all blessings upon you and your family. Regarding your question about the ceremony of offering Srimad-Bhagavatam and some coins to your child, yes, this may be done. Several months ago this same ceremony was performed with Visnu Arti, the daughter of Krishna Devi and Dinesh Candra, and Visnu Arti chose the Bhagavatam.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 20 March, 1970:

And thank you also for the enclosure of $15 as contribution to my maintenance fund.

Please offer my blessings to Jaya Govinda and Sadanandini for their being united in Krishna Conscious service. When I first saw this girl in Buffalo, I wanted her to get married with a nice boy, and I am happy that Jaya Govinda is chosen for this purpose by Krishna. So I think they are very nice combination, and let them work jointly with great enthusiasm. I think both you and Sivananda should marry some German girls if they are Krishna conscious.

Please offer my blessings to all the other boys and girls there in Hamburg center.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your air letter from Japan dated 18 October, 1970, and I have noted the contents with great encouragement.

It is for your daring and active nature that I have chosen you to represent me as GBC man for the southeast Asia zone, and I can see from your latest words that my choice has not been wrong. I think that Singapore and Hong Kong are English-speaking places so that you will not find much difficulty there. So just open two nice centers immediately and that will link-up our chain of centers around the world.

The basic principle of our actions should be that they are all meant for pleasing Krsna. If we act always in this consciousness automatically everyone will be attracted to devotional service, and this is the secret of our preaching work. If you simply practice the regulative principles which I have introduced you will remain pure.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Laksmimoni -- Bombay 1 May, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st April, 1971 as well as the photos of the altar and your fine looking Vaisnava son, sent by separate post. If he grows more teeth you will have to supply him more prasadam. That's nice. And he is such a fortunate child. From the very beginning he is having association with devotees, when he was 6 months old he chose Bhagavatam. So take care of him nicely and raise him a Krishna Conscious child and be blessed with your good husband and child and Lord Jagannatha, and be full of transcendental bliss.

So far as taking care of the Deities and your family simultaneously, you have to do both mutually, but the main importance is Deity worship. Just like a busy housewife always busy in household affairs, yet still she is engaged in dressing herself nicely, combing her hair, etc. So both things go together.

Letter to Advaita -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 30th June, 1971, along with second canto book, chapters VII & VIII. It was very nicely done and the cover is very attractive, but one thing is that my picture has come out very black. There are so many pictures, and if that one was so black, you should not have chosen it. But other than that it was very nice.

You will be very glad to know that very soon, within a fortnight, I will be coming to N.Y., and to visit the press also. Please offer my blessings to the others.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

We are finding these festivals very successful for attracting the citizens to our activities. More and more these festivals may be held, at least very large festival in a year, simply for glorifying Krishna in public places. It is not that a specific holiday or theme has to be chosen. We are simply calling our Indian programs "A Hare Krishna Festival." But if there are some holidays you specifically like, you plan them together with Karandhara by adjusting to the local taste.

I am very pleased that your literature sales are increasing. I want this especially, that my books be sold everywhere, as many as possible. Kindly do this and I shall be very pleased.

As per your recommendations, I am sending under separate parcel the initiation beads for Lynne Stowers, duly chanted on. Her name shall be Srila Dasi.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Nairobi 25 January, 1972:

Regarding householders living in the temple; in India no woman is allowed to stay in the temple at night. But for our preaching work I have permitted women to stay in the temple. But, in the temple, husband and wife should live separately. There are many young brahmacaris and Sannyasis in the temple and men and women living together is simply a source of agitation, so therefore this is my order; ideally the husband and wife can live separately in the temple. If this is not possible they should live together close to the temple and attend temple arati etc . . . and if this is not possible the last alternative is to live away from the Temple and conduct your own deity worship etc. It is best to do the most ideal thing but whatever mode of living you chose the most important thing is to always remain one hundred percent in service of Radha-Krishna. The initiation of Michael Stein is approved and beads are being sent in separate cover.

Letter to Saradia -- Bombay 5 February, 1972:

I do not know if there is good possibility in Trinidad for preaching. If, as you say, you are only preaching among the Indians there, then I think they may not be taking up this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness very seriously, and in that case there may be better scope for you and your good husband to open a center in Europe, as requested by your brother, Krishna das. But if the people of Trinidad are very seriously interested in our ISKCON Movement, then we should remain there and expand our preaching work. In either case, if there are some brahmacaris interested to go there and help, and if you think your husband Vaikunthanatha can be spared for preaching in Europe, I have no objection. You should consult with the GBC men I have chosen to decide these matters of management.

Letter to Mangalamaya, Madhupuri -- Calcutta 20 February, 1972:

So I am encouraging the grhastha devotees who want to live together to start householder asrama outside the temple in a nearby house, just like in Los Angeles there is one such householder asrama. There, the grhasthas, men and women, work sometimes in the incense factory and get paid $1 per hour, and in this way they pay the rent and meet other expenditures. So if you can arrange a similar house in Philadelphia center, that will be nice. The householders may sell my books and incense and make some small salary to pay rent, take prasada at the temple, and live very happily. So far the GBC is concerned, they are my chosen experts and they are supposed to know everything, so there is rule of separate living, that should be followed. If GBC man requests in this way, you should try to oblige, what is the difficulty?

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

I have just seen one Sanskrit dictionary of Pradyumna's, and it is compiled by one Englishman, Williams, and he has taken so much trouble and he has made thorough study and it is very nice and scholarly books, so this dictionary is proof of the superior nature of this Indian Vedic culture. This great European scholar, he has not taken so much pains for Greek or Latin or any other old language, and because he has chosen Sanskrit language for his study, therefore it is the highest example of scholarship and knowledge.

So far you ideas that some of our students have not realized what they are writing, that they are merely repeating the philosophy mechanically, and that Rayarama is more appreciated by you, then you can do it, and give the example as he has done it. But the difference is, that in spite of his becoming a philosopher he could not assimilate and practice the philosophy, and he went away, so you may write like him, but please do not go away.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tokyo 2 May, 1972:

Let us look forward to correcting our mistakes. So far you are concerned, I am very much convinced of your sincere service. I am especially glad that the school Gurukula is improving more and more in its standard under your management. That is our real work, to educate people in spiritual life by giving them the practical example, so I wanted that the GBC would be a chosen body of men for that purpose, to see how the students are learning and reporting to me as my secretaries. I do not know how you could have missed these points, as they are clearly spelled out in my original constitution. Anyway, whatever is done, is done. So I am very glad that you are leading all others in book distribution, so you go on with your work in this way and Krishna will give you all the clear idea of how to do everything.

Now Kirtanananda has bought me one bus, so now I am taking with me wherever I go three assistants, so my translating work is not stopped even while traveling, so I may continue to tour sometimes and my work will go on, therefore I shall certainly come to Dallas sometime after my coming back to USA.

Letter to Gurudasa -- London 1 August, 1972:

Regarding the visa problem in Vrindaban, if you always remain very careful with the authorities there, then we shall have no problems in the future. But if there is even one incident or scandalous rumor, that may ruin everything. Another thing is, I do not know what is your final plan for the Vrindaban scheme, whether you have chosen Mr. Suri's plan, or whether Saurabha's plan. I understand from Ksirodakasayi that we must submit detailed plans to the municipal authorities in Vrindaban, so kindly arrange for that as quickly as possible so that we may get the permission. But first you should send me one copy of the final plan as selected by you.

I have heard that Kenneth Keating has returned to your country, so why not take opportunity for requesting him to help us? If you can find out his address. I have informed Bhavananda and Tamala Krsna Goswami that they must try to increase the distribution of prasadam program in Mayapur, otherwise, as you have told me, the authorities of your country may revoke their foodstuff donation.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Vrindaban 3 November, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your express delivery letter, and I am glad that you have chosen the right course of action to sue Nair and finish the business once and for all. We are prepared to take back the money and cancel the whole thing. Why doesn't he return? Now stick to the principles of the original agreement to file suit. Don't change your decision. It appears that from the building fund Rs. 29,000/- was transferred to International Society general account, it is not yet returned, neither the Rs. 70,000/-. Anyway, the cheques given to you must be torn-up immediately. A letter should be issued to the bank to stop payment for cheques #CHT/A-T 492833 from Building Fund and #GT/HS 306873 from Book Fund, both in favor of Ambhubhai and Diwanji, Solicitors, Bombay, but I shall do it. We shall make no compromise with Nair unless we come to the court.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Bombay 2 January, 1973:

No, that has been already settled up. Now best thing will be to develop more and more what we have begun. I have built the skeleton of the building, but there is so much more work remaining before us. The GBC men are there, the world is divided into 12 zones for gradual development by these, my chosen right hand men. So however you manage it, that you know best, my only point is that I do not like to see you become discouraged as you are indicating, because there is no actual cause for such discouragement.* Rather there is all encouraging prospects ahead. Now you have started something tangible and solid in German-speaking countries, you are printing books, magazines, and distributing them widely, collecting huge funds, now the work is just beginning. So you have got a little facility now, utilize this opportunity to take advantage of Krsna's favoring you in this way. Consider that each day shall be a new challenge for you to push on Krsna Consciousness movement within your range of managing.

Letter to Madhukara -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

Now so many cases are there of unhappiness by the wife who has been abandoned by her husband against her wishes. So how can I sanction such thing? I want to avoid setting any bad example for future generations, therefore I am so much cautiously considering your request. But if it becomes so easy for me to get married and then leave my wife, under excuse of married life being an impediment to my own spiritual progress, that will not be very good at all. That is misunderstanding of what is advancement in spiritual life. Occupational duty must be there, either this one or that one, but once I am engaged in something occupational duty, then I should not change that or give it up, that is the worst mistake. Devotional service is not bound up by such designations. Therefore once I have chosen, it is better to stick in that way and develop my devotional attitude into full-blown love of Godhead. That is Arjuna's understanding.

Letter to Vegavan -- New Delhi 9 November, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24/10/73 and have noted the contents. It is very good to hear of your programs in the high schools. Please continue and increase this program there.

It is a nice name you have chosen for your son, Murali Dhara Das. I give all my blessings to your son. Please raise him as a Krsna conscious child and be happy to become parents of a nice Vaisnava.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 12 September, 1974:

I have just now received some letters from London from Madhavananda and others brought by Paramahamsa Swami who was there. Regarding Madhavananda being the president, if he received the vote, why you have opposed? You must be impartial. My recommendation is that he must be the president. He has been chosen by the vote, and I am giving the casting vote for him. He is doing things very nicely there, so he must be the president. Prabha Visnu should go on Sankirtana, and Madhavananda should be president. Everything must go on. The women are doing nicely, so why are they being changed from the pujari to the Sankirtana? These things should be done by the President. These are internal things, and you should not interfere. I do not approve of your changing the women. It should be the choice of Madhavananda who should be the pujari.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Bombay 2 December, 1974:

That is my request. I have received your check, and thank you very much for it.

Now Krishna has blessed you with a daughter. The name Vrindabanleela you have chosen is very nice.

Trivikrama Swami has published one Chinese literature, On the Way to Krishna. I have not read it of course, but it appears very nice, with my photo on the cover. I have asked him to organize the center there. So try to help him even by correspondence, and sometimes try to visit there because you are experienced in Hong Kong affairs.

I shall be gong to Hong Kong and Tokyo shortly, and thereafter to Australia in the month of January, as Madhudvisa Swami has invited me for the temple opening and installation.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Honolulu 17 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 11, 1975 and have noted the contents. Regarding Ratha-yatra, we shall chose the most favorable time to hold our celebration. If for our preaching, it is going to be more beneficial to hold it in September, then you may do so.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to All Governing Board Commissioners -- Honolulu 19 May, 1976:

It is document, I have to choose each word very soberly and if I have to think of management then I cannot do this. I cannot be like these rascals who present something mental concoction to cheat the public. So this task will not be finished without the cooperation of my appointed assistants, the GBC, temple presidents, and sannyasis. I have chosen my best men to be GBC and I do not want that the GBC should be disrespectful to the temple presidents. You can naturally consult me, but if the basic principle is weak, how will things go on? So please assist me in the management so that I can be free to finish the Srimad-Bhagavatam which will be our lasting contribution to the world.

Letter to Saurabha -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 28, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care.

Concerning the altars, it is not necessary to have three altars of different style. All the three altars should be of the same style. I am enclosing the copy of the style which I have approved for all three altars. This style is nice, the one which you had chosen for Lord Ramacandra's altar, so you can use this style for all three.

Your plan for holding marriages in the theater, and on the theater roof will be acceptable. What will be the expected income?

For worshiping the Deities in Bombay, including Sita-Rama, there is absolutely no change in worship. Adopt the same method as in our Vrindaban centre, simply with 3 pujaris just like in Vrindaban. They are all Visnu-tattva, Ramacandra, Radha-Krsna, Gaura-Nitai. No additional kirtanas, simply do exactly as in Vrindaban.

Letter to Riddha -- Detroit 15 June, 1976:

Svarupa Damodara is the best candidate for the post at the university. What the other candidates will know? Therefore he is writing so many books. He has rejected the so-called scientific knowledge. It has no basis. So if he is chosen for the post he can go there to Durban and take up the post.

On your recommendation, I am accepting the following devotees for first initiation:

Bhakta Warrick—Caitanya-carana dasa

Bhakta Peter—Krsnasraya dasa

Bhakta Mike—Ādi Purusa dasa

Nadira—Syamasundari dasi

Hold a fire yajna and you can have Jagat Guru Maharaja chant on their beads. The initiates are vowing before the Deity, the Spiritual Master, the fire, the Vaisnavas, and the Supersoul to follow the four regulative principles: namely no illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, and no gambling, and to chant daily at least 16 rounds of japa.

Page Title:Chosen (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:17 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=28
No. of Quotes:28