To follow in the footsteps of the Mahatmas means to give submissive aural reception to the words and instructions of the bona fide Spiritual Master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. When the Lord appeared on this earth 5,000 years ago, He instructed Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, and this purely transcendental message of Krishna has been passed down for the past 5,000 years by the media of sincere disciples giving submissive aural reception to the words of Krishna via the medium of the bona fide Spiritual Master. This acts like electricity, and if you touch a wire anywhere which is connected to the powerhouse, then you will be in contact with the electric current. But if the wire is broken or separated from the powerhouse, then there will be no electric current. Similarly, if we hear the unadulterated message of Lord Krishna from the authorized source, we will immediately be in contact with the transcendental atmosphere; but if we listen to someone who is presenting a broken, concocted version of Bhagavad-gita, that will be useless. So try to understand our philosophy very sincerely and carefully. I am so pleased to learn that you are giving such nice assistance to Kirtanananda, and you continue in this capacity at least for the time being. Please chant 16 rounds minimum every day, and follow the four regulative restrictions which are as follows: no illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no eating of meat, fish or eggs, and no gambling. I am enclosing a page with instructions for executing Krishna Consciousness.
Concoction (Letters)
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Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
I am pleased to learn that you are regularly attending all of our classes and you are serving nicely in the New York temple. Continue on in this way and try to understand our philosophy as far as possible. Krishna gives assurance in the Bhagavad-gita that if one is very serious to perfect his Krishna Consciousness, then automatically, out of His Causeless Mercy, Lord Krishna gives such sincere soul the intelligence by which he can enter again into the Spiritual Sky. Actually, Krishna offers this intelligence freely to everyone, but only the fortunate persons will take to it. Unfortunate persons will speculate upon the words of Krishna and concoct some meaning according to their own sense gratification. But Krishna and His bona fide representatives are giving this knowledge freely to everyone. Now it is our duty to assimilate this knowledge and practice it. Just like the electric current is equal on all points of the electric system, but different light bulbs will take different amounts of energy. 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.
1970 Correspondence
With reference to your article in the Los Angeles Times dated Sunday 11th January, 1970 under the heading "Krishna Chant," I beg to point out that Hindu religion is perfectly based on Personal conception of God or Visnu. Impersonal conception of God is a side issue or one of the three features of God. The Absolute Truth is ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Paramatma conception is localized aspect of His omnipresence and the impersonal conception is the aspect of His greatness and eternity. But all combined together makes the Complete Whole. Dr. J.F. Staal's statement that Krishna cult is a combination of Christian and Hindu religion—as if something manufactured by concoction—is not correct. If Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist religions are personal that is quite welcome. But Krishna religion is personal from a time long, long ago when Christian, Mohammedan and Buddhist religions had not yet come into existence. According to the Vedic conception, religion is basically made by the Personal God as His laws. Religion cannot be manufactured by man or anyone superior to man. Religion is the law of God only.
So far Hindu religion is concerned, there are millions of Krishna Temples in India and there is not a single Hindu who does not worship Krishna. Therefore, this Krishna Consciousness movement is not a concocted idea. We invite all scholars, philosophers, religionists or members of the general public to understand this movement by critical study. And if one does so seriously, one will understand the sublime position of this great movement. The chanting process is also authorized. Professor Stahl's feeling of disgust in the matter of constant chanting of the holy Name of Krishna is a definite proof of his lack of knowledge in this authorized movement of Krishna Consciousness. Instead of turning down the request to give Kary's course credit, he along with all other learned professors of the U.C. Berkeley should patiently hear about the truth of this authorized movement so much needed at present in Godless society. This is the only movement which can save the confused frustrated younger generation. I invite all responsible guardians of this country to understand this transcendental movement and then give us all honest facilities to spread it for everyone's benefit.
1971 Correspondence
Enclosed you will find one photograph of the Deities there in L.A. recently sent to me. Why is Krishna without a flute? What is the difficulty to make for Krishna a flute? You can take a twig and wrap it in golden lace with a pearl drop hanging. That is a flute; how long it takes to make? Nothing should be concocted; not that a flower in place of a flute.
1972 Correspondence
Regarding Siddhasvarupananda, these things which you have heard are simply rumor and there is no substance. Siddhasvarupa does not want to take disciples, neither he should have disciples while I am alive. That is the process. I have never said that Siddhasvarupa is a pure devotee.* That is simply concoction. Now I am going to India in few weeks and I shall stop at Hawaii and take Siddhasvarupananda to India for training him up properly.
1973 Correspondence
Why you are pouring water over the head of Radha and Krsna deities? Big deities should not be bathed in this way, using water or other things. Rather they are bathed daily by mantra, do you not know these things? Under no circumstances shall we bathe the Jagannatha deities with anything water or liquid, they should be bathed with mantra also. Now you are asking if Lord Jagannatha carries flute? Why this nonsense question? You are asking me so many concoctions and manufactured nonsense. Don't bother my head in this way any more. From now on unless I order you do something change or in addition, go on with the usual standard way. You manufacture ideas and then I have to waste my time. I have given you everything already, there is no need for you to add anything or change anything. Why you are asking these things? Who has given you such freedom? Pujari should operate entirely under the supervision of temple president and GBC, not independently. The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. So don't ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that's all.
Vedic knowledge is definite. Take for example Padma Purāṇa, there it is said there are 8,400,000 species of life: two million trees, one million insects, four hundred thousand humans. Nowhere do we find about so and so many, but exactly the number is given. Or we see the description of Kali yuga, and we are experiencing it. "People of this age will keep big bundles of hair and thus think themselves very beautiful." So this is going on. "For want of bathing the population of this age will appear like Pisacas"—hippies. Everything is given in Vedas exactly. Why should we go to such men for knowledge? They pose themselves as big leaders, philosophers. But we have to accept our leader according to the standard symptoms—or qualifications. The standard text book for civilized administration is Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. A leader must be peaceful, self-controlled austere, pure, tolerant, honest, wise learned and religious. Not like your President Nixon—a rogue and thief—such men cannot do any good to society, only those who are trained up in the Ultimate Goal of human life, they can lead—because human life is meant for going back to Godhead. Therefore our society is serving the whole world by supplying the missing part for perfect advancement of human civilization, we are supplying the head. Although all parts, such as legs are necessary, the whole thing is useful only when there is a head. So, everything is already there but it is now mixed up, we want to bring the whole world in to order by giving the right directions to all classes of men. Right direction means, to deliver the instructions of Krishna, and because Krishna is perfect, if you present this knowledge anywhere it will automatically defeat all the existing concocted hodge-podge ideas congesting the feeble brains of so-called scientist, philosophers or anyone.
I have not received any reply from Tusta Krsna Swami to my letters. I do not know why he has left New Zealand. In Hawaii a great wrong doing has been done by Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa. They sold the temple and went away with all the money without taking any permission from me. It is a fall down on their parts. They have done the wrong thing. You should not go to Hawaii to join them. Stay in New Zealand and work cooperatively with Madhudvisa Swami. The "communal form of Krsna Consciousness" which you mention is not approved by me. It is all concoction. My Guru Maharaja condemned this practice. We must stay together and vigorously preach the Krsna Consciousness philosophy to the world. That is the real spirit of Lord Caitanya's Movement. Do not fall victim to this sentimental idea of peaceful life in seclusion. That is not our dharma.
1974 Correspondence
The whole world is Krsna's property. The material world is a field of activities for the corrupt conditioned souls who desire to enjoy in imitation of the Supreme. For them, Krsna gives facilities for material enjoyment, but He wants the conditioned souls—after finishing their material enjoyment—to come back to Him with bitter experience of material existence.
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita there is the essence of Vedic instructions. The plan is that the conditioned soul may fulfill his desire for material enjoyment and at the same time be trained up in spiritual identity to come back to Godhead, back to home. As such, Bhagavad-gita contains the solution of all problems of the material world. Unfortunately, foolish people described as duskrtina, do not want to take instruction from the Lord, although it is completely perfect—but they select their own concocted leaders who are themselves blind, and therefore the world is in chaotic condition on account of rascal leaders in all fields. There are so many rascal leaders in politics, social life, cultural, philosophy, religion, etc. They are all misguided. Bhagavad-gita, therefore is the only light from which we can take direction for all our civic activities. Our Krsna Consciousness Movement was started only for this purpose.
If you like to come to India you will be most welcome. The sites at Mayapur and Vrindaban are just for my American and European students who can come and get the benefit of these holy places. You seemed to have taken a new grasp on Krsna Consciousness when you say, "As for where to live, my only concern now is to live where I can best serve you." A pure devotee actually has no problems for himself; wherever he is he can read books like Krsna Books and chant Hare Krsna, get some prasadam and always think of Krsna. Prahlada Maharaja prayed like that: I have no problem for myself. The only concern of the devotees is that so many rascals are suffering in the concocted civilization of illusory sense enjoyment, how can they be saved? So our Krsna Consciousness movement is made for that saving the rascals. This donation you are making in all sincerity will also help us to push on and make some effect in bringing persons back to home, back to Godhead. I will be glad to hear from you, how you have disbursed the money and how you are settling up your personal situation.
If your husband, Syamasundara is not even keeping correspondence with you how can we know what is his position. Please try to advise him to return the money he owes as soon as possible. Chant 16 rounds, follow all of our regulative principles then everything will be alright in a very short time. I am hoping he will do like this. So you please continue your devotional service, cooking etc, and you can also keep giving Bhagavatam class if you like. Women in our movement can also preach very nicely. Actually male and female bodies, these are just outward designations. Lord Caitanya said that whether one is brahmana or whatever he may be if he knows the science of Krsna then he is to be accepted as guru. So one who gives class, he must read and study regularly and study the purport and realize it. Don't add anything or concoct anything, then he can preach very nicely. The qualification for leading class is how much one understands about Krsna and surrendering to the process. Not whether one is male or female. Of course women, generally speaking are less intelligent, better she has heard nicely then she will speak nicely.
1975 Correspondence
I think that the best thing for you is to study our books very carefully and then try to write something. Do not try to concoct your own theories. This is not the process. You must write just as you have heard from your Guru and nothing else. Otherwise, your writing is useless. I think you may contact Svarupa Damodara prabhu if you want to ask any questions. Most important thing is to make sure and follow all of the regulative principles and chant at least 16 rounds daily.
The process of opening a center somewhere is that we go there and hold classes for one week on the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and if the people like, then we'll open a center. Actually, the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that in every town and village there will be a center of Krishna Consciousness, is essential. People must co-operate. If not, then they will have to suffer. So, I am very glad that you have come forward, being one of the leaders of the cultural community. I am very much enthused by this. Our ideology is standard. It is not anything new, but it is very old. It is not anything concocted. ajo nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire (BG 2.20), The living entity is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain. (Bhagavad-gita 2/20).
Please try your best to come to our temple in Caracas and to follow all of the rules and regulations very carefully. Follow the advice of the devotees there and in this way you can make nice spiritual advancement. Do not try to concoct your own method for developing Krishna Consciousness, simply do as the disciples are doing in our center.
I am very glad that you are holding some spiritual conference, but my only request is to follow the standard method of spiritual consciousness. One must know first of all, what is the spiritual basis. Anyone who is accepting this body as the self, he is no better than the cats and dogs. One must know what the spirit soul is within this body. He is eternal part and parcel of God, therefore, his only business is to revive his eternal relation with God and work on that fundamental basis so that he can achieve the ultimate goal of life. The whole thing is instructed in the Bhagavad-gita and if we accept the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, as it is without unnecessary commentary on it, then our spiritual movement will be successful. But, if we manufacture something out of our own concoction, it will never be successful. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (16/23):
- yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah
- na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim
- (BG 16.23)
"But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims is headed for a hellish destination."
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 12, 1975 and have read the Cintamani poetry book. It is indirect, impersonal and useless. Who will read these things? Krishna's name is only mentioned in two poems in the whole book. What is this? There are so many poems written by great acaryas. Why do you try to concoct something like this? It is not in our line. How is that our Kirtanananda Swami is there and he has approved printing this? It is a waste of time, paper, money, ink, and labor. There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this. You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
N.B. Why there is no picture of Krishna on the cover? If you have the desire to write poetry, better if you read one chapter of Krishna book very carefully. Then put it into poetry. But, do not concoct anything. There is no need for that type of poetry. If you do this, I think it will be appreciated nicely.
I am in due receipt of your letters dated June 13rd and 15th, 1975 and have noted the contents. It sounds like things are going very nicely there. I will come for Rathayatra festival and then I shall see the new building also. The photos were very nice. Regarding the sannyasis convincing men within the temple that they should leave and go with them on their parties, that is not at all good. I have never approved of this action. You can tell them. Everyone is concocting something of their own. It must be checked. The sannyasis should work with what men they have got and they cannot secretly convince men in the temples to leave their duties. Those duties also must be done and they are just as important as any other service.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Nil. In thank you very much for your kind appreciation. Because you are teaching in a respectable University I request you to study some of my books, especially Bhagavad-gita as it is. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, manah samyamya mac-citto, yukta asita mat parah "One should meditate upon me (Krishna) within the heart and make me the ultimate goal of life." (Bg. 6.13-14). Western people are now becoming more and more interested in yoga practice, but unfortunately because they have no authorized source of information, they are being mislead by unauthorized teachers and concocted methods of yoga practice. Actually the astanga yoga system practiced thousands of years ago is not practical for this age, therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the simple process of chanting the Holy name of Krishna for the people of this fallen age of Kali. It is said in the sastras that the same result that was formerly attained by difficult sacrifices or yoga practice is easily achieved in this age simply by chanting the Holy name of God, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
So we teach our students how to think of Krishna 24 hours and thus become devotees of Krishna. When one becomes a devotee he worships Krishna by the above nine varieties of bhakti processes and remain always an obedient servant of Krishna, and the vivid example is Arjuna, how he engaged himself on the battlefield of Kuruksetra although he was not willing to kill the enemies on the other side, although they happen to be very near and dear kinsmen of Arjuna.
The conclusion is, when one gives up his concocted ideas of perfection and takes to Krishna consciousness just to render service to the Lord by following his direct order this perfection is actually attained by a pure devotee, so much so that a pure devotee constantly engaged in the service of the Lord can get direct orders from the Lord, and then follow perfectly the instructions of the Lord.
We have got so many big big books now, so any sane man will appreciate them, you simply have to present them, that's all. Is it very difficult? It is being done all over the world and professors and scholars are appreciating them by writing reviews and introducing them as standard text books in their university courses. So try to present my books there. It is assure of success because Lord Caitanya predicted, "In ever town and village of the world, my name will be known" The whole world is full of rascals presenting concocted ideas and everyone is suffering. Caitanya Mahaprabhu came just to deliver these rascals. How?
- hare nama hare nama hare nama eva kevalam
- kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
Chant Hare Krishna, induce others to chant, and distribute prasadam. This can be done everywhere, who will object. Temple or no temple, you simply chant and give prasadam and it will act.
1976 Correspondence
You say that there is some contradiction in the Bhagavad-gita, that is your defective understanding. The direct meaning of the 15th Chapter 7th verse is that every living entity is the eternal part and parcel of Krishna. How can you think of contradiction in the Bhagavad-gita? Krishna is not an ordinary human being. How can you think that Krishna is contradicting Himself in His own statements? It is your concoction. The jiva is jivatma and Krishna is paramatma. Where is the contradiction? Why do you manufacture "iva"? That is the defect of Mayavadi philosophy. They concoct ideas.
Question #4: why all the present religions and spiritual systems came into existence, contradicting each other when humanity is meant to follow only one religion?
Answer: Religious system means the law given by God. In every system of religion the order is to follow the instruction given by God or His representative. Unfortunately, the so-called followers deviate from the orders of the master and sometimes create their own concocted religious system. Otherwise, there can't be different religions. We therefore accept only one religion which teaches one how to love God. Any religious system which doesn't teach this, how to love God is not religion, but is cheating system. The conditioned souls who have come to this world on account of forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with God is prone to be cheated, but a person who is sincere is not cheated, but he takes up the path which leads one to the perfection of life, how to love God. The present religious and spiritual systems in varieties come into existence on account of imperfect leaders who defied the authority of God. My suggestion is therefore that the leaders who actually agree as eternal servant of God may sit together and find out the ways and means of one religious system in this world. God is one. There cannot be many gods, otherwise there is no meaning of God. In the English dictionary, you find that God means the "Supreme Being." There are unlimited number of living beings, but God is one Supreme Being. Supreme Being must be one. Nobody can be equal to Him, and nobody can be greater than Him, otherwise there is no meaning of God. At the present moment it has become a fashion to become God very cheaply, therefore, such system being very cheap and not authorized, there are so many religious systems. Otherwise, God is one, all living entities are His eternal servants, and therefore, the real religious system is to learn how to serve God.
1977 Correspondence
From the photographs of the new construction I can see that in L.A. things are improving. Lord Dvarakadhisa is sitting there overseeing everything. He will give you all facility, simply you must cooperatively work together, faithfully following in the footsteps of the acaryas. You have written that the rent will pay back the loan and mortgages on the new building, but who will pay the rent if there are all brahmacaris living there?
I am staying here in Risikesh in the best house. It is situated just on the Ganges and the climate is very first-class. Many persons are coming in the afternoon for darsana, and in every case they are going away very much impressed that our movement is not some concoction.
The two essays which you have sent are very nicely written. It appears that you have good talent for writing, so kindly continue to develop in this way and write more and more of your realizations based upon our books. There is no need to concoct anything new. You simply have to study carefully our books and then in your own words try to express what you have read. This will automatically make you a very successful preacher.
| Page Title: | Concoction (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 25 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=25 |
| No. of Quotes: | 25 |