I am happy to hear that you continued to chant despite so many doubts and skepticism. That is the process. Even there may be doubts and skepticism, if one continues the chanting process, the doubts will all disappear, and real knowledge will be revealed by the Grace of Krishna. There is the example given of the jaundice patient. He is suffering from disease, and when given sugar-candy, which is the cure, he finds it very bitter and distasteful. But that does not mean the sugar-candy is not very sweet and delicious; it is simply due to his diseased condition that it seems bitter. In order to be cured from his disease, he must take the medicine of sugar-candy, despite the apparently bitter taste, and as he becomes cured, the real sweet taste of the candy is gradually revealed. Similarly, we are diseased, and only if we take to this chanting process may we be cured. Maya may put so many doubts and worthless arguments into our minds, but if we continue the chanting, the curing process will go on, never mind the doubts, and gradually we will get a taste of that sweet nectar of Krishna Nama Sankirtana. That is the process; and you may explain it to all your friends, so they may understand the nature of their doubts and skepticism, and be benefited.
Despite (Letters)
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
In order to be cured from his disease, he must take the medicine of sugar-candy, despite the apparently bitter taste, and as he becomes cured, the real sweet taste of the candy is gradually revealed. Similarly, we are diseased, and only if we take to this chanting process may we be cured. Maya may put so many doubts and worthless arguments into our minds, but if we continue the chanting, the curing process will go on, never mind the doubts, and gradually we will get a taste of that sweet nectar of Krishna Nama Sankirtana. That is the process; and you may explain it to all your friends, so they may understand the nature of their doubts and skepticism, and be benefited.
1970 Correspondence
The atheist theoretically can deny the presence of God, but the presence of God in form of Death is present before him despite his flouting. You have seen the picture of Lord Narayana—He has got four hands, two hands are for the atheist and two hands are for the theist. For the theist-devotee the Lord has the Lotus-flower or blooming peace and prosperity, and the Conchshell dissipating all inauspicity by its vibration. But for the atheist there is the big Club for hammering on the head of the atheist, or separate the head of the atheist by the sharpened edge of the Disc.
1971 Correspondence
They are very sincere young couple and I am very much appreciative of the fine work they are doing there. Formerly they were in Guyana but when their visas expired, they were forced to leave the country, despite the local support. But I know that there are many people in Guyana who are wanting to see us establish one center of our International Society for Krishna Consciousness there in Guyana. They can be of great help; simply they must be organized. You are there and are very enthusiastic for us to go there also, so you can do a great service by gathering local support and do whatever has to be done to allow Vaikunthanatha and his wife, or any other of my disciples, to go there and establish one very nice center. That will be very nice service, and Krishna will surely bless you.
I have received your very nice letter of October 4, 1971, and I have appreciated the contents.
I am very much encouraged that despite so many difficulties and tricks of Maya that you are still desiring Krishna so much. Thank you very much. In order to attain the topmost perfection of this human form of life one simply has to try for Krishna with enthusiasm and patience, and all obstacles will be overcome. If you are determined in this way to be His devotee, Krishna will provide some happy solution. But even if He puts us into extreme difficulty, we must always be prepared to consider everything as His special Mercy, that He is testing my sincerity, or that this trouble is nothing to what I deserve. Just see Prahlada Maharaja. His father tried to kill him many times!
I am in due receipt of your letter of November 7, 1971, and I am encouraged to note that you are working very nicely in Krishna Consciousness, despite being there in a foreign land with so many obstacles. This kind of service is especially appreciated by Krishna, that some devotees should take risk for His preaching work. And my Guru Maharaja repeatedly requested his disciples to go out into far-off lands for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya. Thank you very much for this.
Regarding your cookbook, I have turned it over to Malati and Yamuna Prabhus who are with me in Delhi, along with their husbands, to go over the contents carefully and then I will finish the final editing and send it to you very soon. I will write a brief introduction as you desire.
And if we are determined to please Krishna with our routine work despite all kinds of economic handicaps, He will provide all relief. Just see. If preaching is strong, management will be strong. That is the rule.
I'm especially pleased to hear that your distribution of our books and magazines has increased. Go on in this way, increasing more and more. Each time someone reads some solid information about Krishna his life becomes changed in some way. These literatures are the solid ground upon which our preaching stands, so I want that they should be available to everyone, as many as possible. So please try for this.
I have just noted that the Maharashtran Government is lifting the prohibition of liquor in this state, because they cannot prevent people from taking illegal liquor and sometimes killing themselves because it is bad quality, and also they lose so much tax money. So it is very clear that simply by prohibiting something will not mean the people will stop. If you tell a thief not to steal, despite all sorts of warnings, he will continue to steal. Therefore, the best way is not to prohibit by laws but to cleanse the heart. That is the real prevention of sinful activity.
1972 Correspondence
Sometimes I did not even know where I was to live, neither when I came did I have any friends. But I was always determined that somehow I would do everything possible to fulfill the desire of my Guru Maharaja, and despite all difficulties I always remained enthusiastic. So do not diminish your program in any way now. Continue the school project enthusiastically and expect Krishna's mercy at all times. Everything will come out alright.
Regarding the land called New Naimisaranya, unless the land is signed over to us with proper documents, we should not invest any money in it. As you think best some of our devotees may stay there and even keep cows if this is feasible, but there should not be any money invested from our side until we are the legal owners.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters of January 6 and 10, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am very pleased that you are trying very determinedly for following the regulative principles of Vaisnava way of life, despite lack of association with devotees. So I think you should very quickly join us and thus take advantage of your propensity to perfect your life by taking up very seriously and full-time this Krishna Consciousness process, which is the recommended and most effective means in this Age to reach the highest platform of life. This has been proven practically all over the world.
That is the only requirement for successfully completing the perfection of the living condition, that you should always be enthusiastic to perform services unto the Lotus Feet of the Lord despite all obstacles, and then you can be assured that all of the other qualities or necessities for pure devotional service will be met, such as patience, determination, etc. and then without doubt you shall be delivered to the realm of unlimited bliss, freed from all anxieties.
So far your proposals, I agree that by utilizing our knowledge of selling by selling for Krishna, that is approved by my Guru Maharaja, so it may be done very nicely.
He shall translate comfortably and all other translations must be checked and edited and approved by him, with grammatical corrections. It is not that we may present anything crude translation and that is acceptable. No, even though the transcendental subject matter of Vedic literature is still spiritually potent despite the crudest translation, still, because we have got facility to make it perfect, that is our philosophy. When I translated Srimad-Bhagavatam I had not the facility so you may notice grammatical discrepancies. But because Mandali Bhadra is now Head of the translating department you have got all facility to translate our books in perfect German language.
Of course, our spiritual subject matter is transcendental and therefore it remains potent despite mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc. But this type of translation may only be allowed if there is no other way to correct it, then it is all right. But if you know the correct order, then you must make it perfect. That is our philosophy: everything perfect for Krishna.
So far your telling me that some devotees consider that because there may be some grammatical discrepancies in my Srimad-Bhagavatam, first canto, then they may also be allowed to translate with errors accepted, that is just like imitating Raslila. When you do all other things like Krishna, they you can do Raslila.
Because devotees are persons, therefore there will always be some lacking—but the difference is that their lacking, because they have given up everything to serve Krishna—money, jobs, reputation, wealth, big educations, everything—their lackings have become transcendental because, despite everything they may do, their topmost intention is to serve Krishna. "One who is engaged in devotional service, despite the most abominable action, is to be considered saintly because he is rightly situated." The devotees of Krishna are the most exalted persons on this planet, better than kings, all of them, so we should always remember that and, like the bumblebee, always look for the nectar or the best qualities of a person. Not like the utopians, who are like the flies who always go to the open sores or find the faults in a person, and because they cannot find any utopia, or because they cannot find anyone without faults, they want to become void, merge, nothing—they think that is utopia, to become void of personality.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 17, 1972, and I am pleased that, despite some difficulties, you are progressing steadily in pushing this Krishna Consciousness Movement in the Austin city. Actually, all such hardships should be understood as Krishna's favoring us, so that by enduring them we shall enhance our spiritual progress. I am encouraged by the amount of books you are selling, that is very, very good sign, and also by our course you are teaching in the University. That is our most important program: to teach in the schools and colleges and distribute many books and literatures. I have just heard from Sankarasana that you are planning to close down your center there.
You are correct to be very tolerant with Karatieya, and if you also preach very strongly and with full conviction, and if you are always kind and gentle with him, then he will take the hint and give up his nonsense attraction for Maya and want to make himself perfect as the firm devotee of the Lord.
I have received the letters from Shayatyadanya, and they are under reply. He shall receive it soon. I'm glad to hear that despite so many language difficulties, still Trivikrama Maharaja and the others are increasing sales of BTG. That is good sign.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of February 11, 1972, and I am very much pleased that you are going on with your work in Krishna Consciousness despite so many obstacles which Maya has placed in your path just to try to deviate you from going back to Home, back to Godhead. So I am very glad that you are trying something there, I have heard Sweden is a very good field. So I have informed Hamsaduta that you may stay there and work for opening a branch if there is good response. And so far money and books, I have informed Karandhara what is the position and he shall be sending you some money for immediately renting one place for temple, as well as sufficient stock of literatures. Without such books and magazines, our preaching work has no authorized basis, so there must be always books.
I beg to acknowledge your letter dated April 7, 1972 and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am especially engladdened that you have gone to such cold climate as northern Canada and despite all difficulty you are making good progress in the advancement of Krishna Consciousness there. I have read your booklet with great pleasure and I am forwarding it to Back to Godhead for publishing.
Now you have got a first-class temple. Krishna is very pleased and has given you all facility, so you go on like this, increasing in your devotional attitudes and surely you will get the perfection of your life. I very much look forward to your Book #2 to see that you are making further progress.
So in the future we shall see about getting these small books printed in Japan and send them in profuse quantities to India.
If you have a crown dipped in gold for the Bombay Deities, you must keep them very carefully. I understand that sometime ago one crown was stolen from Krishna's Head despite the presence of one brahmacari who was sleeping there and did not even hear the thief coming. So we must take very great precaution to always protect the Deities from all kinds of danger. One thing is, if we make our Deity worship program extremely opulent and gorgeous, and if all of the devotees are always attending arati and holding kirtana in front of the Deities, that will be the best program for attracting the Indian people to Krishna Consciousness Movement. So you try to give the pujaris all assistance to improve the standard of Deity worship and always render Radha and Krishna the most sincere attention.
I am very glad to hear that there has been a very nice Rathayatra Festival in Melbourne, and that despite all obstacles many people joined and it was very successful. Similarly, in London we have already celebrated a very successful Rathayatra procession, and many thousands of persons joined in marching from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square, and in Trafalgar Square I initiated nearly 30 new disciples and we had fire yajna and many, many thousands of persons observed it, mostly Englishmen.
If that is attempted sincerely, this preaching work, Krishna will provide men to help us. Krishna does not like to see His men suffer or become frustrated and depressed on His behalf, no. If we remain always faithful to Him, working very hard despite all difficulties, very quickly you will meet Krishna face-to-face, you may know it for certain.
Another thing is, I have heard there is no more CCP for getting our books. But now we are holding a huge pandal festival in the Cross Maidan at Bombay, from January 12th to 21st, so we shall need to take our BTG shipment from the Bombay docks, but they will not allow without CCP. So I hope by now you have got it, and if not, try for it immediately, treat it as urgent matter. And if Yamuna wants to come for that Festival here, she may come here for a few days to lead kirtana before my lectures, then return.
I can understand that it may be sometimes difficult by material consideration for our preaching work there—I could not bear so much cold even in August—but because you are so much sincere to serve Krishna, never mind a little cold, what is that, only something touching my flesh, that's all—because you are thinking in this way and pushing on the mission of preaching work despite any conditions, therefore you are getting the best advantage of Krishna Consciousness movement. Because you have worked so hard for Krishna, making all sacrifice without any personal selfish motive, therefore you are making such nice advancement in spiritual life. Thank you very much for helping me in this preaching work. May Krishna bless you more and more.
Of course, in the more mature stage of Krsna consciousness one is not affected by such conditions of material nature, being always fixed in his idea and determined to push on on Krsna's behalf despite all kinds of unfavorable circumstances, but that stage of mature realization will come later. For the time being, you are having little difficulty, so I think you will require the regulated household life as you are suggesting. But unless the basic determination to become successful in Krsna consciousness is there, any type of occupation or any place where you are serving Krsna will similarly become a source of restlessness and troubling of your mind. Therefore, my advice to you is simply this: that you search out in yourself whether that basic determination and faith in our Krsna consciousness program is strong in you, and whether if, by going here or going there or doing this or doing that, this determination and faith will be enhanced. Sometimes Krsna may put us into some difficulty just to purify us and force us to advance in Krsna consciousness.
The point is that no one is actually qualified in this material world to approach Krsna, but if he makes the attempt through our inducing him gradually to give his energy to Krsna, by that attempt Krsna will extend his mercy and deliver the fallen soul despite his so many disqualifications. And such person or aspiring devotee, he is to be considered the most exalted of men because he has given his life to Krsna. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate/vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah, after many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders to Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. (BG 7.19)
Of course once, twice, Krsna may excuse, that is not very difficult, but more than that it will become very difficult for Krsna to excuse you and there is great risk that everything will be lost despite all of your time and effort spent.
You have got some desire to become a famous preacher and famous Vaisnava singer and also jagad-guru. This is a spiritual desire, so it is not like any material desire and it is all right to desire for Krsna in this way. but great Vaisnava or famous Vaisnava means that you have no sex desire. Whether you can be like that? First of all you be like that, without any sex desire, then you think famous Vaisnava. Vaisnava means he has no material desire, what to speak of sex desire. All material desires become zero, even he has no desire for jnana, karma, like that.
1973 Correspondence
I am informed there are many so-called hippies staying at Delhi, so you try to recruit some of these men or other local men to assist you there. Your description of struggling is to be understood as the mercy of Krsna, and when He is satisfied by your giving energy in this way just to please Him despite all conditions of difficulty, then you need not worry for money, there will be sufficient and more.
I am including herewith one letter to the Minister of Home Affairs. You present him with a full set of our books, including Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, like that, and give him also my letter. Try to present them personally to him. Actually you may take this opportunity of being situated at Delhi to make every Parliamentary member our life member also.
To answer your questions, "self-deception" means that I know I should have done something, I have knowledge of what I ought to do, and still I don't do it. Just like some of our devotees, we have got certain prohibitions, and everyone knows they will be harmful to me to violate, still they do it, despite everything. It is not like running after a mirage in the desert, thinking something water, that is ignorance, not self-deceit. So I cannot think of any example for your illustration just at this moment, but you have got the idea now what is self-deceit, I think you will be able to draw something nice.
Perhaps we are the only sincere persons on this whole planet. At least our books are not to be seen anywhere else.
So I am so much pleased upon all of the boys and girls in Los Angeles and all over the world who are understanding and appreciating this unique quality of our transcendental literature and voluntarily they are going out to distribute despite all circumstances of difficulty. By this effort alone they are assured to go back to home, back to Godhead. In order to change this materialistic society and prevent them from gliding to hell, first thing is to educate them. All decent men want to give service to humanity, only thing is they do not have information really what is that service. Hospitals, feeding the poor, Red Cross, these are service to the bodies only, not to the man. Service to humanity means jnana. By giving people knowledge, jnana, that is the highest service to humanity.
1974 Correspondence
Regarding free will and pre-destination, yes, materially everything is decided. Spiritually you can make advancement despite all material destiny. Materially you cannot change things as they are but spiritually it is possible. No, devotees are not allowed more than one wife. Devotees should have no wife if possible, but those who cannot maintain celibacy, they can marry one wife. At the present moment people are so unfortunate they cannot maintain even one wife. First of all at the present moment they are not married and remain mostly unmarried. So for such persons even one wife is a great burden. Under the circumstances how one can think of more than one wife? This is stupidity.
1975 Correspondence
Yes, you have got a nice farm in New Vrndavana. If you are not there, then let others stay. That is all right.
Regarding the scientists, they will always find something new because their knowledge is not yet standardized. They will go on making new discoveries, on account of their imperfect knowledge. The modern scientists despite their experience of imperfectness, they take everything that they find out as the last word of perfection. Again they find out something which they find out as a further improvement and so they have to adjust everything new. They do not know that the senses are imperfect so any advancement of knowledge with imperfect senses must always remain imperfect.
We admit that we are in the conditional stage and our source of knowledge is not the senses because they are imperfect. We cannot find the right knowledge from the imperfect senses. We therefore take knowledge from the most perfect personality, Krsna, and His faithful servants and the result is that despite all of our imperfect senses, we have perfect knowledge. You have to keep this point of view in your front and pray to Krsna for enlightenment and then we shall be able to understand what is written in the Vedic literature. This is confirmed in the Vedic literatures: yasya deve para bhaktir, yasya deva yatha guru (ŚU 6.23).
1976 Correspondence
As soon as a devotee endeavors to serve Krishna, Krishna immediately wants to help that devotee. Krishna will certainly protect and maintain you. You are an intelligent sincere boy so try to introduce this movement to the people of Greece. Everyone in the world is suffering. Despite so many attempts on the parts of the governments and planning commissions of the world, still the suffering continues. People are thinking that by more education, hospitals, food and so many other things they will become happy. But we actually have the ingredient which alone can make them satisfied—Krishna Consciousness. So please deliver Krishna to everyone you meet; instruct them in the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. If it is possible to get our books translated into Greek that will be very helpful for your preaching. In the meantime as you are preaching to intelligent persons such as the lawyer you met, they will be able to read English, so you can give them our English books.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 26th, 1975, and I have noted the contents.
The bombastic distribution of Krsna Trilogies in New York is wonderful. I have read the report given in the Sankirtana Newsletter. But one thing is whether they have collected enough to cover all the costs. I have heard that despite all this distribution, now there is a big debt to the Book Fund. The GBC has to manage so expertly that there will not be debts. This debt to the Book Fund must be cleared immediately, if possible by the Mayapur meeting. Now we require so much money for the Temple projects in India, but if the Temples do not pay their book bills from where will I get the money?
Unless they hear from devotees and then practically perform devotional service themselves, what benefit will there be? As far as your point that those who say movies about Hitler identified with him and followed him, Hitler was still finished despite so much propaganda. Napoleon, Mussolini, Churchill—they all made so much propaganda—but the French, Italian, British, and German empires are all lost now. Our real propaganda is to chant the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, and let the mass of people chant and dance with us. If this movie induces people to chant and dance it is O.K. If it aids our cause then it is welcome. The best thing is for you to give this subject matter to your GBC for discussion at this year's GBC meeting in March.
Then the nonsense remark that "kirtana is nuisance" will be stopped.
Regarding the Taparia land in Vrindaban, take it! Aksayananda Swami sent me a telegram to say that the place is too secluded, with no road and thieves. Never mind, despite all inconveniences, take the land and when I return I shall see the situation and decide how to use the property. Some of our men can go and live there without difficulty, and begin making the necessary repair work.
With regards to the farmland you mentioned; we can not purchase any land for this purpose. If the land is donated, either by this party or that party, we can make use of the land, but we cannot purchase such land.
Even the papa-yonayayah, if he takes to devotional service, he also goes back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. This conception of caste on the basis of birthright has killed the Vedic culture. Also in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said:
- yasya yallaksanam proktam
- puso varnabhivyanjakam,
- yadanyatrapi drsyeta
- tat tenaiva vinirdiset
- (SB 7.11.35)
So despite all these things, these people are still insisting that one can only be Vaisnava if born in a brahmana family. That is not a very learned position.
The example of Prahlada Maharaja is there. Despite all efforts on the part of his atheistic father to change him, he remained a staunch devotee of the Lord. It is undoubtedly unfortunate circumstances, but why should we jeopardize the reputation of our Movement? You have been handling the affair. Please now rectify the situation. Do everything legally. Do not cause unnecessary troublesome situations. Our main business is to distribute my books and people will come gradually. Everything should be done for that purpose. People will criticize and oppose us, there is no doubt, so why should we create more trouble unnecessarily.
I am in due receipt of your telegram as follows: Christmas week book distribution in Los Angeles despite closed airport better than ever by your grace 112000 BTGS 8000 Gitas sold stop on invitation of governor Brown of California 50 devotees visited State mental institutions to help improve conditions and morale by giving religious message publicity very good Hare Krishna. Thank you very much. This is very good.
1977 Correspondence
Although they spend billions of dollars of the public's money for ventures like going to the moon and collecting dust there, they cannot solve the basic miserable conditions of birth, death, old age and disease. Neither do they give us definite information of the cause of the universal manifestation, nor—despite their wild claims—can they produce even the smallest form of life. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, everything in the universe is actually under the control of the Supreme Being, the Cause of all Causes, and He is Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Hearing from the perfect source of the Supreme Being, one can get answers to solve the miseries of life, which begins with self-realization, knowledge of the self as the soul, beyond the body. Knowledge of the cause and origin of life are also given perfectly. I request you to first make a thorough study of these Vedic books as I have translated, and make inquiries of the devotees in the New York temple.
If anyone can be called 'pandita' it is you because you have practically demonstrated this equalness to all by engaging all persons from all parts of the world in service to Krsna, something which no one else, despite big words and much expellation of air, has been able to do.
Even amongst the Vaisnavas you are a rare jewel set in the purest gold. The brightness of your devotion to Krsna outshines all others, and while they stay at home with the Deity and their bhajan, you boldly set forth to preach the message of Lord Caitanya and your Guru Maharaja. In recognition of this the Supreme Lord has agreed to live amongst the mlecchas and accept their poor hearted offerings. Without your devotion He could never have agreed to do this.
| Page Title: | Despite (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 12 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=40 |
| No. of Quotes: | 40 |