Devotional life (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"devotional life" |"life of devotion"

Notes from the compiler: Original ref not found for: Orig ref. was: Letter to: Ramesvara (Robert Grant), Badarinarayana (Bob Morrel),

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to R. Prakash -- Allahabad 22 June, 1951:

Such process is not only transcendental to all sorts of mundane speculation, but is very simple and innocent. The principle is a sort of curing a disease not only by administering proper medicine but also by supplying proper diet at the same time.

The medicine is administered through submissive aural channel as "Hari Sankirtana" which means

(1) To sing "Bhajan" songs glorifying the Almighty and His Pastimes.

(2) To preach the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata, Ramayana, life of such saints as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Tulsidas etc.

(3) To establish the philosophy of devotional life as against fruitful action or dry speculation of empiric philosophy and meet the opposite elements with all logical weapons. i.e the medicine of "Hari Sankirtana" is administered by threefold action, namely by (a) melodious songs (b) by propaganda through press and (c) by propaganda on platforms.

1968 Correspondence

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

Basically we have not got hatred for anyone, but when one is demoniac or atheistic, we should try to avoid their company. A preacher's business is to love God, to make friendship with devotees, to enlighten the innocent, and to avoid the demons. This principle we shall follow. But in higher devotional life, there is no such distinction. The topmost devotee sees everything in Krishna, and Krishna in everything. Generally, as preachers, we are middle class devotees. So we should not remain as neophyte devotee. Neophyte devotee does not know how to preach.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 8 November, 1968:

I also understand that you do not want to get married now, but if you marry at all, you should marry now. Because after the age of 30, marriage is not so pleasing. Practically I am giving in charge of the different centers to the Grhasthas. If you decide to marry, there are many devotee girls, and one of them may be a very nice companion for your devotional life. You prefer to be free, but a devoted wife is as good as freedom. The Grhastha disciples, just like Syamasundara., Mukunda, and Gurudasa, with their wives, are doing very nicely in London. Similarly Dayananda and his wife Nandarani are doing very nicely here. Similarly Satsvarupa and his wife Jadurani are doing very nice in Boston.

1969 Correspondence

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

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

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

I have a great hope for Moyuradwaja. He is very intelligent with signs of a great devotee. My special request to you is that you take care of this child very nicely, and he will be a great son to glorify his parents. I have noticed that he has all the instincts of devotional life, and it is up to the guardians to take care of him. I am pleased to note that you and Jaya Govinda are learning to speak German language. Please help all of the boys to become a little conversant with with this language. That will facilitate your business there. I think that for American boys it will not be difficult to learn to speak German quickly.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tittenhurst 29 October, 1969:

This was advised to Arjuna by Krishna Himself. Arjuna was a great fighter, statesman, and at the same time a great devotee. A statesman and military commander has very little time to perform the routine work of devotional service, but Krishna advised him especially to be engaged in his occupational duty, and at the same time always be thinking of Krishna. This is the secret of not being a victim of Maya. Rayarama's case is different. He definitely denied my instructions. I asked him to come to me and live with me, and he definitely denied. So this denial is cause of his temporary suspension of devotional life, but if he has executed devotional service in the past sincerely, I think he cannot go back.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971:

I am to understand that you have professional managerial experience and are presently engaging your talents to strengthen the managerial position of our N.Y. center. That is very valuable service and I thank you very much. We learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam that a person may be situated in any occupational duty but the perfection of such activity is tested by the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. And because you are engaging your talents in His service, surely Krishna will be pleased upon you and give you all facility for advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Simply if you will regularly chant Hare Krishna Mantra, 16 rounds daily and without fail and rigidly follow the regulative principles of devotional life, read all our books and engage in Krishna's business 24 hours, your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.

Letter to Radhavallabha (Bill Schoenbart) -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1971:

I am doing the work of my Spiritual Master and similarly you also help me and we will all be benefited in Krishna Consciousness. So stay strong in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles of devotional life, chant at least 16 rounds daily, read all our books, and if there are any questions you can refer them to Hrdayananda Prabhu. He is very intelligent boy. So together you work cooperatively to make our Gainesville center a grand success and I will be very pleased.

Letter to Sukhasagari (Candice Kellepoury) -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1971:

I am so glad to note that you are strictly following the regulative principles of devotional life and regularly chanting 16 rounds of beads daily. Continue faithfully, because such chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is our very strength in spiritual life and will keep you always in touch with Krishna. And soon you will be getting yourself married with Batua Gopala Prabhu (Ed), so it is your duty as his wife to help him advance in Krishna Consciousness in every respect.

Letter to Eugene L. Baum -- Brooklyn 20 July, 1971:

I am so glad to hear that you have been staying at our St. Louis center under the expert guidance of Sriman Vamanadeva Prabhu and have been chanting 16 rounds of beads daily. Continue to do so faithfully and follow all the regulative principles of devotional life. If there are any questions, refer them to your god-brothers and sisters. And just as soon as you are recommended for initiation by Vamanadeva, I will be glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciple.

Letter to Sukhada -- London 4 August, 1971:

The process is simple. Follow the regulative principles of devotional life undeviatingly, regularly chant 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail, read all our literatures, attend classes and aratis, go for street Sankirtana. If there are any questions, always refer them to your elder godbrothers and sisters. So our method is not so difficult. Rather it is joyful. So engage yourself enthusiastically in this way and you will be happy and in the end go back to home, back to Godhead.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1972:

So far your question regarding the regulative principles of our devotional life, you can request all the disciples there that this is our life, so why they will not follow? If there is any discrepancy in this matter, you may send me the names. And for Sannyasis such discipline is a must.

Letter to Kisora -- Bombay 25 December, 1972:

You are leader, so if you are enthusiastic then all of the others will remain always enthusiastic, that is your greatest qualification. And it is easy thing to maintain your enthusiastic behavior if you yourself and the rest devotees under your protection always without fail chant minimum 16 rounds daily, rise early in the morning for mangal arati, take bath, cleanse everything nicely, go out for preaching work, like that. In this way, if you stick tightly to the basic principles of devotional life as chalked out for us by our great predecessors, then always you will be feeling transcendental ecstasy of enthusiasm—that is Krishna Consciousness. It is very simple.

Letter to Trai -- Bombay December 27, 1972:

That is the business of leader: He must be himself always enthusiastic and inspire others to be always enthusiastic. Then he is real leader. And that enthusiastic mood is maintained when everyone is always without fail chanting 16 rounds daily, rising early for mangala aratrika, reading books, preaching—in this way, by observing strictly the regulative principles of devotional life, that enthusiasm or great eagerness to have Krsna will come out. So if you are very serious to remain tightly there in Boston center and develop it fully, I am very much pleased upon you for this.

Letter to Trai -- Bombay 27 December, 1972:

Then he is real leader. And that enthusiastic mood is maintained when everyone is always without fail chanting 16 rounds daily, rising early for mangal arati, reading books, preaching—in this way, by observing strictly the regulative principles of devotional life, that enthusiasm or great eagerness to have Krishna will come out. So if you are very serious to remain tightly there in Boston centre and develop it fully, I am very much pleased upon you for this. That is advancement in Krishna consciousness, to stick tightly to the desires or orders of the spiritual master; because my Guru Maharaja ordered it, and I am also ordering it: Go on preaching, spread this Krishna consciousness all over the world, then if you are taking up the responsibility for that, to work very cool-headedly in this way, then you are understanding rightly what is the point of giving our energy without any personal considerations to Krishna.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Acyutananda -- New Delhi 1 November, 1973:

In the beginning we must treat the Lord with awe and veneration. Later one when we are perfectly on the spiritual platform, we treat Krsna more intimately, and therefore we forget the exalted position of Krsna. But, we never imitate the Brijbasis from the beginning as do the sahajiyas. In the beginning a devotee must follow strictly viddhi-marga or regulated principles. When one is on the swarupa siddha stage, the devotee can treat Krsna on an equal level or sometimes he becomes even higher than Krsna. Just like Mother Yasoda treated Krsna a being completely dependent upon her. So these stages are appreciated in many advanced stages of devotional life.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Bhurijana -- Bombay 29 April, 1974:

Those who think they have already attained such perfection and give up the regulative principles are called sahajiya, or those who take things cheaply and simply imitate. This early rising, holding classes, going out regularly for sankirtana, worshiping the deity are the very substance of devotional life. You will certainly by your sincere devotional example attract more and more sincere Chinese boys and girls to Krsna Consciousness. Even if, due to family ties, they cannot move in the temple, try to engage them as much as possible in translating work, sankirtana, reading, and at least coming to the temple to take prasadam.

Letter to Sarvamangala -- Bombay 6 November, 1974:

You have mentioned controlling lust, and this is very important. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna says: tasmat tvam indriyany adau "In the very beginning you must curb lust by regulating the senses." Therefore we have the four regulated principles at the very beginning of practicing devotional life. In this way we turn the lust into love. This is our material life. Lust is there in everyone, because everyone is actually a lover of Krishna. It just has to be purified by proper training.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Bombay 21 December, 1974:

Thank you for representing me there in LSS by stressing the importance of attendance to the morning and evening programs and following all of the spiritual practices. This is wanted. Without these things there is no devotional life. And by your example many others will also become strong.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Taksya -- Hyderabad 20 August, 1976:

I am pleased to accept on your recommendation Bhakta Walker for first initiation. His name will be Vayuvahana dasa. You may give him his name at a fire yajna and his beads may be chanted on by Hrdayananda Maharaja. Make sure that he is well aware of our four rules and regulations and that they are followed. Also make sure that he chants the prescribed number of rounds. Every initiated disciple must chant 16 rounds a day without fail. If one follows the rules and regulations of devotional life then he may advance very quickly on the path of devotional service.