Ecstatic love (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"ecstasy of love" |"ecstatic conjugal love" |"ecstatic devotional love" |"ecstatic emotional love" |"ecstatic expressions of love" |"ecstatic feelings of love" |"ecstatic for love" |"ecstatic in love" |"ecstatic love" |"ecstatic manifestation of love" |"ecstatic ocean of love" |"ecstatic pure love" |"ecstatic stage of love" |"ecstatic with love"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Montreal 3 July, 1968:

Your question, "if in the Vaikunthas ecstatic love between Lord Narayana and His devotees and Lord Krishna Consciousness and His devotees on Krishna Loka is qualitatively the same, then what is the advantage of following the path of Krishna Consciousness, whose philosophy austerity is difficult to understand?" Krishna Consciousness philosophy includes the whole Vaisnava philosophy. When we speak Krishna, the very Word means, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, and all other similar expansions and incarnations. So Krishna Consciousness includes Vaikuntha consciousness, but Vaikuntha consciousness does not include Krishna Consciousness. Those who are strictly following the rules and regulations of Vaisnava activities, they are promoted to Vaikuntha lokas. But those who have developed a spontaneous love for Krishna, they are promoted to the Krishna Loka. Therefore, although Krishna Consciousness includes Vaikuntha consciousness, pure Krishna Consciousness is spontaneous love for Krishna without any regulative principles. The idea can be explained that a young boy or a young girl are spontaneously attracted, without following any regulative principles previously. When one develops such spontaneous love for God, that is called pure Krishna Consciousness. In our conditioned life, we have forgotten our relationship with God, but by regulative principles, we can make alert the inert activities. Just like a rheumatic crippled man is gradually elevated by some bodily exercises. Similarly, the regulative principles are to make us habituated to our dormant service attitude, but when that is mature, it becomes spontaneous, and that is pure Krishna Consciousness. And such highly elevated Consciousness makes one eligible to enter into the Krishna Loka. The living example for much spontaneous love are exhibited by the Gopis and inhabitants of Vrindaban. We can learn this from Srimad-Bhagavatam how much they love Krishna spontaneously.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1968:

Regarding your question, the deity shall be put to rest in time, and if people are still eating prasadam, the arati cannot be performed. It is better if after offering prasadam to the deity you perform arati, close the curtains and then distribute prasadam to the devotees. Please do not accept from Gopala Krishna 6 inch murti. He has promised to donate one pair of 24 inch murtis. Besides that, when you are engaged in the worshipment of the temple deities, you may not install separately deities at your home.

Tears come down from the eyes of a person who is already elevated in ecstatic love of Krishna. So these are very good signs. I am explaining all of these matters in my next book, Nectar of Devotion. I pray to Krishna for your further and further progress in this connection. I am pleased to note that you are now accepting outside engagements for kirtana activities. This is an important attempt. Please convey my blessings to Kulasekhara also. I am very glad to note that he is back at the temple and painting nicely. I hope this finds you in good health.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Allahabad 12 January, 1971:

The secret of preaching work is that one must keep himself fit in spiritual strength by maintaining always the highest standard of purity in Krsna consciousness. Our process is simple and practically experimented everywhere. Simply by vibrating the Hare Krsna Mahamantra sixteen rounds daily one advances to the stage of sadacara or good habits and when he is pure in consciousness by devotional service, he advances to the stage of ecstatic love of Krsna. We should always pray to Lord Caitanya simply to be engaged in His confidential service by chanting Hare Krsna mantra always. That will purify us and give the strength needed to infuse others with Krsna consciousness.