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First thing is... (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Shastryji -- Unknown Place June 1964:

I thank you for your granting me an interview yesterday morning but I was not successful in my mission because your dealing with me yesterday was more official than hearty. You asked me to send you my Srimad-Bhagavatam Part II with a note. This is not only expensive for me but also troublesome for me. Any way as you wanted me to send you a note. I am abiding by your order but I am doubtful whether you will have any time to go through my notes. The first thing is that here is the copy of your letter which you sent me on ______ after receipt of the 1st part.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

I am so glad to receive your letter dated June 10, after a long time, and I have gladly noted your activities in that part. I think your chanting of Hare Krishna regularly is being responded by Krishna and He is giving you good sense how to make preaching propaganda on behalf of His Lordship. It is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, as you might have seen it, that one who hears about Krishna, for him, Krishna helps in various ways and the first thing is that He cleanses the mind of all dusty matter and by continuing such chanting and by reading regularly Srimad-Bhagavatam, one becomes gradually freed from the influence of passion and ignorance, and thus becomes situated in goodness. In such platform one can engage oneself in serious devotional service, and thus one becomes illuminated with the transcendental knowledge of Krishna. This stage is called liberated stage, and at this time one becomes freed from all doubts and material bondage, and thus his life becomes successful. Please try to follow this principle, and I am sure you will be happy and successful in your execution of this Krishna Consciousness movement.

Letter to Vinode Patel -- Montreal 6 July, 1968:

Gargamuni came here day before yesterday, and he has gone back yesterday after noon. He spoke to me about you, that you are coming in the temple and taking some active part in the affairs of our temple. I understand also that you have come to USA on students' visa. But you do not wish to prosecute your studies any more, but want to do some business. I know also that you are a family man, and in India you have got your wife and 2 daughters. The first thing is that you may remain in the temple with the permission of Jayananda Brahmacari, the president of the temple, and as you are rendering some service to the temple, I think he will be very glad to accept you as one of the inmates. Your desire to do something tangible for the temple and it is a very welcome suggestion. There are many things to be done in the matter of the temple. Perhaps you will appreciate that this Radha Krishna temple is the one only in San Francisco.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 25 July, 1968:

In your letter under reply, I find that you are now anxious to return to the USA. I do not think that you will be more serviceable in the USA than in India; I think if you try to remain in India in fixed up mind, you can do greater service to Krishna. The first thing is that many of my disciples are always ready to go to India, but I do not encourage them to go there at the present moment because practically we have no organized branch there. Acyutananda has formally opened a branch in Delhi, c/o Radha Press, but I do not think it is acting very nicely. Because you are not combined. If you combine together there, following my instructions, you can develop a branch in India anywhere very nicely. How to do it, that I shall give you instructions. You have simply to carry out my instructions in that respect. But at the present moment you are not prepared to follow my instructions. You are simply visiting different places, for sight seeing recreation. This sort of service is not accepted by Krishna. You are thinking of coming back to USA because your sight seeing business is now finished. But now you should think what service you have rendered to Krishna by going to India.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Montreal 21 August, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated August 1, 1968, which I received just yesterday, after the mail strike. Anyway, I am so much pleased to read the contents of the letter for your intelligent questions and many other things, and all mentioned there. The first thing is about your husband's endeavor to produce films of our activities. I very much appreciate this attempt and try to help your husband as much as possible in this matter. When you have no other engagement, at that time you can attempt to paint pictures if you have got taste for such artistic work.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 1, 1968, and some of the important points that you have tried to discuss, I am replying as follows: The first thing is that in the meeting of Dr. Spock, you should eat there. But you simply eat vegetarian dishes, like fruits, nuts, boiled potato, biscuit, milk, etc., and remembering Krishna. As you will pay for the dinner, for the fooding, you can offer them to Krishna within your mind, then eat them as Krishna Prasadam. Any foodstuff when it is paid for, it becomes purified. There is a verse in Vedic literature, Drabyamulyena Suddhati. The source of receipt of the thing, may be not very good, but if one pays for it, it becomes purified. So, vegetable diet when it is paid for, you can offer it in your mind to Krishna and take it. But this Drabya means eatables, and eatables meaning vegetables, grains, milk, flowers, fruits; meat is not considered an eatable—it is considered untouchable. Just like if somebody purchases some stool, that does not mean it is now purified. So meat is like that. This Drabya means vegetables, etc. And this Drabyamulyena Suddhati is only in special cases like this. It is not to done ordinarily, or unless in special circumstance. We should prepare our own foodstuff and offer as much as possible, of course.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1969:

According to Narottama das Thakura, one has to worship the Lotus Feet of Nityananda, and by His Grace one is able to worship Lord Caitanya Who transfers us back to Godhead. So the picture and the arrangement is very nice. The most concerning part of your letter is about your health. You write to say that by 3 o'clock in the evening you get a slight fever, and your head begins to ache, and you feel tired and wish to take rest. This is not a very good sign. The immediate program is that you will have to be relieved from these symptoms. So the first thing is that you should take complete rest. So far as New York is concerned, I don't think different engagement there will allow you to take rest. I would have advised you to go to New Vrindaban immediately but it is cold there like in New York. Under the circumstances, if you like to come here and take rest you are welcome. But wherever you like you may take rest and not be strained at all. That is my opinion, and I shall be glad to know what you are going to do in this connection.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Columbus, Ohio 15 May, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 9, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. The first thing is that you must feel well. In whatever condition you should feel well, because if you fall sick, everything will be topsy-turvy. And what you require to be in good health, you know better than anyone else. That is your first business, and your second business is to organize sales in the stores, because the organization of sales in stores will determine our future publications. If we cannot organize these sales, there is no use of printing books and stocking them in our store room. It would be better to hand it over to the MacMillan Company. If they will print our books to the standard of Teachings of Lord Caitanya, we do not mind if they raise the price. That is their business.

Letter to Dinesh -- New Vrindaban 10 June, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June, 6, 1969 and the copy of the agreement which you sent. The first thing is that I have already given you my word, so there is no need of an agreement with me. My word is final agreement, but if you want it for business reasons, I have no objections to sign it. But the wordings are not always clear. Another thing is although I have brought this Sankirtana Movement to the Western World we cannot make it copyrighted. The Sankirtana Movement is not my invention. So how can it be copyrighted? Besides that, as you will find in the album of my previous recording, the chanting of Hare Krishna is going on since time immemorial. So Hare Krishna cannot be copyrighted, although the tune in which I sing with my disciples, that may be made copyrighted. I have no objection to sign this agreement, but don't be misled that the chanting of Hare Krishna or Lord Caitanya's Movement can be made copyrighted.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- New Vrindaban 17 June, 1969:

I thank you very much for you letter dated June 14, 1969, sent along with Krishna tapes #11 and #12. The tapes are done very nicely as always. The first thing is that I have written to Jadurani today that she may immediately return to you in Boston. There is some inconvenience in Hawaii for accommodating so many people because the landlady has said there are too many living there. So Jadurani will be returning very soon. I have advised her that she may go on Sankirtana Party in Boston. Regarding your present difficulty with the police, things are going by Krishna's desire, and it will be all right. Try to get recognition from the police that we are a non-profit religious organization. In Los Angeles they have got a permit for begging, so you inquire from Tamala Krishna, and get a copy from him of this permit. We are non-profit religious organization and we have so much expenditure, so try to get this permit. Please keep me posted as to how this is progressing.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1969:

As poet Cowper said, "Country is made by God, and city is made by man." Therefore, my special request is that you should try to maintain as many cows as possible in your New Vrindaban. The first thing is that whether the girls and women who live there are agreeable to work as I have suggested; namely 1) to take care of the children, both from health and educational point of view, 2) to keep the whole temple, kitchen, etc. very clean, (At the present moment, things are not kept very clean. You are right that if some outsiders come, they will view our situation as not very hygienic.), 3) cooking, 4) churning butter. If they agree to all these four principles, that is to say, if they cooperate with the boys, then surely very quickly New Vrindaban will develop as nicely as possible.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 2 July, 1969:

Regarding Mataji Syamadevi, she cannot live there at any circumstance. The first thing is that she does not know English, so what help will she be? She cannot speak to an audience, neither she has any knowledge of Krishna Consciousness philosophy. So why she should live with us? We should utilize all of our facilities for our own men. Besides that, she has got her ideas of Hindu sentiment, and she cannot be used for international Krishna Consciousness. She is interested in Hindus only, and otherwise she is useless. If she will donate money or Murtis, that is welcome, but she cannot live in the temple. We require space for so many other purposes. So don't commit any word that she may live there. If in the future, some tangible arrangements of cooperation can be adjusted, then she may live there; but I do not think this is going to be.

Letter to Raktaka -- Hamburg 6 September, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of September 1st, 1969, and I have noted the contents. For the time being there is no need of going to India. The first thing is that you do not know the Indian language. If you want to be really helpful to the society, at least for the time being you should remain in a place to take training to assist our society's work. I do not know what is the disadvantage for you in Montreal. If you feel some disadvantage, then come to Boston or Los Angeles for some time. In the meantime I am corresponding with Acyutananda in India. If he actually requires some assistance, I shall advise you later on. If you have got money, keep it carefully as it may be required later.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Hamburg 8 September, 1969:

I am very much concerned why ____ is not complying to the principles of the temple. The first thing is that nobody should enter my room for any other purpose except cleansing. Nobody can stay there or sleep there or anything. If she wants to worship Krishna in her own way, she must find an apartment outside the temple. She does not belong to the Vaisnava principles, therefore we cannot approve her Deity worship within the temple. Her example may be followed by others, therefore it must be stopped immediately. Regarding the house, it is not possible for us to pay such sums: it is untouchable. But if they are prepared to sell the house at 250,000 dollars when complete and finished, and accept 10% down payment, then we can consider to touch it.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- London 7 November, 1969:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated November 4, 1969 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding my going there, the first thing is that if I speak, one has to translate into German. That does not make any good speech; it hampers the natural flow of the speech and makes it not very much impressive. If you think the major portion of the audience can understand directly English, then it is much better. I am not very much enthusiastic to speak in a place where English is not directly understood. Besides that, I am expecting to be engaged in important business here, which will be ascertained on Monday next, November 10th. At that time I shall decide whether I shall go. If there is no very important engagement, then I shall go to Hamburg, and the decision will be informed to you by telegram on the 10th instant. You will have enough time for advertising because the meeting will be held sometime on the 23rd. So you will get confirmation at least 10 days in advance.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1970:

The first thing is that suppose we occupy that big house, what will happen to the present house which you have taken on lease agreement for three years? The present house being situated in a very important place, we have to think that by vacating this house we shall be losing a grand situation. Under the circumstances even though we occupy the big school house, whether we can utilize the present house or we shall keep this house as it is going on and we shall make another big attempt in that big house. So you have to consult amongst yourselves what to do in this connection.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- Surat 1 January, 1971:

I am also glad that you are continuing to send money into the "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit" with Dai Nippon. I am very eager to begin printing of new books and the first thing is clearing our bills to date. So the matter of proceeds from distribution of Books should be carefully done so that the returns may be immediately sent off to Dai Nippon. I have also written to Satsvarupa and Advaita that the plan for printing our Bhagavad-gita As It Is in enlarged edition should go on as soon as possible.

Letter to Karandhara -- Surat 1 January, 1971:

I am glad that you have found all our West Coast Temples to be going on nicely to the standard and I am also very enthusiastic for you to continue opening more branches as far as possible. But the first thing is that the already established Temples must be maintained and the second is that once a center is opened it may not be closed down. That is very bad. So all considerations must be done very thoughtfully and carefully.

Letter to Gerald -- ISKCON Akash Ganga Bldg; 89 Bhulabhai Desai Road; Bombay-26 India 19th February, 1971:

I am very glad that you are inquisitive to know the science of Krsna consciousness and you are already practically experiencing the awakening of transcendentally blissful love of God Krsna by the simple chanting of His Holy Names. This awakening of pure love of God is the ultimate perfection of all bona fide religious principles including Christian, Judaic, Mohammedan, Hindu, etc. Just as it is recorded that Lord Jesus Christ said that the first commandment is that one should love God with all his heart, and soul and mind. Similarly Krsna instructs that everyone should surrender unto Him in Love. Lord Jesus says that the first thing is to develop your love for God. Krsna is God. Krsna says to love Him only. So what is the difference between the original teachings of Lord Jesus Christ and Krsna?

Letter to Dr. Bali -- London 24 August, 1971:

So far going to Madras is concerned, the first thing is that we are now short of man power. Whatever men we have got in India are engaged in Calcutta, Bombay and Delhi. Still I am willing to go to South India provided you arrange for Azmaidan meeting.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Nairobi 26 September, 1971:

Yes, if we can establish such a Krishna Conscious school, certainly it will be very much attractive. That was my first suggestion in Bombay. The first thing is that we will have to select teachers. Whether our men who are already there will be able to teach. Of course teaching will be elementary. Satyabhama in New Vrindaban has written a book for children. So you can immediately ask her. I think many of our girls can take up this business. Lilavati, Satyabhama and I don't know who else; there are many who may take up this work. Some of them may go to India. But factually, so far I have studied the situation, American boys and girls are a little restless. So it is subject matter to be decided by the GBC and I think you should consult with all other GBC members how to do it. There are many things to be done in our missionary activities but the GBC is not yet very strong to take up all the things and do them nicely. There is a big project in Mayapur also. So consult seriously the GBC whether all these things can be taken in hand simultaneously. It requires a very cool brain and expert management.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay March 22, 1972:

I have received your letter of March 11, 1972, along with copy of MacMillan contract. Now, first thing is don't sign any contracts without hearing from me, I am thinking about the matter. There is some opinion that it may not be very much advantageous for us to enter such contracts with Macmillan Company. But first I want to know the opinion of Karandhara and others like Rupanuga and Bhagavan. So far Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that is already signed, so we must continue as we have agreed. But practically we have increased our book distribution now to exceed what they are able to do, and still we shall have to purchase our books from them at 50%, and because we shall account for most of the sales, plus do most of the advertising ourselves, then they are making huge profit while we do the work! This arrangement is not good. But one thing is, because they have published our book, therefore there is some prestige in that. Now if you can induce them to distribute very profusely our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by giving it big big publicity at their expense, then it is only fair and the agreement is all right.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

The first thing is that I am very much anxious for Hindi BTG composition. It must done immediately, otherwise how you can get it from Japan? It will take three to four months for each issue, so layout should be done four months ahead. Then in due time the printed copies will be received. So you concentrate on this point very seriously, and if Dr. Ramananda Rao is not sending translations, then you should translate and ask Radharamana Goswami to translate. This is the most important task.

Letter to Bhargava -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1972:

Our advancement in Krishna Consciousness is made possible in two ways, by Knowledge and renunciation, jnana and tyaga or tapasya. The more we become renounced from this material world, the more we advance in Krishna Consciousness. But we are only able to make such sacrifices and perform tapasya if we have got knowledge. So first thing is to become knowledgeable in Krishna Consciousness, then the tapasya or voluntary life of austerity will result automatically. So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. It is not a matter of changing our engagement, adjusting this or that material condition, in order to find our real happiness. Krishna Consciousness is not like that. It is able to be performed under any variety of material conditions or with any type of engagement.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

Your first job should be to make sure that every one of the devotees in your zone of management is reading regularly our literatures and discussing the subject matter seriously from different angles of seeing, and that they are somehow or other absorbing the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness philosophy. If they are fully educated in our philosophy and if they can get all of the knowledge and study it from every viewpoint, then very easily they will perform tapasya or renunciation and that will be their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So first thing is to instruct all of your temple presidents and the other devotees to read daily, just as we have done in our morning class in Los Angeles. You may remember that we were reading one sloka each morning in Sanskrit and reciting it altogether and then discussing it thoroughly by seeing different new things. So you introduce this system and train the devotees first.

Letter to Madhudvisa, Amogha -- Los Angeles 24 August, 1972:

Now I want all of you to work cooperatively and very frankly, that is our process, not that we shall always plot and scheme and write letters. Madhudvisa is GBC man for South Pacific zone, so his direction must be followed by everyone and all of the devotees there should address their problems to him for his consideration. One thing is, I have received some distressing report from Hong Kong from Bhurijana, that he is having some difficulty there, so I have assured him that you would send him some assistance very shortly to help him with our mission in Hong Kong. The first thing is to recruit many devotees there in Australia and send them out to the outlying districts such as Manilla and Hong Kong and Djakarta and other places and build up strength in these areas; otherwise, the one or two devotees in these places will become discouraged.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 15 September, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge your letter from Vrndavana dated September 3, 1972, with the letter from Mr. Suri's firm in New Delhi, and I have noted the contents carefully. The first thing is to develop our own place. There we must immediately build a temple. I wanted a temple like Govindaji's, is it so difficult that for the last six months you have consulted so many engineers? Any ordinary engineer can draw up the plans and get it passed. There has been so much unnecessary correspondence. We have sent two sets of plans, how is it that all the plans are being lost and you have not received them? So we cannot divert our attention further, but if they donate then we can spend very elaborately to renovate those temple. As for purchasing Kesighat Temple, we can see later on, we have to see to our own plot first. One thing is, are there any tenants in these temples? If so there is no question of purchase as there will be long process of litigation to remove them.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

So far your difficulty for controlling the sex urge, my advice in that connection is that the more you become Krsna conscious, that sex urge can be checked. That is the only way for checking the sex urge. First thing is, you have made promise when you took initiation that there will be no illicit sex connection. If still you are unable to fulfill that promise to your spiritual master, then what is the use of calling yourself devotee and disciple? That is simply pretending. So you should think like this, that I have promised my spiritual master this, now I must obey him without any exception, otherwise I have no business calling myself his disciple. That will be your austerity or tapasya for forcing you to make very rapid advancement in Krsna conscious understanding. Without tapasya there is no question of making advancement. So if still the material nature is so much attractive to you that you are unable to sacrifice things in this way, then better you give up the whole thing and do as you like outside.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- India 9 January, 1973:

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. So we are performing the actual welfare work of society by informing everyone through our literatures who is God, who they are, and what is the relationship. In this way everyone who hears our message gets the opportunity to fulfill his actual position as human entity and become delivered from the clutches of maya. So you may understand it that by disseminating our Krsna consciousness propaganda anywhere and everywhere, by selling books, by making publicity, newspapers, television, so many ways there are to spread Krsna consciousness information, you may know it that by utilizing our energy in this way to give everyone access to the Absolute Truth, that is the real understanding of desire to serve humanity.

Letter to Marie Priterel -- Calcutta 27 January, 1973:

It is most unfortunate to hear of the manner in which you have been mistreated by the doctors. But what can be done now about that? At least you have now had the good fortune to come in contact with my disciples. So now you can begin a new life. It does not matter that you do not live within our temple, since you say your health does not permit. But you can make your home a temple for Krsna. First thing is that you should try to follow strictly our regulative principles—no meat, fish or eggs; no intoxicants, including coffee, tea and cigarettes; no illicit sex; and no gambling. Try also to chant as many times as possible the Hare Krsna mantra on japa beads. You may keep a picture of Lord Krsna in your house and after cooking you may learn to offer the foodstuffs to the picture of Krsna. In this way the food you eat will be offered and be spiritual and will help you to advance spiritually. Whenever possible try to visit our temple and attend the kirtanas and discourses. I am sure that the temple president can suggest some way in which you can render some service, if you are willing.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Aticandra -- Bombay 4 January, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 16th, 1974 and have noted the contents. I think your idea is a little utopian. First thing is that one must understand Srimad-Bhagavatam fully. The first verse, if you simply explain, will take volumes and volumes. So, please study my books intensely and do not fail to chant 16 rounds daily following the four regulative principles strictly. This will make everything perfect.

Letter to Prabhanu -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-31-75 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your problem, first thing is that the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita is that one must learn to tolerate the sufferings due to the frailties of the material body. Whenever there is a material body, we have to expect birth, disease, old age and death. We don't want these things, but they are forced upon us, therefore we should try to attain that position in which these miseries will not be forced upon us—eternal life in the kingdom of God. Material life means great risk—at every step there is danger. But, a devotee is not jolted by this. He simply tries to render whatever service possible and accepts everything as the mercy of Krishna. So, you should carefully consider these points and do the needful.

Letter to Lalita Priya -- Perth, Australia 7 May, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 10th, 1975 and have noted the contents. I am happy to know that you are feeling blissful in our Krishna Consciousness movement. We should follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya and the six Goswamis of Vrndavana. They were always serving Krishna in the mood of separation. They never said that "now I have seen Krishna" or "last night I danced with Krishna"—No. They were crying where is Krishna, and they were always searching after Him, wondering when they would finally be able to see Him. We should also desire intensely to see and be with Krishna, but first thing is to become purified through devotional service. It is not possible otherwise. So, keep on helping me to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement, following the rules and regulations very carefully, and your life will be perfected and you will see Krishna.

Letter to Paul Diglio -- Bombay 15 November, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter and I am glad to know that you have a sincere interest in this Krsna consciousness movement. Now you should try to become strong in Krsna consciousness. The first thing is to chant 16 rounds minimum on the beads and it is best to do this in the association of others who also desire to progress in spiritual life. So you should try to remain at one of our temples; that will help you. You should also read my books very carefully and you should render service. Tad viddhi pranipatena/ pariprasnena sevaya (BG 4.34). Service must be there. So you have to find out some service that you can render. Then your progress will be very quick.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dixit -- Vrindaban 18 September, 1976:

So we shall have to teach character and spiritual understanding to the young children. To study other things as a high grade scholar is secondary for us. The first thing is to build up character and be experienced in the understanding of the conclusions of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, hari namanukirtanam, iti nirnitam—it is decided, there is no more need of research work.

Page Title:First thing is... (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:14 of Aug, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=35
No. of Quotes:35