Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Form of Krsna (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"Forms of Radha and Krishna" |"He assumes a form" |"He is in the same form" |"His Arca Vigraha form" |"His Form" |"His different forms" |"His original Krishna form" |"His personal form" |"His transcendental form" |"Krishna Himself in the Form of" |"Krishna assumed the form" |"Krishna has no form" |"Krishna in the form" |"Krishna's Name, qualities, form" |"Krishna's Pastimes, Form" |"Krsna Himself in the form" |"Krsna appeared in the form" |"Krsna form" |"Krsna has a body" |"Krsna has no form" |"Krsna has so many forms" |"Krsna in His original form" |"Krsna in tangible form" |"Krsna in the form" |"Krsna is available in the human form" |"Krsna is equally there in both these forms" |"Krsna is the original form" |"Krsna's form" |"Krsna's personal form" |"My original transcendental form" |"Radha-Krishna in Their Original Form" |"Sri Krishna, His Name, Form" |"form and pastimes of Sri Krsna" |"form as Krsna" |"form as Lord Krsna" |"form as Sri Krsna" |"form of Krishna" |"form of Krsna" |"form of Lord Krsna" |"form of Lord Sri Krsna" |"form of Radha Krsna" |"form of Sri Krsna" |"form or body of Krishna" |"forms like Radha-Krsna" |"forms of Krsna" |"forms of Lord Krsna" |"forms of the Lord" |"this transcendental form"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "form* Krsna*"@5 or "form* Krishna*"@5 or "His Form" or "His different forms"

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Anand Prakash -- Bombay 14 August, 1958:

Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krishna Himself in the Form of a devotee preached the cult of the Bhagavad-gita for all practical purposes and benefit of the humanity at large. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that a person who takes the responsibility of preaching the Bhakti cult by all means is the most most favorite person of the lord. This mission has to be taken up in the modern light of understanding and for this purpose I have registered __ association of the name as above mentioned.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 7 March, 1967:

Gita Press is full of Mayavada Philosophy which says Krishna has no form but He assumes a form for facility of devotional service. This is nonsense. I am just trying to wipe out this Mayavada philosophy and you may not therefore order for any more copy of the English Bhagavatam published by the Gita Press. The one which you have got may be kept only for reference on having an understanding of the Mayavada Philosophy which is very dangerous for ordinary person

Letter to Syamasundara -- New York 21 May, 1967:

Regarding your inquiry about the valuable woodred you have secured, I would advise you to attempt carving Lord Caitanya and His associates Murtis as I am sending herewith the specimen. If possible you can carve also the Forms of Radha and Krishna separately. If not you can go on carving the same three Forms of Jagannatha brother and sister because we have to open many centers one after another. I wish to open two centers immediately one in Los Angeles as suggested by Haridasa and other in Vancouver. I have a friend in Vancouver who is devotee of Srimad-Bhagavatam Puranam and with his help we can open a centre at Vancouver.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Vrindaban 24 August, 1967:

I am so much pleased to receive your letter of 8/16/67, and it has given me much encouragement for your being advanced in K.C. Sincere souls who are engaged in the service of Lord Krishna are benedicted by the Lord by revelation. Sri Krishna, His Name, Form, Entourage, Paraphernalia and Pastimes are not material; they are purely spiritual. Therefore, in the beginning they are not appreciated by our materially conditioned senses, but as we go on chanting Hare Krishna with service mood and attitude, the Name, Qualities, etc., become revealed as Reality. For the Unbeliever Krishna and His Name etc are fictitious, but those who are advanced in K.C. realize that K.C. is pure and eternal.

I am very glad that you are gradually realizing these truths. I very much appreciate your attempt for a photo book of the Sankirtana movement. I have cent percent support for your noble attempt, and I am sure Hayagriva will be able to help you in this respect as he has so many facts at his disposal. I shall try to send some photo.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 19 October, 1967:

It was a great pleasure to note the contents, now you have nicely expressed your real mind, In your previous Letter in which I saw a little tendency of being turned by foolish Kirtanananda. but I was confident that Kirtanananda was not so strong as he would be able to defeat you. I was completely confident of your sincerity of service & my choice of your being president of the society is right. I may disclose herewith that I never took Kirtanananda into complete confidence but I was trying to improve his position because he has also rendered much personal service to me. I am very much obliged to him for the service as I am to my other disciples & I am very sorry that Maya has taken advantage of his disobedience & he has fallen to Maya's illusion—but he should not continue for a very long time as I will always pray to Krishna for his recovery. For the time being he should simply chant Hare Krishna without any attempt at lecturing. The impersonalist cannot render any service to Krishna because he is a great offender. Under the circumstances, Krishna will not accept food prepared by Kirtanananda in his present diseased condition. If he at all wants to render service to Krishna he may be engaged at washing dishes & this will improve his condition. You will be glad to know that the US consular office has granted me visitors visa and yesterday I've asked the travel agent to arrange for my seat. So in all probability I am sure to return to USA as early as possible—just after my return from Lord Caitanya's birth place. Be assured always that Krishna is transcendental Personality & men with poor fund of knowledge cannot understand what is this transcendental form. Our Society for Krishna Consciousness stands pledged to this philosophy & I require strong men such as yourself for preaching this cult in this world. I am very glad that you are trying to understand this philosophy & there is nothing to be sorry about your being misled by Kirtanananda. It is not in his power to mislead a sincere soul such as yourself; but I must congratulate Gargamuni, the simple boy, who never believed in impersonalism. He is your younger brother as important as Lord Laksmana was younger brother to Lord Rama. I am very glad that that this simple & honest boy has saved you from calamity. I am praying to Krishna to bless you, your brother Gargamuni, Rupanuga etc. for their eternal life in Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Navadvipa 2 November, 1967:

I very much appreciate your version that Rayarama is roaring like a Lion-cub. I wish that every one of you should be Lion's descendant. Our Lord Krishna assumed the form of Lion & killed the atheist, Hiranyakasipu, & by disciplic succession we shall also kill all impersonalist atheist. Absolutely there is no Krishna Consciousness for the impersonalist. Hope you are well.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 1 February, 1968:

Sri means opulence, auspicity. And therefore before remembering any friend or superior, the Sri word is prefixed in so many forms. The real word is Sri; the others are all different forms of Sri. Yes, Lord Jagannatha is in the Spiritual Sky; every form of Krishna is in the Spiritual Sky. Ekadasi is observed for increasing the strength of devotion.

Yes, the analogy concerning the spiritual body of the Sat-Guru is acceptable, but not in the material sense. In the material world, the gold box and the gold plated box may be different in price, but in spiritual world there is no such distinction. There the gold box and the gold plated box are the same. In material world there is difference between a sweeper and a cooker; in the spiritual world a person who sweeps the Temple and a person who worships in the Temple are all the same. That is absolute knowledge.

Letter to Janardana -- New York 26 April, 1968:

Regarding Kirtanananda's letter, I may inform you that I always think of him and pray to Krishna for his good sense. That is my duty. Anyone who comes to me for my help or wants advance in Krishna Consciousness, and whom I initiate and accept as my disciple, I must pray for him and his welfare always. So Kirtanananda personally served me, especially during my illness, which I always remember. But because somehow or other he has misunderstood our activities that does not mean that I am no longer his well wisher. I write at the end of my letters to my disciples, "Your ever well-wisher", and as such, I cannot become otherwise than being ever well-wisher of my disciples, even though he may leave me. So I was praying to Krishna that He may save Kirtanananda from his misunderstanding and if ever he chanted Hare Krishna at least once in sincere heart, I am sure Krishna would not allow him to go out of his influence. Therefore, I believe that he can never forget the Form of Krishna, neither he can deny His Personality. It is good news that he is trying to establish a new Vrindaban, which I suggested through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if he is successful, in his attempt, certainly it will be considered a great benediction upon him by Lord Krishna. When I offered him Sannyas, I expected such great achievements through him and if Krishna desires, he will come out successful in his great attempt. Yes, I expressed my desire to go there through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if I am invited, to go there, by Kirtanananda Swami, it will be my great pleasure to see the place and enjoy his company.

Letter to Purusottama -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

Your second question, "Why did Arjuna ask Krishna to go to His four armed form rather than His two armed form after Krishna had showed Arjuna His Visvarupa?" Because he understood that Krishna is the original Narayana. After seeing His Visvarupa, Arjuna was accustomed to see Krishna with two hands, but when he saw the Visvarupa, he understood Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, he requested Him to revert to the original Form of Narayana. Then, Krishna after showing him the Narayana form, again to revert to His original Krishna form. Krishna explained that Narayana form is not original, but Krishna form in two hands is the original and even the demigods desire to see this form.

Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968:

The science of Krishna Consciousness is transcendental science which is never understood by materialistic persons. Therefore, the Vedas order is that one must approach a spiritual master to understand that transcendental science. And the qualification of a spiritual master is that he has to have received the knowledge similarly from a bona fide spiritual master, and the result is that a spiritual master is completely convinced of the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he is fixed. That is the qualification of the spiritual master. In other words, this science is appreciated by service attitude only. It is never understood by any challenging spirit. One who is submissive and ready to give aural reception of the transcendental message, to him only the transcendence becomes revealed. So the more you become in service attitude for Krishna, Krishna will reveal Himself to you. Krishna is within you and He is awaiting your surrender and service, and as soon as He sees that you are seriously in serving mood, you will understand everything about Krishna—His qualities, His form, His pastimes, His entourage, and His abode. I am very glad to know that you are gradually stepping upwards by your service attitude and I would request you to prolong this attitude eternally, and Krishna will reveal Himself unto you continually. In other words, Krishna is unlimited, but the more we advance in service attitude, we appreciate Him in newer and newer features.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 16, 1968, and it is very encouraging that Devananda is combating with Mr. Jarvis representing Maharishi Mahesa. Yes, in each and every such meeting you should go and challenge these persons, but you must be equipped very strongly with conclusions of the Bhagavad-gita. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that the first class yogi is he who has in his heart always the eternal form of Krishna. I could not follow what Devananda said to the Jerry Jarvis when he said that he was also worshiping Krishna. It is very good to argue with him even at the suspension of meetings, and it is very good enthusiasm.

Letter to Harer Nama -- Los Angeles 1 December, 1968:

It is very nice that you are preparing these puppet stories of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Such program will not fail to have an uplifting effect upon the viewers as well as the players. So do this nicely, it shall be very good. I also understand from your letter that you and Tosana working outside to support the Santa Fe temple. This is all right and you should continue with this. Our program is that no matter what our engagement may be, we shall perform it in Krishna Consciousness, chanting Hare Krishna and thinking about something of Krishna, His Name, His Form, His Beauty, etc. This will bring the highest benediction of our life and by executing the same we shall elevate not only ourself but similarly we will elevate those with which we come into association.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 4 December, 1968:

Regarding your first question, is it offensive to think of Krishna's Pastimes while chanting, I think you should know that it is not offensive, but rather it is required. One must try for the point when he simply hears Krishna and immediately all of Krishna, His Pastimes, His Form, His Quality, are in his thoughts. So to always be immersed in thoughts of Krishna this is our process. When we are full in Krishna then where there can be any chance for maya in us? So this is our duty to remember Krishna's Pastimes. One who cannot remember Krishna, let him always hear Hare Krishna and then when he has perfected this art, then always he will remember Krishna, His Activities, His Qualities, etc.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1969:

Regarding your question about why we dress the Deities in very opulent fashion and not as simple cowherds boy and girl, this is an intelligent question and the answer is that according to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. We worship Radha-Krishna because Laksmi-Narayana is there also, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna with our present Deity ceremonies; we are worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. Narayana is there when Krishna is there, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna in Their Original Form. This is why we should worship Radha-Krishna in Their Laksmi-Narayana feature with all respect and reverence. If we deviate from this standard then we shall be prakrta sahajiya, or a person who takes things very cheap. We worship Laksmi-Narayana, and because Radha-Krishna includes Laksmi-Narayana, there is no necessity of installing a Laksmi-Narayana Deity. It is just like a king who is engaged in administering justice. Actually that business belongs to the justice department. But what is that justice department? It is all part of the kings energy, and the king also has the power to execute this function.

Letter to Syama -- Hawaii 30 March, 1969:

I thank you for your very nice sentiments. I hope by this time you must have improved your health and very soon you will be able to work fully along with your good husband. I think by the will of Krishna you two good souls, Hayagriva and yourself, are combined now to fulfill my mission of publishing the whole of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krishna is sufficiently powerful and able to give facilities to His devotees provided a devotee works very sincerely to please Him. We shall always keep this motto in our view, and it is very nice to hear that you are feeling separation from most beautiful Syamasundara, but you are satisfied by chanting His Holy Name. Syamasundara is not different from His Name. Krishna's Name, qualities, form, fame, abode and paraphernalia, all are identical with Krishna. So if we take advantage of associating with any one of them that makes us fixed up in our eternal relationship with Syamasundara.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- New York 10 April, 1969:

Regarding Jadurani's question, hearing the vibration of Hare Krishna automatically reminds one of Krishna's Pastimes. So both of them arise simultaneously in the mind when one is sincerely chanting. So you cannot make any distinction between listening to the sound and thinking of the Pastimes. But the process is to hear, and then Krishna's Pastimes, Form, Qualities, etc. will automatically come to mind: That is very nice.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

Regarding your question about Krishna's Name, the first principle is that Krishna is Absolute. He is not only identical with His Name, but with His Qualities, Form, Pastimes, Paraphernalia, etc. Krishna is identical with the whole creation because the creation means the expansion of Krishna's energy. The energy is never different from the source of the energy as much as heat and light are never different from the fire. The quality of fire is there existing both in heat and light. Naturally Krishna is not different from anything, and what to speak of His Transcendental Name? This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita where Krishna says that "everything is resting on Me, but I am not everything." This simultaneously one and different philosophy should be carefully understood. Then our Krishna Consciousness will be more clear.

Regarding Lord Jagannatha, He is the unfinished carved form of Krishna. One king named Indradyumna wanted to establish a Jagannatha temple some thousands of years ago, but while the Deities were being carved by the heavenly carpenter, Visva Karma, the king was in too much haste, and he established the half-finished Deities in the temple. Jagannatha means the Lord of the universe. That is Krishna. Krishna as the only one Lord of everything is confirmed in the Brahma Samhita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya Caritamrta, and all Vedic literature. Rathayatra is celebrating the occasion when Lord Krishna, or Lord Jagannatha attended one religious functional occasion in Kuruksetra along with His elder brother and younger sister in a big chariot.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

Regarding Lord Jagannatha, He is the unfinished carved form of Krishna. One king named Indradyumna wanted to establish a Jagannatha temple some thousands of years ago, but while the Deities were being carved by the heavenly carpenter, Visva Karma, the king was in too much haste, and he established the half-finished Deities in the temple. Jagannatha means the Lord of the universe. That is Krishna. Krishna as the only one Lord of everything is confirmed in the Brahma Samhita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya Caritamrta, and all Vedic literature. Rathayatra is celebrating the occasion when Lord Krishna, or Lord Jagannatha attended one religious functional occasion in Kuruksetra along with His elder brother and younger sister in a big chariot.

Letter to Bhagavan -- London 9 November, 1969:

Regarding your final question, it is a fact that when one is contact with Krishna, His Name, His Qualities, His Form, His Pastimes, immediately he becomes purified. But because we are conscious living entities, the proportion depends on our conscious acceptance. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that Lord Krishna responds proportionately to the service of the devotee. Another example is that the sunlight is open for everyone and for every place, but to enjoy the sunlight or to take advantage of the sunlight depends on the proportionate arrangement by the receiver. Prosecution of devotional service means gradual purification and proportionate revelation of Krishna Consciousness

Letter to Harold Torf -- London 15 November, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter dated November 11, 1969, and I am so much obliged to you for your kindly offering me your service. You are rightly placed by Krishna's Grace under Brahmananda, and you try to follow his instructions. As soon as he will recommend, I shall initiate you; most probably when I return to Boston. Your picture shows you are a very nice boy, promising to become a good Vaisnava in the future. Krishna has sent you for being taken care of by us, so we shall do our best. You also kindly try to follow our instructions. Regarding Omkar, you may know that Om is the impersonal sound form of Krishna. Those who are unable to utter immediately the Sweet Name of Krishna, they are recommended to chant Om. Just like a child is taught to make a particular type of sound, and thus he learns the name of father, mother and other relatives. That is the beginning. So in the beginning, Om is the right vibration of transcendental sound, and the meaning is to address the Supreme Lord. Our business is directly with the Supreme Lord. Impersonal feature of the Lord is just like the illumination of the lamp. The lamp is the more important thing. You will gradually understand all these features of the Absolute Truth if you read Bhagavad-gita and adhere to the regulative principles. If there is difficulty in understanding, you consult with Brahmananda, or still further you send your inquiry tome. Thank you very much for your letter. I hope this will meet you in good health.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Executive Senior Editor of Los Angeles Times -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1970:

Unfortunately all the Swamis who came before me in this country stressed the impersonal aspect of God without sufficient knowledge of Personal aspect of God. In the Bhagavad-gita, therefore it is said that only less intelligent persons consider that God is originally impersonal but when He incarnates He assumes a Form. But Krishna philosophy based on the authority of the Vedas is that originally the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His plenary expansion is present in everyone's heart in His localized aspect and the impersonal Brahman effulgence is the transcendental light and heat distributed everywhere. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that the aim of Vedic way of searching out the Absolute Truth is to find out the Personal God. If one is satisfied only with the other aspects of the Absolute Truth namely the Paramatma feature or the Brahma feature—such person is to be considered as one possessed of poor fund of knowledge. Recently we have published our "Isopanisad" a Vedic literature and in this small booklet we have thoroughly discussed this point.

Letter to Linda -- Los Angeles 19 February, 1970:

Regarding your questions about the difference between the picture of Krsna and the Deity, Krsna is equally there in both these forms. Krsna is so kind that he agrees to appear, for the benefit of the conditioned soul, in eight different kinds of forms. Such form is called arca or the form of the Lord manifested through material agency as metal, earth, wood, painting, stone, jewel, drawing, and mind. The arca is accepted as incarnation of God, and is worshiped by regulations. Generally the installed Deities are so worshiped and the regulative principles should be strictly followed in regard to Them.

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 7 April, 1970:

Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva Deities require profusely Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garland of Tulasi leaves. Tulsi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. But we must be very careful that Tulasi leaves cannot be placed on the feet of anyone else except Lord Visnu and His different forms. Tulasi leaves cannot be placed even on the lotus feet of Radharani or on the lotus feet of the Spiritual Master. It is entirely reserved for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. We can place, however, Tulasi leaves in the hands of Radharani for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna, as you have seen on the Govinda Album.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 24 April, 1970:

I am glad to learn that George is chanting now Hare Krishna with you, and that will make him advanced. You write to say that George is still not convinced that there is not something beyond the form or body of Krishna. He is thinking that beyond Krishna there is an unmanifest God. These are all vague questions. I think by unmanifest God he means impersonal Brahman. This is quite natural for persons who try to understand God by their own endeavor.

God cannot be understand by such ascending process of speculation. You can give a common example how God cannot be understood by ascending process. Take for example that there was one Mr. John who was the great-grandfather of the great-grandfather of George. So if George wants to know about this Mr. John, his forefather, is it possible for him to know about Mr. John by speculation? He has to know about Mr. John by family history spoken by his father or grandfather. Similarly, God is the Supreme Father, so if anyone wants to know about God, he must try to understand Him through the history of creation. This is called Parampara system. This Bhagavad-gita is spoken by God Himself, and that is the best source of knowing about God. He cannot be known by our limited exercise of the senses. The difficulty of understanding God as person is that as soon as there is conception of person we think of God as a person like us. Therefore, in the Vedas, the personality of God is described in different ways which are distinct from our personalities.

The Veda says that God has no legs or hands, but still He accepts all the sacrificial offerings. He has no eyes, but He can see everywhere—past, present, and future. He has no ears, and still He hears everything that you are talking. He knows every nook and corner, but nobody knows Him, what He is. He has nothing to do, and nobody is equal to or greater than Him. He has got immense potencies and therefore everything in His creation is performed as perfectly as anything. In the Bhagavad-gita also there are many statements confirming the above Vedic descriptions. So when Vedas say that He has no hands and legs, He has no eyes, He has no ears, but still He can accept our sacrificial offerings and He can see everything, these statements clearly indicate that God has hands and legs, but they are not exactly like ours. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find that Krishna says "I am sitting in everyone's heart, and from Me one remembers, forgets, speculates, and so on."

His name is Hrsikesa which means the Master of All Senses. We are exercising our senses, therefore, according to His direction. In that sense, if every living entity is working under His direction, then all the legs and hands which are existing all over his creation are His legs and hands. We are simply instrumental. When the Veda says that He has nothing to do, it means that He has so many hands and legs that personally He has nothing to do. It is not very difficult to understand that a big business man is sitting in his room and thousands of workers are engaged in different activities under his direction. So practically the business man's brain is working, but when we see the business man alone in the room we see that he is not working. So we have to understand God from authoritative sources by spiritual education by being trained under the experienced guidance of a self-realized personality, otherwise how we can understand such vast subject matter delineating about God?

So George's question that there is something beyond Krishna is answered by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita that there is nothing superior beyond Himself. Krishna is the original Cause of all causes. This is the fact. If He wants to know the subject matter clearly, then he should be prepared to receive the knowledge from the right source, and if he wants to consult such persons who have no knowledge of the soul or God, then how can he learn about the transcendental subject matter? If he is serious to know about these things, then he must know it from the proper channel. You cannot learn music from a carpenter. If you want to learn music, then you have to approach an expert musician. So how he can learn about God from persons like Vivekananda who had no preliminary knowledge of the soul, even? So best thing is if he is serious to know about God, tell him to begin reading Vedic literatures, and we have published our Isopanisad. Let him seriously read this book and whenever he has to question, he can ask from us, but he should always remember that he should try to know about God from a person who is in touch with God, not from a speculator.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 14 May, 1970:

Regarding your question about the term "unmanifest" in the Bhagavad-gita 8/21, there are two words in Sanskrit—aprakata which means "unmanifest" or "nonmanifest" and prakata which means "manifest". Krsna's Lila in Vrndavana is prakata or manifest Lila, and the same is going on eternally in the spiritual realm which is known as aprakata or nonmanifest. Actually Krsna's planet and Krsna's pastimes are going on eternally, and the same is manifested before the conditioned souls at certain intervals, that is to say once in one day of Brahma, exactly as the sun is visible for 12 hours once in a 24 hour cycle of day and night. When the sun is visible it is called prakata, and when the sun is not visible that is called aprakata or unmanifested. Nonmanifested therefore does not mean there is no existence, but the terms are used in relation to the visibility or nonvisibility to the limited conditioned souls.

Krsna by His causeless mercy manifests Himself along with His form, name, qualities, entourage, and pastimes in order to attract the conditioned souls to the eternal blissful life of knowledge. Thus by understanding Krsna in His manifest Lila one is attracted to His eternal Lila, and that is the highest success of life which is explained in the latter part of the verse

yam prapya na nivartante
tat dhama paramam mama

"Going, no one ever returns from that, My Supreme Abode."

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 15 May, 1970:

Regarding your question about Lord Jagannatha and Lord Krsna, Jagannatha is Krsna. Krsna's childhood up to His 15th year He lives in Vrndavana. Radharani is His childhood friend. But Krsna, after returning to His father's home at Dvaraka, came to see Kuruksetra during some solar eclipse. At that time His sister Subhadra and brother Balarama also came in a chariot, and this incident is worshiped as Jagannatha Rathayatra. The conclusion is that Jagannatha and Krsna is the same.

So Krsna when He is with His brother and sister, He is Jagannatha, and when He is with His village girl-friends that is Radha-Krsna with Gopis. So Whomever you worship, it is the same, but if you like to worship Jagannanth you can continue it and it is as good as worshiping Radha-Krsna. Krsna has so many forms, and which ever form you worship it is all the same, but you should worship that form which you like most.

Letter to Sriman Murthy -- Los Angeles 22 May, 1970:

You have mentioned about your dilemma between Krsna and your parents, and in this connection I may inform you that parents are available in any kind of birth. Either you take your birth as a human being or as an animal, there is a set of parents. But Krsna is available in the human form of body, so Krsna is more important than the parents. So do not miss the opportunity of your present human form of body. Try to understand Krsna, and make you life successful.

Letter to Makhanlal -- Los Angeles 3 June, 1970:

Regarding your special worshipment of Lord Nityananda: Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung, "Gauranga balite habe . . . etc." when that time will come when torrents of tears shall pour from my eyes simply by uttering the Name of Gauranga. It is not that one should worship one and neglect the others. So the symptoms of Lord Nityananda's mercy are exhibited according to the description of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura by the detachment from material sense enjoyment, because without being freed from the attachment for material sense enjoyment, nobody can enter into the transcendental pastime of Radha and Krsna.

Radha and Krsna lila or pastime is perfectly understood by following the instructions of the six Goswamis. So all these favors and mercy of the Acaryas and Incarnations go together. It is not that if I receive favor of one section I shall be reluctant to receive favor of other sections. It is very good symptom to have received Lord Nityananda's favor, but if we are actually favored by Lord Nityananda our business will be to please Lord Caitanya. And if Lord Caitanya is pleased, then we easily understand the truth of Radha Krsna through the mercy of the Goswamis.

So the above verse means that as soon as one will chant the name of Lord Caitanya he will feel a transcendental ecstasy. All of us should wait for this stage of life. The transcendental ecstatic symptoms certainly become manifested in a devotee's body, but they should not be exhibited amongst common men. When Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Roy, both of them felt this ecstasy by embracing one another. But as soon as Lord Caitanya saw that Ramananda Roy was in the company of some outsider brahmanas, He checked Himself. This is already described in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, but they are not for advertising to others. One should not advertise directly or indirectly that one is feeling like this. They should be checked. Otherwise one will gradually become sahajiya or one who takes spiritual advancement as something materially manifest. Actual spiritual advancement means detachment for everything material. So our activities are nothing material. Detachment from material activities, means attachment for spiritual activities, devotional service. After all, our energy has to be utilized, so when it is materially detached it means with greater enthusiasm our spiritual activities increase.

So Lord Caitanya is combined form of Radha Krsna. If Caitanya is pleased, Radha and Krsna automatically become pleased. Now our mission, Krsna consciousness mission, is to execute the will of Lord Caitanya. In this old age whatever I am trying to do it is just to give a little service according to my capacity to Lord Caitanya's mission. I have not come here for some personal credit in this old age. I have also come here under the order of my Spiritual Master who is non-different from Lord Nityananda.

You are all helping me in the execution of my mission so please do not try to do anything beyond the jurisdiction of my instructions. My will I have already disclosed to you all that each and every one of you should chant the Mahamantra regularly in sixteen rounds, follow the four regulative principles, chant Hare Krsna mantra on the streets, try to distribute our books and literature, and specifically in San Francisco you should observe the annual Ratha Yatra festival very gorgeously. I can assure you that if you follow my instruction as above mentioned there is no doubt about it that through me my spiritual Master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura will be pleased, and through His mercy Lord Nityananda will be pleased. In this way Lord Caitanya and ultimately Radha Krsna will be pleased, and thus your life will be successful.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1970:

Those who are too much engrossed in sense gratification cannot be allowed in the matter of arcana to touch the transcendental form of Radha Krsna or Visnu Deities. For them it is better to meditate upon the gigantic Virata Rupa form of the Lord as it is recommended in the next verse. The impersonalist and the voidist are therefore recommended to meditate upon the universal form of the Lord, whereas the devotees are recommended to meditate on the Deity worship in the temple. So because the impersonalist and voidist are not sufficiently purified in their spiritual activities arcana is not meant for them.

Letter to P. Gangulee -- Tokyo 16 August, 1970:

Please accept my greetings. I beg to thank you for your kind letter, reference number F.562/01/M, dated 10 August, 1970.

In this connection I may inform you that although there is no law by which the Temples can bar anyone's entry in India, still sometimes practically I have felt the difficulty in respect of my American and European disciples. Last time when I was in India one of my students, Harivilasa Brahmacari, felt the same difficulty when he was in the Temple of Jagannatha Puri. Similarly one disciple was refused entry in the Ranganatha Temple in Vrndavana.

So if you kindly issue a general letter, suggestively reading as follows:

"Certified disciple of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, the missionary preacher of Vaisnava cult in the Western world, is strictly following the Vaisnava regulations. They are regularly initiated in Vaisnava culture. They have changed their names in the form of Krsna das or servant of God, and are following the regulative principles very strictly, worshiping the Lord in the Temple, and thus they are converted Vaisnavas in the strict sense of the term. No Temple authority of India should therefore restrict them in the matter of offering their respects to the Deities or chanting the Hare Krsna Mahamantra within the vicinity of the Temple."

Of course each and everyone of my students will carry an authorized certificate of initiation and if it is accompanied by a copy of letter as above mentioned, I think that will be a great satisfaction for me.

I hope you will kindly send me this letter and in the meantime I am advising Sriman Dinesh Candra Dasa Adhikari to see the Consular Division of your Embassy in the matter of getting the necessary visa.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Gorakhpur 16 February, 1971:

At the present moment, I am staying in a big bungalow of Gita Press of Gorakhpur. Temporarily we have installed nice big Deities and people are coming here to the fullest extent of the hall. Our preaching on the basis of Personal God is almost revolutionary in India also. Last night somebody said that Aurobindo is greater than Krsna. So this is the world situation. Somebody is Krsna Himself, somebody is greater than Krsna, somebody says Krsna has no form, somebody says that Krsna is dead and so on. Our program is to offer vehement protest against all these nonsensical declarations. I am so glad to know that you are preaching alone assisted by a Brahmacari at Gainesville and it is very encouraging that you are introducing our philosophy in schools, colleges, etc. This should be our present program of work. If you can introduce our books in the schools and colleges and libraries and preach there about our philosophy, that will be a great success.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- London August 20, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th August, 1971, and have noted the contents. I am so glad to note that book distribution is going on nicely. Also there are many Krsna Books in L.A., so if you want to, you can ask Karandhara to send some. That will be nice.

Rahul is a good boy, coming from a good family and very qualified. So keep him very affectionately. Treat him as a younger brother or son, and so nicely that he will never want to go away. Whatever foodstuffs he wants may be given to him. Always he should be kept engaged translating and it should be checked by Ramananda and Ksirodakasayi because you don't know Hindi.

There is so much new information in our books and the Hindi reading public will appreciate it, because our subject matter is new to everyone. God has always been a vague idea. So most people are impersonalists or voidists. Perhaps for the first time in the world we are giving the people a clear idea of what is God. Although God, or Krsna, was existing in the world, but demons like Kamsa wanted to kill Him. Therefore people have no clear idea. So this is the first time we are placing Krsna in tangible form with a clear idea of His name, fame, qualities, pastimes, etc.

That Madison Square program was simply speculation. Syamasundara had some vague idea about it, but it has proved not at all substantial for our purposes.

Letter to Patty Dorgan -- Delhi 17 November, 1971:

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! At least I don't think your father is trying to kill you. And after Krishna in the form of Lord Nrsimhadeva came and killed Hiranyakasipu, Prahlada prayed to Krishna to have mercy on his demon father. So we must take the instruction to respect our parents, and to be kind and very tolerant and patient with them, and very soon I promise you everything will be all right.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Lalitananda -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter dated August 26, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully, along with your check for $50, which has been duly deposited in my Book Fund. Thank you very much. As for your questions, Lalitananda means one who takes his pleasure from Lalita, who is one of the chief Gopis around Krishna. So you are the servant of one who takes his bliss from Lalita. Yes, if there is arrangement for swinging the deities sometimes, that is all right. Anything may be done which will be pleasing to the Lord, and He is often fond of swinging motions. You may place cows and peacocks on the altar at Montreal, that will be nice. So far I am concerned, I have no objection if there is carved form of guru on the Guru-Gauranga altar, but one thing, is unless that sculptor is very excellent, it should not be attempted. How will you get photos from all angles of vision for the carving process? Unless it can be done very nicely, just perfectly realistic, he should not do it. Yes, God is always there in His Arca Vigraha form, either as Krishna or Rama or Caitanya, whatever. So He must be offered all respects as if He is there personally present, and if you are always sincerely chanting and following our Krishna Consciousness programme of chanting and other things you will very quickly develop the eyes to see Krishna there.

So far installing deity in your home is concerned, better to wait until you move into the temple when you are little older. Meanwhile try and attend to the temple as often as you are able, and always without fail daily chant 16 rounds and follow the four prohibitive restrictions, and in due course of time you will feel yourself becoming happier more and more in Krishna Consciousness.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Devamaya -- Bombay 9 January, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 6th 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for your burfis. Regarding your questions, there is no special planet for the Lord in His form of Lord Jagannatha. This particular lila was performed with His brother and sister when They were on this planet. If you are attracted to worshiping this form of the Lord, then you will go to Krishna. Lord Jagannatha is Krishna. You ask about what kind of food He likes to eat most. That you cannot prepare. If you sometimes come to Jagannatha Puri, then you can see. You should not give them any clubs to hold. It is not necessary.

Letter to Bhakta Steven Knapp -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your long letter how you are appreciating this philosophy. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that out of thousands of men, only one takes an interest in the perfection of human life. The perfection of human life is to develop one's dormant love for God, and thus be released from the terrible cycle of birth and death. People are so foolish that they simply waste time in temporary pursuits of material happiness, eating, sleeping, defending and enjoying sex life. Especially sex life. The sum and substance of material life is attraction for the opposite sex. The sum and substance of spiritual life is attraction to Krishna.

So to develop attraction for Krishna is not difficult, you simply have to hear about Krishna, his activities, his name, his form and his teaching in Bhagavad-gita. Naturally you will develop love for Krishna, because we are all part and parcel of Krishna. The beginning process is to Chant Hare Krishna, follow the four regulative principles and associate with devotees, and take Prasadam of Krishna. I think you are now living in the temple of Krishna, so these things will be very easy for you to practice.

Page Title:Form of Krsna (Letters)
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas
Created:24 of Apr, 2013
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=36
No. of Quotes:36