Good souls

Expressions researched:
"good soul" |"good souls"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 2.41, Purport:

The resolute purpose of a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is based on knowledge. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the rare good soul who knows perfectly that Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa, is the root of all manifested causes. As by watering the root of a tree one automatically distributes water to the leaves and branches, so by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one can render the highest service to everyone—namely self, family, society, country, humanity, etc. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied by one's actions, then everyone will be satisfied.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 13.26, Purport:

This verse is particularly applicable to modern society because in modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters. Some of the people may appear to be atheistic or agnostic or philosophical, but actually there is no knowledge of philosophy. As for the common man, if he is a good soul, then there is a chance for advancement by hearing. This hearing process is very important. Lord Caitanya, who preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the modern world, gave great stress to hearing because if the common man simply hears from authoritative sources he can progress, especially, according to Lord Caitanya, if he hears the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.5.33, Translation:

O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a disease which was caused by that very same thing?

SB 1.9.12, Translation:

Bhīṣmadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible injustices you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion personified. You did not deserve to remain alive under those tribulations, yet you were protected by the brāhmaṇas, God and religion.

SB 1.13.39, Purport:

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, as a good soul and devotee of the Lord, was always conscious of the great loss of his aunt and her sufferings as an ascetic. An ascetic is never disturbed by all kinds of sufferings, and that makes him strong and determined on the path of spiritual progress. Queen Gāndhārī is a typical example of an ascetic because of her marvelous character in many trying situations. She was an ideal woman as mother, wife and ascetic, and in the history of the world such character in a woman is rarely found.

SB 1.18.31, Purport:

The King, being a devotee of the Lord, did not approve of his own action, and thus he began to wonder whether the sage was really in a trance or was just pretending in order to avoid receiving the King, who was a kṣatriya and therefore lower in rank. Repentance comes in the mind of a good soul as soon as he commits something wrong. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī do not believe that the King's action was due to his past misdeeds. The arrangement was so made by the Lord just to call the King back home, back to Godhead.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.4.12, Purport:

Among the uncommonly good souls there are still gradations, and the best good soul is one who accepts an insignificant asset of a person and magnifies that good quality. Lord Śiva is also called Āśutoṣa, which refers to one who is satisfied very easily and who offers to any person the highest level of benediction. For example, once a devotee of Lord Śiva wanted the benediction that whenever he touched someone on the head, that person's head would at once be separated from his trunk. Lord Śiva agreed. Although the benediction asked was not very commendable because the devotee wanted to kill his enemy, Lord Śiva considered the devotee's good quality in worshiping and satisfying him and granted the benediction.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.5.36, Purport:

"The sun, full of infinite effulgence, is the king of all the planets and the image of the good soul. The sun is like the eye of the Supreme Lord. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, in pursuance of whose order the sun performs his journey, mounting the wheel of time." The sun is actually the eye of the Lord. In the Vedic mantras it is said that unless the Supreme Personality of Godhead sees, no one can see. Unless there is sunlight, no living entity on any planet can see. Therefore the sun is considered to be the eye of the Supreme Lord. That is confirmed here by the words yac-cakṣur āsīt and in the Brahma-saṁhitā by the words yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. The word savitā means the sun-god.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.64.8, Translation:

"By what past activity were you brought to this condition? It seems you did not deserve such a fate, O good soul. We are eager to know about you, so please inform us about yourself—if, that is, you think this the proper time and place to tell us."

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 7.157, Purport:

"The sun, full of infinite effulgence, who is the king of all the planets and the image of the good soul, is like the eye of this world. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, in pursuance of whose order the sun performs his journey, mounting the wheel of time." (Bs. 5.52)

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

Some of you who have visited India might have seen Hardwar, Kankhar(?), Lakshmanjhula, Prayāga, Vṛndāvana, and Rāmeśvaram. There are many places.

So by serving these sacred places... To serve these sacred places means to... There are many good souls, great souls. So if you can find out such great souls, they are making their performances there. So if you find out some good, I mean to say, transcendentalist, and if you hear from him, then your process of life may be changed. So puṇya-tīrtha-niṣe... Or sometimes such persons, they travel all over the world also. So if you come in contact with such person and if you hear, then the vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ is developed. Then your tendency for hearing about Kṛṣṇa and Vāsudeva will develop. This is the true thing, that you must be very much eager. And when you are eager, Kṛṣṇa will send you. Kṛṣṇa is within you. As soon as He understands that "Here is a person who actually wants transcendental elevation," He makes you contact with such person. Such persons are all over. They are in the world.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

That is up to you to judge—by the result. If they are actually advanced, why they should leave this company of ISKCON? Therefore, I know they're very good souls. They might have done some mistake out of misunderstanding, but you invite them to come back again and take their position. It is not very good sign that they have left. They'll never be happy. That's a fact.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 18, 1974, Hawaii:

Bali-mardana: Like one pig grunting at another pig.

Prabhupāda: "Good morning" means... Because it is English word... In England every morning is bad morning, because it is cloud. When they see one day that cloud is clear, they say, "Good morning." (japa) (break) ...similarly, a good soul means when there is no māyā, then he's good soul.

Bali-mardana: Or cloud.

Prabhupāda: Huh? Cloud. māyā is cloud. So what is that cloud?

Sudāmā: Forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That cloud is when a soul desires to become the master. That is cloud.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: That record which was done by George Harrison?

Carol: Yes. It's very rare to find music like that here.

Prabhupāda: George Harrison has contributed many. He gave me first of all nineteen thousand dollars for printing Kṛṣṇa book. Now he has purchased one house in London, and we are using that. It is two hundred thousand pounds. Yes, he is a good boy, good soul.

Carol: You don't have a group in Perth, do you?

Prabhupāda: He is also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes. He chants all day Hare Kṛṣṇa. He has made some record, "Kṛṣṇa."

Amogha: "My dear Lord, I really want to see You." Something like that.

Prabhupāda: Like that, yes. "Kṛṣṇa" he has said.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

D. D. Desai: She herself is highly... The amount of respect she has got for Indian culture is terrific, to an extent of almost aggression if somebody puts a foot down or something about these things. Even Panditji, with all said and done, he had a feeling, and he was one with Mahatma Gandhi, that a day will come when India, by solving its problems, will take away the existing world from the present Western culture to a new culture, which will be of a superior level. That day would be the day when India has made good its ultimate destiny. Something like that they had feeling. So Panditji also was dreaming, but he was not an executive type of person. So Panditji had left his thing, all the dreams, but Mrs. Gandhi seems to be translating some of the dreams, or at least she feels she's translating some of the dreams into reality. The difficulty with her is that she has not proper guidance at times, and to that extent she feels she falls into certain pits of difficulties. Basically a good soul, but a soul with certain waywardness could become at times little...

Prabhupāda: So if you think that Mrs. Gandhi is religious and is for Indian culture, why not ask her to take the guidance of Kṛṣṇa? Who can give better guidance than Kṛṣṇa?

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Indian: From libraries?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So many libraries, they have ordered. There is a list in Orissan. (aside:) You can give me little, little sample... (break) ...for life that it is a dead body. A dead body. So what is the use of decorating a dead body? So if anyone accepts Christ actually and his instruction, then it proves that he has got a good soul. Otherwise what... He's dead body. That's a fact. If one accepts that Christ says, "Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not do this," if one is actually a person with soul, they must accept this. Otherwise where is the use? Dead body. The same thing, as we say, aprāṇasya hi dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. What is the use of decorating a dead body? A dead body means soul-less. When the soul is not there, it is called dead body. So even one has got the soul, but he does not act... They possesses the soul. Then it is dead body. So when we shall hear about the land? One program is suspended. That program is for constructing a house for me.

Room Conversation -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Finished.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He was a good soul, but he wanted a little material profit. That doesn't matter. So his father is there.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, his father is actually still alive. Some day, if I get an opportunity, I will pay a visit.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is very intelligent.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. I even asked him to join this writing of our book, to contribute some chapters, and he agreed to that.

Prabhupāda: Never mind. He has given some service. It will not go in vain. (coughing)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He had the greatest respect for Śrīla Prabhupāda. Every letter he wrote me, nothing but praise of Śrīla Prabhupāda, though he had some difficulty in getting along with some of the prabhus here. He wrote me something about those points, but he never said anything against Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That is natural. If one gets little prominence, other becomes envious. So it is so polluted. Mātsarya. So we have to adjust. (aside:) Give me my shirt. So take care of your health and circumstances. You have to adjust things according to... (long pause) If there is difficulty, his wife and children may come to Vṛndāvana.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Ved Prakash -- Bombay 28 July, 1958:

If you would have co-operated with me you could do so for the satisfaction of spiritual master as abovementioned and that was a chance to serve a real representative of the Lord. I was glad to hear your regard for the world preachers like Christ etc and I can see in you a desire for real service to the suffering men. Here is a chance for you and if you like you can utilize this opportunity for your as well as many other's benefit. It is not imagination nor self compliance but it is fact. I found you a good soul and therefore I did propose it to you but if you refuse co-operation then what I can do. Even Sri Krishna cannot compel one for co-operation because every living being is given full chance of utilizing independant views. The human form of life although temporary it has a great value for utilizing for the service of the Supreme. The Supreme is everything but everything is not the Supreme. The stomach can digest foodstuff for all the sense organs but all the parts of the body is not the stomach. This philosophy of acintya bhedabheda tattva was preached by Lord Caitanya for world welare. It is our duty to help its practical preaching by all efforts. Nobody is competent to interpret on the Sastras by one's whim. It is science it has to be learnt from the proper sources. Sri Krishna is not a man in flesh and blood and His Lila was not meant for interpretation by any mundane scholar. There is way to learn it and unless we have it our energy will be spoiled only by attending any layman's hypocrisy. I had a mind to say you something about it but you have denied my co-operation and I have nothing to say about it. I hope you will think over this in your leisure hours and oblige.

Letter to Sally -- New York 6 November, 1965:

Regarding your reminder for my good cooking, I am very much thankful to you and next time when I shall go to your home, I must serve you with good lunches without fail. Now I am far away from you otherwise I would have at once gone to you and entertained you with such lunches. I am anxious to learn about the health of you all specially of your little children. How is your naughty daughter Kamla. Please offer them my love and blessings and so also accept both of you. Please write to me occasionally and as Gopala is not accustomed to reply promptly I shall henceforward write to you. Did you meet your good father and mother in the meantime? If you meet them please offer them my respectful regards. Both your father and mother are good souls and therefore you are a good daughter of your parents. I remember all of you always.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 7 April, 1967:

Of course I do not reply your each and every letter, I always think of you because you are all my heart and soul. I am so pleased to have your association and I always thank my Spiritual Master Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja for His favor by sending me some sincere representative of Him in missionary activities in this part of the world. I came here to execute His Will and by His Grace I have so many good souls like you, Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Hayagriva, Rayarama, Haridasa, Mukunda etc. I consider you all as representative of my Guru maharaj to help me in this helpless condition. My Godbrothers did not help me but my Spiritual Master has helped me. So do not think that I can ever forget you even for a moment. I pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Be happy and execute more and more service for Krishna and Krishna will accept you in His association.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- New York 14 April, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 12th instant and have noted the contents very carefully. It is very pleasing to learn that you had very good Kirtana on the 11th instant night with many devotees. Forget everything and go on with your Kirtana that will bring us all transcendental bliss. I received all letters from Janardana and I have duly replied to them including one meant for his grandmother who is ailing for some time past. You are all good souls and therefore Krishna has sent you all for giving me chance to serve Krishna.

Letter to Pradyumna -- New York 27 April, 1967:

I am so glad to learn that you had no difficulty on the border. These man made borders of land are disturbances in the Law of the Lord. All lands belong to Krishna and as servant of Krishna we have every right to enter any land but artificial man made civilization has created so many nonsense and these are the conditions of material existence. Sometimes we have to place ourselves under such conditions to make the best use of a bad bargain, but rest assured in the discharge of Krishna conscious duties Krishna will always give us His protection and we may discharge our duties unhesitatingly. I have seen in you that Krishna has special mercy upon you and utilize this mercy fully so that in this very life you can be elected as the associate of Krishna in His supreme abode Goloka Vrindaban. As you are all good souls Krishna will help you always in your business of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 29 August, 1967:

I am so glad to receive your first letter to me in India, and also to receive your contribution of $10. You are always "first" in contributions, and therefore your contribution is also the first to come from the American centers. It is so stated in the S.B. that the best use of the human form of life is to serve Lord Krishna by one's life, resources, intelligence, and words; so you are all good souls, especially your example is very nice, for you have practically given your life and soul all to K.C. you are utilizing your resources for the society, and you are using your intelligence and words for the furtherance of K.C. So I very much appreciate your effort, and surely Krishna will bless you more and more, and you will feel it yourself. I am very glad to learn that you have finished editing the TLC and if you send me copies by post, I will immediately begin printing here. I am so encouraged that one branch in N.M. and one in Boston are opened, even in my absence. This is wanted. Physically I may be present or not; but the work must continue. Our Guru Maharaja injected his Spiritual Vision in some of us, and the work is continuing in different branches, as fast as possible by Bon Maharaja Tirtha Maharaja, my humble self and others. Similarly in the Western world, Krishna has sent me some good souls like you, and I hope, even in my absence, that the spirit of Krishna Consciousness will be spread.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Calcutta 17 October, 1967:

Regarding Kirtanananda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself—even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master & talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy—maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense. The last attack of maya upon the conditioned souls is impersonalism. There are 4 stages of attack of maya; viz.: 1) stage is that a man wants to be a protagonist of religion, 2) is that man neglects religiosity and tries to improve his economic development, 3) is to be protagonist of sense enjoyment & when a man is frustrated in all the above mentioned stages he comes to, 4) which is impersonalism, and thinks himself one with the Supreme. This last attack is very serious and fatal. Kirtanananda has very recently developed the 4th stage malady on account of his negligence & disobedience to his spiritual master.

Letter to Umapati -- Calcutta 22 October, 1967:

Please continue to think of Krishna & you will feel more & more the Blissful pleasure transcendental to all material contamination. I am very thankful to you for appreciating my humble service. You will be glad to know that I have already secured a visitor's visa to your country & have asked my travel agent to book my seat on the earliest possible date. I think I shall be in your midst by the middle of Nov. I went to your country with a mission & you all good souls were sent by Krishna to me. So let us cooperatively work together to vigorously spread Krishna Consciousness, to the suffering humanity at large. Your country is great & you are all good sons of America. Spread this knowledge so that America will be still greater in the eyes of the world. Keep this point of view in front of you & all your God-brothers combine together may execute this mission.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Navadvipa 29 October, 1967:

I was very glad to receive your letter dated Oct. 20. I can understand your anxiety about your husband & rest assured that I shall never advise your husband to leave you. Both of you are very good souls & constantly engaged in the service of the Lord. One who has got a helpful wife at home does not require to accept Sannyas. If required, both you and your husband can preach Krishna Consciousness combinedly. We are concerned more for Krishna Consciousness & if that work is executed more nicely by cooperation of husband & wife, there is no necessity of thinking wife as impediment to Krishna Consciousness. While I am living you should act according to my instructions & there is no question of impediment. Hope you are well.

Letter to Umapati -- Calcutta 23 November, 1967:

I am so glad to learn that you are now getting the fruit of chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna is so nice that it clears the dirty things from the mind of the devotee and the more one is used to chant the Holy Name offenselessly, the more one develops love of God, forgetting the whole material nonsense. (It is my duty to deliver you the right thing in right earnestness and it is the duty of the receiver to act in the standard spiritual regulation. When you left us I simply prayed to Krishna for your return to Krishna Consciousness because that was my duty. Any good soul who approaches me once for spiritual enlightenment is supposed to be depending on my responsibility to get him back to Krishna, back to home. The disciple may misunderstand a bona fide spiritual master being obliged to do so under pressure of Maya's influence. But a bona fide spiritual master never lets go a devotee once accepted.

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 16 December, 1967:

When I left your country on the 22nd of July, I had very little hope to come back again. But Krishna informed me that I'm not going to die immediately; therefore, I have come back again to get inspiration of Krishna Consciousness from you all good souls. Although officially I am your Spiritual Master, I consider you all students as my Spiritual Master because your love for Krishna and service for Krishna teach me how to become a sincere Krishna Conscious person.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1968:

I am very sorry that Satyavrata has left us on some petty sentimental thing. Please ask him to come back and excuse me if I have struck his sentiment. I think he should be permanently on the editorial board and you can give him any serious engagement as you please. He may be replaced in the place of Hayagriva if he is not going to join us. Recently I received one letter from Hayagriva and I replied it promptly. The thing is, everyone of us should think as servant of Krishna. In the service of Krishna there may be sometimes transcendental competition but there cannot be any disruption. Please call Satyavrata and give him serious engagement as he likes to take. He is a good soul and he must be satisfied.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Montreal 24 June, 1968:

I am glad to hear Dayananda and Nandarani will soon return to L.A., and please let me know when they come, and ask them to write me. I am also very much anxious to hear from them. They are good souls and sincere servants to His Lordship, Sri Krishna.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 27 June, 1968:

Yes, Krishna didn't like that place, for $350, so you could not acquire it.

Please convey my blessings to Jadurani, Madhavi Lata, and Devananda. You are all good souls; please work together combinedly for spreading Krishna Consciousness there in that city. Hoping you are well.

Letter to Jayananda -- Montreal 12 July, 1968:

A similar incident was there when Lord Caitanya was present, that one father became a devotee of Lord Caitanya through the exigency of the son. The son was prior a devotee than the father. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the father whether he was father, or the son was father, and the father replied that in his spiritual enlightenment, his son was his father. So you are acting like a good father to your parents. So Krishna Consciousness will spread nicely in this way. And Lord Caitanya will be very much pleased on your benevolent activities. I have seen your father and mother, and they are very good souls, especially I remember your mother. And I hope by the Grace of Lord Krishna they will take to this Krishna Consciousness very seriously.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Seattle 28 September, 1968:

Regarding yourself and Jadurani: You are both very sincere servitors to the cause of Krishna, and Krishna will give you necessary intelligence how to behave with one another. I am glad to learn that the girls under the guidance of Jadurani are doing nice painting work, and I am very much inclined to have many many Sankirtana pictures painted like the one which was in your Boston temple, on the wall, while I was there. I have one photograph of this picture and it is so nice that I feel my joys unlimited. (See enclosed sketch for identifying the exact painting I am speaking of). Our Madhavilata is also a good artist. She is painting a very nice picture of Radha Krishna seated on a swing. But she is a little independent spirited, and wants to wander with me. Anyway, she is a sincere good soul, and let her do the work in her own way. But it is a good asset for her that she has attraction to hear me. That will make her all right in the due course of time, and it may be that she will also come out a great painting assistant in our society.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 22 November, 1968:

I was very much perturbed when I received your letter of Nov. 7, 1968, and I prayed to Krishna that He may put His merciful glance upon you. So by Krishna's Grace, I learned from Tamala Krishna that your father has already given you a nice apartment. So it is a sort of tug-of-war between your material father and spiritual father. And you are the rope in between. So in the first test I think I have come out successful. But this is a sporting. I have already told you that your father and mother are very good souls. They might be under the illusion of maya but still I must say that they are good souls, otherwise they could not have produced such nice children like Brahmananda and Gargamuni. We are trying to educate our disciples to produce Krishna Conscious children, but your father and mother, without being Krishna Conscious, have produced such nice Krishna Conscious boys, so I am very much obliged to them. The facilities which your father is giving you is going to his credit in Krishna Consciousness. The more he gives you facility, the more his balance in Krishna Consciousness. He does not know how his Krishna Consciousness balance is increasing, but one day will come when you will see that actually your father is a good soul.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 2 December, 1968:

When George Henderson shall becoming there try to keep him there to associate with you. Try discussing and convincing him of the principles of Krishna Consciousness. He is a good soul, I know, and if he can help you in New Vrindaban, it will be very nice. If he comes to see me in Los Angeles, I shall talk with him. In the beginning, he was taking Krishna Consciousness seriously but because he left our association he became slackened, so if again he may associate with us it will be so nice.

Letter to Lilasukha -- Los Angeles 17 December, 1968:

When one is chanting or speaking of Krishna or working for Krishna then so many living entities hear him or help him in some way and thus find benefit also. This is why the devotee is dear to all creatures and to Krishna. So always be engaged as you are doing and with your all good qualities Krishna will surely bestow his full mercy, rest assured. So all of the girls you have mentioned, such as Ekayani, Kancanbala and Indira are similarly very good souls and I am always praying that Krishna will help you all more and more.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 19 December, 1968:

Also, I understand that in West Virginia that the qualification for being teacher is simply that one has graduated from high school so there will be no necessity of such teacher's certificate. Before long we are hoping to obtain a schooling program in New Vrindaban where our boys may be trained up in the principles of Krishna Consciousness as well as reading, writing and arithmetic. In Los Angeles, Visnujan is taking care of Birbhadra and this boy is also doing very nicely. Certainly this boy is very good soul to be in contact with Krishna Consciousness even at such an early age so be patient with him and I think that he will continue to progress very nicely.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 1 January, 1969:

Sivananda is also a very good soul like you and he is sure to help you. I have already written one letter forbidding him to quit Hamburg for New Vrindaban because there is no work for him presently in New Vrindaban due to the winter season. So surely he can work in Hamburg for three months more, and I am glad that he is engaged in temple construction work. Let him do this without any interference. You do not interfere in any of his work. Let him do what he likes and at his own discretion, and you simply respect him as your older brother. I am sure that he will be peaceful there shortly. It may be due to so much bodily trouble that he was becoming distressed but this has subsided and he will continue to work as usual.

Letter to Mr. Levine -- Los Angeles 25 January, 1969:

Regarding your initiation, you have to decide yourself whether both you and your wife can follow our four disciplinary principles. I do not know if you are able to abide by these principles immediately. Otherwise there is no objection in the matter of initiating a good soul like you.

Letter to Upendra -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letters of March 20 and 21, 1969. I have noted the contents carefully. You should change your habits. You have lost now a good soul, and either he comes back or if you know his address then if he does not like to live with you, he may come at once and live with me personally. And you should try to check such passion. I think Jivananda and Harsarani also left for this reason. So the Seattle branch is in your charge, so as head of the temple you should be so nicely dealing with your assistants. Never mind now whatever is done is done, but in the future you should be very careful and do your duty with full faith in Krishna. Surely Vilasavigraha will come back, so when he comes back you can send him to me wherever I may be.

Letter to Dayananda -- Hawaii 26 March, 1969:

I am very much thankful for your nice appreciative letter of my activities in this country and my Krishna bless you for all the fine sentiments that you have by the grace of the Lord. Practically there is no credit for me, if there is any credit it goes to my Spiritual Master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada, Who is helping me by sending so many good souls like you in this movement. Whatever is being done, it is due to His Divine Grace only. So my business is just to carry out His order. That is the way of disciplic succession; and as you have all come to help me, if you also follow the same principles then our combined effort to serve Lord Krishna will be surely successful. So far L.A. temple is concerned, both you and your good wife Nandarani, desired to see the temple affairs improve, which I understood from your past letters. And you took the risk of 400 or 500 dollars by renting the storefront in Hollywood Blvd. It was certainly very nice, and you were paying $350, but because you very sincerely desired to have a very very nice place, Krishna arranged in a different way.

Letter to Syama -- Hawaii 30 March, 1969:

I have received your note along with Satyabhama's letter. 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 Krsna dasa -- San Francisco 3 April, 1969:

So you are all good souls, please do not be agitated in trivial things. Do your duty nicely, develop the center as nicely as possible. If you think that your personality has been minimized, you can tolerate it. That is very nice. Lord Caitanya has taught us to be more tolerant than the tree in the matter of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. You can show this letter to Sriman Sivananda and Sriman Uttama Sloka, and my request to you all is not to be childish, but to be serious for propagating Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- New Vrindaban 2 June, 1969:

This kirtana, chanting and speaking of Krishna, is the sure and certain method of propagating Krishna Consciousness, and we already have so much experience in all of our centers that if we simply chant Hare Krishna with karatalas and mrdanga and if we speak from Bhagavad-gita just as we have heard it coming down from the disciplic succession, then automatically the people become attracted. So you simply find a nice site on the Hawaii island or any other place near there where there are many boys and girls, and if you simply follow the above procedures, then your success is automatically there. I am pleased to note that there is one boy named Tony who has become attracted to our movement and wishes to be initiated. He may send me his beads immediately. Please take nice care of him because there are so many good souls who we must inform of this most important philosophy, and when another man is sent by Krishna to help us it is our duty to help him understand Krishna Consciousness as far as possible.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 5 June, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 29, 1969. I have already sent your beads duly chanted upon, and I hope you will be happy in Krishna Consciousness always. As you are a very nice, good soul, Krishna will certainly bless you with all benedictions. It doesn't matter whether or not you remain in this part of the world or in India. Wherever you remain you chant Hare Krishna regularly, and your example may be followed by others. The world needs this benefit, and when you return to India there are so many ways you can convince your parents that to take to Krishna Consciousness does not mean one has to give up his worldly affairs. I know in India there are many foolish persons who think that by reading Bhagavad-gita one is apt to renounce this world.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

So probably I will have to change to some other shipping agents, and I have already advised Acyutananda to do the needful. The second batch of Deities which you sent to Los Angeles has been received by them. I am very glad to learn that you are feeling enthusiastically in the German center, and it is clear that Krishna wanted you there. Please work there with your full energy in cooperation with your other godbrothers. Krishna Das, yourself, Sivananda and Uttama Sloka all are good souls and sincere devotees of Lord Krishna. So as you faithfully continue to work under my direction, your further advancement is sure. I have received a letter from Mandali Bhadra that they are reaching there on the 27th June, and when they arrive, do everything very nicely in a cooperative spirit.

Letter to Sudama -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

So for the time being as you are working enthusiastically in Hawaii, try to establish a very good center there. There is nice potential there I know, and I think Krishna is already giving impetus for this purpose, because Gaurasundara and Balabhadra have gone to find a nice place on the Hawaii Island. So all of you work conscientiously and jointly, you are all good souls, and you will be successful if you can transform Hawaii into New Navadvipa. Lord Caitanya will shower His blessings and you will be happy, not only in this life, but you will be promoted to Krishna Loka. Concentrate your energies now in Hawaii center, and in the future we shall establish a center in Japan. I think the roar of your Sankirtana in Hawaii will soon be heard in the neighboring places, including Japan and Hong Kong. The ocean is the father-in-law of Visnu, because the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi, was born by the churning of the ocean. So the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi, being the daughter of the ocean, the ocean also will help in spreading the glories of the ocean's daughter and son-in-law. So please keep me informed of your activities, and this will engladden me.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1969:

It is a great fortune for you. Living entities are roaming within the universes in different species of life and in different planetary systems enjoying or suffering the reaction of pious or impious activities. But they have no information how to get out of this entanglement of repetition of birth and death. Due to the darkness of ignorance, most living entities have no idea about the values of life. Therefore, one who understands the importance of Krishna Consciousness must be a very fortunate soul. So I marked it in your person when I was in Boston, and I prayed to Krishna that this good soul may be aware of the importance of Krishna Consciousness. With my blessings I am sending herewith your beads, duly chanted upon by me. You should avoid the ten offenses as far as possible, and follow the four regulative principles as Satsvarupa will instruct you. I know your good Godbrother, Satsvarupa, will always help you in this connection.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 17 July, 1969:

I thank you very much for the Krishna Tape #13 along with your letter of July 12, 1969, and I am enclosing herewith Tape #16. Now I shall expedite work on the Krishna book, as I have completed The Nectar of Devotion. Please let me know exactly how far you have finished the Bhagavatam thus far. I am glad that Giriraja is doing very nicely. Krishna has sent a good soul for pushing on this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Please keep him nicely. As of yet I have not received the money which you have mentioned in your letter. Regarding your nice Sankirtana collections, this should be kept in a separate account so that it may help in some great emergency. You should become a little spendthrift. I know that you do this, but still I am reminding you. I am so pleased that you will be holding a grand scale Rathayatra Ceremony, and in London also they are planning a very glorious function with at least 5,000 guests participating.

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

I am in due receipt of your letter of July 18, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am pleased to know that you are making progress in having our society incorporated in Germany. This is an essential project, so please do it. By Krishna's Grace you are all five good souls there, and Krishna will give you immense strength to propagate this Krishna Consciousness Movement in your country, Germany. Please do it in the spirit as you are doing now, and success is surely for you all.

Letter to Prahladananda -- Los Angeles 29 July, 1969:

So if you let all the residents of Buffalo hear the sound of Hare Krishna and read our literatures, then there will be the greatest all-around benefit. This past weekend in San Francisco there was a gigantic Rathayatra Ceremony just on the order of the one held at Jagannatha Puri, and at least 10,000 people were chanting and dancing along with us in full transcendental ecstasy. The boys and girls of America are generally good souls, that is why they have taken birth in such a nice country, and now they should make perfect all of their opulences by engaging everything in Krishna Consciousness. This will be the finishing touch for all the nice qualities found in the American people. In New York I understand that they have sold 3,000 copies of BTG in just two weeks, and I understand that in Buffalo you are also selling BTG very nicely. So please continue in this way and your success in life is assured. As Krishna sees that you are working very seriously to bring His other children back to the Spiritual Kingdom, then He will become very pleased and will bestow all blessings upon you. Krishna is never ungrateful for our efforts to serve Him, rest assured. Regarding your question about Bhava Shakti developing into Prema, this is covered in our book, Nectar of Devotion, and there is no necessity for you to trouble yourself over such advanced topics at the present time.

Letter to Subala -- Los Angeles 19 August, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter of August 14th, 1969. You have got some good souls assisting you, and that is a good sign. Please take care of these boys and keep them fixed up in Krishna Consciousness. In our lifetime, if we can fix up at least one soul in Krishna Consciousness, Krishna immediately recognizes the service. The spell of Maya is very strong, and to save a living entity from such clutches is the greatest service to the humanity. Please go on with your work with enthusiasm and faith in Krishna. He will give you all assistance. When I go to New York I shall like that both you and Chris may come to see me there.

Letter to Rudra -- London 11 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 3, 1969 along with your beads and contribution of $5.00. The letter head stationery is very nicely printed. Your beads have been chanted upon duly and sanctified and are returned herewith. It is very much pleasing to know that Vancouver center is improving daily. Cidananda is a very good organizing leader, Ananda is a good soul, and you are also a sincere devotee, so combinedly together push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Surely you will be successful. Regarding the vows and chanting method you have adopted, it is very nice. But do not impose something which will be difficult to execute. There is no need of fasting once every week. Two days fasting per month on Ekadasi is sufficient. Besides that there are other special fasting days.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 6 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 2nd, 1970 and accordingly I have issued one letter to Mr. Allen Klein, the copy of which is enclosed herewith, please find. I have advised Brahmananda to see him. I am so glad to learn that Sriman George is making good advancement in Krishna consciousness. He is a good soul and I am praying for him to Krishna, so surely he will make advancement. His book, Krishna, is already ready for being sent to the press. Please let me know if I shall send the manuscript to the press or I shall await further instruction from you. Now I am in Los Angeles and you can contact me here after consulting George. I am very glad to learn that London Temple as well as the householder devotees are all doing well. I have received letter from you and Mukunda also, but I have received no letter from Tamala. Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls and devotees in London Temple.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 7, 1970 and noted the contents. The sentiments that you have expressed in your letter are all due to my Guru Maharaja who has deputed me to pick up all good souls like you in this part of the world. Fortunately, we are now together and with great enthusiasm and patience let us erect this mission of Krishna Consciousness. I am so glad to read the portion of your letter in which you show your determination to preach this cult in all countries of the world. Please continue this determination and keep all your contemporary Godbrothers alive on this point. Surely we will bring in a new chapter in the history of the world.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1970:

So this is His special mercy upon me and I always think about this with gratitude to this exalted personality coming directly from Vaikuntha World and we had the great fortune to meet Him. I think that is the only credit on our part that we happened to meet Him by some "ajnata sukriti" or unknown auspicious activities. He is so kind upon me that when I came to your country, where I was completely unknown, He sent to me some good souls like you unsolicited. So I accept you all as assistants or representatives of my Guru Maharaja Who is still helping me because I am so feeble and unworthy. Anyway, the business which we have taken to work together is neither your business nor my business as far we are personally concerned, but it is the business of Lord Caitanya and His bona fide servants like my Guru Maharaja. Therefore it is the duty of all of us to execute it as nicely as far as possible within our capacity. In other words, we shall just try to discharge our responsible duties faithfully and seriously, then all facilities will come for our help.

Letter to Barindra Babu -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1970:

Your appreciation of my adventure at this part of my life has encouraged me, and I think that by the prayers of good souls like you I may be able to work for sometime more in the interest of this great movement. You have said, "Kindly treat me as one of your humble disciples." It will be my prime duty to help you to my best capacity for your spiritual advancement of life.

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Los Angeles 12 February, 1970:

I may inform you that by the grace of Krsna this mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness is being enthusiastically pushed on for the benefit of the whole world by the assistance of all my disciples, good souls like your self and your good wife. I am so happy to see that you have introduced our Bhakti Yoga or Krishna Consciousness classes in two universities, St. Louis University and Washington University. This is the real course of study for human beings and we should use such good opportunities to give the young collegiate boys and girls this education of spiritual science. So please conduct these courses diligently to influence the hearts of the students and encourage them to participate in your temple's activities as well as weekly classes at the universities.

Letter to George Harrison -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1970:

I know that both you and John are very good souls. Both of you are pledged to do something for the peace of the world. By the grace of Krsna, you have already realized to some extent about the necessity and importance of Hare Krsna movement in the world. Similarly, if John also does so, it will be a great event.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Los Angeles 14 March, 1970:

You write to say that Paramananda is always thinking of me and he is working hard to develop New Vrindaban transcendental community. That is very good. I know Paramananda is a very good soul, and you together are good combination. So do everything enthusiastically to develop our New Vrindaban scheme and advance forward in Krishna Consciousness life.

Letter to Dinadayadri, Nara-narayana -- Los Angeles 19 March, 1970:

I am very happy to learn that you are living and working together happily as Grhasthas. Now use this opportunity of household life, not for sense gratification, but for mutually working to perfect your Krishna Consciousness. I am also glad to note that you are eager to bring up many souls in Krishna Consciousness, and that is a very encouraging and responsible program. Just one good soul fully developed and firmly convinced in preaching Krishna Consciousness can reclaim so many fallen souls for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the best way to prepare such Krishna Conscious souls is to train them to up from their birth to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness. This is possible by good association of devotee parents, so you must keep always fit in spiritual strength by following the regulative principles faithfully and chanting the sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail, then Krishna will give you more intelligence how to engage yourselves more and more in His service, and your lives will be sublime.

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

This is very good news. Now you must take the responsible post of both husband and father to guide both these good souls, your wife and son, to the perfection of human life in Krsna consciousness. You and your wife are both intelligent and advanced in devotional science, so work conjointly to raise your son in the best atmosphere of ideal family blessed by Krsna in Krsna consciousness.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- 6-16, 2-chome, Ohhashi Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan 16th, August, 1970:

I have nominated you as one of the members of the Governing Body because I know you are a very good soul and I shall be very pleased if the mistake which has already crept in our society can be rectified by your combined effort. I have not heard anything about the activities of the four Sannyasis, neither I have received any letter from them.

Letter to Karandhara -- Surat 18 December, 1970:

I have already telegrammed you in return regarding the money contributed by Sai and his followers. The money is to be kept for the purpose of purchasing one very nice house in Calcutta for which we have already begun serious negotiations. You have utilized $500 for the Berkeley Center's immediate need, but this must be repaid by them so the entire contributed sum must remain intact as I have instructed by telegram. It is a very good news that the disciples of Sai and Sai himself are now coming to join with our ISKCON. Because they were chanting Hare Krsna, they developed some love for Krsna and therefore they have decided upon this right course of action. So they are all very welcome and you can give these good souls all encouragement so that they may not feel any inconveniences. They must live with us according to our standard practices and they shall surely advance in Krsna's service.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- Surat 1 January, 1971:

I am very glad that you find the situation in Hawaii so congenial and I know that Gaurasundara is doing his best there. The newly acquired property I have named as Advaita Bhavan and it sounds very inviting place for me to do my translating work. I am glad that Sai is also improving. He and his former followers are all good souls, so all of you should try to help them become fixed up in the bona fide line of devotional service to Krsna.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 13 March, 1971:

Yes, it is my desire that Isana and his wife and child stay there in Boston temple and Isana may continue as cook there. He should always be kept engaged. He is a bit crazy but he is a very good soul. Please give him my blessings and let me know how he is doing there.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 20 August, 1971:

In his last letter Giriraja has informed me that he was sick but since then I have not heard from him. How is he? I am anxious to know. His health should be taken good care of. He is an important worker and a good soul.

So far the quality of paper, that depends on the Indian market. But so far our society is concerned, we are maintaining first class literature produced but if there is difficulty what can I say? But you can make a cheaper edition for the general people. That is all right.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tokyo 24 April, 1972:

Sivananda is a good soul, and you should try to encourage him. He is just like your younger brother. So far your apologies what is done is done, it doesn't matter. Just go on doing your work. You have got immense field for working in Germany, so with the help of Sivananda and Mandali Bhadra, organize Germany very successfully, and Krishna will be pleased. I have received one copy of the German BTG from ISKCON Press, and it is done very nicely. Sivananda can be given sannyasa, and when I go to Los Angeles, I shall let you know regarding this. I must know who the other boy is and then I can consider his case.

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 15 May, 1972:

So actually we have taken a very responsible task on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the present moment, to speak the truth, the whole population of the world are demons and animals. It may be a very strong aspersion on the people of the world, but this is the fact. But still, because they are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, so originally they were pure and therefore it is the mission of Krishna to get back His parts and parcels to home, exactly like a father likes to get back his son at home because this son had gone out of home for false happiness. But the people are so mad, they are talking so many nonsense things—nonsense philosophy, nonsense science—and our task is to meet all of them and at the same time pacify them in their lunatic condition. So I am sure you are a very good soul to act on behalf of Krishna, and do it nicely. Krishna will give you the proper intelligence. He is sitting in your heart. Simply he wants to see us working sincerely.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- London 8 August, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated July 30 and August 4, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to hear that those boys have joined you, and I have also received one happy report from Daniel that he is living with you and he has no complaints, he is very happy. So you give Daniel all cooperation for expanding this movement in Mexico, he has got good energy and he is a very good soul. So far his asrama in Puerto Vallarta, we are not taking that place on lease or rent, only if he gives it to us can we manage. It is very nice place, and I want to come there for spending some time, but he has told me it is our ISKCON place so he should make good his promise and give it to Krishna, otherwise we shall not take it.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972:

If anyone thinks like that, that a pure devotee should be obeyed and no one else, that means he is a nonsense. We advise everyone to address one another as Prabhu. Prabhu means master, so how the master should be disobeyed? Others, they are also pure devotees. All of my disciples are pure devotees. Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it may be Siddhasvarupa or others, a-Siddhasvarupa. This must be very clearly stated. It is not only that your Siddhasvarupa is a pure devotee and not others. Do not try to make a faction. Siddhasvarupa is a good soul. But others should not be misled. Anyone who is surrendered to the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it doesn't matter if Siddhasvarupa or non-Siddhasvarupa. Amongst ourselves one should respect others as Prabhu, master, one another. As soon as we distinguish here is a pure devotee, here is a non-pure devotee, that means I am a nonsense. Why you only want to be in the spiritual sky with Siddhasvarupa? Why not all? If Siddhasvarupa can go, why not everyone? Siddhasvarupa will go, you will go, Syamasundara will go, all others will go. We will have another ISKCON there. Of course, Mr. Nair must stay.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- New Delhi 7 November, 1973:

I am at present in New Delhi awaiting for our festival here, so your telegram has been redirected from Bombay. I am so much pleased to read it because I know that all of you, Siddha Svarupa Maharaja, Sudama Vipra Maharaja, and yourself, are all good souls, and so I also know that Gaurasundara is also of this same level, but I do not know why this disruption has taken place.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Bhurijana -- Mayapur 6 October, 1974:

You are a good soul, and your wife is also a good soul. I hope you get a good child. But, you must be careful not to deviate from the principles.

I think Hong Kong is the best field for you. You started there and remained there for so many years and you have all acquaintances there. You can start a temple there provided you are strong enough. That will please me very much. But if you stick to our principles it will not be difficult. One thing try to remember is that a temple should not be started whimsically. It must be given very careful consideration. And once started, a temple cannot be closed whimsically. You must be fully prepared to maintain nicely the temple. You must consider carefully. Once a temple is started, it cannot be closed in any circumstances.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Bombay 1 December, 1974:

Regarding selling the books in Germany, if you want to hire people to sell books, yes, why not? It is due to the scarcity of men. So German people are not coming to join this movement? So far I have seen your German devotees, they are very enthusiastic and steady workers. So if you get some good souls to join, then there will be no difficulty for selling the books. So it doesn't matter if we are selling more or less, so far the publications are there. We may sell or not, but the books must be there.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Chittrakara -- Vrindaban 25 October, 1976:

If you can collect money there as you have suggested and send it for Nitai Gaura TWSKP activities in India that will be good. There is no restriction for preachers, they may travel everywhere all over the world. Nitai-Gaura means world wide preaching, because Lord Caitanya appeared to spread this movement to every town and village of the world, and by the grace of good souls like yourself the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is being fulfilled in the modern age.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Bombay 29 April, 1977:

The letter which you have sent from the student, Charles, is wonderful. I have asked that it be published in our English Back To Godhead as well as in all of the Indian language Back to Godheads here in India. Charles' letter shows that he is very intelligent and has begun to understand our philosophy. It is very encouraging. Take care of all of these good souls that Krsna is sending you. By your own exemplary behavior, train them all as ideal Vaisnavas. This will greatly please me, and if it is possible for me to come to Kenya, I shall be very glad to meet all of them. The photographs which you have sent are also very good and we are going to display them here for all visitors to see. The program which you are now conducting should be expanded more and more. By prasadam distribution and kirtana everyone will become attracted to Krsna consciousness. I am also enclosing a letter to Jayanta which I hope will encourage him.