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Honor (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Mahatma Gandhi -- Cawnpore 12 July, 1947:

I tell you as a sincere friend that you must immediately retire from active politics if you do not desire to die an inglorious death. You have 125 years to live as you have desired to live but you if you die an inglorious death it is no worth. The honour and prestige that you have obtained during the course of you present life time, were not possible to be obtained by any one else within the living memory. But you must know that all these honours and prestiges were false in as much as they were created by the Illusory Energy of Godhead called the maya. By this falsity I do not mean to say that your so many friends were false to you nor you were false to them. By this falsity I mean illusion or in other words the false friendship and honours obtained thereby were but creation of maya and therefore they are always temporary or false as you may call it. But none of you neither your friends nor yourself knew this truth.

Letter to Sardar Patel -- Calcutta 28 February, 1949:

May your honour accept my humble namaskara. Your honour is well known as the iron man of India but I know that you the most practical man who can take things as they are. With this idea in view I venture to approach your honour for submitting the following few lines for your consideration and necessary action.

Funds are being collected to commemorate Mahatma Gandhiji in a fitting manner and I beg to suggest that the same may be done in the Gandhian way and not otherwise. Gandhiji's whole life was dedicated to the service of humanity at large with special interest for raising the moral standard. His later activities showed that he was equal to every one and all the people of the world knew him more as the spiritual leader than a mere politician. Devotion to Godhead was his ultimate aim and when I say that his sacred memory should be perpetuated not in the ordinary way but in the Gandhian way, I mean that fitting respect to his memory will be done in the following manner.

Letter to Sardar Patel -- Calcutta 28 February, 1949:

If your honor will allow me an interview, I shall be very glad to explain the whole idea personally and let you know how the scheme can be given a practical shape for subsiding the general unrest all over the world. Such an organized movement shall be the panacea of all social maladies.

The State is giving help for so many man-made purposes and I pray that a sum of Rs 2000/- per month may be allowed for starting these Gandhian movements in organized form and that on authentic basis I think if your honour as a renowned practical man accepts my humble suggestion, it may be by the will of God, that the whole atmosphere of the present world calamities may be mitigated altogether. My humble self had the privilege of taking this training under the lotus feet of my spiritual master and I am confident to organize this work in a scientific way if I am helped by the state.

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

With reference to my personal interview with your honor, I beg to introduce myself as an humble disciple of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja of Sridhama Mayapur at Nadia the holy birth place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the divine inaugurator of sankirtana movement.

In the spiritual line of disciplic succession from Sri Brahmaji who was first transcendental student of the Vedas down to my spiritual master as above mentioned, the Vedic culture is aimed at reestablishing the eternal relation of living entity with the Absolute Truth of Whom the living entities are but parts & parcels.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952:

A really cultured learned fellow is far above a politician. Because a politician is honoured by the votes of his countrymen while a cultured and learned fellow is honoured everywhere all over the world. So we say that Ravindra Natha and Gandhi were never dependant for the votes of their countrymen but they were honoured all over the world for their cultural contribution. The same Canakya Pandit defined the standard of learning. The standard of learning had had to be testified by its result and not by the manner of University degrees. He said that one, who looks upon all women, except one's married wife as mothers—all other's wealth as the pebbles on the street and all living being as one's own self,—is really learned fellow. He never stressed on the point of standard of how many grammars, rhetorics or other books of knowledge one might have gone through, or how many Doctorates of different Universities one might have been decorated with.

Letter to Ramakrishna -- Allahabad 26 September, 1952:

I am trying my level best to reopen the business but still it will take minimum one week to come to the normal condition. I am awfully stranded and put to much shame. Will you kindly help me as you have done so many times? As a son has no shame to ask his father, so I feel no shame for it because there is no other help at the present moment. If you can, please do send me T.M.O. for Rs 300/- & save my prestige & honour. I expect to return you this sum after a fort night. As soon as my business is opened I shall at once get back Rs 1000/-. May God bless you.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 7 July, 1953:

Sir—With reference to the letter of Sri Satish Asthana published in your columns of the 2nd instant, I have the honour to inform all concerned through your esteemed paper, that an association for missionary activities under the name and style "The League of Devotees" has already been established recently with the same aims and objects as suggested by Sri Asthana and Sri Sitaram.

Letter to Registrar of Joint Stock Companies -- Allahabad 4 February, 1955:

With reference to my interview with your honour on the 3rd instant, regarding registration of the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of the League of Devotees (alias Sarbabhouma Bhagavata Samaj), I beg to inform you that I have deposited the fee RS 50/- (Rupees Fifty only) in the Imperial Bank of India Ltd, Lucknow and beg to hand you the following as advised by you.

Letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Indian Union -- Delhi 21 November, 1956:

May it please your most exalted Honor,

Kindly accept my humble obeisances. It is the custom of India from a time immemorial that a citizen of the state would approach the king, to express his grievances for redemption and the king would very kindly consider his case as duty bound and give him necessary relief by the royal judgement:

At the present moment, your excellency is seated in the position of the king by the will and Grace of the Lord and as a true Vaisnava I must accept your excellency as the representative of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, as He has expressed Himself in the pages of Bhagavad-gita. As such I beg to lay before your most exalted honour, the following few lines for favorable consideration and do the needful in pure consciousness.

Your Excellency is the Representative of Sri Krishna by authority and I hope Sri Krishna will direct you from within in the matter of my transcendental service to Him.

Letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Indian Union -- Delhi 21 November, 1956:

I am enclosing herewith 12 (twelve) copies of "Back to Godhead" (I to XII) for your excellency's reference. If possible kindly go through them all and I am sure that your honour will understand me right about my assertion. If it is not so possible, your excellency can kindly give a glance over the head lines only, and I am sure that will also give your excellency an idea of my definite assertion.

To make a world wide propaganda for this most essential service to humanity, it is necessary that your excellency will stretch the helping hand necessary in this matter, as your exalted honour is personally fit also to do this job. Although the method is very simple for universal adoption, it is not possible for me to express in this letter all the words that I wish to tell your honour. As such, I am seeking an interview with your honour herewith. When your excellency will see personally the papers and programme of work about my bona fides, I am sure your excellency will be interested in co-operating with me. There is immense work to be done so far India's spiritual asset is concerned and I think the Govt. may take up the matter scientifically for the good of all men. India's specific culture demands that there should be a ministry of spiritual affairs to save the great culture of "Bharatavarsa".

Letter to Seth Mangumal Amarsingh -- Bombay 24 July, 1958:

The League of Devotees is registered to make this movement in an organized way and I wish to enquire if any co-operation and help can be expected from your honour.

Letter to Mr. Banerjee -- Bombay 28 July, 1958:

As advised by you the other day I went to see Mr. Mangumal at Kalvadevi but he did not entertain the idea of missionary work. I talked with him and found him perfect gentleman but he has spiritual realization of the lowest rank. According to Bhagavata a person who is attracted by the Arcana Marga without any knowledge of the science of Vaisnavism is called the Kanistha adhikari Vaisnava. He has of course honoured me with Rs. 11/- and a glass of milk for which I have thanked him very much but mission is not fulfilled.

Letter to Darshanacharya Dr. B.L. Atreya M.A. D.Litt etc -- Bombay 14 August, 1958:

The League of Devotees is registered to make this movement in an organized way and I wish to enquire if any co-operation and help can be expected from your honour.

Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958:

I beg to inform you that it is a matter of great satisfaction for us especially and for all generally that your honour is very sincerely anxious to preach the universal truth of Bhagavad-gita all over the world.

We know it also that you have spent much of you valuable energies for this purpose but so far it has not been to your satisfaction.

Letter to Sir -- Delhi 15 April, 1961:

I hope that your honour along with other thoughtful men of your great country will give full attention to this movement and I am always with you for rendering my humble service for this cause.

Letter to Mathura Prasad -- Vrindaban 23 May, 1964:

Sethji, you are not an ordinary businessman. You are sufficiently educated and have rightly taken to business. By the Grace of Lord Sri Krishna you one of the very important business magnet and I may inform you on the authority of great Acaryas and books of knowledge that it is our duty to make the best use of our money so long it is with us. By the law of nature nothing in the material world is permanent including our material body and therefore the great politician Pandit Canakya who was once the Honorary Prime Minister of India, advised it that the nature of everything material being destructible the best use of a bad bargain is to utilize the temporary possessions for the cause of the Permanent.

Letter to Sally -- New York 19 November, 1965:

On this occasion I should have presented her some ornaments but as I am a Sannyasi I can simply offer my blessing for her long life and good prosperity. She cannot now read otherwise at least I should have presented a set of my books. But you set aside one set of my books for her future reading when she will grow up a beautiful and educated girls with full god consciousness. I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me a good degree as SWAMI JESUS which is actually a great honour for me. Some time the Lord speaks through innocent child and I take this honour as sent by Lord Jesus through an innocent child free from all formalities of the current society. Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus who preached the message of God in spite of all persecution. Lord Jesus is a living example how one has to suffer in this material world simply for the matter of preaching the message of God. In Bhagavatam also there is another example like Lord Jesus. He is Prahlada Maharaja a boy of five years old but because he was a great devotee of God and preaching the message of God among his little class mates, his atheist father tried to kill him. So the atheist class of men are always inimical to the devotees of God even though such devotee happens to be the atheist's son like Prahlada.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. A. B. Hartman -- New York 14 January, 1966:

If I can start the institution immediately certainly I shall be able to get sympathy locally and in that case I may not be required to get money from India. I am also requesting your honour to become one of the Directors of this public institution because you will give a place to start the institution. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply.

Letter to Sir Padampat Singhania -- New York 20 January, 1966:

The thing is that the idea of constructing a magnificent Temple in New York quite befitting the first city of the world, will cost you not lakhs but crores. Because here the cost of land and other materials and the labor charges all are fabulous. The labor charges here is not less than 12 dollars a day i.e Rs 60/ per day. Besides that you cannot get a vacant land in the New York city. You have to purchase a constructed house then dismantle it and then construct a Temple of your liking. I know it very well that by Grace of His Lordship Sri Sri Dvarakadhisa and by the mercy of Laksmiji Rukmini devi, your honour is quite competent to spend even crores and crores for this purpose but we must remember the difficulty of Exchange. At this stage of critical hours the Government will hardly allow us to spend such huge amount. If they at all sanction the exchange they may allow for lakhs only and therefore I have suggested the estimate as seven lakhs only.

Letter to Sir Padampat Singhania -- New York 20 January, 1966:

I will have to find out some sponsor for him otherwise no P form will be issued. So pending the sanction let us be prepared for all these paraphernalia. In the future if circumstances changes, and we get the opportunity for spending more money, at that time we can sell of this or keep it as the circumstances allow. For the present let us begin in this small scale and let be grown up in the natural way. Your honour is a great business magnet and you know better than me. J.K Organization started by your grand father was increased by your father and under your management it has grown more than expectation by the Grace of Dvarakadhisa Maharaja. As the Pandavas were all devotees of Lord Krishna and thus in fields of activities they were victorious in spite much difficulties were put forward before them by the Kurus, similarly you are also always glorious because you and your family all are devotees of Lord Dvarakadhisa. Your good mother is just like Kuntideve.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 13 November, 1966:

I am very much obliged to you for all your supports for me in my mission, and I shall be more glad if you enroll yourself as an honorary member in this great Society. Some of my Indian friends have already acceded to this request. I hope you will also do so. I want to make this movement actually international, and as a great devotee of Lord Krishna, not only yourself but all others should become members of this International Society. Tomorrow we are just going to celebrate Lord Krishna's worship as Giridhari at Govardhana Puja, and we have invited many friends to partake of Prasadam. You will be glad to learn that I am distributing Prasadam to my followers (20) daily, and Krishna is arranging food for them. I wish to increase this number more and more, and my good boys are trying to purchase a bigger house for this purpose.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 10 February, 1967:

Regarding the house I was correct in my remarks that there was no definite understanding. If Mr. Taylor can change his word of honour transpired between him and Mr. Payne certainly that is not definite understanding. Mr. Taylor's lawyer cannot change the understanding between the two gentleman, he can simply give a legal shape only. Therefore, in such negotiations everything is done in black and white. Nothing is being done in black and white but everything is being done with faith on Mr. Payne.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

Regarding Mr. Wade's promise to Gaurasundara, to pay $225-$250, they must keep their promise. Otherwise, it will be not possible to do business with them, if they change their word of honor. You must say Mr. Wade like that. In business principle, what is promised, that must be kept. If the promise is not kept, then we are not going to deal with them, with such business firm, even it may be very big. That should be our principle also. So I think on this principle we can arrange with them, and I shall give you bank reference when they require.

We shall not sell a single copy to the store. Our principle should be to sell books retail in the Kirtana, in our temple, or selling by going door to door, or, individual persons. Not a single book should be sold to the stores. The store selling they may organize: we don't mind.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9 February, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Regarding prasadam offering to the Deities, you will take from the cooked foodstuffs in a plate just sufficient for one man's eating, and this prasadam should be offered to the Deity, not the whole quantity. The rest of the foodstuffs may remain in the oven to keep it hot until the devotees accept and honor it. The plate offered to the Deities must be kept 15-20 minutes so that the major portion of the foodstuffs will be remaining warm in the oven, and the devotees will therefore not be dissatisfied. I think this practice will solve the question.

Letter to Prabhas Candra Mittra -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter (F-54/103) dated February 6, 1969. Regarding the letter of credit, I beg to inform you that I have got good accounts in some of the very respectable banks in America in which there are branches in Calcutta. I am sending herewith one letter of declaration from the Bank of America as well as from the First National City Bank of America for your kind perusal. So, for experimental sake, if you immediately dispatch the following goods and ship them to Los Angeles, your bills with bill of lading will be presented to the Bank of America and will at once be honored. For the time being you can ship the goods by any suitable steamer company to Los Angeles.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

Regarding your dress, you should dress yourself as smartly as possible. Krishna Consciousness does not depend on the dress. It is consciousness. If by dressing yourself very nicely you get honor from your customers, then it is a great asset for business management. So far as your diploma in business management from McGill University is concerned, you must have it by all means. In the Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu it is enjoined by Srila Rupa Goswami that any work, either prescribed in the Vedas or ordinary mundane activities, if the target is to satisfy Krishna, then everything is devotional service. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is recommended by Suta Goswami that ultimate perfection of an engagement is tested by the satisfaction of the Lord. Our aim should be how to please Krishna. As it is said in English also, the ends justify the means. So it is my request to you that keep Krishna always in view and accept anything necessary for your worldly affairs. I am very pleased to note that in such things you consult me. This is a very nice habit. You will please always consult me before doing anything, and I shall try to guide you to my best abilities.

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 17 August, 1969:

Regarding Holy Days, I am very glad that you performed Guru Purnima, and you offered puffed up kacoris. You must have enjoyed Prasadam very nicely, but you forgot the statement bracketed on that list, "special honoring of the Spiritual Master," and that you had to send some contribution to the book fund. Never mind, you can do it again on the 5th September and rectify the mistake. I hope it will not be a very difficult job. Regarding celebrations of other holidays, they will be described as to how they should be celebrated in future memos to all of the temples. I think by now you must have received instructions how to celebrate Jhulana yatra festival. As you have suggested, I shall inform Tamala Krishna and Brahmananda that you are in need of some issues of BTG #22, containing the first part of Isopanisad.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hamburg 30 August, 1969:

I do not know what you mean by cooperation with Kirtanananda Maharaja. In our society everyone, either a brahmacari or sannyasi or grhastha, who has dedicated his life and soul for this movement, they are all on the same level of sannyasi. For the present moment, nobody can claim an extra honor from his Godbrothers. Everyone should treat his Godbrothers as Prabhu. But nobody should try to claim any extra honor on account of an official position. I do not know why Kirtanananda Maharaja says that his authority overrides yours. At the present moment everyone is working under my authority. Similarly, Kirtanananda also should work under my authority. So the condition imposed by Kirtanananda as stated by you does not look well.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970:

If Prasadam is to be honored in the Temple room, the curtains may be drawn before the Deities while the devotees are taking Prasadam. The best arrangement is to honor Prasadam in a separate room for the purpose, if possible.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1970:

"Sriman Acyutananda das Brahmacari, who is now visiting Calcutta. We have got a very good friend enthusiastic in preaching Krishna Consciousness, Mr. B. K. Ghosh M.A. LL. B. He is himself a great admirer of Caitanya philosophy and he is holding Sankirtana meetings every Sunday in different places of Calcutta and suburbs. The above picture was taken in a meeting where Acyutananda Brahmacari spoke nicely on Krishna Consciousness philosophy under the presidency of Honorable Mr. Justice P. B. Mukherjee of the Calcutta high-court, he is sitting just on the left of Acyutananda das Brahmachari. So gradually a nice center of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is growing with the prospect of headquarters at Mayapur, the birthsite of Lord Caitanya."

Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

And that is practically experienced during the last three or four years. There are thousands of my disciples, European and American; their background is not Hindu culture, and still they are accepting this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Some of my students are from the Mohammedan sect also; but all of them conjointly are chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, dancing in ecstasy, honoring Krishna Prasadam, and happily living on Vedic principles; namely as Brahmacari, Grhastha, Vanaprastha, or Sannyasa, not to mention their personal dealings in the matter of four kinds of prohibitive regulations; namely no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating, and no gambling.

Letter to Radha Madhava Sharan -- Los Angeles 6 June, 1970:

I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 28th May, 1970. I am so glad to receive a letter from a 70 years old young man. Sometimes they say about me "74 years young holy man", and sometimes they say "jet-age parivrajakacarya." They also very kindly have written that I have done magic to the foreigners. So I thank you all for your good wishes, although I am not elegible for these honors. Whatever is being done, it is Lord Krishna's mercy. He is unlimited and His mercy is also unlimited, so by His mercy even a crow can dance like a peacock.

Letter to Isana, Vibhavati -- Calcutta 21 September, 1970:

Lately there has been some misunderstanding amongst our devotees about our Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Particularly there has been some confusion about the relationship between the Spiritual Master and Krishna. The Vedas say that there is a Master Krishna. This Servant Krishna is the Spiritual Master and this is the conclusion. The Spiritual Master is the Mercy Representative of the Supreme Lord and as such He is given honor as good as Krishna, but He is never identical with Krishna. Perhaps you know the picture of Madhvacarya, one of the great Acaryas in our line, who is holding two fingers up to indicate Krishna and jiva. The impersonalists hold up one finger because their idea is that everything is one. So if we make the Spiritual Master identical with Krishna, then we will also become impersonalists. If we say that our Spiritual Master is Krishna, then the conclusion is that if we become Spiritual Master some day, then we will also become Krishna. Please try to understand how dangerous this kind of reasoning is.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

I am interested to know how much you have recently deposited in the Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit Account. Please continue to earn thousands of dollars for printing of my books and this will be a great honor for you.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 16 March, 1971:

So far as moving the accounting department to N.Y., that is all right, but first of all let the certified accountant there do and then when the GBC sees that he is doing nicely, then you can hand over the account. Yes, you may give the donors an honorable mention page in Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Chairman of Municipal Committee of Vindavan -- Delhi 30 November, 1971:

We want to open a centre of magnificent proportions in Vrindaban City, as was discussed with Your Honor by my secretary, Sriman Ksirodakasayi das Adhikari. I therefore request you to give us the one-acre piece of land near the Dak Bungalow for this purpose.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Delhi 10 December, 1971:

Yes, actually there is now a skyscraper framework. Now you have to decorate and cover it nicely. To construct the form is the difficult portion of the adventure, but when it is there, it is not difficult to finish it—simply it requires a little taste. I am always thankful to Krishna that I have somehow got so many wonderful boys like yourself to assist me in this way. Now it is practically in your hands to finish and push on what I have started. I am now getting all respect and honor, so now you must preserve that standard and not dishonor me. Thank you very much for helping me.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Manager of Punjab National Bank -- Vrindaban 14 March, 1972:

That the said Bank is hereby authorized to honor all checks or other orders drawn and to accept and act upon receipts for moneys deposited with or owing by the Bank on the account or accounts at any time or times kept or to be kept in the name of the said International Society for Krishna Consciousness with the Bank and also to honor bills accepted or notes made on behalf of the said International Society for Krishna Consciousness provided such checks, orders, receipts, bills or notes are signed by

KSIRODAKASAYI DAS ADHIKARI, President for the time being and countersigned by GURUDASA ADHIKARI, Secretary, or by KASHI RAM SARAF, Treasurer for the time being and to debit such checks, orders, receipts, bills or notes to the said account or accounts whether the same be for the time being in credit or overdrawn and to accept the endorsement of any two on checks or other orders, bills or notes payable to the said International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Tokyo 25 April, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of Gurudasa's letters dated 8th April, 1972, and nil, respectively, and Yamuna's letter dated 9th April, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am much very happy to hear that hut and fence are finished. You may submit the bill to Gargamuni with my approval that he can pay it. I don't think there is any question of Ksirodakasayi's ability to manage everything there, and he is appointed president by me, so what is the question? So far designing the temple is concerned, it is nice that you have got the honourary services of one Mr. Suri to help us. Govindaji temple is there, and a common 3-story as residential quarters may be built, so there is no difficulty for designing. One set of plans should be drawn up of Govindaji's temple, including dimensions, and one copy of them may be sent to Saurabha in Bombay.

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

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

If Mr. Chabria wants to send a Sanskrit teacher there, he can teach Ramanuga and he may teach in a class also, I have no objection, but without salary. Our work is honorary.

Letter to Rsabhadeva -- London 14 July, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge your letter from Berkeley dated nil, and I am very much pleased to learn that you are trying to find out some place where I can give two or three times a week lecture-class to university students in the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness or Bhagavata Dharma. But one thing is, the sannyasi has no such thing as teaching credentials or "academic vitae." So they can simply decide on the basis of my books and teachings. But I am not an ordinary teacher, I can do it only if I am a guest lecturer. Otherwise they will not take me very seriously. But I should be honored as a guest lecturer and paid well, as well as they should give me a nice house, not very big, but nice. And I will speak twice or thrice in a week to as many students who will come, intelligent boys and girls, and they will get regular instruction in our Vedic knowledge as it is.

Letter to Acyutananda -- London 5 August, 1972:

So I have asked Tamala Krishna Goswami to come there with one engineer and begin the work vigorously. Now you give him all assistance and help me get started on this great project immediately. I shall be coming to India sometimes in October and I expect to see some tangible progress there in Vrindaban. That is our real business. If we are there so many months and we cannot do anything, simply eat and sleep and fight amongst ourselves, then where is our credit? Our credit will be when the people see our nice building rising daily, just like in Mayapur, with 100 men working day and night. That is the American style. If you want to honor me, you will do like this and then I can truly be called the guru of the Americans. Otherwise, it is simply a dishonor to me.

Letter to Jadurani -- New Vrindaban 4 September, 1972:

If you think of me and work for me, then I am in your heart. If you love somebody he is in your heart. It is common thing, everyone understands it. If I hate somebody or if I love somebody he is also in my heart. Therefore simply by hating Krishna he gets salvation, like Kamsa. So if you want to hate, hate Krishna.

There is no difference between me and my picture. Therefore we should honor and keep pictures in that spirit. If we throw pictures this way and that way, that is offense. The name and picture are as good as the person in spiritual world. In the material world either picture or person, everything is illusion.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 7 September, 1972:

Sriman Subala das's reply in the paper with reference to the context of sastra are excellently gorgeous. He has given references from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion and Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and it is very nice. So Krishna is within everyone and He becomes revealed in proportion to our sincere service, Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuratyada (Brs. 1.2.234). I am also glad that you have collected 25,000 rupees within three weeks with all great honor and prestige. Thank you very much. In Vrindaban I wanted a temple like Radha-Govindaji's and a simple residential quarter, but it has not yet begun due to so many reasons. Now when you have gone please do begin something without any delay. Our Bombay affair has been little muddled because the conveyance deed is not yet executed.

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

Regarding your questions in the letter of November 18, 1972, you have asked me if the spiritual master is ultimately Krishna, so the answer must be that if you think that way then everyone is Krishna. So why we should think like this? saktyavesa Avatara. means a living entity, but he is specially empowered. Not that he is Krishna. But on account of his exalted position he is honoured as much as Krishna. Not that he is Krishna. That is Mayavadi. He acts in the position of Krishna, but he is not Krishna, he is very dear to Krishna. That is explained: (here the verse was quoted: yasya prasadat bhagavata prasadat . . .) The spiritual master is acting in the position of Krishna because he is the most confidential servant of Krishna.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result . . . One who neither grasps pleasure or grief, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things . . . One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service . . ." such person is described by Krishna as "very dear to Me."

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Calcutta 4 March, 1973:

Yes, you have my sanction for installing the new Deities with the cooperation of Karandhara and/or Sudama Maharaja (I think he is there on the West coast). They know how to do it. The more you can decorate the Deities soberly, not fanatically, the more you become decorated with all honors. At the present moment, civilized man has forgotten how to decorate, therefore this mini-skirt—the business of the trees—to remain naked. Human being means to be decorated, like Krsna is decorated, not naked.

Letter to Niranjana -- Hyderabad 23 March, 1973:

Yes, I am sorry that I could not see you this year at the Mayapur celebration, it was very successful. But anyway because you are in college please take this opportunity to convince some of your fellow students about this Krsna consciousness. All over the world there are college students who are joining our movement, why not in India? Actually there is no need to give up studies to be a devotee. In America, a number of our students joined with us before they graduated but still they went on to graduate with honors, namely Bhagavan dasa, Trivikrama Maharaja, and others. So just try to convince them in some way.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Alfred Ford -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1974:

So far as your questions are concerned, in India a sannyasi or a person in the renounced order of life is always honored. Even in this fallen down condition of India a sannyasi is honored everywhere, and he has no problem for his living condition. So you are correct that a person in the renounced order of life is honored. Unfortunately some unscrupulous men take advantage of this renounced order dress and being filled up with all material desires they commit so many wrongful things, and the people in general take note of it and gradually the honor for the sannyasi is dwindling. Exactly like a person having received some counterfeit money is always afraid of being cheated, but this does not mean there is no good money. So unscrupulous men on account of this age of Kali yuga are taking advantage of sannyasi dress and are exploiting the people. So there is very awkward, and even a genuine sannyasi is sometimes in trouble. In the sastras therefore it is stated that unless one is perfectly detached from material things he should not be allowed to accept sannyasa order.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Aksayananda, Dhananjaya -- Perth, Australia 10 May, 1975:

Whether you have arranged for Dr. Varma's stay in our guest house? He is an experienced physician, perfectly qualified. Try to accommodate him as a honorary physician of our guest house. Please let me know how things are going on there.

Letter to Prof. O.P. Goel -- Perth, Australia 10 May, 1975:

We require some men only like your good self to co-operate with this movement. The necessary things in this connection will surely be supplied by Krishna. Simply we want some sincere worker like your honor. Up to date, I am working chiefly with my foreign assistants and disciples. In India, for them there is the language difficulty, otherwise they are ready to work in Indian villages also. Besides that, they have visa problems. Under the circumstances, I require immediately some willing, educated worker for this purpose. So, kindly reply this letter to my Honolulu center. The address is as follow: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu Hawaii, USA.

Letter to Radheswaranand Goswami -- Perth, Australia 10 May, 1975:

The people must eat sumptuously—not voraciously and make them fit for working and chanting. In this way, they will be purified and everything will be nicely organized. We require some men only like your good self to co-operate with this movement. The necessary things in this connection will surely by supplied by Krishna. Simply we want some sincere worker like your honor. Up to date, I am working chiefly with my foreign assistants and disciples. In India, for them there is language difficulty, otherwise they are ready to work in Indian villages also. Besides that, they have visa problems. Under the circumstances, I require immediately some willing, educated worker for this purpose. So, kindly reply this letter to my Honolulu address as follows: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Honolulu 4 June, 1975:

So, all Vaisnavas are authorities to preach Krishna Consciousness, but still, there are degrees of authorities. On the whole, if his motive is to supress me and that is why he has come here, how we can receive him? He has already given one Professor a wrong impression. He may be treated as a guest, if he comes to our center, give him prasadam, honor him as an elder Vaisnava, but he cannot speak or lecture. If he wants to lecture, you can tell him that there is already another speaker scheduled. That's all.

Letter to Kartikeya K. Mahadevia -- Johannesburg 19 October, 1975:

. He has promised to hold a meeting of the agriculturists of 20,000 people minimum and this will be a great opportunity. Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. Please think over these points very seriously and as soon as I return we shall take up the program. My beloved sannyasi disciple Swami Pusta Krishna has promised to give me a car, and as soon as I get it I shall move from village to village along with some selected assistants and organize this farming village development program.

Letter to Siddha Svarupananda -- Johannesburg 20 October, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Sept. 25 with enclosed Guru-daksina and I thank you very much. I am pleased to accept your recommendation for the first initiation of William and Barbara Renaroza. Their names are Sakari das and Sivadasi respectively. Now hold a fire-yajna for their initiation and request them to honor the vow of following the four regulative principles and chanting of minimum 16 rounds japa daily.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 14 November, 1975:

Western people will be happy and they will glorify Lord Caitanya. This is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction, "When they will take this Vedic culture, they will applaud Me." So our mission should be how to have Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu applauded all over the world. His statement is param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. That statement will be fulfilled. That we want to see. It is very good that the new house in Geneva temple was former German Embassy. It is a very good honor that the people voted in favor of giving us the lease. Is this new place near to the river?

Letter to Ramesvara -- Bombay 14 November, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your October BBT report dated November 5, 1975 and have noted the contents. The report of the BBT Library Party is very encouraging to me that the main library of Harvard told us they would be honored to complete the collection of our books. Just see. This is wonderful. Still University of New Brunswick has ordered our books even though they do not order religious books. This is a success. This quote by the head of their religion department of Oberlin is very important: "I think the best feature of the Hare Krsna Movement is that it is providing scholars with authorized translations of the rarest books on Krsna-bhakti." This should be quoted and printed in a pamphlet. Also the fact that at Colorado Springs Library that 8 volumes of their Bhagavatams had been take out 7 times in the past year. This should be published. You print one poster, big type, and put the quotation of the Oberlin professor. You can title it: How Our Book Are Being Received and have the quotation of the professor, the professor's remarks. This will be a good advertisement for our books.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 20 November, 1975:

I have seen the photograph you sent of the Houston temple. It is very impressive building. It looks like a secretariat building. I want that our Mayapur festival there should be booths showing our activities. There should be one booth showing all the photographs of our temple buildings. This will be very impressive. Even big, big businessmen, they haven't got such branches all over the world as we have got. And our business is with honor. Why not purchase the Houston temple? And I am glad to note the successful program in Gainesville temple.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Sir -- Mayapur 22 January, 1976:

It is understood from His Holiness Babaji Advaitanandan das Bhaktibhusan that some respectable gentlemen, headed by your Honor, have selected me as the President of Sri Krishna Caitanya Sangeet College, Bhaktivedyalaya Bisramtala, at Serampur. I wish to speak in detail about this institution. For this purpose I should like to invite you on Sunday, 1st February, 1976, or if this is not convenient, then on such day as is convenient to you. I am here in Mayapur and it will be a great pleasure for me to see you along with your associates. I invite you also to respect noon-day Prasadam with me. Please confirm through Babaji and we shall arrange to receive you.

Letter to Sri Debasis Bagahi -- Mayapur 24 January, 1976:

Please go on with your translation work. When I see the translation, then we shall consider the honorarium. I am presently in Mayapur and will be remaining here until mid-March. I will be going to Vrindaban at that time.

Letter to Deoji, Upendra -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

The only delay could be that I am scheduled to meet the minister of Haryana concerning the donation of land to us at Kuruksetra. If the meeting is favorable it may be necessary for me to attend a conference in Kuruksetra in late April, April 29th. However, that is not settled yet and so far my plans to arrive in Fiji on or about the 24th April stand. I shall inform you immediately as soon as I know of the Kuruksetra land. In the meantime, you should honor the contract, and if necessary do whatever is required. If I am delayed beyond the date of beginning the construction contract then I shall give you further details what to do.

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 26 May, 1976:

Concerning Sri Ramakrishna Bajaj, I sent you one letter dated May 14, 1976, concerning their invitation to me to attend the Gita Pratisthan conference as one of the Co-ordinating Committee. Your letter to me was dated May 15, so you could not have received my letter when you wrote me. I will await a reply from Sri Bajaj before making any decision what we will do in this connection. If they do not honor our request as mentioned in the May 14, 1976 letter, than you will have to read some paper on my behalf which I would send you. However, I will make no decisions in this connection until I have received a reply from Sri Bajaj.

Letter to Prabhavisnu -- Los Angeles 5 June, 1976:

Concerning the set of Srimad-Bhagavatams that Dr. Tripati gave us in Aligarh, I happen to know that the complete set should not cost more than Rs. 700, like that. And besides that, the paper may be so brittle that it may be useless. That I can examine when I see the set of books personally in Vrindaban. But, I know that the set of books could not cost so much, Rs. 3,000/-. So wait until I see the books in Vrindaban on my return and then we shall do the needful. At this point there is no need to immediately give Dr. Tripati honorary patron membership. I thought that he was giving the books as an offering.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Valencay, France 7 August, 1976:

Actually Vallabha Bhatta should not have criticized Sridhara Svami, because even now Sridhara Svami is very respected. Even authorities like Sri Jiva Goswami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura mention in their commentaries, svami caranat, as we have learned it from the lotus feet of Sridhara Svami. So when Vallabha Bhatta criticized Sridhara Svami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabha Bhatta strongly. This is a fact, but this does not mean that Vallabha Bhatta and Caitanya Mahaprabhu were inimical. Vallabha Bhatta honored Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a superior. Sometimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would chastise Vallabha Bhatta and sometimes He would favor him, because this was their relationship. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would never refuse the occasional invitations of Vallabha Bhatta.

Letter to G. L. Kapoor -- Hyderabad 23 August, 1976:

Please find below my testimonial in honor of Sumati Morarji.

"Madame Sumati Morarji is a great friend of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. I first met her in connection with the printing of my Srimad-Bhagavatam and she was so kind as to immediately pay me 500 Rupees for it. Later on, in 1965 when I wanted to go to the USA, I appealed to this benevolent lady again to carry me aboard one of her ships to New York, and she immediately arranged for it. I was able to start for the USA on account of her kindness and taking some books with me I safely reached on September 19th, 1965.

Letter to David B. Richeter Hughes -- Vrndavana 8 September, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 6, September, 1976 and have noted the contents with care. Thank you very much for your kind offer to have me as your Permanent Acarya and Honorary Chairman. I will accept this if your organization and members are agreed to follow the four regulative principles which discriminate animal life from human life, i.e. no eating of meat fish or eggs; no illicit sex life outside of marriage and then only for the begetting of God conscious children; no intoxicants, including coffee, tea, or cigarettes; no gambling, not even bingo. Unless one follows these principles, spiritual life is not possible.

Letter to Syama Sundarji -- Vrindaban 15 November, 1976:

I thank you very much for your kindly remembering me. Sometimes I wish to take Jagannatha prasada, because nowadays I have no appetite here. I went to Jagannatha Puri in 1958 during some special function. I was taking Lord Jagannatha prasada very sumptuously. I am praying to Lord Jagannatha to take me there again at His will and honor His remnants of food.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- New Delhi 11 May, 1977:

Jayananda's death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda's picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas.

Page Title:Honor (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:26 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=68
No. of Quotes:68