Material life (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"material life" |"material lives"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 12 December, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of December 6, 1968 and I thank you very much for it. Just as you are thinking of me so often, similarly, you should know that I am often thinking of you also. So if you can remember to always remember Krishna and the instructions of your Spiritual Master than surely this will bring the highest benediction to yourself and to those with whom you come into contact. To the extent we are thinking of Krishna, to that extent Maya has no influence. But as much as we are desiring to forget Krishna and trying to enjoy for ourself, so to that extent we must suffer the pains of Maya. So our remedy for material life is very simple, simply to chant for Krishna, to dance for Krishna, to work, prepare nice foods for Krishna and then cent per cent we become fully free from all other influences. Please always remember this secret and show by example to all others.

Please convey my thanks to Satyabhama for her nice work in sewing the clothes for my deities. These deities will require several more sets of such excellent dresses so Satyabhama or youself may supply as you are able.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

In the Western World, people are simply interested more in politics because the problems here is materialistic. In the material way of life, people are embarrassed with the thoughts of how I shall sleep, how I shall eat, how I shall mate, and how I shall defend. That is the way of material life. In the spiritualistic life one knows that God has provided food for everyone, so we shall live on whatever things are contributed by the Grace of God. God has provided immense land on this globe, so so we have enough place to lie down. Mating is possible even in the bird's and beast's life, so that is not a problem, and defending is always incomplete. Nobody can defend himself with utmost precautionary methods unless one is protected by the Lord.

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1969:

In the meantime you should study Bhagavad-gita very seriously, and try to assimilate the following points of our philosophy. God is one. He is the Father of all living entities. There are innumerable living entities residing in different planets, the majority of which are spiritual planets, and some of them are material planets. Those who are in material planets, they are conditioned by the laws of material nature, and, due to their forgetfulness of relationship with God, there is always struggle for existence. Therefore there is war and other miserable conditions of material life. We are trying to educate people how they can be transferred to the spiritual world, so this is an essential movement, and we require many preachers to present this case all over the world. So our students may not be unnecessarily called for fighting, which is not at all suitable occupation for them. So ultimately, if you are required to fight this case let us see how Krishna will help us.

Letter to Prabhavati -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter of March 22nd, and also your beads, which I have duly chanted. Your letter is very nice and I am very much encouraged to hear of more young American boys and girls who are searching after God. This is natural of course, and one who sticks to Krishna Consciousness purification process, will gradually understand what is God, and our relationship with the Supreme Personality. This is the perfection of human life. Unfortunately, the people of the so-called modern advanced civilization do not know this; they are groping in the darkness of material life, and simply leading others into this darkness. Therefore there are so many frustrated young boys and girls who are searching out God in some way or other, and if they are very fortunate, then they will come to this platform of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 3 April, 1969:

This would be a very nice idea but I do not think your occupations will allow you to come with me and stay for a long time. But the proposal for me to come back to New York from Columbus is nice. I think I shall arrange like that. So there is no cause of becoming sad. Our meeting and separation in the material world is like the flowing tide of the river. During the flowing tide of the river, so many different floating articles meet together, and with the flowing, they again become separated by the movement of the waves. That is the way of the material life. But our separation, although it resembles exactly in the material way, it is completely different. In the spiritual world, separation is more relishable than meeting. In other words, in spiritual life, there is no separation. Separation is eternal, and meeting is also eternal. The separation is simply another feature of meeting.

Letter to Turya -- New Vrindaban 5 June, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of May 29, 1969, sent along with your beads, and I have duly chanted upon them and have initiated you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is Turya das and this means transcendental. So you are the servant of the Transcendental Lord, Krishna, and when one serves the Transcendental Lord, he also becomes completely transcendental to the laws and contaminations of material nature. In material life, everyone is bound up tightly by the laws of karma, and there is no question of transcending these laws by any material means. The modern civilization is trying to transcend the pangs of material life, namely birth, death, old age and diseases, by advancement of material knowledge, but actually this advancement is only binding them more tightly into the material concept of life. So thus there is no freedom from or transcending of these material miseries. But one who comes to the intelligence to understand that rather than serving the cause of material advancement, he should serve the cause of Krishna, then such person becomes transcendental to the stringent laws of karma. Krishna instructs us in Bhagavad-gita that one who serves Him in loving devotional service is delivered fully from all material contamination.

Letter to Vrndavanesvari -- New Vrindaban 6 June, 1969:

So the appearance of the Lord or the great liberated souls in the material is different from the appearance of the contaminated living entity who is forced to take birth in the material world due to his desire to lord it over the world. In your second question you asked if we will remember the earth, when in Vrindaban, and the answer is certainly. When Narada Muni was talking to Vyasadeva, as you may have read in first volume of our Srimad-Bhagavatam, he was in a spiritual body, but he remembered his previous life and explained it to Vyasadeva. In material life there is forgetfulness, but in spiritual life there is no forgetfulness. I hope this will sufficiently answer these questions for you.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 28, 1969, and I am very glad that Krishna has after all given you a nice place to remain in London and spread Krishna Consciousness with more enthusiasm. Your successful meeting in Oxford is also very encouraging. There is a verse in Caitanya Caritamrta in which Krsna dasa Kaviraja says that the whole world is busy to enjoy or to suffer by their respective results of karma, pious or impious, from past life. So in this material world, somebody is enjoying material life in some higher planet and somebody is suffering some material inconveniences in some lower planets. But they do not know that suffering or no suffering, this material existence itself is not at all congenial to the living entity. In the Western countries, Europe and America, they appear to be enjoying life in the view of the Eastern people, and therefore they hear so much about the opulences in the different universities and towns of the Western countries. But actually, they have no knowledge how to get out of the material entanglement. The only bona fide engagement is Krishna Consciousness for the all around benefit of the human society. That is a fact.

Letter to Gajendra -- Los Angeles 20 July, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter of July 17, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. The sentiments you have expressed are very nice, and they are just suiting for spiritual advancement. The actual Vaisnava always feels himself lowly and unqualified, but this submissiveness and humbleness is his actual qualification for becoming perfect in Krishna Consciousness. In material life everyone is thinking that I am so wonderful, I am so expert, but actually the living entity is an insignificant spark of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. So when we see we are becoming aware of our infinitesimal nature, then we begin to also understand something of how infinitely great Krishna is. One cannot be falsely puffed up and still expect to make progress in spiritual life. Rather one must learn to accept his constitutional position of Krishna's tiny servant. Then Krishna is pleased to reveal Himself to such devotee, and the devotee becomes more and more perfect in rendering transcendental service to the Lord.

Letter to Arundhati -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

Regarding your question, "What does Rama mean in Hare Rama? Is this Balarama or Lord Ramacandra?", you can take it both ways, because there is no difference between Ramacandra and Balarama. Generally it means Krishna, because Rama means enjoyer. So either Ramacandra, Balarama or Krishna are all Visnu Tattvas and are always enjoying. The sakti tattva, or jiva tattva is always enjoyed. Our position is always predominated. If we remain in that position and properly use our small independence, then we remain happily eternally. But artificially, if we want to be independent and imitate the Supreme Enjoyer, then it is delusion. Material life means trying to imitate the Enjoyer, and spiritual life means to remain in one's eternal position as enjoyed. This Hare Krishna Mantra is addressed to the energy of the Lord and the Lord Himself to keep the chanter in his eternal position of being enjoyed. The prayer is "My Lord, Oh the Spiritual Energy of the Lord, kindly keep me engaged in Your service." Regarding your other question, Krishna in His four-handed Visnu Form is within our hearts, but He is not different from two-handed Krishna.

Letter to Nandarani -- Tittenhurst 30 September, 1969:

I am so glad to learn that Candramukhi is getting Krishna Consciousness from the very beginning of her life. This is the advantage of her previous life's advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please take care of your children and make them perfectly Krishna Conscious. That is very great service. If by your endeavor one or two souls who come under your protection become liberated in this life, that is a great transcendental service to the Lord. So I am sure your children under the care of both you and Dayananda surely have salvation in this life, along with their parents, and they will not have to come back in this miserable condition of material life. That is the injunction of Srimad-Bhagavatam to the Krishna Consciousness parents. Please offer my blessings to Karatieya and Silavati for their good service and also please hand over the enclosed note to Srimati Rekha. I hope this will meet you in good health.

1970 Correspondence

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

It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that this devotional service is so powerful that even if a devotee occasionally falls down from the standard there is no loss for him. If he is sincere, he will automatically rectify his error and Lord Krsna immediately purifies him from within. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita also, that for the devotee Krsna gives all protection, and there is never any loss for him. But if one is not engaged in Krsna Consciousness, there is no gain for him in any position of material life.

Letter to Jananivasa -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1970:

You write to say that your preaching work has not been very successful at the Ohio State University, but your visits to several other nearby have been well received. This is good news that in several university campuses Krsna Consciousness movement is well liked and you are giving a credit course next winter. So do not be discouraged that some of the young students are too much involved with some other business to listen, but go on with the work undaunted. Actually the younger generation, especially the hippies are our best clients, so they are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and give this Krsna consciousness to them some way or other.

Letter to Janmanjaya, Taradevi -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

So as you are given full facilities for the execution of Sankirtana activities you must do it wholeheartedly and especially try to encourage the hippies to accept this Krsna consciousness movement. They are our best clients. They are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as good Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and bring them to take up this Krsna consciousness, then their lives will become perfect and our mission successful.

Letter to Jaya Gopala -- Tokyo 25 August, 1970:

Regarding your marriage, I have no objection, but if you accept a girl for marriage she should be younger than you. At least she should not exceed your age. I know you are a very sincere devotee and I wish everyone of my devotees may purify himself from all material contamination and thus be eligible for entering into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material life means indulging in sense gratification which diverts our attention from spiritual importance and thus we remain captive under the bewilderment of Maya. This is the most dangerous of our condition of life. Intelligent persons therefore try to avoid it under the protection of Krsna and the Spiritual Master.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Allahabad 21 January, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for the magazine interview. You have so rightly said, "It's a hellish life without Krsna." These words of yours have pleased me so much. Actually it is a fact and one who has become so disgusted with material life is actually advanced in Krsna Consciousness. This is first class propaganda and it will be a hammer-blow to the proponents of materialism and atheism. I am so glad that you are feeling and speaking like this and I thank you very much. The article appears to be in a nice magazine, so if you can get further articles and interviews published in the magazines, that will be a great boon to our Movement.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay February 6, 1971:

If we can get some Chinese followers of this cult, it will be a great success. I know that amongst the Chinese there are many scholars and learned cultured gentlemen. So to convince them will be easier than others, even though they are of the Buddhist philosophy. That is akin to our philosophy although it is a little different. Buddhist philosophy is direct renunciation of material life but they have no information of spiritual reality because the followers of Lord Buddha were more materialistic. Spiritual information was not suitable for them. Now we are presenting complete spiritual information. So preach to them in that light and surely you will be successful.

Letter to Daughters -- CAMP c/o B. Pankaj; P.O. Box no. 81265; Mombasa, Kenya; East Africa 19th September, 1971:

Even there are some inconveniences, please try and tolerate. If in this one life I try and become a little tolerant, humble and meek and chant Mahamantra regularly, keeping clean externally and internally, there will be tremendous spiritual benefit and all the problems of life will be solved. Our material life is a contaminated life. Therefore the above mentioned procedures must be adopted to purify our existence. That is the main duty of this human form of life.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Patita Pavana -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

Sentiments are temporary and they always dry up. But what the people really want is a philosophy to give their life meaning and guide it under all changing circumstances—and the only philosophy available nowadays is profit, where is profit for sense gratification, or Marxism, or this -ism or that -ism. But none of these so-called philosophies have proven very successful in satisfying the people. Therefore, there is trouble all over the world, dissatisfaction, and people are taking to the only philosophy left or hopelessness philosophy. But our Krishna philosophy is bringing real meaning and hope to the modern people, we are opening up the dead churches and temples, so we may be certain that because our philosophy offers the substantial basis for everyone's life and the solution to all kinds of problems of miserable material life, that very soon the prediction of Lord Caitanya will come true and all men of the world will find shelter at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.

Letter to Dasarha -- Bombay 4 March, 1972:

So there is no difference between surrendering to God or surrendering to God's representative, therefore Christ is also saying just surrender to me, the son or representative or spiritual master, and that is the same as surrendering to my father. Accepting the Lord or His representative as one's savior means to render loving devotional service to Him, and in return he will give you all protection. But the foolish Christians they think God is their order-supplier so that simply by performing some religious ceremonies they are entitled to receive all benedictions for enhancing their material life. First of all, to be saved by God means that one must obey what God orders or His laws of commandments. But in the Bible God says "Thou shall not kill," but where is the Christian who does not kill animals and eat? They have changed the meaning of kill to mean "murder," and for them, murder means only other humans. So unless you find out some Christian who is actually intelligent, it is useless to try for convincing them of these points. Simply show them by example that we are finding great spiritual joy in serving Krishna, sell them some literature, give them prasadam, and invite to the temple, and if they cannot understand from the point of view of philosophy, at least they will be able to appreciate our wonderful and enlivening activities and that we have proved ourselves the most upright, moral persons and the best examples of enlightened souls for the general improvement of all the citizens.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Calcutta 7 March, 1972:

Simply follow the program of the elders, let the children associate as much as possible with the routine KC program, and when the others go out for working and business matters, the children can be given classes as you describe. They can learn our method of Krishna Consciousness by rising early, cleansing, plus knowledge of Sanskrit, English, a little Mathematics, history, geography, that's all. We haven't got to take any help from the government by getting so-called accreditation. If outsiders want to send their children to us, it will not be for their accreditation, but because they will get the best education for relieving them of all anxieties of material life and for this education the government has no idea. Where is such thing as transmigration of the soul being taught in classroom? If they simply learn to rise early, cleanse, all hygienic principles, their study will be greater than any government program. Whatever the elder members are doing, the children should do if possible. But for teaching the teachers themselves should be fixed up initiated devotees, otherwise how the children can get the right information and example? Thank you very much for serving Krishna in this way, and if you go on sincerely serving like this, chanting, and following the regulative principles strictly, all your questions will be answered by Krishna automatically.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Tokyo 18 April, 1972:

I am very glad to hear that you are all happy in Vrindaban and that our Sankirtana party from Radha Damodara Temple to our new place is being appreciated. Please continue this. You have retired from material life and Krishna has given you the nicest place in this material world to live in, so stick there and every month send one BTG Hindi composition to Tokyo. Radha Raman Goswami is there with you so you work together and do this job nicely.

Yes, we can take care of Gopalaji along with our deities. But if she dictates something, then we cannot. She can give everything to us if she believes in us. Whether the property will have income at least Rs. 100/- monthly?

The Mahant of Nasik wants to keep some portion for his own use, so let him keep it all, we are no more interested. Go on paying Gauracandra Goswami Rs. 10/- per month and taking receipt, let him think whatever he wants.

Letter to Vasudeva -- Los Angeles May 31, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much engladdened to hear from you that all the programs there in Berlin center are going on very nicely under your expert guidance. Nevermind what has past, whatever is done, is done. Now push on with full enthusiasm to save the fallen humanity from the most degraded and wretched conditions of material life. This Krsna Consciousness Movement is the only thing that will save them. So you yourself become very convinced of this fact and be very bold in preaching Krsna Consciousness there in Berlin. I enjoy very much your artistic work, so you can combine your presidential duties with sometimes painting, but the main thing is to always remain engaged fully in the enthusiastic service of the Supreme Lord, nevermind this activity or that activity, so long as the mind is fully absorbed at Krsna's Lotus Feet. So I am very glad to hear that you are a capable manager, you are a very very intelligent boy and gifted by Krsna in many ways, so now Krsna has given you the opportunity to make advancement by becoming also very responsible. So kindly take this responsibility to heart and be always jolly and determined. Now you must be the perfect example for others to follow.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Amsterdam 29 July, 1972:

But one thing is, we are observing here in Europe many, many hippies have become so disgusted with material life but they are also now so much degraded that they will not hear our philosophy, simply mocking. So our devotees may become very much learned to remove their doubts and become very much fixed up in Krishna Consciousness, but so far preaching to the general public, especially the hippie class, it is better not to preach very much philosophy, just somehow or other get them to chant Hare Krishna mantra, and if some of them are curious to learn something they may purchase one of our books. Only if they chant with us, that will help them.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972:

This is the test. In the Krishna Consciousness Movement there is no question of enviousness, hatred, things like that. Material life means hatred for Krishna and desire for matter. So we have to convert ourselves. When one becomes Krishna conscious actually, he does not even hate material things because he becomes expert how to utilize everything for Krishna. Krishna Consciousness is so nice. We do not hate anything material because we have learned from our disciplic succession how to utilize material things for Krishna's service. Actually, bhakti means realization of the Supreme, and this means increasing attachment for Him and reforming of detachment or hating of material name and fame.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Lynne Ludwig -- Los Angeles 30 April, 1973:

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually wise surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." Again Krishna uses the word mahatma, great soul. So these are not ordinary boys and girls, our devotees, that you have met, no. They are to be considered as actually wise, great souls, because they have experienced in so many births the miserable disease of material life and they have become disgusted. Therefore they are seeking higher knowledge, something better, and when they find Krishna and surrender unto Him, they become mahatma, actually in knowledge. This material world is just like a prison-house, a punishing place just to bring us to that point of becoming disgusted and surrendering at last to Krishna, going back to my original mature of eternal life of bliss and complete knowledge. So these devotees, that is their credit, they have done what is "very rare" amongst all men in the human society, sudurlabhah, very rare.

Letter to Ajita -- England 11 July, 1973:

So Everything appears to be going well there, just go on increasing. As you write that the Swedish society has placed great stress on material happiness so you can expose how this material life is actually full of miseries and temporary, and the so-called happiness is only illusion. People in the western countries are becoming gradually fed up with materialistic propaganda so you will find good response simply by chanting, speaking from Bhagavad gita as it is, and distributing prasadam to everyone. Unless the human society takes to this process the situation is very precarious. So we have to work hard.

Letter to Dhrstaketu -- Bombay 14 October, 1973:

Regarding your question about instruction, spiritual life is different from material life. The instruction given in my books is supposed to be personal instruction. When we read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, it is understood that we are receiving personal instructions of Krsna. No physical barrier is there in the case of spiritual affairs. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhoksaje

ahaituky apratihata

yayatma suprasidati

(SB 1.2.6)

"The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendental Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Tarun Kanti Ghosh Babu -- New Delhi 11 March, 1974:

In the material life there must be division of activities. That is accepted in the Bhagavad gita as

catur varnyam maya srstam

guna karma vibhagasah

tasya kartaram api mam

viddhy akartaram avyayam

(BG 4.13)

So in the beginning if we start a varnasrama college to teach internationally students from all over the world to learn to be educated as brahmanas, as Ksatriyas, as vaisyas, as sudras, by quality and work, that will be the basic principle of Krishna Consciousness. It is the duty of the government to see that everyone is employed. This is only possible when varnasrama is established. At the present moment everyone is sudra. This is not very good for the human society. Everyone has a right to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead but there must be a process for keeping the society in order.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Bombay 3 May, 1974:

Everyone, of course, has his independence. That is the cause of our material life. Misusing that minute independence we are out of the spiritual world. If you want to go as husband and wife to see your parents that is not bad, but why avoid your responsibility which you have already taken? At least develop your assistant Devaprastha and when you see he is able to do nicely then you can change. I don't think a new man can manage as nicely as you were doing. I will also write to GBC of Hong Kong, Madhudvisa Maharaja, and learn if he plans to send a new man there.

Letter to Bhima, Krsna dasa, Sanat Kumara, Nityananda, Samba, Joseph -- Bombay 16 May, 1974:

I thank you very much for your letters which were sent to me by Paramesvari Das Brahmacari on the 15th of April. All of the sentiments expressed in all of your letters are just according to the Vaisnava parampara. This means that you are understanding the Krishna Consciousness philosophy rightly and I am very pleased. It is a fact that by serving the spiritual master one becomes free from material life and makes spiritual advancement. I have not done anything personally, very wonderful. I am simply serving my spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja and all the acaryas in the disciplic succession. If I have done anything of credit it is that I have not changed their teachings. I have not added anything of my own interpretation. So I am very happy that you are finding Krishna Consciousness very blissful in the Nairobi temple and this will be the key to your success. That you also follow exactly as I have instructed in my books to my disciples such as Brahmananda Swami. That means to rise early, clean the body and clean the clothes. I have seen films of the Deity worship in Nairobi and it is very gorgeous. Proper Deity worship means to be clean, punctually and nice offerings of foodstuffs. Brahmananda Swami can teach you these things.

Letter to Damodara -- Paris 8 June, 1974:

I have asked you to stop the political program because actually you cannot organize as the others can. We cannot manage with separate money, separate brains from our regular ISKCON propagation. It is not so easy to do politics, moreover it is a filthy atmosphere. So do not indulge in it. I am glad to hear all the participants have stopped. So you convey to them my instructions in this matter. We have an immense field of work in distributing books, reading and chanting and working for Krsna in many fields. And the aim of it is to always remember Krsna. Some philosophers think that in response negatively to the nasty consciousness of material life we should become "thoughtless" but this is not Krsna Consciousness, nor is it possible to become void or like a stone. Our process is to purify the thinking by always thinking of Krsna, actively and positively.

Letter to Madhavananda -- Mayapur 6 October, 1974:

I am prepared to give you fair chance, but you cannot criticize Hamsaduta. Let there be re-election in the presence of two GBC men. We should utilize our talents without being envious of others. You should do your best, but you should not be envious of others. In material life there is simply envy of others progress, but in spiritual life one encourages another, "Oh you are doing very nice." That is Radharani. She says oh here is a very nice devotee. Please Krishna, you accept him.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Mayapur 19 October, 1974:

Regarding the farm, farm opening is not very essential, but if you can do it conveniently, then do it. The varnasrama system is for convenience sake in the material world. It has nothing to do with spiritual life. Acceptance of varnasrama means a little easy progress to spiritual life, otherwise it has no importance to us. For example, all my European and American disciples have no varnasrama position, but spiritually because they have followed the rules and regulations and also my instructions, their advancement spiritually is being appreciated by everyone. Always remember that varnasrama life is a good program for material life, and it helps one in spiritual life; but spiritual life is not dependent upon it. After all the system of varnasrama has to be realized before accepting spiritual life; and the renounced order of sannyasa is the last stage of varnasrama.

Letter to Sarvamangala -- Bombay 6 November, 1974:

You have mentioned controlling lust, and this is very important. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna says: tasmat tvam indriyany adau "In the very beginning you must curb lust by regulating the senses." Therefore we have the four regulated principles at the very beginning of practicing devotional life. In this way we turn the lust into love. This is our material life. Lust is there in everyone, because everyone is actually a lover of Krishna. It just has to be purified by proper training.

Letter to Mr. Seibert -- Bombay 22 November, 1974:

I am in due reciept of your letter dated September 27th, 1974. I am glad to hear that you are determined to fight maya and take up this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. So go on reading my books and attending the temple regularly. By this process your spiritual life will develop. You should also be sure to chant 16 rounds on your beads if possible. This is the recommended way to become Krishna Conscious in this age of Kali. In this age it is very difficult to become God Conscious, but if we receive the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is the most merciful of all incarnations, as certified by Srila Rupa Goswami, then certainly we will be successful in our attempt for spiritual life. So this is the movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and if you take advantage of it you will see how your attraction to material life diminishes in proportion to your attraction for Krishna, which will increase more and more.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Prabhanu -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

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

Letter to Nalinikanta -- Bombay 21 November, 1975:

I am in due reciept of your letter of November 9, 1975 and also your telegram to Brahmananda Swami reading as follows: "ASK SRILA PRABHUPADA IF WE SHOULD BUY SMALL CHURCH IN PHOENIX TWO BLOCKS FROM UNIVERSITY WITH $15,000 to $20,000 LOAN FROM BBT. WIRE BACK IMMEDIATELY AS MAY BE SOLD SOON. NALINIKANTA." So this matter I cannot say because I do not know what money is available. You have to consult this with Ramesvara. Regarding taking sannyasa, this mentality that either I will have sex life or I will take sannyasa, this is not proper. Sannyasa means that one is finished with material life. So you have gotten married and you are in family life. So you should remain there. So you thought that by getting married you would expand your service. So you should do that. Actually all my disciples are sannyasis because they have surrendered everything in the service of Krsna.

Letter to W.J. Carpenter -- New Delhi 30 November, 1975:

Material life means attachment for women, children, friends, countrymen, position, wealth, and good name. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam material existence is compare to a forest full of plunderers, dacoits, jackals, tigers and other ferocious animals. The jackals are compare to one's wife and children. In the dead of the night jackals cry very loudly, and similarly one's wife and children in this material world also cry like jackals. The children say, "Father is wanted: give me this, I am your dear son." Or the wife says, "I am your dear wife. Please give me this. This is now needed." In this way one is plundered by the thieves in the forest. Now knowing the aim of human life, one is constantly being misguided. The aim of life is Visnu, or Krishna (Na te vidhu svartha-gatim hi visnum) Everyone works very hard to earn money, but no one knows that his real work is to serve Krishna, the supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead of spending money to advance the cause of Krishna consciousness, one spends his hard earned money on clubs, brothels, liquor, drugs cigarettes, slaughterhouses and so forth. All these activities are sinful, and because we are engaged in such sinful activities constantly we are constantly reaping the result of our sinful work, which is suffering in one way or another.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Vrindaban 11 December, 1975:

I accept the below listed students as my initiated disciples their new names are given and you may hold a fire ceremony and chant on their beads. Instruct them to chant 16 rounds daily and refrain from the four sinful habits of material life. The second initiates should hear the Matra from the tape recording through the right ear, instruct them in habits of cleanliness, and brahminical qualifications and behavior.

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

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

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Krishnakanti -- Vrindaban 6 April, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 27, 1976 with enclosed cassette tape and I thank you very much. I very much liked the chanting on this tape. It is very excellent and should be popularized and it will be a great success. Introduce this into every home and that will help them, and if they read our books then finished, no more material life. Yes, when I come also I can make a tape of chanting Hare Krishna but the chanting of Hare Krishna by the other boys on this tape is very nice. Thank you.

Letter to Sri Santosh Kumar Pyne -- Vrindaban 8 September, 1976:

After a long time I have received a letter from you with mixed information. I am sorry to learn that one of your sons is in mental disorder, so do your best for treatment and depend on Krsna for the ultimate result. The chequered history of family life is the same for everyone. According to our philosophy we call it samsara dava nada lida loka the blazing forest fire of material life. In the forest fire takes place without any human effort and it burns into ashes all the trees and animals without any relief. The relief comes from the cloud above the head.