Prabhupada and Rukmini devi dasi

Expressions researched:
"Rukmini" |"Wendy"

Notes from the compiler: Quote not yet compiled for: Letter to: ISKCON N.Y., Bhavananda and others — London 15 August, 1971

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 18, 1968:

Rukmiṇī: How does (one) fall so far away from you when you're not here?

Prabhupāda: Hm? What is that? I did not follow.

Rukmiṇī: I fall so far away...

Prabhupāda: Janārdana?

Rukmiṇī: I fall so far away from you, you know, when you're not here.

Janārdana: She's saying she falls so far away from you when you are not here.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that you should not think. If... The words... There are two conceptions: the physical conception and the vibration conception. So physical conception is temporary. The vibration conception is eternal. Just like we are enjoying or we are relishing the vibration of Kṛṣṇa's teachings. So by vibration He is present. As soon as we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or chant Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata, so He is present immediately by His vibration. He's absolute. Therefore vibration is more important than physical presence. When you feel separation from your spiritual master you just try to remember his words of instruction; you'll not feel separation. You'll feel that he is with you. So we should associate by the vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association. Śabdād anavṛtti. By sound. Just like we are touching Kṛṣṇa immediately by sound. Sound vibration. So we should give more stress on the sound vibration, either of Kṛṣṇa or of the spiritual master. Then we'll feel happy and no separation. When Kṛṣṇa departed from this world, at that time Arjuna was overwhelmed with sorrow and he began to remember the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then he was pacified. He immediately began to remember the teachings which was taught to him in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and he was pacified. He was his constant friend, so when Kṛṣṇa went to His abode he was feeling overwhelmed, but he began to remember His teaching. So whenever we shall feel separation, the best thing is to remember the teachings. Then it will be very nice. Is that clear?

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

Rukmiṇī: When we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, do we transcend goodness?

Prabhupāda: Transcend? What is that?

Haṁsadūta: When we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, do we transcend goodness?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Goodness is very good in this material world, but that is also a bondage. If I think, "Oh, I am very learned man. I am very good man," that is also bondage. We have to go far above even goodness, which is called śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva means pure goodness. Now here the sense of goodness, "I am very good," this is mixed with the quality of passion. I am feeling proud of my goodness; therefore as soon as there is pride, it is mixed up with the quality of passion. So therefore you'll find all the Vaiṣṇavas, they never think that he's very good. He thinks, "Oh, I am the lowest. I am the most fallen." Caitanya-caritāmṛta kar says, "If anyone recites my name, then all his pious activities immediately becomes vanquished." You see. This is the platform. Tṛṇād api sunīcena. Always thinking very humble and meek. That is above goodness. If I think that I am very good, that is also material. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). To think very poor or think very rich or think very bad or think very good, they are all material qualifications. Simply think, "I am the humble servant of the Supreme Lord." That is the, mean, unalloyed goodness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968:

Rukmiṇī: Is there a Christ-loka?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? There are innumerable lokas. Why not Christ-loka?

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Your present name? What is that? Wendy. So is there any name Rukmiṇī in our list?

Devotees: Oh! (laughs)

Prabhupāda: So you may be called Rukmiṇī devī. And some day you may be kidnapped by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa kidnapped Rukmiṇī. Rukmiṇī was very beautiful, qualified, Lakṣmī. So his (her) father liked that Rukmiṇī should be given to Kṛṣṇa. And his (her) brother liked that she should be handed over to another boy. So Rukmiṇī sent one letter to Kṛṣṇa, that "Although I've not seen You, but I've heard of Your activities. So I am attached to You. Now some nonsense is coming to marry me."

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

Yamunā: Rukmiṇī devī gave that to you.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Very good. What is this?

Yamunā: It's a shawl for around your neck in the cold weather.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Yamunā: She made it.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Very nice. Thank you.

Rukmiṇī: I'll give it to Govinda dāsī.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Govinda...

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Anyone's father, mother has come?

Rukmiṇī: My father and mother.

Prabhupāda: Your father, mother? Any other? No.

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

Your father is present?

Rukmiṇī: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You may come sit here. You can say that "My daughter was in charge of me so long, now I give in charge to this boy."

Rukmiṇī's father: My daughter was in charge of me so long. I now give her to...

Prabhupāda: His name is Baradrāja.

Rukmiṇī's father: Baradrāja.

Prabhupāda: So you say, "I accept (Baradrāja repeating) Rukmiṇī as my wife. I shall maintain her throughout my life, supply all necessities of life, and we shall work together for prosecuting Kṛṣṇa consciousness." You say that "I accept you (Rukmiṇī repeating) as my husband, and I shall serve you as your most obedient wife, to keep you in all comforts, in all distress and happiness, and we shall continue our life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

Himāvatī: He was once in Montreal. Remember? Rukmiṇī's father once came to Montreal?

Prabhupāda: Yes. She is her mother?

Himāvatī: Yes.

Prabhupāda: She is not elderly. Mother is eating?

Himāvatī: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Forty, thirty-five years.

Himāvatī: Yes. Rukmiṇī is only seventeen. Rukmiṇī is seventeen. She's not very old.

Prabhupāda: She is only... She is the first child?

Himāvatī: I don't know. I think so, first child. She has one sister.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Questions and Answers -- Montreal, August 26, 1968:

Prabhupāda: So your question, Rukmiṇī's question, Lord Caitanya's opulence... There are six kinds of opulences: richness, then fame, strength, influence, beauty, education and renunciation. So He exhibited all these six. He was very beautiful; therefore His name is Gaurasundara. Very beautiful-tall and stout and strong. There was no comparison of His beauty at that time, He was so beautiful, fair complexion. This time He did not appear in black complexion because people after fair complexion. So... And son of a very respectable brāhmaṇa family, and very highly educated.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 11, 1969, New York:

Rukmiṇī: On the picture today that you gave Jadurani a picture of Śrī Viṣṇu. There is a foot on His chest. We didn't know what that was... there was a little footprint.

Prabhupāda: There are some special marks on the chest of Viṣṇu by which in Vaikuṇṭha He is known that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise, in Vaikuṇṭha, everyone has got the same feature like Viṣṇu. Just like if President Johnson comes here as a gentleman, you'll not, nobody will recognize him whether he's president or not unless he shows his special mark. Is it not? All government officers, big officers, they have got within the coat one, some mark. So far I know. So similarly, in Vaikuṇṭha the inhabitants, they got svarūpa. Their form is exactly like Viṣṇu. There is no difference. When the Viṣṇudūta came to take Ajamila from the hands of Yamadūta. They were four-handed with śankha-cakra-gadā-padma as Viṣṇu, the lotus flower, this disc, and the club, and the conchshell. There is no difference in the body. Simply by that special mark, some special hair on the chest and there is Bhṛgu, I mean to say, sole, sole, a mark of the feet of Bhṛgu Muni. So by some special marks one can recognize He is Viṣṇu. Otherwise, from bodily features and from dress and from ornaments, there is no distinction between Viṣṇu and His devotees in Vaikuṇṭha.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Wendy Weiser -- Montreal 10 August, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter of August 4, 1968, and I thank you very much for it. Yes, this is a very nice proposal. It is very good that you would like to go to Boston to the Brahmacarini asrama under Jadurani's care. Please go there as soon as it is convenient for you, and Jadurani will be very pleased to receive you there, along with the other Brahmacarinis.

And when you are in Boston, it is not very far from Montreal, so you can come here to visit. And when you come here, we shall talk together, and I shall initiate you as my disciple if you so desire. And I shall be very pleased to meet with you and also Saradia, if she also comes here.

Letter to Satsvarupa, Jadurani -- Los Angeles 1 November, 1968:

Regarding casting of Nrsimhadeva murtis, I could not follow what you mean by this. I know Rukmini can paint, so if she paints Nrsimhadeva pictures, let her do this as many copies as she can.

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

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 16, 1968 and I thank you very much for it.

Regarding marriage with Nandakisora, the situation is simply that he is desirous of marrying and I had asked Purusottama to see if you are agreeable to this proposal. In your letter you have written that you are desiring to remain as brahmacarini for a few years longer and this idea is alright. In India the marriage between a boy and girl is arranged by the parents but in this country such arrangement is not possible so we never request our students to marry if they are not desiring to do this.

I am happy to learn that you are painting a portrait of my Guru Maharaja and that it is coming along nicely. As our movement continues to spread around the world we will be requiring so many of such paintings so that so many devotees and friends may engage their eyes in seeing Krishna and His devotees. So please try to improve your artistic abilities as far as possible. I am sure that Jadurani will always be a help to you in this matter.

So far as offering to Krishna apple cider, this can be done only if it is prepared by devotees. These food manufacturers do not take proper precautions in cleanliness nor do they have devotion to Krishna in their labors so it is not very acceptable offering. If you can make this preparation yourself then it will be alright.

So please continue to engage yourself in Krishna's service very sincerely and I am sure that Krishna will help you in all ways to advance more and more. I am always praying that Krishna will give you strength to continue to go on nicely. Please convey my blessings to all of your good god-brothers and god-sisters in Boston. I hope that this letter finds you all in very good health.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 21 December, 1968:

Regarding Rukmini, I think that if she is desiring to marry Upendra then that idea is very nice and approved by me. If she will rather wait for awhile that is all right but in either case Upendra should be informed of her plans. It is very good sign that Rukmini is willing to submit this decision into my hands, but I think that in this country it is best if she can make her own choice of marriage plans. So whether marrying now or in the future, she will have my blessings.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 23, 1969, and also I have seen your wonderful portrait of my Guru Maharaja. This picture is a great joy to me, and it is now hanging in my room in the temple where I may always gaze upon it. I thank you so much for your sincere service, and i am very much encouraged that you are already a nice artist, and what to speak of the improvements you will make with further practice.

Regarding your question about the individual soul becoming all-pervasive, the idea is completely nonsensical rascaldom. Such theory is simply a bluff. Artificially, by means of practical psychology, one can understand very little of another's thinking and feeling. But this is in no way all-pervasive. If any yogi says like that, especially the modern so-called yogis, it is simply falsehood. In however perfect stage of yoga one may be, he may understand something of another's mental condition, but this is never all-pervasive. This all-pervasive consciousness is possible only in the Supersoul.

Bhakti Devi is the expansion of Srimati Radharani. I hope this letter will meet you in very good health. Thanking you once more for your nice letter.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. While Jadurani is sick you can continue the work slowly. There is no rush you can paint pictures slowly but surely very nice.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 1 February, 1969:

Picture painting is one of our important departments, so please try to become very expert. You should be at least as expert as Jadurani, and that will be a great pleasure for me. Rukmini is also becoming very much expert in her artistic works.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- New Vrindaban 27 May, 1969:

Another thing is I have heard nothing from Bharadraja and Rukmini. I am anxious to hear from them and to see how they are doing the pictures. I have so many pictures for them to do, but why they are not corresponding?

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

I understand that you are also very musically talented, but this talent is not so much required on Sankirtana Party because for chanting Hare Krishna it is not necessary that all instrumentation be so much polished or complicated. If it is necessary for you to work part time to earn money for artist supplies then you should do it, or else if Isana das can continue to help you in this connection, that will be better. Both you and your wife, Rukmini, are very nice artists, so please tell me what ideas you have so that you may get as much artistic work done as possible.

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 12 August, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated July 27th, 1969, sent along with your new beads, and I am enclosing the beads herewith duly chanted upon by me. I am pleased to learn that Bharadraja has completed the Sankirtana picture and you are now doing a painting of Krishna and Arjuna. All such paintings may be forwarded to me as soon as possible. We require so many paintings now as we are planning to print so many illustrated books and there are so many new temples that are opening of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. So as many nice paintings as you are able to do can be well-utilized. If you would like to go to Boston, husband and wife, you could work conjointly with Jadurani. In Boston they now have a large house with nice accommodations for many devotees, so if you are able to go, that will be nice. Regarding the questions you have asked, it is better to refer such questions to our householder women. If your ailment is persisting, you may consult a physician what you should to.

I thank you for the nice sentiments you have expressed, and I am awaiting to see the pictures that you and Bharadraja have completed. Please offer my blessings to Bharadraja and to the others. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Tittenhurst 14 September, 1969:

Your idea for Rukmini and her husband, Bharadraja, to go to Chicago is nice.

1970 Correspondence

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

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14 January, 1970, and have noted the contents. I have also received your gift of two boxes of laddu expertly prepared by you.* They have so far lasted and I am enjoying some each day. They are first-class.

Regarding Srimurti Subhadra, the old Deity should not be repaired, but a new Deity should be carved and installed. The old Deity may be wrapped up in some cloth, tied up and weighted with stones, then put in the river. This is the procedure to be followed.

You may paint Garuda with the figure of half man/half bird. That will be nice.

I am happy to note that you are all trying to serve the Deities more and more nicely. Please go on in this attitude and such efforts in devotional service will become the greatest pleasure or Krishna Consciousness.

I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*you can send me such laddus at least every fortnight a packet.

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 22 February, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your gift of Lugloo Mahaprasadam and the enclosed kind note from you, and I thank you very much for these. I have immediately tasted these lugloos,* and I can understand also how you are happily advancing in the service of Lord Krsna, they are prepared so nicely.

I am so happy to know that you are finding Krsna Consciousness to be the sweetest thing in life, and actually it is so. Please continue your good service attitude more and more and be certain to chant daily the sixteen rounds of beads duly, and Krsna will surely bless you with better and better intelligence for advancing your Krsna Consciousness. Always be sincere and eager to perform your duties allotted by the Lord to you and be successful and joyful in your life.

Thanking you once more, and hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. So far sending these offerings after first offering them to Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sri Radha Krsna, that is alright.

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 20 March, 1970:

Very, very much thanks for your laddus. They are very, very tasteful, and we have eaten with great relish. Still they are in stock, and I shall go on eating.

Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc. Keep teeth brushed after each meal, fingernails clean and trim. Be sure that your hands are clean before touching anything on the altar or the Deities. And cleanse the Deity room, altar and floor daily thoroughly. Shine the various Aratrik paraphernalia after Aratrik. This is described in the booklet for pujaris written by Silavati Dasi. The idea is summit cleanliness—that will satisfy Krsna.

Regarding your dream, it is a great blessing to you that Krsna warned you. So you should never be negligent. Always be careful, then in due course you will feel the Bhava.

Please offer my blessings to your good husband, Bharadraja. I hope both of you are in good health.

Letter to Candanacarya, Bharadraja -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1970:

I have received some laddus from Boston without any note, but I think it is sent by Rukmini devi, so please offer her my thanks and blessings.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Tokyo 3 May, 1972:

You have got nice deities, now you make a nice silver throne like Los Angeles. Rukmini devi wants to install Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so Caitanya Mahaprabhu can be installed on the right side of Krishna, as you have seen in pictures from our Gaudiya Math temples. Nityananda there is no need. Simply three compartments, Gauranga and Spiritual masters in the first compartment, Radha and Krishna in the central compartment, and Lord Jagannatha in the third compartment. But if there is no room for three, then Radha-Krishna with Lord Caitanya on the right side with them, pictures of Spiritual Masters below.