Privilege (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"privilege" |"privileged" |"privileges"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

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 Sardar Patel -- Calcutta 28 February, 1949: 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. Hoping to be excused for intruding upon your valuable time and awaiting your early reply with deep interest.

I have realized it most thoroughly that going "Back to Godhead" is the highest privilege of mankind and that is the supreme perfection of human life.

Letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Indian Union -- Delhi 21 November, 1956: I beg to submit herewith that by the Grace of Sri Krishna through His mercy personified—my spiritual master, I have realized it most thoroughly that going "Back to Godhead" is the highest privilege of mankind and that is the supreme perfection of human life.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 17 August, 1968: But the clause, "Excepting and reserving however, all of the coal within and underlying said property, and subject to the mining rights and privileges set forth in the deed conveying said coal, made by Joseph E. McCombs, et al., dated March 30, 1903, recorded in said Clerk's office in Deed Book 98, at page 185," has caused my headache. I do not know what is written there in the Clerk's office in Deed Book 98, but on common sense, it appears that the area is coal mine or oilmine. Under the circumstances, if in future coal industry is developed and if it is required, the government may at once ask us to vacate and no law can stop it. Even if the government does not acquire our land, if in our vicinity some such industry (coal or oil industry) is started, the whole idea of Vrindaban will fade away. Vrindaban conception is a transcendental village, without any botheration of the modern industrial atmosphere. My idea of developing New Vrindaban is to create an atmosphere of spiritual life where people in bona fide order of social division, namely, Brahmacaris, Grhasthas, Vanaprastha, Sannyasis, or specifically Brahmacaris and Sannyasis, and Vanaprasthas, will live there independently, completely depending on agricultural produce and milk from the cows.

1970 Correspondence

"My Dear Lord, I have simply wasted my privileges of human form of life."

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1970: I am very glad to learn that he has given up composing nonsense songs, it is a great advancement of his spiritual life. But as he has got the aptitude for writing songs, I shall be very glad to give him many such themes of songs on which he can write in his own language and expression. I am giving below one theme: "My Dear Lord, I have simply wasted my privileges of human form of life. This life was meant for understanding Krsna Consciousness and the pastimes of Lord Krsna with Radharani, but I did not take care of this important business of life. Therefore I have not only wasted my valuable time, but also I have willingly drunk poison for committing suicide. My heart is always in blazing fire because of my association with material sense enjoyment, and I did not fix up my mind in the Krsna Consciousness movement which is imported directly from the Kingdom of God. This Krsna Consciousness movement is inaugurated by Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Who are Krsna and Balarama respectively. They have descended very kindly to reclaim all fallen souls of this age of whom the typical examples are the two brothers Jagai and Madhai. Now, forgetting all mistakes that I have committee. in my past life, I humbly surrender unto You, my Lord Krsna the Son of Nanda Maharaja, and also to Srimati Radharani the daughter of King Vrsabhanu. So both of You are present together, and I fully surrender unto You. Please do not reject me as I have no other shelter except Yourselves."

When someone becomes a life member, we can inform him that he may stay at our foreign Temples as privilege of a life member, but we are not inviting anyone and everyone to stay as if we are in the hotel business.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 18 November, 1970: I have met Mr. Gupta last evening and his idea was to advertise so that people may know that if they go travelling in foreign countries they may stay in Temples there. But we cannot advertise like that. When someone becomes a life member, we can inform him that he may stay at our foreign Temples as privilege of a life member, but we are not inviting anyone and everyone to stay as if we are in the hotel business.

Certainly it is a great privilege for a humble servant of Krsna.

Letter to Puri Maharaj -- Bombay 19 November, 1970: I am so pleased to receive your letter inviting me and my disciples and asking me to perform the opening ceremony there. Certainly it is a great privilege for a humble servant of Krsna.

To be able to personally serve the Deity is a great privilege and such a person is very fortunate indeed.

Letter to Hladini -- Surat 29 December, 1970: Proper Deity worship, with all attention to cleanliness, is of the utmost importance. If you can please the Deity by your sincere service, then your temple will flourish. To be able to personally serve the Deity is a great privilege and such a person is very fortunate indeed. So you continue in this way and Krishna will surely bless you.

1974 Correspondence

For my American and European followers it was a rarely given privilege for which they are fully appreciative.

Letter to The Management of Tirupati-Tirumala-Devasthanam -- Bombay 4 May, 1974: I wish to express my heart-felt gratitude for the kind treatment given me and my disciples, members of the Hare Krishna Movement on our recent two day visit in Tirumala. The special excess we were given for darsana before Balaji is something we will always remember favorably, and for my American and European followers it was a rarely given privilege for which they are fully appreciative. We all left Tirupati feeling very much inspired by the darsana and by your excellent management, and we hope to return when we are able again.

We shall feel it a great privileged if you kindly agree to this proposal.

Letter to Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy -- Bombay 18 November, 1974: You are already our member as well as a great devotee of Lord Krishna, so we shall feel it a great privileged if you kindly agree to this proposal.

Unkown Place, Unknown Date Correspondence

Besides that, they should not be expected to get any special privileges above and beyond those enjoyed by other devotees and they must strictly obey the same regimen and practices of devotional service which are followed by the others.

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place: Here are the points in brief: 1) Anyone who comes to a zone from outside must sell books only, no collecting; 2) They must follow explicitly the directions of the local presidents, e.g. they cannot be independent and live separately from the temple. So I suggested to Dhananjaya that each day he designates an area of London for them to distribute in which we have never touched before, especially for instance South London, Greenwich, Woolwich, Brixton, Herne Hill, like that—so they do not interfere with our Oxford Street. So in this way you must control them, and if (they) object or disobey in any (way), they must be sent away; 3) Ultimately the decision rests with the President whether their presence in London (or anywhere else) is favorable for the local situation, or if it is unfavorable. That is Dhananjaya's discretion. If he feels they are doing more harm than good, then they must go immediately. If they bark at going out after you have asked them to go, go see Mr. Jordan or someone at the Home Office andget them deported. But if their presence is judged as favorable in London, they can remain under the following conditions: 4) That, above and beyond the wholesale price (for books) not the cost price (our price), but above the usual wholesale price charged to temples—as if they were selling books to another temple, which we are, in fact—any profit must be given to London center (or the local temple wherever they are working); 5) Besides that, they should not be expected to get any special privileges above and beyond those enjoyed by other devotees and they must strictly obey the same regimen and practices of devotional service which are followed by the others. In future, before anyone from outside can enter another zone for exploiting, they must settle-up first with the GBC man for that zone. In this case, Kesava did not inform me, and you all did right by consulting me when they came. Of course, the point is to sell as many of Prabhupada's books as possible, somehow or other, so if they are favorable in that way, and their activities are not detracting from the overall program, and they are playing fair by giving you minimum 50%, then I have no objection, if they remain there.