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Servant of God (Letters)

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Lord Caitanya's philosophy is not to become God, but to become servant, servant, servant of God.
Letter to Jayagovinda -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1968:

Your attitude of humbleness is praiseworthy. A devotee should always remain humble and meek especially to the authorities and devotees. Lord Caitanya's philosophy is not to become God, but to become servant, servant, servant of God. The more one becomes the lower grade servant of the Lord, the more he is devoted nearer to the Lord. This is our philosophy.

The sum and substance of this teaching is that the living entity is eternally the subordinate servant of God.
Letter to Roland Michener (Governor-General of Canada) -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

We are following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya to invoke the dormant love of Godhead. The sum and substance of this teaching is that the living entity is eternally the subordinate servant of God, but unfortunately, being sophisticated by illusion, everyone in the human society is trying to predominate over others without accepting the Supreme Predominator. A case in point is the recent Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia.

1969 Correspondence

There are many things to criticize in the matter of any faith, and if we divert our attention to such activities we shall simply create more opposite elements and waste our time. Better if we try to push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement and use our energy, education, scientific knowledge, etc. to simply convince the present generation that everyone is servant of God.
Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1969:

There are many things to criticize in the matter of any faith, and if we divert our attention to such activities we shall simply create more opposite elements and waste our time. Better if we try to push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement and use our energy, education, scientific knowledge, etc. to simply convince the present generation that everyone is servant of God. Then our mission will be successful. Actually at the present moment, never mind if one is Christian, Jew, or Moslem, most people are Godless and don't care for God. They simply take an official stand, but actually, from the depth of their heart they have no idea what is God. So we have to invoke the dormant understanding of God-consciousness; that is the principle of Krishna Consciousness Movement.

This Pranamoya, Annamoya, etc. are different stages for persons who are too much engrossed in the bodily concept of life. Our philosophy begins from the point where we immediately accept that I am not this body; I am pure spirit soul, servant of God, Krishna.
Letter to Jayapataka -- London 26 September, 1969:

Your explanation of Annamoya is all right. Pranamoya means there are different types of airs, and the spirit soul is floating on the air, just like all the planets are floating in the air. This Pranamoya air is transferred by breathing exercises, but we have nothing to do with such exercises. Our prana, or life, is surrendered to Krishna. That is the first class yoga system approved by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. This Pranamoya, Annamoya, etc. are different stages for persons who are too much engrossed in the bodily concept of life. Our philosophy begins from the point where we immediately accept that I am not this body; I am pure spirit soul, servant of God, Krishna. Therefore, these studies are meant for neophyte transcendentalists. But this devotional service is far above such platform.

1970 Correspondence

The living entities, when they try to lord it over the God's property, forgetting their constitutional position to remain as eternal servant of God, they are given the material world to act according to their desires.
Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 30 March, 1970:

There are innumerable living entities both in the spiritual world and in the material world. The spiritual world is far, far greater than the material world. As such, the number of living entities living in the spiritual world is many more times greater than the number of living entities living within the material world. The living entities, when they try to lord it over the God's property, forgetting their constitutional position to remain as eternal servant of God, they are given the material world to act according to their desires.

If Mohammed is the servant of God and Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God, then where is the break of the disciplic succession?
Letter to Vrndavana Candra -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:

Question the fifth: If Mohammed is the servant of God and Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God, then where is the break of the disciplic succession. After all the disciplic succession is beginning from God, so how do you find that there is no disciplic succession? If the original tree has branches, twigs and leaves and they are in touch with the original tree, it is alright. The test is whether the line is in touch with the Supreme—that is all.

Although Mohammed and Jesus Christ appeared in the Kali Yuga their instruction is as it is because the persons to whom they had to speak could not understand any more and they find it difficult to understand even that much.

They have changed their names in the form of Krsna das or servant of God, and are following the regulative principles very strictly, worshiping the Lord in the Temple, and thus they are converted Vaisnavas in the strict sense of the term.
Letter to P. Gangulee -- Tokyo 16 August, 1970:

In this connection I may inform you that although there is no law by which the Temples can bar anyone's entry in India, still sometimes practically I have felt the difficulty in respect of my American and European disciples. Last time when I was in India one of my students, Harivilasa Brahmacari, felt the same difficulty when he was in the Temple of Jagannatha Puri. Similarly one disciple was refused entry in the Ranganatha Temple in Vrndavana.

So if you kindly issue a general letter, suggestively reading as follows:

"Certified disciple of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, the missionary preacher of Vaisnava cult in the Western world, is strictly following the Vaisnava regulations. They are regularly initiated in Vaisnava culture. They have changed their names in the form of Krsna das or servant of God, and are following the regulative principles very strictly, worshiping the Lord in the Temple, and thus they are converted Vaisnavas in the strict sense of the term. No Temple authority of India should therefore restrict them in the matter of offering their respects to the Deities or chanting the Hare Krsna Mahamantra within the vicinity of the Temple."

Of course each and everyone of my students will carry an authorized certificate of initiation and if it is accompanied by a copy of letter as above mentioned, I think that will be a great satisfaction for me.

In regards to why you have been branded as Mayavadi sannyasi by society members, that is because you are identifying the Spiritual Master as God. We always represent ourselves as servant of God and you are preaching contrary.
Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 27 October, 1970:

In regards to why you have been branded as Mayavadi sannyasi by society members, that is because you are identifying the Spiritual Master as God. We always represent ourselves as servant of God and you are preaching contrary. The Spiritual Master should be given respect of God but that doesn't mean he is God. That is Mayavadi. You should always remember that the Spiritual Master is the representative of God and should be given the respect of God but that doesn't mean that he is God Himself! You can speak of the Spiritual Master as "servant God" whereas Krishna is "master God". I think this is sufficient to clear the idea.

1976 Correspondence

The path which teaches this fact, that a living entity is eternal servant of God, that is the only single path which leads one back to Home, back to Godhead.
Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

First question: What is the true aim of human life?

Answer: The real aim of life is to go back to Home, back to Godhead. We all living entities in different forms of body numbering 8,400,000 forms beginning from the aquatics up to the best advanced form of human life, there is a regular evolution by the laws of nature. The real fact is that we living entities although part and parcel of God, on account of our own disobedience have come down to this material world under different circumstances. We have different types of material dresses to fulfill the tendency for sense gratification, and this by the laws of nature, by association with the 3 modes of material nature. We are transmigrating through different forms of life. So this human form of life is given to us as an opportunity to understand our position because in the human form of life we have more developed consciousness than the lower forms of life like the aquatics, insects, plants, birds, beasts and the civilized and uncivilized human beings. So the point is that a human being must know the aim of life is to go back to Home, back to Godhead.

Question #2: Which is the exact path to attain this aim?

Answer: God is great and we are all subordinate to God. In other words, God is the Supreme Master and we are all living entities, servants of God. Therefore, the path which teaches this fact, that a living entity is eternal servant of God, that is the only single path which leads one back to Home, back to Godhead.

The present religious and spiritual systems in varieties come into existence on account of imperfect leaders who defied the authority of God. My suggestion is therefore that the leaders who actually agree as eternal servant of God may sit together and find out the ways and means of one religious system in this world.
Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

The present religious and spiritual systems in varieties come into existence on account of imperfect leaders who defied the authority of God. My suggestion is therefore that the leaders who actually agree as eternal servant of God may sit together and find out the ways and means of one religious system in this world. God is one. There cannot be many gods, otherwise there is no meaning of God. In the English dictionary, you find that God means the "Supreme Being." There are unlimited number of living beings, but God is one Supreme Being. Supreme Being must be one. Nobody can be equal to Him, and nobody can be greater than Him, otherwise there is no meaning of God. At the present moment it has become a fashion to become God very cheaply, therefore, such system being very cheap and not authorized, there are so many religious systems. Otherwise, God is one, all living entities are His eternal servants, and therefore, the real religious system is to learn how to serve God.

You are mentioning the Holy Names of Nanak, Krishna, Kabir, Christ, Mohammed, etc. Out of all of these names we accept Krishna as the Lord and all others representative servant of God, Krishna.
Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

Question #5: What has Hasur Mohammed Sahib said about 14th Century and why?

Answer: I have not sufficient information about the instruction of Hazur Mohammed Sahib, but if you mean Mohammed, the inaugurator of Islam religion, I accept him as empowered servant of God because he preached God consciousness in those parts of the world and induced them to accept the authority of God. He is accepted as the servant of God and we have all respect for him. I do not know what he has said about the 14th Century, therefore, I cannot answer this point. You are mentioning the Holy Names of Nanak, Krishna, Kabir, Christ, Mohammed, etc. Out of all of these names we accept Krishna as the Lord and all others representative servant of God, Krishna. In the English dictionary, it is said God is the Supreme Being, and when Krishna appeared on this earth He proved to be the Supreme Being in all respects. We are spreading this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world and if all the leaders would accept this philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, then I am sure that the world would be fortunate to follow one type of religion, and accept one God without any faulty conviction.

Page Title:Servant of God (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Madhavi
Created:22 of Nov, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=11
No. of Quotes:11