Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Training of Upendra dasa (1967 - 1969)

Expressions researched:
"Account" |"Activities" |"BBF" |"BBFD" |"BBT" |"BKF" |"BTG" |"Back to Godhead" |"Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" |"Book Fund" |"Book Trust" |"Book Trust," |"Book" |"Books" |"Branch" |"Branches" |"Business" |"Center" |"Centers" |"Check" |"Checks" |"Consult" |"Consulting" |"Cooperate" |"Cooperated" |"Cooperation" |"Cooperatively" |"Dai Nippon" |"Debt" |"Debts" |"Deities" |"Deity" |"Deposit" |"Distribute" |"Distributed" |"Distributing" |"Distribution" |"Duty" |"Festival" |"Finances" |"Financial" |"Funds" |"GBC members" |"GBC" |"Governing Board Commission" |"Governing Board Commissioners" |"Governing Body Commission" |"Governing Body Commissioners" |"ISKCON" |"Initiate" |"Initiated" |"Initiates" |"Initiating" |"Initiation" |"Initiations" |"Iskcon" |"Kirtana" |"Language" |"Languages" |"Leader" |"Leaders" |"Leadership" |"Leading" |"Literature" |"Literatures" |"M-V trust" |"M-V" |"M.V trust" |"Macmillan" |"Magazine" |"Magazines" |"Manage" |"Managed" |"Management" |"Managers" |"Managing" |"Manuscript" |"Manuscripts" |"Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust" |"Mayapura-Vrndavana Trust" |"Meeting" |"Mission" |"Missionary" |"Money" |"Movement" |"Organize" |"Our society" |"Preach" |"Preacher" |"Preaching" |"Press" |"Print" |"Printing" |"Program" |"Programs" |"Publication" |"Publications" |"Publish" |"Publishing" |"Rathayatra" |"Report" |"Reports" |"Sankirtana" |"Temple" |"Temples" |"The society" |"Translate" |"Translated" |"Translating" |"Translation" |"Translations" |"Upendra" |"Upendra's" |"Zonal" |"Zone" |"Zones"

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Janaki and others -- New York 10 April, 1967:

I am so much obliged to you for your devotion and affection for me. I thought of you all throughout my journey from Francisco to New York and I was praying to Lord Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness. On my arrival here I was received by hundreds of devotees and friends although Mr. Ginsberg was out of the town. One young professor from India first greeted me and told me that Swamiji you are doing here real work whereas others who have come from India, have simply formed some groups of old lady students without any real information of Indian original culture. Any way the reception in New York was very good organized by our students here and there was distribution of varieties of Prasadam to about 100 men in the temple. I was not least tired and after landing from the air ship although there was some blockade in my ear still I continued meeting for three hours. I am now very well although I am feeling your great separation. Please continue Kirtana as usual with devotion and you will make more and more advancement in Krishna consciousness.

Letter to Upendra -- New York 4 May, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your affectionate letter dated April 26, 1967. Thank you very much. Please accept my blessings and I also thank you very much for your sandalwood book marker. It is wonderful. Everyone appreciated this present and I am keeping it very carefully. I am glad that you are changing your office time and you shall have more time to perform kirtana. I am glad that you have mentioned the first stanza of Prayer to Spiritual Master. I think you know the meaning of this stanza. The meaning of this stanza is that, this world is just like forest fire and spiritual master is just like the cloud on the sky, therefore as the forest fire can be extinguished only by water from the sky, similarly, one can be peaceful and elevated in spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness only by the mercy of a bona fide Spiritual Master.

The process which you are following is very nice. Your humbleness and sincerity will make you more and more advanced in Krishna Consciousness. I shall pray to Krishna for your welfare always.

Letter to Upendra -- New York 6 May, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of May 4, 1967 and I am concerned about your __ for army mobilization. I am enclosing herewith a letter you may present to the authority and as a Divinity Student you must not be sent to the field. Chant Hare Krishna. Krishna will save you. Present our prospectus and all newspaper cuttings. Some new cuttings I am enclosing herewith. Also I would request you to pay the rent on room in which I was staying. The Society is short of __ and therefore you can assure Haridasa, Mukunda and Syamasundara. that hence forward you should take responsibility for the rent of my apartment.

Letter to Upendra -- New York 24 May, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your air mail special delivery letter. Thank you very much for the same. I heard that you are not working there in the U.S. Mail dept. And here we want some assistants for the Press Department. But later on it is understood that you are going to work from the 1st June 1967. If you are working there, you need not come here. I am going to San Francisco by the 15th of June 1967. And when I go there I shall talk in details.

Please inform Hayagriva that Gargamuni has sent him the whole set of English Caitanya Caritamrta which he may read carefully and then return it back.

Letter to Krsna Devi, Subala, Lilavati, Yamuna, Jayananda, Upendra, Malati, Gurudasa, Syamasundara, Haridasa, Mukunda, Janaki, Aunt Edna Howell -- New York 5 June, 1967:

My dear boys and girls I am so much obliged to you for your prayers to Krishna to save my life. Due to your sincere and ardent prayer, Krishna has saved my life. I was to die on Tuesday certainly but because you prayed sincerely I am saved. Now I am improving gradually and coming to original condition. Now I can hope to meet you again and chant with you, Hare Krishna. I am so glad to receive the report of your progressive march and I hope there will be no difficulty in your understanding Krishna Consciousness. My blessings are always with you and with confidence you go on with your chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 6 June, 1967:

Please inform Upendra that I have very much appreciated his letter of service attitude. This service attitude is a great asset of revelation in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Janaki -- Delhi 16 September, 1967:

I shall be glad to know if Upendra is coming. Upendra and Acyutananda will be a good combination, both are silent workers without any protest.

Letter to Aatie -- Navadvipa 28 October, 1967:

I am so pleased to learn that you are all living in the Brahmacari house with Jayananda & Upendra & I am more pleased that you are all working. Everyone can achieve the highest perfection of life by working in his specific capacity.

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 31 December, 1967:

Here, all the students, especially Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi are taking my personal care. Upendra and Uddhava they are personally cooking for me, and Mukunda is personally looking after my permanent visa. So I see all round hopes; there is nothing to be disappointed in my service to Krishna.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

I have received your two letters and they are very nice. By Krishna's Grace, you are doing well and continue the same faithfully. Krishna will give you intelligence for proper guidance. Offer my blessings to Uddhava & Krsna dasa.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1968:

It is most gratifying that you say there is no financial worry, you will manage. I am sure Uddhava and Upendra will join you in this enterprise. You are sincere servitor and therefore Krishna is giving you more and more opportunity for service.

Letter to Uddhava, Upendra -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1968:

I thank you for your letter of January 11, 1968, and am pleased with your sincere service attitude. We are all conditioned souls so we are affected by Maya, but if we sincerely chant and serve, our attachment for Krishna will be revived and we will no more have to come under this Maya. Eternally we will be serving the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord.

I am obliged to you for your sincere service in Krishna Consciousness. Please both of you join with Gargamuni in the new center and with greater enthusiasm.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1968:

I thank you for your nice letter postdated Feb. 3, 1968, and have appreciated your very nice Krishna Conscious sentiments. My advice to you is to continue your good attitude that you are keeping now and this alone will help you in advancing your cause of Krishna Consciousness. Yes, it will be great advantage if you can chant so much as one lac of Names daily, and also read scriptures. This is good opportunity for you to learn to sing all the verses in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as you began to do so nicely in San Francisco. That will be very nice.

Namacarya Haridasa Thakura was taken to the jail and he told the prisoners there, oh, you are so fortunate to have this opportunity to sit and chant the Holy Names without the Maya distractions of the outer world! So you should think like that, and use your time in the prison house to the greatest advantage for spiritual advancement.

Please note that the other side of this page was appearing in the very popular magazine New Yorker, and even they are chanting Hare Krishna in mockery, still, it doesn't matter. Just so long they are chanting Hare Krishna, that is the success of our mission. The Kazi's men were breaking up the Kirtana parties of the Lord, and in mockery some of them chanted Hare Krishna, and thereafter, their tongues would not stop singing Hare Krishna. Our tongues should be like that, unable to ever stop singing the Glories of the Lord. We practice, and someday it will be like that.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 12 February, 1968:

In the meantime, Upendra is also released earlier from his internment, and I think if he takes some job he can also help.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1968:

I have received also one letter from Upendra today, and I am so glad he is released within 10 days. That was my expectation when he came to see me, that he couldn't be incarcerated for more than a week. This instance of suffering by a devotee should be carefully noted. As Upendra was in the beginning incarcerated for 3 months, it was reduced to one week; similarly, when a devotee is seen in trouble, it should be accepted as God's Mercy. Just like Upendra's suffering for 3 months was destined by the law, but by the Mercy of God the suffering is reduced to one week only.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1968:

I am so glad to hear that you are released now; this I expected when you came to see me. I entrusted the matter to Krishna to give you release. Anyway, Krishna has been so much merciful upon you that He has taken you out of the state laws. So in every kind of miseries we have to depend on Krishna and we should not be too much disturbed when such miseries come upon us. You have shown very great example in sticking yourself to chanting Hare Krishna while you were in tribulation. Follow this practice all along your life, and surely Krishna will accept you into the Kingdom of God, Back to Godhead.

So far going to India: For the time being, it may be postponed because there is good prospect of starting a center at Berkeley, and Gargamuni is arranging for that. I think Gargamuni and yourself and Krishna das may be the main figures in conducting this center. In the meantime, the Indian center may be organized by Acyutananda, and later on we shall have to see where we shall have to concentrate more energy on the Brahmacaris.

Your strong desire to serve me is very beautiful; your serving me means serving Krishna. I am also your servant so I cannot accept your service from you, or from any of my disciples. I accept service from my disciples on behalf of Krishna. Just like a tax collector must collect for the treasury, not for himself. If he himself touches so much as a farthing it would be unlawful. So I have no right to accept service from any disciple, but on behalf of Krishna I can accept. Sincere service to the Spiritual Master is service to the Supreme Lord. As stated in the prayer, "Prasadad Bhagavat Prasadad". That means because Krishna accepts service through the via media of Spiritual Master, therefore pleasing the Spiritual Master is equal to pleasing the Supreme Lord.

There are four Sampradayas from the beginning of the creation. One is called Brahma Sampradaya, and is coming down by disciplic succession from Brahma; another Sampradaya is coming down from Laksmi, called Sri Sampradaya; another is coming down from the Kumaras, they are known as Nimbarka Sampradaya; another Sampradaya is coming from Lord Siva, Rudra Sampradaya or Viṣṇu Svāmī. These are four bona fide Sampradayas that are accepted by the bona fide spiritualists. The Impersonalist Sampradaya is not original neither the Impersonalist Sampradaya or party can help us. At the present moment there are so many Sampradayas, but we have to test them about their method of disciplic understanding. Anyway, all the four Sampradayas above mentioned, they are after worshiping the Supreme Lord Visnu, in His different Expansions, and some of them are in favor of worshiping Radha Krishna. In the later age the Brahma Sampradaya was handed down though Madhva Acarya; in this Madhva Acarya disciplic succession came Isvara Puri. This Isvara Puri was accepted as Spiritual Master of Lord Caitanya. Therefore, we being in disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are known as the Madhva Sampradaya. And because Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, which country is called Gaudadesa, our Sampradaya party is known as Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. But all these Sampradayas are non-different from one another because they believe and worship the Supreme Lord. Any other Sampradaya who are Impersonalist or voidist or nondevotee, they are rejected by us.

My Guru Maharaja was in the 10th generation from Lord Caitanya. We are 11th from Lord Caitanya. The disciplic succession is as follows: 1. Sri Krishna, 2. Brahma, 3. Narada, 4. Vyasa, 5. Madhva, 6. Padmanabha, 7. Nrihari, 8. Madhava, 9. Akshobhya, 10. Jayatirtha, 11. Jnanasindhu, 12. Purusottama, 13. Vidyanidhi, 14. Rajendra, 15. Jayadharma, 16. Purusottama, 17. Vyasatirtha, 18. Laksmipati, 19. Madhavendra Puri, 20. Isvara Puri (Advaita, Nityananda) 21. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, 22. (Svarupa, Sanatana) Rupa, 23.(Jiva) Raghunath, 24. Krishna dasa, 25. Narottama, 26. Visvanatha, 27. (Baladeva.) Jagannatha, 28. (Bhaktivinode) Gaura-kisora, 29. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Sri Barshabhanavidayitadas, 30. Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta.

Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

My dear Upendra,

Please distribute other devotees letter enclosed herewith.

Letter to Uddhava -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1968:

I have written Upendra recently regarding the Sampradaya, and disciplic succession, and you may have gotten the information from him by now.

Letter to Upendra, Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 18 February, 1968:

If our Berkeley centre is not going to be fruitful just now, I think you may prepare to go to India where Acyutananda has opened a centre at Kanpur. Gurudasa is in contact with Acyutananda and you can talk with Gurudasa. Our aim of starting a centre in India is to attract Indian youngsters by American devotees. Combined together we shall be able to make a wide circulation of the Krishna Consciousness movement.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated February 26, 1968, and I have noted the contents. No, when the Lord appears it is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita that He does so in His Own Internal Potency. This Internal Potency is called Yoga Maya. All Pastimes and activities of the Lord are administered by the Yoga Maya. Therefore, He is not under the influence of material energy, as the conditioned souls are. By the arrangement of Yoga Maya, the devotees sometimes forget the Presence of the Omnipotent Lord. Just like Yasodamayi treats Krishna as her begotten Son, and forgets Krishna's inconceivable power. Therefore, she asks Krishna to open His Mouth to see whether He actually ate some earth. He showed her that He swallowed not only a bit of earth, but the whole cosmic manifestation. Yasoda Mata was astonished to see this miracle, but still she forgot that Krishna is God, that Krishna is the Supreme Lord Himself, and not her ordinary Son. In this way, reciprocation between the Lord and His devotees takes place. The Lord doesn't forget but in order to enthuse the Pastimes of the Lord, the action of Yoga Maya is prominent.

N.B. Yes, you may take up such debate, but not any quarrel or argument should take place. It is good to have such debate, and to know the various arguments which the Mayavad philosophers put forth, and to know how to fully defeat each one. That God can come under Maya is one of their foolish arguments; therefore they say "I am God." This nonsense statement can be refuted in full with our information from Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam. What, then is the definition of God? How can God become a dog? If you are God, why are you suffering, life after life? God means Supreme Controller; can you control anything? Not even your own body. What to speak of the millions of planets spinning so perfectly in their orbit. In this way, we must learn all of us, to defeat these nonsense rascals, and curtail this epidemic of Impersonalism,, which is fatal to the innocent people. We can stop this epidemic with this information of Krishna Consciousness, and it is our duty to do it.

The question, does Lord Rama or Lord Caitanya forget, is like saying, does God come under Maya, or forgetfulness. You must fully understand this before you can successfully debate with the Mayavad arguments. It is very important point.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 21 March, 1968:

We can submit a copy of the remark made by a judge of a court here, in relation to the imprisonment of one of our students, Upendra das, in which the man said, "Be lenient with this boy, as he belongs to an established religious organization, which is doing much to combat against drug-addiction, and to promote the general health and welfare of the young people."

Letter to Upendra -- Allston, Mass 3 May, 1968:

I am in receipt of your letter dated April 27, 1968, and noted the contents. Your feelings of separation are very strong, and I thank you for your kind sentiments expressed therein.

So far the date of the Rathayatra festival, it is to be on the 28th of June, and will continue for 8 days. There are two festivals; one going, and one returning. So you can make plans like that.

Yes, if it is necessary then you can make a nice bed for Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balarama, and keep them nicely until I return. It is your responsibility to see to keeping all the things which I left there very nicely, so please see to it.

Among the medicines I left there you will find some small phials, with the name on them "Bhasker Bajra Jog". Please send me immediately by 1st day mail 4 phials entitled as above. Please see to it.

Please keep me with information so far the church is concerned, and try for it.

Letter to Upendra -- Allston, Mass 1 June, 1968:

I have received your letter of May 25, 1968, and I thank you very much for it. Yes, I received the medicine intact, and I thank you for sending it.

I am going to Montreal on Monday, June 3rd, and if I find Montreal quite suitable, I shall call you and some other students to assemble there to practice Sankirtana in a systematic way. Of course, chanting Hare Krishna does not require any artificial artistic sense, but still, if the procedure is presented rhythmically, then the people may be attracted more by the transcendental music. So, Hamsaduta asked me about you and I have said that you will be able to come as soon as I call you, so first of all let me go there, then I shall let you know what to do.

For the present, you endeavor to make the Rathayatra Festival grand successful. You should arrange the procession and procedure so nicely that all the neighboring people may be attracted to join the procession.

Yes, your question about will and the individual and the difference between them: Thinking, feeling and willing is the subtle covering of the individual soul. This thinking, feeling, and willing is accelerated by the individual soul. In material contact, they are manifested in perverted way. When the individual soul voluntarily surrenders to Krishna and acts in a routine method, thinking, feeling and willing becomes purified and at that time, there is no difference between the individual soul and will.

Syamasundara. is a good servitor from the very beginning, and so is Harsarani. I am very much obliged to you all that you are taking care of Jagannatha so nicely. The more you make the Deity of Jagannatha attractively dressed, the more you shall become spiritually attractive.

If Jagannatha desires, then I may also join you, but the idea of making San Francisco as New Jagannatha Puri is my transcendental dream, and if you fulfill this dream, I shall be so much obliged to you all.

The example of Naradaji, that when he realized Krishna in his previous life, that life and next life, there is no difference. The example is given sometimes in the coconut skin when it is dried up, the fruit within the covering of coconut is hard. And if the coconut is shaken, it is found that the coconut fruit is moving within. Because it has dried up and broken away from the inner walls of the coconut skin. So it has nothing to do with the outer skin, even though it appears that it is within that skin. Similarly, when one is purely in Krishna Consciousness, it may appear that he is within the material existence, but actually he has nothing to do with it. He is dried up, like the coconut fruit; and that process of drying-up is forgetting all sense gratification, and executing Krishna Consciousness full time. So, when one is purely in Krishna Consciousness, his present life and in future life are identical.

Letter to Upendra -- Montreal 4 July, 1968:

I was in due receipt of your letter dated Sunday, June 23, 1968. And your vivid description of the prearrangement of Rathayatra ceremony was so nice and elaborate that it has moved my heart. I thank you very much for grasping the momentum of Krishna Consciousness, by your advanced service attitude. I can only wish that Krishna may give you more and more strength in understanding His transcendental nature. The only process for perceiving Krishna and His name, qualities, form is our sincere service attitude with our senses. Beginning from the tongue, all our senses are practically led by the tongue sense, whose business is to vibrate and to taste. If we can change the materialistic nature of the tongue, by changing of taste and vibration, then automatically the other senses become purified. And we can render service to Krishna with purified senses. As such we should try to chant and eat Krishna prasadam as much as possible.

In the meantime, Gargamuni has come here and I have heard from him the details of your procession and it is so much engladdening to my heart. I thank you all very much for making the Rathayatra festival so successful. Please convey my gratitude to all the boys and girls who participated in this great transcendental service. This is the second year, and you have made a great stride from the first year, and in the third year, I hope it will be still more successful.

Regarding your pen-friend in South India: I have not as yet received any letter from him, but as soon as I receive any news from him, I shall be glad to give him necessary instructions. In the meantime, if you write to him you can convey this message to the gentleman. Any friend in any part of the world that you may contact, try to infuse him with this Krishna Consciousness idea. Never waste your time in any other talks. I think our students have already developed this attitude and they are not interested in idle talks. Ambarisa Maharaja, he set very nice example by engaging his mind always on the Lotus Feet of Krishna, and talking always about him. We should follow the same example.

I think there is a chance of my going to Vancouver and if I go there, I may call some of you there to open a branch. I think you shall be the first man to come there, and I shall be glad to know also how many of you can go to Vancouver for performing Kirtana.

I understand from Gargamuni that Hayagriva has sent you a letter inviting some of you to live with him in W. Virginia where they are attempting to open a new center, but I am not very much hopeful about this center because there are so many impediments. I have already written to Kirtanananda that in such suspicious and unfavorable conditions, no Brahmacari will be interested to go there. If there is actually any invitation for going there, I send herewith instructions to all of you that for the present, there is no necessity of going there. And in future, also, nobody shall go there without getting my permission.

I shall be glad to hear from you about further details of our successful Rathayatra procession.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Montreal 15 July, 1968:

Regarding London-yatra: (like Rathayatra—yatra means travel.) I am contemplating of forming the following party: yourself and your wife, Mukunda and his wife, Gaurasundara and his wife, Hamsaduta and his wife, Pradyumna and Upendra. Maybe we may have to change later on a little bit, but this is my contemplation.

Letter to Upendra -- Montreal 3 August, 1968:

I am very glad to receive your letter suggesting a branch in Vancouver, and it is very encouraging. Please negotiate with your friends as soon as this postal strike is over, and if there is a suitable place to open a center, I am agreed to this proposal. In the meantime, Hamsaduta is coming and I shall consult with him also, and if possible we will go to Vancouver. Regarding Gargamuni's proposal: I am writing him separately and you will know the result from him. If Gargamuni's business is going in San Francisco nicely, he should not for the time being divert his attention. There are two friends also known to me, in Vancouver, and I have written them letters but I have not received any reply from them, probably due to the postal strike. Anyway, I am anxious to open a branch in Vancouver, and as soon as there is favorable circumstances, either through you or through any other friend, it will be a great pleasure for me to open a branch there. I hope all is well in San Francisco, and you are feeling in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Please locate and send to New York, the following medicines: Triphala-(brownish powder, appears like earth, and with faint sweet odor.) Baraillaich-(ground up nuts, very pungent odor—you ground up such nuts in S.F., after they were sent from Acyutananda in India.)*

ACB

*you can send them here (Montreal) when the strike is over

Letter to Upendra -- Montreal 14 August, 1968:

I am in just receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1968, and have noted the contents carefully. In the meantime, I also received a letter from Mr. Renovich, which I have also replied and as he is very much eager to receive me there, he writes to say that I can reside with him so long there is no place of our own. As such, I have replied his letter that I am prepared to start next week by the 21st of August 1968, so you can let me know by phone (our number of the temple is 849-4319) whether I shall start or whether you are going to arrange for the passage money. So everything should be informed immediately after consultation with Mr. Renovich, and then I shall prepare myself also to go to Vancouver. When I reach there, other things will be discussed and done it properly.

Kirtana means both lecturing and chanting with music. The chanting with music is specially attractive for the mass of people, but talking from philosophical point of view on Krishna Consciousness is also chanting. The whole Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of philosophical discussions and we are prepared to present our Krishna Consciousness movement both ways, whichever is suitable in special circumstances. If Mr. Renovich is interested only in philosophical discussions, we are prepared for that. But at the same time we are concerned mostly with the mass of people, therefore Hare Krishna kirtana is our life and soul. So there is no problem if Mr. Renovich is especially interested in scholarly philosophical discussions.

As he has invited me to live with him, since immediately we have no apartment of our own, you must see personally whether my living with Mr. Renovich will be suitable. Because you know that wherever I live, I live separately and my cooking and everything is done by my devotees. And under the circumstances, if the apartment of Mr. Renovich is too crowded, for Gaurasundara and his wife and myself all,* still you will have to do everything for me. That is, I cannot eat with Mr. Renovich, my food must be prepared separately, etc. So whether such facilities are available at Mr. Renovich's apartment, you must see personally all these points, and then let me know, whether or not I shall start.

Hoping you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*If so desired Gaurasundara and his wife may wait till we have our own apartment and I can go alone for the time being. So let us know what to do.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

I am in due receipt of our letter dated August 13, 1968, and in the meantime I have also addressed one letter to Upendra, as well as to Mr. Renovich,* asking for the passage money to go to Vancouver, but I have received neither any letter nor any passage money from either of them.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

P.S. Please find out my stationary somewhere in the basement kept by Upendra and send them here.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- New York 31 August, 1968:

When I go to San Francisco, I shall give you the required letters. Just now I do not remember the body of the letter given to Upendra but I shall compose it again don't worry.

Letter to Upendra dasa -- 20 September, 1968:

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98105

Department of Asian Languages and Literature

Mr. Wayne Phillip Gunderson

(Upendradas Brahmachari)

Secretary, ISKCON

5516 Roosevelt Avenue N.E.

Seattle, Washington 98105

Śrīḥ

gurupādān namaskṛtya prācīnavidyāsaṁsthādhyakṣeṇa Taylor nāmnā vijñāpyate:

Tatrabhavatāṁ hārdaṁ pattraṁ katipayadinebhyaḥ prāg labdham. ayaṁ tūttaravitaraṇavilambhaḥ kṛpayā kṣamyatām asya janasya karyāntare atyantāsaktatvāt. Bhaktivedāntasvāminaṁ vārtāṁ dharmodyogaṁ ca bhavadanugraheṇa niśamya teṣām khalu pariśramaphalaprāptim āśāsmahe. bhavatpattre tu samayanirdeśābhāvā asmākaṁ tais saha sahakārāvakāśo na pratibhāti. Washintondeśīyarājāṅgānusārena yasya kasyāpi dharmasya protsāhanaṁ visvavidyālayādhikāriṣu nyaṣedhīti sujñam.

sāvanāmaḥ

George E. Taylor

Director

GET:fkg

(What follows is written in Śrīla Prabhupāda's handwriting:)

Translation

Dear Sir,

I the undersigned Mr. George E. Taylor professor of oriental languages after offering obeisances to the lotus feet of Guru beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter which I received a few days ago. I beg your pardon because I am delayed in replying your letter on account of my being engaged in some other business. I hope all success to Bhaktivedanta swami for his great endeavour in preaching religious activities which I come to learn by your kindness. In your letter you have asked for some time to see us but there is no such opportunity to meet you. The authorities of the Washington University does not encourage anyone's religious activities and it is well known that there is specific stricture.

yours faithfully

George E. Taylor - Director

Reply

Dear Mr. Taylor,

While thanking you for your letter dated 20th September, 1968 I beg to inform you that our spiritual master Om Viṣnupāda Bhaktivedānta Svāmi Mahārāja is not preaching a type of faith which you have described as yasya kasyapi dharmasya protsāhanaṁ. He is preaching svarupa dharma. He is preaching the svarupa dharma of all living entities. As a great Sanskṛt scholar you must have come across the following famous Sanskṛt passages like sa vai pumsām paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, dharman tu sākṣāt bhagavat praṇitaṁ dharmena hīna pasubhiḥ samānāḥ (SB 1.2.6). We practice and preach svabhāva dharma but not that dharma which is taken as a matter of faith. The svabhāva dharma of every living creature is to become a servant. Even a great scholar like yourself is also a servant of Washingtondesiya rajya. Similarly everyone is servant of somebody superior. This servitorship is constitutional position of all living beings. But in conditional state everyone is serving his senses. This is called virupa dharma. The svarupa dharma is to serve the master of the senses namely hṛṣikesha. This hṛṣikesha servitorship is liberation of the conditioned soul. Without this, namely hṛṣikena hṛṣikesha sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Harāv ābhaktasya kuto mahat gunāḥ manorathena asato dhāvato vahiḥ, a man is pasubhisamānāh. According to Asian sanskṛt scholars vidya bhāgavatabadhi. I wish therefore to request you to introduce in your department of Asian language and literature the study of Srimad Bhāgavatam, the summit of Sanskṛt literature as accepted by great Sanskṛt scholars like Sridharsvami, Virraghavacharya, Jiva Gosvami, Visvanāth Chakravarty and above all Lord Chaitanya who was known as Nimāi Pandit the greatest sanskrit scholar in the 15th century. As you are teacher in a great visvavidyalaya you may introduce the study of Srimad Bhagavatam in your department because it is said in the Bhāgavatam koumāra acaret prājno dharmān bhāgavatāniha dūrlabham mānusam janma tadapyadhruvamarthadam. I am sorry I cannot reply in Sanskṛt because our process of study is not academic but by sruti.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

Regarding your requirement, I am handing the note to Upendra, and I hope he will do the needful.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 3 November, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of October 24, 1968, and due to constant change of addresses I could not reply earlier. Your desire for India should be suspended for the time being because formerly I thought that there would be development of a branch of our institution in Vrndavan, and the matter was entrusted to Achyutananda, but we could not give it practical shape till now. Neither I have any hope he will be able to do it. Now he proposes to come back. But the Samkirtan party which is developing may hope one day to travel over the world, and in that case, your service will be required. The present Samkitan party now working in Los Angeles is scheduled to join the London party in due course, and if it is successful there, they may propose to make a world tour, which certainly will be a glorious work. And at that time our tour in India will be very successful.

In Seattle, also you try to move in Samkirtan party as Tamal Krishna was doing, and it is good proposal that the girls may take charge of the temple in cleaning the temple house, and worship the Deities, and cook prasadam while you are in work outside. Please try to develop the Seattle center which is practically in your charge, and let me know at least once in a week about your activities there.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter of Nov. 7, 1968, and thank you very much for it. Regarding your question, Sayamrupa means the Original Form. Sayamprakash means Balarama. And Tadekatmarupa is the purusa, just like Mahavisnu. It is not necessary to remember or fully understand all these different forms, at the present, but it is like if you simply stick to the master faithfully that is very good, but if you know that my master is so great, and so rich, and great in this way and rich in this way, and that way, then your veneration for your master will increase. To know Krishna is great, how He is expanded into different forms, that enhances our attachment to Krishna more rigidly.

You ask about the desire for fame. Fame is a material desire, but to desire fame in Krishna Consciousness is not bad. If you think that people may know me as a great devotee of Krishna, that they may acknowledge me a nice devotee of Krishna, that is not at all bad. But even one is highly elevated in Krishna Consciousness he should not think himself a great devotee, he should think himself always humble.

You can celebrate Rasa-lila by having nice kirtana and prasadam distribution, that is our way of celebrating.

Your question, "When one has become pure enough, Krishna conscious, does one take regular dictation from one's Guru Maharaja? I know you to confirm yes, but how is this so? Understanding that each individual has a certain particular rasa with Krishna, how would one relate with another soul of a different rasa? Especially between that of the Guru and disciple?" That doesn't matter. The Spiritual Master's position is to train the disciples. Just like a teacher, he may be a very expert mathematician, but in the lower class he is teaching English. The Spiritual Master's duty is to train him, but when he comes to the perfectional stage of training, then he realizes his position. That is not a gift of the Spiritual Master, the Spiritual Master helps him to realize his relationship with the Lord. Just like the student in lower stages has to study so many things as preliminary education, English, history, math, etc., but in higher stage of education, he has got a particular taste for a special subject, so he specializes as a mathematician or a historian, etc. So that special qualification reveals in the higher stage. So these topics are not to be discussed in the conditioned stage, and when we come to the liberated stage we can understand. This is useless talks in the preliminary stage. In the beginning let us do the preliminary routine work very nicely, and be cured of the disease (out of maya), then we can know what taste you have for what particular type of food. So these things are not to be discussed at the present moment.

Yes, you can pray to Krishna—Krishna may be prayed that I am unwilling to become Krishna Conscious, so you can force me to become so. You put me under certain circumstances so that I may be forced to accept Krishna Consciousness. You can pray like that. It is Krishna's special favor and mercy that He sometimes forces a devotee to surrender fully to Him.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter and noted reports of work there at your center and with great satisfaction. Please do it nicely. You are intelligent and Krishna will give you more and more intelligence to serve Him. I shall ask Jayananda for the permit and he will send it to you, along with the information required.

You will be glad to know that we lost our Hollywood temple, but by Grace of Krishna we have got a better place at a cheaper rent already on the Melrose avenue. And we are going to occupy the same within a day or two if all goes as planned. Everything is going on nicely here, and please keep me informed with regular reports of your activities there. If you think so, Gary can be initiated by post and you can arrange it for him.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 26 November, 1968:

I have received your letter of Nov. 22 and have noted the contents.

I think that the troubles you describe in your letter are due simply to misunderstanding. Do not worry because next week Garry shall return to you and Krishna will certainly help you in your endeavors. Jivananda shall remain with the Sankirtana Party and similarly Harsarani shall stay with him in Los Angeles.

We must always remember that the leader in charge of a temple must learn to successfully deal with the other persons there. No one is working as a paid servant so if the dealings are not friendly everyone will decide to leave. The leader of the temple must try always to be sober and tolerant and at the same time manage everything nicely. Please continue to try and cultivate this talent and I know you will be given all intelligence to do this.

Regarding the prayers of Narottama das Thakura, you will be pleased to know that we have taped these prayers and this tape shall be reproduced by Danesh for all of the centers along with others and also to be sent out is the transliteration and translation of these prayers. So I think you may wait for these. It is nice that you are trying for recipes of Krishna Prasadam to be printed in local newspapers and if you can also have them run some of our articles from Back To Godhead this also shall be very beneficial.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 2 December, 1968:

I have received your letter of November 30th, 1968 and have noted the contents carefully. I have noted with pleasure that you have spoken before a group of the Catholic Church. You should know that as far as our Krishna Consciousness movement goes, we are better Christians than those who proclaim that they are following the orders of Christ. This is because we are following and generally they are not. Just like the 10 Commandments order that thou should not kill. But these so-called Christians are performing so much killing by meat-eating and wars. So how are they good Christians? You may ask them this in your meetings and try to convince them of their position. Also, we do not commit adultery, we do not take the Name of God in vain, in fact we practice that the Name of God is just as good as God. So according to the 10 Commandments, nobody is Christian, but in our own way we are following the principles of the 10 Commandments strictly. So I think you may explain to them how this Krishna Consciousness movement will help them advance to be better Christians.

I have also noted that you write to say that you are having trouble with sex agitation. Why you do not marry then? Either you become grhastha or what other choice is there? Either you train yourself and pray to Krishna, begging that you may remain brahmacari or else get yourself married.

On the Disappearance Day of my Guru Maharaja, you may hold meeting to discuss His activities and offer respect to His Memory. Practically, this movement is His because it is under His order that I have come to your country.

So continue to chant your full 16 rounds daily, even there is effort and I am sure that you will be helped by Krishna through the difficulties of this inferior energy, maya. I hope this finds you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Gary is initiated yesterday and his name is Gajendra das—ACB

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 9 December, 1968:

I have received your letter of December 6, 1968 arriving last night and I have duly noted the contents. In your letter you have made it clear that you are finding some difficulty with sex desire and have asked guidance from me to instruct you how to handle this problem of the material body.

First of all I think you should know that such problems are not very unnatural because in the body the conditioned soul is very prone to failure. But also we must remember that such failure will not discourage us from executing the most important mission of our life, to become fully in Krishna Consciousness. So whatever falldown has been, you should be regretful about it, but it is not so serious nor is it a permanent disqualification. But you must try to check yourself from such artificial things and take full shelter of the Lotus Feet of Krishna. I think that for such checking marriage is the only solution. It is understood that everyone has some nasty habits but by sticking to Krishna Consciousness, chanting our required rounds loudly, and tending the deities, these items will surely save you. So always be seriously engaged in serving Krishna and pray to Krishna to help you with your frailties. But I think that marriage is the solution with no other alternative. If you are married you can continue to practice all the items of worship and with more peace of mind, so such solution, along with redoubled efforts to serve nicely and be very pleasing unto Krishna, these things will help you. I have always known you as very good, sincere boy so with utmost seriousness you must consider these points and act upon them. I shall hope to be hearing again from you soon on this matter.

Hoping you are always well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. It is my open advice for everyone that one who is disturbed by sex, must take the responsibility of married life

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

I have heard from Upendra that you have had some success in arranging for a temple in Vancouver.

Letter to Joy Fulcher -- Los Angeles 12 December, 1968:

I know that now there is a shortage of hands in our Seattle center, so why not remain there to help out Upendra and the others.

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.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 29 December, 1968:

I have received the copy of the article printed in the University District Herald, and I thank you very much for your nice efforts in publicizing your temple activities. You will be glad to know that just yesterday, in the Los Angeles Times there was publication of my opinion about the moon planet excursion. Such work with the local newspapers as you are nicely doing is very good. Try to agitate as far as possible our activities. Always be engaged so that maya will not disturb you. Chant Hare Krishna as many times during the day as you are able. Occupy your time in deity worship in full cooperation with Gajendra das and there will be no disturbance. As more articles are printed about your activities please continue to send them, it is encouraging to see how you are working nicely.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 4 January, 1969:

I have received your nice gift of rose petal preserves and I thank you very much for this. Also, I have just yesterday received one letter from a boy in Seattle named Charles McCollogh, and he has desired to come here to Los Angeles and receive initiation from me. Please inform me of the situation with this boy so I may reply to his letter there after.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 6 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 2, 1969 and I have carefully noted the contents. You have expressed the desire to become an Ayurvedic physician but I do not think that this proposal is very good. This science is not so important to us now because in your country there is ample facility for receiving medicines. Besides many of the herbs which are needed for Ayurvedic treatment would have to be sent here from India, and this is not very practical. This homeopathic medicine you have mentioned is not genuine and therefore is a bluff. So the first medicine which you should be concerned with is to chant Hare Krishna and to become increasingly steady in Krishna Consciousness. Study Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad-Bhagavatam and continue to help your god-brothers in developing Krishna Consciousness. So develop your preaching abilities in this way, and this will be the most successful and appreciated endeavor.

Regarding the answers which you gave to Bilas Vigrahadas, they were all correct. When you study very carefully all of the literature which is available, especially Bhagavad-gita As It Is, you will have in your grasp answers to all questions that may be put to you. Please encourage the others to read this Bhagavad-gita at least one chapter every day.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

I understand from a letter of Upendra Brahmacari in Seattle that you have inquired about me from him after your return from Vrindaban.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

I understand that Sripada Prabhupada das Brahmacari is in correspondence with Upendra das Brahmacari in Seattle. May I know who is this brahmacari?

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 6, 1969 and your letters of January 10th and 11th, 1969. From your recent letters I can understand that you are keeping yourself busily engaged and are improving nicely. This is our process, that you do not let even one minute go by without doing some sort of service for Krishna. Because as soon as there is a little gap of Krishna Consciousness, immediately maya makes an attack to grab us again. So keep up with your kirtanas and outside engagements and always think of Krishna so that maya will not have a second's opportunity to try to conquer you. And Krishna gives all assurance that the sincere devotee will never know defeat, so if you simply try to propagate our movement in the Seattle area, you will be successful, rest assured.

Regarding this boy, Charles McCollough, if he is able, I think he may come to see me at Los Angeles so I may discuss with him initiation. So you may inform him in this way.

So far as your question about evolution, you should know that the aspects of this theory which are actually correct offer no contradiction to the Vedic version. This whole topic has been very nicely explained in an article in Back To Godhead, "Evolution, the God That's Failing". So I refer you to this article which was in a few issues back. This should clear up your questions.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter of 20, January, 1969, and I have noted the contents. You have written that you are unable to find a girl who is available for marriage, and so for the present, you have no choice but to hold off on your marriage plans. Anyway, I always recommend that one should try to remain brahmacari if possible, and if you think that this will be possible for you, you should try for it.

In your letter you have asked many questions, and I will try to answer them for you herewith. Firstly, the Gayatri Mantra is not to be said loudly. Gayat means to sing, but singing can be done loudly or very softly. The Gayatri Mantra should be sung in a low whispering voice. Regarding the Brahman Pucha stages, this matter is described in the 13rd chapter of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. So far as the 10 sense organs, they are eyes, ears, nose, mouth, touch, these are the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge. The five moving organs are the legs, hands, tongue, genital, and rectum. Five objects of the senses are beauty, taste, smell, sound, and touch. The five gross elements are earth, water, fire, air, and ether. The four subtle elements are mind, ego, intelligence, and consciousness. Above these is the soul, and above the soul is the Supersoul.

In tending the deities, you may wash Balarama first, before washing Krishna. Krishna is always non-different from the deity of Krishna. Regarding your request for the Brihat-Sama mantra, this may be given, but a much better proposal is that you concentrate upon improving the quality of your chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra. This is more important consideration for the present time.

Regarding the wife of the Spiritual Master being considered as mother, this applies when the Spiritual Master is not sannyasa and he has a wife.

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

I am in due receipt of your letter of January 27, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I am pleased by your wish to remain as brahmacari, and if you stick to your decision you will be able to go back to Godhead, back to Home, in this very life without waiting for another birth. Please try in every way to stick to this principle, and simply engage yourself in Krishna's service. That will protect you from any attack of maya. Maya can take Krishna's place in our heart as soon as there is a slackness on our part. Otherwise, if Krishna's seated always, maya has no opportunity to occupy the seat. Try to follow this method and you will surely be successful.

Regarding your worries about natural disasters in Los Angeles, thank you for your cares for me. But Krishna is always giving protection and there is no cause of concern. There was a slight storm at night for two or three days, but that was not very much of a disturbance for me. I am glad to note that you are making improvements in the temple's paraphernalia. That should be your primary engagement. Please also take good care of this boy Charles. He is new, and you must help him so that he will not be poisoned by the influence of maya.

If you will have some time it will be nice if you can come to Los Angeles for a few days. I shall also be very glad to see you. Also you will get ideas from how the Los Angeles devotees are working for their temple.

As much as possible you should try to introduce to the colleges our Bhagavad-gita. In every college there is a religion department, and most of them have interest in the Bhagavad-gita. So you can show to the chief man of this department that this is a real presentation of Vaisnava philosophy. I have received a statement from Dr. Haridasa Chaudhuri of the California Institute of Asian Studies that ours is the best presentation of the teachings of Lord Krishna to the Western public. So if they are actually serious to receive instructions from Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, they absolutely must read this publication of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. If they want some nonsense upon the plea of reading Bhagavad-gita then there is nothing we can do to help them. Everyone is free to act according to his inclination.

Regarding your question, maya comes from Krishna. Everything comes from Krishna, but when something is found in Krishna it is just as good as anything can be. Just like Krishna has the stealing propensity. As such He is called the Butter Thief, and he is worshiped as the Butter Thief. He is worshiped by His devotees all over the world with love and affection, while the same propensities in us would result in our being handed over to the police. That is the difference between Krishna and ourselves. He being Absolute, everything in Him is also Absolute. In the relative prospective it is very difficult to understand what is the Absolute. From the material point of view, one cannot understand that one plus one equals one, and one minus one equals one. It requires a little time to understand this axiomatic truth. But in time such truths will become revealed to you without any mental speculation.

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

10. Seattle ISKCON

5516 Roosevelt Way N.E.

Seattle, Washington

President: Upendra das Brahmacari (Wayne Gunderson)

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4 February, 1969, and I have noted all of the contents. I thank you very much for the humble sentiments which you have expressed, and I am sure that Lord Nityananda is seeing your sincerity and will be pleased to bless you. Regarding your coming to see me in Los Angeles, you may do this as soon as possible, because I am expecting to be leaving there by the beginning of March. So I will be expecting to see you very soon.

Regarding your idea of having the Los Angeles Samkirtan party come to Seattle and Vancouver, this idea is all right, and when you come here you may talk with Tamal Krishna about this possibility.

Letter to Upendra -- Hawaii 11 March, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter of March 5, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, a new man may commit blunders in the beginning, but that does not mean we may be too impatient with him. After all, training means the man does not know, so you should train him nicely. A Vaisnava is expected to be humbler than the blade of grass, so when you train some new man you should not get agitated with him. After all, we are preachers, and we do not expect our audience or candidates completely respondent to our call. If everyone is trained then what is the use of our preaching. I receive daily so many odd letters, still we have to reply them properly. So you are in charge of the Seattle branch. You should try to develop and manage this temple as your life interest. Don't be flickering, thinking of going here and there. Whatever charge given from Krishna through the medium of Spiritual Master you should be carrying out very faithfully. I have come to your country in this old age with this interest. We should not mind where we are kept or where we have to discharge our duties. But we should accept and do them nicely.

I wish that the Seattle temple be maintained as the most important thing, and there is no second man besides you to take charge of it. Actually the center was opened by you and Gargamuni. Gargamuni is now engaged in different work, so you do not divert your attention. Please try to occupy the church contemplated and try to improve it like L.A. temple. If you try your best Krishna will give you all facilities.

I am glad to hear you are going to teach the university course. This is very good, do not worry about the watchdog Mr. Miller, this trouble will continue always but still we have to do our duties. One thing, Mr. Miller takes objection to Hinduism. He is Christian and he thinks that we are preaching Hinduism. You should clear up this thing that we do not preach any particular "ism." We are simply teaching how to develop our dormant love of Godhead. So what religion is there that does not approve love of Godhead? One may say that all improve our love of Godhead according to our own way, but from practical point of view, in no religious principle the love of Godhead is seen to be enhanced. They make God as order-supplier for their material needs. Or some of them are taught to love God because He is considered to be order-supplier. But our principle is not to make God our order-supplier—we want to execute the order of God.

These things are explained in the Bhagavad Gita and other literatures. You try to convince people that this simple method of chanting Hare Krishna and following the easy process; actually one enhances love of Godhead without fail. So why one should be against this principle? In this way, we have to preach, depending on Krishna and showing good examples of ourselves.

Instead of join Samkirtan, you just develop a Samkirtan party there, I expect that each center must have a nice Samkirtan party. If you join Samkirtan party, who will maintain and manage the center? You should manage the Seattle temple; that is your principle duty. They also developed the Samkirtan party in L.A. very gradually, not in one day. So you work in this way.

Letter to Mr. Windisch -- Hawaii 21 March, 1969:

Your writing in the second paragraph is so much encouraging for me and your appreciation of devotees like Upendra and Ananda is super excellent.

Letter to Upendra -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letters of March 20 and 21, 1969. I have noted the contents carefully. You should change your habits. You have lost now a good soul, and either he comes back or if you know his address then if he does not like to live with you, he may come at once and live with me personally. And you should try to check such passion. I think Jivananda and Harsarani also left for this reason. So the Seattle branch is in your charge, so as head of the temple you should be so nicely dealing with your assistants. Never mind now whatever is done is done, but in the future you should be very careful and do your duty with full faith in Krishna. Surely Vilasavigraha will come back, so when he comes back you can send him to me wherever I may be.

Regarding your Draft Board questions: We are trying at the moment to get our society recognized by them as a bona fide religious institution, and if this is successful, rest assured that there will be no trouble for you. Kartikeya has been classified in 4D ministerial status, because the officer who came to inquire about him was satisfied, but his instance is not generally recognized. We have to submit our bona fides and as soon as we get recognized then everyone of our boys will be saved.

In the meantime, you do your duty of management of Seattle branch faithfully, and I hope this will meet you in good health. And please let me know when Vilasavigraha returns; I shall be glad to hear.

Letter to Upendra -- Buffalo 19 April, 1969:

While I was in New York, I got your colored pictures, and each and every one of them is so nice and captivating that I have kept them for future paintings by our artists. I thank you very much for these pictures, and I hope your center is making nice progress by Sankirtana Movement. I shall be staying here in Buffalo for one week, and then I shall go on to Boston.

Letter to Upendra -- Allston, Mass 29 April, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 April, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be worried that there is only yourself and Gajendra as full time members. You will get more doubtlessly. Don't be agitated. Go on working sincerely and Krishna will surely help you. Both Gajendra and yourself are very sincere souls, and I give you both all blessings. So please continue to try to develop nicely. If you have got a nice place and a Sankirtana Party, then success is assured. That is already experimented in Los Angeles, You have already seen it, and try to organize a Sankirtana Party in that way in Seattle also. Seattle is a very nice place, and everywhere the students are taking part in our movement more enthusiastically. While I was in Buffalo I was very much pleased with the student community there, and similarly I saw good response in San Francisco. I have already invitation from Columbus and North Carolina, so our future hope is this student community. The child is the father of the man, and if the fathers of the children in this country are not taking part with us, the future fathers are surely sympathetic. That is a great hope for us.

Regarding Back To Godhead, when we get copies from Japan, I have program to distribute several thousand copies freely. In the meantime, get the concessional rate from the Post Office. They have got such rates in Los Angeles and New York, it is about 2 and a half or 3 cents per copy. so you may select some nice, important names; government men, leading industrialists, businessmen, and when you get the concessional rates you should distribute at least 100 copies from your center freely. The postage and copies will be supplied to you.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1969:

NB: I have just received one letter from Upendra, and he is thinking of obtaining a nice church in Seattle. As he may be needing $500 very soon for down payment, your Los Angeles temple may help by loan of whatever money he will require in this connection.

Letter to Upendra -- Columbus, Ohio 8 May, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4 May, 1969, and I have noted the contents with much encouragement. Regarding the church, I think you should try for it by all means, and if need be I shall see that the funds which you need will be loaned to you. I have already informed Tamala Krishna that the Los Angeles temple may be called upon to give this loan. So try for it, because such a nice church will be a tremendous boon to our Seattle propaganda activities.

Regarding your question about the difference between mind and soul, the mind is one of the senses, and the soul is the owner of the senses, including the mind. The mind is material, just like the material body, but when the material coverings are taken away, as we revive our spiritual body, similarly we revive our spiritual mind also. At the present moment, my material mind, intelligence and ego is carrying me in different types of bodies, because mind has different desires, and it carries the soul just like finer air carries the flavor of the flower or some other smell. So the mind is an instrument, and the soul is the worker of the instrument.

Letter to Upendra -- New Vrindaban 26 May, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated 14 May, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Also I have received your check, and I am so pleased that you are so regular in sending it. Regarding your decision to wait until you are more able to handle it before purchasing the church, that is good idea. Try to cooperate with Tamala Krishna as far as possible in preparing for the Rathayatra Festival. Tamala is now managing all the Western Coast centers, so please help him to make the Festival a grand success. But I think that for at least two or three days you must come to San Francisco for Rathayatra. You are one of our old members, so when you come for a few days someone else may stay there to run the temple in your absence. I am very pleased to note that you are holding kirtana programs regularly, and your propaganda efforts are going nicely. Try to propagate Sankirtana as much as possible. This should be our life and soul. In Ohio we held two big meetings, and each one was very satisfactory.

Letter to Upendra -- Moundsville 29 May, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 27, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I do not know what I can do in these legal matters. You try your best in consultation with Tamala Krishna. I think that perennial watch-dog is playing some mischief. But the best thing would have been to change your location to the church. In the church there is everything as required by the law. So best thing is to consult Tamala Krishna and occupy the church. That is my opinion. You can give your statement to the authorities that it is a private temple, not many people come in cars, so there is no necessity of parking places; and some two or three people only come to the feasts and temple meetings. It is a private temple. Another possibility is that Ananda may be called from Vancouver to help you in maintaining the church in Seattle. You may correspond with him in this connection. Or else if you feel that Vancouver may be a nicer place, then you may join Ananda there. Please keep me informed as to your progress in this connection.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 12 June, 1969:

I think you should now make an ad hoc committee. of management, comprising yourself, Jayananda, Cidananda, Dindayal, Upendra, etc. If in this way you can take charge of management affairs, it will be a very nice thing.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated June 23, 1969. I have reached Los Angeles yesterday afternoon, and I am very comfortable here. The house is very nice, calm and quiet. Yes, for the present my program is to stay here for one month, but if I do not go to London, then I shall stay longer. Surely I shall go to San Francisco to take part in the Rathayatra Festival if I do not go to London. But I also want to see you, if possible, before the Rathayatra Festival. So far as your duty is concerned, you are doing your best. That is your spiritual qualification. The best qualification for a Vaisnava is to act sincerely, and to his best capacity, for the service of Krishna. Otherwise, Krishna is so great, and we are so small, there is no question of our giving any service to Krishna. But Krishna is so great, and He is so greatly merciful, that any small service we offer to Him in devotion and sincerity He will accept. Krishna does not require anyone's help or service, but if we serve Him, even in a very small capacity, He will accept it. So that is our only hope. One who can show the whole cosmic manifestation within the hole of His mouth, what service can we render unto Him? So the best thing is to employ all of our talents and energies in His service. That will help us to progress. So now Seattle is in your charge for introducing Krishna Consciousness, and you are doing your best. Krishna will surely bless you.

I beg to thank you very much for your check, and I appreciate that you are the only center who is regularly sending for my maintenance fund. Another request is that now I shall try to publish all of my books. We have arranged for purchasing a nice Composer machine, and also we are going to immediately print 10,000 copies of TLC in paperback. Our sales are not going very quickly, so under the circumstances, if we want to continue publishing our books, we shall require money as much as possible. Therefore, whenever you have got some extra money, you may kindly spare it for the book fund.

I hope to see you again when you come here, or else in San Francisco. The pictures you formerly sent are going to be printed in BTG. I have advised Brahmananda of this and have delivered him the pictures. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 1, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to inform you that I will be arriving in San Francisco around the 25th or 26th of July, and I will see you there during the Rathayatra Festival. Regarding your questions, "Is Subhadra, Lord Krishna's Sister, the same Durga or Maya?", the answer is that originally Krishna's energy is one: that is spiritual energy. But according to different functions, the Maya is represented differently. In the material world the energy is called Bhadra, and in the spiritual world the same Maya is called Subhadra. The only distinction is su and without su. Su means auspicious. So in the spiritual world, the same Maya works auspiciously, and in the material world the same Maya works inauspiciously. This auspiciousness and inauspiciousness is our own choice. The same example that jail life is inauspicious, and free life is auspicious, but it depends on the choice whether we prefer free life or jail life. The energy of the government works in the same way both in the jail department and the freedom department. It is the choice of the person who is relatively concerned with either jail or freedom.

Regarding frozen vegetables, they are not bad, but if they are twice boiled, then they should not be used. I do not know exactly, but I do not think it is twice boiled. Anyway, if it is, it should not be used.

Now Tamala Krishna will be the supplying agent of devotees to many temples, because he is attracting many new devotees in the Los Angeles temple. So the program is after being trained up here, some of them may go either to open new branches or where they are required. But I wish that you should also attract new devotees from your quarters. Instead of importing devotees, it is better to attract devotees from your own area. And the basic principle for doing this is Sankirtana Party. I hope you have by now received one circular from Brahmananda in which it is stated that you are all requested to write articles of Krishna Consciousness as you have personally realized it, and also send as many pictures as possible of Sankirtana Movement for BTG along with short descriptions.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 15th, 1969, and I have noted the contents. Regarding the persons who have been "throwing the I-Ching," this cannot go on in our temples of Krishna Consciousness. This is to be considered as gambling, and it must be strictly prohibited. So if these boys will come to Los Angeles to follow the discipline as it is practiced here, that will be the best thing. Otherwise, they may not cause this disturbance in our temples. So both of these boys, whoever they are, should come immediately to Los Angeles to be trained up nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Unless one agrees to follow all of our principles, he may not be allowed to live at the temple. This must be our policy.

I am pleased to learn that your center and the Vancouver center are cooperating together to propagate this movement. Your idea of joining together on Sankirtana once in a month for large scale Sankirtana Party is nice, and you may do it conveniently. Regarding Mayapur, Acyutananda is now in the process of finding out some suitable land for our society, and whatever Krishna desires in this connection will be done. I am thinking that you will be very nice for this Mayapur center, but first of all you organize the Seattle very nicely. That is your first business. Yes, you are welcome to write to me when you wish to do so. I am always pleased to learn of the nice activities you are performing. But so far as general management questions and difficulties are concerned, these should be first submitted to Tamala Krishna in Los Angeles. I am always at your service to assist in any way that I can, but Tamala Krishna is gradually becoming more and more expert in managing temple business, and if he is able to solve things conjointly with you, that is the best system.

So far as my travel plans are concerned, it is not yet settled. When Krishna Das informs me that they have have found an apartment there, then I shall leave for Europe immediately, via the New York or Boston temple.

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

But as long as we are attracted by the nonsense glittering of Maya's call, this pure state of consciousness cannot be realized within the heart. So continue assisting Upendra as you are doing it now, and I am sure Krishna will help you in all respects.

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

Regarding the $1,000, you don't require it now. You just try to improve the Seattle temple conjointly with Upendra. I was very glad to learn from Upendra's letter that you have lectured nicely, and improve this preaching habit.

Letter to Upendra -- Tittenhurst 15 September, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 10th, 1969 and I have also duly received the Bhakti-sastri examinations from Seattle temple on the same day. I was very pleased to learn of the elaborate way in which you celebrated the Janmastami Day and Vyasa Puja Day ceremonies. The articles in the local papers which you have forwarded to me describing the event are also nice. Last Thursday, when I arrived in London there were more than one dozen reporters to take pictures immediately as we got off of the plane, and then we were led by a special airport attendant to a room where there was nice kirtana and some questions from the pressmen. The next day several articles appeared in the London papers, and I am enclosing one such article for your reference. Regarding the Mayapur center, I am not giving attention just now to Mayapur. I have not heard anything about it from Acyutananda, but I have already given him the necessary instructions. When we actually get land, then we will divert attention to Mayapur, and at that time your services will be required. At present, I am giving all stress to beginning our own press in Boston. The Mayapur center is there, but immediately there is no concern with it. I am very pleased to learn that your temple is making very nice progress, and the devotees there are doing nicely in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Upendra -- Tittenhurst 27 October, 1969:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 16, 1969 and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding the "Prabhupada's Table", from the next year you will be getting so many books for selling. I have now made a policy that as soon as my books are printed in the press I shall distribute them in all the centers along with the respective bills. You will kindly send me the money for the Book Fund as soon as you sell them. The money may be sent to me or to the coastal president. But I shall overload you with books. I am so encouraged to learn of your nice propaganda work in the local schools. Last Monday we were at a law college and at least one hundred law students were up and chanting and dancing along with us. So there is much potential for organizing the student communities to take part in our movement. I am pleased also that you are decorating your temple nicely, and the more you decorate the temple beautifully the more your heart will be beautiful. The example is that the more you decorate the original the more the reflection automatically is decorated. So our heart is the reflection of the Original Consciousness, Krsna, and the more Krsna and His paraphernalia are decorated the more this will be reflected in our heart and we will feel transcendental bliss.

I do not know why you write that you are unhappy. You can join me at any time providing your business does not suffer. You are developing the Seattle temple nicely. If you think in your absence there will be no mismanagement, then you are welcome to stay with me as long as you like. I like your cooking very much, so I shall enjoy nice good foodstuffs. But at the same time I desire that your field of activities may not suffer.

Regarding your question, in one sense both you and Mahapurusa are right. The fact is that after the dissolution of the Universe the living entities remain in slumber within Maha Visnu, and again when the creation takes place they are impregnated in their original position and they come out in different species of life. By gradual evolutionary process, when they come to the human form there is good chance of getting out of the repeated birth and death, and one can enter into the Spiritual Realm. But if one loses this chance he is again put into the cycle of birth and death. The conditioned souls are always within the Maha Visnu Form, whereas the liberated souls in Vaikuntha, they are engaged in the service of the Lord. Constitutionally every living entity, even if he is in the Vaikuntha Loka, has chance of falling down. Therefore the living entity is called marginal energy. But when the falldown has taken place for the conditioned soul is very difficult to ascertain. Therefore two classes are designated: eternally liberated and eternally conditioned. But for arguments sake, a living entity being marginal energy, he can't be eternally conditioned. The Time is so unlimited that the conditioned souls appear to be eternally so, but from the philosophical view he cannot be eternally conditioned. Since we cannot trace out when we have become conditioned, there is no use of arguing on this point. Better to take care first how we can get rid of this conditional existence; as much as a patient should take care for treating his disease more, and less waste his time in finding out the cause of his disease.

Letter to Carl Lange -- London 14 November, 1969:

Within one or two months I shall be returning to Los Angeles, and at that time you may come to speak with me further. In the meantime you continue to help Upendra and the others in the activities there.

Letter to Upendra -- London 26 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of November 8, 1969. It is very nice to hear that Gajendra is now taking care in pushing on the Krishna Consciousness Movement. Regarding your coming to me, you are always welcome, and your association is always desired. When I was in San Francisco in 1967, December, after coming back from India, you were so kind upon me. But the thing is that if you come to me, there must be somebody equally expert to manage there. I have heard from Tamala Krishna that there are several very nice devotees there now, and things are being managed automatically. So when I return back to Los Angeles you are welcome to come join me.

Regarding the boy who is interested in making clay Lord Jagannathas, this is all right, but if he can make Radha-Krishna Deities, that will be even better. We are in need of such Deities. So why not ask him to try for this? I have also received the fresh Macadamian nuts which you have sent to me, and they were very delicious. Please offer my blessings to all of the others at the Seattle temple.

Page Title:Training of Upendra dasa (1967 - 1969)
Compiler:Alakananda
Created:02 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=69
No. of Quotes:69