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Ultimately (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

If you read Srimad-Bhagavatam from the beginning (which is absolutely necessary for a serious student) you will find what is spoken there in the 2nd sloka of the 1st chapter of the 1st Canto. It is clearly stated there that mundane religiosities, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately a frustrated man's desire to merge in the impersonal feature of Godhead and all similar other things are completely thrown away from the transcendental literature of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sripada Sridhara Swami the most authorized commentator on the Bhagavatam has said that by the prefix of "PRA" in the sloka the desire of liberation (Moksa Vanohha) is also stopped herewith. A person who is not a pure Vaisnava cannot understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. A mayavadi may pretend to become a so-called Vaisnava but because he cherishes at heart to merge into the Supreme, he is unable to develop the devotional cult which is a necessary qualification for understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam. And to qualify the Mayavadis and other common men who indulge in the mental speculative transactions, Srimad-Bhagavatam gives them instructions from the 1st to the 9th canto about the transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unfortunately the cheap and unscrupulous professional readers of the Bhagavata or the Mayavadi misleaders in the garb of a renouncer indulge in the highest topic of Srimad-Bhagavatam described in the Rasa Panca Adhya. A person who is compact in mundane thought of material enjoyment will certainly be indulging in playing with poison if anyone, devoid of transcendental realization playfully deals with the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna.

Letter to Dr. Y. G. Naik M.Sc., Ph.D -- Delhi 28 March, 1960:

You have defined impersonal Brahman as the Divine Energy. I fully agree with you in pursuanee of its description in the Brahman Samhita, I am going to publish in the next issue an article of the name "Variety of Planetary System" in which there is reference from the Brahma Samhita.

According to the Bhagavata Puranam the Supreme Truth is realized in three stages namely the Impersonal Brahman or the Nirakara Absolute. The Paramatma or the localized aspect of Brahman. The neutron part of the atom may be taken as the representation of Paramatma who enters into the atom also. It is described in the Brahma-samhita. But ultimately the Supreme Divine Being is realized as the Supreme Person all attractive (Krishna) with full and inconceivable potencies of opulence, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. The six potencies are fully exhibited by Sri Rama and Sri Krishna when He descends before the human being. Only a section of the human being who are unalloyed devotees could recognize Him on the authority of revealed scriptures but others are bewildered under the influence of material energy. The Absolute Truth is therefore the Absolute Person without an equal or high competitor Personality. Impersonal Brahman Rays are the rays of His body transcendental as much as the sun rays are emanations from the sun planet.

According to the Visnu Puranam the material energy is called Avidya or nescience which is exhibited in the fruitive activities of sense enjoyment. But the living being belongs to the group of anti-material energy or spiritual energy while he has the tendency of being illusioned and trapped by the material energy for sense enjoyment.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

So far I am personally concerned, Kirtanananda was doubtful about my existence because he thought that I am dependent on his massaging, so the thought that there is no necessity of Spiritual Master, because Spiritual Master is an ordinary man, and to depend on an ordinary man is a tyranny. Therefore one should always think of Spiritual Master not an ordinary man. You are intelligent and advanced in Krishna Consciousness, and you can understand what is the attack of Spiritual Master by Maya. Maya's duty is to keep the conditioned souls under her clutches, so if there is any hindrance by anyone in the discharge of her duties, she must attack the opposite party. But Krishna saves his sincere servant in Krishna Consciousness. The Pandavas were declared devotees of Krishna ___ and so many troubles in their life; but ultimately they were victorious by the Mercy of Krishna. This is the process of understanding Krishna and his devotees.

Subala is here __ have told him that Krishna is helping him in the matter of __ complete freedom from blood and bone. He is with me here and he is happy. If Krishna devi comes and joins him again it is better, otherwise, he will forget Krishna devi and be fully engaged in Krishna's service during the rest of his life. He is very sincere servitor and I am confident Krishna is attracting him more and more by His causeless mercy. Do not be worried about him.

The answer (why Maya dealt me a near death blow) is that Hiranyakasipu the agent of Maya tried to give so many death blows to Prahlada Maharaja, but in each and every case he was saved. There is more credit for him on behalf of Krishna. This is replied in Bhagavad-gita, "O, my dear son of Kunti, just declare it throughout the whole world that my devotee is never vanquished." So it will take some time to understand what Krishna's plan is, but rest assured, a devotee of Krishna is never vanquished.

Letter to Harikrishnadas Aggarwal -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

In another place of the 13rd chapter, Lord Krishna had accepted the authority of Brahma Sutra, which is also Vedanta philosophy. So the question is only how one explains Vedanta philosophy or Bhagavad-gita. We are trying to explain Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any interpretation. And you will be glad to know that we are publishing one English edition of Bhagavad-gita, about 400 pages, through Messrs. MacMillan and Company. Another thing you have written to say, "If you keep the gates of names and forms open to ultimately realize the formless, would be entitling in a larger number of persons to your mission."

My point is one God. Ultimately you want to merge in the formless, or you want some material facilities, or you want to serve Krishna as His personal associate. Never mind, whatever you want, you worship one God, Krishna, and not bothering with the ultimate gain. The ultimate gain can be achieved as one desires. Krishna is all powerful, so if somebody wants material gain from Krishna, it is not difficult for Him to award such benediction. Similarly, if anyone wants to merge in the Impersonal Brahman effulgence, formless, He can also award the facility. In the same way, if anyone wants to associate with Krishna in five transcendental relationships, he can award also that facility. So, my point is, that whatever you want at the end, that doesn't matter, but you worship Krishna, and He will award whatever you desire. One God, Krishna, means that let everyone come to one God, Krishna, and be engaged in Krishna Consciousness, and the award will be as the devotee desires. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita; "catur vidha bhajante mam".

Letter to Gargamuni -- Montreal 18 June, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated June 11, 1968, and noted the contents. Your sentiments expressed in this letter are transcendentally relished. Certainly you are mine and I am Krishna's, therefore you are also Krishna's. In the Krishna Consciousness activities that is the process. By following the disciplic succession, beginning from Krishna, everything becomes ultimately connected with Krishna. And Krishna being absolute, anything connected with Him becomes absolute, without any duality of concept like in the material world. In the material world, it is called illusion because everyone thinks I or my. But in the spiritual world, everything is Krishna. We being part and parcel of Krishna, when we surrender fully unto Krishna with sincerity of purpose, through the transparent via media of the spiritual master. One who thinks himself as Krishna's, he is non-different from Krishna. So the attitude which you are mentioning is the Grace of Krishna, and I wish by His Lordship's Mercy you will continue this aptitude of becoming more and more progressed in Krishna Consciousness. Thank you very much for thinking in such a nice way.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:

So far I could understand on the letter of Kirtanananda, that we had no freedom of action because the land belongs to Mr. Rose, who wants to develop an institution appealing to all sections of seekers in spiritual enlightenment. Such ideal of impersonal views can never be successful. That is the distinction between impersonalism and personalism. The impersonalists ultimate goal is something void, and therefore, any attempt for self-realization ending in voidness is all the same for the impersonalists. But we the personalists, we do not agree that all systems of self-realizing process ends in the same goal. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is explicitly said that the worshippers of different demigods ultimately reach the planets of respective demigods; the worshippers of forefathers also go to different pitri planets, respectively; the worshippers of mammon remain in the mammonish world; and the persons in Krishna Consciousness, ultimately reach to the planet of Krishna loka. So our mission is to reach the supreme planet, in the spiritual sky, namely the Abode of Krishna. As such, we cannot compromise that all sorts of meditation gives the same result. This sort of view is practiced and preached by the impersonalist missionaries like the Rama-Krishna mission, that one may follow any path, but he reaches the same destination. There is no Vedic evidence, neither any proof of the acharya principles. You know that Lord Buddha was Hindu, born in India, in a royal family, but because He advocated voidism, His philosophy was not accepted by the leaders of Vedic principles. For the time being, Lord Buddha's philosophy was accepted by emperor Asoka, and due to royal influence, it spread all over India. But later on, when Sankaracarya preached the Vedic principle, the voidism of Lord Buddha was driven out of India. Similarly, when Ramanujacarya found Sankaracarya a second edition of Buddhist philosophy, he also expunged Sankaracarya as compromising the Buddha, and he established Personal worship of Lord Visnu. Later on, other acaryas, including Sri Caitanya, developed the transcendental reciprocation of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Lord Caitanya preached that loving service in the highest conjugal love with Krishna is also possible.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:

If Mr. Rose wants something for the satisfaction of all sections of spiritualists, I think your endeavor in that part of the country will not be very successful. Under the circumstances, I would advise you to live with me, and try to develop this line of preaching work as we have been doing since the last two years. At the present moment, I am just organizing a Sankirtana party and if you come here, then we can make a rehearsal of the Caitanya drama which you have already made. My idea is, Sankirtana with some dramatic demonstration, by the members, will be attractive to the people in general. So I am trying to concentrate the idea at the present moment here in Montreal, because in the temple, we have got sufficient space and if the Sankirtana party is successful here, as we shall try to make some experiment in the local expo grounds, then we shall make a program to go to Europe, starting from London, and make demonstrations of this drama and Sankirtana in different places. I do not know how much you will appreciate this idea, but if you think it proper, you may come and join us here.

The New Vrindaban scheme under the present inconveniences is not possible to be successful ultimately.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Seattle 14 October, 1968:

Your letter of Oct. 10, 1968 with press cutting is very much encouraging. When a devotee is seriously prepared to serve Krishna, the Lord gives him both intelligence and opportunity to serve Him more and more, so that the serving devotee may ultimately reach the Lord without any doubt. The symptoms appear to be as above mentioned. Please therefore utilize the opportunity of service diligently and it will be a great spiritual achievement for you and a great service to your country and community.

My program for European tour is not yet fixed and as such I shall be glad to go to Columbus as soon as you call me. I wish to see also New Vrindaban very soon. I hope you have received my letter previous to this.

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

We shall require so many pairs of Radha Krishna Murtis at different temples. Anyway, do not feel discouraged. As soon as New Vrindaban is connected with a link road as well as electricity, very soon it will develop into our idea. I shall personally go and stay there and see it is developed.

Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, please send me the chapters which you have already revised. I want to see it, how it is being done. I am glad that you are not omitting anything, but just making grammatical correction, and phrasing for force and clarity, and adding Pradyumna's transliteration, that is very nice.

Yes, henceforward, as I have already told you, that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be ultimately seen by you, before being printed. That will keep consistency, I quite agree with you. My present plan is to stay in Los Angeles, perhaps at least for more than a month, which will cover Christmas holidays. And so, during that time, if you come here, it will be very nice. In January I may go to Hawaii, if Gaurasundara takes me there. As you have given up the idea of marriage, I think you can give up the idea of seeing your parents annually. You just prepare yourself for further advanced spiritual life. After all, our mundane relationships with father and mother, or wife and children, cannot protect us from the trap of maya. It is said by one Vaisnava poet that in every form of life, one gets a father and mother, because without father and mother, nobody is able to get a material body. So father and mother is possible in any form of body, but only in this human form of body one can get in touch with Krishna and a bona fide Spiritual Master. That is the highest gain of our travelling in different species of life in different planets.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 14 December, 1968:

One who is in personal touch with Krishna, their spiritual bliss is incomparable. The spiritual bliss derived from impersonalist realization is just like a drop of water in the presence of the Atlantic Ocean. That is the difference between personalism and impersonalism.

Your question, "How did Prakasananda Sarasvati see or think that Lord Caitanya was the Lord Narayana Himself when he only realized Brahman?"—by personal audience of Lord Caitanya they could realize Him as Narayana because they were sincere in searching out the Absolute Truth. As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, that an impersonalist, if he is sincere in searching out the Absolute Truth, then ultimately such impersonalist can reach to the point of the Personality of Godhead. So Prakasananda Sarasvati was submissive to Lord Caitanya, because he begged Lord Caitanya to occupy superior seat, while Caitanya Mahaprabhu out of His extreme humbleness, was sitting in a place where they were washing their feet. A Vaisnava is always humble, and if a person does not misuse this humbleness of a Vaisnava, he gets a chance to be elevated. But if somebody misunderstands the humbleness of a Vaisnava then he is doomed. Just like in the Caitanya Caritamrta, the author Kaviraja Goswami says that he is lower than the stool, and Sanatana Goswami says that he is born and associated with most degraded persons. If such humbleness of Vaisnavas are taken verbatim, then we are misled. Prakasananda Sarasvati appreciated the greatness of Lord Caitanya, even though He was humble, and therefore Lord Caitanya's Mercy was bestowed upon him, and thus he could accept Him as He is.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 24 December, 1968:

In the meantime, I have received one letter from Sri C. Govinda which is also very encouraging. I understand that Sri Govinda and Pandit Trika are now cooperating with you. Please keep them as good friends. Mr. Govinda appears to be very intelligent man and he has grasped the Sankirtana movement is very suitable for the younger generation in the Western world.

Our policy of Krishna Consciousness is very nice. We are offering people good family life with faithful wives in Krishna Consciousness. Similarly, able husbands in Krishna Consciousness so that the younger generation will be happy to have nice home, nice wife, nice food, nice dress, nice philosophy of life, nice culture and ultimately, nice Krishna. So this movement is the nicest of all other movements. Simply the ministers should be ready, intelligent, honest, and sincere. Then surely the Krishna Consciousness movement will be accepted by all considerate men and women.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 31 December, 1968:

I am so pleased to see this wonderful portrait and please convey my hearty thanks to Jadurani for her fine endeavors.

Regarding the article suggested by Rayarama, you are correct in your doubts that Radha-Krishna lila should not be discussed in Back To Godhead. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there are so many philosophical discussions and we should concentrate on these philosophical aspects. Otherwise the less intelligent will surely understand Radha-Krishna lila as simply nonsense boy and girl sex life. Hanuman Prasad Poddar and company are all mundane types and they have no entrance into actual spiritual activities. Superficially they pose themselves as great devotees, but we can feel their pulse; ultimately they are impersonalists. We should not depend upon writings from such unauthorized sources.

Strictly we should avoid publishing these confidential topics in Back To Godhead. This is dangerous for the conditioned soul. Although such Krishna lila can do some good to the mundane people in the long run, to understand the philosophical aspects of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in the beginning is essential and will make for good stride in spiritual life. I do not know why Rayarama has asked you to send such article. It is not to my sanction. We shall be very careful about mundane sex life. That is the pivot center of conditioned life. You are intelligent enough and I hope that Krishna will help you in these matters.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 9 January, 1969:

One source is that if the MacMillan Company is interested to publish my books that will be a great relief. I do not mind for the profit concerned. But I want to see them published. Another source is if MacMillan isn't interested, we can get them printed from Dai Nippon, but the delaying procedure of this company in Japan is not very encouraging. Therefore the next step would be to start our own press at New Vrindaban, because Hayagriva is ready to start a press there immediately, taking responsibility for the investment. He has told me that he could take a loan from his friend, Dr. Henderson. In this connection of purchasing a press I sent a list to be filled by the press men of New York telling of the prices of printing machines but there is no response. So I ask you what to do in this connection. Ultimately, if nothing is done, I shall be obliged to return to India for getting them published there.

I hope that by now you have already deposited the $1,300 in First National City Bank. So far as the profits from the store, you may do with them as you like. The temple needs maintenance and improvements, and also the book fund requires much funds. I require to have eight books published and on the price of $6,000 which is charged by Dai Nippon, I will require about $50,000 immediately. Selling or not selling, I want to see these books published. That is my ambition.

Regarding keeping my apartment, if you win the court case then keep this apartment until April when I shall arrive in New York, and then we shall decide whether or not to give it up.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:

If I go to litigation I will have to put myself in so many anxieties. It is better to forget. If peacefuly you can draw the money from your father that is all right. I do not know what kinds of devious means you want to use in this connection, but any means, if it does not put you into difficulties, will be acceptable.

Regarding Syama Dasi's health, it is to be understood that so long we have got this material body there must be some trouble. Actually, medicine is not the remedial measures for our bodily troubles unless we are helped by Krishna. Therefore, whenever there is bodily trouble we may adopt the prescribed methods of medical science and depend upon Krishna for His Mercy. The best remedy, not only for Syama Dasi but for everyone, is to consult some approved physician. But ultimately we have to depend on the Mercy of Krishna, so we should chant regularly, pray to Krishna to give us a chance to serve Him, and, if required, we may adopt the approved method of treatment.

I am glad to learn that things are very nicely going on in New Vrindaban, and I learned from Hayagriva that electricity is already there. I have received one letter from Mukunda that some publisher is interested in Easy Journey to Other Planets. So immediately send one edited copy which you should have there to me and also send another copy to Mukunda at the following address as soon as possible: 22 Betterton Street, London WC 2, ENGLAND.

Uddhava das has not yet written me about possibilities of the building suggested by you, but if it is available at $1000, it must be purchased. Has Uddhava and the others seen this building also? Regarding your Istagosthi question, chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra can be done loudly or slowly, and in all conditions. There is no restriction. Lord Caitanya has said that there is no hard and fast rules for chanting this Maha Mantra.

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

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

Please convey my thanks to Gaurasundara for the nice lecture he gave at the University of Hawaii. He is doing very nicely.

Letter to Janaki -- Los Angeles 28 February, 1969:

Regarding your other questions, yes, the desire tree can also supply dresses for Lord Jagannatha. Certainly my Spiritual Master watches me. So far as your question about the disciplic succession, in all Vedic literatures it is mentioned about the disciplic succession. You have read in Srimad-Bhagavatam, first canto, first chapter where it is said that Brahma was inspired from within the heart by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, in the Katha Upanisad it is said that "in order to learn the transcendental science, one has to approach the Spiritual Master." This spiritual master means one who has heard correctly from his Spiritual Master. In this way, ultimately it goes to Krishna, the Supreme Spiritual Master. There is no possibility of understanding the Vedic knowledge without this descending process. The modern world is puffed up with personal research knowledge, but the person who is engaging in this research work does not know that he is imperfect on account of his aptitude for becoming illusioned, for committing mistakes, for his cheating propensity and for his possessing imperfect senses. Therefore there is no possibility of receiving perfect knowledge without approaching a self-realized Spiritual Master coming down in disciplic succession. The mental speculator, no matter how advanced he may be, cannot deliver us the right knowledge.

I thank you very much for your good wishes for our opening 108 centers. Krishna will bless you and please try to help me. In England we will have to start at least 10 centers, and I understand from the activities of Mr. Parikh that it will not be a very difficult task.

Letter to Rayarama -- Hawaii 20 March, 1969:

I think for Krishna's sake we shall try to work together even at the risk of little personal inconvenience. Our foremost concern is Krishna. If Krishna's service is well done, then we should try to forget our personal inconveniences. I know you are already advanced in this type of Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will give you intelligence more and more, but you stick to this principle as you have taken your life's vow to improve BTG. That is my request. That will make you victorious in achieving Krishna's blessings. So I am coming very soon to New York by the end of the first week of April, and we shall chalk out our program. In the meantime try to recoup your health, depending on Krishna, because after all, He is the ultimate Master of all situations. It is not the doctor, or the medicine, or the place, but it is ultimately Krishna Who is the Master to do every thing. With this viewpoint we shall go forward. It will also be better if Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi are within the staff of BTG activities, but to adjust these things, we require Krishna's help.

Your index idea for Bhagavad-gita is very nice. If we continue to get our printed matters from Dai Nippon then certainly it will be very much convenient if the whole staff comes here to Hawaii, as it is nearer, but if we have to change the printing work to our own press, then we have to reconsider the whole idea. So let us depend on Krishna and hope for the best arrangement by Him.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- Los Angeles 4 July, 1969:

If we nicely organize as it is going on now, only selected persons will live there and peacefully cultivate Krishna Consciousness.

You have inquired why Caitanya Mahaprabhu has not mentioned anything about accepting a Spiritual Master in His Siksastaka. But perhaps you have missed the point that He says amanina manadena kirtaniya sada hari. This means one has to chant the Holy Names of Krishna, becoming humbler than the straw, and more tolerant than the tree. So who can become humbler than the straw unless he accepts a Spiritual Master? The whole world is puffed up. Everyone wants to become the Lord of everything. Ultimately, the Mayavadi philosopher wants to become one with the Supreme Lord. This means that when one fails to become Lord of everything, he wants to mix up with the Supreme Lord and tries in that way to automatically become Lord of everything. What he can't perform by his own capacity he wants to have done by being merged into the Supreme Lord. That is the mentality of the general people. But if anyone becomes humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the tree, it is understood that he has accepted a Spiritual Master. Besides that, if we accept Sikshastak as authority given by Lord Caitanya, this means we accept Lord Caitanya as Spiritual Master. In the Bhagavad-gita it is openly mentioned that Arjuna accepted Krishna as the Spiritual Master. There is another mention in the Sikshastak, Lord Caitanya says "I do not want any wealth of this world, I do not want any following, neither do I want a beautiful wife. Simply I want to become a servant of the Lord." To become the servant of the Lord means to accept a Spiritual Master. Without accepting somebody as master, how can one become an expert servant? It is not that in every literature you will find the words that everyone has to accept a Spiritual Master, but we have to study things scrutinizingly. In the Caitanya Caritamrta there is mention guru krsna krpaya paya bhakti lata bija (CC Madhya 19.151). By the mercy of the Spiritual Master and Krishna one can get the seeds of bhakti lata, the plant of devotional service.

Letter to Ann Clifford -- Los Angeles 2 August, 1969:

Regarding your question about why we do not eat meat and yet we eat plant life, the answer is that we do everything as Krishna recommends. Everything we eat is first offered to Lord Krishna, and because Krishna does not eat meat, therefore we also do not eat meat. The fruits, grains, and vegetables which we offer to the Lord are not caused any suffering by our offering them to Krishna. Rather they are greatly benefited because to be offered for the pleasure of the Lord will grant for the living entity within the plant body certain liberation in the near future. Everything that we do in Krishna Consciousness is ultimately beneficial to all living creatures because we are working under the recommendations of the Lord Himself who is the well-wisher of all His part and parcel children. I hope this will sufficiently clear up this matter for you.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- Los Angeles 13 August, 1969:

And because we think of Krishna always in all our activities, therefore, internally we are 24 hours in meditation with Krishna. I don't think the Maharishi group or the Ram Krishna Mission is teaching like that. So how can it be accepted that our goal is actually the same?

Accepting that Krishna is everything, what is aimed by the Ram Krishna Mission or by the Maharishi group is also Krishna; but Krishna says that although everything is expansion of Himself, He is not in everything. Exactly like in our material experience we can understand that everything is ultimately produced of sunshine, but that does not mean everything is sunshine. Rather, other things cover the sunshine and creates a shadow. The Ram Krishna Mission or the Maharishi's activities are nothing but expanded energy of Krishna, but by such work Krishna is covered. Therefore it is called Maya. Maya has no separate existence beyond Krishna, but when there is Maya, Krishna is covered. Exactly like cloud is nothing but creation of the sunshine—the cloud has no independent existence—but whenever there is a cloud in the sky the sunshine becomes covered. Therefore it is Maya. Maya means things which have no existence independent of Godhead, but its business is to cover Godhead. Similarly, either the Ram Krishna Mission or Maharishi's group, they have no existence independent of Krishna, but their activities are just like the cloud covering Krishna. Actually, they never directly preach Krishna Consciousness. On the other hand, they do something to cover Krishna Consciousness. So although water is generated from fire, we cannot pour on water when the fire is blazing. We cannot adulterate Krishna Consciousness with the Ram Krishna Mission or with anything else.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 15 August, 1969:

So I am gradually realizing that my attempt in this country to spread Krishna Consciousness has now taken some root, and I am sure this will grow more and more 'til it reaches the Lotus Feet of Krishna in Goloka Vrindaban. Actually, our most Beloved Object is Krishna. Our love reposed on anything within our experience is due to our ultimate love for Krishna. People are trying to love the branches and leaves without taking care of the root. But when water is poured down on the root, the branches and leaves automatically become luxurious. This philosophy of taking care of the Supreme is missing in the modern civilization. They do philanthropic work, humanitarian work, national work, social work and many similar other works; now ultimately they have invented the United Nations and world health organizations. But all these attempts are exactly the same process as to water the leaves and the twigs. They don't know the missing point: Krishna. So we have got very great responsibility to spread Krishna Consciousness throughout the world.

A little sample of Krishna Consciousness exhibited in San Francisco during the Ratha yatra Festival was very much appreciated by the public. I think in the San Francisco Examiner it was said that people followed the Ratha and experienced so much joy as they had never enjoyed at any time within recent memory. The reason is that we are giving people direct contact with Krishna, the Reservoir of all pleasure. Our administration may be not very perfect, but that fact is that as soon as one is in contact with Krishna he will be happy. So you have got a very nice thing, Krishna Consciousness, for distributing to the suffering humanity, and do it nicely, combinedly. It is so nice thing that anyone who distributes it and anyone who takes it, both are benefited; and Krishna also becomes very happy when all His children are benefited in this way. There is no doubt about it that our philosophy is the supermost perfect presentation. We can challenge any other philosophy and establish that this Krishna Consciousness is the panacea for all material problems.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 8 January, 1970:

Anyway, in the next summer, I have been invited to go to Japan and when it is fixed up, I shall start a little earlier and break my journey in Honolulu to stay with you for some days and see things practically.

Your description of different fruits and flowers, especially mangos, are very attractive for me. Last year, when I went to your place, I was attracted more from the same description, but it was rainy season and there was not much of the local fruits and flowers available. Still, it was very nice to stay there and especially I was eating very nicely the squash vegetables daily collected from your compound. So, ultimately, Krishna's desire has to be fulfilled. Don't be in a hurry. You are engaged in more important business to organize the Hawaii center and I wish it may be converted into New Navadvipa Dhama. In Navadvipa Dhama there is a railroad station called Samudragarh, and it is said that sometimes the ocean was there. So, on the Pacific Ocean, if you can establish New Navadvipa, that will be a great achievement. I am sure your husband, with your cooperation, will be able to do it very quickly. When I was in London, I was wearing on your cloak daily because there it was severe cold. But this side is very nice. It is not cold at all. So when I get back the coat which you have sent to Boston, surely I shall utilize it properly.

Letter to Executive Senior Editor of Los Angeles Times -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1970:

With reference to your article in the Los Angeles Times dated Sunday 11th January, 1970 under the heading "Krishna Chant," I beg to point out that Hindu religion is perfectly based on Personal conception of God or Visnu. Impersonal conception of God is a side issue or one of the three features of God. The Absolute Truth is ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Paramatma conception is localized aspect of His omnipresence and the impersonal conception is the aspect of His greatness and eternity. But all combined together makes the Complete Whole. Dr. J.F. Staal's statement that Krishna cult is a combination of Christian and Hindu religion—as if something manufactured by concoction—is not correct. If Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist religions are personal that is quite welcome. But Krishna religion is personal from a time long, long ago when Christian, Mohammedan and Buddhist religions had not yet come into existence. According to the Vedic conception, religion is basically made by the Personal God as His laws. Religion cannot be manufactured by man or anyone superior to man. Religion is the law of God only.

Letter to Professor J. F. Staal -- Los Angeles 30 January, 1970:

Furthermore, in the 15th verse of chapter 15, Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says, "I am seated in everyone's heart. By all the Vedas I am to be known; I am the Compiler of Vedanta and I know Veda as it is." The Supreme Lord, seated in everyone's heart, is described in both the Mundaka and Svetasvetara Upanisads; "Dwa suparna sayuja sakhaya . ." The Supreme Lord and the individual spirit soul are sitting in the body as two friendly birds in a tree. The one bird is eating the fruits of the tree or reactions of material activities and the other bird, the Supersoul, is witnessing.

The goal of Vedantic study, therefore, is to know the Supreme Lord Krishna. This point is stressed in Bhagavad-gita chapter 8, verse 13, where it is stated that by the mystic yoga process, ultimately vibrating the sacred syllable Om, one attains to His Supreme Spiritual Planet. In the Vedanta Sutras, which you have certainly read, the fourth chapter, fourth Adhikaran twenty-second Sutra states it positively; "Anavritti sabat . . ."—By sound vibration one becomes liberated. By devotional service, by understanding well what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, anyone who goes to His Abode never comes back again to this material condition. How is it possible? The answer is, simply by chanting His name constantly.

This is accepted by the exemplary disciple, Arjuna, who has perfectly learned the conclusion of spiritual science from the Yogisvara, master of mystic knowledge, Krishna, recognizing Krishna to be the Supreme Brahman, Arjuna addresses Him: "Sthane Hrsikesa . . ." (B.G. 11:36)—"the world becomes joyful hearing Your Names; and thus do all become attached to You." The process of chanting is herein authorized as the direct means of contacting the Supreme Absolute Truth the Personality of Godhead. Simply by chanting the Holy Name, Krishna, the soul is attracted by the Supreme Person, Krishna, for going home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- Los Angeles 3 February, 1970:

You said that your job is maya, but you must know that maya is illusion. As soon as there is absence of Krishna Consciousness—that is maya. But you are working just to help and push Krishna's interest; therefore, it is not maya. In the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Rupa Goswami Prabhupada has recommended anything dovetailed in Krishna Consciousness is real renouncement. The Mayavadis' renouncement with an ambition of becoming one with the Supreme is called false renunciation. They renounce the world for a greater sense gratification. To maintain an ambition of becoming one with the Supreme is the top rank sense gratification; whereas a person in all kinds of apparently material works, but ultimately the beneficiary is Krishna, is in a greater position of renunciation than the Mayavadis. So do not forget Krishna in any circumstance of life and Krishna will save you from all pitfalls of material existence.

At least one hour daily you must fix separately for exclusive chanting. In our previous correspondence we discussed about your marriage, so I told you that there is no objection. If you are feeling too much disturbance, why not marry some German girl who may be greatly helpful to your Krishna Conscious activities. I recommend this for you. Last Saturday we had three marriages performed here in L.A.

The Nitai-Gaura emblem is nice. Our first obeisances are to Guru and Gauranga; then we approach Radha Krishna. Perhaps while you were in India you have heard that we glorify in the following way: Guru Gauranga Chandarbika Giridhari. Four "G"s. So Guru-Gauranga you understand, and Chandarbika-Giridhari means Radha and Krishna. So you can make your emblem suitably according to space and convenience.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 February, 1970:

Suppose on Monday you receive the tape number 17, let it be transcribed in two days by someone "A." Then in the next two days (days 3 and 4) someone "B" edits it. Then in the next two days (days 5 and 6) another "C" edits it for the second time. Then Mr. "D" gives it the diacritical marks, and then it is ready for composing.

With diacritical marks, one copy should come to me for my record. The idea is that this #17 tape takes 7 days to the point of composition. In the meantime, tape #18 is coming into the process just in the same order. So I receive the final copy of tape #18 just 2 days after receiving tape #17 copy. If you follow this process, then ultimately we shall be finishing one tape in two days.

Now, if we finish 15 tapes in a month, it comes to near about 300 pages per month. Therefore, very safely we can calculate that every 2 months we produce a book. Or, in other words, in every year we produce 6 books. We wish to print at least sixty books, so it will take ten years. So if you go on under this process, then at least we can hope to finish 60 books by that time. And the time allowed is quite reasonable.

I have talked already about this with Brahmananda, and he says that it will be done. Anyway try to process the work in the above way and let me know how far it is feasible.

So far I have not received the final copies of the tapes returned by you. So think over this matter and make the process complete, and let me know what you have done in this connection.

Letter to Rudra -- Los Angeles 9 March, 1970:

Regarding sleeping, there is no need of confusion on this subject. At this stage, if we do not take sufficient rest, we shall fall ill. There is no need of forcing the matter. So one should take rest enough to keep in good health. Sleeping two hours out of 24 is a later natural development. For the present, take six hours sleep at night, that is enough; and if necessary, take another hour during the day. If chanting rounds at night is not a disturbance of your daily schedule, then it is alright. But by perseverance at rigid following of devotional service your demands for extra hours sleeping will automatically diminish.

Lord Nityananda is Guru. He can instruct us, but ultimately it depends on the disciple. A doctor may say "Do this, Do not do this," but if the patient does not follow the prescription, what is the result? Similarly, Nityananda Prabhu will hear the prayer of an insincere rascal, if that rascal actually wants to change his condition. One must agree not to be a rascal any more, then his rascaldom can be reformed. Jagai and Madhai begged the Lord for His mercy and they were prototype rascals, drunkards and debauchees. Lord Caitanya told them first you stop your nonsense activities, then I will accept you. So a rascal may be accepted provided he agrees to stop his nonsenses. Otherwise, how can one expect to be reformed if he does not agree or like to be reformed. To be reformed, he must agree to the reforming process.

In this connection, in order to remain fixed in spiritual strength, always be sure to chant the prescribed sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail. This is essential for insuring your spiritual progress.

Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

This process of evolution from the lowest aquatic life up to the stage of brahminical culture is delineated in the whole Vedas. This is called knowledge, and when one is liberated from the material contamination, the same knowledge further advanced becomes transcendental knowledge.

This process of elevating oneself from different platforms of understanding to the highest status of life is called religion. According to Sanskrit language, religion is not a kind of faith, but it is a prescribed form of duties to be discharged by respective human society, ultimately rising to the platform of Krishna Consciousness or God-consciousness. The first class religion is therefore that which teaches human being love of God because religion means to understand one's position in relationship with God. This God-realization also depends on three phases of life. When God-realization is there distinguished from material realization, this is called liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment.

The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God-realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation.

For the further understanding of this religious process I would recommend you to read our three books namely Sri Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Easy Journey to Other Planets. When you have finished them, you can read Srimad-Bhagavatam and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Besides these we have many other books and our "Back to Godhead" magazines, in which we are fully describing about this religion only. So you read them one after another, and whenever there is a question you may write to me and I shall be very glad to answer it as far as possible.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 28 April, 1970:

The yoga maya curtain is always covering the Lord, and in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, "I am not visible to everyone." Even in the material world, a man in the position of Presidentship is not visible to everyone. So one has to qualify himself by devotional service, then God will reveal Himself. So this Isopanisad mantra is an appeal by the devotee to move the veil of yoga maya or the glaring effulgence of Brahma so that the devotee can see Him face to face. The idea is one has to transcend the material conditions as well as the Brahma effulgence, then one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here the word "face" means the Absolute Truth is a Person. That is the most important point, that God is ultimately a Person.

Regarding the disturbing groups of "Christians" so-called, that is alright. Let them follow Lord Jesus Christ. Regarding their dogmatic insistence, everyone thinks like that, so if one is not prepared to advance more, it is better to avoid them. If one is limited by some formulas only, he is described as an animal which is bound up by the chain of the master and cannot move beyond the length of the chain. So we are concerned with persons who are not chained by anything.

Letter to Makhanlal -- Los Angeles 3 June, 1970:

You are all helping me in the execution of my mission so please do not try to do anything beyond the jurisdiction of my instructions. My will I have already disclosed to you all that each and every one of you should chant the Mahamantra regularly in sixteen rounds, follow the four regulative principles, chant Hare Krsna mantra on the streets, try to distribute our books and literature, and specifically in San Francisco you should observe the annual Ratha Yatra festival very gorgeously. I can assure you that if you follow my instruction as above mentioned there is no doubt about it that through me my spiritual Master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura will be pleased, and through His mercy Lord Nityananda will be pleased. In this way Lord Caitanya and ultimately Radha Krsna will be pleased, and thus your life will be successful.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1970:

We must stick to our Krsna consciousness business at all circumstances. This determination will make us successful. Although according to Vedic system there is restriction that boys and girls should not freely mix, the brahmacaris are strictly prohibited to talk with young women, but in the Western countries this rule is not valid. As such, we have to accept both boys and girls in the same standard. But if each of us follow the regulative principles and chanting of the mantras hardly there will be any chance for sex indulgence. So we have to be little careful about it and Krsna will help us.

I do not know why you wife has not yet got her visa.

The devotees who are trying to join our movement may be called by some Vedic name, but ultimately change of name will take place after first initiation. In the meantime there is no harm in calling them by some suitable good names.

Speaking or anything all depends on practice and study. I remember when I was first called for speaking by one of my senior Godbrothers. I felt very much hesitating because I was not practiced to speak. Later on by speaking and hearing or reading I got experience and now we can speak 45 minutes, 50 minutes or one hour at a stretch. So you have to read our books very nicely and gather thoughts, then you can speak for hours without any difficulty. It requires practice. So read your books carefully, especially Nectar of Devotion now published, and practice speaking. It will be alright.

The complete edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is is not yet published. It will be published soon. If you cannot procure mustard seed oil, you may use olive or sesame oil.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

The Society is registered in each and every country as a religious and cultural institution under specific statutes. I am trying to get this institution registered in India also. So far, up to date, actually I am the only superior controller, but as the boys are getting experienced I shall very soon transfer the administration to them, simply keeping myself as an overseer guide. Because I am old man, so I am trying to maintain this standard of management uniformly with the assistance of my grown up students. But actually what we need is to render sincere service to the Lord because ultimately Krsna is the supreme manager. eko bahunam vidhadati kaman, "The Supreme One supplies all the necessities of all the living entities." Actually this is our constitution.

All the devotees strictly follow our regulative principle of 1) no eating of meat, fish or eggs, 2) no illicit sex-life, 3) no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol, and 4) no gambling. In each center we have a president, secretary and treasurer who manage the local affairs.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 24 March, 1971:

So try to convince the authorities that everyone will come to Krishna Consciousness, following our method, which is pure. Then craziness and madness will automatically disappear. This is practical welfare. So our movement should be very vigorously pushed on. But those who push must be pure; then it will be effective.

I am very glad you are getting many private home kirtana engagements. That is very encouraging. If each home adopts our method, they will be happy. There is no sectarian consideration. Everyone should be interested in what is God. The more one understands about God, the more he becomes wise and ultimately he achieves the goal of his life. Here in Bombay we have arranged a weeks meeting as Sankirtana Festival and the expenditure will be nearly Rs. 100,000, but the boys who are present here are doing nicely. Probably this festival will be very successful for drawing Indians about the importance of the Sankirtana Movement.

Regarding the automobile factory, that is very important news. In each and every factory if you can open a center with cooperation of the workers and the proprietor then certainly we shall make circumstances favorable for them that there will be no strike or dissension. So if you can introduce this program in factories, it will be a great achievement for our movement.

Regarding BTG, I have given a loan of $20,000 by check to Dai Nippon. I have given the information to Karandhara how to liquidate the Dai Nippon debt of $52,000. So follow this principle so that we shall not give chance for damaging our credit with them. I hope that the GBC members will see to this. I am thinking of returning to U.S.A. as soon as possible. Now everything depends on Krishna.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bhutatma, Kesava -- Vrindaban 2 November, 1972:

I have got some complaint from London and other places, so I have given Dhananjaya this policy, that from outside if any one party comes they must work under the direct supervision and instruction of the local management, not that they shall remain separate competitor, no. I want to sell as many books as possible, that is the main thing. By selling books, that is the best preaching work. But so there may not be any complaint, your travelling parties must cooperate with their local temple officers, and that means they shall operate wherever they are allocated, that they shall only sell books, no collecting without selling books, and that, above the wholesale price of the book, any profit there is must be given at least 50% to the local temple. Ultimately, it shall be up to the local temple president if the presence of your party is favorable or not, everything is considered, and if he agrees you may stay, otherwise if he judges it is unfavorable at the time, he may order you to go out. But just to avoid these things, better to arrange in advance with the GBC men concerned. Ours is a cooperative movement, with Krishna and the advancement of Krishna's movement at the centre, and we must continue to sell as many books as possible, but discuss everything amongst yourselves and do it nicely without irritating anyone, that is the art.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated November 18, November 22, and December 3, 1972, and I have heard that you are having some difficulties, so I have sent Siddhasvarupa there to help you. Now try to keep a cool head under all circumstances and always remember that Krishna will protect you in any case, you haven't to worry anything. I think that without you the New Zealand affair will not go on, but now you are leaving there to live on some farm in Australia. Of course, our serving Krishna is voluntary affair, so what can I say? If you think that is the best choice, I must agree, otherwise you might go away altogether. Anyway we shall discuss in detail if I come there in future.

Regarding your questions in the letter of November 18, 1972, you have asked me if the spiritual master is ultimately Krishna, so the answer must be that if you think that way then everyone is Krishna. So why we should think like this? saktyavesa Avatara. means a living entity, but he is specially empowered. Not that he is Krishna. But on account of his exalted position he is honoured as much as Krishna. Not that he is Krishna. That is Mayavadi. He acts in the position of Krishna, but he is not Krishna, he is very dear to Krishna. That is explained: (here the verse was quoted: yasya prasadat bhagavata prasadat . . .) The spiritual master is acting in the position of Krishna because he is the most confidential servant of Krishna.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 15, 1972, and I note that you have returned from another successful preaching mission in distant parts of Africa. I am always so much pleased to hear such good news how the traveling preachers are spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement to every nook and corner of the world. Such traveling and preaching activity is the most highly favored by Krsna and He will bless you more and more with the highest understanding and realization of Himself.

Yes, that is correct proposal, you must have a program for getting income which will not depend upon anyone outside of our camp. Of course ultimately we must depend only on Krsna. If He gives us something we shall accept and offer it in His service, if we have nothing, what is the harm, we shall sit under a tree and chant Hare Krsna. But in any case, I do not want you to leave that temple and move to a smaller place. We must keep at least one nice temple of large size in that part of Africa. If we reduce in that way, that will not be good. Rather increase in all ways, that is our program. The moving and preaching work will be your most important business in Africa. There is not much population and the distances are great, so there is, no doubt, great need for several traveling parties to be working simultaneously. But if you keep that place in Nairobi as your base, sending all of the new recruits as you are able to convert them back to the Nairobi temple for getting themselves trained up, what is wrong with that? I think we need at least one big place for training up the new devotees just to the proper highest standard, just as we are doing in Los Angeles, New York, London, and other places. So also in Africa you require one such model center. If you remain only traveling parties, that will be nice for distributing many many books, and for having the sankirtana, but for new devotees that will be too much rigorous and they will not be able to adjust to the constant moving and changing about.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

The depiction of Brahma and the destruction of the material worlds is very nice. When Brahma enters into the body of Visnu, that is ultimately, at the ultimate destruction, not in the partial destruction which you are illustrating. So it is all right as you have done it.

So far the picture of three-headed Brahma in the assembly of other Brahmas, I have not seen, so what can I say? Whatever is palatable to everyone, you can do it that way. There is no mention otherwise, so the all Brahmas can be shown four arms. So far the question of all Brahmas riding on swans, at least when they came to offer respects they did not come with swan, they are all standing, they have walked into Krsna's palace. Yes, you may show all Brahmas very big in comparison with three-headed Brahma, otherwise how you can compare the elephant and the mosquito? The picture of my Guru Maharaja is nice.

So far your questions about Lord Jagannatha and Ratha-yatra Festival, the first Ratha-yatra Festival was 5,000 years before, when Krsna and Balarama and Subhadra came from Dvaraka to Kuruksetra. So far the festival at Puri, there is no such history, but it must be more than 3,000 years. At least there is recorded history 2,000 years old, because we see in the Aquarian Gospel that Lord Jesus Christ was attending the Ratha-yatra Festival at Puri. Yes, there was attempt by Radharani to take back Krsna from Kuruksetra to Vrndavana.

Letter to Vijitatma -- Calcutta 8 March, 1973:

I have received your $100.00 daksina and I thank you very much for it.

Actually, everyone is trying to enjoy Laksmi without Narayana. Ultimately, the Mayavadi is envious of Krsna and wants to enjoy the original Laksmi, therefore they call each other "namo Narayana", they sit around and address each other as Narayana. This is the greatest offense, and they are actually unfortunate because they do not engage in devotional service. The Goddess of Fortune Laksmi is fickle towards the materialist, sometimes he is prince and sometimes he is pauper. But Laksmi cannot leave the side of Lord Narayana and wherever Lord Narayana is worshiped with care, good fortune and opulence is there. Therefore, the devotee is known as the most fortunate, and you American boys and girls are the most fortunate of all, now make everyone else fortunate by spreading this Krsna consciousness.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 19 July, 1973:

Regarding Svarupa Damodara's going to the colleges, Rai Ramananda has also agreed to come. I met him recently in India and he is enthusiastic. Now we shall put this challenge against this wrong theory that life comes from matter. Undoubtedly matter has come from life, and we can present so many practical proofs of this. So let Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda think in their own chemical language how to push this fact to the scientific world. If by Krsna's grace they even partially admit it, it will be a great triumph. My point is even if they partially accept then they have to find out what is the original life. In the sastras we have information that the original life in the universe is Brahma and Brahma is also a product of Garbhodakasayi Vishnu. Garbhodakasayi Visnu is a product of Karanadakasayi Visnu and in this way we ultimately reach Krsna the Cause of all Causes. We have to give a fight to the wrong conception of the unauthorized scientist.

Your plan for going to the colleges in California and your titles for the lectures are very much to my liking. You may write to Ramananda to come as soon as possible. He told me he can come and see me in London. Anyway, his coming there is sure, so correspond with him; and make a strong party.

Your victory over the scientist who was saying that life comes from dust is very good. We should not take such nonsense from them. We should speak up against such false theorists and say, "Don't talk such nonsense please. Don't mislead the public. You are taking big salaries and leading the public wrongly. It would be better for you to be a street sweeper and earn an honest livelihood instead of cheating."

Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:

Your research institution is the latest institution to study that supreme power. Therefore the right conclusion is, the problem of the human society at the present moment is to understand God, or as you say, the supreme power.

When we speak of power, it means there must be a source of the powerful, for example we may speak of the electric power, so immediately it suggests that there must be a source of power, the power house, and the power house is being conducted by some engineer. So ultimately there is a living force, a living entity. He is Generating the power by mechanical arrangement, and we can experience his power in so many ways. You have tried to explain in your book "The findings of such research might spark off a new phase in religious history, people might be induced to try the experiment of approaching this power in their own way, not by prayer or the alteration of physical events or for national safety or material aims, but for spiritual strength and guidance for a better way of life, or perhaps how best to deal with some difficulty." This is indeed very good.

When you say "People might be induced to try this experiment" of approaching this power. Power is energy, so when you speak of approaching the power it means the powerful, power is not independent unless being the power there is a supreme powerful, this is reasonable, to search out the powerful. Without the powerful no power can exist. A politician or a big general exhibits his power as the powerful by his commandment or by his order. Therefore your understanding of the power is not complete, you must induce people to approach that supreme power. We can understand power in wealth, if a man is very wealthy he is powerful and can exhibit his power by spending money. Similarly if a man is very strong he can exhibit his power in so many ways. Similarly if a man is highly educated he is also powerful, he can influence so man men with his knowledge. Therefore we have to accept that behind the power, there must be the powerful, otherwise our knowledge is imperfect.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Yadunandana -- Melbourne 25 June, 1974:

Similarly Gaura Keshore das Babaji the spiritual master of my guru maharaj would chant alone in a solitary place so as not to be bothered by anyone in his meditation on Krsna. But these great personalities are not to be imitated. If we artificially imitate, out of some negative feeling or out of desire for adoration as a saintly person, it will not be very beneficial. On the authority of Lord Caitanya and my spiritual master, I am requesting my disciples to always stay in the association of devotees and to propagate the sankirtana movement all over the world, so that others may get a chance also to become liberated from the material condition. Prahlada Maharaja prayed I am not satisfied to go back to the kingdom of God alone, but I must bring back with me all these poor fools who have no alternative ultimately than to surrender to You. This form of worship called gostananandi is more superior than the gostananandi or the holy man who lives alone in meditation of the Lord within the heart. This is the estimation of the scripture.

It is very encouraging that you are feeling convinced of the genuineness of the Hare Krsna movement and the disciples as at New Vrindaban. Although you feel you must leave their company sometimes you should pray to Krsna to give you the intelligence to seek out the association of genuine Vaisnavas more and more. That will insure your own genuineness, if you always engage in chanting Hare Krishna, avoid the four sinful prohibitions, then it does not matter where you are, you can attain to perfect love of Krsna.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Bombay 14 November, 1974:

So you have Caitanya Caritamrta almost translated, achah! Thank you. You are pukkha BBT Trustee. You are business-like and sincere and assisted by your good wife. She is chaste and also sincere.

You say that before meeting me you could not read or write, so this is all Krishna's grace. If He likes, he can make a crow into a peacock. That is His grace. Krishna consciousness is so valuable that it plays wonderful, and there are many instances within our society. Similarly I was a crow, and now they consider me a peacock. But, I was trying to be a peacock whenever there was the opportunity. I took the endeavor to publish the "Back to Godhead," but I wasted so much time. Ultimately Krishna saved me.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 6 December, 1974:

Actually what is our aim? Our aim is to create men of ideal character. And, if our men are distributing books on this account, they are doing the best service to the society. Because someone has said something in the airport, that is not very

important. What we are doing that they must see. See their sacrifice, what is behind their life, how they are living; how they have sacrificed everything for the welfare of society. In our society there is no distinction between black or white, Hindu or Muslim. Every living being is welcome to take to this cult, and make his life a successful affair.

Regarding your question, actually it is a fact that ultimately everyone should preach and distribute books if they want to please me in the best way. Book distribution must be given stress always. He has spoken the right thing. If you do this sincerely, it is a fact that Krishna will supply everything else required. So you say that your men are like the four Kumaras disobeying Lord Brahma. Does it mean you are Brahma? But, it is a fact. Here in India we are not arranging for publishing Hindi books and other languages for profuse distribution in India. That is my immediate program. I blindly follow my guru maharaj. I do not know what is the result. So I am stressing on this point of book distribution. He told me this personally.

Book distribution is bhagavata marga and temple worship is pancaratriki viddhi. Both are important for cultivating Vaisnavism but comparatively speaking bhagavata marga is more important than pancaratriki viddhi. As far as possible both should go on in parallel lines but still bhagavata marga is more important than the other.

Letter to Gurukrpa -- Bombay 31 December, 1974:

If you can take attention as much as possible in Hong Kong, that is very good.

Regarding your trip to USA, you'll get men, as many as you require.

So far as Central and South America is concerned, that is Hrdayananda's jurisdiction.

Regarding Ganesa Puja, I have received some letters from persons requesting to also perform it. I have explained to them that ultimately it is not required, but if you have some sentiment to get the blessings of Ganesa in order to get huge sums of money for service of Krishna, then it can be done, but privately. I have instructed them that if they want to do it, they must send me at least 100,000 dollars monthly—not less.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Durgesh Patel -- Honolulu 18 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 10/6/75 and have noted the contents. Please keep yourself saved by chanting 16 rounds daily and following the regulative principles, and reading books. For the time being, stay with your parents until you are of proper age to be independent. Raghunatha dasa Goswami was also restricted by his parents, but ultimately he joined Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement and became one of the six Goswamis of Vrndavana. So, do not be discouraged, rather feel fortunate that at such a young age you are able to practice Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Bombay 15 August, 1975:

Just like in 1967 when I returned to India. When I wanted to go out, for purchasing my ticket, they would allow only if I had brought in foreign exchange. I showed the bank receipts for encashing the foreign exchange I had brought in, and they immediately granted permission for me to purchase my ticket. So following the same principle we want permission to purchase printing paper up to the amount of foreign exchange that we have sent into the country.

In this connection you can find out in the Import/Export Department on e Mr. Mukherjee who is the son-in-law of the late Mr. N.C. Chatterjee. Mr. Chatterjee was my personal friend, and some 10 years ago promised to help me. So if you find Mr. Mukherjee, he can help you.

Regarding your feeling yourself as unqualified, whatever you can do, then do it, but you should try your best for Krishna. This is important. Ultimately everything is depending on Lord Krishna. You just have to always remember this.

Letter to Upendra -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 10, 1975 and I have read the contents in entirety. So I thank you very much for your sentiments. Why not stick to Vrndavana. I am coming there soon and again we shall associate. Now you should extend your visa and stay there and stick to that holy place. Ultimately Vrndavana is our goal of life.

I am glad to note your program and that you are also studying Hindi. This is very good. I very much appreciate your service. In the kitchen you should please see that nothing is wasted.

Yes, you will be blessed by Vrndavana-Isvari. I am coming there very soon and things will be adjusted.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Mayapur 20 January, 1976:

Regarding the ISKCON Gurukula presently situated in Dallas—The Gurukula must be based on the principle of renunciation; vairagya vidya nija bhakti yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). Bhakti is based on the principle of the renunciation of material desires beginning from the earliest age; kaumaram acaret prajna dharman bhagavatan iha (SB 7.6.1). From the very beginning, a boy must be trained to perform devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not to be attached as the fruitive workers, the karmis, to the so-called fallible soldiers; dehapatya kalatradisu atma-sainyesu asatsv api tesam prammato nidhanam pasyanapi na pasyati (SB 2.1.4). The karmis are attached too much to their bodies, children and wives, who are like fallible fighting soldiers who must ultimately be destroyed. Although they are sufficiently experienced, they still cannot see this.

Therefore our young men must be trained at the earliest age to not be attached to so many things like the home, family, friendship, society, and nation. To train the innocent boy to be a sense gratifier at the early age when the child is actually happy in any circumstance is the greatest violence. Therefore; brahmacari gurukulae vasan danto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). The brahmacari lives at the place of the spiritual master and works for the benefit of the spiritual master by begging for his maintenance, by cleaning, learning the principles of Krsna consciousness, and engaging in the process of bhagavata dharma, whereby his life will have a firm, sane foundation with which he can overcome the forces of maya by strong training in the beginning.

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Mayapur 20 January, 1976:

We cannot be forced to follow the standards of the mlecchas and yavanas. One may build so many buildings to follow this and that code, but the basic principle of such codes is sense gratification which we are against. There are so many thousands of buildings in the west which are filled with illegalities, but how is it that we must come to a perfect standard or be closed down? This is not the standard of law, but prosecution. If in illusion we think that we must spend money to come to that standard what guarantee is there that they will not simply find another standard for us to follow which will cause so much more trouble and cost so much more money and ultimately they will pass some law making the gurukula illegal.

Therefore the school should be moved to India, specifically to our new gurukula project in Vrindaban, where the facility will be just to our needs and the needs of the brahmacari to develop spiritually because it is based on authentic scripture. To live in Vrindaban is the highest perfection and to grow up in Vrindaban the greatest fortune. Who can compare Vrindaban to the nasty western culture? Even to live in Mathura-mandala for a fortnight guarantees one liberation. In Vrindaban no one will place restrictions on the school and it will be encouraged by the government. The people will see such a school and the example will encourage thousands to send their children there to be trained as human beings and devotees.

Letter to Srutadeva -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976:

One has to be qualified to preach. It is a gradual process that one becomes sense controlled and a personal example. Preaching is not an easy thing. In the beginning one should worship the Deity and follow the basic practices. When one becomes advanced he can preach. The kanistha adhikari is not condemned. It is a comparative study. The kanistha adhikari can also achieve perfection. If one does not preach, it does not mean that he is fallen, condemned. It is not artificial, one gradually becomes perfect by association.

It is correct that the brahma-jyotir is comprised of spiritual souls and that ultimately nothing is impersonal. Dead matter means forgetfulness of Krsna.

If you want to stay in Krsna Consciousness you will have to develop firm faith in Guru and Sastra. Therefore, you must study my books very scrutinizingly, follow the four regulative principles very strictly and chant 16 rounds daily avoiding the ten offenses. Don't take this movement as something cheap.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

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

Page Title:Ultimately (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:22 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=51
No. of Quotes:51