Vedic scriptures (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"Vedic Scriptures" |"Vedic Scripture"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

According to Vedic scriptures the present age is called Kali-yuga and almost all human beings are now degraded to the standard of the mode of ignorance.

Letter to R. Prakash -- Allahabad 22 June, 1951: According to Vedic scriptures the present age is called Kali-yuga and almost all human beings are now degraded to the standard of the mode of ignorance and therefore the greater number of population are subjected to the pangs of the threefold miseries of material existence in the most horrible manner. In such rabid condition of human being the panacea is "Krishna sankirtana" recommended in all scriptures. By this process, the forgetfulness of human being of his eternal relation with Godhead, is removed altogether.

1969 Correspondence

Michael E. Morrissey is presently studying the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic scriptures under strict discipline and regulation.

Letter to Official (for Madhudvisa) -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1969: I, THE UNDERSIGNED ACHARYA (Ordained Minister of Religion) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Inc, certify herewith that Michael E. Morrissey (Madhudvisa Das), S.S. No. 19/31/47/208, has been my initiated student of Theology for six months (initiated September 11, 1968). He is presently studying the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic scriptures under strict discipline and regulation. As such, he is forbidden to indulge in the following activities:

1. Illicit sexual connection (unmarried sex indulgence). 2. Non vegetarian diet (the eating of meat, fish eggs, and all animal foods strictly forbidden).

3. Intoxication of all sorts (including smoking, drinking of alcoholic beverages, drinking tea, coffee, drugs, etc.) are strictly forbidden.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a bona fide religious society strictly following the principles described in the Vedic scriptures and practiced in India for thousands of years.

Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a bona fide religious society strictly following the principles described in the Vedic scriptures and practiced in India for thousands of years. Our basic beliefs are as follows:

1) The Absolute Truth is contained in all the great Scriptures of the world; the Bible, Koran, Torah, etc. However, the oldest known Revealed Scriptures in existence are the Vedic literatures, most notably the BHAGAVAD GITA which is the literal record of God's actual Words. 2) God, or KRISHNA is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all attractive, the seed-giving Father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature and the cosmic situation. 3) Man is actually NOT his body, but is eternal spirit soul, part and parcel of God, and therefore eternal. 4) That all men are brothers can be practiced only when we realize God as our common ultimate Father. 5) All our actions should be performed as a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord . . . "all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me. (Bhagavad-gita, IX, 27) 6) The food that sustains us should always be offered to the Lord before eating. In this way He becomes the Offering, and such eating purifies us. 7) We can, by sincere cultivation of bona fide spiritual science attain to the state of pure, unending blissful consciousness, free from anxiety in this very lifetime.

8) The recommended means of attaining the mature stage of Love of God in the present age of "Kali, or quarrel, is to chant the Holy Name of the Lord. The easiest method for most people is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare."

1970 Correspondence

With reference to all Vedic Scriptures our members are all Brahmanas and therefore we offer them the sacred thread.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970: So Narada Muni says that men should be judged by his tendencies, not by his birth, and this is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krishna that the four divisions of human society should be judged by the qualities in actual work. Therefore with reference to all Vedic Scriptures our members are all Brahmanas and therefore we offer them the sacred thread although they are born, according to Vedic culture, in the families of other than Brahmanas or even than the Sudras. But that does not mean they cannot be purified. Actually they are being trained in such a way, their hearts are being purified by chanting the Mahamantra.

According to authorized Vedic Scriptures liberation means to be fixed up in one's original position.

Letter to Barindra Babu -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1970: According to authorized Vedic Scriptures liberation means to be fixed up in one's original position. The original position is that each and every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and as such it is the duty of every living entity to cooperate with the Supreme. This cooperation is devotional service. So you have taken some interest in this matter. Please try to propagate this philosophy amongst the educated circle in Calcutta, and that is the best humanitarian service.

Why does Srila Narada Muni condemn Srila Vyasadeva for compiling the Vedic Scriptures?

Letter to Gajendra -- Los Angeles 27 January, 1970: why does Srila Narada Muni condemn Srila Vyasadeva for compiling the Vedic Scriptures? Sri Narada Muni was the Spiritual Master of Srila Vyasadeva. A Spiritual Master has the right to chastise his disciple any way He likes. A sisya or a disciple means one who accepts the disciplinary action given by the Spiritual Master. Even although sometimes a Spiritual Master chastises his disciple as a fool or rascal in fatherly affection, it does not mean necessarily that the disciple is a fool or a rascal.

We, the followers of Vedic culture, accept both Lord Buddha and Lord Caitanya as incarnations of God, as both of them are stated to be so in the authorized Vedic scriptures.

Letter to Japanese brothers and sisters -- Los Angeles 10 March, 1970: t is a great opportunity that Sriman Sudama Das Adhikari, one of my American students, has gone to your country to spread the gospel of Krishna Consciousness under superior order. The original order is from Lord Caitanya Who appeared 484 years ago at Navadvipa, a district in Bengal, India, as Lord Buddha appeared at Gaya, a district in Behar, India. We, the followers of Vedic culture, accept both Lord Buddha and Lord Caitanya as incarnations of God, as both of them are stated to be so in the authorized Vedic scriptures.

The original ksatriya kings were all descendants from King Iksvaku, the father of the dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra appeared. That is a long history comprising a period covering not less than 40 million years according to Vedic scriptures.

Letter to Japanese brothers and sisters -- Los Angeles 10 March, 1970: But factually this Krishna Consciousness is coming down through a chain of disciplic succession from a time some millions of years ago because the first student of this cult was Vivasvan, the present predominating deity in the Sun-globe planet. Later on Vivasvan taught this philosophy to his son Manu, who again taught this philosophy to his son, King Iksvaku, who ruled over this earthly planet. The original ksatriya kings were all descendants from King Iksvaku, the father of the dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra appeared. That is a long history comprising a period covering not less than 40 million years according to Vedic scriptures.

Plants, reptiles, insects, birds, beasts, all of them are living entities as the spirit soul, but they are present before us in many varieties of forms and dresses. These things are learn from authoritative Vedic scriptures.

Letter to Japanese brothers and sisters -- Los Angeles 10 March, 1970: There are many millions of species of life as aquatics, trees, plants, reptiles, insects, birds, beasts, and human races. All of them are living entities as the spirit soul, but they are present before us in many varieties of forms and dresses. A learned man is he who sees all living entities on equal category, never mind whether a living entity is highly cultured intelligent man, or a cow, or a dog, or an elephant, or even a dog-eater, who is considered to be low in the human society. These things we learn from authoritative Vedic scriptures.

I am very glad to know that your pen is inspired to create, because we are in need of many intelligent writers who can express our Krishna consciousness philosophy nicely just following exactly the transcendental words and purports of our vast Vedic scriptures.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Los Angeles 19 March, 1970: I am very glad to know that your pen is inspired to create, because we are in need of many intelligent writers who can express our Krishna consciousness philosophy nicely just following exactly the transcendental words and purports of our vast Vedic scriptures according to the previous Acaryas of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya. And if you continue to work in this writing and publishing of our literatures with steady enthusiasm and sincerity, your success in Krishna Consciousness is certain.

I beg to inform you that this Krishna Consciousness movement is based on the Vedic scriptures.

Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970: As you have liked to know more about the temple, the worshippers, and the scriptures, I beg to inform you that this Krishna Consciousness movement is based on the Vedic scriptures. Veda means knowledge and there are two kinds of knowledge—one mundane and another transcendental. Vedas are considered to be originally transcendental because they are coming from the platform which existed before the creation. This transcendental knowledge was impregnated in the heart of the first created living being, and then he distributed the knowledge both for material and spiritual purposes.

Nectar of Devotion is the essence of all Vedic scriptures enlightening about Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Advaita -- Los Angeles 18 June, 1970: All of you in the press are doing so hard work. I can simply pray to Krsna for your perfect advancement in Krsna consciousness. One thing I must inform you in this connection that so far our activities in Krsna Consciousness are concerned, everyone of us should read this book very attentively because all conclusive statements in the Kingdom of Bhakti are contained in this transcendental valuable book. It is the essence of all Vedic scriptures enlightening about Krsna Consciousness. If anyone will read this Nectar of Devotion very carefully, he will have all guidance in Bhakti cult. So in the temple class some portions of this book must be regularly discussed.

The activities on the temple schedule are Aratikas, kirtanas and classes in the Vedic scriptures.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970: The activities are centered on the temple schedule of Aratikas (six daily, very regularly), kirtanas and classes in the Vedic scriptures. Work is in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, dairy and construction as well as devotional studies. I am sending the description as it will appear in our Krsna consciousness handbook which is just now being printed. The complete and finished Handbook will be sent later on. Along with the section on New Vrndavana there is also a two page feature on our ISKCON Press.

Before Vyasadeva, all the Vedic Scriptures were taught and received verbally by the disciplic succession.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Tokyo 25 August, 1970: Before Vyasadeva, all the Vedic Scriptures were taught and received verbally by the disciplic succession. Both the students and the Spiritual Master of those ages were so sharp in their memory that once they heard the transcendental message from the Spiritual Master the message was immediately imprinted in their brain as vivid as a written language. For example, Sukadeva Gosvami was narrating Srimad-Bhagavatam extemporaneously. The whole Srimad-Bhagavatam, eighteen thousand verses, very difficult to pronounce even and what to speak of memorizing, were narrated very easily just like reading some printed book. He narrated the whole subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam continuously for seven days and Maharaja Pariksit also understood the subject matter very clearly.

1972 Correspondence

You will find mentioned in many Vedic scriptures that maha-mantra is especially recommended for understanding God in this age of Kali Yuga.

Letter to Yajnesvara -- Bombay 2 January, 1972: You will find mentioned in many Vedic scriptures that maha-mantra is especially recommended for understanding God in this age of Kali Yuga, such as Agni Purana, Kali-Santaram Upanisad, Brhan Naradiya Puranam, and many others. Haridasa Thakura chanted 3 lakhs of names each day, that means 16 names in the mantra, 108x16 or 1,728 names in each round of mala, dividing 300,000 by 1,728 comes to roundabout 175 rounds on beads daily. And for us it is even difficult to chant 16 rounds! That is why Haridasa Thakura is "namacarya. We find in Caitanya Caritamrta information that both Lord Caitanya and Haridasa Thakura were constantly absorbed in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

We also understand from one prominent Soviet professor of Indology that a few years ago your government published a translation of the Ramayana, an ancient Vedic scripture describing the pastimes of Lord Rama.

Letter to Secretary to Minister of Education and Culture -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1972: We also understand from one prominent Soviet professor of Indology that a few years ago your government published a translation of the Ramayana, an ancient Vedic scripture describing the pastimes of Lord Rama, who advented Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead long years ago, and that this translation, the whole stock, was sold out within a few days. With reference to this obvious preference by the citizens in general, we wish to publish our translation of another ancient classical Vedic literature, namely, Bhagavad-gita, in the Russian language. The English edition of this great book of knowledge, which has been called by us as Bhagavad-gita As It Is, is already published by the famous London publishing house of Mss. MacMillan Co.

You want to perform sacrifice so continuously read our Vedic scriptures and perform the Vaikuntha yajna.

Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 15 June, 1972: In the Vaikuntha world there is no need of serving anything because everything is already clean and beautiful. It is so clean that just like a mirror when the maid-servants would sweep the floor they could see the reflections of their bodies. So remain always compact in Vaikuntha yajna, simply by thinking of the Glories of the Lord. Don't try to do anything artificially. That is sahajiya, which means a class of men that take everything very cheap. You want to perform sacrifice so continuously read our Vedic scriptures and perform the Vaikuntha yajna.

1974 Correspondence

There is no other scripture which can compare to the Vedic scriptures so we should study these scriptures exclusively.

Letter to Bhumata -- Los Angeles 2 January, 1974: Along with the chanting of Hare Krsna we have to rigidly observe the prohibition of four sinful activities. If only these things we can do our lives can become perfect. I think you have my books so please study them carefully. There is no other scripture which can compare to the Vedic scriptures so we should study these scriptures exclusively. When one becomes an initiated disciple although he has respect for the Christian Bible, nevertheless he must understand the Bhagavad-gita and must apply all study there and not spend time unnecessarily with other literatures.

1975 Correspondence

Our knowledge is from vedic scriptures which we accept as definite and without any mistake.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Bombay 17 December, 1975: There are so many contradictory things, but we have our authority and they have their authority. Our knowledge is from vedic scriptures which we accept as definite and without any mistake. A modern scientist believes that there was no civilization before 3,000 years, our Bhagavatam was spoken by Sukadeva Goswami 5,000 years ago and he is explaining "as I have heard it from authority, so we have got parampara system for millions of years. If there was no civilization before 3,000 years, then how this subject matter of knowledge could be discussed? How could it be received through the param-para system? So there is contradiction certainly. But the statement that there was no civilization 3,000 years ago can be adjusted by the conviction that there was civilization, millions and millions of years ago.

1976 Correspondence

Everything is in perfect order in the Vedic scriptures summarised so beautifully in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita is the primal study.

Letter to Dixit -- Vrindaban 18 September, 1976: These things are recommended for the brahmacari. You will find the statement in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Seven, Chapter Twelve as follows, brahmacari gurukulae vasandanto gururohitam [SB 7.12.1]. I want my gurukula should be in that way, we don't want big big scholars, for doing research work; what research work they will do? Everything is in perfect order in the Vedic scriptures summarised so beautifully in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita is the primal study.

Letter to: Inquirer-Boston Unknown Date: Since you would like to know more about the temple, the worshipers and the scriptures, I beg to inform you that this Krsna consciousness movement is based on the Vedic scriptures. Veda means knowledge, and there are two kinds of knowledge, one mundane and another transcendental. The Vedas are considered to be originally transcendental because they come from the platform which existed before the creation. This transcendental knowledge was impregnated in the heart of the first created living being, and then he distributed the knowledge both for material and spiritual purposes.