a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1969 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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28 January 2005 Tuesday, January 28, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Rayarama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 24, 1969, and I have noted the contents with care. Just yesterday I also received Back To Godhead, no. 22, and it is looking very good. This issue is very nice, and I thank you and all of your hard-working press men for their sincere efforts in this connection. I am confident that this magazine will be improving more and more under your direction. Regarding your need for more manpower, I have already asked Arabinda to go there, and he will be writing to you soon about this. Regarding the securing of advertisements, this responsibility should be divided among three centers, namely New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Purusottama has already gotten some advertisements for you, and he is teaching Sudama to help him also in Los Angeles. In San Francisco, both Cidananda and Dindayal will be trying for this also. In New York, Gargamuni and Nayana Bhirama should work in this way also. Nayana Bhirama did nicely in securing advertisements for this last issue, so I think he is skillful enough to be very helpful for the next issue also. If advertisements are sold in many different cities, it will add prestige to the magazine, because people will see that we are getting advertisements from all over. Similarly, the sales of Back To Godhead should be divided more evenly amongst our centers. Not that one or two temples do all of the selling and all of the others should simply sleep. Los Angeles can sell 1,500 copies, and similarly, New York and San Francisco should sell at least an equal amount of copies apiece. The other centers should sell the remainder of the copies, and if necessary, you can print more. Also, you should have the centers pay for their copies immediately upon receipt. If they do not have the money, then they must secure it by working, but somehow or other this system must be introduced so that you will not always be in financial difficulties for printing future issues. Also, I would be very much interested to see records of how much you are spending and earning in production and sales and advertisements for Back To Godhead. Thanking you once more for your letter and the very nice new issue. I hope this will meet you in improving health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: I do not understand why there is no word from you about the Prahlada Maharaja pictures which are to be printed here. Please inform Purusottama what is the difficulty. letters | 06:52 | January 28, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Krishna Das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of January 22, 1969, and I am very encouraged to learn of your nice activities in Hamburg. I am so pleased to know that Uttama Sloka and yourself are now working in the printer trade, and Sivananda is busily engaged in decorating the temple. Similarly, it is very good that you are holding outside engagements for organizations outside of the temple and you are meeting with interested people. But perhaps the best news of all is that soon we shall have our own press for printing Krishna Consciousness literature in the German language. Our life and soul is kirtana and presenting literature to the public at large, and I can understand that Krishna is dictating to you from within how to carry this out successfully. I think that translation work should be done on such articles that may be included in a German edition of Back To Godhead, as well as my Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is. I am wondering if there are people there who can speak English with you. Please inform me on this matter. Regarding Jaya Govinda, if he is willing to go there, you can deposit the fare money to the American Express Company in Hamburg, and the American Express Company in Delhi should deliver to Jaya Govinda the ticket. But he should not be sent cash money. Make arrangements so that, if upon receipt of the ticket he still does not come, the money shall be returned back only to you in Hamburg. In this way make the arrangements. Please convey my blessings to Sivananda and Uttama Sloka. I hope you are all very well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: You may have the ticket for Jaya Govinda sent to the New Delhi branch of American Express Company at the following address: American Express, Hamilton House, block "A", Connaught Place (tel. 43553). Three hundred and fifty dollars is about 2625 Rupees. I am writing to Jaya Govinda today to give him this address also. letters | 05:49 | January 28, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Malati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (undated) and I was very pleased to note the contents. Regarding the Radha-Syama chanting which you have heard it is not very good. In our temple, strictly Hare Krishna chanting should be given more importance. This is no harm in this mantra you have heard, but it is not very important. There are many such common songs composed by common devotees out of sentiment. But our principle is to stick to the authorities, and always remember that Hare Krishna is the prime authorized mantra. I am very much encouraged to learn that you are bold enough to challenge any non-devotee as you did with that impersonalist yoga student. That should be the temperament of all our preachers. We should not be aggressive, but we should not tolerate any sort of nonsense. One who says that God is not merciful because He has made one person happy and one distressed is most nonsensical. This very statement affirms that man as a godless rascal. All of these so-called yogis are therefore rascals because they have no actual realization of God. Falsely they think themselves as God, and their association should be avoided as far as possible. Regarding this Syama-Mataji Dasi from Vrindaban, does she sing Hare Krishna Mantra or not? If she chants Hare Krishna it is all right, and if she does not chant the Hare Krishna Mantra, you should ask her why she does not do so. I am not familiar with her Spiritual Master, Gaurangidas, but if he has taught her to sing this Radha-Syama song, then he also is not authorized. Thanking you once more for your letter. Please convey my blessings to your husband and child, as well as to all of the other devotees there with you. I hope this will meet all of you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:46 | January 28, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Hamsaduta, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 22, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. From your letter I can understand that you will no longer be negotiating for purchasing the house, and this is all right because I do not think it is very suitable for a temple. Regarding your question about Vasudeva, the father of Krishna, you should understand that he is not simply a symbol. The statement made in Srimad-Bhagavatam in this connection is meant for understanding, but unless one is in Vasudeva's position, it is not possible to understand Vasudeva or Krishna. Vasudeva's position means to be situated in pure goodness. In the material world, the three modes of nature which are named ignorance, passion and goodness, are always found mixed up together. In other words, these modes are never found pure, but if there is one mode present, there is sure to be at least a tinge of another mode there also. For this reason, we may sometimes see a third class man showing the quality of goodness, and we may see a first class man showing hints of ignorance. The modes are never found in a pure state in the material world. But in the Vasudeva stage of pure goodness there is no contamination from any material influence of passion or ignorance. Vasudeva is never to be understood as being a symbol. You should clearly understand this. Please convey my blessings to your good wife, Himavati. I hope this will meet the both of you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 02:44 | 27 January 2005 Monday, January 27, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Anuradha Dasi and Tulsi Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of both your letters dated January 25, 1969 and January 21, 1969 respectively, and I have carefully noted the contents in each. You have both expressed a sincere desire to leave San Francisco immediately and come to Los Angeles where you can share an apartment for both of you and your children. This idea seems to be a good solution to both of your problems, and as soon as you are able you may do it. If neither of you are very peaceful staying in San Francisco then it is not very good for Krishna Consciousness, and I think the conditions will be improved if you come to Los Angeles. So as you are able, I shall look forward to seeing you again with your children in Los Angeles. I hope this will meet you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: I have placed the peacock feather which was sent by Anuradha upon Lord Jagannatha in my altar room, and He is looking very beautiful with it. letters | 04:17 | 26 January 2005 Sunday, January 26, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Govinda Dasi, Please accept my blessings. I was very pleased to read your letter of January 19, 1969. I know that you will always be thinking of me as you described in your letter because you are so affectionate to this poor old man. And by your sincere affection you have also made me think of you how you are doing there in Hawaii. I understand from your letter and from Gaurasundara's letter also that you are now engaged as a nice housewife. It is a great pleasure for me to know this. In London, the six couples who are working very hard there have been very much appreciated by the people of London, and their character, behavior, and devotion are attracting sincere people to our movement. I want similar thousands of couples for my disciples to propagate our movement throughout the world. You can always help me in this matter because you are an intelligent girl and you have many talents. So you can utilize your god-gifted qualities for utilizing in Krishna Consciousness. So far as my taking botheration in coming to your country, I must take this so-called botheration for Krishna. But what botheration I have taken? You know that the Goswamis were ministers in the government's service and they left their posts for going to Vrindaban and living there just like paupers. They produced such great literature like Sandarbhas, by Jiva Goswami, and Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, by Rupa Goswami. Apparently they took so much botheration but they preferred to accept it because they were compassionate for the suffering humanity. Similarly, Lord Caitanya is Narayana Himself, and His wife, Visnupriya, is the Goddess of Fortune. Lord Caitanya was a very learned scholar, a very beautiful young brahmana, and He had a very affectionate mother, but Lord Caitanya Himself accepted the botheration voluntarily for the good of the human society and all living entities. We should always follow these footprints--not try to imitate, but to follow the same spirit of compassion for the conditioned soul and try to help them advance to Krishna Consciousness. Actually in the service of Krishna there is no botheration. Rather we feel more transcendental pleasure. I hope you will more and more appreciate this status as you work combinedly with your very good husband, Gaurasundara. Regarding your dictaphone work, I have got two kinds of tapes. Either you can type up my lectures (Purusottama has already sent you one tape), or you can do tapes of Caitanya Caritamrta as you were doing formerly. But I think that Gaurasundara hasn't got sufficient [TEXT MISSING] letters | 10:08 | January 26, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 19, 1969, and I have noted the contents with care. Regarding the work you have done on Caitanya Caritamrta, when they are finished being edited and typed please send me the copies so I will give you further work to do with this. I have written in Govinda Dasi's letter about this which you will please read. Concerning Vamanadeva's trouble with the draft, I think that if properly utilized, my certificate of acceptance of a person as student of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam may be very helpful in avoiding the draft because recently one Lieutenant Colonel, Mr. Davis, from the Selective Service came to see me about our activities, and he is fairly impressed. So I think that if Vamanadeva presents himself as a serious student of this institution he may not be called. I have a very nicely made certificate which can be sent to Vamanadeva if he would like to try for this. Regarding Muralidhara, he is now working here, and he is helping to meet the huge expenditures of the Los Angeles temple. But I shall see if he cannot be spared after a few weeks. Let me see how he is doing here. If he is not very much needed, which I shall know after a few weeks, then I shall ask him to join you in Hawaii. Please continue to keep me informed of your activities in Hawaii. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:06 | January 26, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Arundhati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of dated January 22, 1969, and I am pleased to send herewith your beads duly chanted upon by me. Your spiritual name is Arundhati which means the great star. It is the name of the wife of Vasistha, a great devotee of Krishna. I am very pleased to know that you are taking a very sincere interest in perfecting your life in Krishna Consciousness. You are fortunate to have the association of your godsister, Jadurani, and I am sure that she, along with the other devotees in the Boston temple will be able to help you in many ways. Be sure to chant your sixteen rounds daily and read one chapter of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, one chapter daily. Follow the four regulative principles strictly, and I am sure that Krishna will see that your life quickly becomes more and more happy in devotional service. The attitude which you expressed is very nice, and please continue to develop this attitude always. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:55 | 25 January 2005 Saturday, January 25, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Mahapurusa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 18, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very pleased to note that the newspaper article which you had helped arrange has resulted in much interest in our movement in Hawaii. It is also very encouraging to note that you are going out into the streets to chant and preach to the people there. This is a very good policy. As far as possible you should continue to go out and let the local inhabitants of Hawaii become very familiar with the sound of Hare Krishna Mantra. This will insure the success of our center there, and it is also very pleasing to Krishna to see His devotee taking courage in this way. So by no means should you give up this very nice activity. Regarding your questions, the so-called love which goes on in the material world is simply a perverted form of dasya rasa. Everything in this world is a perverted form of rasa. Just like Yasoda is loving Krishna as her Son. So this is vatsalya rasa, parental love. When Krishna is separate from Yasoda, she cried for whole life and thus became blind. In this world there is not a single instance where a mother has suffered so much in separation from her son. Therefore, it is perverted reflection of the real love. Regarding your second question, the other names of Krishna which you have mentioned, such as Gopala and Govinda are as powerful as the name Krishna. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 08:53 | January 25, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Kirtanananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 18, January 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I am encouraged to know that you are very enthusiastic about our projects for developing New Vrindaban. So far as the school goes, we have many qualified teachers, and they are all enthusiastic about going there and beginning their teaching work. The only thing is that there is as of yet no place to accommodate these teachers. So as soon as these facilities are constructed we can at once start at full force in setting up our Krishna Consciousness school program. You have asked some questions, and I will answer them herewith. The first question is, "When making arati offerings, is it proper to meditate on the different parts of the Lord's Body?" The answer is that there is no need to meditate in that way. The Lord is actually there with you, and you are seeing all of His parts of the Body, so there is no need to meditate in that way. In regard to the other questions, food should be offered before arati. In the morning, after arati, you can offer some food and then perform kirtana. Regarding your question about the disciplic succession coming down from Arjuna, it is just like I have got my disciples, so in the future these many disciples may have many branches of disciplic succession. So in one line of disciples we may not see another name coming from a different line. But this does not mean that person whose name does not appear was not in the disciplic succession. Narada was the Spiritual Master of Vyasadeva, and Arjuna was Vyasadeva's disciple, not as initiated disciple but there was some blood relation between them. So there is connection in this way, and it is not possible to list all such relationships in the short description given in Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Another point is that disciplic succession does not mean one has to be directly a disciple of a particular person. The conclusions which we have tried to explain in our Bhagavad-gita As It Is are the same as those conclusions of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we also accept the same truth under the disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is an axiomatic truth. So there is no difference of opinion of understanding Krishna between ourselves and Arjuna. Another example is that a tree has many branches, and you will find one leaf here and another leaf there. But if you take this leaf and the other leaf and you press them both, you will see that the taste is the same. The taste is the conclusion, and from the taste you can understand that both leaves are from the same tree. Regarding the problem with your father, it is not good to fight with one's father, but if he is not going to give you the money, it may be necessary to take legal steps. Since the money is to be used in Krishna's service, you should try to get it. I have heard from Syama Dasi that she has infected her finger, and I will be glad to know of the particulars so I may give her advice in this matter. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: I understand from Hayagriva that you have at New Vrindaban an edited manuscript of Easy Journey To Other Planets. Send this copy to me immediately because in London, Mukunda is attempting to have this published and I would like to read the edited version and send it on to him. So far as your idea of editing the lectures which you started to edit in Montreal, the idea is very nice. ACB P.S. You will be pleased to know that I have got now my immigration visa card (___ Blue Card) ACB letters | 07:48 | January 25, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 22, 1969, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. You have written to say that Londoners there are all so very anxious to meet me, so I am also very much anxious to meet you and the Londoners. Therefore it is the best thing that the five-story house which you have described in the letter under reply may be immediately occupied.* You can offer the best reasonable rent, and you can take the risk depending upon Krishna. If the Beatles come forward, you can take the risk. I hope that Mr. Parikh, who is a veteran educationist, can help you very much in this connection. I am very much pleased that he is also on the board of managers committee. Your Sankirtana Movement there is growing in popularity, and therefore you must immediately have a nice place. I think that for this purpose the five-story building is quite suitable. The first floor can be used as a meeting room or kirtana hall. The second floor can be used as temple room. The third floor can be used for prasadam distribution. The fourth and fifth may be used for residence and propaganda office. Now the legal document of incorporation under the company act has been examined by me, and I think that it is all right. I have made a little change somewhere, and you can do the needful. So by showing this legal document, you can immediately occupy some magnificent temple house. Regarding your seeking publication of Easy Journey to Other Planets, I am very glad to hear this, and I understand that Kirtanananda Swami has a nicely edited copy of this. I have already asked him to send me this copy, and when I examine it, I will send it immediately to you. In the meantime you can finalize the negotiation. So I am very pleased with the good news your letter has brought. I hope this will meet all of you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: There is a Mr. Ivan Levine in the Montreal temple who is, I understand an expert trumpeteer. He may be interested in joining you in London with his wife, after their initiation probably, to join you in your musical activities in London. I have advised him to write to you about this. * If the opening ceremony is made on the 7th of February 1969 the appearance day of my Spiritual Master, then it will be a grand success. letters | 06:45 | January 25, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Mr. Levine, Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to read your letter of January 21, 1969 and to learn of your sincere eagerness to serve Krishna in the best capacity of your talents. There is a Sanskrit proverb that says that there is not any better knowledge than to become a musician. Our Krishna Consciousness movement is practically based upon music and dancing. If by your exceptional qualities you can help in this movement, I think you have been sent by Krishna Himself to help me in this connection. I have one nice disciple, Michael Grant (Mukunda das Adhikari) who is a very good composer of Western music. He was earning lots of money in New York as a professional music teacher, but since he has become my disciple he has dedicated his life for propagating this movement along with his wife. I shall be glad if you immediately contact him in London at the following address: 22 Betterton Street, London WC 2, England. I have got a very ambitious program to organize a nice Sankirtana Party both in Oriental and Occidental style, so that we can thus attract all classes of people in the world to Krishna Consciousness. Very nice arrangements are being made in this connection under the leadership of Michael Grant. Please contact him soon. I am also sending him a note about you. Regarding your initiation, you have to decide yourself whether both you and your wife can follow our four disciplinary principles. I do not know if you are able to abide by these principles immediately. Otherwise there is no objection in the matter of initiating a good soul like you. Please convey my blessings to your wife. I hope this will meet both of you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:43 | January 25, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Kedar Mataji, Please accept my greetings and blessings of Sri Sri Kisori Raman. I wrote to Krishna Prasad Bhargava about these murtis for free donation. As you know that I am trying to establish many temples of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna in the Western world. I think that devotees of Lord Krishna in India should come forward and cooperate with my missionary activities. Krishna Prasadji donated one pair of Sri Murtis for our New York temple, and I wished that many other rich merchants of India who are devotees of Lord Krishna may contribute a pair of 24" high Radha-Krishna murtis for installing in various temples here. You should also come forward to cooperate with this movement. I am already getting murtis 24" high at a rate which is almost 50% less than the price quoted by you. If you therefore wish to cooperate with this great adventure, you shall not please try to make any profit out of it. You simply cooperate with me in supplying murtis at the rate which I am already purchasing. We do not require any clothings because our devotees here are now expert in making nice clothings. What you have to do is to purchase the deities, pack Them in nice wooden boxes securely, and dispatch to Calcutta to our shipping agents. We have arrangements with Scindia Steam Navigation Co. to carry our temple goods free of charge. You will be pleased to note that I have established temples in the following important places: London, Hamburg, New York, San Francisco, Hawaii, Montreal, Vancouver, Boston, etc. In each of these temples we will require one pair of deities. Besides that, we have secured about 140 acres of land in West Virginia where the scheme is to construct 7 temples. We wish to develop a township there called New Vrindaban for our growing Krishna Conscious community. Similarly, an attempt is being made in England also for which we are requesting legal documents. So I hope you will cooperate with us, and induce others to cooperate with this movement. The Americans have enough money to purchase the deities, but I wish that the Krishna devotees of India should come forward and cooperate with this movement by contributing pairs of deities. I shall be glad to hear from you soon. Sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:40 | January 25, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Jagannathan Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to thank you very much for your sending me the copies of your books ____ and your letter dated January 20, 1969. I have noted the contents very carefully. I have immediately upon receipt handed over the books to my editorial assistants, and I shall duly inform you about their opinion for publishing them in this country. I think it may take at least one month to let you know their decision. I have received news from Vancouver that our godbrother Sadanandaji Swami (formerly brahmacari Earnest Schulze) who is in Germany now has enquired from a friend about my address, and he wants to meet my disciples in our German Hamburg center. I do not know his address, but I am expecting his letter very soon. When I hear from him I shall let you know. My sister from Calcutta has addressed me one letter that she has heard by some source that I am coming to Mayapur during the great festival. This means that some of our godbrothers and sisters may be expecting me during the ensuing festival there. But till now I have heard no news from Tirtha Maharaja. Hoping this will meet you in good health. Thanking you once more for your letter and books. Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: The set of books may also be sent to Brahmananda das Brahmacari c.o International Society for Krishna Consciousness, 61 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003 letters | 01:37 | 24 January 2005 Friday, January 24, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Madhusudana, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 21, 1969, and I have carefully read the contents. Regarding your plan for marrying with Kancanbala, I do not think that there is any immediate emergency for finding some one to replace you on the Back To Godhead staff. You have mentioned in your letter that Kancanbala will not be available until at least the month of June for marriage, so there is no necessity for bothering about this for now. By that time or soon after there may be arrangements made where you can continue your work for the press department as well as support a wife. If the press operation can be moved to New Vrindaban then that will be the best arrangement for you because you could live there without any worries about rent. So for the time being go on with your work as usual and don't bother youself with this matter. Regarding your question about why we dress the Deities in very opulent fashion and not as simple cowherds boy and girl, this is an intelligent question and the answer is that according to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshipping Laksmi-Narayana. We worship Radha-Krishna because Laksmi-Narayana is there also, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna with our present Deity ceremonies; we are worshipping Laksmi-Narayana. Narayana is there when Krishna is there, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna in Their Original Form. This is why we should worship Radha-Krishna in Their Laksmi-Narayana feature with all respect and reverence. If we deviate from this standard then we shall be prakrta sahajiya, or a person who takes things very cheap. We worship Laksmi-Narayana, and because Radha-Krishna includes Laksmi-Narayana, there is no necessity of installing a Laksmi-Narayana Deity. It is just like a king who is engaged in administering justice. Actually that business belongs to the justice department. But what is that justice department? It is all part of the kings energy, and the king also has the power to execute this function. Regarding the blood and puss from the sky during the battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksa, you should know that if Krishna desires blood, puss, fire, or whatever He desires may fall down from the sky. So far as old copies of Back To Godhead which you have enquired about, I do not know where they all are. Either they are in my room in India or they are lost. Please convey my blessings to the other devotees of New York. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:14 | January 24, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 20, January, 1969, and I have noted the contents. You have written that you are unable to find a girl who is available for marriage, and so for the present, you have no choice but to hold off on your marriage plans. Anyway, I always recommend that one should try to remain brahmacari if possible, and if you think that this will be possible for you, you should try for it. In your letter you have asked many questions, and I will try to answer them for you herewith. Firstly, the Gayatri Mantra is not to be said loudly. Gayat means to sing, but singing can be done loudly or very softly. The Gayatri Mantra should be sung in a low whispering voice. Regarding the Brahman Pucha stages, this matter is described in the 13rd chapter of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. So far as the 10 sense organs, they are eyes, ears, nose, mouth, touch, these are the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge. The five moving organs are the legs, hands, tongue, genital, and rectum. Five objects of the senses are beauty, taste, smell, sound, and touch. The five gross elements are earth, water, fire, air, and ether. The four subtle elements are mind, ego, intelligence, and consciousness. Above these is the soul, and above the soul is the Supersoul. In tending the deities, you may wash Balarama first, before washing Krishna. Krishna is always non-different from the deity of Krishna. Regarding your request for the Brihat-Sama mantra, this may be given, but a much better proposal is that you concentrate upon improving the quality of your chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra. This is more important consideration for the present time. Regarding the wife of the Spiritual Master being considered as mother, this applies when the Spiritual Master is not sannyasa and he has a wife. I hope that the above will clear up all of your questions. Please convey my blessings to the other devotees in the Seattle center. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:11 | January 24, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Himavati, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of January 16, 1969, and I thank you very much for this. The deity clothing that you have sent are all very beautiful, and everything is fitting just rightly. Regarding your thoughts of separating from your husband, I do not think this is a very good plan. You should always live with your husband and help him with his personal comforts, and he will look after your all necessities of life. There is no question of separation. By mutual agreement and advancement of Krishna Consciousness you can stop sex life, but there is no question of separation. Separation is artificial. As Hamsaduta advances in Krishna Consciousness then by his company you will also profit. So the husband and wife are mutually beneficial. This idea of separation was developed also in Govinda Dasi, but I have sent her back to her husband, and she is now following my instructions. There is no question of separation between husband and wife until the time when the husband takes sannyasa. At that time the wife cannot remain with the husband. Even in vanaprastha stage, or retired life, the wife remains with the husband, but without any sex relations. Regarding your keeping private deities, if you will have time it is all right, but the same energy can be utilized in the temple for decorating, dressing, cleaning, cooking. Actually, every day the dress should be changed with new ornaments, clothes, flower garlands. So we can increase even in one place the activities of deity worship. If you are having free time, I can give you a very grand list of activities for deity worship which will keep you occupied for twenty four hours each day. Regarding your question about the husband becoming the Spiritual Master of the wife, anyone who can give instructing in spiritual life is treated as Spiritual Master. There are two kinds of Spiritual Master, initiator and instructor. So the husband can help the wife as instructor. So far as the money which is owed to New York temple, I never suggested that you should send deity clothing for payment. But if Montreal owes $500 to New York then it must be payed, if not at a time, then gradually. That is your mutual account. If you actually owe some money to New York then you must try to pay it. If you are unable to pay, then I shall ask Brahmananda to square up the account, or if need be, I shall pay it from my book fund for you. So don't worry about it. There should be no misunderstanding on this point. It is departmental management only. The government has so many departments. One department pays another so there is no question of misunderstanding because you are all working for Krishna. In any case, the $500, if Montreal temple is unable to pay, then I shall ask Brahmananda to square it up, or if need be, I shall pay it. Regarding your questions about the examinations to be given, the girls will also be able to take these. In Krishna Consciousness there is no distinction between girls and boys. The girls also may become preachers if they are able. Once again I thank you for the nice deity clothings and for your letter. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:07 | 23 January 2005 Thursday, January 23, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 14, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I am pleased to note that you enjoy going out into the streets chanting and preaching from Bhagavad-gita. This is a very good attitude and in accordance with the teachings of Lord Caitanya that the process of Sankirtana should be presented to men all over the world. So as you are able you should continue to go into the streets to chant, and I am sure that the others at your temple will appreciate going with you as they are available. Surely this practice will attract many people there to take some interest in this Krishna Consciousness movement. Regarding your request for cooking information, it is best if you will consult Yamuna Dasi in London. She is very expert cook, and will be able to answer any questions you have regarding prasadam preparations. I understand that Yamuna has written a recipe book which they are trying to have printed in London soon, so this also will be available to help you in this connection. Regarding serving your godbrothers, this is a very good practice. The Spiritual Master is never without His followers, so to serve the Spiritual Master also means to be the servant of His disciples. When you want to serve the king, you must also serve his minister, secretary, and everyone who serves him. And to serve his servants may please him more than to serve the king personally. So the Spiritual Master is not alone. He is always with His entourage. We are not impersonalists. We take care of every part of the whole, as much as one should take care of his hat as well as his shoes. Both are equally important for the upkeep of the body. I hope that you will understand this rightly. It is important that we preach the message of Krishna Consciousness exactly as we have heard it from our Spiritual Master. The same philosophy and spirit must be there exactly. Just like we preach in this country exactly as we have heard from our Spiritual Master but there are changes due to the time, circumstances, and the trainees. The spirit of the disciplic succession may not be changed, but there may be adjustments made to suit the special circumstances. Regarding your last question about the importance of chanting; this chanting process is the only way of attaining full Krishna Consciousness in this age of kali yuga. Lord Caitanya stressed upon this point, and we may take it from His authority that no other method will prove to be successful in this matter. So continue to push on our Hamburg center as far as possible. You have gone to Germany, not even knowing how to speak their language, and you are trying to give to them the rarest jewel, Krishna Consciousness. I know that Krishna is very pleased with all of your efforts there, and surely He will give you all facilities to come out successful in your efforts. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. His Holiness Swami Sadananda, my German god-brother may come to see you. When he comes offer your respect by bowing down as you do unto me. ACB letters | 10:04 | January 23, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Cidananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 21, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Since receiving this letter I have learned that you have decided that it is best that you do not leave your position in the San Francisco temple for the press department in New York. I think that this is the correct decision because your presence is very much needed in your temple. I am always glad to know that you are there to help manage the affairs of the San Francisco center so I am glad that you have decided to remain there as president. There are many places in San Francisco who will advertise in our Back To Godhead, so as much as possible you may try for this. But one thing is that the brahmacaris who are there must help in supporting the temple so you will have adequate time for this added responsibility upon you. So those who are able to earn money for supporting the temple must assist you in this connection. I am very happy to learn that you are seriously negotiating to purchase the new house. But one thing is that if for one year there are people having regular meeting in our temple room with all of their smoking and other nonsense, I do not think this will be very good. In the meantime, you may continue to make negotiations, but if this condition cannot be changed I do not think the arrangement will be very satisfactory. I am so pleased to learn that Mulji bhai is so enthusiastic to help us in purchasing the house, and he is anxious to go from door to door to raise the money for helping in this way. Please encourage him because even this one building is not suitable then surely Krishna will supply us with some other house for our temple activities. So I am fully aware that you are working very sincerely in Krishna Consciousness, and when difficulties arise you must simply remember to continue to depend upon Krishna, and He will supply you with the intelligence to solve any problems. You have already proven yourself as a very nice servitor of Lord Caitanya and I am always praying to Him that He will allow you to advance more and more in His eternal service. Please continue to keep me informed about the activities in your temple. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:01 | January 23, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Aniruddha, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 22, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I can understand from your letter that there has been some disagreements or misunderstandings in the temple, but I think that you should know that all such disturbances must be solved peacefully and with consideration of the entire situation. Cidananda is the president there, and I think you understand rightly that everyone must cooperate with him in keeping the temple nicely and without any unnecessary tensions. Any way, if you are feeling too much inconvenience staying in San Francisco, then you are welcome to come to Los Angeles and stay here with me. But if you can help to smooth over the difficulties there that will be the best thing. You are a sincere and intelligent boy, so if you along with all of the members combine to cooperate with one another in our mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness that will be very nice. I am pleased to note that Girish is progressing nicely under your guidance. Our plan for a school is progressing very well, and already we have many qualified teachers amongst our disciples who are looking forward to beginning this activity there. Next month, Paramananda and his wife, Satyabhama, who is a qualified teacher, will be going to New Vrindaban to stay, and similarly there are many others who will be going there in the near future to start work on this new venture. So the future of our movement will be very bright, and similarly your future will be very bright also, so there is no need for you to be depressed about any previous misunderstandings. Simply you have to remember to chant Hare Krishna always, tell others to do the same, help in all respects to spread the glories of Krishna Consciousness. Certainly Krishna will help you in your efforts to solve any of the difficulties that may be taking place. But if you think that staying with me in Los Angeles will be better for you then you may consider this. Thanking you once more for your letter. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:57 | January 23, 1969 Los Angeles, Calif. My Dear Nara Narayana, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 21, 1969, and I thank you very much for it. I have heard many nice reports from various parties complimenting the expert service you are performing in New York with your carpentry and handyman skills. So I am very pleased to hear that Krishna has blessed you with a very nice talent, and you are now using it rightly in Krishna Consciousness. Now I have also read in your letter under reply that you are successfully engaged in Sankirtana Party activities in New York, and this too is encouraging to hear. So I think that you should be encouraged in this connection, but one thing is that your Sankirtana activities may go on as long as you are working under the sanction of Brahmananda, and he finds there to be no difficulties with this additional temple's activity. Sankirtana is very important service, so as far as Brahmananda feels there is no inconvenience upon other important engagements, you may continue in assisting the organizing of the New York temple's Sankirtana Party. Regarding casting of the Radha Krishna Deities, I have already instructed you about casting in plaster of Paris. The whole thing is that we wish to have these Deities nicely done and as soon as possible. So I think that this idea of using plaster of Paris will be very easily and quickly executed. The mold may be made from the Deities already in New York, so, as far as I know, this will be the most practical method for seeing this task completed. Thanking you once more for your letter and important work you are sincerely performing. I hope this finds you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 02:55 | |
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