I am also glad to learn that you are interested in Indian philosophy. So far as Indian philosophy is concerned, Vedanta Sutra is the topmost or ____, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentary on Vedanta Sutra. Bhagavad-gita is the preliminary study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Bhagavad-gita we understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna as He is explaining Himself. We cannot understand the position of Godhead by our mental speculation because God is beyond our mental, bodily and speaking capacity. But when we are sincere in service mood, just like Arjuna, who surrendered himself to Krishna, then we are able to understand who Krishna is. Arjuna understood Krishna after hearing the Bhagavad-gita submissively that Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Source of everything, the Supreme Purity and the Supreme Person. He also confirmed that Krishna is accepted as such not only by him, but also by other great authorities; such as Vyasadeva and Narada, who propagated the philosophy of Vedanta and Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the universe.
Able to understand (Letters)
Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
My suggestion to meet the business men is to convince responsible men of your country to understand the importance of this Krishna Consciousness Movement and how we are molding the character of younger generation by giving them peaceful home, philosophy of life, artistic sense, musical entertainment, nutritious foods: and above all these, we are giving them spiritual enlightenment, which is never to be found elsewhere throughout the whole world. Every gentleman in your country is anxious about their children, and gradually if the richer section of the people or the government cooperates with us, we can expand this movement for total welfare of the younger generation. This calculation is only one side of the picture: The other side of the picture means the solution of the eternal problem. Even though people in general may not be able to understand it, the fact is there. So in winter season this propaganda may be done. Some very responsible man may be selected to preside over a meeting, either in the temple or in some rented private hall, if the meeting is to be very big. In this way we can try to invite the so-called important people of the society and try to convince them about the importance of this movement.
I am very glad that Jaya Hari Dalmia was in the temple, and I hope you received him well. His father is a great friend of my activities. When I was in India he helped me so many times with financial assistance, so he is sympathetic. I am very glad that his daughter-in-law has presented some saris and the boy has presented some books. Please keep the books nicely. None of you will be able to understand Hindi or Sanskrit, so when I return to USA I shall ask you for these books. Regarding the picture of Lord Caitanya which is outside of your temple, this is not good. We should not place our worshipable Deities as statues in the open atmosphere.
I have also received one very nice letter from your good wife, Laksmimoni. She is a very nice girl, so the two of you work combinedly to spread this Sankirtana Movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That will bring all happiness and success to both of your lives.
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam such dealings are described in the 10th Canto, and as it is already explained, 9 Cantos have been devoted just to understand the philosophy of Krishna. In the 2nd Canto it is recommended that one should begin to see Krishna from the Lotus Feet, not from the genital. Gradually, as he advances in understanding Krishna, he should go up and up. In this way, one should try to see the face of Krishna; and His dealing with the Gopis is compared with His sweet smile. So for the present we should better stick our faith and observation to the Lotus Feet of Krishna and pray fervently that He may give us the strength and capacity to understand Him as He is. Because as soon as we are able to understand Him as He is, immediately we become liberated persons, eligible for entering into the Kingdom of God. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, 4th Chapter where the Lord says "Simply by understanding My transcendental position, appearance, disappearance and activities, one becomes eligible to enter into My Abode, just after giving up the present material body."
1970 Correspondence
I do not understand what was Mr. Lennon's article that was refused. Lennon and Ginsberg are helpful friends, but actually they do not understand our philosophy. So far Ginsberg is concerned, he promised before me that everywhere he would chant Hare Krishna Mantra, and actually he is doing it everywhere. So Ginsberg may sometimes be able to understand our philosophy in the future. We are trying to give them all facilities to understand this philosophy and it will take some time on account of their not following rigidly the rules.
BTG articles are generally seen by the editors, and it is better that we stress on our own philosophy than to indulge in some hodge-podge philosophy which is basically unauthorized. In our present BTG publication we are trying to follow this policy.
When I learn that you are selling many BTGs and are receiving nice support from the community, I am very much encouraged. Now we have published our Isopanisad and you must try to sell it as far as possible. I have tried to explain in this book the preliminary knowledge of God-consciousness so any layman who reads it will be able to understand our Krsna Consciousness movement to their great benefit. If you simply present our program before them with great sincerity of purpose, they will be influenced by the seriousness of our Krishna Consciousness movement, and you can further impress them to join with us.
I am also glad to note that you are making practice of keeping in mind various important verses from our scriptures. This is the approved process: mahajano yena gatah sa panthah (CC Madhya 17.186) to "follow in the footsteps of the great authorities in Krishna Consciousness like Narada Muni and our other Acaryas." Now we are requiring our students to be very well familiar with all our literatures so that we may present our philosophy before even the most educated persons. This is very important as our movement is now growing and attracting greater notice.
Most of the population here is covered by ignorance and passion modes of nature, and I do not know how they will be able to understand the transcendental message of Vasudeva. 3
But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic. 4
Therefore, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I can be able to convince them about Your message. 5
All living entities have become under control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. 6
If You so desire, I wish that You may deliver them, and only by Your such desire all of them will be able to understand Your message. 7
The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if they receive it in submissive aural reception, repeatedly, then they will be able to understand your message. 8
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, verses 17 through 21, it is said
Anyone who gives aural reception to the transcendental message about You, which are always auspicious, by hearing and chanting, for him You become special well-wisher, and thus remaining within his heart You clear up all inauspicious understanding. When such inauspicious understandings are almost clear, at that time one realizes the importance of devotional service. In that stage of understanding, the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion becomes almost nil, and the resultant action of passion and ignorance cannot anymore attack the heart, and thus he becomes joyful being situated on the platform of goodness. When he thus becomes jubilant on account of awakening the modes of goodness by dint of devotional service, at that time he becomes liberated from material contamination and is able to understand the science of God.
So it is very encouraging that people are coming to the extent of 40 heads, and they are trying to understand the importance of this great movement, and any sane man will be able to understand that. But I do not know why our students who are supposed to be the leaders of this movement will fight amongst themselves for supremacy. Our whole process is of surrendering.
We are taught to address others as Prabhu. Prabhu means master; and the leader of the masters is called Prabhupada. So if the Prabhus have surrendered to the Prabhupada, why there shall be such mentality of occupying the superior position? This is contradictory.
Kindly stop this unnecessary misunderstanding. Both Upendra and yourself are competent and experienced, so please adjust your disagreement amongst your selves. It is my request. As a matter of fact, as you are the pioneer in taking all risks to go to Australia, naturally you shall be considered as the leader, but a leader's position is also very grave and responsible. A leader has to lead others very tactfully and intelligently. Kindly therefore do not quarrel, but go on with your duties progressively.
1971 Correspondence
So we all combined together have taken a great task of this Krsna Consciousness movement so I am very glad to learn that you are all gradually understanding the importance of this movement. So let us execute this task very cautiously so that the human society may take advantage of it and make their life successful. It is not that everyone will be able to understand this philosophy. Still if some intelligent section of the human society understands it, there will be tremendous change in the atmosphere. So I am glad to understand also that there is good chance for opening a branch in New Zealand. I think that you may remember that when we were coming from Sydney to Calcutta we were talking on the plane about opening a branch in New Zealand country.
I have not heard for many days about Kuala Lumpur activities and also Hong Kong. I hope you might have received news from them. So I wish that you may stay for some time in Delhi to recoup your health. Delhi climate is now very good. So you take in the morning sugar candy juice. Just soak some sugar candy overnight in water and take early in the morning and that will help you. Don't take any fatty vegetables (too much ghee and spices). Take green vegetables in salad with lime juice. Green papaya boiled is also nice.
1972 Correspondence
That is a very good program that you have begun, namely, travelling from center to center and preaching especially from the scholarly point of view of being able to understand this Krishna philosophy very scientifically and positively. You have studied the Sanskrit language for some years, that is sufficient of study, there is no more need. Now you read our books, not that lifelong you have to study Sanskrit. Simply read our Sanskrit wherever it appears in our books and teach these slokas to the devotees, do not waste time by studying Sanskrit independently of our books.
1973 Correspondence
Your last question, "How is the sould degraded (by lust, anger and greed) when it is transcendental to the body? Doesn't that imply that the sould has changed?" No. The soul never changes, but due to his tinyness he may become forgetful of his relationship with Krsna. The spiritual quality of the spiritual spark has not changed but he has forgotten his spiritual nature, bewildered by the imperfect desire to become equal or greater than Krsna.
I hope you are able to understand all these points. As you know, I am translating so many books into English from the Sanskrit, therefore, I am very busy. Now, I have representatives, the GBC and the temple presidents who are qualifies to answer your questions. Of course if you ask me I am obligated to reply because I am your spiritual master. So please direct your question to my representatives.
1974 Correspondence
I am pleased to hear that you are chanting 16 rounds daily and reading my books regularly and following the four rules. In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop. Krishna Consciousness is not a hackneyed thing but it is something which is our natural and original consciousness. Presently our consciousness is clouded just like a mirror becomes covered with dust So the cleansing process is this chanting and hearing and doing some service and trying to please the Spiritual Master. By this process our consciousness becomes clear and we are able to understand everything.
So far Gayatri Mantra is concerned, of course it it not such an important thing. The main thing is to chant Hare Krishna but you can consult with the GBC. Jayatirtha and get his recommendation. The Hare Krishna mantra is sufficient for becoming Krishna Conscious. You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein and by becoming fully Krishna Conscious in this life time.
1975 Correspondence
Regarding the scientists, they will always find something new because their knowledge is not yet standardized. They will go on making new discoveries, on account of their imperfect knowledge. The modern scientists despite their experience of imperfectness, they take everything that they find out as the last word of perfection. Again they find out something which they find out as a further improvement and so they have to adjust everything new. They do not know that the senses are imperfect so any advancement of knowledge with imperfect senses must always remain imperfect.
Our process is different. We admit that we are in the conditional stage and our source of knowledge is not the senses because they are imperfect. We cannot find the right knowledge from the imperfect senses. We therefore take knowledge from the most perfect personality, Krsna, and His faithful servants and the result is that despite all of our imperfect senses, we have perfect knowledge. You have to keep this point of view in your front and pray to Krsna for enlightenment and then we shall be able to understand what is written in the Vedic literature. This is confirmed in the Vedic literatures: yasya deve para bhaktir, yasya deva yatha guru (ŚU 6.23).
Regarding Denver, why are they doing business? This creates a bad atmosphere. We shall only do one business and that is book-selling. That's all. As soon as you become karmis after business, then spiritual life becomes damaged. This business should not be encouraged any more. Doing business and not sankirtana, this is not at all good. Visaya chadiya kabe suddha ha'be mana/ kabe hama herabo sri-vrndavana. "When the mind is completely purified, being freed from material anxieties and desires, then I shall be able to understand Vrndavana and the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna, and then my spiritual life will be successful." One has to engage himself in devotional service, giving up the engagement of manufacturing pounds, shilling, pence. Sankirtana is very good, but grhasthas under condition can do other business, only if they give at least 50%, but sankirtana is the best business. Our Denver temple is situated in a very nice place. It is our own house, so it must be managed very nicely. Please encourage Kurusrestha in this regard. He is very good devotee, very sincere and intelligent.
The books are already on the way. Sankirtana will always be appreciated, because it is the special blessings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the people of this fallen age of Kali. Sukadeva Goswami says, this age is an ocean of faults, but there is one boon, in this age one gets the same result as was achieved in former ages through elaborate temple worship, costly sacrifices, or introspective meditation, simply by chanting the Holy Name of The Lord. It is for this reason only that this Hare Krishna movement has spread so quickly all over the world. The people of this age are so fallen they are like cats and dogs. What cats and dogs will understand about philosophy? If a dog is barking and you speak with him very nicely "my dear dog, please try to control your barking, it is very disturbing" will he be able to understand? therefore we simply throw him a bone, and he is satisfied. So distribute prasadam, and chant Hare Krishna. For the mass of people this is the only medicine. Lord Caitanya never spoke philosophy in public, he held kirtana and distributed prasadam. When he meet Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya he talked high philosophy, otherwise, Chanting and prasadam distribution.
1976 Correspondence
It is a fact that we are different from all bogus groups. Now we should present our movement very nicely so that people will be able to understand. We are trying to raise the animal-like humans to real human status.
Yes, this book distribution movie should be excluded. Why has this been taken. Even if there is some bad dealing in the family, it should not be exposed.
What about that book Dialectical Spiritualism edited by Hayagriva? Also, the rejection by the BTG staff has somehow or other alienated Dr. Kapoor. You must carefully oversee which articles are being accepted for BTG.
I approve your efforts to sue this Ted Patrick and his publisher. It must be done.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 23, 1976 along with the record album.
The music is nice for the nondevotee class of men. However, the picture on the album cover is not nice. Why this crazy picture? This will not help our cause. They will not be able to understand. They will think it is change of body, not of heart. We have got so many nice pictures of Krsna.
| Page Title: | Able to understand (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Matea |
| Created: | 28 of Aug, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=17 |
| No. of Quotes: | 17 |