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Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (Conversations and Letters)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Next book is coming, Nectar of Devotion.

Allen Ginsberg: What will that be, your own writings?

Prabhupāda: No, it is the authorized translation of Rūpa Gosvāmī's book, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu.

Allen Ginsberg: Whose...?

Prabhupāda: Rūpa Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya's principal disciple.

Allen Ginsberg: Uhuh.

Prabhupāda: Rūpa Gosvāmī. There are six Gosvāmīs, direct disciples of Lord Caitanya. Er, not, six Gosvāmīs and three other confidential.

Allen Ginsberg: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So, our... About the six Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī is the principal.

Allen Ginsberg: Rūpa Gos...

Prabhupāda: Rūpa Gosvāmī. He was finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah in Bengal. But when Lord Caitanya started His movement, he was captivated and he resigned his service, government service and joined Him. And he wrote immense literature, Gosvāmīs. And that Desai was talking that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pīriti: conjugal love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, one can understand when they go through the literatures presented by these Gosvāmīs. So his first book is Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Devotion of, Nectar of Devotion. That is very authorized book. Quotation from various Vedic literature about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and the different stages of relationship with Kṛṣṇa, śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, admiration. God is Great. This is also one stage, appreciating the greatness of God. Then further development, dāsya-rasa, willing to serve. Oh! God is so great, and I must serve service because everyone of us are serving somebody. So why not serve the Supreme? Nobody is free from service because we are constitutionally the servant. Either we become the servant of the Great or māyā.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: And he wrote immense literature, Gosvāmīs. And that Desai was talking that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pīriti: conjugal love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, one can understand when they go through the literatures presented by these Gosvāmīs. So his first book is Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Devotion of, Nectar of Devotion. That is very authorized book. Quotation from various Vedic literature about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and the different stages of relationship with Kṛṣṇa, śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, admiration. God is Great. This is also one stage, appreciating the greatness of God. Then further development, dāsya-rasa, willing to serve. Oh! God is so great, and I must serve service because everyone of us are serving somebody. So why not serve the Supreme? Nobody is free from service because we are constitutionally the servant. Either we become the servant of the Great or māyā. Just like in any condition of our lives, we have to abide by the laws of the state.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Prabhupāda: No, this is Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. You will find in Nectar of Devotion. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). You have read this Nectar of Devotion?

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: You will find there. Where is Nectar of Devotion? Bring it.

Śyāmasundara: So our business, our main business really is engaging people in serving Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Somehow or other engage. If you cannot engage him, then let him simply eat. Engage him in eating, that's all. We are actually doing in the beginning: "Please come here and take some prasadam and go home." Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167).

Śyāmasundara: Turn the light switch on. (break) Which, the first sentence?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: "The three categories of devotional service which Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Godhead. There are many subheadings in each of these categories. Generally it is understood that in the category of devotional service in practice there are two different qualities, devotional service in ecstasy has four qualities, and devotional service in pure love of Godhead has six qualities. These qualities will be explained by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī later on.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Prabhupāda: The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recommends, therefore, that one follow in the footsteps of the authorities.

"Here is a general description of devotional service given by Sri Rupa Gosvāmī in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Previously, it has been stated that devotional service can be divided into three categories-namely devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of God. Now Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī proposes to describe devotional service in practice. Practice means employing our senses in some particular type of work. Therefore devotional service in practice means utilizing our different sensory organs in service to Kṛṣṇa. Some of the senses are meant for acquiring knowledge, and some are meant for executing the conclusions of our thinking, feeling and willing.

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Prabhupāda: So, the leaders of the society, if it is serious, will adopt this, in the educational system, in their private life. In that way they shall ask some question, then it will benefit. Otherwise it will be simply a show.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya, Prabhupāda. I understand.

Prabhupāda: So, you are carrying(?) the whole Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu?

Devotee (4): Me?

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-rasa..., no?

Devotee (4): Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Devotee (4): No, I had it here.

Prabhupāda: Oh, here.

Morning Walk -- October 15, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: In this temple.

Śyāmasundara: He lives in this temple. This, where the...

Prabhupāda: He has left his (indistinct). (break)

Śyāmasundara: Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu was written here, in this place?

Indian man: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) Imlitala.

Śyāmasundara: Imlitala? (indistinct) The car is not here?

Indian man: No, he's just coming the...

Gargamuni: It's just a very brief walk.

Śyāmasundara: We can walk.

Gargamuni: It's very brief walk.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Professor: And it is just two volumes or...?

Yogeśvara: Yes, two volumes.

Prabhupāda: Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The other book is Nectar of Devotion. It is translation from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu of Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Professor: This is also a translation of it or...?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Professor: It's about that, or is it a translation.

Prabhupāda: It is summary study.

Professor: Summary study, yeah. Well, the books are well-printed and very well... I like books like this.

Prabhupāda: This is summary study of Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: Everything, you can see.

Professor: Have you translated also the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Professor: All of it...? Or...

Prabhupāda: Yes, all of it. Nectar of Devotion.

Paramahaṁsa: Do you have, Nectar of Devotion?

Professor: And also this Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Professor: Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi?

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: This book is recommended in the Temple University as textbook.

Professor: Hm, hm. This one.

Prabhupāda: Nectar of Devotion. This is Caitanya-caritā..., I mean to say, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Yes. "The summary study of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu."

Professor: Hm, hm? So it's the complete text?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Complete. You can read from any portion; you'll find so nice description. Anywhere from, you can read. Yes.

Professor: But original text is not given.

Prabhupāda: Then it will be very big volume. Therefore we have given summary study. But if time we get, we shall give the original text also. (break)

Professor: ...is translating this Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. It is very voluminous.

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: They will change so many times, because they're rascals. They have no standard program. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has given his verdict in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu,

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-
pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir
utpātāyaiva kalpate
(Brs. 1.2.101)

Any kind of spiritual advancement without reference to the Vedas, Purāṇas, and śāstra, it means simply disturbance. Utpātāyaiva kalpate.

Hṛdayānanda: You quoted that to Professor Stahl.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 29, 1974, Hyderabad:

Yadubara: Even though they don't understand the subject matter, they purchase.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. (break) Bon Mahārāja has written part of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. And he published it before my coming to foreign countries.

Gargamuni: Yes. He has not sold any.

Prabhupāda: No, he has sold some, but still lying in the store. He published only one thousand copies. Our Nectar of Devotion, the translation of the same book, is selling like hotcakes. Yes. In the university, Temple University, they have made a textbook. And everywhere they like it, Nectar of Devotion. I think... What is our edition at the present moment? Fourth or Fifth edition. And we don't publish less than ten thousand copies. So we have to depend on Kṛṣṇa sincerely.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: Actually the path of bhakti is not easy. The so-called path of bhakti practiced by unauthorized persons without knowledge of bhakti may be easy, but when it is practiced factually according to the rules and regulations, the speculative scholars and philosophers fall away from the path. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī writes in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu:

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate.
(Brs. 1.2.101)

"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, Nārada Pañcarātra, etc., is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: So we are not sorry that minority. Where is the...? Insignificant. Don't talk of minority. But we are not sorry. Minority, majority, all these are foolishness. The whole platform is mistaken. (pause) Rūpa Gosvāmī was a minister. He was in the majority. But voluntarily, he accepted minority. He went to Vṛndāvana and living alone, underneath a tree. He was enjoying so much honor. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. His associates were big, big zamindars, big businessmen, politicians. Because he's minister. But he preferred to resign that post and become a minority, to live alone in Vṛndāvana underneath a tree. Why he preferred this? And remaining there alone, he has given you the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So we have to see how much service we are going to give Kṛṣṇa. This minority, majority, these are all material conception of life. If you can give major service to Kṛṣṇa, that is your success of life. I started this movement alone, minority. Is it not?

Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 12, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Then where is the difference between the scientists and the devotees? The devotees, devotee accepts what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. Granted. (japa) In the śāstra it is said that acintyā khalu ye bhāvā na tās tarkeṇa yojayet, yojayet. "Things which are beyond your conception or perception, don't bring it in arguments and logic."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: This is from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu? Acintyā khalu ye bhāvā...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: If they think a little carefully. Then there is no reason why they can't accept Him.

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1975, Paris (with French translator):

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa speaks in all languages, and He speaks so perfectly that everyone thinks that He speaks only in his language. He could speak with the birds even. There is a Sanskrit word, babhudak. This means one who can speak all languages. So it is stated there in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion, that on the bank of Yamunā He was one day talking with a bird. Every living being has got a different language.

Yogeśvara (translating): He says but they are a little bit jealous of the Americans who speak English, which is the language that you speak.

Prabhupāda: The America is my fatherland. My motherland is in India, and America is my fatherland.

Bhagavān: We are trying to make one country.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. We have translated it-Nectar of Devotion. This in...

Guest (2): This is in Sanskrit or...

Prabhupāda: No, English.

Guest (2): Bengali? No, but original.

Prabhupāda: Original Sanskrit.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So I was thinking maybe we could add a line or two on your books, that the foreign exchange is obtained.

Prabhupāda: Yes. "I have written about fifty books of four hundred pages on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya-caritamrta, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, and these books are very popular in the foreign countries, Europe and America."

Lalitā: Is a biggest seller, I think... (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: There is no record in the whole world. That religious books are selling twenty lakhs now, it is no record.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Back to Godhead alone has done that.

Prabhupāda: So...

Lalitā: You make...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. "And by the sales proceeds I am bringing foreign exchange here." So I came here that she wants to see me, then why you are getting from me write.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: "Four hundred pages each."

Brahmānanda: "I have written about fifty books of four hundred pages each, such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, and these books are very popular in foreign countries, Europe and America. By sales proceeds I am bringing foreign exchange."

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Lalitā: (Bengali) ...development India. (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: So you can give this letter to Lalitā.

Lalitā: I think I will go to Prema's office and give it to Sesha and make an appointment.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to give the letter?

Morning Walk -- September 9, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So they became angry. Vṛndāvana is not for sense gratification. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says,

rūpa raghunātha pade haibe ākuti
kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala pīriti

The rasa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, a person like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "I could not understand it because I have not yet studied the instruction of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha Gosvāmī, six Gosvāmīs. How can I understand?" So these people, they think by seeing rasa-līlā by professional men they will understand the līlā of Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa-Raghunātha instruction not cared for. But without going through the literature, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, nobody can understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Morning Walk -- September 9, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...in the Back to Godhead that those who have come to Vṛndāvana for sense gratification, their next birth is monkey and dog in Vṛndāvana; then, next birth, liberated. So they became angry. Vṛndāvana is not for sense gratification. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says,

rūpa raghunātha pade haibe ākuti
kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala pīriti

The rasa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, a person like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "I could not understand it because I have not yet studied the instruction of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha Gosvāmī, six Gosvāmīs. How can I understand?" So these people, they think by seeing rasa-līlā by professional men they will understand the līlā of Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa-Raghunātha instruction not cared for. But without going through the literature, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, nobody can understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Morning Walk -- Durban, October 13, 1975 :

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: These gentlemen? No, I don’t think so. These young boys are. (break) …surf, we tell them, "Yes, we surf in the ocean of bhakti-rasa."

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. (break) … karma bandha phasa: one after another. Asate vilāsa: material enjoyment means implicated in unnecessary activities. If people are satisfied, plain living, then these things are not necessary: go into the ocean, find out oil, then bring it in the port, then distribute it, so many, one after another. That, this kind of civilization, they think it is advanced. And to live very plainly, minimizing this unnecessary activity, they think it is not civilization.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Primitive.

Prabhupāda: Primitive, yes. But primitive meat-eating is continued. That is not to be stopped, primitive drinking and meat-eating.

Morning Walk -- November 19, 1975, Bombay:

Yaśomatī-nandana: That they cannot answer. Only insincere people, foolish people, they are misled by them. Otherwise I don't think anybody even knows their philosophy. Everyone knows your philosophy because they see your disciples, and no one goes to read their books. Mostly I see in their books, "First edition, copies, two thousand," "three thousand," something like that. And you never see a second edition.

Prabhupāda: (break) Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu for the last twelve years he was lying idle, and this time he went, and people appreciated so much he was giving delete.(?) He is advertising like that.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Huh? I never said that. Why you are bringing that question? I said the girls should be. Cooking is not boy's business. But cooking is not a very difficult art. If they want, the boys can... (coughs) There are so many, in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta sindhu it is stated, how Rādhārāṇī was qualified. So these things should be taught to the girls. If the girls are taught to give service to the husband to the greatest satisfaction, there will be no disagreement.

Yogeśvara: Can the older boys be trained in a particular kind of devotional service? For example, press work?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, everything is devotional. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), there are varieties. We are not Māyāvādī, impersonalists, finished, all business. It is not like that. So whatever business is going on in our movement, everything should be taught according to the capacity, boys or girls, it doesn't matter.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Akhila-rasāmṛta, yes. Akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So you can have all the rasas. That is the origin of bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. In bhakti, that rasa, you become in the ocean of rasa. You're hankering after rasas. There is a Vedic injunction, raso vai saḥ labdhvānandi ānandī.(?) One who has got the rasa, labdhvānandi, then he gets the real ānanda. That ānanda-cinmaya-rasa expansion is Kṛṣṇa's calves, cows, gopī friends, cowherd boy friends, Nanda, Yaśodāmāyi, so many. So to be Kṛṣṇa conscious means to participate with these rasas. It is not dry. It is not dry like, simply so 'ham, so'ham. So 'ham, they do not know the meaning. So 'ham means I belong to the same rasa. I also eligible to enjoy the same rasa. But Kṛṣṇa is... (break) ...and the calves, the cows are enjoying the rasa as predominated. Just like husband and wife, they are enjoying, both. But one is enjoying as the husband, predominator. The husband is forcefully dragging the wife. She's also... While she is dragged by force, she enjoys. That is another rasa. But there is rasa.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Bon Mahārāja published a portion of the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Eleven hundred books. Still lying for the last ten years.

Hari-śauri: Bon Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: And he's the rectum of... (laughs) He can pass stool very nice. (laughter). There was no second printing. And so many scholars , MA, PhD, and so on, so on, so on. Our Dr. Kapoor wrote some books. It was given to some Benarsi. They first of all took it, then they refused, "No. We cannot publish."

Hari-śauri: They won't publish his books.

Prabhupāda: Who will take it? A philosophical textbook. There's nobody interested. Actually there is no customer for philosophy nowadays.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Very good. These are for higher devotees, not for the neophytes. For neophytes we have translated Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion. You have seen our books?

Guest (1): Yes, I have seen some. (break) ...lucidly and so much correctly brought out that I'm surprised to see these books, that how in a foreign country these books are so correctly brought out. Even we fail here to bring out these books correctly.

Satsvarūpa: As research editor, you could write a nice review of Śrīla Prabhupāda's reviews. We have many reviews. All the big Sanskrit scholars.

Guest (1): Yes, I will write. Actually if I get a small literature about Prabhupāda I will write an article in newspapers. People of Orissa could not know that an international figure came to Orissa, and they could not avail of the opportunity.

Hari-śauri: That would be very nice. International.

Gurukṛpa: Interplanetary.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
(Pradyumna reading Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu in Sanskrit to Prabhupāda)

Prabhupāda: Yes. (corrects a word ) You first accept these ten different methods. So explain that.

Pradyumna: Guru-pādāśrayaḥ. "First one must take shelter of the lotus feet of a spiritual master." Tasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam. Tasmāt, "from him," kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam, "one should take kṛṣṇa-dīkṣā, initiation, and śikṣā."

Prabhupāda: Dīkṣā means divya-jñānaṁ kṣapayati iti dīkṣā.(?) Which explains the divya-jñāna, transcendental, that is dīkṣā. Di, divya, dīkṣāṇām. Dīkṣā. So divya-jñāna, transcendental knowledge... If you don't accept a spiritual master, how you'll get transcen... You'll be taught here and there, here and there, and waste time. Waste time for the teacher and waste your valuable time. Therefore you have to be guided by an expert spiritual master.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, that time he was finished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He could not even recognize. He was failing.

Prabhupāda: No... I used to go to see him even at his house without engagement. And he liked me. He gave me many.... The Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, this Nectar of Devotion. He gave some... I wrote correspondence with him. So he used to say, "Kindly pray to God for my salvation." He was not void. He was fearing God. But he did not accept this Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Māyāvādī.

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādī. Otherwise he was a brāhmaṇa and learned scholar, God-fearing, everything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he's very well respected still.

Prabhupāda: In my paper I criticized him, "Scholars Deluded." I gave him criticism.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) Even then you were doing that. It's always amazing how, to me, you can practically, whenever you meet these big men, you kick them on the head and then you make them like it. Just like this lawyer. You told him, "This dog civilization..." Practically you were telling him that "You are acting like that."

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Hawaii 6 March, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Feb. 27, 1969, and I am so glad to read it. Keep your health in good condition and work very hard for Krishna. That is our motto of life. I am so glad to learn that you felt too much inconvenience in the company of the karmis in your last tour to Los Angeles. There is a verse in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu in which it is stated, the more you advance in Krishna Consciousness, the more you become disgusted with the material modes of life. When the American boys are disgusted with cigarette smokers, or listening to rock music and meaningless chattering, it means there is Krishna's Grace. May Krishna bless you more and more, as you advance in Krishna Consciousness.

You wanted one assistant editor, and I can understand that you may feel inconvenience with Hayagriva, but would you like to have as your assistant editor, Gaurasundara? So he can help you in editing work even from such distant place. But the difficulty is that he is working here to maintain the establishment. I have advised Govinda dasi to think of this and he may write you.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 6 May, 1970:

In each individual case the instruction should be given and the mantra replayed.

This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only.

While Trivikrama is coming here, the books which I have left in London—one large Bhagavatam, one small Bhakti-Rasamrta Sindhu, and maybe other books—he may bring here. So I am awaiting his arrival along with the books very soon.

Please offer my blessings to Srimati Yamuna Dasi, and to all the other devotees there in London.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 28 March, 1971:

Please try and maintain it very nicely. I have received the press cutting from Chicago and in India also our Movement is being appreciated as "new wave". So let our waves roll on until it reaches the great ocean of transcendental Nectar of Devotion (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu). The issue of "Krsna Sun" is nice. It is good. They may be distributed to our prospective Life Members, etc.

Sometimes on the "Isavasya Hour" people should chant Isopanisad; that will purify the whole atmosphere. The vedic mantra has powerful effect as good as Hare Krsna Mahamantra. I think that while in Los Angeles with me you learned the mantras and they should be practiced and chanted on the radio and television.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Sriman Ram Prashad Dasa -- Los Angeles June 14, 1972:

We have introduced a Life Membership program there in India, for the purpose of giving the intelligent men in the society an opportunity to help push on this great movement of pure Vedic culture. Our members receive all our books printed to date - Bhagavad-gita (in 1000 page edition), Caitanya-caritamrta, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Sri Isopanisad, Srimad-Bhagavatam (to be completed in 60 volumes), and other books totalling about 20. They also receive any book which will be printed in the future, as well as a lifetime subscription to Back to Godhead magazine. Any of our life members and their immediate families are permitted to stay in any of our 100 temples anywhere in the world, free of charge, for as long as they like. So my suggestion to you is that you communicate with Sriman Giriraja dasa Brahmacari, the president of our Bombay headquarters, and he will give you more information regarding this membership program. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Ghosh:

There are philosophic differences between other schools and the Bhagavad-gita. I wish that you live with us for some time. Wherever you like, either Mayapur, Vrindaban or Bombay. We have books, about 20 in number, about 400 pages each, especially on the basis of Srimad Bhagavad gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu etc. I know you are very studious and I request you to become a member of our society so you can get all the books free of charge. Anyway, it will be a great pleasure for me if you can come and live with me for some time. From here, Vrindaban, I am going to Bombay, at the following address: Hare Krishna Land, Gandhi Gram Road, Juhu, Bombay. Conveniently you may try to come and live with me for some time. Our philosophy is Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam (SB 1.3.28). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna and by His instruction we can become the supreme perfect.

Letter to Mr. Saxena -- Hyderabad 23 April, 1974:

Our principle is to become gradually purified by avoiding the four principles of sinful life, namely 1. no illicit sex, 2. avoidance of all kinds of intoxication, 3. avoidance of all kinds of eating of meat fish or eggs, 4. no gambling. And if one chants Hare Krsna Maha Mantra with a vow of at least 25,000 names daily minimum that will assure him all spiritual advancement. If you have time you can chant 100,000 times daily. I wish that you society's members may take up this vow; it is not very difficult. On that sound background if you read Bhagavad gita As It Is then you'll make rapid progess in spiritual life. In this connection I may quote a verse from Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu by Rupa Goswami

adau sraddha tatha sadhu-sango' tha bhajana kriya
tato nartha nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah prahur-bhave bhavet kramah

THIS is the process. Thank you for your letter, and I am always at your service.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Niranjana -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

Please send them to Bombay address. Also, you can write small articles for the Hindi magazine here, "Bhagavata Darsana." Also, translate more small books into Hindi and send them to Bombay.

There was one Hindi translation of "Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu" which I saw, I do not know the name of it. It was published in Benares and I saw it at one friend's house. One of my Godbrothers attempted also to translate the same into Hindi with Sanskrit slokas but he only completed a few pages. If you like his address is Sridhara Maharaja, P.O. Navadvipa, Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal.

Your program of visiting the local Hindu temple and giving discourse on our philosophy is nice. Try to follow the four regulative principles and chant 16 rounds daily and you will gradually make progress in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 4 May, 1976:

We have nothing to do with politics and our cultural and religious movement is being spread throughout the world. When they become actually devotees, it is the instruction of the sastra to live in such Holy Places as Vrindaban, Mathura, and Dvaraka. The references are there in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

Other sects also have their holy places of sanctuary. Even the Buddhists' sect have a place in India, Gaya. Our Vaisnava injunction is there in the sastra, that devotees should dwell in the Holy Dhamas; many hundreds and thousands of devotees live in places like Vrindaban, Haridwar, and many other such places. Similarly, foreigners who have accepted this sect and religious process, they should be allowed on our recommendation to stay in India. So if some Parliament members debate on this question on the basis of cultural platform, it is a glory for India that our Krishna Consciousness Movement is being accepted all over the world, why the government of India should not accept?

Letter to Giriraja -- New Vrindaban 30 June, 1976:

Concerning our proposal to be presented to the Parliament, anyone coming from ISKCON should be given permanent residence. India's original culture and religion is being spread all over the world, and out of their religious feeling if they come to stay in Vrindaban especially, why the government should harass them.

Our Goswamis have said:

nama-gane sada rucih, pritis tad-vasatisthale.

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.3.25)

A devotee is very much anxious to chant Hare Krishna and to live in that place where Krishna has His pastimes, generally Vrindaban, Mathura, Dvaraka, like that. All of our men who are coming to India for this purpose, they are properly initiated and following the regulative principles. In this connection, the certificates of the S. Indian authorities gotten by Yasodanandana Swami can be used, where in they certify that our ISKCON men are proper Vaisnavas, decorated with tilaka in twelve places, etc., etc.

Letter to Syama Sundarji -- Vrindaban 15 November, 1976:

That is very kind of you, but I am just trying to serve him. Whatever success there is is due to his mercy. In my last meeting with him in Radha Kunda he advised me to print some books if I get money. I took it very seriously and by His grace we have now published my translations of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Upadesamrta, etc. to the extent of 84 books. You'll be surprised to know that these books and my magazine Back To Godhead are selling daily 5-6 lakhs of rupees in the foreign countries. Out of such proceeds I am bringing foreign exchange of not less than 10 lakhs per month for construction work in Bombay, Mayapur, Vrndavana, etc. So, this is all due to the blessings of Srila Prabhupada. I have no credit in this connection. These American boys are helping me in this endeavor, therefore, until they are admitted to the Jagannatha Puri temple I'm not inclined to go there.

Page Title:Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (Conversations and Letters)
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, Visnu Murti, RupaManjari, Mayapur
Created:26 of Feb, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=28, Let=10
No. of Quotes:38