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Devotees are not... (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"devotee are not" |"devotee is never" |"devotee is not" |"devotee never" |"devotees are never" |"devotees are not" |"devotees never"

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

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

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

I am not going to write to Jagatananda separately, you inform him everything.

I am negotiating with one place in India for publishing Back to Godhead, at least 10,000 copies per month, at a concessional rate. Please consult with Rayarama and let me know your opinion about this. Hope you are all well.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

Therefore, she should take care of her health. Of course it is very encouraging that she puts forward service of Krsna first, then all other consideration. It is very nice, and I very much appreciate this attempt. But still, we should not neglect about our health. Because the body of a devotee is not material. The body of a devotee should not be neglected as material. This has been warned by the Gosvamis, that we should not neglect any material thing if it can be used for Krsna Consciousness. So her body, because it is engaged in Krsna's service, is valuable. So not only she, but all of you, should take care of this poor girl. She has left her parents and she is unmarried, no husband, so of course, she is not poor, because she has got so many God-brothers, and sisters, and above all Krsna, she is not at all poor. In spite of that, we should care about her health. That is our duty, and inform her that she may not strain beyond her capacity.

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 15 November, 1968:

And it will act. Even somebody does small amount of service, and not even very willingly, still, he is assured to get human body in next birth, and chance to execute some service further. So there is no question of failure in Krishna Consciousness. It is only success. Krishna says, My devotee is never vanquished. So we must try sincerely, that's all.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1969:

I'm also glad to learn about Jadurani's health and by Krishna's grace she's improving. I do not give my permission just immediately for regular work but she can come to the temple in the morning and chant her beads silently. So far envy is concerned it can be used only upon the non-devotees. In the transcendental world a devotee is never envious of another devotee on account of his excellence but on the contrary if a devotee finds some excellence in other devotees he eulogizes the devotee admitting his own subordinate position. Although in the spiritual world there is no such concept of subordination still devotees on account of being very humble and meek think that way.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 23 January, 1970:

This quantitative difference becomes more and more separate by increase of material consciousness.

The next question: the body of a pure devotee is all spiritual and He is not different from His body. That is also a fact. The bodies of all living entities, even though they are not pure devotees, are not actually the bodies of the spirit soul. It is always separate from the spiritual body. The Vedic mantra confirm it by the sound vibration that this spirit soul is always nonattached with the material body. Therefore, we do not see the actual spiritual body of a pure devotee; but what we see, that is matter.

Just like the example is given of the shining moon covered by the cloud. When the cloud moves along with the peeping moonshine, it appears that the moon is moving. Anyone who has seen such movement of cloud in the sky must have this experience.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 23 January, 1970:

Anyone who has seen such movement of cloud in the sky must have this experience.

So, the moving of the cloud may appear to the layman's eyes as moving of the moon, but that is not a fact. Similarly, the moving of the body of a pure devotee is not the moving of the pure devotee. After all these are facts for the process of realization, but we can try to understand them as far as possible from the statement of authorized Scriptures through the version of the Spiritual Master or saintly persons.

Regarding dictaphone: I can send you presently the tapes for Krishna and if Howard Resnick can work it nicely it will be a great help. But before purchasing the dictaphone you can hire it for a month to see how Mr. Resnick will work on it.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1970:

These two important subjects may be observed in this way by all the three areas and similarly in other centers also.

Regarding your first question, a pure devotee is never under the modes of nature. In other words, no material laws apply on a devotee because he is fully under the direction of Krsna. So a devotee can continue his present occupation or he may change it if he likes. Krsna does not force a devotee because the devotee acts spontaneously according to the desire of the Lord; in this kind of loving service there is no question of force. Force is applied only when there is denial of Krsna. Just as the citizens of a state have freedom to follow the laws of the state, that is subordinate freedom, and the freedom of the living entities is also subordinate to Krsna.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

So just imagine how much powerful is spiritual instruction that it was effective even while the child was in the womb. Similarly, if you chant and read, you will also be powerful to preach, and whoever will hear will be converted. That is the way of spiritual life.

You are not poor. Of course one should be humble, but a devotee is not poor. Your attitude, however, is that you are poor and humble is nice. But one who is in Krishna Consciousness is the richest person. What value have these material riches got? But when it is engaged in Krishna's service, it is spiritualized.

Regarding your question where is the Gayatri mantra in the first verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, I have explained in my purport to the first verse that the Gayatri mantra "Dhimahi" is purposely invoked by Srila Vyasadeva. This explanation is given on page 53, and in the verse, the mantra concludes the sloka param satyam dhimahi.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 25 November, 1970:

I am very glad that Krsna has saved you from "financial crises". In any case we shall not evade our natural dependency upon the Lord. Neither it can be done in any way. The materialists foolishly play that they are independent, but such false independence is vanquished at every instance by the superiority of the material nature. Devotees are never subject to such kinds of illusory thinking and its subsequent frustration because they keep themselves always engaged in their natural dependent position as sincere servants of the Lord.

Regarding book binding, if you can produce only ten hardbound books per day that will suffice for our own purposes. For large quantities of hardbound books we shall have to depend either on Dai Nippon or some outside binder. But the softcover books are very good. Simply they must be sewn. I know these paperbound books are very popular with the college set in your country, so we should encourage them to take our books in that way also.

Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 29 November, 1970:

That is most auspicious. However, you should not try to speculate on the "level of consciousness" of the pure devotee of the Lord. In the material condition of life the consciousness of the living entity is covered over in varying degrees by the material energy in the form of sensuous body and subtle mind. But the consciousness of the pure devotee is not limited by the influence of maya and so it is never to be speculated in that way.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife and to all the Prabhus there.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- London 4 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 28th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far your question is concerned you should understand that a devotee is never under any karmic reaction. Whatever is happening is the mercy of Krishna. That should be the view point of the devotee. Once surrendered to Krishna, karmic reaction is immediately gone, but if he acts again independently, then he is again in the clutches of maya. That marginal state is always there but for a pure devotee who has actually surrendered to Krishna, he has no karmic reaction. The same example of the fan switched off; it is still running some rounds, but that will be stopped very soon. That is his position. Therefore a pure devotee who is having some adverse reaction, he doesn't take ill of it.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971:

Also enclosed was a copy of the letter to Hans Roy Gupta from K. C. Pant. Thank you for securing this nice letter. You should send a copy of this letter to all our centers in India so that if there is any harassment of the security police, we can utilize it. I think that in Bombay since they have received this letter, our devotees are not complaining about police harassment. Also it is understood that Bhatliwalla that most disturbing element, is now a days also silent. So all this is a great help done by Hans Roy Gupta. He is a very nice man. So keep good relationship with him. He can be a great help in the future also provided he keeps a good impression of our society. If he keeps a good impression he will be able to help in all respects.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Delhi 15 November, 1971:

I have noted especially your description of the unfortunate accident which took place and which took away our friends Jananivasa das Brahmacari and Will Prabhu. So on one side we have to be very sorry if our dear friends are taken away from this world, and on the other side we should be satisfied that a pure devotee is never lost. He gets another good chance to cultivate Krishna Consciousness, or if one is advanced he goes back to Home, back to Godhead. But even if it is taken that a devotee is not mature, we should be confident that he will take birth in a rich or devotional family. So their human life in a very good position is guaranteed. A devotee's position is always better than an ordinary karmi's position. Karmis do not know what is the next life, but devotees know it as certain as anything that he is going to have a nice human form of body.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 3, 1971, and I am very happy to hear that you have got a new son to raise as a great devotee of Krishna. You may call him Bhakta Vimal Das. So long as a devotee is not initiated he should have Bhakta before his name, if he is a male, Bhaktin if she is a girl.

I am very pleased to hear that you are increasing in your distribution of our books and magazines. This is a good sign that your preaching work is also strong. The more you increase your strength in preaching, the more you will go on selling books. I want especially that my books be distributed widely. So it is also very encouraging to learn that you are preaching in the schools. If you do this nicely, then you will have no end to your success, because these students can understand our Krishna philosophy and become convinced by it, more easily than others.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Mohanananda -- Mayapur 27 February, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge your letter undated and I am answering your questions as follows: You inquire why, if the devotee is struggling very hard to be free of the clutches of Maya, then how can he not be interested in such liberation? That is a contradiction. The devotee is not interested in liberation, but in serving; as such, the devotee is already liberated. So liberation is not very important business—it doesn't matter if he is liberated or nonliberated. The idea is that nobody should serve Krishna with motive, even up to liberation, he should serve for service sake. Liberation from Maya means engaging himself in the service of the Lord. So one should strive to become a servant of the Supreme, and in that position he is automatically liberated and free from the clutches of Maya, so when it is said that one should strive to be free from the clutches of Maya, it is simply another way of saying one should strive to be a servant of the Lord, not that being free from Maya is the goal of striving, but that the serving is the goal of striving.

Letter to Balavanta -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:

In one stroke Krishna can finish them all. But you may get some relief in this connection if you can approach very carefully some leading members of the city government, or big, big men of the town, and convince them by your words and behavior that our devotees are not in any way unworthy persons, that in fact they have left their lives of criminals to try to turn others away from being criminals, and that if simply we get a little facility we can render immense service to the cause of law and order. Like that, if you are sincere and cool-headed, they will appreciate after some time—and if only one of such big, big leaders understands the real fact, that is sufficient to stop all further cases of police attacks. But one thing is, we have not got anything to gain by "fighting the demons in the streets and courts." No, our process of solving the matter is simple, why should we unnecessarily take botheration for fighting?

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Tirupati 27 April, 1974:

There is no question of a devotee becoming a sudra if he does certain work. No, a devotee is never a sudra. He is transcendental. Because their activity is done in transcendental loving service unto the Lord, it is all on the transcendental plane, brahma bhuyaya kalpate (BG 14.26). You should not quit your present job, it is good service to Krsna. Although you may be working hard, you are always working for Krsna; so do not be confused about your position and never forget Krsna in any circumstances.

Letter to Alfred Ford -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1974:

"My dear son of Kunti, be assured and declare it to the whole world that My devotee is never vanquished." Krishna is also worshiped as namo brahmanyaya devaya. His first business is to give protection to the cows and the brahmanas.

Now this question may be raised why are so many cows being killed in the slaughterhouse. The answer is that those who are killing cows, according to the decision of karma kanda, these killers of cows will in the next life be cows, and the cows who are killed will become men and kill the killers. The word flesh is called mansa which means the animal in future will kill me and eat. This is called karma bandhanam, bound up by the laws of karma. If you kill some living being, he will kill you in the next life.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Bombay 24 November, 1974:

Regarding free will and pre-destination, yes, materially everything is decided. Spiritually you can make advancement despite all material destiny. Materially you cannot change things as they are but spiritually it is possible. No, devotees are not allowed more than one wife. Devotees should have no wife if possible, but those who cannot maintain celibacy, they can marry one wife. At the present moment people are so unfortunate they cannot maintain even one wife. First of all at the present moment they are not married and remain mostly unmarried. So for such persons even one wife is a great burden. Under the circumstances how one can think of more than one wife? This is stupidity.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Devamaya -- Bombay 9 January, 1975:

What is the use of seeing them? Astrology is meant for the materialist, but a spiritualist does not care for the future. Everything is dependent upon Krishna. So where is the necessity of astrology? The devotees' principle is, let there happen anything as Krishna desires. Let me remain sincere devotee, that's all. Pure devotee is never interested in this astrology.

So, continue nicely with your deity worship there and read my books very carefully, and without fail chant 16 rounds on your beads daily.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 19 January, 1975:

That is not inglorious. This is called transcendental competition. Everyone should feel proud of his particular type of devotional service, but that does not mean that other types of service are inferior. Everyone should feel proud of becoming sincere servant of Krishna, but the pure devotee never minimizes the importance of other devotees. Krishna is the enjoyer of varieties of service. It is not stuck up with any particular type of service. Krishna takes pleasure with devotees even by fighting service. When Grandfather Bhisma was trying to injure the body of Krishna by sharpened arrows, in full devotion in the mellow of chivalry, Krishna was feeling the piercing of the arrows as good as worshiping him with soft rose flowers. The conclusion is that everyone should be very very sincere. There is no more the question of inferior or superior.

Letter to Prabhanu -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

Whenever there is a material body, we have to expect birth, disease, old age and death. We don't want these things, but they are forced upon us, therefore we should try to attain that position in which these miseries will not be forced upon us—eternal life in the kingdom of God. Material life means great risk—at every step there is danger. But, a devotee is not jolted by this. He simply tries to render whatever service possible and accepts everything as the mercy of Krishna. So, you should carefully consider these points and do the needful.

Letter to Cyavana -- Vrindaban 4 September, 1975:

So it is good that Shakti Mati is again living in the temple. Keep her nicely. She is woman, so you call her Mother. As soon as you call her Mother, that I am so fallen please save, you are so great, then she will be very pleased. She is very talented and can organize the Pujari Dept. You say that the devotees are not enthusiastic, but this is important for spiritual life. Without Deity, then we are just sleeping and eating, and again they will return to hippie life. They must take care of the Deity very carefully. I saw once the film of the Deity installation there, and it was done very nicely, so why are they now slackening? Shakti Mati can teach others how to do things. They should assist her.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1975:

Regarding the farm, our business is not farming. Our business is to spread Krishna consciousness. So in favor of Krishna consciousness whatever policy is suitable that we should take. Even if you move the farm, how will it be conducted if your devotees are not interested? No, it is not a good idea. It will mean our attention will be diverted. If you have got more men, then it can be tackled.

The clipping on the Janmastami day mentions specifically that the Manor was purchased by George for us. Keep this article for future if there is some trouble. Actually he purchased for this purpose. Encourage Alanatha in his publishing, and also in German language publish as many books as possible. Enclosed are letters about Hyderabad.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Gurukrpa -- Hyderabad 14 December, 1976:

Please keep the money you have in the bank. I'm thinking of one temple in Bhuvaneśvara. It will be required later on. India is poor. Hawaii already has a building. A temple is required, but not very urgent. As it is convenient we can do it. Because our devotees are not allowed to enter Jagannatha's temple at Puri I'm thinking to build a duplicate temple at Bhuvaneśvara.

You are welcome to come to India. When you come we'll begin the Bhuvaneśvara temple by the 15th of January. They are also arranging a Kumba Mela camp in January. You'll enjoy that also.

Page Title:Devotees are not... (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:27 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=25
No. of Quotes:25