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Enlightenment (letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Members -- Bombay:

Please try to contribute the expenses for one, two, three or more up to 2 x 12 issues in a year. If not at least for one month in a year, you can accept the burden for God's sake and distribute the same with YOUR GOOD NAME PRINTED ON THE ISSUES AS A DONOR. This service of spiritual value with your hard earned money on behalf of Godhead, will be recognized by the Lord and you will be blessed with spiritual enlightenment in your life without fail. Please experience it factually exactly like a man fed in hunger.

Letter to K. M. Munshi -- Bombay 21 February, 1957:

A thorough reformation of the management of these temples are required for spreading Theistic knowledge through these centres. No intelligent person is now attracted in such temples, because the purpose of these temples have been lost sight of due to negligence on the parts of both the public and pujaris. As a matter of fact, therefore, no new temples or places of spiritual enlightenment are constructed now in the newly constructed colonies of different cities. There are some of the signs of materialistic trend.

If I remember rightly, you have been criticizing in the meeting of the 16th instant about the culture of Hollywood cinemas. The Mayavadi philosophy having killed the spiritual variegatedness of the Supreme Being—the people are generally attracted in the variegatedness of material existence. In the vedanta sutras, we have direct information of how a spiritual entity is joyful—full of spiritual bliss. This idea of enjoyment is focussed through a material _ and as such the spiritual focus is reflected in a perverted manner. The attention of the people in general is attracted by the cinemas in place of temples, because the Mayavadi philosophy—impersonality of Godhead has created a void in the spiritual realm. But in fact the spiritual realm is not at all void. It is full of variegatedness of spiritual mellows. If you create a void in the Spirit unnecessarily, you have to create necessarily a fill-up in the material existence and that is the cause why temples are being replaced by vulgar cinemas.

Letter to Mr. Nakano -- Delhi 18 April, 1961:

I was secretary of the Social Union movement of which Late Mr. J. Choudhury Bar-at-law was the president. In this movement there was a great stir for intercaste marriage in favor of Patel's (Vithalbhai) bill. I was married during my student life in 1918 with Radharani Devi and she is in Calcutta with her sons and daughters five children and a few grand children also. After my education I was appointed (1921) as the Asst. Manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd of Calcutta and then engaged myself in my personal business in the chemical line. I was a research student in chemical and medicinal composition and for the first time in India, I introduced Gadine preparation in the medical profession. I met my spiritual master Late Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in 1922 and he desired me to preach in the foreign countries the spiritual movement started by Lord Caitanya for enlightenment of all materialistic men all over the world. He gradually turned my mind from matter to spirit and I was accepted as his disciple in 1933 after full association of ten years. He left this world in 1936 and insisted to explain the mission in English. I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954. Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Ministry of Finance (India) -- New York 28 May, 1966:

Mr. N.C. Chatterji M.P. and the late President of the Hindu Mahasabha writes "You have done a first class work and you deserve the hearty commendation of every Indian and every Hindu. Your deep and penetrating study of the subject and your philosophic insight are reflected in this work. . . . You a are doing a great service to the cause of humanity."

So this is a cultural mission for enlightenment of the entire human society and New York is the best centre for distributing such cultural knowledge because it is the Head Quarter of the United Nations. We shall erect such a nice cultural Hall and Temple and everything is ready at this opportune moment. Kindly therefore give your sanction for this noble and sublime activities of Indian original culture still going strong.

His Excellency Dr. Radhakrishnan the President of India knows me personally and if need be you can take reference from him about me.

Letter to Janis -- New York 29 October, 1966:

Under separate post parcel I am sending you all the above newly published literatures and I shall request you to enlist as many subscribers for Back to Godhead Magazine because we have to submit at least 200 subscribers names to the postal authorities for getting the concessional rates.

I am glad to learn that you are chanting regularly and I hope you are gradually getting some enlightenment in Krsna Consciousness. Our path is genuine sublime and easy. So there must be an world wide organization for pushing the movement in the Human society so much afflicted by material advancement only. This is only medium to save the people from ruination.

As my representative you can see Mr. Luthra and arrange things as you think best. Whatever arrangement you will make on behalf of the Society will be accepted by us.

I understand that you have done some French rendition of my writings including the essay which you have taken with you. I have now about 150 sets of Bhagavatam with me. Please let me know if you have already sold the sets that you have taken from here. Hope you are well with my good wishes for you and your wife.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 30 January, 1967:

I have heard about your good work although you did not write me. I always remember you as the nicest girl because you are so devoutly engaged in the service of Krishna. I am sure Krishna is pleased on you and He will bestow His blessings upon you. Better you accept Krishna as your Husband and He will never be unfaithful. Mundane husbands and wives never agree with one another. Because in the material world the relations are on the basis of body which is false basically. Under the circumstance how we can have the genuine thing on platform of false existence. Devote yourself therefore 24 hours in the service of Krishna and see how you feel happy in all respects. You are very good girl, because I have heard you chanting while working. It is very good and may Krishna give you more and more enlightenment. I always pray that you may be happy by our Lord's Grace. I shall be glad to hear from you.

Letter to Mukunda, Janaki -- New York 21 May, 1967:

I have already received letter from Jayananda with thanks. I have received letter from all my spiritual children and I am very sorry that I could not reply them timely although I have replied some of them already. But you may announce to them that I am coming at San Francisco very soon some time in the second week of June 1967.

The pamphlet which you have sent to me is very encouraging. It is clear from the statement that some of the young men of this country are very much eager to have some spiritual enlightenment and as such this movement Sankirtana inaugurated by Lord Caitanya, is just the suitable contribution for such searching after truth. So let us take this opportunity and convince them that this movement of Sankirtana is the only means for spiritual realization, very simple and universal. In our Kirtana there is no need of so called meditation and gymnastic of bodily exercise. It is simple and can be practiced even by the small children and we have practically seen it how small boys and girls do take part in it by chanting dancing with us and what to speak of eating the delicious Krishna Prasadam.

Letter to Mukunda, Janaki -- New York 21 May, 1967:

So you can talk with the leaders of the movement to accept this common formula namely chanting Hare Krishna, dancing with it, hear the sublime philosophy of Bhagavad-gita directly from the representative of Krishna, and eat Krishna Prasada. Let the leaders be open minded and not be biased by any sectarian thoughts of religiosity. This movement is universal. We invite every one to our feast and Kirtana but when one comes into the confidence we initiate him in the process and request him to observe four principles of restrictions based on philosophy and morality. Nobody can realize spiritual enlightenment without following the principles of purity. Therefore our four principles of restriction must be adopted when one is serious about further enlightenment. I am glad that Ravindrasvarupa and Devakinandana (David) is already negotiating with the authorities and it is good that you are arranging for twenty four hours chanting in the proposed camp.

Letter to Rayarama -- Delhi 23 September, 1967:

I think by this time you have gone to Boston. In your letter I understand that you have taken the matter of Back To Godhead in your heart. I've received news from other centers that BTG is now in demand and your idea for publishing 5000 copies is very encouraging. The news which we are publishing in Back to Godhead has certainly a novel presentation to the people in the western world who are hankering after spiritual enlightenment. So if you continue to write articles on the basis of BG and SB certainly they will appeal to the core of the hearts of all human beings and surely they will respond. So, continue the policy scrupulously and you will be successful. Since I'm here I have not seen a single copy, although I've heard from many sources of its improvement. I'm also anxious to know whether the advertisement of Scindia delegation is published.

Yesterday morning I sent Kirtanananda to London with a letter of introduction to Miss D.C. Bowtell 27 Cornhurst Road London NW 2 Basurey Gaudiya Math. I hope this lady who is supposed to be a Gaudiya Vaisnava will receive him well there and there is possibility to start a center there. You were to start for London by the beginning of November, if Miss B gives us her cooperation and Kirtanananda is successful in his mission you will reach there timely and on receipt of a favorable report myself and Acyutananda may also go.

Letter to Umapati -- Calcutta 23 November, 1967:

I am so glad to learn that you are now getting the fruit of chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna is so nice that it clears the dirty things from the mind of the devotee and the more one is used to chant the Holy Name offenselessly, the more one develops love of God, forgetting the whole material nonsense. (It is my duty to deliver you the right thing in right earnestness and it is the duty of the receiver to act in the standard spiritual regulation. When you left us I simply prayed to Krishna for your return to Krishna Consciousness because that was my duty. Any good soul who approaches me once for spiritual enlightenment is supposed to be depending on my responsibility to get him back to Krishna, back to home. The disciple may misunderstand a bona fide spiritual master being obliged to do so under pressure of Maya's influence. But a bona fide spiritual master never lets go a devotee once accepted. When a disciple misunderstands a bona fide spiritual master, the master regrets for his inability to protect the disciple and sometimes he cries with tears in the eyes. We had an experience while my Guru Maharaja was alive. One of His disciples who accepted sannyasa was one day forcibly dragged by his wife. My Guru Maharaja lamented with tears in His eyes saying that He could not save the soul.) We should always, therefore, be careful in the matter of being attacked by Maya's influence and the only means of guarantee is to chant Hare Krishna offenselessly. The greatest offense is to defy the spiritual master and to act sinfully, thinking in the strength of chanting.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1968:

The legs may be placed in a lower position than the head ephemerally, but actually the legs are as important as the head for maintaining the body as it is. It is not that the legs should not be taken care of and just the head should be cared for. But it is a fact that if there is not a head it is a dead body. The modern civilization is a sort of a social body without a head, or actually it is a dead body. The body is dead since the very beginning of it's birth, and it is the spirit that keeps it moving. Therefore, spiritual enlightenment is the basic principle of civilization. The modern civilization is lacking in that respect and there are so many disadvantages on account of this deficiency. So we have to grow children to become the head of the human society and there is great need for this. I pray Krishna that you may give a starting to such an asrama in full Krishna Consciousness. In the asrama there must be a grand temple as the deity of the asrama.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1968:

What is there philosophy in the teachings of Maharishi Mahesa? He is very clever man to collect fund. He is proposing individual mantra which is complete nonsense, and he is charging for mantra and allowing his disciples to enjoy life as they like. So these are all nonsense propaganda proposals, but people are blind in accepting his advice. One thing is, however, clear, that the Western people are searching after some spiritual enlightenment in the real sense of the term. Bhagavad-gita with the right presentation and the program of Krishna Consciousness is the right prescription, simply we have to administer them with cool head and solid program. I think by the Grace of Krishna my working has produced some sincere souls like yourself, Brahmananda, Hamsaduta, and others. Now we have to chalk out a solid program by consulting together. In the Western countries, there is no dearth of men and money, as well as intelligence, simply to get them together and our program will be successful. My present program is that I am waiting for a little warmer climate otherwise I would have gone to N.Y. without waiting further. Therefore my present program is that I shall remain in the Western Coast, Cal., during Feb. and March. Then I shall go to New York in April. When I will come there and we'll meet together. Then I will go to Boston in May, then by the month of June I will go to Montreal.

Letter to Mukunda -- San Francisco 26 March, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of March 14, 1968, and I am greatly surprised. I am greatly surprised for Bon Maharaja's initiating you in spite of his knowing that you are already initiated by me. So it is deliberate transgression of Vaisnava etiquettes and otherwise a deliberate insult to me. I do not know why he has done like this but no Vaisnava will approve of this offensive action. I very much appreciate your acknowledgement of my service unto you and you will always have my blessings, but you must know that you have committed a great blunder. I do not wish to discuss on this point more elaborately now, but if you are desirous to know further about it, I shall be glad to give you more enlightenment. Mukunda is not here. He has gone to L.A. Hope you are well." If Hrsikesa writes you letter I think you may avoid reply. I do not approve both Hrsikesa's and Bon Maharaja's this offensive action. Hoping you are both well.

Letter to Subala -- Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated May 24, 1968, and it is very encouraging. I am sure Krishna will help you more and more because you are sincere servant of Krishna. He blessed in your endeavor and everything will be all right gradually, and it will be a great enlightenment for you how God helps those who help themselves, especially in the service of God.

Read Srimad-Bhagavatam and chant Hare Krishna and all other things will be adjusted automatically. Offer my blessings to Sriman Hal, who is taking gradual interest in Krishna Consciousness.

I am going to Montreal by middle of the first week of June, and I will stay there for some days. You can send me letters at that address after first of June.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

This stage is called liberated stage, and at this time one becomes freed from all doubts and material bondage, and thus his life becomes successful. Please try to follow this principle, and I am sure you will be happy and successful in your execution of this Krishna Consciousness movement.

As you have liked the place Hrsikesa, why not try to establish yourself there and organize a center for our ISKCON there. I know that many European and American students go in that part of India to search out real spiritual enlightenment, but unfortunately they fall in the trap of so-called yogis and are misled. If you can draw such searching students to this real platform, spiritual platform of Krishna Consciousness, it will be a great service to the western students, as well as to Lord Krishna.

As regarding the Deities, I may inform you that immediately I require one pair of Deity for Montreal, and next, another pair for London. Besides that, we have got already 9 branches in your country of USA, and for each of them I require one pair for installation. I do not know how I can get these Deities, but they are manufactured in Vrindaban. I do not kno

Letter to Purusottama -- Montreal 19 June, 1968:

I shall request you to open correspondence with Mr. Marcial Tamayo, or Mr. David J. Exley, chief of the NGO section of U.N., to get some appointment for meeting so that we can furthermore impress them about the importance of this movement, and thereby seeking cooperation from the U.N. for disseminating our great philosophy to the responsible personalities of each and every nation. They have not yet come to understand the importance of this movement, but if they kindly hear patiently about the basic principles of the movement, they will feel obliged to get this enlightenment. You began contacting the U.N. and it has come to a little success, and with this clue, if we try more, then our purpose may be fulfilled in the very near future. So kindly try for this. If they want to see me personally, I shall be very glad also to meet them. The idea is that we want to get some facilities for presenting our formulas to the different nations of the world. The formula is very simple, but sublime at the same time. I think you shall try for this.

How is your store going on, Krishna's store? You have not written anything about it. You can also remind Brahmananda whether he has got the original letter received from Mr. Sahai of the Indian Embassy in Washington. If he has got that letter, please ask him to return it to me.

Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu -- Montreal 22 June, 1968:

I am so glad to receive your letter after a long time. I think I met you sometimes in the year of 1950, in Madras Gaudiya Math, when I went with Tirtha Maharaja to attend the Janmastami Festival. I know you are a sincere servant of Srila Prabhupada and you have done excellent service while He was present before us, and you have done similarly even after His Disappearance. I am very glad to learn that your children are well situated, but you are very much anxious to get them in touch with Krishna Consciousness. You know very well that jadavidya is the opulence of maya. So naturally, your children being well educated in jadavidya, are reluctant to receive enlightenment in Krishna Consciousness. But there is nothing to be disappointed, because they are your children; they have got the initiative seeds in them, and someday it will fructify. Don't worry about them; Krishna will put them in right line in due course.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Montreal 7 July, 1968:

So it is the Krishna Consciousness energy that gives us transcendental bliss, just like it is the electric energy passing through copper cable which gives us electric light and heat. Simply the Krishna Consciousness electric energy can immediately be attractive by developing our sense of Krishna Consciousness, which I am sure you are experiencing gradually how easily it can be done. Now, it may be mentioned in this connection that India's electric energy of Krishna Consciousness is gradually developing in your country, and prior to this movement, anyone who came to this country from India to give the American people spiritual enlightenment, simply speculated on the mental platform. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that devotional service which is called Rajayoga, or the king of all yoga systems, is transcendental and very pleasing to perform. (I have received one letter from Dayananda also, and the reply is sent herewith, about his improved realization of Krishna Consciousness.)

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:

Just on receipt of your last letter I sent you one detailed letter about the scheme of New Vrindaban. But since then I have not received any letter from you. In the meantime I also received one letter from Sriman Kirtanananda Swami which also I have replied duly, but I have not received any reply from him also. So I am very much anxious to know from you also how much this scheme has advanced. So far I could understand on the letter of Kirtanananda, that we had no freedom of action because the land belongs to Mr. Rose, who wants to develop an institution appealing to all sections of seekers in spiritual enlightenment. Such ideal of impersonal views can never be successful. That is the distinction between impersonalism and personalism. The impersonalists ultimate goal is something void, and therefore, any attempt for self-realization ending in voidness is all the same for the impersonalists. But we the personalists, we do not agree that all systems of self-realizing process ends in the same goal. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is explicitly said that the worshippers of different demigods ultimately reach the planets of respective demigods; the worshippers of forefathers also go to different pitri planets, respectively; the worshippers of mammon remain in the mammonish world; and the persons in Krishna Consciousness, ultimately reach to the planet of Krishna loka.

Letter to Jayananda -- Montreal 12 July, 1968:

I am so glad that your parents are realizing the importance of Krishna Consciousness through their worthy son, Jayananda. A similar incident was there when Lord Caitanya was present, that one father became a devotee of Lord Caitanya through the exigency of the son. The son was prior a devotee than the father. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the father whether he was father, or the son was father, and the father replied that in his spiritual enlightenment, his son was his father. So you are acting like a good father to your parents. So Krishna Consciousness will spread nicely in this way. And Lord Caitanya will be very much pleased on your benevolent activities. I have seen your father and mother, and they are very good souls, especially I remember your mother. And I hope by the Grace of Lord Krishna they will take to this Krishna Consciousness very seriously.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 25 July, 1968:

In the concluding part of your letter, you write to say, "All of the westerners here in Hrsikesa show keen interest in Krishna Consciousness and some even attended large Kirtana at Gita Bhawan with us." From this one line you should know and understand how much potency is there for preaching our philosophy of Krishna Consciousness to the western people. The western boys and girls, actually they are frustrated in their material opulence. They are searching after something spiritual. That is a fact. And you personally already know better than I can explain. So if you can consolidate all these western youngsters in search after some spiritual enlightenment, this will be a great service to your country, to your community, and to the world at large in the transcendental loving service of Krishna. Try to organize this movement in India. Attract the western youngsters to this Krishna Consciousness; have at least 3 centers, one in Hrsikesa, one in Vrindaban, one in Bombay. I am stressing on Bombay center for the fact that in Bombay, you will find a better atmosphere of English speaking people. In Bombay, 99% both men and women of all denominations, they speak English. So there you will have better chance for mixing with the Indian people. And in Hrsikesa, the westerners are attracted for finding out some recluse, for practicing so-called yoga. So if you can attract all the westerners in India in that way, it will be a great service, and I am repeatedly requesting you to take up this matter seriously and combine together.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 25 July, 1968:

Yes, we are planning to go to London as a Sankirtana party of 12 heads, by the month of September. And Mukunda in San Francisco and Hamsaduta in New York, they are combinedly planning this scheme. But I think you have got better responsibility in India than to come here and join them. As they are doing the Sankirtana program here nicely, similarly, you can also combinedly do the same work in India to attract the westerners who go there for some spiritual enlightenment. I think you will understand me right and try to do your best to give a shape to this idea.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Jim Doody -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1969:

Please rest assured that in this movement there is no question of imperfectness. This is a solid, genuine movement for the total spiritual rejuvenation of the human society. I am requesting in this letter through you that every honest and sincere boy or girl must immediately join with us in this movement. If one is actually serious to understand the problems of life, he will surely find the right answers in this movement. Please read carefully our book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and you will find yourself getting enlightenment to the fullest extent. There is no doubt of this.

Please inform Gurudasa that in Los Angeles temple, Visnujana, Tamala Krishna, Silavati, and her son, Birbhadra played a puppet show yesterday on the occasion of my Spiritual Master's Advent Day. The subject of demonstration was the story of Prahlada. It was so very nice and perfect that everyone enjoyed to the fullest extent, and everyone joined in chanting Hare Krishna. I hope that some time in the future they will be able to demonstrate many such spiritual themes for puppet shows, and people will be greatly benefited.

Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

The living entity is evolving different kinds of material body numbering 8,400,000 different forms. The human form is a great opportunity for the living entity to understand God, the living entity, time, nature, and different activities. The material activities are temporary, therefore if the living entities are trained to transform his activities from material to spiritual he regains his original spiritual nature. And after such achievements he is promoted to the spiritual world, which is far beyond this visible material sky. All these understandings are based on authentic Vedic knowledge. The Krishna Consciousness movement is for enlightenment of all human beings without any sectarian understanding of faith. Our principle is that the human being has to awaken his dormant love of God. Any religion or faith which teaches this development of dormant love of God is considered as first class religion. There are various types of religious faiths in the world but they are imparted according to the students, or followers, time, place, circumstances, etc. The principle religions of the world are Hinduism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, and Buddhism. Every religion as a matter of principle accepts authority, God being the supreme authority, and His representative also as authority.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 2 July, 1969:

Regarding Dinesh, I have already written to you yesterday about this. It is simply high-sounding words. There is no substance or practical program. So forget about Dinesh's hallucinations. He has no money, and he wants to take from others, and others wish to only sign papers. So it is a will-o'-the-wisp. Regarding the Beatles, if they chant the Hare Krishna Mantra, give them all facilities. Because if they make some Hare Krishna record, that will be widespread, and we want simply that the Hare Krishna Mantra may be very popular all over the world. We do not care for any profit out of it. We should not try to make a profit out of the Hare Krishna Mantra; then our spiritual enlightenment will be hampered. Our principle should be to beg contributions from others, and as far as possible not to try for any big bargains.

As I have already written to you, we should not try to become a very popular musical party. Music is one of our items for chanting, but we are not musicians. We should always remember this fact. The best example is that we take advantage of the typewriting machine, but that does not mean we are professional typists.

Letter to Carl Lange -- Los Angeles 12 July, 1969:

This treatment is to bring the herb near the nostrils of the patient for being smelled, and then the patient comes back to consciousness and finds relief from the snake bite effect. In our conditioned life we are bitten by so many types of Maya snakes, and more and more we are put into unconsciousness of mind without any hope of eternal life. Krishna Consciousness is the only herb for such Maya snake-bite condition. So our duty is very responsible. We have to awaken so many snake-bitten patients under the spell of Maya. A sincere soul like you will be a great help in this movement of Krishna Consciousness. I am glad that you are reading our Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. You will get much enlightenment from them. Also you should read Back To Godhead and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and surely your life will be sublime. In the future we expect you to be a great preacher of this movement to the world.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

We shall fully utilize the press facilities in various ways. 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.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 29 January, 1970:

Preaching in Hindi may be accepted by mutual consultation, but the point is that our Radha Krishna Temple in London is specifically meant for English knowing persons and I think the Indians know sufficient English. If you speak in Hindi and sing in Hindi, the English speaking Europeans and Americans may not derive the benefit out of it because none of them understand Hindi; but if you speak in English, every one will derive benefit from it. Therefore, I think English speaking should be encouraged.

Everyone comes to the Temple for some spiritual enlightenment, so why should a section of the audience be denied the benediction? The same thing applies for Hindi songs also. Hare Krishna Mantra is understood both by Hindi knowing and English knowing persons; other Hindi songs may not be understood by the Europeans. I have no objection for Mirabai's songs, but I think Hare Krishna is the greatest common factor understandable by all people all over the world. The chanting is transcendental and quickly effective.

I am so glad to learn that you are feeling in the Temple that Radha Krishna is dancing and you are being inspired by His Lordship to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement to everyone. Now you have got a very good chance, Sri Sri Radha Krishna is very pleased upon you.

Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

This process of elevating oneself from different platforms of understanding to the highest status of life is called religion. According to Sanskrit language, religion is not a kind of faith, but it is a prescribed form of duties to be discharged by respective human society, ultimately rising to the platform of Krishna Consciousness or God-consciousness. The first class religion is therefore that which teaches human being love of God because religion means to understand one's position in relationship with God. This God-realization also depends on three phases of life. When God-realization is there distinguished from material realization, this is called liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment.

The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God-realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation.

Letter to Radha Madhava Sharan -- Los Angeles 6 June, 1970:

So I thank you all for your good wishes, although I am not elegible for these honors. Whatever is being done, it is Lord Krishna's mercy. He is unlimited and His mercy is also unlimited, so by His mercy even a crow can dance like a peacock.

Things are going here nice. The younger generation is taking very serious interest, and whatever advancement is made it is due to their cooperation. They are taking seriously to the sadacarya process—good behavior. The thing is that this country is not poverty stricken. So after material opulence the natural tendency is for something which is better. That better is spiritual enlightenment.

The leaders of these countries could not deliver that better thing to the hankering souls, and as such some of them have become frustrated and confused. Now, having received this transcendental message of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, they are feeling relieved. So there is very good possibility of advancing this movement, and I am so glad that you are ready to offer your cooperation in this connection.

I have advised my secretary to send you immediately a copy of "Back to Godhead," and I am getting also many demands for the KRSNA book. I think in future you will be able to get this book from Atma Ram & Sons, P.O. Box 1429, Kashmere Gate, Delhi-6.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 20 March, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13rd March, 1971, along with the invitation letters from the World Conference of Spiritual Enlightenment.

It is not a very important meeting, so you can send one Sankirtana Party there. You and Dayananda can speak something also. But by that time I may be in Los Angeles. Yes, the big Deities are already shipped to Los Angeles. We must have in L.A. immediately the installation of these big Deities. As soon as I arrive, I shall install Them.

Devananda has received the package with a charging cable and earphones for the Uher. Thank you very much for these. I am sorry to know that my old Uher was stolen from your office. You must always be very careful about such things. Anyway, another Uher was purchased and brought to me by Rsikumara Das. When I was in L.A. last time, I gave some instructions for the simple observation of the different kinds of holidays found in our Vaisnava calendar. Srimati Silavati had a copy at that time. So you may ask her to make a copy and send it to Srimate Maithili Dasi who has inquired how we are to observe these auspicious days in Krsna consciousness. We are now making the list of holidays for the new year of 485 Caitanya Era and when I return I can give some further hints how to observe them.

Letter to Sri Ravelji -- Bombay 17 June, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your three letters dated 30th May, 8th and 9th June, 1971 respectively and have noted the contents. It appears from your writings that you are a true devotee of the Lord and you have respect for other devotees. That is a very good sign of a devotee. I am very much obliged to you for your appreciation. I want your blessings also for the task taken up by me to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world.

On the 20th instant I will be going to Moscow for five days, and then on to Paris and London. From there I will go directly to U.S.A. and hope to be back in Calcutta by the middle of August for opening our Mayapur temple. In the mean time you can visit our temple there at 3, Albert Road, talk with the devotees, read all our books and when I return to Calcutta, we shall talk of further enlightenment.

Letter to Phyllis Zakheim -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16th June, 1971 and have noted the contents. Please know it that "Nara Narayana" is a spirit soul, and not the physical body. That physical body was given by you, so it is very good that you take care of the physical side. So far I am concerned, I am giving him spiritual enlightenment, and I am

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Jayapataka -- Honolulu 17 May, 1972:

It is understood that Giriraja has asked Bhavananda for the Life Membership collections, but Bhavananda has not replied. What is the reason? Please do the needful. This fund shall never be used for maintenance. If there is shortage of maintenance, that fund will be also supplied from Bombay.

"Child is the father of man," so if you can train these children in Krishna Consciousness by kind instruction, feeding them, it will be a great service to Lord Caitanya. For the last 50 years the Gaudiya Math people are there but their relationship with the local inhabitants is not so cordial. If we continue this philanthropic work to give them enlightenment and food without any discrimination, it will be appreciated by all people.

This meeting in Navadvipa was certainly very important and I am very much pleased that Sriman Acyutananda Maharaja has established our position. Krishna will bless him. Let him preach in that spirit, that is required. Our mission is to establish God-consciousness.

Letter to Brahmananda -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:

Our Bhagavata Dharma Discourses are going on very nicely here in New Vrindaban, and hundreds of devotees and other persons from outside are also coming here, and there is one large pavilion on the hill-top where I speak every evening and the meetings are being very well appreciated by all. Now go on holding this Bhagavata Dharma discourses in every city of the world, in simple way, as we have done it in Nairobi, speaking something, having kirtana, distributing prasadam, and keep place to stay, camping and tents, for the devotees and guests, and in this way very quickly Lord Caitanya's movement will be spread all over the world and actually everyone will get enlightenment out of it.

1974 Correspondence

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

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. According to Manu samhita, the Vedic lawbook, a murderer is hanged and thereby released from sinful activities so that in the next life he may not be killed. Life for life sentence is given to end the result of sinful activities in this life instead of waiting for the next life. Unfortunately people at the present moment do not know what is the next life, what is this life, what is karma, how one becomes entangled, how one becomes free. The modern education is void of all this enlightenment. They are kept in darkness without any knowledge of the values of life. Our Krishna consciousness movement is a great boon to the human society. We are trying to save the human society from all kinds of suffering, past, present, and future.

If you read all our books, Bhagavad- gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and others, you will get all the answers to your questions. Still I shall be very glad to answer besides that.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Detroit 4 August, 1975:

It is good that you are contacting interested persons who want to donate. Bhogilal Patel is a perfect gentleman. He has got money and also heart. His son is also good. Yes, get the tax exemption, and they can donate to us each year regularly. It costs them nothing and we get money.

You can present to them for the exemption that all over the world in different parts we are training men to live in the interior parts of the country and to produce their own food grains, sufficient milk, and produce cloth also. The attraction is Krishna consciousness, spiritual enlightenment. The foreigners in Europe and America is where we have already started such centers. In Hyderabad, India we are attempting such a center.

Letter to Kartikeya K. Mahadevia -- Johannesburg 19 October, 1975:

I am very much pleased that now you are taking more active part in the propagation of our missionary activities. Regarding Ahmedabad Centre, we must have a place there. I am also very much eager to open a centre there, Ahmedabad being one of the most opulent and important cities of India. Last time when we held our festival in Ahmedabad it was certainly very encouraging. People are naturally Krishna Conscious there. If we organize properly, people will get enlightenment more and more and they will be happy. We have to organize in the neighboring village from where the Raja Saheb came to offer his respects to me. He has promised to hold a meeting of the agriculturists of 20,000 people minimum and this will be a great opportunity. Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. Please think over these points very seriously and as soon as I return we shall take up the program. My beloved sannyasi disciple Swami Pusta Krishna has promised to give me a car, and as soon as I get it I shall move from village to village along with some selected assistants and organize this farming village development program.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

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).

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Honolulu 18 May, 1976:

We have already printed some books in German language.

So what is the loss on their part? We are spending the money in Germany. Print the books; get the government to pay the bill (allow us to spend the frozen money for payment of the books; if the court decides that we must pay the money to the government, then at least we must be able to print the books, pay the bill, and after selling the books we can pay the government as a last resort. Our mission is for enlightenment.

You will require an intelligent lawyer. Collect the opinions and standing orders from all over the world and present it to a first class lawyer to present on our behalf very nicely.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Vrindaban 28 September, 1976:

The occupation will be according to one's capacity. They will be employed in cottage industry backed by spiritual advancement of life, to understand the mission of human life or relationship with God and act accordingly. The idea is that we are prepared to give all facility for maintenance of the body without sinful activities like illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Everyone should live peacefully in healthy condition of life with the purpose of advancing in spiritual consciousness. In this concept we can accept anyone from any part of the world, what to speak of West Bengal, and give them shelter, food, occupation and enlightenment. I had no contact with Chief Secretary.

Regarding handloom, can they not produce fine cloth? Fine cloth will be received in any part of the world. Regarding food distribution, they may come to take at our Temple. With travelling sankirtana we can distribute wherever we go, but not to the emergency spot, like that.

Letter to Dr. W.H. Wolf-Rottkay -- Chandigarh 14 October, 1976:

I am in receipt of your letter dated September 27th and October 3, 1976, I have noted the contents carefully.

Regarding the scientists, we have entrusted our own three scientists namely Svarupa Damodara, Sadaputa, and Madhva and we leave the matter to them, we do not say anything ourselves, but are leaving it to them. But there are many common men who do not believe that they have gone to the moon planet. So as common men we can simply say, how can dust and rocks reflect so much of light as to illuminate the night, like the sun at day. It is simply bogus to say that the moon is full of dust and rocks. Such a beautiful soothing planet is full of dust and rock with no living beings there is simply unbelievable. You are a learned scholar, do you think it is believable that dust and rocks can illuminate the whole universe at night. It is so soothing and beautiful. I shall be very glad to receive further enlightenment in this connection from your good self.

Page Title:Enlightenment (letters)
Compiler:Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:22 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=42
No. of Quotes:42