A really cultured learned fellow is far above a politician. Because a politician is honoured by the votes of his countrymen while a cultured and learned fellow is honoured everywhere all over the world. So we say that Ravindra Natha and Gandhi were never dependant for the votes of their countrymen but they were honoured all over the world for their cultural contribution. The same Canakya Pandit defined the standard of learning. The standard of learning had had to be testified by its result and not by the manner of University degrees. He said that one, who looks upon all women, except one's married wife as mothers—all other's wealth as the pebbles on the street and all living being as one's own self,—is really learned fellow. He never stressed on the point of standard of how many grammars, rhetorics or other books of knowledge one might have gone through, or how many Doctorates of different Universities one might have been decorated with.
Fellow (Letters)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
I beg to inform you that one gentleman has allowed me to sit down in his office for propaganda work in Bombay city and I am seeking your help in this matter. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message of universal love and fellow feeling requires to be preached in an organized manner and we Bengalis the countrymen of Lord Caitanya have a responsibility for this transcendental task.
1967 Correspondence
I have asked you all to address your Godbrothers as prabhu. This prabhu means boss. If everyone of us thinks of his fellow worker as boss there is no question of misunderstanding. The mistake is that being addressed as boss or prabhu one thinks himself as exactly Prabhu or the boss. One should not forget himself as humble servant even though one is addressed as prabhu. The spiritual master is offered respects as they are offered to the Supreme Lord. Unfortunately if the spiritual master thinks that he has become the Supreme Lord then he is doomed.
We should remain everlastingly a fool before the spiritual master. Not artificially but feelingly and then we can make real progress. Even my spiritual master a great scholar remained a so called fool before His spiritual master Who was outwardly an illiterate village fellow. So in the Absolute world the fool is also the master and the master is also a fool in reciprocal exchange of dealings. Lord Caitanya also accepted Himself a great fool before His spiritual master and all of us must follow the transcendental process.
1968 Correspondence
You are both very intelligent sober girls and I have got good estimation of you; do not take at any time an attitude of non-cooperation because you may have not agreed with another's point of view. I have heard about the incidents created by a new devotee, Jivanuga. He appears to be a crazy fellow. He should not have been initiated, but I have given him a chance to improve. Next time I am not going to initiate anybody who has not attended our classes at least for 3 months, and is not recommended by the leading members of the society. Less intelligent persons cannot take to Krishna Consciousness.
To prosecute Krishna Consciousness there is no limitation, no material impediment can stop progress of Krishna Consciousness. That is the symtom of spiritual life. Spiritual life doesn't depend on material conditions. We have got many instances from the history of devotee's life as Prahlada Maharaja. He was a small school boy, his father and teachers were all against God Consciousness. Still he flourished and converted all his class fellows to be Krishna Conscious in spite of severe trials experimented on his personal body. So it is only the question of understanding the process how to execute Krishna Consciousness.
Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita that the one who is spreading KC is the one most dear to Him. So, you are doing the most valuable service to the Lord by introducing your class-fellows and friends to this Sankirtana movement, and therefore, you will feel more and more increase in your devotion to the Lord. Please continue to do like this, and Krishna will be pleased, and you will be always happy in this life, and what to speak of the next.
1969 Correspondence
Regarding my teaching in different universities, you will be pleased to know that recently I got one letter from Cultural Integration Fellowship President, Dr. Haridasa Chaudhuri. He has appreciated my book, and he remarks as follows: "The book is without doubt the best presentation so far to the western public of the teachings of Lord Krishna from the standpoint of Vaisnava tradition and devotional Hindu mysticism." So actually this is the correct position of our Krishna Consciousness movement.
I know that at our feasts especially many persons become interested in preparing foodstuffs in this way, so this cookbook is a nice thing to instruct such persons in preparing and offering nice prasadam for the Lord. So when there is some tangible book ready for publication, please inform me, and we shall try to arrange for its publication. I am pleased to note your description of the increasing interest in vegetarian diet in this country. Actually, the practice of meat-eating is very detrimental to spiritual life, because in spiritual life the goal is to become free from all sinful reactions, and meat-eating means simply to force oneself to suffer the sinful reactions of killing our fellow living entities. So as many people will be taking to practicing spiritual life through the influence of our Sankirtana Movement, such cookbook will be very important, and you should work for this as you are able.
This association with devotees of Krishna is recommended by Lord Caitanya Himself as the most important factor for developing Krishna Consciousness. This is because our dormant love for Krishna is covered up by the material contamination, but it is quickly aroused when the association of a pure devotee is there. The example is given that when an iron rod is put into a blazing fire, the rod soon takes on the qualities of the fire; namely light and heat. But if the same rod is put amidst some ice, then it will remain simply dark and cold. In the same way, a devotee should associate with fellow devotees, and in relationship to others the devotee should try to elevate them also onto the spiritual platform. So please follow this principle and surely you will mark great strides in the matter of your spiritual advancement.
1970 Correspondence
There was another letter from India, the World Fellowship of Religions; that I have replied duly. I am so glad that henceforward BTG will be published 50,000 per month and very soon, 100,000 per month. It is engladdening. I am so glad to know that ISKCON Press is going to make some profit, about $4,000, by doing some outside work.
All this is good news that you are very studious and always busy. I am so much encouraged to hear how you are preaching in the school. That is very nice, and that is your first-class engagement. Prahlada Maharaja, in his childhood, was doing this. As soon as he got some opportunity, he would preach among his class fellows. His class fellows would be astonished to hear him, and they would ask Prahlada, "My dear Prahlada, where have you learned these things. We have got the same teachers, so where have you been taught this?" They were inquisitive, so Prahlada informed them that his Spiritual Master was Narada Muni and he was taught while he was in the womb of his mother.
It is a question of love that sometimes I cook, you eat and sometimes you cook, I eat. Our Krishna Consciousness movement is based on complete fellow feeling and love, but there is a word maryada which means respect which should always be offered to the Spiritual Master and elderly members.
I am glad to see that you are taking seriously to spreading this Krishna Consciousness Movement to all your fellow Americans. Try and increase Sankirtana Party more and more to new areas and ever-larger circulation of our literatures. I am glad to read in your letter you are going to the universities to preach. The universities are very important places because there there are men who can appreciate our philosophy. So when you speak in the classroom, just quote from any of my books and then try and explain the meaning in your own words and the students will appreciate it very much.
Yes. You have the right attitude towards disturbing comments of fellow devotees. Lord Caitanya has advised us to always remain more humble than the grasses and more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer respects to all persons. It is not our policy to reject someone on any personal grounds. Rather it is our duty to encourage him on the common platform of devotional service to Krsna.
1971 Correspondence
Please continue to work with determination and great faith in Krsna and Guru and full cooperation of your God-brothers and fellow members of the Governing Body. If you all keep to the standard practices of pure spiritual life as I have humbly instructed you, there is no doubt that this Sankirtana Movement of Lord Caitanya will overtake all the earth and all opposing parties will be cracked down to nothing.
We are sure anyone who joins us will be free of all material disease including craziness and madness. Actually everyone in this material world is a crazy fellow; he doesn't know the aim of life. Even the erudite scholar doesn't know what is God or how the material world was created; so many things they do not know. So if the government officials want to take our help they must arrange for giving a nice place so we can accommodate the students concerned, according to our method. Such centers should be well equipped with temple, lecture room, sleeping quarters, kitchen, etc. as we have got everywhere. So try to convince the authorities that everyone will come to Krishna Consciousness, following our method, which is pure. Then craziness and madness will automatically disappear.
1972 Correspondence
Now by the grace of Krishna I have many thousands of disciples, young American and European boys and girls. Many of them have come to me bewildered, rebellious, and addicted to all sorts of sinful activities. Like so many of the young people today, they were lost and confused. Now they are all leading a disciplined and regulated life. They follow strict principles of spiritual life, with no desire for intoxication of any kind, or illicit sex life. They are always engaged in meaningful work, serving God and their fellow man. They have become the flower of your country and all over the world they are being treated with the highest respect.
1973 Correspondence
Yes, I am sorry that I could not see you this year at the Mayapur celebration, it was very successful. But anyway because you are in college please take this opportunity to convince some of your fellow students about this Krsna consciousness. All over the world there are college students who are joining our movement, why not in India? Actually there is no need to give up studies to be a devotee. In America, a number of our students joined with us before they graduated but still they went on to graduate with honors, namely Bhagavan dasa, Trivikrama Maharaja, and others.
Krsna Consciousness is factually the only solution to all the suffering which is besetting fellow humanity and all living entities. So we have great responsibilities in discharging our duties in devotional service.
So I am very pleased with your preaching, please continue with all enthusiasm and determination and win the hearts of all your fellow countrymen by offering this authorized process of Krishna Consciousness.
1974 Correspondence
It is extremely assuring to me to hear that Gurukula is doing nicely. The importance of the school in Dallas cannot be overestimated, both for our ISKCON movement, and for the outsiders as well, indeed it is important for the whole world. I was discussing this point in my lecture last night here in Bombay, that human life means tapasya, and tapasya must begin with brahmacaryena, life at Gurukula. The boy is supposed to lie down on the floor, collect alms for the spiritual master—not that they are trying very hard to make a comfortable material arrangement. But the result is that although in this age everyone is born a sudra, we are producing first class brahmanas who can actually do good for their fellow man.
Regarding Srinivasa Svarupa it is very pleasing to hear that this Indian boy wants to surrender his whole life to Krsna. There is no harm if he finishes college and gets his degree. If possible, he can live in the temple and attend the university daily. At any rate, he should carefully follow all the regulative principles and associate with his fellow devotees as much as possible. The university is well known for demonic association, but if he is able to keep up his devotional practices and protect the creeper of devotional service, then he may complete his degree.
Actually not only the problem of nationalism, but every problem of the world is due to a lack of Krsna consciousness. That is the only scarcity. So try to learn this philosophy nicely in association with other devotees and certainly you will be able to do great benefit to your fellow countrymen.
1977 Correspondence
Regarding your standing in the book distribution as number three in the world, I am very pleased that you have worked so hard to help me in carrying out the order of my Guru Maharaja. Be convinced that you are doing the highest service for your fellow countrymen by distributing books of Krsna Consciousness. Actually in the west there is now no culture, and no brain even for what is the purpose of life. American civilization is finished, except that it can be saved if it takes to Krsna Consciousness. Try to become more convinced of this necessity for Krsna Consciousness and that will enable you to preach even stronger and distribute more books.
| Page Title: | Fellow (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, ParthsarathyM |
| Created: | 19 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=25 |
| No. of Quotes: | 25 |