I thank you very much for your letter dated Oct. 19 & I am so happy that a boy of 17 years can feel so nicely about Krishna Consciousness. I am so happy that the Krishna Consciousness movement is attracting young innocent hearts of America. From this I can think that the future of this movement is very hopeful. I was very glad to learn that you are following our four principle rules, therefore your picking up of the process of acquiring spiritual knowledge from Bhagavad-gita is very nice. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that one should "prostrate oneself at the feet of the wise, rendering him all forms of service & question him with a guileless heart again & again", is the only means to attain spiritual knowledge. The process of speculation without approaching the bona fide spiritual master is simply a waste of time. In the Caitanya Caritamrta, Lord Caitanya affirms this principle, when he says that a fortunate living being while wandering in different species of life gets the chance of meeting a bona fide spiritual master by the causeless mercy of Krishna. In the Vedic literature there is a nice story about Dhruva. This Dhruva understood from his mother when he was only five, that God can be found in person in the forest. Dhruva went to the forest in search of God. The Lord Narayana in heaven or in the heart of Dhruva understood the sincerity of Dhruva's purpose & sent Narada, His great disciple to initiate Dhruva in the matter of Krishna Consciousness. This incident confirms that by the grace of Krishna, Dhruva was able to get the help of Narada as his spiritual master. Therefore, Krishna Consciousness is a parallel process in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead & the Spiritual master simultaneously. Your desire to become the servant of the servant of Krishna is very pious. Lord Caitanya desired the same thing in order to set an example, though he was Krishna Himself (CC Madhya 13.80). The Bhagavad-gita confirms this. I am so pleased to learn that you are all living in the Brahmacari house with Jayananda & Upendra & I am more pleased that you are all working. Everyone can achieve the highest perfection of life by working in his specific capacity. Hope you are well.
Go to the forest (Letters)
Expressions researched:
"go away to the forest"
|"go into the forest"
|"go out into the forest"
|"go out to the forest"
|"go to the Vandavana forest"
|"go to the forest"
|"goes from forest to forest"
|"goes into the forest"
|"goes to a forest"
|"goes to the forest"
|"going away to the forest"
|"going to the forest"
|"gone into the forest"
|"gone to the forest"
|"went to the forest"
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter of January 16, 1969, and I am so pleased to know that once again you are staying at the temple in Montreal. In this age no one is able to remain aloof from the general human society. Therefore one need not go into the forest in a secluded place to try to make spiritual advancement. Much better idea is that one associate with devotees in the Krishna Consciousness Centres; this will bring better spiritual results than living in the forest. Krishna Consciousness is possible when one is in association of devotees. alone it is more difficult. Please therefore try to keep yourself always in contact with the Montreal devotees. There is no need to go away. That is not very good. If you will have any problems or questions you may write to me and I will help you as far as possible.
1972 Correspondence
So far the school of Sumati Morarji, make the children into Vaisnavas through English medium of learning. We are not going to abide by the government schedule. They should be taught our books as soon as they can read and write. The idea is that those who will later on accept service, they cannot be accepted by us for schooling, we cannot help them. They must be the sons of rich and important men who will not be taking education simply to use it for eating and sleeping. They should be taught just to do like the elders, that is, rise early, cleanse, attend mangal arati, read our literatures, chant, go for sankirtana, like that, and besides that, a little ABC, mathematics, geography, history, that's all. And teach the small children to play Krishna games: one child is a cow, another is cowherd boy, they go to the forest, there are demons there, Krishna kills the demons, like that; in this way, let the children play Krishna games, then attend arati, then learn some ABC, then play some more, have kirtana, little ABC, and by keeping them always diversified they shall not lose interest and will keep their attention always focused around Krishna.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 1, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great concern. I do not know why these things inventions are going on. That is our only business, to invent something new programme? We have already got our Vaisnava standard. That is sufficient for Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, it was sufficient for Lord Caitanya, six Gosvamis, for Bhaktivinode Thakura, for my Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, for me, for all big big saints and acaryas in our line—why it shall be inadequate for my disciples so they must manufacture something? That is not possible. Who has introduced these things, that women cannot have chanting japa in the temple, they cannot perform the arati and so many things? If they become agitated, then let the brahmacaris go to the forest, I have never introduced these things. The brahmacaris cannot remain in the presence of women in the temple, then they may go to the forest, not remaining in New York City, because in New York there are so many women, so how they can avoid seeing? Best thing is to go to the forest for not seeing any women, if they become so easily agitated, but then no one will either see them and how our preaching work will go on?
| Page Title: | Go to the forest (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 25 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=4 |
| No. of Quotes: | 4 |