Independence (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"independence"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Gita Mandir Trust -- Calcutta 1 September, 1949:

The answer for this is also given in the Bhagavad-gita. It is said that there are two classes of men in the creation. One class is called the devas (godly) and the other class is called the asura (demonic or godless). As sons of the almighty Father Supreme Godhead, all individual living individuals have their respective independence. One can utilize this god-gifted independence properly or improperly.

When a living entity improperly uses god-gifted independence and apply such independence for sense-gratification without fulfilling the will or the plan of Godhead, he at once develops the demonic qualities in contact with the illusory Energy of Godhead and becomes a full-fledged asura. But one who do not misuse the God gifted independence and does not engage himself in the act of sense-gratification but fulfills the plan of the Godhead, continues to be a deva or godly. In this act of sense-gratification the asura children of Godhead forgets the plan of Godhead and therefore tries to exploit the state of Godhead for their own benefit which is sometime centralized but sometimes extended.

Letter to Sir -- Calcutta May 1949:

The answer for this is also given in the Bhagavad-gita. It is said that there are two classes of children in the creation of Godhead and nature. One class is called the daiva (godly) and the other class is called the asura (demonic or godless). As sons of the almighty Father Supreme Godhead, all the living entities have individual independence and when some of the children misuse the godgifted independence for their sense gratification and not to fulfill the plan of Godhead, they develop the demonic qualities and become asuras. But those who do not misuse the the godgifted independence for sense gratification they continue to remain as the Daivas. For sense gratification the asura children of Godhead and Nature forgets the plan of Godhead and thus they begin to exploit and trouble the mother Nature and other obedient children of Nature, for their own benefit sometimes centralized and sometimes extended. Those children who do not do like this are gods themselves distinguished from the asuras.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari -- New York 16 May, 1966:

This is purely cultural programme for spreading the Hindu culture and if the Hindus have no such scope for spreading their culture then what is the meaning of independence? These points are to be raised and I think there must be some provision for such cultural propaganda because the Government has its own cultural ministry and they are spending millions and billions for this purpose. Please try for this first and foremost and if we are successful in getting the sanction then other things will follow automatically on this cultural programme. I hope you will follow the idea because you have done so many practical work in the mission. I want to know simply whether the Deputy Controller of Exchange is actually in power to sanction such exchange as to open Hindu temples etc in the foreign countries.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Delhi 6 October, 1967:

You sing every day morning that by the mercy of the Spiritual master one can please the Lord and one who has not pleased the spiritual master cannot have any access in the realm of Krishna Consciousness. Very recently Kirtanananda has developed a different consciousness of Maya which is called misuse of one's minute independence offered by Krishna. By misuse of one's independence one at once becomes a victim of Maya and thus he loses all importance in Krishna Consciousness. So it is my definite opinion that his lecture anywhere now will bear no spiritual sequence. He must rectify his mistake before he can play in our Society any important role. By lips he says that he is a surrendered soul but by action he is thinking differently.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Sivananda -- New York 19 April, 1968:

Those who are conditioned souls are eternally so, which means that it is never possible to trace out how long ago the conditioned existence began. We simply say that misuse of the little independence we have got creates so much trouble for us. But now by adopting Krishna Consciousness, we may finish this conditioned life immediately. That is Krishna Consciousness.

Your reasoning is all right that the Brahma energy must have conscious direction to manifest form. Therefore He who gives that direction is the Ultimate Controller or Param Isvara. In Brahma Samhita it is said: "Isvarah paramah krsnah saccidananda vigrahah, anadir adir govindah sarva karana karanam (Bs. 5.1)." Krishna is the Supreme Controller of all controllers and therefore, He is the Origin of everything including the Brahma Energy.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1969:

Therefore, for the time being, it is to be understood that he is victimized by the stroke of maya. I do not know what is awaiting his future lot, but I am sure that his service to Krishna and to his Spiritual Master will not go in vain. But individual independence and maya are so strong that they can stop progress at any moment. So long as he was here, he was taking care of me very nicely, and I am very much obliged to him. I simply said that he may live for some time with the Sankirtana Party, and he became upset. So I do not know what to do.

Regarding your German acquaintance, I understand that he may be a very intelligent man and believes in science. But even the most advanced scientist depends on the statements of authorities. Science begins on some definite data, just like Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravitation, and so much scientific advancement depends on such authoritative statements.

Letter to Uttamasloka -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

Similarly our Krishna Consciousness Movement means we are all gathering together in families of Krishna. Actually we are eternal family members of the Lord, but due to our misuse of independence we have now forgotten our eternal relationship with Krishna, exactly like a man who is mad forgets his family relationship and loiters in the street. But when he is again in his normal mental condition, he remembers his family members and goes back to them. Similarly this Krishna Consciousness Movement is a treatment for reviving the memory that we all belong to Krishna's family. So we are trying to establish a replica of Krishna's family in this material world wherein there is no material activities. To avoid the material activities means to follow the four regulative principles and to engage ourselves constantly in Krishna Consciousness activities and to have the association of pure devotees.

Letter to Vibhavati -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:

Then after the sixteenth year the parents shall treat their child as a friend, and the child is allowed to gradually develop his adult responsibility and independence. Regarding your other questions, yes, you may wear any clothing that you find comfortable; no, it is not very good to use yeast in preparing prasadam. It is better to prepare bread in the process as you have seen done in the temple. I hope this will answer all of your important questions. I have also received one letter from Isanadas dated July 4, 1969, and his camp program sounds interesting. I am anxious to know what are your plans for going to London because now I understand they have facilities to accommodate you and your husband. So either yourself or Isanadas may write to me to inform me.

Letter to Arundhati -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

So either Ramacandra, Balarama or Krishna are all Visnu Tattvas and are always enjoying. The sakti tattva, or jiva tattva is always enjoyed. Our position is always predominated. If we remain in that position and properly use our small independence, then we remain happily eternally. But artificially, if we want to be independent and imitate the Supreme Enjoyer, then it is delusion. Material life means trying to imitate the Enjoyer, and spiritual life means to remain in one's eternal position as enjoyed. This Hare Krishna Mantra is addressed to the energy of the Lord and the Lord Himself to keep the chanter in his eternal position of being enjoyed. The prayer is "My Lord, Oh the Spiritual Energy of the Lord, kindly keep me engaged in Your service." Regarding your other question, Krishna in His four-handed Visnu Form is within our hearts, but He is not different from two-handed Krishna.

Letter to Patti Birnack -- Tittenhurst House, England September 13th , 1969:

Anyone who is suffering or enjoying in this material world is doing so as a result of his own activities. Krishna says that if we surrender unto Him, He will relieve us of all sufferings, so if someone rejects this offer of Krishna and then says that there is no God because he is experiencing some suffering, that is not a very intelligent position. Krishna wants everyone to go back to Home, back to Godhead, and enjoy eternal life and blissful knowledge there. If your father agrees to this process, he also can be taken back to Home, back to Godhead, with my other disciples. There will be no difficulty for me. You can tell your father that. But if he does not agree, what responsibility is God's? Everyone has got his independence.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 27 February, 1970:

Regarding your questions concerning the spirit souls falling into Maya's influence, it is not that those who have developed a passive relationship with Krsna are more likely to fall into nescient activities. Usually anyone who has developed his relationship with Krsna does not fall down in any circumstance, but because the independence is always there, the soul may fall down from any position or any relationship by misusing his independence. But his relationship with Krsna is never lost, simply it is forgotten by the influence of Maya, so it may be regained or revived by the process of hearing the Holy Name of Krsna and then the devotee engages himself in the service of the Lord which is his original or constitutional position. The relationship of the living entity with Krsna is eternal as both Krsna and the living entity are eternal; the process is one of revival only, nothing new.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 25 April, 1970:

Regarding your questions about how and from where did the conditioned souls fall, your first question if someone has a relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka, does he ever fall down? The souls are endowed with minute independence as part of their nature and this minute independence may be utilized rightly or wrongly at any time, so there is always the chance of falling down by misuse of one's independence. But those who are firmly fixed up in devotional service to Krsna are making proper use of their independence and so they do not fall down.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

That is the sum and substance. But as a pure devotee of the Lord you should not propose—simply accept His proposal and surrender unto Him. So far the conditioned soul is concerned the same opportunities are there, but if he does not take advantage of the opportunity to elevate himself to Krsna Consciousness and chooses to misuse his independence for taking the opportunity to enjoy some material happiness, then he will remain conditioned as the Lord will allow him to fulfill those desires. The opportunity is always there, just as we are offering so many ways to become Krsna Conscious, but if you don't take the opportunity what can I do. That is purposeful negligence of duty. The example may be given of a man who is sleeping. If he is actually sleeping, he may be wakened by various means, but there is no doubt that he must wake up. However, if a man is pretending to be asleep there is no way at all to rouse him up.

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.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Bombay 22 October, 1971:

Devotees means who are following the regulative principles. One cannot be independent and at the same time become a devotee because all devotional activities are based on surrender. So in the association of devotees we learn this important item—how to surrender, but if we keep our independence and try to become devotees, that is not possible.

You write to say that you cannot feel any taste for temple life or Deity worship. This means you are keeping the same temperament you entertained before leaving our society. Our process is to accept both the lines of bhagavata marga and pancaratriki marga. Perhaps you might have seen the picture of the Gaudiya mission. On one side there is the bhagavata book and on the other side a picture of Laksmi Narayana for Deity worship. You cannot make any progress in devotional service unless simultaneously you follow both the lines.

Letter to Rayarama -- Bombay 22 October, 1971:

When I shall go to Mayapura then upon hearing from you of my proposal as mentioned above, I shall arrange for your coming to India. First of all you have to decide yourself whether you are prepared to surrender to our principles, but if you keep your independence either in Mayapura or N.Y., your position is the same. To associate with me you are always welcome but not with your independence. That will not help me or you.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Loy -- Vrindaban 7 November, 1972:

Myself, I was very young when I got married, and my wife was 11 years only. But there is no question of separation in our marriage belief, neither your daughter will ever be separated from that boy, that is their vow. Rather, it is when people are a little grown-up, when they have got little independence and their own ways of doing things, then if they marry there is often difficulty to adjust, just as it is more difficult to bend the bamboo when it is yellow. So I can assure you that you may have nothing to fear that your daughter has married such a nice boy: bahunam janmanam ante, jnanavan mam prapadyante, vasudevah sarvam iti, sa mahatma sudurlabhah (BG 7.19). Krishna assures us that "After many many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Naiskarmi -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd July. You are exactly correct when you write that Krishna has benedicted you with a first class husband. In Vedic society no girl was allowed to remain independent and unmarried. Independence for women means they become like prostitutes, struggling to capture some man who will take care of her. In this way the so called independent woman has to work very hard to make herself attractive by artificially wearing cosmetics—mini skirts and so many other things. Formerly the girl would be married to a suitable boy at a very early age, say six years old. But although a girl was married early she did not stay with her husband immediately, but was gradually trained in so many ways how to cook, clean and serve her husband in so many ways—up until the time of her puberty. So all the time there was no anxiety because a girl would know—I have got a husband, and the boy would know I have got this girl as my wife.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Honolulu 26 January, 1974:

In your last letter I was informed that Cyavana Swami has left your protection and gone to South America. I don't know why he has done so. As a sannyasi he is free to travel all over the world but when he was working under your supervision he should have taken your permission. This kind of independence is not very good. I'm quite confident of his sincerity, and I shall be glad to be further enlightened on this matter.

Anyway, you have dedicated yourself to the service of the Lord, therefore you are always glorious. I'm very much indebted to you that you have gone so far away from your own comfortable country for the service of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and this service will be appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Please go on preaching like that and you will be blessed. I think Krsna did not let me go in Africa because he wants to see you all work independently of me.

Letter to Dr. Ghosh:

In India also since India's contact with the western countries, there have been certain types of revolutions, and they are now going on. Recently in our experience there was attempt to drive away the British. This revolution changed India from dependence to independence, but factually the situation has deteriorated from bad to worse. We are old friends, we know that in Allahabad when I was there, ghee was selling for 1 kg. per 1 rupee, and now its costs 20-25 rupees per kg. In this way, things have not improved, in so many ways. This is due to imperfect leaders.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Bombay 3 May, 1974:

If you are persistent about your desire to leave you are free to act on your own. You are actually the experienced man for Hong Kong; you were constructing a temple according to our last letter, getting ready to publish Chinese publications, organizing the Chinese boys and conducting childrens' classes.

Everyone, of course, has his independence. That is the cause of our material life. Misusing that minute independence we are out of the spiritual world. If you want to go as husband and wife to see your parents that is not bad, but why avoid your responsibility which you have already taken? At least develop your assistant Devaprastha and when you see he is able to do nicely then you can change. I don't think a new man can manage as nicely as you were doing. I will also write to GBC of Hong Kong, Madhudvisa Maharaja, and learn if he plans to send a new man there.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Vrindaban 5 September, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 28, 1974 and have carefully noted the contents. My only anxiety is to guide you. Krsna sometimes makes me sick just to examine how much you have learned to conduct the business under my guidance, with a little independence. You should never act independently, because my guidance in my words are always there. The main guidance is all of us should remain spiritually strong by chanting the minimum number of rounds and following the rules and regulations. The GBC should personally observe strictly all the rules and regulations and they should become the practical example to others. Then everything will be all right. Then there will be no fear of being victimized by maya.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 31 December, 1974:

You also organize a party like Tamala Krishna's and preach like that. I like that-more of preaching. If Yamuna has left you, why remain as grhastha? Better take sannyasa like Tamala Krishna Gosvami. I know Yamuna has Krishna in her heart. She'll not be spoiled, but let her have some temporary independence and be more Krishna Conscious. I am glad you have sent the money to India that you have collected. Now, you left Vrndavana on account of Yamuna, but she has left you there also, although you wanted to live with her. Anyway, try to forget all this material attachment and try to be attached to Krishna more and more. Actually, I want many parties like the party of Tamala Krishna and Visnujana, and they can preach all over—USA especially. So, Tamala Krishna has attained experience in this type of preaching work, so you also take advantage of this experience. If you like, you can stay with him for some time. If you can preach there, it is better that you remain in USA. Vrndavana will be managed somehow or other.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Johannesburg 21 October, 1975:

Then God is impotent? This is their version, not God's. God says surrender to Me and I shall cancel all your destiny, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah . . . God will save you from the destiny that you have created by misuse of your independence. He knows but still He is so kind. Surrender has nothing to do with your destiny, that will depend on you (the spirit-soul) because you have a little independence, a little freedom. Theirs is atheistic argument. God is not only omniscient, but also Almighty. Predestiny is there but it is cancelled if you surrender to Him, otherwise God is not the controller. Theirs is like karma mimamsa philosophy, that God is our servant and He must reward me according to my activities. If you surrender to Krishna there is no more predestiny. He knows if you do this you must suffer, so why do you suffer. You take His advice. Even if he says predestined, so why don't you surrender to Krishna now, and get out of this material condition.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Personal Secretary to the President of the United States -- Honolulu 9 May, 1976:

On your new $2 note it is stated "In God We Trust," and directly beneath "Declaration of Independence, 1776." On the 200th anniversary of this occasion, why not begin teaching the science of God as described in the Vedic literatures, like the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is authorized and appreciated by all learned professors in the universities throughout the whole world. This Krishna Consciousness Movement is going on since 1966 throughout the whole world, especially in the United States of America. It is a great fortune for the American people that they "Trust in God." Why shouldn't this spiritual education be given to the American people in an organized way? The whole world is going down and becoming Godless.

Letter to Jagannatha-suta -- New Vrindaban 26 June, 1976:

I am in due receipt of the most recent issue of BTG issue #7, and I thank you very much.

I very much like the idea, "Declaring our Dependence on God." The scientists can manufacture a big jet airplane 747, but they cannot manufacture a tiny mosquito, so what is their so-called declaration of independence. You can also run the quotes from the scholar's book reviews as mentioned.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Nandarani, Unknown -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

Krsna has made all living entities perfect and therefore every living entity has independence. Misuse of independence is the cause of imperfection. Living entity being minute there is always a chance of misuse of his independence. This is unavoidable because that is the meaning of independence.