Optimistic (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"optimism" |" optimist" |" optimistic" |" optimal"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 24 February, 1968: Regarding buying a small printing shop, I am not very much optimistic. If you can organize a regular press for printing all our magazines and books and engage all our boys and girls in the press work that will be nice proposal, but if you purchase a small printing work where I understand even Back to Godhead cannot be published, what is the use of that press.

Letter to Mangalaniloy -- Montreal 7 July, 1968: My society will not agree to spend so much money for anyone whom they do not know. I was thinking about you since I have come back this time to this country, how to get you here, because there is ample possibilities for preaching Krishna Consciousness movement all over western world now, because the people are wanting something real spiritual life. Unfortunately, so-called swamis and yogis come in this part of the world and they exploit people and then go away. So the government here is also not very optimistic of such kind of swamis. But in spite of all difficulties, there is ample possibility of spreading pure devotional service of the Lord, or Krishna Consciousness movement, all over the western world.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Dayananda, Nandarani -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971: So far the roofless church, it is lying unused for so many years. Why not approach the authorities to give it to us as donation for this great cause, or else for a nominal lease-rent for 99 years? Then we can repair this church very nicely. I have seen it but still if you will kindly send me specifics of the land area, the inside area of the church and other particulars, then I can give you some suggestions. I think there is some spare land also surrounding the church. So all details may be supplied. But I think if we replace the roof and make necessary arrangements for living quarters it will be very nice. But so far the neighborhood is concerned, I am not very much optimistic. So you have to study the neighborhood also whether people will come to our church.

Letter to Sudama -- Delhi 20 November, 1971: I am very pleased to hear that you have got some more devotees to assist you. Now you plot out a program with them how best to spread Krishna Consciousness in Japan. Our process is to infiltrate. We should not bother very much for their red tape, just rely on Krishna and by our determination everything will happen nicely according to His plan. These governments exist only for saying no, so I am not very optimistic that any government will ever help us. Sankirtana means preaching, so for some time try in other ways to spread our Krishna philosophy anywhere and everywhere, by selling books, as many as possible, by holding kirtana and classes in schools and college—wherever there is preaching, that is Sankirtana. You have an American brain, now use it to think of new ways to preach in Japan.

Letter to Sridama -- Bombay 22 December, 1971: I am so much encouraged by reports everywhere that our Movement is getting good results, especially that MacMillan Co. has agreed to print our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, so I think my work is now finished, let me write. I have built the skyscraper skeleton, now you all intelligent American and European boys and girls fill in the spaces nicely in good taste. Do not deviate from our high standard. That will mean great dishonor to me. Push on in your preaching work as I have shown you, remain pure, enthusiastic, and optimistic, and Krishna will favor you with all good results and benedictions.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Svati -- India LT 720200 A1: So your husband has gone but you should not be too much worried, your husband will come back to Krsna consciousness, if not now then later. Anyone who has tasted the bliss of Krsna consciousness he cannot stay away for a very long time. So you should not be too much concerned. Do not be too much worried—forget the past, do not be attached to it for we are only thinking of how we may now please the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees are always optimistic for the advancement of their spiritual progress. So in the meantime there is no question of any more marriage by you so you will become freed from the entangling grip of maya which means sex life. Just see, so many people are suffering so much just for a little sex life. I am so much disturbed by problems caused by sex life that I am not going to sanction any more marriages. Our devotees must do it at their own risk from now on and they must provide their own income for living together outside the temple or if they live in the temple they must live separately.

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Bombay 4 February, 1972: The devotees of Krishna are the most exalted persons on this planet, better than kings, all of them, so we should always remember that and, like the bumblebee, always look for the nectar or the best qualities of a person. Not like the utopians, who are like the flies who always go to the open sores or find the faults in a person, and because they cannot find any utopia, or because they cannot find anyone without faults, they want to become void, merge, nothing—they think that is utopia, to become void of personality. So if there is sometimes slight disagreements between devotees, it is not due to impersonalism, but it is because they are persons, and such disagreements should not be taken very seriously. The devotee is always pessimistic about the material world, but he is very optimistic about the spiritual life; so in this way, you should consider that anyone engaged in Krishna's service is always the best person.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Sydney 2 April, 1972: We are now in Australia and I am very glad to report to you that everything is going extremely well here, and I am much satisfied with the progress being made in western countries like Australia. Now in India you must develop things also very nicely, especially for attracting overseas visitors to come there and enjoy Indian special atmosphere of spiritual life. Our Indian boys and girls are not very much interested to become devotees, but I am seeing that these fair-skinned Americans and Europeans are like angels by coming to Krishna Consciousness increasingly more and more, and that very soon the whole world will become filled with such angels, and so I am very optimistic that if we continue in this way by sticking very tightly to our pure standards that the Lord Caitanya's prediction will very soon be realized all over the world. So I am very much encouraged by our program in Vrindaban, especially the plan to cooperate with Cox and King's and have guided tours for foreigners, to be led by you. The main point is to acquaint by explaining them about Krishna and trying to sell them Krishna Book. So receive them nicely, and do same work as the pandas do.