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Our duty (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Members -- Bombay:

The difficulty is that misguided people are more interested in the matter of sense gratification than in self-realization which is the ultimate goal of life. We have therefore taken up the difficult job to perform and it is our duty to do it.

Letter to Sri Padampat Singhania -- Kanpur 7 May, 1957:

If by such propaganda of chanting the holy name, the filthy atmosphere of jealousy, bickerings, selfishness, falsehood and so many other affairs of the modern age -- can be avoided, and if by such chanting the complete process of self-realization can be achieved -- is it not our duty to do this service by combined force. In this age of quarrel and fight everything has to be done by combined force to achieve ready success. As the topmost person of a group of large scale industries, your good personality knows better than me how combined forces and diverse energies make the particular industry a successful establishment.

In the same way we have to combine the different forces of Sociology in men, money, intelligence and field work to make the spiritual movement a grand success. If we do not do that we shall be failing in our duty to serve the complete whole. No partial service or temporary benefit can lead us to perfection. The world is mad after such temporary benefit and partial service and it is our duty to change the face altogether by an authorized spiritual movement. The other day I was very glad to hear your ideas about it and in our next meeting I wish to say some thing about it as I have realized. Hope you are well. With my regards.

Letter to Ved Prakash -- Bombay 28 July, 1958:

This philosophy of acintya bhedabheda tattva was preached by Lord Caitanya for world welare. It is our duty to help its practical preaching by all efforts. Nobody is competent to interpret on the Sastras by one's whim. It is science it has to be learnt from the proper sources.

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

It is our duty to defend the cause of Bhagavata either by request or by legal action according to necessity and I hope you will understand us in our most responsible task. Awaiting your early reply and thanking you in anticipation,

Letter to Brother -- Jhansi November 1958:

Please therefore contact us and we shall help you to raise youself to your normal happiness. It is no dream neither any bluff. You shall know yourself how far you have made progress in that path and our duty will be to help you only. Thinking that you shall be a prospective member of our League of Devotees, I am sending you herewith a copy of the Prospectus and I wish most sincerely that you should become an active member of this great institution.

Letter to Mathura Prasad -- Vrindaban 23 May, 1964:

Sethji, you are not an ordinary businessman. You are sufficiently educated and have rightly taken to business. By the Grace of Lord Sri Krishna you one of the very important business magnet and I may inform you on the authority of great Acaryas and books of knowledge that it is our duty to make the best use of our money so long it is with us.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Pradyumna -- New York 27 April, 1967:

Sometimes we have to place ourselves under such conditions to make the best use of a bad bargain, but rest assured in the discharge of Krishna conscious duties Krishna will always give us His protection and we may discharge our duties unhesitatingly. I have seen in you that Krishna has special mercy upon you and utilize this mercy fully so that in this very life you can be elected as the associate of Krishna in His supreme abode Goloka Vrindaban. As you are all good souls Krishna will help you always in your business of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 9 November, 1967:

We were very smoothly going on but this disruption created by Kirtanananda has plagued and disturbed the situation. The best thing is to do our duty nicely with faith in Krishna and everything will be adjusted. You are nicely doing BTG.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

God means Supreme Controller; can you control anything? Not even your own body. What to speak of the millions of planets spinning so perfectly in their orbit. In this way, we must learn all of us, to defeat these nonsense rascals, and curtail this epidemic of Impersonalism which is fatal to the innocent people. We can stop this epidemic with this information of Krishna Consciousness, and it is our duty to do it.

Letter to Harer Nama -- Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968:

When a thing is offered to the Spiritual Master, he immediately offers to the Lord. That is the system, and as we come by parampara system, it is our duty to go through the right channel -- namely, first the Spiritual Master, then Lord Caitanya, and then Krishna.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

So not only she, but all of you, should take care of this poor girl. She has left her parents and she is unmarried, no husband, so of course, she is not poor, because she has got so many God-brothers, and sisters, and above all Krsna, she is not at all poor. In spite of that, we should care about her health. That is our duty, and inform her that she may not strain beyond her capacity. Of course, such kinds of trouble may come and go, a devotee s not afraid of such things, but still it is our duty to think always that this is Krsna's body, and this must not be neglected.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Seattle 27 September, 1968:

P.S. I am feeling your separation but that does not matter we must do our duty in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Janaki -- Seattle 13 October, 1968:

They take Krishna Consciousness as something fictitious. So they are not very hopeful combination, but try to make them interested as far as possible, it is our duty. We do not mind whether he is Englishman or Indian or any man; our duty is to impress Krishna Consciousness as far as possible.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Seattle 15 October, 1968:

One person may be or may not be inclined to accept Krishna Consciousness, but that doesn't matter, but if we try our best to make one person Krishna Conscious, then our duty is carried nicely.

Letter to Purusottama -- Los Angeles 3 November, 1968:

We do not mind because we could not get any place in the Church Center and there is no cause for your being sorry for this. You have tried your best in the service of Lord Caitanya. This is sufficient. We do not calculate the so-called success or failure we are simply to discharge our duties in Krishna Consciousness and chant HARE KRISHNA loudly.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 4 December, 1968:

Regarding your first question, is it offensive to think of Krishna's Pastimes while chanting, I think you should know that it is not offensive, but rather it is required. One must try for the point when he simply hears Krishna and immediately all of Krishna, His Pastimes, His Form, His Quality, are in his thoughts. So to always be immersed in thoughts of Krishna this is our process. When we are full in Krishna then where there can be any chance for maya in us? So this is our duty to remember Krishna's Pastimes.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Upendra -- Hawaii 11 March, 1969:

Whatever charge given from Krishna through the medium of Spiritual Master you should be carrying out very faithfully. I have come to your country in this old age with this interest. We should not mind where we are kept or where we have to discharge our duties. But we should accept and do them nicely.

Letter to Upendra -- Hawaii 11 March, 1969:

I am glad to hear you are going to teach the university course. This is very good, do not worry about the watchdog Mr. Miller, this trouble will continue always but still we have to do our duties.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- New Vrindaban 2 June, 1969:

Please take nice care of him because there are so many good souls who we must inform of this most important philosophy, and when another man is sent by Krishna to help us it is our duty to help him understand Krishna Consciousness as far as possible.

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

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.

Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969:

It is not recommended that a Krishna Conscious devotee go into seclusion for chanting by himself and thereby gaining salvation for himself alone. Our duty and religious obligation is to go out into the streets where the people in general can hear the chanting and see the dancing.

Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969:

As devotees of Lord Krishna it is our duty to teach the people how to love God and worship Him in their daily life. This is the aim and destination of human life.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- London 20 November, 1969:

But since more than one year you have struggled very hard, and gradually you are getting some foot in that distant place, and your good wife, Govinda Dasi is helping you. Also, some very nice assistants have joined you, so try for Krishna to do your best. That is our duty. Success or no success: it doesn't matter. The only thing is that we should try our best. So that I know you are doing your best, and Krishna will be very much pleased upon you all.

Letter to Steven Hebel -- London 6 December, 1969:

Actually, Krishna offers this intelligence freely to everyone, but only the fortunate persons will take to it. Unfortunate persons will speculate upon the words of Krishna and concoct some meaning according to their own sense gratification. But Krishna and His bona fide representatives are giving this knowledge freely to everyone. Now it is our duty to assimilate this knowledge and practice it.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Ranadhira -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1970:

Amongst all our duties surely we must not forget to complete our sixteen rounds. We should not be carried away simply by the Krishna duties which is also regarded as good as chanting, but in all circumstances we shall not forget this duty.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 3 February, 1970:

I understand that your wife is not very much interested in our movement and I understand the cause you have written to say. Anyway, we will pray to Krishna to save her; that is our duty.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 3 February, 1970:

Yes. The boy, Mayurdhvaj, is a very nice Krishna Conscious child. Why his mother is checking him? Although in the beginning she was so enthusiastic? This is called in Vedic language sva karma bhuk, one is destined to undergo reaction of one's past life. This reaction can only be checked by Krishna Consciousness. So our duty is heavy, to induce persons to come to this platform of consciousness; and if we can save even a single soul from the clutches of Maya, the value of such act is millions of times better than fruitive actions or any kind of altruistic and philanthropic activities.

Letter to Trivikrama -- Los Angeles 7 March, 1970:

So whatever status of life we may accept, this principle of working for Krsna as a matter of our duty, without being attracted by the result -- should be followed by us.

Letter to Candanacarya -- Los Angeles 12 March, 1970:

This is the way of Krsna transaction; so let us, with great enthusiasm, preach this cult all over the world and make the people happy. They are missing the central point, Krsna, and our duty is to remind them -- then everything will be alright. So follow the path chalked out by our predecessors, and success is sure.

Letter to Lilavati -- Los Angeles 3 May, 1970:

George has rendered some valuable service, so Syamasundara. is trying to do some good to him. This is our duty, anyone who has rendered a little service to Krsna should be given all facilities to take it up seriously.

Letter to Jananivasa -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1970:

Actually the younger generation, especially the hippies are our best clients, so they are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and give this Krsna consciousness to them some way or other.

Letter to Janmanjaya, Taradevi -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

So as you are given full facilities for the execution of Sankirtana activities you must do it wholeheartedly and especially try to encourage the hippies to accept this Krsna consciousness movement. They are our best clients. They are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as good Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and bring them to take up this Krsna consciousness, then their lives will become perfect and our mission successful.

Letter to Yogesvara -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:

The books should be written in simple language. First of all try to explain what is God, then what is the relationship of God with the world and the living entities. Then explain what is our duty in that relationship with God.* In this way write the subjects very clearly.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Bombay 1 November, 1970:

Regarding Brahmananda, he is actually surrendered soul, but Maya is so strong that on account of association he has even fallen down. So these two things are always side by side -- Maya and Krsna -- Krsna is service and Maya is sense gratification, so every moment we are prone to be subjugated by either of them. Our duty is therefore to be very, very careful. The poison is personal ambition. So everyone has the chance, therefore one should not be complacent. Doubts may come about, but one should be firmly fixed up that there cannot be any doubt on the Spiritual Master or Krsna.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Bombay 14 November, 1970:

The claim of brahmanism by birthright is a false display of material situation only. It is our duty therefore to train all kinds of men up to the standard of qualified brahmanas, initiating them as such by qualification in accordance with the above authorities, so that they may go on progressively unhindered in their march back to home, back to Godhead

Letter to Kulasekhara -- Bombay 16 November, 1970:

Regarding the recent upheavals in our Society, that business is finished, now we must all concentrate very carefully on the simple execution of our duty following the principles of regulation very strictly in our daily life.

Letter to Gaura Hari -- Bombay 20 November, 1970:

It is my great pleasure that so many fine young boys have joined this Krsna Consciousness Movement and they are finding that their lives have been saved by this simple process. I have many times expressed my sympathy with the frustrated and unhappy younger generation of your country and it is our duty to teach them this formula for peace and happiness by chanting the Mahamantra.

Letter to Gaura Hari -- Bombay 20 November, 1970:

The so-called institution of free love marriage is ruining the human society and it is our duty therefore to reestablish the correct procedure of human life in the matter of encouraging our disciples who wish to marry to enter into a contract of spiritual wedlock.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 25 November, 1970:

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.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Surat 18 December, 1970:

Amsterdam sounds like a good place for our movement. The hippies are not bad souls, because soul is part and parcel of Krishna. So in fact everyone is good, because everyone is spirit soul. But by demoniac association they have been mislead. Try to save these boys and girls. That is our duty. If you can arrange for a Dutch BTG it will be very nice.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Sai -- Allahabad 8 January, 1971:

Unless one is able to deal with the Supreme Personality of Godhead on the spiritual platform, there cannot be any permanent bliss. People don't know it. It is our duty only to explain the situation to the ignorant persons. Many leaders have to be trained up for this purpose so that they can go from town to town, village to village and enlighten the people to be trained up in this Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Allahabad 12 January, 1971:

When people are so eager for Krsna consciousness, it is our duty to go and enlighten them. Lord Caitanya wanted this mission spread up all over the globe. Now you are kindly helping to fulfill His transcendental desire. I am very anxious to see this movement having centers in all the important cities of all the seven continents. That will serve the purpose to bring in unification of the entire world under the banner of Krsna Consciousness Movement within a very short time.

Letter to Karandhara -- Allahabad 17 January, 1971:

Your Sunday Prasadam feast program is now successful. At the feast you can canvass everyone to become our member. Everyone is Krsna's son, so if one is mislead it is our duty to reclaim him for Krsna and one who is engaged in such work is soon recognized by Krsna.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Brooklyn 27 July, 1971:

The arrangement you have made in Boston for me was very nice. There is no need of nice apartment. A sannyasi shouldn't live in a very nice place but because your country is so much opulent, even a poor man is offered a nice place. So whatever is offered in devotion and love is all right. It is our duty to offer the very best to Krishna and the Spiritual Master. That is reciprocal love.

Letter to Damodara -- Nairobi, Kenya 3 October, 1971:

I am so glad to hear that there are many new devotees there and they are doing so nicely. All newcomers should be welcomed and well treated. In the beginning they may be treated leniently and gradually they will learn. So out of many thousands of people on comes to become Krishna Conscious. So it is our duty to help them as far as possible. that is one of our activities.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bibhu -- Sydney 8 April, 1972:

This college program is very good, and you should continue in this way, giving all these student an opportunity to learn this Krishna consciousness philosophy and culture. They are all seeking after some knowledge, but they are being misguided by their blind leaders. It is our duty to give them real knowledge and understanding of the purpose of life.

Letter to Sucandra -- Tokyo 22 April, 1972:

When the son is suffering, the father is also afflicted. So Krishna, the Supreme Father, does not like to see his parts and parcels suffering in the material world. To deliver the fallen souls, He gives His instruction, He sends His representatives, and sometimes He even comes Himself just for the benefit of all the living entities. So it is our duty, as His representative, to canvass. "Please take this knowledge and make your life successful." So all of you continue to push on this movement with ever-increasing enthusiasm, and Krishna will help you.

Letter to Niranjana -- Los Angeles 21 May, 1972:

I can understand that now is difficult time for you also because of your examination time. But after your examinations, if you can help this movement of Lord Caitanya expand very widely through India by assisting in translating work, then I shall be very much pleased. (My Guru Maharaja used to say that these literature are the "Brhat Mrdanga," that is to say, the big mrdanga, because like the mrdanga which can be heard from a long distance, simply a few words can have a tremendous effect on millions of people if they are propagated widely.) So it is our duty above all to print these words for the general benefit of mankind. Therefore if you can assist me in this manner then that will be the greatest service.

Letter to Balavanta -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1972:

At present moment, our leaders are simply misleading people, and the people in general are innocently following them to their ruin. So it is very much our duty to come to their aide and point out exactly how this sinful living, namely, slaughtering animals, intoxication, illicit sex life, and gambling, how these sinful activities are so much degrading to the human kind and how they are only producing hippies, wars, and endless suffering as a result. So we want to give the citizens the positive value of Krishna consciousness way of life, so for that activity we must always be preaching very strongly in the public. Therefore I approve your plan to run for public office, now you do it with full confidence and conviction, never mind there may be some opposition, that is to be expected.

Letter to Secretary to Minister of Education and Culture -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1972:

So if we are intelligent leaders of state, it is to our advantage to benefit all the citizens by satisfying their material requirements, but even more is it our duty to satisfy their need for being secure and confident that they are working under the principles of a truth or reality which does not change and is therefore absolute. That is spiritual satisfaction. Spiritual means philosophical, otherwise it is sentiment and sentiments are fickle and always changing.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- New Vrndavana 7 September, 1972:

The president of the United States, the Queen of England, the Communist leaders, all business magnates, all should have taken this movement seriously for the upliftment of human society, but because most of them are miscreants, rascals, lowest of the mankind, and lost of all real knowledge, they are still unaware of the importance of the Krishna Consciousness Movement. Indeed, however, it is our duty to enlighten them in different ways through our Sankirtana movement, so that one day may come very soon that they may be enlightened and take this movement with all seriousness and do the best thing for humankind.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Dallas 9 September, 1972:

Hamsaduta is maintaining his position of service, so why, even if a little fighting, you should go away? We should never give up our duty. My godbrothers always discouraged me but I did not give up, I am doing my duty and always keeping my spiritual master in front. Even there is some difficulty or hardship, or even my godbrothers may not cooperate or there may be fighting, still, I must perform my duty to my spiritual master and not become discouraged and go away, that is my weakness.

Letter to Sudevi -- Los Angeles 15 September, 1972:

What are these nonsense emotions that cause you to go this way and that way, the real thing is your duty. Now you are married couple, you know what your duty is, so best thing is to perform your duty and always think of Krsna. Never mind some temporary inconveniences, we must remain steady in our duty to Krsna.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Madhukara -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

Once it is adopted, the grhastha life, even it may be troublesome at times, it must be fulfilled as my occupational duty. Of course, it is better to remain unmarried, celibate. But so many women are coming, we cannot reject them. If someone comes to Krsna it is our duty to give them protection. Krsna has informed us in Bhagavad-gita that even women and sudras and others inferior class of men can take refuge in Him.

Letter to Rajiblocan -- Calcutta 31 January, 1973:

The main thing is that you must set nice example for the others by following very rigidly the regulative principles, such as chanting 16 rounds on the beads, reading the books, getting up to attend mangala aratrika, etc. In this way everyone shall be encouraged. We must be so careful to train the devotees nicely. Now they have come from the realm of maya to Krsna's place, so it is our duty to keep them there, not that they shall again fall victim of maya.

Letter to Karandhara -- Auckland 21 February, 1973:

Regarding Sriman Hayagriva Dasa; it is our duty to rectify him. To create a devotee takes much labor and to reject him in a minute is not to our credit so please try to do the needful in this regard. Consult the other GBC men there, then make a proposal to Hayagriva and if still he is incorrigible then you take the necessary steps.

Letter to Govardhan 2 -- Los Angeles 8 May, 1973:

Please preach this Krsna Consciousness very strongly so that we may give people real light for seeing the way out of the darkness of Kali Yuga. The modern scientists are confusing everyone with their false propaganda and it is our duty to expose them and kill the demoniac tendency to forget Krsna.

Letter to Niranjana -- Brooklyn 21 May, 1973:

So all the students at the present moment are getting educated how to become first class sudras. How they can be interested in Krsna Consciousness, which is the business of high class brahmanas and Vaisnavas? Still it is our duty to preach, and our sincere endeavor for preaching work will be appreciated by the Lord. That much we want. Our mission is to see that Lord Caitanya is satisfied, never mind if we could not turn many of them to this cult.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 23 August, 1973:

I have received one complaint from Indian devotee at Mayapur Prabharupa Das Brahmacari that he is mal treated by our American devotees. Kindly inquire into this matter and do the needful. Either Indian or foreign whoever joins us they are not under any obligation, our only tie is Love of Godhead. It should be our definite policy that nobody is ill treated that he may go away. We recruit a person to join us after spending gallons of blood. Everyone comes for reformation, you cannot expect everyone to be perfect, rather it is our duty to make everyone perfect as far as possible. So we shall be very much cautious and careful in this connection.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Sukadeva -- Bombay 5 April, 1974:

First of all, there is not question of a devotee becoming ostracized because he has become ill, nor do I think this is being widely practiced. Who has been ostracized? One of the symptoms of a devotee is that he is kind, so if our Godbrother becomes ill it is our duty to help him get the proper medicine and treatment so that he can recover.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 15 September, 1974:

In Bengal there is a proverb that even if there are some dead metal utensils but when they are together they make so much noise, so what to speak of living utensils. So this is natural, but since we are all pledged to work for Krsna we should follow the principle of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. This is Vaisnavism. So my request is do not be agitated. Let us do our duty honestly. Krsna will give us the intelligence to do everything nicely.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 3 November, 1974:

Krishna says "aham adi hi devanam." Is Krishna speaking a lie? "mattah parataram nanyat (BG 7.7)." Nobody is greater than Me, He says. Why should we reject Krishna's statement? Our mission is to put Krishna as first, and they may take it or not. We do not interfere with their choice, but we do it as our duty.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 6 December, 1974:

Our books are better than the nonsense books. You have written them to the point. And, even if there is some complaint, they are getting the real thing from our books. they are forgetting the aim of life. Somehow or other, we have to give them the real thing. Why this one man should be envious? In the history of the world, especially the Western countries, there is no record of selling religious books so many daily. It is unique in the history. Our men are doing good, that they do not see. They are so blind. But, the end justifies the means. We have to give them even if they do not want it. That is our duty.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 4 June, 1976:

I have heard with delight of your preaching attempts in Corsica. That is one of our businesses, to expose these rascals who are cheating and who have no spiritual asset. We don't say publicly that they are rascal, otherwise they will condemn also, but by practical action they will see and compare. Simply chant and dance, distribute prasadam, and where possible some books. Nobody will be grudged. This is our duty, yare dekha tare koha krsna upadesa. Everyone is fed up with this rascal civilization of sex and wine. How long one can artificially live on this. They have no other asset. Therefore, people are turning to Indian culture. Let us push on. Others cannot push on, they have no asset.

Letter to Dinesh Candra Sarkar -- New Delhi 26 August, 1976:

So I am sorry to learn that you are not well. Pray to Krishna and chant Hare Krishna. The body is a temple of disease, janma mrtyu jara vyadhi (BG 13.9). Disease is our inevitable companion. We still have to execute our duty of Krishna consciousness as far as possible and Krishna will help us.

Page Title:Our duty (Letters)
Compiler:Syamananda, Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas
Created:7 of Feb, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=65
No. of Quotes:65