Regarding your reminder for my good cooking, I am very much thankful to you and next time when I shall go to your home, I must serve you with good lunches without fail. Now I am far away from you otherwise I would have at once gone to you and entertained you with such lunches. I am anxious to learn about the health of you all specially of your little children. How is your naughty daughter Kamla. Please offer them my love and blessings and so also accept both of you. Please write to me occasionally and as Gopala is not accustomed to reply promptly I shall henceforward write to you. Did you meet your good father and mother in the meantime? If you meet them please offer them my respectful regards. Both your father and mother are good souls and therefore you are a good daughter of your parents. I remember all of you always.
Parents (Letters 1965 - 1970)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
I beg to thank you for your kind letter of the 16th instant and I have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to learn that you had been to your parents house for a few days and now you have returned home. I am still more glad to learn that you are going to observe the third birthday of Miss Kamala Agarwal on Saturday next. On this occasion I should have presented her some ornaments but as I am a Sannyasi I can simply offer my blessing for her long life and good prosperity. She cannot now read otherwise at least I should have presented a set of my books. But you set aside one set of my books for her future reading when she will grow up a beautiful and educated girls with full god consciousness.
1967 Correspondence
As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there. May Krishna join us always in His transcendental service. I am very glad to learn that Eric has learnt Krishna Consciousness better than his parents. I thank him very much. This is the example of unsophisticated mind. The child is innocent and therefore he has taken the consciousness so quickly. And he appears to be previously practiced to such consciousness. Please help him more and it is the duty of good parents to help their children advanced in Krishna consciousness. I am glad to learn that devotees at New York are improving especially in the chanting on beads.
I am also glad to learn that you have a child within your womb, and please accept all my blessings for the newcomer for whom we shall be very glad to receive just after a few months. Please take care of your health so that the child may grow very healthy and become Krishna Conscious. Prahlada Maharaja was in the womb of his mother and heard the instruction of Narada Muni and later on he became the most famous devotee of Lord Krishna. It is the duty of all parents to make every child Krishna Conscious, so that the fortunate child born of Krishna Conscious parents may not have any more to take birth in this material world.
I am also very happy to learn that Himavati is going to have a baby. A child is a rare gift given by Krishna, but at the same time a great responsibility; every parent has the responsibility to see that his child grows up K.C. I know that you understand this, and will always make Krishna the center of your home.
Thank you for your recent letter. I am glad to know that you are comfortable in Boston, and that you are engaging your energy there in making nice Krishna prasadam. I am also very pleased to know that Himavati is definitely going to have a baby. It is a very wonderful thing, and surely Krishna will bless your home with His presence, as both you and your wife and His sincere servants; The best preparation for the coming of the child is just for the parents to remain perfectly Krishna Conscious, and of course, the best means for that is by chanting the holy Names and listening to Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
At that time the baby is allowed to be born but, unfortunately during the Kali yuga as soon as the child is come out of the womb he is in 90% of the cases he is not given any facility to further its KC. However in your case Krishna has shown this soul great mercy. The Bhagavat also says that no one should become the parent unless he can deliver the child from the clutches of death. So it is your duty to make this baby KC so that he may not have to take birth again. My advice for the present is that during your time of pregnancy you should eat very simple foods, hot or spicy foods are not to be taken and also sexual relations are forbidden. All blessings to Hamsaduta and yourself.
1968 Correspondence
P.S. You wanted to to to India. Now there is opportunity. Acyutananda is opening a centre at Kanpur the third important city in India. Rayarama and Brahmananda will shortly start for India. You can also go with them. Ask your parents to pay for the expenses.
Yes, to be determined that the child will have his last birth into ignorance is very good. It is true that one should become a parent only if he can deliver his ward from the clutches of death. And that is possible only with Krishna Consciousness. This is a very great service for Krishna, to give all opportunity for the child to be trained up in devotional service, and it is very good that you are thinking very seriously on this.
Regarding your manner of behavior with your parents who are not in Krishna Consciousness; I may inform you that you should treat four different classes of men in four different ways. A devotee should love God and God's devotees. A devotee should make friendship with devotees. A devotee should try to enlighten innocent persons, and a devotee should reject opposite elements. As father and Mother they should be offered proper respect according to social custom, but you cannot accept their non-Godly instructions. Best thing is, to avoid misunderstanding, to remain silent without any affirmation or negation of their instructions. We should try to keep our friendship with everyone in the world, but we cannot sacrifice the principles of Krishna Consciousness on being employed by some relative of this world. Don't let them know that you do not approve your parents instructions, but at the same time you should be very careful in dealing with them. If you object to their instruction and let them know it, then they will feel sorry, sad.
I am so glad to learn about Haridasi, the fortunate girl in Los Angeles. She has got nice parents, and has the opportunity of being in Krishna Consciousness from childhood. It is therefore needed that we may train some children in our Krishna Consciousness movement, and it will come out very successful. Yamuna devi is also training 2 nice boys in S.F., and they are getting very encouraging achievements. It is very good news that the girl Haridasi is dreaming about Krishna, and Krishna is playing with her; it is very much encouraging. It means she will come out a great and successful devotee of Krishna when she is grown up and young. May Krishna bless her, and her good parents, who are training her in that way. Please offer my thanks to Balarama and his good wife.
Yes, this is very nice sentiments. All parents should think like that. Maharaja Prahlada, Dhruva Maharaja, they are ideal child devotees and everyone's children should be trained in the ideal of such great personalities.
I am so glad that your parents are realizing the importance of Krishna Consciousness through their worthy son, Jayananda. A similar incident was there when Lord Caitanya was present, that one father became a devotee of Lord Caitanya through the exigency of the son. The son was prior a devotee than the father. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the father whether he was father, or the son was father, and the father replied that in his spiritual enlightenment, his son was his father. So you are acting like a good father to your parents. So Krishna Consciousness will spread nicely in this way. And Lord Caitanya will be very much pleased on your benevolent activities. I have seen your father and mother, and they are very good souls, especially I remember your mother. And I hope by the Grace of Lord Krishna they will take to this Krishna Consciousness very seriously.
I am so glad to learn that Miss Sarasvati devi is doing very well with her good parents. Please bring her up nicely in Krishna Consciousness and that is the duty of responsible parents.
The body of a devotee should not be neglected as material. This has been warned by the Gosvamis, that we should not neglect any material thing if it can be used for Krsna Consciousness. So her body, because it is engaged in Krsna's service, is valuable. 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.
The other day there was nice Janmastami festival, and many Indians participated in the ceremony and they had very good collection. The meeting was very successful. The next day also they held Nandotsav and Vyasa Puja ceremony. That was also very nice. Last night, on Sunday, there was marriage ceremony of Satyabhama and Paramananda. Their parents also came, and it was very nice ceremony.
Regarding the child problem: I may inform you that all our children born of the Krishna conscious parents, they are welcome and I want hundreds of children like that. Because in future we expect to change the face of the whole world, because child is the father of man. Anyway, I have seen Malati is nursing her child so nicely that she attended my meeting every day and the child was playing and she never cried. Similarly, Lilavati's child also never cries or disturbs the meeting. Lilavati was always present with her child, so it depends on the mother. How to keep the child comfortable, so that it will not cry. The child cries only when it feels uncomfortable.
Spiritual family planning is that one should be determined to train up children in Krishna Consciousness. According to Bhagavata, the spiritual family planning is that one should not become a father or one should not become a mother, unless he is able to maintain their children to the extent of liberation. It is the duty of the parents to see that the children are growing luxuriantly not only materially, but spiritually also. So spiritual training should be given from the very beginning. Kaumaram acaret prajna—In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Prahlada Maharaja has instructed that spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness should be taught to the children from the very beginning as they are given education from early childhood.
So far your marriage is concerned, I am very sorry that Ananda's parents are not willing in this marriage ceremony; now it is up to you for deciding whether you should get married or not. But I think you should, under the circumstances, the best thing will be that you get yourself married legally, according to the state laws and get a certificate and I think, Ananda, you should try to remain in Vancouver, and work. And by your labor you try to open a branch in Vancouver, and that will be very nice thing. And when I go to Vancouver, from Seattle, I shall offer my blessings in observing the rituals of our marriage system.
As for your going to London, I do not think it is required. Because as Ananda's parents have not approved of this marriage, it may be that Anapurna's father may also not like such combination. So in your country generally the boy and the girl picks their own consort, so if you have decided to get yourself married, then without any consent from your respective parents, you can get yourself married. But Anapurna's father is very much anxious to see Anapurna, so under the circumstances, if you want to go there, then I have no objection. And I am also going there very soon, because I have received letter from Malati, that they have already entered England, and they have got 6 month visa. So it may be that I shall be going there very soon, but the fact is that when you have decided to get yourself married, I think without the formalities of taking consent from your parents, you can get yourself married legally. And be established as husband and wife anywhere, wherever you like, it doesn't matter.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Sept. 10, 1968, and I have noted the contents carefully. I think your program is very nice, and Anapurna is here. We had a good talk yesterday, and it is understood that her parents are agreeable in this marriage proposal, and she wishes that the marriage may take place in London, when she goes there. It is understood also that her father is impressed with our society's work and her mother especially liked all the members of our society who have gone in London. So you work very diligently and secure some money. I am coming to Seattle by tomorrow evening and if you can see me at Seattle it will be very nice. You can also inform Mr. Renovich and Mr. Windisch that I am going to Seattle by tomorrow, and they can correspond with me for my visiting Vancouver and attending lectures, so that I can make my program there and come to Vancouver for a few days.
I am in due receipt of your letter of 10/18/68. I am very much perplexed to know that you are not feeling comfortable at the care of your parents. If your parents don't receive you as their beloved son, I don't wish to keep you in that blazing fire. I thank you very much for the strength of your mind and Krishna will certainly help you. You will be pleased to know that I have now immigration visa for your country and if I get the church-centre room in U.N. I am going to make my H.Q. in N. York. If your parents don't treat very well & want to make your life miserable, then you shall live with me. At least I shall not make your life miserable even though I am not as rich as your parents. If your father does not give you facilities for a car and good apartment. I don't advise you to live in that blazing fire. Hope this will meet you in good health. I am going tomorrow to Santa Fe and then to Los Angeles.
Yes, henceforward, as I have already told you, that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be ultimately seen by you, before being printed. That will keep consistency, I quite agree with you. My present plan is to stay in Los Angeles, perhaps at least for more than a month, which will cover Christmas holidays. And so, during that time, if you come here, it will be very nice. In January I may go to Hawaii, if Gaurasundara takes me there. As you have given up the idea of marriage, I think you can give up the idea of seeing your parents annually. You just prepare yourself for further advanced spiritual life. After all, our mundane relationships with father and mother, or wife and children, cannot protect us from the trap of maya. It is said by one Vaisnava poet that in every form of life, one gets a father and mother, because without father and mother, nobody is able to get a material body. So father and mother is possible in any form of body, but only in this human form of body one can get in touch with Krishna and a bona fide Spiritual Master. That is the highest gain of our travelling in different species of life in different planets.
Yes, it is good that your parents come to the temple, and you engage them however you can in Krishna's service. Hope you are well.
Regarding marriage with Nandakisora, the situation is simply that he is desirous of marrying and I had asked Purusottama to see if you are agreeable to this proposal. In your letter you have written that you are desiring to remain as brahmacarini for a few years longer and this idea is alright. In India the marriage between a boy and girl is arranged by the parents but in this country such arrangement is not possible so we never request our students to marry if they are not desiring to do this.
1969 Correspondence
Regarding utilizing intelligence in devotional service, intelligence should be confirmed by the Spiritual Master. Therefore we accept the Spiritual Master for guidance. You should not depend on your own intelligence. Just like a child requires a parent to tell him the correct thing to do, similarly, a strict disciple should always use his intelligence in conformity with the instructions of the Spiritual Master.
No, I do not think you should give Jagannatha to small children because they will not take proper care and make offenses. In this country their parents do not give them proper example of worshiping the Deity with all respects. Just like in my childhood, I was seeing my father bowing down and offering respects to the Deity and I did the same on seeing him. But this is not done here, so it is better to take some care in giving Jagannatha out.
I do not know why you had wanted permission from your father. In the material world everyone is interested in pound-shilling-pence. Your parents must be thinking that upon your being initiated you shall become a mendicant and the pound-shilling-pence you are sending will be stopped, and they will suffer materially. But you can assure them they will be better off materially after you are initiated. Anyway, now I do not know what to do with you. Shall I wait till you get sanction from your parents, or shall I initiate immediately? In my opinion, because you wanted permission of your parents, you should wait at least for such time when your parents will permit you. But if you are strongly desirous, then you can disregard your father's desire and make advancement in Krishna Consciousness. On hearing from you I will do the needful.
Try to follow the regulative principles and avoid the ten kinds of offenses. Next you shall be initiated by the offering of the sacred thread, so in the meantime you can convince your parents to give up their objections. But if you are personally determined, there is no question of any objections. No one can check another's spiritual advancement on the plea of any material relationship. There are many instances of someone accepting the spiritual line, despising all family relationships, and the best example is Lord Caitanya Himself. I do not know why your parents are so upset, so you should convince them there is no need for this. And why you should inform them of all the details of your activities? Of course as honest son you have done the right thing. But if they object and if you have to obey by their orders, I don't know how things can be adjusted. I am enclosing the letter I received from your parents, along with my reply to them, so you may do the needful.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your Hindi letter dated May 27, 1969, and I do not know why Gopala Krsna's father is so much upset. I have received one letter from Gopala Krsna dated May 29, 1969 in which he writes "I don't think my parents will have any objections now because I have assured them in telegrams and letter that I am not going to abandon them." I hope this will clear the whole thing. So far as I remember, I met you in San Francisco, if I am right. I hope you are doing well. Thanking you for your letter.
Wherever you remain you chant Hare Krishna regularly, and your example may be followed by others. The world needs this benefit, and when you return to India there are so many ways you can convince your parents that to take to Krishna Consciousness does not mean one has to give up his worldly affairs. I know in India there are many foolish persons who think that by reading Bhagavad-gita one is apt to renounce this world. This is completely foolishness. Arjuna was a family man, a soldier, and he was directly taught the principles of Bhagavad-gita, but he never renounced the world nor the battlefield. I do not know why there are certain crazy men who think like that, that if a man becomes devotee, he will have no more interest in worldly affairs. We are not Mayavadi; we do not state that the world is false. We say that if Krishna is truth, the world is also truth because the world is a manifestation of Krishna's energy. So if Krishna is true, how His energy can be false? The Mayavadis preach so-called monism, but they always distinguish brahma and maya. They say brahma is true, maya is false. We say maya is true, and because it is Krishna's energy, she must be employed in Krishna's service. That is our philosophy.
So far your parents are concerned, I have received another letter from a friend of your parents whose name is Bhartendu Vimal. I am enclosing this letter for you to read. Your father has induced him to ask me not to initiate you.
I am glad that your parents are interested in Bhagavad-gita and Lord Krishna, and when you return to India you make them understand Krishna philosophy very nicely. I am also pleased to learn that when you marry, you will marry a girl who is a worshipper of Lord Krishna and who agrees to follow the four basic principles strictly. I am so please to learn that you have appreciated our aratrik song, "kiba jaya jaya gorachander". You have voluntarily offered to do something when you return to India, and the best project will be to work there as representative of this Krishna Consciousness Movement. In my opinion, India is going down by giving up this original cultural life which is its own. The government is enamored by the glittering civilization of the West, and it was a definite policy of our late prime minister, Mr. Nehru, who wanted to see India overnight as rich and materially advanced as America.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated June 7, and June 16, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I have also received your presents, shoes and soap, and I thank you very much. I am also glad to learn that the anxiety of your parents is now removed. So go on with your prescribed duty of Krishna Consciousness and be happy. You are a very intelligent boy and faithful to your parents and to your duty. Certainly Krishna will be very much pleased upon you. The father and mother are also as good as the Spiritual Master, and we are indebted to father and mother in so many ways. So as they are dependent on your income, try to help them as far as possible, as well as spend something for Krishna also. Rupa Goswami spent 50% for Krishna, 25% for emergency, and 25% for relatives. You can also try to follow this principle as far as possible. Your main business is to keep in Krishna Consciousness, and if you keep that point in view, you can deal with others according to social conventions without being attached.
The basic idea of raising children as they are described in the Vedic literature is that from birth till the age of five years the parents may be very lenient with the child. From the ages six to ten they should tighten the discipline of their child, and from the ages of ten till the sixteenth year the parents should be as strict as a tiger with their child so that he will be afraid to be disobedient at all. 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.
Therefore there is inevitable conflict and divorce petition. But in a Krishna Conscious marriage the basic principle is for both husband and wife to serve Krishna nicely and to help the partner advance in spiritual life. In this way both the husband and wife are true benefactors for one another and there is no question of any serious conflicts or separation. So I am sure that to have such nice parents who are devotees of Lord Krishna, your child Nandini is very, very fortunate. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna instructs us that for one to be born in the family of devotees means that such person was the most pious of all living entities. So raise Nandini very carefully in Krishna Consciousness, and surely Krishna will bestow all blessings upon you and your family. Regarding your question about the ceremony of offering Srimad-Bhagavatam and some coins to your child, yes, this may be done. Several months ago this same ceremony was performed with Visnu Arti, the daughter of Krishna Devi and Dinesh Candra, and Visnu Arti chose the Bhagavatam.
I was very much anxious to hear from you and Mandali Bhadra since you left Vancouver, and I am very glad to learn that things are going nicely. By Krishna's Will you are all a good combination. So continue to execute Krishna Consciousness very seriously and sincerely and take care of your child, Moyuradwaja. I have a great hope for Moyuradwaja. He is very intelligent with signs of a great devotee. My special request to you is that you take care of this child very nicely, and he will be a great son to glorify his parents. I have noticed that he has all the instincts of devotional life, and it is up to the guardians to take care of him. I am pleased to note that you and Jaya Govinda are learning to speak German language. Please help all of the boys to become a little conversant with with this language. That will facilitate your business there. I think that for American boys it will not be difficult to learn to speak German quickly.
You are living in Gwalior, and I have heard that Gwalior is a good place where marble statues are manufactured. Can you give me any information if Radha-Krishna Murtis can be had from Gwalior. If so, can you supply us such Murtis from Gwalior or else brass Murtis from Mathura. That will be a great help for me. I think Mathura is your birth place and your parents are there. So if you can manage to supply me brass Murtis of different sizes, then it will be a great help to me for propaganda work. We may require many other things, either from Gwalior or Mathura, and I shall be glad to hear from you about this. I think Gwalior is manufacturing musical instruments also.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 5th, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I have also read the poems that you have sent to me, and they are nice. I am pleased to learn that your parents are willing to make a weekly contribution to Krishna Consciousness, and your mother can make bead bags and shirts for the devotees. This is very nice engagement for your parents, and you should encourage them to come to kirtana when they are able to and to read our literature. So far as your propagating Krishna Consciousness while you are in school, you simply speak to the students and teachers there, distribute Back To Godhead and our books as far as possible, and try to arrange for kirtana performances there where many students can hear the sound of Hare Krishna. This is the prescribed formula for propagating Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your question about Yasoda and Devaki, this is all explained in detail in our Krishna book. Devaki is the actual mother of Lord Krishna, but because Devaki's brother, King Kamsa, wanted to kill Krishna because of the omen that he had heard that Krishna would one day kill him, Vasudeva, Krishna's actual father, brought Baby Krishna to Vrindaban to the care of Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja, who acted as Krishna's foster parents.
I am so glad to learn that Candramukhi is getting Krishna Consciousness from the very beginning of her life. This is the advantage of her previous life's advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please take care of your children and make them perfectly Krishna Conscious. That is very great service. If by your endeavor one or two souls who come under your protection become liberated in this life, that is a great transcendental service to the Lord. So I am sure your children under the care of both you and Dayananda surely have salvation in this life, along with their parents, and they will not have to come back in this miserable condition of material life. That is the injunction of Srimad-Bhagavatam to the Krishna Consciousness parents. Please offer my blessings to Karatieya and Silavati for their good service and also please hand over the enclosed note to Srimati Rekha. I hope this will meet you in good health.
Regarding Nityananda Prabhu breaking the sannyasi rod of Lord Caitanya, the explanation is that this was to show that Lord Caitanya was Krishna, so He had no necessity of taking sannyasa. In the higher sense the Vaisnavas are meant for being members of the family of Krishna to serve as friend, to serve as parent or to serve as lover. So for such elevated devotees sannyasa is superfluous. But still, Lord Caitanya took sannyasa just to prove it factually that so far as the material conditions are concerned, they must be given up. Without knowing this fact some so-called Vaisnavas have turned to be sahajiya. This means one who takes everything as very easy. All the acaryas, beginning from Lord Buddha, Sankaracarya, Ramanuja, etc., all of them renounced this world. So renunciation is required, but when one makes further progress after renunciation towards spiritual life and enters into the Pastimes of Krishna, then things become perfect. The summary is that sannyasa is renunciation, which is imperative for all. Nityananda's breaking the sannyasi rod of Caitanya Mahaprabhu was with the purpose to show that Lord Caitanya is transcendental to all material conditions (CC Madhya 1.97).
So it is very nice program. Just get yourself married, and as you propose to go to Argentina with Citsukhananda to open a branch there, I have all approval. So you accept some girl who will marry you, either Sacidevi or anyone else. In our Indian way there is no question of acceptance or rejection. The parents arrange for marriage and whatever boy or girl they select for their son or daughter, that is accepted. Even there is some disagreement at times, that is not taken very seriously. In this way, in mature life they become happy. I want to introduce this system in the Western countries, amongst my disciples at least. Their primary business should be Krishna Consciousness. Other relationships are mundane and therefore not very important. So please try to open a branch in Argentina, and it is not very difficult. Recently Vamanadeva who was in Columbus, now has married and has ventured on my advice to open a center in St. Louis. I have received his report several days ago, and it is very encouraging.
I am very glad to learn that Haribasara has got a child. Here also the boys and girls with children are dancing. So there is not distinction between the child and the child's parents in the matter of Krishna Consciousness. All of them are equally participating and deriving transcendental benefit. I am leaving for Boston USA tomorrow at 2:30 pm, so you may address future correspondence there. Hope you are well.
1970 Correspondence
I am also very pleased to know that you are living happily with your good wife, and you are expecting a child in July. So now you must take especial care to raise the new child in such a nice way that he will become a pure devotee in Krsna Consciousness; that is the responsibility of the parents, to see that their child is freed from the clutches of Maya.
I have already written a letter to George and it is sent through you. In that letter I have suggested the importance of Krsna Consciousness movement, so if George elaborates this idea in his foreword that will be very nice. The suggestions I may repeat again, that every living entity has a dormant propensity of love for somebody else. That is exhibited not only in human society, but also in the animal society. That love is exhibited primarily in five kinds of relationship—especially as master and servant, as friend and friend, as parents and children, and as lover and beloved. This stock of love in every living entity is dormant eternal love for Krsna, but because the living entity has forgotten Krsna since a very, very long time, even before this creation was manifested, therefore all of us are misplacing that dormant love in a perverted way. Therefore there is always frustration. Even so-called "sincere" love between lover and the beloved or husband and wife or even parents and children are so many instances of frustration. Therefore the only remedy for this repeated frustration of our life after life is revival of original Krsna Consciousness.
Another important thing is our theistic school in New Vrindaban. If you can establish a nice educational center, I know many parents of your country will be glad to send their children in New Vrindaban. But we have to create a nice atmosphere and educational system there. Satyabhama is very much enthusiastic in this connection. So you organize this institution systematically.
At the present moment, the human society has been educated to love his country or family or one's personal self, but they have no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. Because the basic principle of love is that both the lover and the beloved or object of love and the lover must be happy by loving activities of the living being. In the primary stage a child loves his parents, then his brothers and sisters, and thus, as he grows up daily, he begins to love his family, society, community, country, nation, or up to the point of loving the whole human society. But the loving propensity is so expansive that even by loving the whole human society the loving propensity is not fulfilled on account of its imperfectness. This loving propensity can be fully satisfied when it is reposed in Krishna, and that is the sum and substance of this Krishna Consciousness movement.
Regarding the organization of our theistic school at New Vrindaban, I am happy to know that you are now proceeding with regular classes. So it is better late than never, and now it will develop nicely. You are an educated and understanding devotee of Lord Krishna. Now Krishna will see your sincere cooperative efforts and He will provide all necessary facilities for continued growth of our educational center. I know the atmosphere in New Vrindaban is very, very nice, and the children will surely benefit greatly in their advancement of spiritual life. So please do it carefully, and I am certain that when we are fixed up there, many parents will like to send their children for education in our New Vrindaban school.
I take it for granted that you are one of the selected devotees of Lord Caitanya, and therefore from within your heart He has inspired you to go to such a distant place, leaving your parents and home, just to satisfy Krsna. This is a great transcendental adventure. Try your best, and I am sure you will be successful. Formerly your forefathers, many European and American gentlemen, were courageous to go outside their country for colonization, and Australia is vivid example of such adventures. Now, by the grace of Krsna, yourself and Upendra, the descendants of your adventurous forefathers, have gone there with a great mission, and try to execute it to your best capacity.
So, whether you have decided to marry in this country or in India? I think you can marry some girl in the Western country who is in Krishna Consciousness, but if you want to marry in the presence of your parents in India, that is a different thing. In our Society there are many nice girls, so if you decide to marry here, then I can ask somebody to correspond with you. What is you age at present?
You have mentioned about your dilemma between Krsna and your parents, and in this connection I may inform you that parents are available in any kind of birth. Either you take your birth as a human being or as an animal, there is a set of parents. But Krsna is available in the human form of body, so Krsna is more important than the parents. So do not miss the opportunity of your present human form of body. Try to understand Krsna, and make you life successful.
Regarding your proposed marriage, Yes, I think the girl whom you have spoken about is suitable match for you. So with permission of her parents you can marry her.
I have been informed by Devananda that your wife has borne you one nice son. So this is very good news. You may give him the name Nirmala Candra. Nirmala means without any flaws or without contamination and Candra means moon. So the name Nirmala Candra refers specifically to Lord Caitanya who is known as the Spotless Moon of Gauda. Now you husband and wife must work together combinedly with great responsibility for raising your new child in ideal Krsna consciousness. Children learn by imitation of their parents, so if you both set Krsna conscious example the child will very naturally and easily become advanced in Krsna consciousness by following. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and your son.
| Page Title: | Parents (Letters 1965 - 1970) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 10 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=53 |
| No. of Quotes: | 53 |