Just after sending you my letter sometimes in the month of May, 1967, I also fell seriously ill by heart stroke, and my disciples here admitted me into the hospital. I tried to recoup my health here but I could not do it properly, so I went back to India for some time, and I again have come back here last December. First I was in San Francisco, now I have come to Los Angeles, and from here I shall again go to San Francisco, from where I shall go to New York, then to Boston, maybe to Buffalo, and then I shall reach Montreal by the month of June. If you come there by that time, it will be a great pleasure to meet you. Our Montreal Temple is situated at the following address: 3720 Park Avenue, Montreal 18, Quebec, Canada. The boy in charge of the Temple is Janardana das Adhikari, and he can be reached at the number 849-4334 (his home telephone). He is a very learned scholar and is highly advanced in Krishna Consciousness. I have good hope and faith in him, and when you meet him you will be very much pleased to talk with him. He is M.A., and preparing for his Ph.D., and is a good scholar in the French language also.
PhD (Letters)
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
I am so glad to learn that your examination in M.A. is successful, and I hope very soon you will have your Ph.D. degrees, both titles engaged in the service of the Lord. There are four things desirable in this material world, namely, good parentage, sumptuous wealth, sufficient education, and good beauty. These things are sometimes impediments in the service of the Lord because such persons with great parentage, wealth, etc., becomes materially puffed up, and thus deviates from Krishna Consciousness, but when they are employed in the service of the Lord, their value becomes many more times greater. Just like zero has no value, but when zero is placed on right side of one, the value of zero enhances to 10 times; similarly, our life, wealth, intelligence, and words become 100 times 100 greater and greater if they are employed in the service of the Lord. I shall always pray to Krishna that you may come out a successful and eminent scholar so that your writings and thoughts may be seriously taken by the mundane wranglers.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Nov. 12, 1968, and I am very much pleased to note the contents. The handbill of Dr. Frog, Ph.D. is very funny, and we should try to fight with these frog philosophers overcrowding all over the world. Your success in kirtana performances in the University campus is also very encouraging.
I you want, I can send you the theistic vedanta interpretation which you can edit and translate into the French language for publication in Back To Godhead. There are four chapters of Vedanta Sutra and the first one called Janmadyasya. I have explained in my Srimad-Bhagavatam at the very beginning. You can see it and if you think it is nice then I'll try to explain the other sutras in the same way. I am enclosing herewith the sanskrit transliterations and meanings as requested by you.
Please try for your Ph.D. very seriously and I am sure that Krishna will certainly help you in this matter. I hope that this finds you in good health.
1969 Correspondence
In 1967, when I went to India, five American disciples were with me. One of them, Kirtanananda (Keith Ham, B.A.), was given sannyasa by me at Vrindaban. He was sent back to the USA to organize my New Vrindaban scheme in West Virginia, and he is working there along with another of my disciples, Professor Howard Wheeler M.A., in cooperation with Dr. George Henderson M.A., Ph.D., and others. The remaining four disciples were entrusted to live at the Institute of Swami Bon Maharaja, but on account of his canvassing them for becoming his disciples they left him, although one of them, Hrsikesa, is still living c/o Bon Maharaja as his re-initiated disciple (?) Two other of my disciples are still at Vrindaban in my place at Radha Damodara Temple, and Bon Maharaja is still after them to deviate their faith upon me.
1970 Correspondence
I am very glad to learn that you want to publicize our activities for the young men in India, but I find that here the young men are very much inquisitive. I do not know why in India the young men are not so much inquisitive—maybe they are very much embarrassed to solve economic problems. Recently one Indian boy, he is a PhD at St. Louis University, has joined our St. Louis center, and the copies of his inquiries and answers by me are sent herewith for your perusal. So far European and American young boys and girls are concerned, they also send me many inquiries by letter and I answer them in the same way, generally giving reference from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. These students are very nicely combating elements opposing Bhakti school. There are hundreds of letters from them; and if you are serious to make some agitation among Indian young men, then on hearing from you, I can some of the letters for publication.
I think Janardana is very busy in preparation for his Ph.D. because I have also not heard from him for a long time. So let him continue his studies. There is no need of disturbing him at present. Better both you and Suridas take up this translation work seriously. I think there are some devotees in Montreal who can also translate into French language. Anyway, arrange for this work immediately, without waiting anymore.
1972 Correspondence
I am very glad to hear that Louise Bourassa has joined us. Thank her for understanding our philosophy. She is PhD., so she may translate all of my books into French language in cooperation with Yogesvara at ISKCON Press in New York, who is in charge of the foreign languages printing of my books. She may also write article for BTG why she came to KC and comparing our philosophy to others.
1973 Correspondence
It is very nice Mr. Diamond has given $3,000.00 for the Book Trust, that is practical help. I can understand from the play he is talented man. Now you have to impress upon hm, that when talent is used to glorify the Supreme Lord, that is perfection of talent. Just like one of our students, he is scientist, Ph.d, and he can present God by scientific statement. He has written one small book presenting God consciousness based on scientific statement very nicely so we are publishing it.
1974 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I have just received one letter from Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor of Vrindaban and would like to know if you have sent that letter to him regarding the book publishing. You can add to that letter that Dr. Svarupa Damodara M.S. PhD. U.S.A. has written recently one book Scientific Basis of Krsna Consciousness and there was no contract or agreement. He has given us the book, and we have printed 30,000 copies. We shall not publish on the basis of royalty.
1975 Correspondence
I am very pleased to know that you have taken such a great interest in our Hare Krishna Movement. You are an educated man and you can use your education very nicely in the service of Krishna. I like the idea of yours to continue on for PHD presenting our books and philosophy in your thesis. This will be a great service for you to perform and I shall be very grateful to you if you can do it. Please therefore go ahead with obtaining PHD and become a learned scholar in the science of loving Krishna.* This will be a wonderful credit for you and you will surely get recognition from Krishna for such an attempt.
Immediately, what I want is in the Kuruksetra university a class should be opened for studying Krishna Consciousness and there are already about 50 books in English and Sanskrit, so if the university offers degree, B.A., M.A., and P.H.D. in different grades of understanding, I can arrange for many foreign students to come there. My first business is to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world. Actually, this movement is not to be limited in India only—that is the mission Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. As desired by you, I can immediately take up the task of opening a center there and to open a varna-asrama college there affiliated by the university. In this college we shall train up pure brahmanas, (qualified brahmanas), Ksatriyas and Vaisyas.
Regarding the library building, I am only interested in Caitanya philosophy. As it is stated in the Caitanya Caritamrta, "sri krsna caitanya daya karaha vicara/ vicara karile citte pabe camatkare." If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful. (Cc. Ādi lila 8.15) But, in the library other books may be kept for comparative study by the scholars. I have no objection, but our main purpose will be to accelerate the grandeur of Caitanya philosophy. On this basis I have full cooperation. Besides that I have got about a half a dozen students who are Ph.Ds in different subjects, but they are all expert in Caitanya philosophy. If you so desire, their service can be utilized in this connection. If we fully cooperate on this Institution plan, I can attract students from all over the world such as America, Europe, Canada, Australia and the Middle East. In all these places we have got our centers and there are many students.
By Krishna's grace our books are being appreciated by universities, libraries, and respectable professors, and some are being used as textbooks in the universities. I am enclosing herewith a copy of our book catalog which contains some of the comments of the professors. I hope you will enjoy it. Also I am enclosing a copy of one book, Scientific Basis of Krishna Consciousness, written by one of my Ph.D. students. You are also a scientist, and I hope you will enjoy it.
Your letter was pleasing to me. I am glad that you have keen interest in the Institute program. Be ready, as I am negotiating. As soon as it is complete, I shall send a telegram for you to come. In the meantime request all GBC's to send lists of all our disciples who have B.A., M.A. or Ph.D. degrees.
Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following as twice-born initiated brahmanas and their sanctified threads and mantra sheets are enclosed: Ballabadra Bhattacarya das Brahmacari and Mahejya das Brahmacari. I also accept as my initiated disciples the following and their spiritual names are: Dr. Richard Thompson, Ph.D.—Sadaputa das; Mike Dunn—Vedaguhya das; Chuck and Diana Sanders—Munjakesa das and Madamohini dasi; and Cindy Barber—Janmasunya dasi. Please see that they are chanting 16 rounds without fail. You should hold a fire sacrifice and let the second initiates hear the mantra from my recorded tape through their right ear. I hope this meets you in good health.
1976 Correspondence
I have also suggested for the GBC's consideration, that we introduce a system of examinations for the devotees to take. Sometimes there is criticism that our men are not sufficiently learned, especially the brahmanas. Of course second initiation does not depend upon passing an examination. How one has moulded his life—chanting, attending arati, etc., these are essential. Still, brahmana means pandita. Therefore I am suggesting examinations. Bhakti-sastri—(for all brahmanas) based on Bhagavad-gita, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, and all the small paper backs. Bhakti-vaibhava—the above plus first six cantos of S.B. Bhaktivedanta—the above plus cantos 7-12 S.B. Bhakti-sarvabhauma—the above plus Caitanya-caritamrta.
These titles can correspond to entrance, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. So just consider how to organize this Institute. At Mayapur we shall finalize everything.
Regarding Philadelphia's move, yes, that is all right. And yes, we require many Ph.D.'s for our Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Study.
The program in Amherst is nice, continue it and develop it more and more.
As far as New York is concerned, that is nice. Let Madhudvisa be in charge.
You mention that the scientists try "to simplify the problem at hand by neglecting any complex factors that may be present." What is that simplification? That there is no God. Their position is "sour grapes." They try by their speculation to understand things, and being unable they say there is no God. So we can use this science to defeat them, just as I have many other disciples, such as Svarupa Damodara. He is Ph.D. in Chemistry and now he is using his scientific background to defeat their atheistic arguments. There is a Bengali proverb: tor shil tor noda, tor bhangi dater goda. I take your mortar and pestle and I break your teeth. This means that we use the scientists own weapons and with them we defeat their atheistic philosophy.
Now our Ph.D's must collaborate and study the 5th Canto to make a model for building the Vedic Planetarium. My final decision is that the universe is just like a tree, with root upwards. Just as a tree has branches and leaves so the universe is also composed of planets which are fixed up in the tree like the leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. of the tree. The pivot is the pole star, and the whole tree is rotating on this pivot. Mount Sumeru is the center, trunk, and is like a steep hill, like the alps mountains which also have very high peaks. I have seen in Switzerland one mountain peak which was so high that is penetrated through the clouds. The tree is turning and therefore, all the branches and leaves turn with the tree. The planets have their fixed orbits, but still they are turning with the turning of the great tree. There are pathways leading from one planet to another made of gold, copper, etc., and these are like the branches. Distances are also described in the 5th Canto just how far one planet is from another.
So now you all Ph.D.'s must carefully study the details of the 5th Canto and make a working model of the universe. If we can explain the passing seasons, eclipses, phases of the moon, passing of day and night, etc. then it will be very powerful propaganda.
I am sending this letter to you, and you can make photocopies of it and send to our other Ph.D.'s and begin serious research into the matter in detail. But one thing, I am convinced that the universe is just like a great tree as described therein.
Concerning making a comparative study and critique of philosophy, unless one is very expert it is difficult for him. First of all, let people understand Krishna. We are doing that. Maybe one or two are interested in philosophy and for so few persons we can't spare so much valuable time. Better to induce everyone to chant Hare Krishna and take prasadam. That will be a mass benevolent activity. In the western countries many Ph.D.'s are out of employment because they did not get any service. We do not want to become great philosophers but rather to understand the philosophy in our own books. If we remain strong in our own literature, we can meet anyone else without any fear.
Regarding this research tax exemption, we have got so many Phd's also, and are starting the Bhaktivedanta Institute for making research work for the improvement of the economic condition of the world. We are introducing many farms and they are very successful. We want to introduce this in India also.
have no objection to your proposal and I can finance this proposal also. But I am afraid there will be hardly any students—that is the difficulty. I have seen in foreign countries that practically no students join high philosophical and scientific classes. People nowadays are only interested in money-earning philosophy. Nobody goes to the philosophical classes in universities. A similar institute was imagined by my Godbrother Bon Maharaja in Vrindaban, but it has not become very successful. There are many difficulties in the line, but I like the idea; therefore if some practical solution can be made we can discuss personally, but I appreciate your idea. The only difficulty I'm feeling is whether we can get sufficient students. Some of my disciples who are Ph.D.'s in science, they are also attempting our institution in Boston U.S.A., but I'm still doubtful how far they'll be successful on account of scarcity of students. It is said in the Kali-yuga everyman is on the standard of sudra, and the curriculum suggested by you is meant for the brahmana—that is the difficulty.
1977 Correspondence
Our students should be taught English and Sanskrit so in the future they can read our books. That will make them MA, PHD. That much I want. Other things are external. And their behavior and character must also be most upstanding. Now you are all senior intelligent men so yourself, Yasodanandana Maharaja and Aksayananda Maharaja cooperatively do everything.
Unless the books are written by a PhD we do not want it. We are not going to be able to print the books you have suggested. There is no need for such books. Instead of writing simply read my books. That will be better for you. Whatever free time you have engage in reading my books. Otherwise, an idle mind is a devil's workshop.
| Page Title: | PhD (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Madhavi |
| Created: | 06 of May, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=26 |
| No. of Quotes: | 26 |