I am very glad to read in your letter a nice line, "My main concern is seeing Him constantly in my daily life, that is, to constantly remember Him and not to forget Him." This is actually Krishna Consciousness. We can remember Krishna in every moment. We can remember Krishna while taking a glass of water because the taste of water is Krishna. We can remember Krishna as soon as we see the sunlight in the morning, because the sunlight is a reflection of Krishna's Bodily Effulgence. Similarly, as soon as we see moonlight in the evening we remember Krishna because moonlight is also reflection of sunlight. Similarly, when we hear any sound we can remember Krishna because sound is Krishna, and the most perfect sound, transcendental, is Hare Krishna, which we have to chant 24 hours. So there is no scope of forgetting Krishna at any moment of our life provided we practice in that way. The society for Krishna Consciousness is meant for preaching this philosophy throughout the world and I was very happy to receive your cooperation and I am still hopeful that the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita as Science of God can be preached by you and all your God-brothers.
Science of God (Letters)
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Anyone who can understand how God is great, automatically he can understand that God is great. You can mention some parallels from Christian literature while explaining Bhagavad-gita, but you cannot find in any other scripture in the world the full information as given in the Bhagavad-gita. We should not forget that we are preaching science of God from Bhagavad-gita, which contains all spiritual instructions contained in other scriptures. But if the public is unruly, simply to chant and not speak anything philosophy is the best. At that time there is no use wasting time talking with them on philosophy. Better for both you and the audience to chant and hear Hare Krishna.
My mission is in the line of Lord Caitanya, Who is Personified Love of Godhead, and Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India, and preached God consciousness all over the country. His mission is to revive God consciousness all over the world, on the basis of Srimad-Bhagavatam (Science of God). The principle of Srimad-Bhagavatam is that any religious faith which helps a man to develop Love of God, without any motive, and without being hampered by any material condition, is transcendental religion. And the best process or the easiest process, in this age especially, is to chant the Holy name of God. From this definition of religion as we find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the criterion test of religion is how it helps people to develop his dormant Love of God, which is not artificially invoked, but it is aroused from within by bona fide association of devotees and hearing about God.
It is the duty of everyone, it doesn't matter in what status of life he is situated, but if he wants to have a successful life, then he must learn to see how by his activities the Supreme Lord is satisfied. That should be the aim. Then it does not matter what is the position and occupation of the man, but he is in the right order of civilization because his very aim is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Next point, And in order to learn this art, how he is able to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one has to take instruction or education in the art of Krishna Consciousness, by reading Bhagavad-gita as it is, by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, which are calculated the science of God, and following the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, such practice should be performed 24 hours. It is not that one may meditate for 15 minutes, and he becomes spiritually advanced, it is not possible. So the Krishna Consciousness movement is training people how to be absorbed in the thought of Krishna, 24 hours.
1969 Correspondence
My mission is in the line of Lord Caitanya, Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India, and Who preached God consciousness all over the country. His mission is to revive God consciousness throughout the world, on the basis of Srimad-Bhagavatam (Science of God). The basic principle of Srimad-Bhagavatam is that any religious faith which helps a man to develop Love of God, without any other motive, is transcendental religion. And the easiest process for this age is to chant the Holy Names of God. From this definition of religion as we find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the criterion test of religion is how it helps people to develop their dormant Love of God. This love is not artificially invoked, but it is aroused by association with devotees of the Lord and by hearing from the authorized scriptures.
Regarding advertisements in Back To Godhead, I am not at all in favor of it. I was obliged to suggest you take advertisements because the magazine was not coming regularly due to lack of funds, but practically I see the magazine is not improving by accepting these advertisements. So in the future, say after the next issue, we shall stop taking advertisements because it is not satisfactory. If we print, however, 20,000 copies, we can accept one page of advertisements, fixing up our rate at not less than $100 per page. And this advertisement also must be to our scrutinization. We cannot accept advertisement from anyone and everyone, rather it will be our motto to avoid advertisements. So far as I know, in India, the Kalyana Kalpataru paper edited by Hanuman Prasad Poddar, does not accept any advertisements. Nor do they review any nonsense book published by others, and they have got respectable position. Similarly we have to create a respectable position for our Back To Godhead. Actually, it is the only single paper of its nature, describing the science of God in full detail, published in the western world. Our Vaisnava religion is so vast that we can supply millions of pictures and hundreds and thousands of literary contributions in this paper. In Christian religion they have got pictures like the Crucifixion and a few similar others. In the Buddhist religion they have got the picture of the Lord Buddha. In Mohammedan religion they have got picture of Mecca Medina, and I do not know what is the picture in the Jewish religion. But so far as our Krishna Consciousness is concerned, we can supply millions of pictures of Krishna, Visnu, and Their multi-incarnations, as well as Their transcendental Pastimes. So we have to create a unique position for this paper, at least in the western world. Anyway, that will depend upon our future capacity, but for the time present we can immediately take quotation from Dai Nippon what they will charge us for 20,000 copies every month. Now I have given my definite opinion about printing my books at Dai Nippon and printing Back To Godhead, so you can do the needful.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to enclose herewith one letter I have received from your father which will speak for itself. From this letter it appears that you are a good scholar and there is very good background in your educational career. So if you wish to make progress further in your educational career, that will be a nice asset for our Krishna Consciousness Movement. You have a taste for psychology and divinity studies, and this is very nice. Of course, our Krishna Consciousness Movement is on the line of divinity, and we have got so many books about the science of divinity. Unfortunately these books are not yet on the university curriculum, but if you take your post-graduate studies in divinity by comparative study, then in the future we shall be able to present the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in comparison to other theological presentations. Actually, we are teaching the science of God; we are teaching how to develop our dormant propensity to love God. Being parts and parcels of the Supreme, we have got an eternal affinity to love God. Unfortunately, by our contact with matter we have practically forgotten that we are eternally related with God. In our Krishna Consciousness philosophy there is no question of sectarian views. Krishna Consciousness is the post-graduate study of all religious conceptions of the world. I like the idea that you should make a thorough study of all theological schools, and in the future if you can explain our Krishna Consciousness Movement as the post-graduate presentation of all theological theses, then it will be a great accomplishment. You are a grown-up boy and intelligent also, so you make your position clear and do the needful.
Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated August 30th, 1969 with enclosure of your money order check for one hundred dollars Canadian. Another check for fifty-five dollars for my book fund was not enclosed. I think you are sending it by separate mail. If you have not sent it as yet, you can deposit it in The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce at Sherbrooke and Aylmer Branch. I have got a savings account there under A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. You can find out the number from the teller, deposit there, and send me the receipt. I am so glad to read the portion of your letter where you say "I would have continued to live in ignorance and darkness, thinking I would have known how to approach God." At the present moment, the modern education has taught everyone either not to think of God or everyone can think of God in his own way. The result is people have become Godless atheists. So to approach a bona fide Spiritual Master and to understand the science of God from him is the Vedic way of understanding. Even Lord Krishna, Lord Caitanya, and what to speak of other acaryas, all of them accepted a Spiritual Master, even if some of them were incarnations of God. The Vedic way of receiving knowledge is called avaroha, against aroha. Aroha means to try to understand God by one's own effort, and avaroha means to understand God by disciplic succession. Therefore we find in Vedic instruction that one must approach a bona fide Spiritual Master to learn that transcendental subject.
1970 Correspondence
We have been recognized by the draft board as a religious society and if our student seriously understands the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita or Science of God, follows the regulative principles strictly with clear heart without any doubt, then naturally he is promoted to the ministerial status. So our Society is authorized to award the ministerial status but the students must be equally serious in understanding the philosophy.
Regarding the Hindu centers in the foreign countries, none of them are bona fide. There is a similar hodge podge center in London. Actually Hindus and non-Hindus everyone is at the present moment out of touch of the real science of spiritual knowledge. Everyone is going under some religious badge only, so it is very difficult to deal with them unless they are very much serious to understand the science of God. Everyone of the Hindu community in the Western world has got some very good feeling for me because superficially they are seeing that I am spreading Hindu religion, but factually this Krishna Consciousness movement is neither Hindu religion nor any other religion. It is the function of the soul. So even though the Indian Hindus are very much inclined in my favor, so far I have experience it is very difficult to turn them into pure devotees. The difficulty has become more acute on account of Ramakrishna Mission's preaching that any opinion about religion is alright. But our philosophy is different, we do not accept any opinion which is not advised by Krishna. So unless one is very fortunate, never mind whether he is Hindu or non-Hindu, one cannot take to the Krishna Consciousness movement and accept its bona fide principles.
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, verses 17 through 21, it is said
Anyone who gives aural reception to the transcendental message about You, which are always auspicious, by hearing and chanting, for him You become special well-wisher, and thus remaining within his heart You clear up all inauspicious understanding. When such inauspicious understandings are almost clear, at that time one realizes the importance of devotional service. In that stage of understanding, the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion becomes almost nil, and the resultant action of passion and ignorance cannot anymore attack the heart, and thus he becomes joyful being situated on the platform of goodness. When he thus becomes jubilant on account of awakening the modes of goodness by dint of devotional service, at that time he becomes liberated from material contamination and is able to understand the science of God. In this stage of liberation all misgivings in the heart, or bondage of material network, becomes cut into pieces, and he is elevated from all sorts of doubts in the science of God. At this stage the result of past activities becomes vanquished because of his realization of the Supreme Lord.
So although the Russians may be very much advanced by throwing sputniks into the outer space, they are missing the real point—Krsna Consciousness, the science of God. Although there are so many departments of knowledge, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, etc., the science of God is still to be introduced. When the scientist philosopher medical man will get the opportunity to study systematically what is God, what are His energies, what is my relationship, how to approach Him, then only there will be paradise. But paradise in the present condition of life in ignorance of God is parasite in temporary paradise.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated 30th Sept, 1970 and I am glad to see how nicely you are reading my books. Please continue to do this. We need so many preachers who are soundly versed in the scriptures to convince the world to take to Krishna Consciousness. I am glad that you and the others are each writing one hour daily essays. That is parampara. All of our previous acaryas on our line have written substantially on the science of God-consciousness, so I would also like all my students to do this and I am very encouraged by this nice program you have initiated.
So far as Canadian expansion is concerned, your suggestion to open centers in Ottawa, Hamilton, Quebec and Winipeg is very nice, so do it practically and Krishna will be pleased by your sincere efforts. Performing Kirtana and conducting classes at universities along with distribution in the libraries and the colleges of our literature is a very important program, so do it enthusiastically. There are innumerable departments of knowledge being presented in the universities, but there is no department of knowledge for understanding the science of God, Krishna and therefore we want to introduce such a department of knowledge.
These engagements at schools and colleges is a most important task. If schools become interested with our philosophy and we can introduce these books, then it is our success. A little effort in this direction is sure to be successful because these are completely new thoughts for the Western world, this science of God. And because the West is scientific minded, they will take it up. We should try for this vigorously. Once they take up Krishna Consciousness in the colleges, it will be the greatest success. We've got books and we've got the Dr. Staal correspondence. Let the school authorities inquire about it. These are the propoganda items. This task should especially be entrusted to Hayagriva Prabhu because he is in one university. Not just Hayagriva, but all of you who are college graduates. You know better than me how to introduce these books into the schools. Also recently I have received one report from Jagadisa and he is distributing our books nicely.
1972 Correspondence
Godless civilization, everyone is greatly suffering due to lack of the real knowledge of Krishna consciousness, and our task is very great and very important. We must deliver this pure science of God to everyone and give them the chance to make their lives successful. So you continue this book distribution program very nicely, and at the same time take advantage of these books yourselves. Not that you just distribute but neglect reading them yourself. Always read them, especially Krsna book. Every time you have a spare moment, you should read. This will help you to advance in Krishna consciousness, and will give you the ability to convince others also.
I beg to thank you for your letter dated Oct. 4. 1972. If you are actually very much eager to search out God, you should know that logic and argument cannot help you because the opposing elements may be better logicians and may convert your decision by better logical arguments. So far books are concerned, they are differently described for different types of men and a philosopher. So we cannot decide either from the books or by philosophical speculation or by argument and logic. So the best thing is that you find out yourself who you think is the right person in the matter of science of God.
1973 Correspondence
Human life begins when there is systematic education in the science of God consciousness. Just some days ago I was discussing with Professor Alister Hardy—Head of Religious Experimental research unit Oxford, it was his opinion that the problems of human life are over-population, environmental pollution etc.. But from Bhagavad-gita we understand that God is the father of all living beings, so the father must be competent to provide for all the children, and in the case of the Supreme Father this is actually so—we get it from Vedic Literature "nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)—Amongst all the Eternals there is one chief Eternal Being and he is engaged in supplying and fulfilling the desires of all the others." Therefore our conclusion was that the real problem is not over-population or pollution, malnutrition etc., but the actual problem is Godlessness. So you are all intelligent boys and girls—therefore my request to you is that you study this science of Krishna Consciousness and solve all the problems of the world by systematic propaganda as far as you are able to do it.
1974 Correspondence
Nowadays there are so many so-called spiritual masters, it becomes bewildering to us as to who can actually give spiritual knowledge. Therefore I have written volumes of books, authorized Vedic literature, of which you can take advantage in association with the devotees who are practicing this knowledge. Thus you will be able to learn the science of God.
1975 Correspondence
You say, "I am not sure I want to learn more," but a human being should desire to know the science of God consciousness, which is the most important part of human life. Krishna consciousness is not sectarian. One should not think that because he is a Jew or a Christian he should not read the Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita As It Is is pure knowledge. It tells us of our relationship as eternal spirit soul with the supersoul Lord Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
1976 Correspondence
Even taking into consideration the economic point of view that India has already got overpopulation, that is not a very sound ground. Even it is accepted, these foreign devotees are ready not to take a grain of India's production. They can bring their own food sufficiently for taking prasada themselves, as well as for distribution to others. There is no question of economic problem. Why these cultural and religious facilities should not be given to the foreigners who have accepted them as their life and soul. Our students from India go to foreign countries for learning higher technology, why the foreigners should be be denied to learn the higher transcendental science in India. In addition, we have already published over 56 books which are highly appreciated by foreign and Indian scholars and the educated section. So it is a great science of God consciousness. The government should take it very seriously and help spread this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world.
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. If the American people, who trust in God, constitutionally, take this movement seriously, it will be a great service to the human society. We are prepared to cooperate in this connection if the American Government takes it very seriously.
I am very happy to see you are trying to spread Krsna consciousness in Egypt. You should present Krsna consciousness not as a religion, but a science of God realization. Try to convince them that it is not just a kind of faith. It is a chance to understand God. In every religion there is a glimpse of the idea of God. This Movement is explaining what God is. The educated persons should be convinced about this fact. Every sane man should be interested to know God and then love Him.
| Page Title: | Science of God (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, Rishab |
| Created: | 01 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=23 |
| No. of Quotes: | 23 |