Snake (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"snake" |"snake's" |"snakelike" |"snakes"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:

This punishment may not be visible in this life, but because life is eternal, it is continuity, one must be prepared to accept such punishment in this life or next life, and because they are taking the risk, therefore, the living entity is transmigrating from one body to another, and that is his problem of life. The human life is meant for solving this problem. All animals like deer, camel, ass, monkey, even flies and snakes, none should be ill treated. Even they enter into the house or in the fields and take their eatables, they should not be stopped. Because they have also got the right to eat, eatables supplied by the Lord. And they will not eat more, neither they will take at home, They are better than human beings. If a human being is allowed to enter into the field or into the garden, he will try to take away something for selling or stocking, but the animals do not. So the innocent animals should be accepted as children of the householder.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969:

For spiritual advancement of life, we must go to one who is actually practicing spiritual life; not to some head of a mundane institution, not to one who has offended his Spiritual Master in so many ways. I do not wish to go into all details here, but I must inform you that this Bon Maharaja may be considered as a black snake, and at the time of His Disappearance, my Guru Maharaja did not even wish to have him in His presence due to the character of this Bon Maharaja.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Moundsville 31 May, 1969:

I am very anxious to know about Sadanandini, but this misunderstanding by rascals about a Krishna conscious person is always there. Hiranyakasipu understood Prahlada as crazy, and he tried to put him in so many forms of Bellevue organizations amongst the animals, amongst snakes, amongst fire and poison. Even Lord Caitanya, His relatives thought of Him as crazy. Therefore I wrote the essay, "Who Is Crazy?" Anyway, try to save the girl, and if she likes, she can be married with Candanacarya. She will then be in charge of a good husband, so if the marriage is settled, they should take a regular marriage certificate, and then they should come here, and we shall perform our mode of marriage ceremony.

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

Except for the Krishna Consciousness Movement, any other attempt for spiritual realization, such as drugs, voidness, impersonalism, bodily exercises of Hatha Yoga, etc.—they are all something like unconsciousness under some super-intoxicant. Srila Rupa Goswami has given a very nice example in this connection. He says that a conditioned soul remains in the slumber of unconsciousness just like a patient bitten by a poisonous snake. In India there is a class of snake-charmers and physicians who treat snake-bitten persons with a particular type of jungle herbs. This treatment is to bring the herb near the nostrils of the patient for being smelled, and then the patient comes back to consciousness and finds relief from the snake bite effect. In our conditioned life we are bitten by so many types of Maya snakes, and more and more we are put into unconsciousness of mind without any hope of eternal life. 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. A sincere soul like you will be a great help in this movement of Krishna Consciousness. I am glad that you are reading our Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. You will get much enlightenment from them. Also you should read Back To Godhead and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and surely your life will be sublime.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Calcutta 19 May, 1971:

Vidura looks like a human being; "self-same body" means looking like material body. Any devotee always is in a spiritual body although it may appear material; Smoke is smoke; When Krishna says unto me, he means unto "me." So he should not be pictured with Radharani,* Why a snake? Being entangled in the qualities of material nature is very subtle, so why a snake?

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Sydney 18 February, 1973:

The Deities should be facing East. If you are laying the foundation stone to this temple there is a ceremony which you can observe. First you may have one fire ceremony with four Brahmins surrounding the fire, reading from Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. This reading should go on during the entire ceremony. You may also dig one pit about 15 feet deep and have one golden Ananta form prepared, about two inches, put at the bottom of the pit. All during this, Kirtana should be going on. And then five types of various items should be placed in the pit, 5 types of jewels, 5 types of metals, 5 types of fruit, 5 types of grains, 5 types of amrta, like this different panca. These all should be carried down the ladder by the various Brahmins, and as they put each one at the bottom of the pit, the various fruits, flowers, etc. all of the Brahmins should one by one climb to the bottom of the pit and make their offering and chant the first verse of Gayatri Mantra. After this, you may lay some bricks down on top of everything and then begin to fill up the pit with dirt again. When the pit is filled up with dirt again you may put one foundation stone on top of the pit and this pit should be located at the exact corner of the Temple building. The idea of this is that the entire building will be resting on the hoods of the Ananta snake, and this is very auspicious. After this program you may have several days of Kirtana and feasting.

Letter to Dr. Singhal, Mr. Saraf, Dr. Poddar, Mr. Vasista, Giriraja -- Auckland 21 February, 1973:

This morning Srukirti received telephonic message from Bali Mardan. It is understood that Mr. Nair is dead. So it is good news that Nrsimhadeva has killed a demon like him. Prahlada Maharaja said that even a saintly person becomes pleased when a scorpion or a snake is killed. So if it is a fact that Nair is dead it is a matter of great pleasure for all devotees.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Honolulu 8 June, 1975:

Go on preaching for now, so far money matters, that we shall see later. Preaching is our life. Follow strictly the principles, read, chant,—then there is success. And if you don't do this, spiritual strength is reduced. It is just like a snake is very powerful, so long he has got poison. If it has no poison, nobody cares for it. Similarly, this chanting, reading, and following the principles is our spiritual strength.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dvarakesa -- Mayapur 18 January, 1976:

Whether you thank me or not, if you understand the importance of this Krishna Consciousness Movement, that is my success. The whole world is thinking in the bodily conception of life and thus remaining like animals. The animals cannot be happy but people want to keep themselves like animals. For peace they are barking in the United Nations. Croaking toads who think they are making a big conference, and then one day the snake of death comes and swallows them up.

Letter to Dvarakesa -- Mayapur 18 January, 1976:

If there is possibility to preach amongst the communists, you must do it immediately. The intelligent communist people will very easily understand our philosophy. We can convince them on the basis of samah sarvesu bhutesu, a Krishna conscious person is equally disposed to every living entity (B.G. 18:54). You become a communist and make the present imperfect idea of communism perfect. The idea of the communist philosophy is that the state should be benefited. But the state being imperfect, the living entities other than the human beings cannot derive any profit. It is therefore no better than the capitalists. For the benefit of the human beings, the capitalist kills the poor animals. Similarly, the communist does the same thing. Where is the difference? Perfect communism is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam wherein it is stated that you feel for the poor animals as well as the human beings. Srimad-Bhagavatam instructs that even if there is a snake or lizard in the house, it is the duty of the householder to see that they are also eating, not starving. So you have to begin your preaching with such broader idea of communism.

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Mayapur 3 February, 1976:

To illustrate Prahlada being protected when he is thrown of the cliff, there should be a semi-visible Krishna waiting below, as if to catch.

Yes, you can show dead bones, skulls, and snakes in the dungeon. Prahlada was not actually attacked with the tridents, just threatened.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Vrindaban 18 November, 1976:

I am a little hopeful that if we preach in the communist countries, they will like it. According to our Vaisnava philosophy even a snake or lizard is in the house shall not go without eating, what to speak of other living entities. The communists have an idea for feeding human society, but our idea is expanding. We want to see even a snake not fasting.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Artists -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

Regarding the picture for B.G. 2/62, now that I am seeing it, the snake is all right. Another name for the snake is kal. So the snake is kala, or time. Time is also death. As soon as the snake bites, everything is finished.