Third-class (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"third-class"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1968:

I am in receipt of a copy of your last Istagosthi dated Jan. 27, and I am very much satisfied with your replies on the questions made in the Istagosthi. The meeting is called "Istagosthi" and not "Istagosthi". You may know also that Ramakrishna's worship of Kali makes him a third class man. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that one who worships the demigods just like Brahma, Siva, Indra, Candra or demigoddesses like Kali, Durga, Sarasvati, etc., are described as persons who have lost their intelligence. One person who has lost his intelligence, how he can become an incarnation of God? A person who has lost his intelligence, is not even counted amongst the higher section of society. So, the Ramakrishna is a bogus man according to the statement of Bhagavad-gita. Vivekananda was also not even intelligent man because he accepted Ramakrsna as incarnation of God.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- San Francisco 19 September, 1968:

One most important thing is that the money which I sent on Syamasundara.'s account with Charter Bank, through my banker, the Canadian National Bank, has not yet received. This bank is most third class bank. Will you kindly personally go and inquire why are they so much callous, in foreign countries, they are without money and they are silent. It is very much surprising. So consult with Janardana what steps we can take. My account number is—, savings bank. Please let me know what is the result of your visiting the manager. If they have not sent the money, and if simply they say they have sent, then what steps shall we take against them? It is very serious matter. So kindly do the needful in consultation with Janardana, and let me know. Most probably I am, coming Saturday, I am going to Seattle. From Seattle my program is to visit Vancouver, and if possible, I may come back to Montreal again. Then I may be going to Europe.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 28 January, 1969:

Regarding your question about Vasudeva, the father of Krishna, you should understand that he is not simply a symbol. The statement made in Srimad-Bhagavatam in this connection is meant for understanding, but unless one is in Vasudeva's position, it is not possible to understand Vasudeva or Krishna. Vasudeva's position means to be situated in pure goodness. In the material world, the three modes of nature which are named ignorance, passion and goodness, are always found mixed up together. In other words, these modes are never found pure, but if there is one mode present, there is sure to be at least a tinge of another mode there also. For this reason, we may sometimes see a third class man showing the quality of goodness, and we may see a first class man showing hints of ignorance. The modes are never found in a pure state in the material world. But in the Vasudeva stage of pure goodness there is no contamination from any material influence of passion or ignorance. Vasudeva is never to be understood as being a symbol. You should clearly understand this.

Letter to Pradyumna -- London 27 November, 1969:

So everything by Krishna's Grace is all right. Regarding your dismissal from the job, I think it is Krishna's indication that you are not meant for such kind of service. Now you can freely and completely engage yourself in Krishna's service as He has very kindly allotted to you in the matter of editing, transliterating and helping your wife in composing. This is sufficient engagement for you. Besides that, as you have now improved in speaking you can do nice preaching work. I think you must have improved in that way because you are going through so many transcendental literatures, so you must have your ideas and philosophical notions in the matter of Krishna Consciousness. So it will be a great advantage if you get occasion speaking engagements in various schools, colleges and universities, provided they pay for it. In your country, if somebody accepts a service free of charges or at lower rates, he is considered to be third class. So although we are prepared to render our services free of charges, still, for the prestige of the society we must charge. And if you get some scholarship stipend from the foundations, that will be a great achievement. Not for the money, but the foundations will gradually recognize what valuable service we are rendering to the human society.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Yamuna -- Bombay 18 November, 1970:

Regarding the Gaudiya Math, our position has nothing to do with them. They cannot do anything and if somebody does something, they will be envious. That is the nature of third class men. My Guru Maharaja once told this story; one friend informed another that one man has become the High-Court Judge. "Oh no," he replied, "No. That cannot be right." "Yes, he is now a Judge," said the first friend. "I have seen him sitting on the bench." The second man replied, "Maybe. But I don't think he is getting any salary." Such envious men will find out some fault anywhere. There is no fault, actually, but they will manufacture some fault. That is their business. So many persons were envious of my Guru Maharaja, but He was preaching and did not care for them.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Los Angeles 20 April, 1973:

You have done right in seeing this man and speaking to him of our movement. . I think you have exposed him as a rascal and fool. What is this meditation of wine, women and fish? He does not like us because we reject all other bogus philosophy. For that many people criticize me, but why should we accept nonsense. We accept Bhagavad-gita, as Krishna spoke it.

Yes, you are right, he is third class man, so we should not waste time with him further. Stirring stools does not help. Anyway you have done right. The jackals may howl, but the caravan will pass on.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Balavanta -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974:

The actual social structure should be that the 1st class intelligent class, the brahmanas should be for studying and educating people for God Consciousness. The are the gurus of all other classes. They second class, the ksatriyas give protection from dangers and they can distribute the land. The third class Vaisyas are for producing. So after the first, second and third class, the remaining should help the upper three classes, then everyone will be employed.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 21 November, 1974:

Regarding the book distribution, apart from our books, the Communist Party has become popular simply by distributing their literatures. I know in Calcutta the Communist agents were inviting friends and reading their literature. The Russians never came to India, but by distributing literature in every language they get a pretty good number of followers. So if it is possible for ordinary third class mundane literature, why not should our transcendental literature create devotees all over the world. I see practically how our books and magazines are becoming popular in your country. So there is good potency for pushing on these literatures very vigorously.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Philadelphia 14 July, 1975:

The paper sample you have sent is not at all good. It is third class. If good paper is not available then we shall not print. If the printer is getting import license to import books for selling, why we are not getting? What have we done that we are not getting this license? Why are we prohibited from selling our books, and the others can do it? How are they paying for the books? Are they sending out foreign exchange as payment? The best thing will be for them to get import license to import paper. We shall supply them the paper. But this paper you have sent is not approved. It is not even half as good as the paper supplied from Japan.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to All Governing Body Commissioners -- Nellore, South India 6 January, 1976:

Anyone wishing to be initiated as a brahmana will have to pass the Bhaktisastri exam and anyone wishing to take sannyasa will have to pass the Bhaktivaibhava examination as well. This will prevent our Society from degrading to the level of so many other institutions where, in order to maintain the Temple, they accept all third class men as brahmanas. Any sannyasis or brahmanas already initiated who fail to pass the exams will be considered low class or less qualified. Anyone wishing to be 2nd initiated will sit for examination once a year at Mayapur. Answers will be in essay form and authoritative quotations will be given a bigger score. During the exams books may not be consulted.