If I remember rightly, you have been criticizing in the meeting of the 16th instant about the culture of Hollywood cinemas. The Mayavadi philosophy having killed the spiritual variegatedness of the Supreme Being—the people are generally attracted in the variegatedness of material existence. In the vedanta sutras, we have direct information of how a spiritual entity is joyful—full of spiritual bliss. This idea of enjoyment is focussed through a material _ and as such the spiritual focus is reflected in a perverted manner. The attention of the people in general is attracted by the cinemas in place of temples, because the Mayavadi philosophy—impersonality of Godhead has created a void in the spiritual realm. But in fact the spiritual realm is not at all void. It is full of variegatedness of spiritual mellows. If you create a void in the Spirit unnecessarily, you have to create necessarily a fill-up in the material existence and that is the cause why temples are being replaced by vulgar cinemas.
Void (Letters)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
The separation of Kirtanananda and Hayagriva is not a very happy incident. I was practically in tears for their attitude of separation on such flimsy grounds. In other words it is my incapability that I could not save these two souls, but this a great evidence that every soul is individual. The nonsense theory of oneness becomes null and void by the evidence presented in this incident. But we should not be angry with these poor souls. Try to convince them by argument and reason but do not become angry with them.
As soon as you finish the Gitopanisad business and the matter is handed over to the MacMillan Co. we begin on the Bhagavatam work without delay. Bhagavatam must be finished before my mortal body stops to work and your help in this connection will be very much helpful. You can stop for the time being the London scheme. Brahmananda is shortly going there and after his return, we may all go together to London and start a branch there in grand scale, so also in Amsterdam and in Berlin or Moscow. We have to save the world-people from the misconception of voidism and impersonalism. "The absolute is sentient Thou hast proved all impersonal calamity Thou has moved." These lines were presented by me to my spiritual master and He was highly pleased with me. Let me follow the same principle and my Guru Maharaja will bless me. I have always my good wishes and blessings for you all because you are cooperating in a great mission. Thank you.
1968 Correspondence
The marginal position of voidness between Brahmajyoti and the material world manifestation is the destination of the Buddhist philosophers. Therefore the voidness philosophy is worse than Impersonalist philosophy. This voidness philosophy is simply nirvana, or absence of material manifestation, but actually it is a material stand whereas Impersonalist monism is transcendental to material manifestation and voidness. Therefore the conception of Brahmajyoti is advanced realization than conception of nirvana. Nobody can be satisfied in void or Impersonalist philosophy; they are against the nature of the spirit soul. We understand from Vedanta philosophy that the spirit soul is by nature joyful. There is no joy in voidness or Impersonalism and because such imperfect philosophers do not know of the association of Krishna which is full of bliss and knowledge, they will fall down repeatedly into voidness and Impersonalism with the result that they cannot stay there and they fall down to the material atmosphere. In Bhagavad-gita it is said by the Lord that these people, void and Impersonalist philosophers, are in great trouble. If they are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee of Krishna and if they are sincere in their search for the absolute truth, they will find Krishna Consciousness as the last resort of their philosophical researches.
Therefore, we being in disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are known as the Madhva Sampradaya. And because Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, which country is called Gaudadesa, our Sampradaya party is known as Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. But all these Sampradayas are non-different from one another because they believe and worship the Supreme Lord. Any other Sampradaya who are Impersonalist or voidist or nondevotee, they are rejected by us.
Vrindaban is of course, very impressive for devotional service, but that also is not advisable to remain alone. I am trying to get a nice place at Vrindaban and when the place is there, I shall personally be present with some devotees, and appreciate the atmosphere of Vrindaban. So long we are engaged in devotional service with proper guidance certainly we are always in transcendental position, and transcendental position is unlimited, it doesn't matter whether you are in Vrindaban or U.S.A. But still, for everyone, Vrindaban's atmosphere is very sweet. But so long we have not completely freed our material attachment, even Vrindaban residence becomes uncongenial. Just like in the case of Kirtanananda, it was so happened. This seeking for solitude is simply a reaction on our past nonsense activities, or it is negation, voidism. Our sound position is always being engaged in service of Krishna, that is the positive standing.
In the meantime I also received one letter from Sriman Kirtanananda Swami which also I have replied duly, but I have not received any reply from him also. So I am very much anxious to know from you also how much this scheme has advanced. So far I could understand on the letter of Kirtanananda, that we had no freedom of action because the land belongs to Mr. Rose, who wants to develop an institution appealing to all sections of seekers in spiritual enlightenment. Such ideal of impersonal views can never be successful. That is the distinction between impersonalism and personalism. The impersonalists ultimate goal is something void, and therefore, any attempt for self-realization ending in voidness is all the same for the impersonalists. But we the personalists, we do not agree that all systems of self-realizing process ends in the same goal. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is explicitly said that the worshippers of different demigods ultimately reach the planets of respective demigods; the worshippers of forefathers also go to different pitri planets, respectively; the worshippers of mammon remain in the mammonish world; and the persons in Krishna Consciousness, ultimately reach to the planet of Krishna loka.
You know that Lord Buddha was Hindu, born in India, in a royal family, but because He advocated voidism, His philosophy was not accepted by the leaders of Vedic principles. For the time being, Lord Buddha's philosophy was accepted by emperor Asoka, and due to royal influence, it spread all over India. But later on, when Sankaracarya preached the Vedic principle, the voidism of Lord Buddha was driven out of India. Similarly, when Ramanujacarya found Sankaracarya a second edition of Buddhist philosophy, he also expunged Sankaracarya as compromising the Buddha, and he established Personal worship of Lord Visnu. Later on, other acaryas, including Sri Caitanya, developed the transcendental reciprocation of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Lord Caitanya preached that loving service in the highest conjugal love with Krishna is also possible.
Krishna and His devotees sometimes play like that, as much as Lord Buddha although an incarnation of Krishna, preached the philosophy of voidism. These things are conducted in terms of place, audience, time, etc. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that the activities of the Vaisnava cannot be understood even by the greatest scholar. So we have to understand everything through the transparent via media of the Spiritual Master. So there is no doubt about it that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura is eternal energy of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
1969 Correspondence
The modern so-called meditater has no information of Krishna or Visnu. They try to meditate on something void or impersonal which is simply troublesome. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita that those attached to the impersonal feature have their path to be very, very troublesome. Not only in this age when everything is troublesome, but it was so in former ages also, so what to speak of this age. Therefore, in this age, to fix up your ears upon the transcendental vibrations of Hare Krishna is the highest form of meditation, and the only one which will prove feasible for you.
In this modern age, people being scientifically advanced, they seek economic development without any reference to worship of God or following any religious principle. So such people are gradually forgetting their eternal relationship with God because they think that without God they can inquire sufficient progress in economic development which is required for sense gratification. Some of them, when they are frustrated, try thinking of voidness or merging into the impersonal absolute truth. So voidness or impersonal idea of the absolute truth is just an opposite of material variegatedness. So this idea can also be accepted as the material concept of transcendence. So things are going on like this, not only now, but it is the nature of the material world.
One should be vigilant only that he is not diverting from Krishna Consciousness. One has to follow the footprints of the great Acaryas then everything is all right. I was also a married man—my family is still existing. So you should always remember that marriage is not impediment. The greatest enemy is forgetfulness of Krishna. There are many Impersonalists and voidists—they renounced this material world very early in their life; just like Sankara Acarya. He took sannyasa at the age of 8 years. Lord Buddha left home just in the beginning of his youth. But we are not concerned with them. So I hope by this time, by serving this Krishna Consciousness movement for the last two years you must have gotten some taste of the nectarine.
I thank you very much for your appreciation of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. 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.
All four of the principal associates; namely Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, and even Lord Caitanya Himself—They were all householders. So we are not impersonalists or voidists. Our program is to enter into the association of Krishna. But we cannot enter within this association without being completely disinfected from the contamination of material sinful life. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krishna Himself that only those who are absolutely cleansed of all dirty sins can be engaged in Krishna Consciousness in full swing.
1970 Correspondence
The process of meditation recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is not to fix up one's attention on something impersonal or void. The meditation should be concentrated on the Personality of Godhead, either take Him as Virata Rupa or gigantic universal form, or take Him as His Sacidananda Vigraha as described in the scriptures. There are authorized descriptions of Visnu forms and there are authorized presentations of Deities in the temples. So one can practice meditating upon the Deity, concentrating his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord gradually rising up and up to the smiling face.
Those who are too much engrossed in sense gratification cannot be allowed in the matter of arcana to touch the transcendental form of Radha Krsna or Visnu Deities. For them it is better to meditate upon the gigantic Virata Rupa form of the Lord as it is recommended in the next verse. The impersonalist and the voidist are therefore recommended to meditate upon the universal form of the Lord, whereas the devotees are recommended to meditate on the Deity worship in the temple. So because the impersonalist and voidist are not sufficiently purified in their spiritual activities arcana is not meant for them.
I am glad to see that you are working in the universities. They are a good field for spreading our Krishna Consciousness activities. Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success. Dr. Cenkner is correct in saying that Sankaracarya's belief is personal. Actually he is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism. All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism, but because he had to bring Buddhists back to the Vedic cultural form, he adopted impersonalism. From the Padma Purāṇa, it is learned that Sankaracarya is Lord Siva, and who can be a greater devotee than Lord Siva? Lord Siva is considered to be the foremost Vaisnava.
I am very glad that you are so much appreciative of our program and philosophy. Actually it is the only factual presentation of our true relationship with God, Krsna. And it is our earnest endeavor to preach this philosophy very vigorously to clear out the diseased condition of impersonal and voidist philosophy which are so much misleading the innocent persons. So you are very fortunate. Krsna has saved you from the impersonal calamity.
Yes, we are fighting impersonalism and voidism with pure devotional service. Impersonalism and voidism kills the natural aptitude of devotion which is lying dormant in everyone's heart. Therefore we are printing books like our KRSNA book so that people may know it that the supreme absolute truth is a person. The perfection of every living creature is to render transcendental loving service to that Supreme Person and thereby go back home, back to Godhead.
The world is suffering on account of atheistic conviction of life, so our theistic proposition presenting Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is certainly a great relief to the agnostics, atheists, impersonalists and voidists. In all our books we have very scientifically covered all such demons and if these books are introduced in the schools and colleges, so many beautiful souls will be saved. Your are doing a great service to humanity to introduce our books to the people in general. So far as preaching through television the mantras of Isopanisad is concerned, that will be a great success to do so.
1971 Correspondence
So far other swamis and panditas are concerned, actually nobody would be equal to us because they do not come in the parampara system. As such their line of thought is null and void according to our understanding. Our movement is revolutionary to so called religious principles, gurus and swamis. This fact is being appreciated even in India. Gradually it will be more and more enlightening to the public. So please stick to our principles and preach Lord Caitanya's message anywhere in the world. Also I am so glad that your wife is preaching so nicely. Please offer her my blessings. Be happy together and preach Krishna's message.
There is so much new information in our books and the Hindi reading public will appreciate it, because our subject matter is new to everyone. God has always been a vague idea. So most people are impersonalists or voidists. Perhaps for the first time in the world we are giving the people a clear idea of what is God. Although God, or Krsna, was existing in the world, but demons like Kamsa wanted to kill Him. Therefore people have no clear idea. So this is the first time we are placing Krsna in tangible form with a clear idea of His name, fame, qualities, pastimes, etc.
1972 Correspondence
The devotees of Krishna are the most exalted persons on this planet, better than kings, all of them, so we should always remember that and, like the bumblebee, always look for the nectar or the best qualities of a person. Not like the utopians, who are like the flies who always go to the open sores or find the faults in a person, and because they cannot find any utopia, or because they cannot find anyone without faults, they want to become void, merge, nothing—they think that is utopia, to become void of personality. So if there is sometimes slight disagreements between devotees, it is not due to impersonalism, but it is because they are persons, and such disagreements should not be taken very seriously. The devotee is always pessimistic about the material world, but he is very optimistic about the spiritual life; so in this way, you should consider that anyone engaged in Krishna's service is always the best person.
1974 Correspondence
I have asked you to stop the political program because actually you cannot organize as the others can. We cannot manage with separate money, separate brains from our regular ISKCON propagation. It is not so easy to do politics, moreover it is a filthy atmosphere. So do not indulge in it. I am glad to hear all the participants have stopped. So you convey to them my instructions in this matter. We have an immense field of work in distributing books, reading and chanting and working for Krsna in many fields. And the aim of it is to always remember Krsna. Some philosophers think that in response negatively to the nasty consciousness of material life we should become "thoughtless" but this is not Krsna Consciousness, nor is it possible to become void or like a stone. Our process is to purify the thinking by always thinking of Krsna, actively and positively.
According to Manu samhita, the Vedic lawbook, a murderer is hanged and thereby released from sinful activities so that in the next life he may not be killed. Life for life sentence is given to end the result of sinful activities in this life instead of waiting for the next life. Unfortunately people at the present moment do not know what is the next life, what is this life, what is karma, how one becomes entangled, how one becomes free. The modern education is void of all this enlightenment. They are kept in darkness without any knowledge of the values of life. Our Krishna consciousness movement is a great boon to the human society. We are trying to save the human society from all kinds of suffering, past, present, and future.
He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead his mind constantly engaged in remembering me, undeviated from the path, He oh Partha is sure to reach Me. The proccess for remembering Krishna is very easily done by chanting Hare Krishna Maha mantra. How one should think of Krishna, that is given in the next verse: "One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who knows everything, Who is the oldest, Who is the controller, Who is smaller than the smallest, Maintainer of everything, and Who is beyond all material conception, Who is inconceivable, Who is always a person and luminous like the sun, and Being transcendental, beyond this material nature." So Krishna is not something impersonal or void. So you should read my books and try to understand the nature of Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it will be easy for you to think of Him.
| Page Title: | Void (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, ParthsarathyM |
| Created: | 25 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=26 |
| No. of Quotes: | 26 |