View source for It is the duty of the spiritual master to engage his disciple's talent in the service of the Lord so that constantly he can think of the Lord

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{{terms|"different talents and tendencies"|"engage his disciple's talent"|"engaged in His preaching work, trying with whatever talent"|"engaging his talents in the service of the Lord"|"engaging your talents in His service"|"specific talents are to be engaged"|"talent or experience you may discuss with Jagadisa how to engage"|"talent should be engaged in the service of the Lord"|"talented artist so try to help her be engaged"|"talented in writing, so my proposal is that you engage"|"talents for making movies can be engaged"|"talents, the artistic sense and poetic sense, can be engaged"|"whatever talent he has got, use for Krsna. That is twenty-four hours' engagement"}}
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{{compiler|Visnu Murti|Sahadeva}}
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{{first|01Sep09}}
{{last|24Nov09}}
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[[Category:Duty of a Spiritual Master|2]]
[[Category:Disciple|2]]
[[Category:Talent|2]]
[[Category:Engaging in God's Service|2]]
[[Category:Constantly Thinking of God|2]]
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3>
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<div id="SB61632_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="610" link="SB 6.16.32" link_text="SB 6.16.32">
<div class="heading">If one has scientific, philosophical, political, economic or any other abilities and wants perfection in his knowledge, he should offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by composing first-class poetry or engaging his talents in the service of the Lord.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.16.32|SB 6.16.32, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">All the letters of the alphabet and the words constructed by those letters are meant for offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mahārāja Citraketu had the opportunity to offer prayers to the Lord by composing nice verses from the letters of the alphabet, but because of his ecstasy, for a considerable time he could not join those letters to offer prayers to the Lord. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.22):</p>
:idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā 
:sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ 
:avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito 
:yad uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam 
<p>If one has scientific, philosophical, political, economic or any other abilities and wants perfection in his knowledge, he should offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by composing first-class poetry or engaging his talents in the service of the Lord. Citraketu wanted to do this, but he was unable because of loving ecstasy. Therefore he had to wait for a considerable time before be could offer prayers.</p>
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<div id="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" class="section" sec_index="3" parent="compilation" text="Other Books by Srila Prabhupada"><h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
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<div id="Krsna_The_Supreme_Personality_of_Godhead" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead"><h3>Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead</h3>
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<div id="KB87_0" class="quote" parent="Krsna,_The_Supreme_Personality_of_Godhead" book="OB" index="91" link="KB 87" link_text="Krsna Book 87">
<div class="heading">The Supreme Lord, as He desires, is engaging all the living entities in different activities, and thus they exhibit their different talents and tendencies.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:KB 87|Krsna Book 87]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is stated, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa: ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 5.142|CC Adi 5.142]]) "Kṛṣṇa is the only Supreme God." Āra saba bhṛtya: "All others are His servants." Yāre yaiche nācāya, se taiche kare nṛtya: "The Supreme Lord, as He desires, is engaging all the living entities in different activities, and thus they exhibit their different talents and tendencies." This Veda-stuti is thus the original instruction regarding the relationship existing between the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The highest platform of realization for the living entity is the attainment of devotional life. One cannot be engaged in devotional life, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, unless one is fully free from material contamination. Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi informed Nārada Muni that the essence of all the Vedas and Vedic scriptures (namely, the four Vedas, the Upaniṣads, the Purāṇas and the Vedānta-sūtra) is to render transcendental loving service to the Lord.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB6115NewYorkAugust11971_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="611" link="Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971" link_text="Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971">
<div class="heading">Whatever talent a person has got, use for Kṛṣṇa. That is twenty-four hours' engagement.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971|Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">How one can become dedicated to Kṛṣṇa? Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. That Supreme Personality being served, being served. By serving. You can, you can, simply by lip... But you cannot say that "Now I have dedicated my life to Kṛṣṇa." No. That's all right, but you have to keep the standard of surrender by niṣevayā, by serving. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva (Brs. 1.2.234). As you serve, as you go on serving the Supreme Lord, so He becomes revealed within your... He's within your heart. So by your service He'll reveal Himself. So kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. We should remember this, that our business is that we should be dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. Our life, everything, should be dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. And how it can be possible? Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. Simply by serving the Supreme Personality.</p>
<p>So this program, this devotional service, morning, from morning till night, is simply how to serve Him. The more we serve, then we become dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says on the Bhagavad-gītā the same thing: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam ([[Vanisource:BG 10.10 (1972)|BG 10.10]]). Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged, satata-yuktānām... Satata means twenty-four hours. Not that five minutes or fifteen minutes meditation, and then do all nonsense. No. Twenty-four hours one should be engaged in the service of the Lord. Twenty-four hours. That we are doing. Whatever he knows, whatever talent he has got, use for Kṛṣṇa. That is twenty-four hours' engagement.</p>
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<div id="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Lectures" text="Nectar of Devotion Lectures"><h3>Nectar of Devotion Lectures</h3>
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<div id="TheNectarofDevotionVrndavanaNovember131972_0" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" book="Lec" index="42" link="The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972" link_text="The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972">
<div class="heading">It is the duty of the spiritual master to engage his disciple's talent in the service of the Lord so that constantly he can think of the Lord.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972|The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Pradyumna: "It is the duty of the ācārya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. The ācārya or the spiritual master's duty is to give direction to the disciples how he can fix up his mind always on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He should... He knows how to engage a particular devotee in a particular type of service. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya ([[Vanisource:BG 18.46 (1972)|BG 18.46]]). The... We are, everyone has got some particular talent. So it is the duty of the spiritual master to engage his disciple's talent in the service of the Lord so that constantly he can think of the Lord. This is spiritual master's duty.</p>
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<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
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<div id="1967_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Correspondence" text="1967 Correspondence"><h3>1967 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoMurariVrindaban3August1967_0" class="quote" parent="1967_Correspondence" book="Let" index="120" link="Letter to Murari -- Vrindaban 3 August, 1967" link_text="Letter to Murari -- Vrindaban 3 August, 1967">
<div class="heading">Anyone's special talent should be engaged in the service of the Lord, and thereby becomes successful in his life.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Murari -- Vrindaban 3 August, 1967|Letter to Murari -- Vrindaban 3 August, 1967]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I am so glad you are playing music for Krishna. It is a great service of your talent. Anyone's special talent should be engaged in the service of the Lord, and thereby becomes successful in his life. I think that you can go on playing on your guitar and make it successful for Krishna kirtana. You do not require to learn freshly about sitar. We are not meant for learning something new for the service of the Lord; but we have to engage whatever talents we have already got. Our life is short but any type of education is great and long; so the best part of valor is to utilize properly whatever qualifications we have got for the service of the Lord.</p>
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<div id="1968_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Correspondence" text="1968 Correspondence"><h3>1968 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSivanandaLosAngeles11November1968_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Correspondence" book="Let" index="408" link="Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968" link_text="Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968">
<div class="heading">Your specific talents are to be engaged under direction of the Spiritual Master. Everything, every talent can be employed in Krishna's service, and how to do it is known to the Spiritual Master.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968|Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Your specific talents are to be engaged under direction of the Spiritual Master. Everything, every talent can be employed in Krishna's service, and how to do it is known to the Spiritual Master. You have the tendency for botany, you can grow nice flowers and fruits for Krishna, that is the utilization of your natural tendency. If you have got specific training in this connection, then after establishing this center in Hamburg you can come to our New Vrindaban and grow things, or you can grow things in Hamburg also. Fruits and flowers can be produced anywhere.</p>
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<div id="LettertoJoyFulcherLosAngeles21November1968_1" class="quote" parent="1968_Correspondence" book="Let" index="436" link="Letter to Joy Fulcher -- Los Angeles 21 November, 1968" link_text="Letter to Joy Fulcher -- Los Angeles 21 November, 1968">
<div class="heading">All these talents, the artistic sense and poetic sense, can be engaged in the service of Krishna.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Joy Fulcher -- Los Angeles 21 November, 1968|Letter to Joy Fulcher -- Los Angeles 21 November, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I am very glad to learn also that you are attempting to paint similar pictures in larger size, that is very good idea. You have got some poetic sense also, and all these talents, the artistic sense and poetic sense, can be engaged in the service of Krishna. All devotees are more or less poets. Out of 26 qualifications of a perfect devotee, one is poetic sense. So we can write so many poetries in praise of the Lord, or about His pastimes. Similarly we can draw so many nice pictures about His different activities, and such engagements will give us chance to elevate ourself to the perfectional platform of spiritual understanding.</p>
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<div id="1969_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Correspondence" text="1969 Correspondence"><h3>1969 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoJaduraniLosAngeles21January1969_0" class="quote" parent="1969_Correspondence" book="Let" index="48" link="Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1969" link_text="Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1969">
<div class="heading">A talented artist should be helped to be engaged in this way.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1969|Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Regarding Madhavi Lata, it is very difficult to get her to be fixed up into doing constructive work, so I gave her so many paintings to do to get her to utilize her talents in Krishna Consciousness. If you would like her to help you in the paintings for the new book, then it is all right, but you must deal with her very tactfully. Best thing is that I send suggestions for pictures directly to you, and whichever picture she will do, let her do it. In this way, you can give her one or two pictures. In the meantime, you and Joy may finish the rest of the pictures, and if she does not finish her assignment, then again you may do it yourself. Certainly she is talented artist so try to help her be engaged in this way.</p>
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<div id="1971_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Correspondence" text="1971 Correspondence"><h3>1971 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoAtreyaRsiCalcutta17May1971_0" class="quote" parent="1971_Correspondence" book="Let" index="209" link="Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971" link_text="Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971">
<div class="heading">Because you are engaging your talents in Krishna's service, surely He will be pleased upon you and give you all facility for advancement in Krishna Consciousness.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971|Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I am to understand that you have professional managerial experience and are presently engaging your talents to strengthen the managerial position of our N.Y. center. That is very valuable service and I thank you very much. We learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam that a person may be situated in any occupational duty but the perfection of such activity is tested by the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. And because you are engaging your talents in His service, surely Krishna will be pleased upon you and give you all facility for advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Simply if you will regularly chant Hare Krishna Mantra, 16 rounds daily and without fail and rigidly follow the regulative principles of devotional life, read all our books and engage in Krishna's business 24 hours, your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.</p>
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<div id="1972_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Correspondence" text="1972 Correspondence"><h3>1972 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoLilavatiSydney26March1972_0" class="quote" parent="1972_Correspondence" book="Let" index="148" link="Letter to Lilavati -- Sydney 26 March, 1972" link_text="Letter to Lilavati -- Sydney 26 March, 1972">
<div class="heading">You are very much talented in writing, so my proposal is that you engage yourself in editorial work.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Lilavati -- Sydney 26 March, 1972|Letter to Lilavati -- Sydney 26 March, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I am very glad to hear that you are happy in your service in Los Angeles. Your letters show that you are very much talented in writing, so my proposal is that you engage yourself in editorial work. Or if you like, you can learn elementary Sanskrit, and when I come there we shall see how it can be put to use. Your book distribution program is very much encouraging to me. The more such literatures are read and distributed, the more auspicity will be there in the world. Please continue this program with ever-increasing enthusiasm.</p>
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<div id="LettertoSaucaryaVrindaban23October1972_1" class="quote" parent="1972_Correspondence" book="Let" index="550" link="Letter to Saucarya -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972" link_text="Letter to Saucarya -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972">
<div class="heading">If you have got some special talent or experience you may discuss with your leader how to engage yourself.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Saucarya -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972|Letter to Saucarya -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now you have got the formula how to achieve very quickly the supreme perfectional stage, and it is up to you if you will practice it seriously or not. If you chant daily 16 rounds and read at least one hour daily Srimad-Bhagavatam, plus your other prescribed duties, never mind this or that, you will feel yourself becoming happy more and more and these practices will protect you from maya or hazy consciousness without any doubt. Of course, it is very much favorable to our advancement in spiritual life if we are engaged in some service for Krishna which is also pleasing t us to perform. So if you have got some special talent or experience you may discuss with Jagadisa how to engage yourself in that way. That is his duty as leader, to give you good engagement.</p>
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<div id="1973_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Correspondence" text="1973 Correspondence"><h3>1973 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoGeorgeBombay4January1973_0" class="quote" parent="1973_Correspondence" book="Let" index="9" link="Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973" link_text="Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973">
<div class="heading">If we become simply engaged in His preaching work, trying with whatever talent or education or experience or material advantages we have got, to spread Krishna Consciousness message all over the world. That is best friend of Krishna.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973|Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">To become the friend and the devotee of Krishna, that is required. Just become the pet dog, that is surrender.</p>
<p>What is that friendship? At the end of 12th Chapter of Gita Krishna describes that the person "who is very dear to Him, or His best friend, is one who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me . . . He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress . . . A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result . . . One who neither grasps pleasure or grief, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things . . . One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service . . ." such person is described by Krishna as "very dear to Me."</p>
<p>But even more dear than such devotee who is dear to Krishna, one who is "very, very dear to Me," is "He who follows this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engages himself with faith, making Me the supreme goal," and also "one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees," . . or one who is preaching the message of Krishna to the devotees everywhere—such person is most highly regarded by Krishna as His best friend and devotee:</p>
:na ca tasman manusyesu
:kascin me priya-krttamah
:bhavita na ca me tasmad
:anyah priyataro bhuvi
:([[Vanisource:BG 18.69 (1972)|BG 18.69]])
<p>"There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.''</p>
<p>So that will be the supreme perfection of our existence, to come to that point of being best friend, best devotee of Krishna. And how is that? If we become simply engaged in His preaching work, trying with whatever talent or education or experience or material advantages we have got, to spread Krishna Consciousness message all over the world. That is best friend of Krishna, that is Krishna's pet dog.</p>
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<div id="1975_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="10" parent="Correspondence" text="1975 Correspondence"><h3>1975 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoMrRichardCohenHonolulu26May1975_0" class="quote" parent="1975_Correspondence" book="Let" index="276" link="Letter to Mr. Richard Cohen -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975" link_text="Letter to Mr. Richard Cohen -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Mr. Richard Cohen -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975|Letter to Mr. Richard Cohen -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I am happy to hear that you are attracted to the Krishna Consciousness movement. Your talents for making movies can be engaged very nicely in Krishna's service.</p>
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