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Amsterdam devotees

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Expressions researched:
"Amsterdam devotees" |"How many devotees are there in Amsterdam"

Correspondence

1971 Correspondence

All Amsterdam devotees should be engaged in Sankirtana, not in a cigarette factory.
Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 17 August, 1971:

In further reference to my letter dated 14th August, 1971, I understand from Syamasundara that you have engaged all our Sankirtana members of Amsterdam to work in a cigarette factory. I do not know how you could dare to do this without asking me or any other GBC members. Amsterdam is doing nicely in Sankirtana Party collections; why they should go to work in a cigarette factory? In your last letter to me also you tried to impress me that everyone should go to work. That is not our principle. Our principle is not to work like the karmi or under a karmi. We are not sudras. Sudras are meant for working under somebody, not brahmanas. If you do not know this principle, you should know it now. All our men living in the temple are basically brahmanas. Otherwise, why they are offered sacred thread?

We should live on the paltry income, whatever we receive, by selling our magazines, but in dire necessity when there is no other way we may accept some service temporarily. But on principle we should go on Sankirtana, not work, and whatever Krishna gives us we should accept on that principle. You are a senior member of the society. You should have known all these things. Anyway, send them back on Sankirtana. All Amsterdam devotees should be engaged in Sankirtana, not in a cigarette factory.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

How many devotees are there in Amsterdam?
Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Sixty is just like my son. Yes, twenty years difference, father and son. I am eighty, so anyone who is sixty must be like my son. Of course, my first son was born when I was twenty-four, but twenty years, there are many, father. And mother and son, twelve years, thirteen years difference, there are many. So you have come here. Very nice. Stay here. Where is your husband? Bhūgarbha is here?

Bhagavān: He's in Germany.

Prabhupāda: He has gone German?

Bhagavān: To buy some trucks for traveling.

Prabhupāda: He's good preacher. He's now distributing books very nicely. You are also good distributor books. Huh? In the beginning she was distributing nicely. So preaching is our life. The more we preach, the more we are successful. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching.

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa'

(CC Madhya 7.128)

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Every one of you become guru and deliver the residents of your neighborhood. Ei deśa. Wherever you are living, just deliver them. Become their guru. How to become guru? It is not difficult. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). What Kṛṣṇa has said instruct them. You simply repeat it, that's all. You become guru. So this should be preached all over the world. You learn from Bhagavad-gītā and repeat. You simply say, "Kṛṣṇa said four things: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). 'Just always think of Me.' Kṛṣṇa said. 'And just become My devotee. Just worship Me and offer obeisances.' Kindly do these things." So if you can induce one person to do these four things, you become guru. Is there any difficulty? Then you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. How? Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Worship Kṛṣṇa and offer obeisances. Here is our temple, please come, offer obeisances. Offer little flower if you can secure. Otherwise, obeisances sufficient. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You become guru. To inform this message is difficult? Not at all. You may carry the message. If he's fortunate, he'll do it. Even he does not do it, you are carrying the message, you become recognized by Kṛṣṇa. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). You are doing sincerely, then you are recognized by Kṛṣṇa. Just like a canvasser, salesman, goes to the market, tries his best to secure some business. The master sees the report how he has worked. Even though he has not secured a single paisa business, but he has tried to introduce the goods, then he's bona fide(?). He's bona fide(?). Similarly, we have to simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa and try to convince people. If one is convinced, it is good, if not, doesn't matter, I am not going to.... Then you are recognized by Kṛṣṇa. Recognition means you become the dearest servant of Kṛṣṇa. Then what do you want more? If Kṛṣṇa recognizes that "You are My most dear servant," then what do you want more? Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So this message was to be carried by all Indians. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire.

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

This is para-upakāra. So all Indians should take up this mission and do welfare activity. That is India's special function. How many devotees are there in Amsterdam?

Woman devotee (1): Fifty.

Prabhupāda: Building is very big?

Bhagavān: Yes. Nice building.

Woman devotee (1): There's two buildings, one for the gṛhasthas behind the temple, and then the āśrama for the brahmacārīs.

Prabhupāda: Rented or purchased?

Woman devotee (1): We own the gṛhastha āśrama, and the temple is rented. It's to our advantage to rent it, for some reason, so they are renting it.

Hari-śauri: You were thinking about walking? It's about 6:15, so this would be a good time if you want to go down.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Page Title:Amsterdam devotees
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:29 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=2, Let=3
No. of Quotes:5