If we wish to present the real traditional cultural ideas of India to the western public, we have to present to them the teachings of Lord Krishna as they are. That is my mission

Expressions researched:
"if we wish to present the real traditional cultural ideas of India to the western public, we have to present to them the teachings of Lord Krishna as they are. That is my mission" |"if we want to present the real Indian cultural traditions, then we must present the Vaisnava philosophy as it is"

1969 Correspondence

If we wish to present the real traditional cultural ideas of India to the western public, we have to present to them the teachings of Lord Krishna as they are. That is my mission

Letter to Dr. Chaudhuri -- Los Angeles 6 February, 1969: You have written to say "Vaisnava tradition in India", and that is the real cultural standing of Vedic civilization. In the Rigveda you will find the mantra, tad visnu paramam padam sada pasyanti suraya. In the Visnu Purana also it is said, visnu bhakti bhovet deva. So Vedic civilization means the civilization of the devas, or the demigods, and the whole purpose is to understand Krishna. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15], the whole purpose of the Veda is to understand Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if we wish to present the real traditional cultural ideas of India to the western public, we have to present to them the teachings of Lord Krishna as they are. That is my mission, and I am pleased to inform you that I am getting good response in America especially and also in London and Germany.

If we want to present the real Indian cultural traditions, then we must present the Vaisnava philosophy as it is

Letter to Dr. Chaudhuri -- Los Angeles 6 February, 1969: Some time before in your letters you expressed a desire that we should jointly present Indian cultural ideas in this country. I think you will remember this proposal, and I replied that if we want to present the real Indian cultural traditions, then we must present the Vaisnava philosophy as it is. Poet Tagore became very popular in the western countries by presenting his Gita Anjali which is full of Vaisnava sentiments. We have immense literatures, especially in the Gaudiya Sampradaya of the Vaisnava sect which is enriched by the contribution of the Gosvamis. These should all be presented to the western world. Similarly, Vedanta commentary by the Vaisnava acaryas like Ramanuja, Madhva, Baladeva., Sridhara Swami, etc. can all be presented successfully. You are a learned philosopher, and your Cultural Integration Fellowship Institute advocates universal religion and cultural harmony. I think if you will turn your attention to the Vaisnava literature you will find all of these ideas in complete fulfillment.