Voluntarily (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"voluntarily" |"voluntary" |"volunteer" |"volunteered" |"volunteering" |"volunteers"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Biswambhar Goswami -- Shanti Kutir, Vrindaban 25 December, 1956:

His Holiness Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami was the originator of Vaisnava Smrti in our Gaudiya Sampradaya and your good self is the worthy descendant of Sri Goswamiji. I hope you will kindly take this matter very seriously and accept my voluntary cooperation in this connection.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

Poverty means poverty of knowledge. Prime minister Canakya Pandit used to live in a thatched house or cottage but he was the dictator of India in the days of Emperor Candra Gupta. Mahatma Gandhi your political Guru voluntarily accepted the ways of the so called poor Indians and still he was the dictator of India's destiny.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari -- New York 16 May, 1966:

Anyway your voluntary offer for cooperation is very welcome and I take it for Srila Prabhupada's help in this great adventure.

Letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari -- New York 11 June, 1966:

Up till now I am working alone without any cooperation of any one of my Godbrothers and it is the first time that you have voluntarily extended your hand to cooperate with me in full spirit. May Srila Prabhupada bestow His Divine Grace upon you. I have already decided to get you here to help me and I am trying my best for your "No objection Certificate" as well as free passage to this country.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 10 February, 1967:

Yes you can edit on the tapes of Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I am very pleased to receive your voluntary offer. Thank you very much.

Letter to Devotees -- San Francisco 30 March, 1967:

I am aware that you are feeling my absence just as I am feeling the absence from you. But in the meantime this must be so and Krishna will provide for you as long as you keep chanting Hare Krishna. I want to see each and every one of you, so I am asking Mukunda to arrange my visits since he has volunteered to render this service. If any of you have any particular points you wish to discuss with me, please have Mukunda make an appointment with me for you. I am always at your service.

Letter to Hayagriva -- New York 21 May, 1967:

I understand that some girls have volunteered to type and therefore you can now get the revised Gitopanisad nicely and correctly typed before it is handed over to the press.

Letter to Jayananda -- Delhi 16 September, 1967:

Krishna is always with us, within our hearts and He is always ready to give us direction but because everyone is independent Krishna responds cooperatively. Anyone who voluntarily cooperates with Krishna's desire He responds to his call very eagerly. Krishna descends to teach us Bhagavad-gita begging our cooperation and anyone who cooperates with Him becomes blessed.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1968:

Anyway, I am very much hopeful that you are eager to go to India and accept voluntarily the task under my guidance. I am searching out a very good place in Vrindaban for the accommodation of my American students.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

Actually the association of young boys and girls is very much disruptive for Brahmacari life, but in your country it is impossible to stop free mixing of young boys and girls. So voluntarily they have to check these sex desires until they are married. If they are strong enough in Krishna Consciousness any amount of sex urge will not disturb them.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1968:

The faith increases in Krishna Consciousness by our voluntary increase of serving Krishna. Serving Krishna is unlimited and he can accept our unlimited service, and award us unlimited transcendental pleasure in the unlimited service of the Lord. That is the meaning of unlimited.

Letter to Mario Windisch -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1968:

I am very sorry to learn that my dear brother Sadananda is seriously ill and the doctors have advised complete rest for him. He is my intimate friend and God-brother, so although I wanted to open correspondence with him, I voluntarily restrain myself from doing so, taking into consideration his present health. I pray to Krishna that he may recover very soon, so that we may not only open correspondence, but maybe I can see him personally.

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

This transcendental pleasure is unlimited and increases as we increase our desire to give more and more voluntary service. To surrender to Krishna all at once is not generally possible, but as we serve Krishna more and more, we gradually become more and more surrendered at His Lotus Feet.

Letter to Rupanuga -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:

The next development from santa-rasa is dasya-rasa, which means voluntary offering of some service.

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 8 April, 1968:

Here I am walking at least 2 miles daily voluntarily, so if the house is nice, you can keep it. If a car is available, from New York, then that will be very nice, otherwise, I can walk.

Letter to Upendra -- Allston, Mass 1 June, 1968:

Yes, your question about will and the individual and the difference between them: Thinking, feeling and willing is the subtle covering of the individual soul. This thinking, feeling, and willing is accelerated by the individual soul. In material contact, they are manifested in perverted way. When the individual soul voluntarily surrenders to Krishna and acts in a routine method, thinking, feeling and willing becomes purified and at that time, there is no difference between the individual soul and will.

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

Therefore to remain poor is one of the qualifications for advancing in Krishna Consciousness. Our predecessors, the Goswamis, they voluntarily gave up everything for advancement in Krishna Consciousness. We do not require any money for our personal account, we shall always be happy with anything Krishna is happy to supply us for maintenance, but for the preaching purposes, we can accommodate to receive all the riches of the world. So let us try with sincerity, and Krishna will help us in the matter of our advancing the cause of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

Artificial separation is never recommended. And when you see, living together, you have no desire for sense gratification, then that is the highest stage of perfection. Voluntary restraint is tapasya, austerity, and this is possible with advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Artificial separation is foolishness. We recommend voluntary restraint, not artificial separation. So you should understand that there is no objection to live together as husband and wife. The tendency is there, it is natural. But if one can check it, that is very good. But it is not compulsory. And not to be checked artificially, but with advancement of strength in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 20 September, 1968:

And as soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life, until the child is born and is grown up at least for 6 months. After that, one may have sex life on the same principle. If one does not want more than one or two children, he should voluntarily stop sex life. But one should not strictly use any contraceptive method and at the same time indulge in sex life. That is very much sinful. If the husband and wife can voluntarily restrain by powerful advancement of Krishna Consciousness. That is the best method. It is not necessary that because one has got wife, therefore you must have sex life. The whole scheme is to avoid sex life as far as possible.

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:

There is no question of monetary transaction to enter into these centers and institutions, but because we have to maintain such institutions, public should voluntarily contribute and that is very gladly accepted.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968:

So instead of being a slave of the senses, if one voluntarily becomes the slave of Krishna, or His representative, that is good for him. This is maya, thinking that we are independent. We are slaves—every moment we are serving our senses. We are slaves to so many abominable things, to drugs, intoxication, sex, doing the most abominable things in the service of the senses.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1969:

Lord Caitanya was a very learned scholar, a very beautiful young brahmana, and He had a very affectionate mother, but Lord Caitanya Himself accepted the botheration voluntarily for the good of the human society and all living entities. We should always follow these footprints—not try to imitate, but to follow the same spirit of compassion for the conditioned soul and try to help them advance to Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 29 February, 1969:

As for someone to help you distribute books on the West Coast, I understand that Jayananda has volunteered for this assignment, and you can decide who you will like.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Hawaii 16 March, 1969:

The best thing is in this age to propagate this Sankirtana movement. So I shall be very glad to utilize your energy in this Krishna Consciousness movement as you are willing volunteer.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- Columbus, Ohio 8 May, 1969:

So let us forget our past difficulties and in Krishna Consciousness, if anyone faces difficulties, it is considered as blessings, because without tapasya, or voluntarily accepting some inconveniences, nobody can realize the Transcendence. So when we are put into difficulties while discharging Krishna Conscious duties, it is to be understood that Krishna puts us in a field of austerities and penances which help us making progress towards realization of our goal of life.

Letter to Syamasundara -- New Vrindaban 3 June, 1969:

If you cannot train them, how can you take it for granted that someone from here can? Training is not imposition. It is voluntary accept by the trainee. Anyway, when you secure a larger place to accommodate everyone, you will have as many brahmacaris as you want, and I shall arrange for that.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 5 June, 1969:

You have voluntarily offered to do something when you return to India, and the best project will be to work there as representative of this Krishna Consciousness Movement. In my opinion, India is going down by giving up this original cultural life which is its own.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1970:

I approve your scheme not to charge money for love-feast. Whatever voluntary contribution you receive, that is alright. So far items of foodstuff (Bhoga) and distribution of Prasadam are concerned, there is no need of increasing the number, better reduce it to five just like rice, dahl, capati or puri, little sweet rice and a nice vegetable, that is all. And on Sunday you can increase the items up to ten, but make everything very nicely.

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

So our centers are managed financially by selling the books and magazines and by accepting some voluntary contributions from the public. Sometimes we manufacture incense and the visitors gladly purchase it. In this way we manage the financial affairs of our society. In London, however, we get some income by sales of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record.

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

As your good self has voluntarily offered some service on account of this Krishna Consciousness Movement, I shall be very much pleased if you kindly consider this proposal.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 22 February, 1970:

You took up very seriously my desire for opening a center in Australia, and you volunteered to take up the responsibility. So all these things are very much encouraging. In our Krsna Consciousness movement the first qualification required by the devotees is enthusiasm. Then work it out patiently and with conviction that it will surely be done.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970:

Srila Bhaktivinode says, jada vidya saba mayar baibhava "the material opulences are expansions of Maya's influence." As such, according to Vedic process, one voluntarily renounces the material opulences.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 March, 1970:

To open a center for us is not very difficult job. Simply the devotees who volunteer their service must be very serious and sincere.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Tokyo August 21, 1970:

By nature you are a willing volunteer in this Krsna Consciousness Movement, then certainly you will be able to render more and more important service to the cause.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 27 October, 1970:

Before taking Sannyas, I told you that you may remain a brahmacari because management in L.A. was with you. Now you have voluntarily taken sannyasa. You may take advantage of this opportunity and preach this Krishna cult and expand missionary activities. Do it sincerely. For my disciples there is no punishment. There is no need for that. One who preaches Krishna Consciousness is supposed to be glorious. Directly write me and I will give you instructions how you can go on preaching.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Sai -- Allahabad 8 January, 1971:

I am not after recruiting some disciples; but for preaching work we want some assistants and if somebody offers voluntarily his service it is welcome. So the best thing will be that you become a regular disciple of me and you can teach your followers in the same principles.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:

Some professional men should be engaged 24 hours preparing prasadam. There are many volunteer organizations in Calcutta. They should come forward and help us distribute prasadam.

Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1971:

And if you are unable to give 50% of your income, then who is pressing you? It is voluntary. If you have not got any means, then who is exacting you? So these things are specifically happening to you, not to others. There are so many grhasthas and they are not feeling any inconvenience.

Letter to Dinesh Candra -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1971:

So for the time being, you can stay in your apartment, have discourses and hold kirtana and whoever voluntarily may join, no one can object. Whoever comes, give him nice prasadam. For the time being this can be done.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

The test is that so many new devotees are coming. That is a very good sign. Now you must take care to train them very nicely. They are voluntarily giving their lives to Krishna, so as president you must see that they are always happy and satisfied in Krishna Consciousness. Then they will not go away.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

They have given their lives to Krishna, so we should see they are always happy. Their service is voluntary. It is not that we can force anyone to do anything. If we do they will go away and that is a great loss. Everyone must be encouraged to do what he likes to do for Krishna, so if someone likes to do business for Krishna, let them make $1,000,000 for Krishna.

Letter to Vamanadeva, Indira -- Delhi 8 December, 1971:

Preaching is our first-class engagement, including Sankirtana party, selling books, speaking, like that. But if for some reason a devotee is unable to do these things, then I say that they are allowed to live outside and work as a concession. Our service for Krishna is voluntary and can never be forced. And whatever position in life one holds he can serve Krishna in that way.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bhargava -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1972:

So first thing is to become knowledgeable in Krishna Consciousness, then the tapasya or voluntary life of austerity will result automatically. So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail.

Letter to Bob -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

One makes his advancement in Krishna Consciousness by giving up voluntarily his attachment to material nature or maya and such renunciation is called tapasya.

Letter to Bob -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

Yes, by having some faith in me and in this Krishna Consciousness process, that is the first and only requirement for getting actual wisdom. If there is faith, understanding will follow. And as your understanding increases, so will your disgust with the spell of illusory energy and when you voluntarily give up your entanglements in the material world, then the progress is assured.

Letter to Stokakrsna -- Los Angeles 20 June, 1972:

If there is obedience then there will be discipline, and without any discipline the management is very difficult. So first obedience by the children. That is not always by punishing or by force, but sometimes by showing the stick, without necessarily hitting and sometimes it is learning how to trick them or even cheat them into obeying you voluntarily and enjoying by their obedience. If there is difficulty for taking the smaller children on public sankirtana, there is no need.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1970:

I am requesting you especially should take up this task very seriously of convincing your nation's leaders to give us all cooperation, and we shall in turn volunteer our all services to help them. By our mutual combination I am certain that we can improve the entire humanity to the point of spiritual understanding and thus automatically eliminate the basis for wars, poverty, disease, inequality, insufficient supplies of foodstuffs, and so many other problems that plague our so-called civilized societies.

Letter to Sri Joshiji -- New York 7 July, 1972:

Now I shall be away from California for about one month, but when I shall return we shall discuss further this matter. I welcome your suggestions for voluntary service.

Letter to Karandhara, Tamala Krsna, Giriraja, Bhavananda -- Vrindaban 24 October, 1972:

There is no time limit mentioned for getting permission from Charity Commissioner. Still, try for the permission from Charity Commissioner as quickly as possible, then we shall go on with the terms of the original agreement, either voluntarily or we shall have to force him through the courts.

Letter to Mr. Loy -- Vrindaban 7 November, 1972:

So children have parents, elderly persons must have grown up children to protect them, and woman must have husband. And it is recommended they should be married at very early age, then the wife will remain always chaste and devoted to her husband. At such young age, from the first night onwards, she can never for a moment forget him, being still child and unspoiled, therefore she becomes the perfect chaste wife, and in those times the wife was so much devoted to her husband that she would voluntarily die in the fire of his cremation, unable to live without him.

Letter to Rupa Vilasa -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

We are persons, and Krishna is a Person, and our relationship with Krishna He leaves open as a voluntary agreement always, and that voluntary attitude—Yes, Krishna, I shall gladly co-operate whatever you say—that ready willingness to obey is only possible if there is love. Forcing will not make me agree. But if there is love, oh, I shall gladly do it.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:

Gradually I may get some taste for these other things and agree to do them voluntarily and intelligently. We are not dogma or like army-camp, no. We are servants of Krishna, that means because we understand that Krishna is our Protector under all circumstances, we have no more any anxiety, so we become very liberal and tolerant of all kinds of seeing others' sinful activities, and we see them innocent victims of maya, and we try to help them understand what is the real position of life.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972:

Now try to keep a cool head under all circumstances and always remember that Krishna will protect you in any case, you haven't to worry anything. I think that without you the New Zealand affair will not go on, but now you are leaving there to live on some farm in Australia. Of course, our serving Krishna is voluntary affair, so what can I say? If you think that is the best choice, I must agree, otherwise you might go away altogether.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 22 December, 1972:

So the future of this Krishna Consciousness movement is very bright, so long the managers remain vigilant that 16 rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four morning, attending mangal arati—our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 22 December, 1972:

There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles—Krishna Consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy. So you big managers now try to train up more and more some competent preachers and managers like yourselves. Forget this centralizing and bureaucracy.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

If someone wants to become devotee but he is little weak, never mind he is living outside, he may come regularly to the temple, chant at home and at his work, and offer his foodstuffs always to Krsna, like that, and gradually he will develop the surrendering attitude and accept voluntarily the life of austerity or tapasya which must be practiced in the temple living. Without such voluntary understanding of the principles and agreement to obey them, no one is qualified to live in our temples. Of course if there are one or two instances of falling down, that may be excused, we are not so overly critical, otherwise who would be qualified of any of us to become devotee?

Letter to Dhananjaya -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

If new students are coming and they want to live with us in the temple, they must agree before living with us to follow these principles without any exception. Otherwise, it is better for them to live outside and attend the class, aratrika, prasadam, like that, and gradually as they become convinced by their intelligence, they will voluntarily agree to perform the austerity or tapasya of living in the temple. But anyone who lives in the temple must follow all these principles without exception, otherwise they may be asked to live outside.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

But I have written one letter to Dhananjaya that he should keep in contact with you for getting the place, because you had kindly volunteered to help, so why he has not done anything? My spiritual master used to say me: Strike while the iron is hot, so if we delay the matter too long it may not remain a favorable proposition.

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Bombay 5 January, 1973:

Do not force, but if gradually they understand, they will voluntarily accept the life of tapasya or austerity of Krsna Consciousness movement. In this way, by their voluntary agreement to join and follow strictly, they will assist me in the leading posts to spread on Lord Caitanya's message all over the world.

Letter to Ramesvara -- India 9 January, 1973:

So I am so much pleased upon all of the boys and girls in Los Angeles and all over the world who are understanding and appreciating this unique quality of our transcendental literature and voluntarily they are going out to distribute despite all circumstances of difficulty.

Letter to Mohanananda -- Bombay 13 October, 1973:

But, on the whole the Gurukula standard should be free education, boarding, and lodging. People shall voluntarily contribute as far as possible.

Letter to Acyutananda -- New Delhi 1 November, 1973:

Enclosed please find one letter addressed to me from one of our Bengali devotees, which I am forwarding to you for necessary action. Try to pacify him if he is offended. Everyone comes to us to offer voluntary service, so amongst ourselves there must be good behavior. One may not feel sorry. So the leaders must take precautions as far as possible.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 31 December, 1973:

We have to manage our men in such a way that they may bend to our will but not break. After all, our work is purely voluntary. If they become angry and leave then our work is defeated.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Paris 8 June, 1974:

Syamasundara. has voluntarily suspended his responsibility as GBC and I am enclosing my letter to him in this regard. So you may continue as GBC.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Vrindaban 14 August, 1974:

Besides that we have taken a great mission of the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so everything should be done very diligently and soberly so that our missionary activity may not be hampered. All of our members are giving voluntary service, so they should always be encouraged in their service attitude.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1974:

Regarding your trip to U.S.A. you say that you will be tactful and respectful in your dealings. That should be the motto of all GBC. Be tolerant, and if there is any deficiency, rectify it. All our men have volunteered good service, so the background is good will. So everything should be done on the basis of good will.

Letter to Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy -- Bombay 18 November, 1974:

As you came all of a sudden, we could not make arrangement for your proper reception, but I am so pleased to learn that you have voluntarily agreed to visit our temple during the opening ceremony.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Aubrey L. Duke -- Vrindaban 1 September, 1975:

If you take away the girl, I have no objection. They come and go, but if the parents take her away, I have no objection. We have no business to keep young girls from their parents. We do not force anyone to go or to stay. It is all voluntary.

Letter to Arvind Shah -- Bombay 30 September, 1975:

Sex life is the cause of bondage of the conditioned soul to remain in the material world. If one can conquer over the sex impulses voluntarily, he conquers over the influence of material nature. So the ideals being different, I think in the Vedic system such circumcision is prohibited.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 July, 1976:

I think though, that there is more than one Maharastrian devotee, but anyway there are many sympathisers who would be willing to voluntarily serve by this translation work.

Letter to Ambarisa -- Bombay 15 August, 1976:

Your idea of opening up an account, depositing in it, and sending me the monthly statements is very nice. I approve of your idea cent per cent. You have voluntarily put yourself under my control. Thank you very much.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 7 November, 1976:

If the father is victorious in the courts then what can we do? Our business is not to kidnap. People must come voluntarily. It is always voluntary. Krsna is offering the chance to go back home, Back to Godhead, but He leaves the choice up to the living entity.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Harikesa -- Bombay 6 May, 1977:

As you have suggested, let it be printed in India. Our good friend Mr. Brij Ratan Mohatta volunteered to help pay the printing costs of Arabic publication. So in this regard you can send the manuscripts to Gopala Krishna, and he will arrange everything.

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

Our service to Krsna is voluntary and we are interested only that He shall be pleased, not myself. Therefore the advanced devotee is ready to serve Krsna under all conditions of difficulty or scarcity, never mind other things, because he knows in his mind that by giving his full attention and energy to Krsna, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead will not disregard this and make him to suffer.