January 23, 1977
Dear Mrs. Perlmutter,
Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 7th, and have noted the contents with pleasure. Yes, our Society is depending on love and respect; we are bound by love. You have thought exactly like an affectionate mother. Every mother should think like you for the benefit of her son. Our endeavor is to save human society from the danger of animalism. In our scripture it is said that one should not become a father or a mother unless one is able to give protection to one's children from the imminent danger of death. People do not know, especially in the western countries, that anyone, if he likes, can be saved from the cycle of birth and death. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
- janma karma ca me divyam
- evam yo vetti tattvtah
- tyaktva deham punar janma
- naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My (Krsna, God) appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." (Gita, Ch. 4, Text 9)
So you have given this chance to your beloved son to be saved from the repetition of birth and death, and your good example must be followed by all mothers in America. Thank you very much for your kind appreciation. Your son is doing very well here in India. I am very much pleased upon him.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS:rds