I tell you as a sincere friend that you must immediately retire from active politics if you do not desire to die an inglorious death. You have 125 years to live as you have desired to live but you if you die an inglorious death it is no worth. The honour and prestige that you have obtained during the course of you present life time, were not possible to be obtained by any one else within the living memory. But you must know that all these honours and prestiges were false in as much as they were created by the Illusory Energy of Godhead called the maya. By this falsity I do not mean to say that your so many friends were false to you nor you were false to them. By this falsity I mean illusion or in other words the false friendship and honours obtained thereby were but creation of maya and therefore they are always temporary or false as you may call it. But none of you neither your friends nor yourself knew this truth.
Active (Letters)
Expressions researched:
"active"
|"actively"
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
I wish to organize a spiritual society for the above movements and therefore I seek your active help and support for this. The immediate need is to start an organization centre in a suitable place preferably in New Delhi under your direct supervision and to train up a batch of young men for this transcendental service. If possible to conduct a monthly magazine in this respect for propaganda work.
Please therefore contact us and we shall help you to raise youself to your normal happiness. It is no dream neither any bluff. You shall know yourself how far you have made progress in that path and our duty will be to help you only. Thinking that you shall be a prospective member of our League of Devotees, I am sending you herewith a copy of the Prospectus and I wish most sincerely that you should become an active member of this great institution. Pay or pay not you can become a member without obligation and the League welcomes you always accepting you as the Divine child.
1967 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letters of the 15 and 16th inst., as well as the Janmastami day circular. I am so much pleased that everything is going on so nicely in Montreal, and that you are ever more actively engaged for Krishna, even in the absence of myself and Kirtanananda, It is a great credit to you, and I thank you for it. You should know that it is all due to your sincerity of heart; when we are sincere, Krishna will always help us, either in external direction by the Spiritual Master, or internally by His Paramatma expansion. The program you have decided on for the Lord's Advent Day is nice.
Kirtanananda is now a completely Krishna Conscious person as he has accepted sannyasa on the birthday of Lord Krishna with great success. He is the first sannyasa in my spiritual family, and I hope he will return back soon to begin preaching work with greater vigor and success. Please try to cooperate with the temple managers, because in my absence they might feel some difficulty. You are one of the old founders of N.Y. temple, and I hope you shall take some active part in improving the original center.
1968 Correspondence
Maya and living entities are different energies of Krishna and all of them are eternal. Maya is acting under the direction of Krishna but her task is to punish the revolted living entities; therefore, she has to business in the spiritual platform. Maya cannot go to Krishna means that Maya's influence cannot be active in the presence of Krishna. The example of darkness can be given herein. The darkness has no existence in the presence of sunlight, similarly Maya cannot exist in the presence of Krishna. As darkness and light exist eternally, similarly, Maya and Krishna exist eternally, but Maya has no existence in the presence of Krishna. Try to understand this simile.
You will be glad to know that we draw no distinction of caste, creed, or nationality. So if there is any possibility of uniting the whole human race under one religion, under one scripture, under one mantra, under one activity, then this movement will be active. Our mission is one God, Sri Krishna; one scripture, Bhagavad-gita; one mantra, HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA, RAMA, HARE HARE; and one activity, namely to serve Lord Krishna with life, wealth, intelligence, and words.
Santa-rasa means appreciation of the greatness of the Lord, but there is no active service of the Lord. The land, the grass, the trees, the plants, fruits, or the cows in the transcendental world are supposed to be situated in the santa-rasa. As spiritual beings, they are all conscious of Krishna, but they prefer to appreciate Krishna's greatness remaining as they are.
As you go on preaching you will become expert. In every sphere of activity the more a man becomes active, he becomes more and more expert. Your humble attitude is very praiseworthy. You keep yourself in that very humble mentality and Krishna will be very pleased upon you. All three of you are very sincere servitors, and you all should become very good preachers, Janardana, yourself, and Sivananda, so that this Krishna Consciousness movement will be spread all over the world.
On the day of our departure I was expecting you in the airport, but I think as you are young man, you were tired on the last night, on the 30th April, on account of late arriving from the Long Island meeting, and you could not get up earlier from your bed. In that sense, I am more active than you because on that night also I got up from my bed at 4:00 a.m. instead of 2:00 a.m. as usually, and I worked on my usual duties. So you young men should not simply eulogize my hard working capacity, but I wish that you should also follow my example.
Regarding our Gaudiya Math in Bombay: I am very sorry that you are disappointed in respect of their activities. I know this fact because in 1934 I was one of the active members in starting this Math. The Gowalia Tank center was opened by me, and although I lived separately from the Math, practically I was in charge of the Math and under the instructions from His Divine Grace. Then after His Departure, you know so many unhappy things happened, but, as I was a householder, I remained always aloof from those unhappy incidences. I have accepted this renounced order of life in 1958, and since then I am completely devoted to the service of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 2nd, 1968. The language was Hindi, and the script was Gujarati. I am not accustomed to read Gujarati script, but I can understand a little Hindi. Anyway, I have grasped the substance of your letter that you are a devotee of Lord Krishna Rancorji, of Dakore. You also desire to become my disciple. You have passed your M.Com. degree; and you want to stay with my other disciples in San Francisco. These are all nice proposals. And I think there is nothing objectionable. Gargamuni came here day before yesterday, and he has gone back yesterday after noon. He spoke to me about you, that you are coming in the temple and taking some active part in the affairs of our temple. I understand also that you have come to USA on students' visa. But you do not wish to prosecute your studies any more, but want to do some business.
One should always remain active in Krishna's service, otherwise the strong maya will catch him and engage him in her service. Our constitutional position being rendering service, we cannot stop activity. So the New Vrindaban may not be turned into a place of retirement, but some sort of activities must go on there. If there is good prospective land, we should produce some grains, flours, and fruits, and keep cows, so that the inmates may have sufficient work and facility for advancing in Krishna Consciousness. In India actually the Vrindaban has now become a place of the unemployed, and beggars. Kirtanananda has already seen it; and so there is always a tendency of such degradation if there is no sufficient work for service of Krishna. Another suggestion is that if you can attract some retired men to live there peacefully and at the same time, make oneself advanced in Krishna Consciousness, that will be very nice.
I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd Sept., and I am so glad to learn that you are active in preaching Krishna Consciousness in London. You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. So I am sure by your combined effort in London, there will be a great successful center. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well, and please convey my blessings to your good wife, Yamuna devi.
Regarding my going to Los Angeles: I can go at any time, but I think if you are serious to call me you can do so by the middle of October. I think that will be nice. Now, my plan is that personally I shall try to retire from active participation, but I want a place where I can live with at least 15 devotees engaged in editorial work, recording work, photographic work, painting work, etc., so that I may prepare materials for the preaching party who will go with all these paraphernalia and preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world. If you think that you can help me in this respect then it may be I can make Hollywood as my headquarters. In the meantime, I have received letter from Hawaii, and it appears that a good center can be opened there.
While sleeping, one sees so many nonsense dreams, but as soon as one is awakened, he becomes conscious that oh, I was seeing so many nonsense dreams, actually it has no existence. Similarly, when a person becomes Krishna Conscious, he can understand the falsity representation of this material civilization. Next point, and when he is awakened, he becomes completely detached from the so-called affection for designations, namely, society, friendship and love. Next point, by such understanding, one is not so much materially active. One is satisfied with income which can simply maintain his body and soul together and he is no more interested to increase the bank balance unnecessarily for sense gratification.
In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that the activities of the Vaisnava cannot be understood even by the greatest scholar. So we have to understand everything through the transparent via media of the Spiritual Master. So there is no doubt about it that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura is eternal energy of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And whatever he did, was just to suit the time, place, circumstances, and etc. There is no contradiction in his activities. Yes, also, what you have learned about Sukadeva is correct. He stayed in the womb of his mother for 16 years because he was fixed on the Brahman conception, and then on hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam, he became realized and decided to come out and be active in the service of the Lord, to enjoy blissful varieties.
So far Janardana is concerned, I am anxiously awaiting to hear something from him. I consider him as one of the pillars of our society, so please request him to write to me and to inform me of the active interest he is taking in our society. He is very sincere thoughtful member and plus he is good speaker, so with these qualifications he can render most valuable service to Krishna Consciousness. So please ask him to be kind upon me and help in the venture of translating our various books and magazines. When Janardana goes to France, if he is willing to take charge of printing Back To Godhead French edition in France, rather then Canada, it will be very nice. Also in France he may open one center and many of my students may come to help him. In Europe I require 3 centers, one in London, one in Paris, and one in Hamburg.
1969 Correspondence
As an Indian, Hindu, educated gentleman, it is not unknown to you how these principles were active in India even 50 years ago. Gradually things are deteriorating, and the cause of all unhappiness in the modern human society is this lack of Krishna Consciousness. By the Grace of Krishna there is no scarcity of anything in this world, but there is a scarcity of Krishna Consciousness. Therefore there is a great necessity of spreading this transcendental message all over the world. It is very encouraging to me that you are now in London as a retired gentleman and your cooperation in this movement will be highly effective. I hope that by this time you have already secured my book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and there are other books also. If you will kindly join our movement it will surely be a great stride.
The people are appreciating our movement very much there. You will be surprised to know that I have sent there for preaching work 6 boys and girls, married couples, and they are neither elderly nor very much conversant with Vedic philosophy. But still, by their character, behavior, and devotion, they are attracting many people in London, including the High Commissioner of India and others. One gentleman, Mr. Parikh, is a Doctor in Education and was formerly the principal of a college in Kenya. He is actively working with our students there, and very soon they should have a Radha-Krishna temple there in gorgeous style.
Maschler has become friend of our movement, and if we get a sympathetic English publisher, we can publish so many small booklets through him. I am also pleased that Mr. Parikh is taking active interest, and I am simply anxious when you will have nice premises for our temple. Please let me know what is the result of the Camden Borough Council negotiations. Regarding the picture you have sent, I am so pleased to see it, because our little Sarasvati is also taking part in our transcendental movement. That is the practical proof how great is this movement. In any other movement, one has to learn something, one has to be trained to do something, but here is a movement where there is no necessity of any previous qualifications. That is the proof this movement is based on the spiritual platform.
We have already discussed this point in many articles and change in religious faith does not make one advanced in spiritual understanding. The spiritual understanding as taught by Lord Caitanya is that all living entities are eternally servants of God. We have to propagate this philosophy, and for this we have to make propaganda. Every religion believes in God, and we want that everyone should actively come to this understanding of accepting one's eternal servitorship to God.
Your fifth question, "Is this understanding of verse 18, chap. 4, correct; that the sage sees material activities as zero (inaction in action) and sees the devotee seated chanting as eternally active (action in inaction)?" Yes, action in inaction—action means to do something of which the result is enjoyed by the doer; that is action. But when things are done for Krishna, the result is enjoyed by Krishna. When we put ourselves in the position of enjoying good or bad reaction, then we suffer or enjoy. But action in Krishna Consciousness has nothing to do with such material suffering or enjoying.
I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd Sept., and I am so glad to learn that you are active in preaching Krishna Consciousness in London. You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. So I am sure by your combined effort in London, there will be a great successful center. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well, and please convey my blessings to your good wife, Yamuna devi.
I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd Sept., and I am so glad to learn that you are active in preaching Krishna Consciousness in London. You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. So I am sure by your combined effort in London, there will be a great successful center. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well, and please convey my blessings to your good wife, Yamuna devi.
The picture by Devahuti which was in my room will be printed on the cover of Nectar of Devotion, so Brahmananda must decide if this picture will cover the entire front cover, with the title printed on top of it, or if there will be some space allowed for the title on an upper margin, as was done in TLC. You may keep the photographs there in LA, and some of them may be published in BTG on the cover. Relationship between Godbrothers must be very genuine and pleasing. Otherwise, the future of our institution will not be very hopeful. After all, very soon you have to manage. As I am getting old, I wish to retire from an active part. Of course, I shall be behind the scene, but I am thinking of writing a constitutional will on my return from Europe. Enclosed please find the proclamation you have requested. I hope this will meet you all in good health.
So far as I am concerned, as I already told you, after this European tour I am going to retire from active work and retire for writing books. So any place suitable I shall stay and give you directions. I am now confident that at least one dozen of you have understood the philosophy and the matters by which it can be handled. So from the background if I give you some inspiration, the whole society shall run on nicely. We shall talk of these things when you come. So try to go to New York as soon as you are able, and the ticket will be duly sent there.
1970 Correspondence
I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated January 9, 1970. It is very encouraging to me that you are taking so much active interest in the matter of spreading Krishna Consciousness and willing our Society to gather strength throughout the world. I thank you for your good will.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 March, 1970, along with your beads and request to become my initiated disciple. I am glad to learn that you are already progressing nicely in Krsna Consciousness and actively engaged in leading Sankirtana Party at Buffalo Temple.
When there is inquiry, the people are receptive. It is now already experimented that wherever we may open a center, Hare Krsna mantra will be chanted with great delight. Our Japanese center is doing very well. They have got very many television engagements. Brahmananda has gone there, and he says that in those parts of the world there is very good chance of spreading Krsna consciousness. Most probably Brahmananda will open a branch in Hong Kong. One Indian gentleman has taken very active interest, and he is paying $50 per month. So if there is possibility of opening centers in the places from where you have got inquiries, do it as far as possible.
Our different centers are meant for organizing a group of pure devotees so that neophyte visitors may take examples from them and thus become attached to Krsna consciousness. This formula is active everywhere and I see practically here in Japan where they do not understand the language but still they are taking part like other centers.
I am very glad to know that the GBC is actively working to rectify the subversive situation which has been weakening the very foundation of our Society. All you members of the GBC please always remain very vigilant in this connection so that our society's growth may go on unimpeded by such poisonous elements. Your preaching in New Vrndavana as well as intensified study of our literatures with seriousness is very much encouraging. Please continue this program with vigor and reestablish the solidity of our movement.
It is for your daring and active nature that I have chosen you to represent me as GBC man for the southeast Asia zone, and I can see from your latest words that my choice has not been wrong. I think that Singapore and Hong Kong are English-speaking places so that you will not find much difficulty there. So just open two nice centers immediately and that will link-up our chain of centers around the world.
I have received the report of Pittsburgh GBC meeting. I am happy to see you all so active and serious about carrying on the work which I have started. Now I want that all administration may be done by all of you 12 GBC members all over the world. Always keep in touch and consult matters all together for practical execution.
Presently I am touring many cities in India and the response to our Sankirtana Movement has been tremendous with thousands upon thousands actively participating. In India, actually, everyone is a devotee. They have simply been mislead by the politicians and so many things. By Lord Caitanya's mercy we are again reviving their dormant Krishna Consciousness, just as we are doing in our centers all over the world.
I am very glad to hear that you are working cooperatively with Mukunda in managing London temple affairs. Mukunda is a very intelligent boy and I am pleased to learn that he has again taken an active part in such affairs. It is my desire that Mukunda now act as president of London center and that your good self act as vice president. In this way go on working together and make our London center a grand success. It is a very important center and I am concerned to see that it develops nicely. You can send me reports periodically on the progress being made there.
1971 Correspondence
It is very nice that Dayananda has taken most of the management of L.A. Temple. He will be more active now and his intelligent wife should also assist him, at least in secretarial work.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th February, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. It is very encouraging news to hear that we have one new center in Amherst, Mass. amidst so many prominent colleges. So the devotees there should be very actively engaged in preaching at these schools and especially introducing our literatures, as well as teaching any classes, if that is possible. We have got so many centers. Now we should concentrate on developing the existing centers nicely rather than randomly opening new ones. If a temple has to close down it is a great discredit. So we should work in such a way that all our centers may prosper.
So you should take it that your hospitalization is an opportunity of chanting Hare Krishna mantra 24 hours. After all we are not this body so bodily disorders cannot hamper our advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So long the tongue is active we can chant. Even if the tongue is not active we can think of Krishna. Someway or other if we can keep in touch with Krishna that is our success of life.
I have recently informed the GBC to allow each temple to keep 25% of the money they collect from direct book and magazine sales for temple maintenance, 75% to be sent to Book Fund. Supposing you can sell 800 dollars a week worth of literature (retail price). Will not 200 dollars weekly be sufficient for food and rent? If not, increase book sales, or, until things are adjusted in this way, supplement in other ways, but try to avoid too much business as this distracts us from our real mission. If Krishna sees that we are very active to spread information about Him, He is Master of the Goddess of Fortune, He will give everything!
Learning Spanish is a difficult job. How can you learn? I am very much enthusiastic about expansion of our branches, but if it is dependent upon learning of Spanish language, don't take this adventure. We should serve Krishna in whatever talents we have already got. However if you are still very much anxious to go there, and you think that you shall be able to get along without knowing Spanish language, then you may go there immediately and push on this Movement. The idea is to recruit active speakers who also speak English to translate and be trained for administering things locally—you simply organize everything and instruct them, and gradually they will take over full management.
1972 Correspondence
Regarding Krishna Das, I have heard that Sweden is a very good field, so if he is doing something tangible there, that is to his credit and why not he should remain there for some time—but why he does not write me letters and send his address? I do not know if he is taking active part of if he is not doing anything.
(11) Greed is potential, lust is an active outburst.
(12) Agitation of time is just like a water pot put on the fire, and after some time becomes boiled; when it comes to this boiling point, that is agitation. Or, with chemicals, if alkaline and acid mixed, there is effervescence or agitation.
(13) Devahuti's house is the palace or flying city that Kardama Muni created by mystic powers.
(14) Garbhodakasayi Visnu lays on the water.
(15) Krishna had a chariot driver.
Thank you for helping me in this way. I hope this will meet you in good health.
We have just had a very successful program in Madras, with many prominent men, including the Chief Justice of Madras, taking an active part in this sankirtana movement. We are proceeding to Mayapur to celebrate Lord Caitanya's appearance day, and then to Bombay. From there I will go to Australia, Hong Kong, and I plan to arrive in Japan sometime in May.
I think your idea to canvass the youth groups and colleges in England is good proposal, so do it nicely in cooperation with Dayananda and the others there, and I am sending Kesava there to England soon to organize the book-distribution and travelling Sankirtana Party, so you know him, now you help him very seriously to increase these two programs, because I think especially that England is the best field in the world for distributing our books, as good or better than USA, so I want that you all should be very active to increase the scope there. Kesava is the recognized expert in these fields, so you take direction from him how to do it, and you preach wherever you go throughout the British Isles, and make this travelling SKP a great success, a greater success, than it is now in your country.
I am very glad to hear that you are keeping active in the political arena, and if we are able to establish Krishna conscious leaders throughout the country in important posts, we will be able to save everyone from the present dangerous position of the world. People in general are being guided into hellish condition of life by the rascal leaders, so we must establish qualified brahmanas at the head of the society, and widely distribute Krishna conscious principles. So you continue in this way, and Krishna will give you the needed strength and intelligence.
Anyone who cannot collect money, they should go to Mayapur and live there and simply eat and sleep, like women and widows. I shall arrange for their eating and sleeping. But in cities, those should live who can collect and earn. The widows are not earning in Hindu society, they eat and sleep at others' expense. So if you are not able to earn in Calcutta, better all go to Mayapur and eat and sleep and I shall accommodate all widows, women, and others at Mayapur and Vrindaban. Otherwise why should we maintain such large establishment in Calcutta simply for eating and sleeping and spending. These two places will be reserved for those who cannot collect. For them I am making provision. Only the active members who can collect, they shall live in the city. Eating, sleeping members, they shall live in Mayapur, that's all.
Formerly, I told that Calcutta should support Mayapur. So whoever can take charge of both, he should be President. You should discuss these things amongst yourselves. Simply taking title of President will not help. Why there are no letters from Tamala Krishna, why he is not taking active part in Mayapur? I originally entrusted him with responsibility for Mayapur, but he does not even write what is the situation there, nor does he co-sign for money to be sent.
Everything is alright. If I cannot rely on you to assist me in the GBC position, who can I rely on? So I beg you to reassure me that you will continue to help me in this way, and do not become withdrawn from your active role. Kindly relieve me of this great anxiety. I want to retire now and simply concentrate on translating work, but how can I do it if I cannot give over the management of my society to you all my advanced senior disciples? If one moment you are willing and the next moment there is some small disagreement and immediately you all go away, how can I be calm in my mind? I am going to India by first week of October and I shall stop over one night in Honolulu en route and we can discuss the matter further at that time.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 13, 1972, and I can well appreciate how the things are going on nicely in your Denver center. I am very glad to hear all the good news, especially that you want to sell books more and more. That is the best preaching work; each book sold means there is some practical effect of preaching, there is some tangible progress. So try to sell books as many as possible in your country, and in this way, so long you remain active but not for your personal sense-gratification, so long you remain active only satisfying Krishna's senses, then this movement will be successful without any doubt. As soon as someone wants to satisfy his own senses, then he fails at everything. We are the only movement in the world which is preaching the real fact or secret to success, and outside our movement everything else will fail. So try to convince people to join us and be successful in their life, that will be your credit.
The moving and preaching work will be your most important business in Africa. There is not much population and the distances are great, so there is, no doubt, great need for several traveling parties to be working simultaneously. But if you keep that place in Nairobi as your base, sending all of the new recruits as you are able to convert them back to the Nairobi temple for getting themselves trained up, what is wrong with that? I think we need at least one big place for training up the new devotees just to the proper highest standard, just as we are doing in Los Angeles, New York, London, and other places. So also in Africa you require one such model center. If you remain only traveling parties, that will be nice for distributing many many books, and for having the sankirtana, but for new devotees that will be too much rigorous and they will not be able to adjust to the constant moving and changing about. That will spoil their chance for developing in their Krsna consciousness from neophyte stage. So keep the Nairobi center always very active, nicely decorated, worship the deities just to the highest standard, making sure that all of the students are rising to attend the mangala aratrika, chanting regularly sixteen rounds, reading books—in this way utilize what Krsna has given us there and develop it for the headquarters building for Africa.
1973 Correspondence
Regarding your other points, if there is need for stronger president in Montreal, I have no objection if Sripati leaves that place. Main thing is to have always one strong leader at each temple who can maintain the preaching standard to the highest degree. In this way, if our standard program is maintained just to the standard, automatically there will be enthusiasm and increase of preaching results. But Syamasundara has informed me that Sriman Sripati das is English citizen, so if he will like to return for assisting in his home country? They are mostly young boys in London, and they are opening so many new centers in other places of England, Scotland and Ireland, so if he is not required there, or if he likes, he may go there to help train up the young English boys. That is very much required. That seems better service for him than becoming cook only. At least in England he has got opportunity for active preaching and he may utilize his experience to manage things in some capacity.
I am desiring now to stay six months of the year in Los Angeles and six months in Mayapur, spending my time solely for the translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam and other books so that I may give them to you, my sincere disciples. So it will be better arrangement now if my disciples can take up the management and active preaching. For this purpose I have created so many sannyasis. So as far as possible, try to arrange preaching programs with them as I prefer to remain now in the background translating my books.
So now I am seeing more and more that my senior disciples must take and active role in continuing the high standard of purity which has been established in our Vaisnava line. In your travelling from centre to centre, you must be very careful to see that the leaders are observing the principles of chanting 16 rounds, rising early for Mangala Arati, participating in the morning and evening classes, observing the four regulative principles etc., and if there is any deviation from this standard then it is the responsibility of you and the local GBC representative to rectify it immediately.
Brahmananda Swami has read me your letter regarding the students there reading other books. I request you to stop this practice. Our students have no time to read our own books, but they have time to read other's books, and the money to purchase them? Why this mentality is there? You are a serious student, therefore you have correctly found out the defect in these books. We don't want babaji class. We want active preachers.
1974 Correspondence
Please go on and try to establish something substantial there and develop it. Here at Mayapur we have had a GBC meeting and I have selected Hrdayananda Swami as GBC for South America. He will be coming there and can help you in making arrangements for the printing of books in Spanish. Always follow our principles and actively preach, and Krsna will always protect you.
We have an immense field of work in distributing books, reading and chanting and working for Krsna in many fields. And the aim of it is to always remember Krsna. Some philosophers think that in response negatively to the nasty consciousness of material life we should become "thoughtless" but this is not Krsna Consciousness, nor is it possible to become void or like a stone. Our process is to purify the thinking by always thinking of Krsna, actively and positively.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 7, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very pleased to hear about the progress of Hyderabad centre preaching and construction. With your active interest I am very confident that everything is going on very smoothly.
I am very glad to learn that you are reading my books and preaching. That will make you happy, and the audience listening they will also become happy. I am very glad that you are taking up this active service of preaching. In Amsterdam you just try to deliver the fallen souls. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as patita pavana, the deliverer of the fallen souls. So as you have taken the vow of service you can deliver the most fallen souls by this Krishna consciousness movement.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has very kindly introduced this method 500 years ago, and it has proved a very potent and active process. God being absolute, His holy names, form, pastimes, etc., are not different from Him. So this requires deep study and understanding, otherwise it is very difficult to understand.
Regarding the tax exemption for research, we are doing actual research of the Vedic literatures. In this connection you can give the quotations from the many professors in America regarding how they are receiving my books which are heretofore unknown and unavailable to Western readers. Furthermore we are doing active research. We are demonstrating how people can live peacefully and simply, according to the correct civilization. Our ideas are not man-made imperfect ideas, but perfect scientific conclusions. In addition I have a number of Doctorate students in various fields of science, Dr. Svarupa Damodara, Dr. Wolf-Rottkay, Dr. Rao, and others. They can act as the Heads of the research. We are presenting ideal living on Vedic principles of purified life of no illicit sex, no meat eating, gambling or intoxication.
Even when Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was present people went to see him at Jagannath Puri, but they did not come to His birthplace, because His activity was more important than His birthplace. To His birthplace we offer our namaskars, but from the place of His activities we get inspiration. And, what was the Lord's activitiy at Puri? It was preaching. Our temple must be active with preaching and not a dead place."
I am in due reciept of your letter dated 11/10/74 and I have noted the contents. I am very glad to note that you are taking active interest in our Krishna Consciousness Movement and are helping to preach this philosophy. Our movement is not a passive movement but it is active. We are trying to awaken the sleeping humanity to reawaken themselves to Krishna Consciousness. At present humanity by and large is working simply for sense gratification. This is to be considered illusion. Actual life is devotional service to the Supreme Lord. By this devotional service one can become perfect and not become a cat or a dog. Please continue to take interest in our movement and read our books and chant Hare Krishna.
I am in due reciept of your letter dated October 7th 1974 and have noted the contents. It is best that you remain in your place and chant Hare Krishna. That is the best thing for you to do. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's position is to induce everyone to chant Hare Krishna and read Srimad-Bhagavatam. So you should do that. That will be the best service for you. In your old age you cannot work actively in propaganda work, therefore you should take advantage of the chanting and krsnakatha of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
1975 Correspondence
If your heart is weak, do not take part in so much active service. It will be better for you to chant more, read books, eat less—like that you can engage yourself. Everyone has to die sometime, but the problem is that most men your age are thinking, "I will live another fifty years", but now you have been informed that in your case, you will not live so long. Take advantage of this advance notice, consider it a blessing and prepare yourself to go back to home, back to Godhead.
I shall be reaching India by the 15th of March and by the 20th of March, I shall be in Calcutta. If possible, Sriman Govinda may see me in Calcutta in our temple at 3 Albert Road, near Camac St. off of Theater road. At that time, I may be informed about your health and then I shall do the needful. As you have mentioned in your letter under reply that you cannot take any active part in executing the performances, I have asked my assistants in Vrndavana to take help from the local panditas in Vrndavana to do the needful. I have asked them to invite all different categories of saintly persons and devotees to take part in the ceremony. I am very much thankful to your Holiness for your good wishes in the matter of my preaching work.
A similar letter was addressed to Sripada Sridhara Maharaja inviting him, but he has not objected to the temple being open on the Srim Rama Navami day. Sridhara Maharaja on account of his uncertain health condition will not be able to take any active part in celebrating the ceremony, but he has promised to come provided his health permits. I have therefore entrusted the matter to a learned pandita, brahmana, Bhimasena Vedacarya, a great astrologer and learned brahmana. He has agreed to conduct the ceremony. Details may be discussed as soon as I return to India by the 16th of March in Bombay, then we will have a detailed program. Another thing is that I have invited the Governor of U.P., Mr. Channa Reddy and he has also agreed to join the ceremony. Under the circumstances, I don't think it will be possible to change the scheduled date. If we change the date, the Governor may not be available because he has his program fixed up.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. I am glad to hear that you have visited our temple in L.A. If you carefully study our movement around the world, you will find that actually we are solving all of the so-called problems of life. I request you to take an active part in our movement as much as possible and your spiritual understanding will increase manifold.
There is a great need of the Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world. If educated persons like you take active interest in this movement, and preach the cult for the benefit of the mass of people, that is the success of life.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 11, 1975 with enclosed check for 250 rupees. I thank you very much for it. I am glad to know that you have appreciated our movement and are taking active interest. I very much enjoyed my stay in Toronto and I hope that everyone there, all the devotees, especially amongst the Indian community, will co-operate to spread our movement in Toronto and establish a very nice temple.
I am very much pleased that now you are taking more active part in the propagation of our missionary activities. Regarding Ahmedabad Centre, we must have a place there. I am also very much eager to open a centre there, Ahmedabad being one of the most opulent and important cities of India. Last time when we held our festival in Ahmedabad it was certainly very encouraging. People are naturally Krishna Conscious there. If we organize properly, people will get enlightenment more and more and they will be happy. We have to organize in the neighboring village from where the Raja Saheb came to offer his respects to me. He has promised to hold a meeting of the agriculturists of 20,000 people minimum and this will be a great opportunity.
1976 Correspondence
This business of sleeping devotees should stop. What is the use of such sleeping devotees, simply increasing the expenditures. All of them must be engaged. Women and child should all move to the new Taparia house, and the mukhut business should remain in the Guesthouse for now. Gurukula can also be held daily at the Taparia house, and when the Gurukula is completed, grhasthas may occupy some of the third floor facilities of the Gurukula. But, everyone must be actively engaged.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very nice gift. I thank you very much for it and hope that you and your son Gaurahari das are advancing very nicely in your Krsna consciousness. Please always follow the regulative principles and chant your rounds carefully and surely such sincere practice will lead you to success. Pleasing the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life and offerings made with love and devotion are always pleasing to the spiritual master. Please continue in this way.
1977 Correspondence
I am sure she would be very pleased to be an active assistant. If the parents of our devotees study the philosophy of Krishna consciousness there is no doubt they will benefit equally as their children are now doing.
Now I am old man, I have become a little weakened, and I do not know how much longer I shall be able to push on this Krsna Consciousness movement in active preaching capacity. Therefore I have entrusted my right hand men, like GBC, sannyasis and men like yourself, to take up where I had left off and continue expanding and propagating KC all over the world as per the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this way, you have got the opportunity of being favored by Krsna to become responsible leader of the human society, therefore I am simply surprised that you have again fallen under the spell of old bad habits. If you are actually intelligent and not simply pretending intelligence, then you will take this as a lesson and make repentance. If Krsna sees that you are sincerely repenting, He will excuse you. As austerity, you should forget these things and never again think about them in your mind. That will make you very strong.
| Page Title: | Active (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Gopinath |
| Created: | 30 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=75 |
| No. of Quotes: | 75 |