BG 04.09 janma karma ca me divyam... cited (Let)

Expressions researched:
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities" |"does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world" |"evam yo vetti tattvatah" |"janma karma ca me divyam" |"tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "4.9" or "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities" or "does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world" or "evam yo vetti tattvatah" or "janma karma ca me divyam" or "tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti"

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Jagadisa Bhardawaj -- Vrindaban 3 September, 1975:

Dear Sriman Bharadwajji:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your presentation of two books, Krishna Lila he Lila Varnanani and Krishna Lila Vimarsa. I have gone through some of the pages of these books. It is done very scholarly. We are presenting Krishna consciousness all over the world. In future many devotees will be interested to read your books. We understand from the Srimad-Bhagavatam that everyone should utilize his talent in the service of the uttamasloka, Krishna.

idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va

svitasya suktasya ca buddhi dattayeh

avicyute 'rthah kavibhir nirupite

yad uttama sloka gunanuvarnanam

(SB 1.5.22)

Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry." (Bhag. 1.5.22)

Generally it is very difficult to understand Krishna tattvatah, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, manusyanam saharasresu/ kascid yatati siddhaye/ yatatam api siddhanam/ kascin mam vetti tattvatah. "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." (BG 7.3) But, Krishna is available through the process of devotional service, bhakti yoga, bhaktya mam abhijanati (BG 18.55), and anyone who actually understands about Krishna, about His appearance and disappearance, he goes back to home, Back to Godhead, janma karma ca me divyam/ evam yo vetti tattvatah/ tyaktva deham punar janma/ naiti mam eti so 'rjuna (BG 4.9). Therefore in the Brahma Samhita we learn: vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). It is further stated in the Padma Purāṇa: atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih/ sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah (Brs. 1.2.234). "No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality, and pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." Krishna cannot be known by the materially blunt senses. When you utilize your tongue in the service of the Lord then Krishna reveals Himself. You cannot order Krishna please come and I will see you.

So you are a learned scholar, and you have tried to use your energy for the service of the Lord. That is your success. I thank you very much for your endeavor in spreading Krishna consciousness.

With my best regards, I beg to remain,

Yours sincerely,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Susheel Asnani -- Honolulu 9 May, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 27, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care. The best thing is that you engage yourself in chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra as many times as possible and Krishna will save you. I wish that all your family members should chant, your wife especially, for your prolonged life. Whenever you find time please go to the Bombay temple and offer your sincere obeisances to Lord Krishna. Nobody's life will continue in this material world but if we practice Krishna Consciousness, then certainly by giving up this body one goes back to Home, back to Godhead. As said by Lord Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad-gita:

janma karma ca me divyam

evam yo vetti tattvatah

tyaktva deham punar janma

naiti mam eti so 'rjuna

(BG 4.9)

"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal Abode, O Arjuna."

I hope that this meets you in good spirits.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/pks

n.b. Please find one U.S. postage stamp enclosed for your son.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Mrs. Perlmutter -- Bhuvanesvara 23 January, 1977:

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

(BG 4.9)

"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.

Letter to Jayananda -- Bombay 5 May, 1977:

I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting Hare Krsna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5000) for printing my Bhagavad-gita. After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krsna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krsna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krsna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogis' or a brahmanas' or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krsna Consciousness. But as you were hearing Krsna-kirtana, I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna-loka.

janma karma ca me divyam

evam yo vetti tattvatah

tyaktva deham punar janma

naiti man eti so' rjuna

(BG 4.9)

Krsna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much.