Carve

Expressions researched:
"carve" |"carved" |"carvers" |"carves" |"carving" |"carvings"

SB Canto 3

SB 3.21.18, Translation:

Your wheel, which has three naves, rotates around the axis of the imperishable Brahman. It has thirteen spokes, 360 joints, six rims and numberless leaves carved upon it. Though its revolution cuts short the life-span of the entire creation, this wheel of tremendous velocity cannot touch the life-span of the devotees of the Lord.

SB 3.25.35, Purport:

This arcā-vigraha, sometimes called the arcā incarnation, is not different from Him. Just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts various incarnations, He takes on forms made out of matter—clay, wood, metal and jewels.

There are many śāstric injunctions which give instructions for carving forms of the Lord. These forms are not material. If God is all-pervading, then He is also in the material elements. There is no doubt about it. But the atheists think otherwise. Although they preach that everything is God, when they go to the temple and see the form of the Lord, they deny that He is God. According to their own theory, everything is God. Then why is the Deity not God? Actually, they have no conception of God. The devotees' vision, however, is different; their vision is smeared with love of God.

SB 3.28.30, Purport:

As already discussed, there are eight kinds of representations of the original form of the Lord. These representations can be produced by the use of clay, stone, wood, paint, sand, etc., depending upon the resources of the devotee.

Manomayam is a carving of the form of the Lord within the mind. This is included as one of the eight different carvings of the form of the Lord. It is not imagination. Meditation on the actual form of the Lord may be manifested in different manners, but one should not conclude that one has to imagine a form. There are two comparisons in this verse: first the Lord's face is compared to a lotus, and then His black hair is compared to humming bees swarming around the lotus, and His two eyes are compared to two fish swimming about. A lotus flower on the water is very beautiful when surrounded by humming bees and fish. The Lord's face is self-sufficient and complete. His beauty defies the natural beauty of a lotus.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 10.107, Purport:

Inscribed on a tablet are the names of Śrīnātha Paṇḍita and his father and grandfather and the date of construction of the temple. Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, one of the disciples of Advaita Prabhu, was the spiritual master of the third son of Śivānanda Sena, who was known as Paramānanda Kavi-karṇapūra. It is said that the Kṛṣṇa Rāya Deity was installed during the time of Kavi-karṇapūra. According to hearsay, Vīrabhadra Prabhu, the son of Nityānanda Prabhu, brought a big stone from Murshidabad from which three Deities were carved—namely, the Rādhāvallabha vigraha of Vallabhapura, the Śyāmasundara vigraha of Khaḍadaha and the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Rāya vigraha of Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā. The home of Śivānanda Sena was situated on the bank of the Ganges near an almost ruined temple. It is said that the same Nimāi Mullik of Calcutta saw this broken-down temple of Kṛṣṇa Rāya while he was going to Benares and thereafter constructed the present temple.”

CC Adi 14.9, Purport:

When the form of the Lord is carved from wood, stone or any other element, it is to be understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is there. Even logically we can understand that all material elements are expansions of the energy of the Lord. Since the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nondifferent from His personal body, the Lord is always present in His energy, and He manifests Himself on account of the ardent desire of a devotee. Since the Lord is supremely powerful, it is logical that He can manifest Himself in His energy. Deity worship or worship of the śālagrāma-śilā is not idol worship. The Deity of the Lord in the house of a pure devotee can act exactly as He can in His original transcendental personality.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 14.44, Translation:

“The ring of Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā, manufactured by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the most auspicious craftsman, is as pure as an earring made from a conchshell. The yogī of My mind is wearing that earring upon his ear. From a gourd he has carved out the bowl of My aspirations, and he has taken the bag of My expectations on his shoulder.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.37 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1973:

We can see stone, we can see metal, we can see wood. We can see all these material elements. But Kṛṣṇa is everything. Therefore to be visible to our imperfect eyes, Kṛṣṇa has appeared in the stone form, but Kṛṣṇa is not stone. It is not that we are worshiping stone; we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa. But because we cannot see except stone, therefore Kṛṣṇa has kindly appeared in the form carved from the stone. This is the conclusion.

So prītis tad-vasati-sthale. So one should be very much inclined to live within the circle of temple environment. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. And increase our inclination to chant more and more. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ prītis tad-vasati-sthale... And one thing, always thinking dependent on Kṛṣṇa. To... This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking that "Without Kṛṣṇa, my life is useless. I am in danger." Actually you are in dangerous position without Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa..., Kuntī is offering that prayer that "Kṛṣṇa, You are thinking that now we are safe, but I don't think we are safe.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

So this arca-vigraha which you are worshiping, it is recommended by sādhu, by ācārya, by śāstra. It is not poetic imagination. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa's form has been carved by the sculptor by some poetic imagination. No. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya. It is confirmed by the sādhu, by śāstra, by ācārya. So why? To give us facility. Give us facility. We cannot see God by this blunt, materialistic eyes. Materialistic eyes means everything we think in the, with reference to our sense gratification. That is materialistic eyes. "Everything belongs to God"—that we cannot believe or neither we have got the power to understand it. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "Everything belongs to Me." Still, we are fighting: "No, this Africa is mine," "This America is mine," or "This India is mine." They are simply fighting, simply fighting on this misconception. It is clearly said, and is a fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Haṁsadūta: He was also involved in that Jagannātha... There were many carvings on the temple, and he had some of them destroyed, at the Jagannātha temple.

Prabhupāda: What it is? What he is destroyed?

Himāvatī: It was a sun temple. They worship the sun.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes.

Himāvatī: And there are many obscene statues, so he came to that temple and said, "What is this?" and he had them destroyed.

Prabhupāda: He was a great rascal. Change this water.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

Those who are atheist, they may see idol, stone. But those who are devotees, they see sākṣād brajendranandana hari. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He entered the Jagannātha temple, as soon as He saw Jagannātha, immediately fainted, "Oh, my Lord, here You are." So it is a question of vision. Somebody is going to Jagannātha temple, he is seeing a wooden carved statue, that's all. And he is surprised, "Why for this wooden carved statue so many people are coming?" Because they are not devotee, they cannot understand. But one devotee, thousands and millions of devotees are going every year. Are they going to worship an idol? So this is the difference between the devotee and the nondevotee. A devotee knows that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa and everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore, they want to employ everything to the service of the Lord, and they remain always blissful, transcendental. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So if we take this incidence that Lord Jesus Christ also went to Jagannātha temple, then from historical point of view it is two thousand years old. But it is, according to our calculation, it is more than three thousand years old. So this Indradyumna king, he asked Viśvakarma to carve the deity of Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadra. And there was a time limit. Viśvakarma made an agreement that "Unless I finish the deity's carving very nicely, you cannot see me." So door was closed, and the king was very much anxious to see the temple is established very soon. So he forcibly opened the door, and he saw that the deities were half finished. The Deity Jagannātha as you see, it appears half finished. The king decided, "Never mind it is half finished. I shall install these deities in the temple." Since then, the three deities Jagannātha, Balarāma and Subhadra are being worshiped in India, Jagannātha Purī. Perhaps you know. And the car festival takes place every year, and millions of people go there to participate in that cart, car festival.

Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:

"What this worker is doing?" So he forcefully opened the door, and he saw that the sculptor could not finish the Deity. So this form of Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadrā, was unfinished. They were going under construction, carving, but the King forcibly opened the door. Therefore the King said, "I shall worship this unfinished Deity. Never mind." So this Jagannātha you see in this form because King Indradyumna wanted to worship Him in that form.

So this is devotee's willing. Kṛṣṇa accepts everyone's devotional service if it is offered with love and affection. He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa said "Anyone who offers Me a little flower, a little water, a little fruit, with love and affection, I eat them, I accept them." So if something offered by you to Kṛṣṇa is accepted by Him, then you should know that your life is successful.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Or better than that is to praise the Creator.

Devotee: This sculpting is such a nice art. You're very fortunate to have such a skill.

Prabhupāda: You can... (Prabhupāda is eating) Horrible. ...carve so many pastimes of God, Kṛṣṇa's. In India, the sculptor used to do like that.

Haṁsadūta: Everywhere, all over the world, art's business was to make scenes of..., spiritual scenes.

David Wynne: There's no great art that isn't religious in the world, that isn't to do about God. Because art about man is already debased, isn't it. Yes, must be. But I feel that if one even me, even people like me, the ordinary people making ordinary things, if they're, if it is praising nature... Because nature's an aspect of God, isn't it.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- November 15, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So whatever ready-made we can purchase?

Saurabha: Well, it has to be the proper size also.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes. They can do it.

Saurabha: They have many men. They can very quickly carve those.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: What is it you were saying?

Saurabha: Well, it's... Fixing has to be done.

Brahmānanda: Domes?

Saurabha: Domes, yes. Also the time will go in the domes.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Morning Walk -- November 15, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So we have decided. Do it.

Saurabha: Yes. It takes them about ten more days, fourteen days to get the drawings done. It will be all done in Makrana. They carve it there. They won't do it here. And then they bring it. Only small carvings will be done. There they have all facilities and many, many people.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have kaligarhs. (?)

Saurabha: Very quickly that will be done.

Vipramukhya: (break) Would you like to have a temple established in every village?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- December 19, 1975, Bombay:

Śravaṇānanda: At the Ramakrishna Mission school in Madras near a football field, there is one slogan on the arch that says, "The playing of football will bring one closer to heaven than the study of the Gītā."

Prabhupāda: Just see. Has Neccolla(?) carved this?

Śravaṇānanda: He said, "Tear up all the big tulasīs..."

Dr. Patel: Is it a fact? We don't know.

Prabhupāda: It is a fact if he says.

Śravaṇānanda: Yes. It is written right there, it's written right there. They say the playing of football will bring one closer to heaven than the study of the Gītā.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Vivekananda taught this.

Śravaṇānanda: He said "Pull out the tulasī and plant brinjal."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: No. Jagannātha, that is another history. King Indradyumna, he wanted to establish a temple of that incidence, and that the Deities while being carved would remain unfinished. So, he was very impatient to establish, so he established the unfinished Deity. That is Jagannātha.

Devotee (7): The nondevotees cannot understand...

Prabhupāda: They are being carved, Kṛṣṇa's wood form, but he was so impatient, he said "Whatever is done now, establish." It is said that Viśvakarmā was enquiring. So the term was, Viśvakarmā said that "Unless I finish, don't open the door." So this king, he went impatiently, and calling out whether he is finished. Then he forced, forcibly opened the door, and it was unfinished. So he said "Never mind, (indistinct)." Unfinished Kṛṣṇa (indistinct). So Kṛṣṇa, finished or unfinished, is Kṛṣṇa. That is omnipotency. That is Jagannātha form, (indistinct) doesn't matter finished or unfinished. (end)

Arrival at Farm -- July 29, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Harikeśa, have you came here?

Harikeśa: Yes.

Bhagavān: All the marble, I had it made in Italy especially for you. This is all lotus flower carving they have done. And the bookshelves also.

Prabhupāda: This also marble?

Bhagavān: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Bhagavān: Everything is designed for Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So I can use this closet?

Bhagavān: All these are closets. These are many pillows, if people come, they can sit.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Very nice, so you can keep here.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Don't talk now.

Harikeśa: Okay. (long pause)

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Hari-śauri: Everything is going on. Wood carving, cement lay, painting, marble polishing. The yajña.

Prabhupāda: If we would have remained there. These people are coming. How they could see?

Hari-śauri: Still, it would have been very quiet.

Prabhupāda: We are not (indistinct). Besides that, we don't want quietness. We want how many (indistinct).

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Saurabha: The best. And also the facilities. Now, in the floor we start tiling, the basement floor... Under the Deities there we have a basement. So there we have started the flooring, tiling, and now we have decided on all the other parts of the building, for the stone. So they promised, they guaranteed, that at the end of this year the building—that means the guesthouse—will be completed. And of course, that includes the temple. The only thing which will definitely go on is the marble work, the carving. That is a very big job. But that we can always continue. That is mainly outside work, finishing. So that we get the inside ready for the opening.

Prabhupāda: ISKCON Juhu? That is sufficient address?

Saurabha: Well, this was hand-delivered. It would be nice if... I think now it is sufficient. Many letters come like that now.

Prabhupāda: No, we are famous now, Juhu.

Morning Walk -- August 23, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁsa: There's a path over here. Why don't you go around here. This is an archaeological museum, Prabhupāda.

Indian devotee: Before it was an archaeological museum. Old carvings of various temple deities, but they just keep it like that, so.

Devotee: It's not open now, though.

Prabhupāda: Even it is open what we have to do there? (pause)

Harikeśa: Like to go this way, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (break)

Mahāṁsa: "Lesser the happier."

Prabhupāda: Hmm? "Lesser the happier."

Vāsu Ghoṣa: Family planning.

Morning Walk Conversation About Bombay -- August 29, 1976, Delhi:

Girirāja: And then in the temple itself they're starting to fix the carved marble on these columns and it's just getting very exciting. Then on the gate they're starting to put the domes. And yesterday Saurabha and I went to see some samples of furniture, very attractive furniture. So we're going to make a model room.

Prabhupāda: Model room? What is that model room?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A model, sample.

Girirāja: We're going to fix one of the rooms on the first floor with all of the furnishings and everything just as it will be when the building is complete. But there is still other work going on. So it couldn't be used for living, but it will look just like a finished room. And Acyutānanda Swami is doing very nicely. He attends maṅgala-ārati every morning, he gives class in the temple in the morning and in the evening. And we're having a lot of programs at Rotary clubs, Lion's Clubs, colleges and universities.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So first of all finish your construction. Then you go to (indistinct).

Saurabha: (indistinct), they carving the wood and everything, the shape of the...

Prabhupāda: Now, we shall bring priests from Hyderabad.

Saurabha: Aha. That is the technical thing. But I was speaking regarding the construction because I want to know whether you want to have the bathing ceremony only taking place on the opening day, or also later on the facility can...

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Saurabha: Only that day.

Prabhupāda: Only that day.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dhanañjaya: Actually so many Indians in their house they're keeping just like dolls. They are not worshiping regularly. They're keeping on the mantlepiece or on the side.

Prabhupāda: In this way be encouraged and in full capacity do business and get others.

Dhanañjaya: There was one boy who just came from Italy and he's expert in wood carving.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Dhanañjaya: So we can take artists for wooden siṁhāsanas. Siṁhāsanas he said he can make. He even brought his tools. He has a whole box of tools he brought just for carving and he studied in the south of Spain, religious architecture.

Prabhupāda: He can make a small siṁhāsana for the Deities, collapsible. So that if anyone wants, he can dispatch them.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrutakīrti: And the bigger ones, they will sell for twenty-five dollars.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People buy them?

Śrutakīrti: Yes. This works. And these cost about two dollars to make and about twenty minutes to carve.

Prabhupāda: Beautiful.

Śrutakīrti: There's a little science. They dip in all different color wax.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It actually costs two dollars to make, though.

Śrutakīrti: The wax. The wax is about two dollars' worth of wax. So it's very profitable. Especially in Hawaii and Waikiki it will be very lucrative business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How much you can make in one day, profit?

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. Tourist attraction. It will. Already it is that. The walls of the temple room, they are all marble. This is your study room. It has a marble floor. This is the marble floor. And the walls are all being done in marble in this pattern. This is the bedroom floor. This is the lower portion of the bedroom walls, and this is the upper portion, all done in these little... These is all onyx, and these are marble. And these are the outside doors. It's all ornamental carved concrete.

Prabhupāda: You have got so many artists.

Kīrtanānanda: This is a view of the outside near the top railing.

Prabhupāda: How they learned so much?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's brought some presentations for you.

Nava-yogendra: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a Deity of Kṛṣṇa. Sandalwood. Nice carving of Kṛṣṇa. These are sweets, different types. Many fruits.

Nava-yogendra: Dried fruit, Indian fruit.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kaju.(?) Milk sweets all on silver trays.

Prabhupāda: Keep them properly and distribute to the devotees.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Distribute to the devotees. All right.

Prabhupāda: Bank business finished? Bank business?

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gaura-govinda: Oh, many criticisms. Many criticisms. I also heard. There was one custom that there are some specific persons, pāṇḍās, they would go out all directions to search that wood, specific nim wood from which the new body would be carved. There are some symptoms in the wood, that nim tree. They would find it out. And they go all directions. But this year they never gone anywhere. Last time from where they have pulled up the trees, they went there, and without proper ceremony they cut down the trees and came. This was also criticism. They never followed this thing this year.

Prabhupāda: The pāṇḍās are doing...

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 28 March, 1967:

On the birthday of Lord Caitanya we have installed the deity Jagannatha (in three) in the temple of the San Francisco Branch and the celebration of feasting was nice last night. People are taking interest in the temple and they are attending meetings regularly. I think similarly Jagannatha should immediately be installed in New York. If some of you who may know carpentry work can engrave such deity, as Syamasundara has done here, I can give you the model. If not I shall ask Syamasundara to carve one set for you. I do not know if you are going to change the present place as it was indicated in the letter of Satsvarupa.

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

Please inform her that I have received her letter with great appreciation and I shall meet her very soon in San Francisco. Regarding your inquiry about the valuable woodred you have secured, I would advise you to attempt carving Lord Caitanya and His associates Murtis as I am sending herewith the specimen. If possible you can carve also the Forms of Radha and Krishna separately. If not you can go on carving the same three Forms of Jagannatha brother and sister because we have to open many centers one after another. I wish to open two centers immediately one in Los Angeles as suggested by Haridasa and other in Vancouver. I have a friend in Vancouver who is devotee of Srimad-Bhagavatam Puranam and with his help we can open a centre at Vancouver.

Letter to Subala -- Delhi 29 September, 1967:

The lecture as it appears in the picture seems to be very nice and I shall be very glad to know it's capacity to hold attendants. I am also glad to hear that you are carving Jagannatha Subhadra for the temple. If your temple accommodation is suitable then I shall install Sri Sri Radha Krishna Vigraha when I return back to the states. There are some Mrdangas in New York and you can get them for playing in your temple. The last line of your letter is very pleasing to me and I am happy to learn this temple is going to be the most important than all others. Please work for it and I shall join you very soon by the end of October 1967.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1968:

If you can provide yourself by independent handwork then you can give up your present job, otherwise you continue with your job, even it is nonsense. The thing is, we must have sufficient time for executing Krishna Consciousness business, so you have to select which one will be suitable for you. If you think that by carving Jagannathas or painting you will have sufficient income, it is very nice. Otherwise do not give up your present job for some future hope. Rayarama's suggestion to open an asrama is very nice. If it is possible to keep sufficient number of cows in the asrama, there can be very nice milk business and that may make sufficient income for maintaining one institution for educating children in Krishna Consciousness. Actually the modern educational institutions are different grades of slaughter houses. If you can open an ideal institution for the future children of our associates, it will be a great service.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1968:

Mistakes there may be in our life, but if we stick to Krsna Consciousness, Krsna will surely put us on the right path. Your husband Sriman Subala das is living with me very peacefully, and he is carving Radha and Krsna, from hard wood. So this life of material existence is just like hard wood and if we can carve Krsna out of it, that is the success of our life.

So, at any circumstances you must not forget Krsna. I love you at my heart and therefore I gave you the name Krsna devi dasi. Don't forget Krsna even for a single moment; chant Hare Krsna loudly or slowly as it my be convenient. But don't forget to chant the Holy Name. I hope everything will be all right as soon as you come here with Danny, and I am awaiting your arrival with great interest. Hope you are well.

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

I am glad that Krishna has sent $500 when you needed them very badly. It is all Krishna's Grace. Please take care of the boy very nicely. I have received one letter from him, and I am enclosing a personal thanks for the boy. Even Krishna is prepared to give us more, we should not accept anything from Him for our sense gratification; if anything is offered by Him, we should accept gladly for His service only; for our sense gratification or personal benefit, we shall not ever ask any favor from Krishna, although He is always willing to deliver such favor to anyone amongst His devotees. I am glad that the devotee has joined us who is a sculptor. I am trying to carve one Radha Krishna Sri Murti in wood, done by Gaurasundara, but Gaurasundara is not a sculptor, still he is trying to do it. But if this boy is actually a sculptor, he may immediately begin to carve one Radha Krishna Sri Murti in wood, 24" high.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1968:

Anyway, you should find out the list of arriving ships from the port information and do the needful. If the ship is arrived recently, send them a telegram why the documents not received.

I am glad to understand that Lord Jagannatha is being repaired, and after this he will begin carving Sri Radha Krishna Murti. I am getting one Pair carved by Gaurasundara. Please find out if this boy Bob has got any knowledge or experience of casting, or any such equipment. I want to make 100 Murtis, probably in hard rubber, for our Temples. Hope you are well.

Letter to Michael O'Leary -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

Please try to follow the rules and regulations, and when I arrive in New York, we can talk together, and as you feel yourself ready, you can be initiated. If you have any doubts or questions, your good God-brothers are always ready and willing to help you. Brahmananda can give you the lists of the qualifications for devotees, and the 10 offenses, and other informations as you may need. If you have got any questions, please feel at liberty to write to me about them as you desire. I am also very happy to learn you are a sculpture student; at the present time, I am trying to carve out of wood Sri Radha and Krishna Murti. If you can carve out these Deities, it will be very nice.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Montreal 15 July, 1968:

If you would not have constructed such a nice ratha (car) in such a short time, it would not have been possible to perform the grand festival. By Krishna's Grace you have got the talent of carpentermanship, and you have fully utilized your energy in the service of Krishna. You have carved so many Jagannatha Murtis, and the car also, so Krishna must have been very much satisfied with your service. Srimad-Bhagavatam says that the highest perfectional stage of everyone's talent is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, by his craftsmanship, scientific knowledge, philosophical research, or similar any other energy. Please continue this attitude of service and success of life is assured for you. I have learned the description of the Rathayatra festival verbally from so many persons who came to see me from San Francisco, and I have received the photo album from Gurudasa. But I have not received any newspaper clippings, which I am very much anxious to see.

Letter to Nathan Baruch -- Montreal 7 August, 1968:

The Spiritual Master must be bona fide representative of Krishna, by disciplic succession, receiving orders from the superior, and the disciple must agree to abide by the orders of the Spiritual Master. This is the simple method of spiritual advancement; if you remember this principle it will be very nice. If you can carve Radha Krishna Murti very nicely, it will be a great service to the society. There is a quality of wood, which is very hard and strong and black and heavy; in India we call it iron wood. I think it is called ebony here. If you can carve Krishna from this ebony wood, and Radharani from another wood, one which is very hard, and of golden color, and from this same golden wood, Lord Caitanya (all of Them 24" in height, and Radharani a little less) then you can begin this work immediately. I'm so glad to learn that you are eager to serve Krishna in every way possible. This mentality is very rare, and I guess that you must have been engaged in Krishna's service in your previous life.

Letter to Sivananda -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:

I am very much anxious to know about your further progress, and whether the boys, namely Krishna das, and Uttama Sloka, have already arrived there. I am expecting your letter containing all these informations any moment, but till now I have not got any letter. Please therefore write all details by return mail. If you require help from Syamasundara for carving Jagannatha Deity, you can ask him and he may go there for a few days. He knows German language very well. So do everything nicely. So the boys and girls from San Francisco who are in London, they are doing their best but till now they have not been able to find out a house on rent. I am surprised that in Germany you could find out a place without any difficulty, and why there are so many difficulties in London? So that, in spite of there being a strong group of 6 persons, headed by Mukunda and Syamasundara, they could not find out a house in London, whereas you alone have already opened ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE in Berlin. Anyway, please do it nicely with help of other two boys, and let me know how you are making progress.

Letter to Candravali -- Los Angeles 26 November, 1968:

It is most encouraging news that you have begun this activity and by all means continue with it. If you will complete the first three volumes by June, 1969, as you have proposed, it shall be a most welcome asset for propagation of our society. Also, your carving and painting Lord Jagannatha deities is very nice, we shall require such deities in all of our temples.

Regarding your opening a center in Mexico, I think that if some other brahmacarinis are available to go along with you that there will be no objection to this idea. However, where shall these brahmacarinis come from? For the time being, I think you may concentrate upon improving the temple already established in San Francisco as you have described that this temple is already short-handed. So kindly continue to work sincerely in developing your Krishna Consciousness and please keep me informed as to the progress of your translating work.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 24 December, 1968:

Regarding the translation by Bon Maharaja, it is only one quarter of the complete work and I do not know if the other parts will come out very shortly.

So far as having the Radha-Krishna murtis carved for Rs 1000, it is too costly. Continue to negotiate with Jaya Govinda on this matter. Here in Los Angeles, one boy, Nara Narayana, is planning to attempt murtis in bronze but I do not know that he will be successful.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:

I am glad that your friendship with Mr. George Harrison is gradually working, so much so that he is now prepared to spend $3,000 for an altar slab and a block of bluish marble for carving Krishna or Lord Caitanya. For Lord Caitanya yellowish marble or white marble should be used. If yellowish golden colored marble is available, that is very nice. Another thing is that these Forms should be worshiped. Our Deity worship is not heathenism. If we keep Forms of the Lord without worshiping the Deity under regulative principles, it will gradually turn into idol worship, which is an offense. The Deity of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical. Krishna can act through the Deity perfectly. As I have given several times the example, the mailbox can act perfectly as the post office because it is authorized.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita where Krishna says that "everything is resting on Me, but I am not everything." This simultaneously one and different philosophy should be carefully understood. Then our Krishna Consciousness will be more clear.

Regarding Lord Jagannatha, He is the unfinished carved form of Krishna. One king named Indradyumna wanted to establish a Jagannatha temple some thousands of years ago, but while the Deities were being carved by the heavenly carpenter, Visva Karma, the king was in too much haste, and he established the half-finished Deities in the temple. Jagannatha means the Lord of the universe. That is Krishna. Krishna as the only one Lord of everything is confirmed in the Brahma Samhita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya Caritamrta, and all Vedic literature.

Letter to Nara-narayana -- London 24 November, 1969:

Do it nicely. It is very important service and Krishna will be pleased to bestow upon you His blessings for it. Here in London things are going on very nicely, and one India gentleman has promised to help us in our plan to make Deities. Therefore, I request you to send immediately to the London temple the carving of Lord Krishna which you made in Los Angeles while I was there. As you are writing from Detroit center, please inform some responsible person in the temple where the Deity is presently staying to immediately send it by air post to London address. I shall be returning to the East Coast USA sometimes in December, and if it is possible, I shall be pleased if you can come and meet me at that time.

Letter to Aniruddha -- London 26 November, 1969:

The Radha Krishna deity carved from wood by Gaurasundara at San Francisco was delivered to you. Perhaps you remember. I want those deities now. Please let me know where they are.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1970:

I have also received your gift of two boxes of laddu expertly prepared by you.* They have so far lasted and I am enjoying some each day. They are first-class.

Regarding Srimurti Subhadra, the old Deity should not be repaired, but a new Deity should be carved and installed. The old Deity may be wrapped up in some cloth, tied up and weighted with stones, then put in the river. This is the procedure to be followed.

You may paint Garuda with the figure of half man/half bird. That will be nice.

I am happy to note that you are all trying to serve the Deities more and more nicely. Please go on in this attitude and such efforts in devotional service will become the greatest pleasure or Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Gajendra -- Los Angeles 27 January, 1970:

This is our life. Here also I have introduced in the L.A. Temple 24 hour engagement. When Krsnakanti (Carl) returns, you will learn from him everything how this Temple is doing nicely.

Extend your activities to the University campus because the younger generation is our future hope. Bamboo while it is green can be bent and carved, but while it is yellow and ripe if there is any attempt to bend it, it cracks. Krishna is evergreen youthful Original Person and He gathers around Him all young boys and girls as cowherd boys and gopis in His eternal Vrndavana Lila. So try seriously to impress upon the young hearts and you will be successful. Try to get that fraternity house as soon as possible.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

Besides that, what are you going to do about Rathayatra? Both you and Murari are good carpenters. So I shall be glad to learn what is your program about Rathayatra.

Regarding your need of engagement, then you have to join Sankirtana Party. Your aptitude is to be engaged in constructing something for Krsna. The best thing will be to engage yourself in carving Lord Caitanya's statues. That will be good engagement for you even in George's house.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Gaura Hari -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1971:

I am so glad to hear how nicely Tulsi is growing. That is the sign of substantial devotional service. Every center should be encouraged to grow Tulsi. If there is any impediment in growing Tulsi, that means that devotional service is defective. Yes, Jagannatha Deities may be carved and installed later on. So I will give you instructions how they should be installed. First of all, let them be carved.

I am so glad to accept the devotees recommended by you for initiation and their beads and letters are enclosed herewith.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- London 5 August, 1971:

Your idea for a festival much like the one we held in Calcutta and Bombay, at all the university campuses is a very good proposal, so do it nicely. Simply pictures of Guru Gauranga will do; there is no need of taking along Jagannatha Deities. And so far getting Jagannatha Deities from Jayapataka Swami, why you are making that extra expenditure? All our Jagannatha Deities are locally carved. Any boy who knows carving can carve Jagannatha. If you want you can order Gaura Nitai Deities; that is all right.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- London 18 August, 1971:

Yes, if there are enough qualified devotees on hand to care for Lord Jagannatha, then certainly He should come there. So make nice arrangements for Him. If your facilities are as nice as those in L.A. then you can ask Babhrubahan to make big Jagannatha Deities like those in the L.A. temple. He carves very nicely and his wife Vikramini paints Them nicely also. When I was in L.A. last time, they carved one small set for me and the set is there in my room. If someone needs to receive Gayatri mantra, which is necessary for caring for Lord Jagannatha, then at your recommendation they can be initiated by mail. I will send you one tape made by me of Gayatri mantra. They should simply listen one at a time, privately, through the right ear and at the same time repeat each mantra, while reading it from one paper. You can also explain beforehand how to count on the fingers.

Letter to Sankarasana -- London 7 September, 1971:

Those are first class qualifications for making advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So continue enthusiastically as you are doing and Krishna will surely bless you. Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant your 16 rounds faithfully, study our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. All these activities will make you fixed up in Krishna's service and eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead.

You can tell Bill and Hayden to send me some photographs just as soon as the Deities have been carved.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

So far your Jagannatha deities which have become badly cracked, it is better to replace them, but if that is not possible then you may repair. The story of Lord Jagannatha is like this: Once King Indradyumna wanted to establish the picture in the temple of Krishna, Subhadra, & Balarama coming in a car or chariot during solar eclipse to Kuruksetra so he employed Visvakarma to carve them from wood, and actually the carving was going on behind closed doors, but the King was very impatient to see, so Visvanatha (Visvakarma) stopped, but the King was satisfied with them half-finished.

Letter to Bhavananda -- Auckland 14 April, 1972:

So this Bajoria program should be considered as one of our successful points of preaching, so he should be encouraged, but he should be requested at the same time to have no hired priests, then it will spoil.

Your ideas for Rathayatra are nice, so do it like that. If you want any suggestions or points, I shall give you. I suggested to make a smaller ratha of wood finely-carved with silver plating if possible; if not, you can have a nice ratha in the normal way. In childhood, my ratha used to go to this temple, so if this is again introduced, it will be again very much appreciated by Radha-Govinda.

Letter to Lalitananda -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:

So you are the servant of one who takes his bliss from Lalita. Yes, if there is arrangement for swinging the deities sometimes, that is all right. Anything may be done which will be pleasing to the Lord, and He is often fond of swinging motions. You may place cows and peacocks on the altar at Montreal, that will be nice. So far I am concerned, I have no objection if there is carved form of guru on the Guru-Gauranga altar, but one thing, is unless that sculptor is very excellent, it should not be attempted. How will you get photos from all angles of vision for the carving process? Unless it can be done very nicely, just perfectly realistic, he should not do it. Yes, God is always there in His Arca Vigraha form, either as Krishna or Rama or Caitanya, whatever. So He must be offered all respects as if He is there personally present, and if you are always sincerely chanting and following our Krishna Consciousness programme of chanting and other things you will very quickly develop the eyes to see Krishna there.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Tosana -- Melbourne 11 February, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 25th. and have noted the contents carefully. Your dedication to Srimati Tulasi-devi is very laudable and I am sure that if you consult with Karandhara das he will give you all assistance to help make your dream come true. But carving tulasi beads should not be your sole occupation. You should also go out for street sankirtana and distribute my literature for the cripple minded masses, and whatever spare time you have you can carve some tulasi beads for me to sanctify. But whatever you do should be done with wholehearted enthusiasm and strict adherence to the principles of chanting 16 rounds, rising for mangala arati, following the four basic principles, always remaining clean etc. You may consult with Karandhara das and request him to approve your second initiation.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 27 April, 1973:

I am anxious to know about the Mayapur progress. I want that the house must be completely finished before my returning. In London we have purchased land. Mr. Birla wanted to construct temple there. His idea is that the government would not object to sending this marble there so that the carved pieces may be sent and if expert men go there to construct the temple it will be very nice.

Some men from U.S.A. are going to Mayapur for doll making, so teach them nicely and we shall be asking doll exhibit in London. Many tourists come there, and it will a great attention for the tourists.

Letter to Jayapataka, Bhavananda -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1973:

The Pictures are already there in our books and they are to be demonstrated by doll exhibition. The Krsna-Balarama Deities if it is very successful you can send one photograph to Yamuna in Vrndavana and if needed they may be sent to Jaipur as a model for carving our Krsna-Balarama Deities to be installed at Vrndavana. If possible you can send me some photographs of the dolls already manufactured and I shall give you further suggestions in this connection. To learn how to prepare mrdanga shell is very essential. Regarding land I had already given Jayapataka Maharaja direction to purchase as much land as possible if it is offered at cheap price. But the present law is if the land is not properly utilized any outsider may occupy the land even as trespasser and the land belongs to him as a tenant or owner.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Gauragopala -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975:

The best thing for you is to seriously try to follow all of the rules and regulations very strictly under the guidance of the temple authorities. Then your mind will become very clear, not so agitated. You have taken initiation from me, so actually you are obliged to do this. You have promised, therefore there is no choice,—you must follow strictly. Otherwise, you are carving your pathway to hell.

Letter to Bunke Behari -- Berkeley 20 July, 1975:

I wish to thank you very much for ivory carving gift which you have kindly presented to me. You have made it very nicely. I can see that it required skill to make it so artistically. You have made Radha and Krishna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu very attractively.

Letter to Brsni Prabhu -- New Delhi 27 November, 1975:

I am in receipt of your letter dated September 9, 1975, I have noted the contents carefully.

Regarding the Gaura Nitai deities, I think 100 dollars is too much to pay for one pair of deities. Better you carve them from wood. In India the carvers have always used a wood bitter in taste, this keeps the worms from eating it, best is nim wood if such wood (bitter in taste) is available there then why not make Gaura Nitai from wood.

In New Vrindaban we have so much woodland, it is not that deities have to be made in Hawaii, why not in New Vrindaban and supply all our centers? let me know.

Letter to Brsni -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

I am in receipt of your letter dated December 8, 1975. The Deities may be carved without hair or dhoties, and then later they can be dressed.

I will be anxious to see the photographs of your work.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Toronto 18 June, 1976:

On the inside veranda, you can have Gaura-lila carved. It will be a great attraction and I shall be very glad to have it. Either plaster or wood is alright, whichever is easier and cheaper to do, you can do. Of course, it would be very attractive in wood. But it is my fervent request that the devotees not make any "bombing-lila" as it was publicized recently.

Just like in our Vrindaban temple, you can have 3 Deity compartments. Facing the altar, Nrsimhadeva can be on the left, Guru-Gauranga in the center, and Jagannatha-Subhadra-Balarama on the right so that you can organize Rathayatra. You can begin the construction with cornerstone.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Hari-sauri -- Bombay 1 May, 1977:

Yes, the name "New Govardhana" will be very appropriate for your farm. Regarding the idea of getting 36" nim wood Gaura Nitai from Calcutta, that is very good. Or if somebody can carve them locally, that will also be very nice. Regarding the gentleman whom you have met who speaks so many languages, let him translate in any one of these languages any of our books and that will be a great service.

You will be glad to know that I am feeling a little recovered now and every evening I am again able to do my translation work. Now my only disease is that I have no appetite.