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Changing (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Gosvami Maharaja -- New Delhi 19 September, 1955:

This day I had been to the office of the Director of Postal Service along with our friend Sri Horendra Natha Shome and Sripada Akincana Maharaja. Some of the would be customers whose addresses were given for registration denied to be our paid subscribers and this was against the registration certificate. We had some talks with the Asst. Director who was a perfect gentleman. Heron Babu being one of them he told that he is also a customer. When he wrote in black and white his version the Director agreed to register it and I am glad to inform you this day our "Sri Sajjanatoshani Patrik" is registered in the postal department as a monthly newspaper under registration No. D797. Just on the way I dropped in at the Kapoor Art Press and I gave him the No. for printing on the cover. Our posting date has been fixed up on the 26th and 27th inst. I do not know if the press will be able to finish the job by that date. I have already given him the pressure and I shall see that it is duly published by the above date and posted. If not then we will have to make another application for changing the date of posting.

Letter to Sri Padampat Singhania -- Kanpur 7 May, 1957:

There are two different processes for acquiring knowledge. The one is Deductive Process and the other is Inductive Process. In the Deductive Process we deduce the conclusion from the statement of higher authorities whereas by the Inductive Process we make a research in the truth by our own imperfect knowledge and induce a conclusion. Say for example if we want to know how man is mortal then we have to make a research in statistics of daily death occurrences. Rama dies, Syama dies, father dies, mother dies, he dies, she dies, etc. all these experiences may help us in the conclusion that after all man dies and therefore the conclusion man is mortal made. But the defect of this process of knowledge is that it may be that we have not seen a person who is still living even after some thousands of years. As soon as we get this information the whole conclusion that a man is mortal—is at once changed and we have to say that some men are mortal. In this way the research work of scientific thought are constantly changing because the very research work is done by person who is himself a condition by the four principles of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection. Therefore, the Deductive Process is more effective. Man is mortal we have heard it from very authoritative sources like the Vedas and we have accepted it.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 27 April, 1966:

I am very sorry to inform you that in the last month there was a theft case in my room. My typewriter and tape recorder and some book have been stolen with more than Rs 1000/- goods and therefore I am changing the place to the above address. This present typewriter has been given by a devotee and thus there is no difficulty and another friend has also supplied a tape recorder. It is understood that such crime as it has been committed in my room is very common in New York. That is the way of material nature. The American people have every thing in ample and the worker gets about Rs 100/- as daily wages and still there are thieves for want of character.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 14 February, 1967:

In the opinion of the devotees and trustees here $1000.00 dollar has been risked without any understanding. I know that you are doing your best but still there has been an error of judgment. I am not at all displeased with you but they say that Mr. Payne will never be able to secure financial help from any other source. He is simply taking time under different pretext changing constantly. Therefore you should not pay even a farthing more than what you have paid. If he wants any more money you should flatly refuse.

Letter to Upendra -- New York 4 May, 1967:

I am glad that you are changing your office time and you shall have more time to perform kirtana. I am glad that you have mentioned the first stanza of Prayer to Spiritual Master. I think you know the meaning of this stanza. The meaning of this stanza is that, this world is just like forest fire and spiritual master is just like the cloud on the sky, therefore as the forest fire can be extinguished only by water from the sky, similarly, one can be peaceful and elevated in spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness only by the mercy of a bona fide Spiritual Master.

Letter to Jananivasa -- Vrindaban 27 August, 1967:

About your question: The Spirit Soul is certainly eternal and changeless; and the fall is superficial, just like the relation between father and son cannot be broken ever. Now we are simply in a phase of forgetfulness, and this forgetfulness is called Maya. There is a nice example in the waning of the moon. To us the moon appears to be changing, but in fact the moon is always the same. So as eternal servitors of Krishna—our constitutional position—we fall down when we try to become the enjoyer, imitating Krishna. That is our downfall. Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer, and we are constitutionally to be enjoyed by Him, and when we revive this constitutional position where is no more Maya. K.C. gives us the opportunity of rendering service to Krishna, and this service attitude only can replace us on our original position.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 27 March, 1968:

There is no question of changing Boston program. I am engaged here up to 8th of April, after that I shall be free to go to New York. I do not know what is the program in N.Y., because I have not received any program of New York.

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

Yes, the Panca-tattva picture is standard, no need of changing. Panca-tattva belongs to Navadvipa and it is authentic. In Vrindaban, there is Radha-Krishna, that you have got enough pictures of, and you have got picture of Radha Madan Mohan Temple. When you go to Vrindaban, you can take pictures of important places; wait for those days when I shall accompany you in all the important places of Vrindaban.

Letter to Subala -- Allston, Mass 5 May, 1968:

So far changing the place; we must give first consideration to the right place, not to the rent. Even the rent is high, we shall first pay for a place where many people come and go. Our New York center and San Francisco center is well situated because many newcomers pass through the street in front of the temple. Similarly if the present place is better, you may not change to other place for cheaper rent.

Letter to Upendra -- Montreal 4 July, 1968:

The only process for perceiving Krishna and His name, qualities, form is our sincere service attitude with our senses. Beginning from the tongue, all our senses are practically led by the tongue sense, whose business is to vibrate and to taste. If we can change the materialistic nature of the tongue, by changing of taste and vibration, then automatically the other senses become purified. And we can render service to Krishna with purified senses. As such we should try to chant and eat Krishna prasadam as much as possible.

Letter to Unknown -- Montreal August 23, 1968:

Those who are agitated in the mind, they will hear neither Krishna Conscious philosophy nor Christian philosophy. So to make the mind smoother, you should chant Hare Krishna nicely, not to do it by changing the philosophical topics. The chanting will work. When there is no possibility of talking philosophy, we should simply chant, nothing more. Don't talk anything. That will help both the singer and the audience. Your little speech is very nice. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said there is millions of Names of God, and one can chant any one of them he prefers. We chant Hare Krishna because Lord Caitanya also chanted Hare Krishna. We recommend to chant any Name of God, but we prefer to chant the Holy Name of God, Krishna, following the Footprints of Lord Caitanya.

Letter to Dayananda, Nandarani -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

So in the 28th mahayuga, of the life of Vivasvata Manu, at the end of Dvapara yuga, Lord Krishna appears, and in the next Kali yuga, Lord Caitanya appeared. Previous to this Kali yuga, there was Dvapara yuga, when men used to live for 1000 years. In the Treta yuga, they used to live 10,000 of years and in the Satya yuga, they used to live for 100,000 years. Modern calculation of Satya yuga, Treta yuga, Dvapara yuga, Kali yuga, as golden age, bronze age, silver age, copper age, and other age, that is historical references. But the Vedic calculation is different from such calculation. But it can be accepted to a certain extent to understand that history is changing and repeating at the same time.

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 13 October, 1968:

So far the original text of our aims and objects of the society, I have read it and I don't think there is any need of changing the preamble. But so far section of the law is concerned, that has to be altered according to the English law. So do it and execute the document as soon as possible, and I think Krishna is helping you in the proper channel, and as you were the first signatory in the document which was registered in New York, and you shall be the first signatory in the document which is to be registered in England, along with your good wife.

Letter to Malati -- Los Angeles 12 November, 1968:

Yes, the Supersoul and soul both are unchanged. The difference is that in material contact, the soul appears to be changed. But the Supersoul is not affected by material contamination, therefore there is no sign of change. The change of soul is like that water becomes ice in contact with refrigerator. And as soon as there is temperature the ice again becomes water. Similarly the changing nature of the soul is just like change of water to ice. The tendency of ice is to melt and become water again. So due to contamination of matter, the soul by illusion identifies with material existence. But the tendency is to melt again to Krishna Consciousness. So when there is sufficient temperature in contact with bona fide Spiritual Master and devotees, the soul again becomes Krishna Conscious, like the water.

Letter to Patita Uddharana (was Patita Pavana) -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

I understand that there is also a devotee in N.Y. with similar name, so I am hereby changing your name to Patita Uddharana. The meaning is practically the same. Patita means fallen, and Pavana means deliverer of, and Uddha means to lift up. So Patita Uddharana means One who lifts up the fallen souls, or Deliverer of the fallen souls.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

Your next question, "Is there a difference between Arjuna's body and his soul, and how does this apply to all Krishna's eternally liberated souls described in the scriptures. Is Arjuna always the same in his appearances with Krishna or is a new soul taking his body each time?" Yes, there is difference. Therefore he forgets his past activities. Just like we forget ourselves while dreaming because our subtle body acts at that time differently from the gross body. Similarly, by changing this body or transmigrating from one body to another, we forget all the activities of our previous body. The associates of the Lord, even though they have a different body, or even though they forget the activities of their past body, still they are associates of the Lord. These explanations are given in the Bhagavad-gita as it is.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddar knows very well about my preaching work in this part of the world. Will you induce them to cooperate in my humble attempt? There are many friends in India who will be prepared to construct each a temple here, if the government sanctions exchange. But I don't think the government will sanction changing its policy, even though the retired Presidents or Governors might request this. If it is possible though, please try to do it now, and you will see that we have a center in each and every town and village of the world, as it was predicted by Lord Caitanya.

Letter to Himavati -- Hawaii 18 March, 1969:

It has come to me late on account of changing places so quickly and the statement given by you in the matter of worshiping the Deity is super excellent. Please continue this system and Krishna will bestow upon you all blessings. If one attains perfection in Deity worship, that is called Arcana Siddhi. Arcana Siddhi means simply by Deity worship one goes back to Godhead, immediately after this life. So this Arcana Siddhi program is given in the Narada Pancaratra especially for the householders.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Hawaii 21 March, 1969:

Regarding changing altar, I think you should postpone it for the time being unless you get Radha Krishna Deity from India. Immediately there is no need of change of altar—when the Deity is arrived I shall give you suggestion how to do it. In the meantime, a throne may be prepared just on the sample drawing by Muralidhara. My thanks are due to Muralidhara for designing the throne which I have received. Here both Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi have very much appreciated the design, and they also convey their thanks to him.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Hawaii 30 March, 1969:

Anyway, everyone here has very much appreciated the beautiful dresses you have sent for the Deity and today we are changing the dress by putting on your dress on the transcendental Body of the Deity.

Letter to Rayarama -- Allston, Mass 2 May, 1969:

Regarding the IBM Composer, I think Krishna desires to have this machine because printing of our books in Japan is gradually fading due to the Japanese people's changing their words. I understand from Brahmananda that negotiations were going on between $5,000 and $6,000, and now they want to increase the price to $8,000. I do not therefore wish to deal with them. We must find out some other source for printing our books.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Moundsville 27 May, 1969:

So you should go on with your chanting as you have been doing, and as your name is already Gopala Krishna, there is no need of changing your name. So now you will be known as Gopala Krishna Das.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 22 July, 1969:

I have received the copies you have sent of BTG no. 25 and no. 26. They are nice, but I notice that in no. 26 the first article does not have any adjustment for the margins. I do not know why this is. Your idea of changing the cover border to blue is nice. Black color should not be so prominent on the cover. Blue, red and yellow should be given.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Tittenhurst 19 September, 1969:

Regarding my account with First National City Bank, I have already sent you the Pass Book, so if it is convenient to move to the branch where the society has got account, that is all right. There is no difficulty in changing the branch, but I wish to keep the account with the First National City Bank.

Letter to Brahmananda -- London 22 September, 1969:

Gargamuni is organizing book-selling, and perhaps you have received his memo to all temple presidents regarding selling our literature. So I am consulting with him before I finally decide about the MacMillan Company. But MacMillan's letter to you is not very encouraging. I have received the bank slips you have sent to me, and I hope by this time you have received the passbook. On hearing from you I shall advise you for changing the account to another branch.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Tittenhurst 28 September, 1969:

I am very much anxious to know the credit balance in my favor up to date. Regarding transferring my account to another branch, I think a simple letter to the present branch will be sufficient. When I transferred my account in the Bank of America from San Francisco to Los Angeles, I simply sent them one letter and everything was done. If you think that changing the branch is necessary, then I shall send them one letter on hearing from you. In the meantime, please let me know what is the correct credit balance in my favor.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Tittenhurst 28 October, 1969:

I know you are a sincere worker, so if you think that by changing the place it will be nice, then do it.

Letter to Sudama -- London 18 November, 1969:

Sriman Tamala Krishna das Brahmacari is staying now in London, and I have already handed him your letter for necessary action in the matter of sending more men there. He will also directly correspond with you. In the meantime, I may inform you that Bali Mardan also wrote me to the effect for changing your headquarters to Tokyo, and I have already confirmed this idea. From the very beginning I wanted to open a branch in Tokyo because when I was in Tokyo on my way to the States from India, I saw it exactly a duplicate city like New York.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Anil Grover -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

People must understand intelligently that they are transmigrating from one body to another at every moment. The body is dying at every moment, and the soul is transmigrating to another body at every moment—this is medical fact. The blood corpuscles are changing at every moment and new corpuscles are taking their place. The old order changes, yielding place to the new. This is going on continually. In this way, the soul is transmigrating from baby body to child body, from child body to boy body, from boy body to youth body. So, at the end, when the material of the body does not act very nicely, the soul has to take another material condition of body, giving up the present one.

Letter to Anil Grover -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

The body is changing, but the soul is there. Everyone of us can remember our childhood body or past body. That past body is no longer existing; but I am existing now and I existed in the past, and therefore, I must exist in the future in spite of change of body. These things are nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita, and we should take advantage of this knowledge.

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

In the morning we offer fruits and milk to the Deities, and at noon we offer rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, milk, sweet rice, and many other varieties. In the Boikalik Bhoga Aratrik we offer fruits again. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after dusk; and at 9:00 p.m. we offer Bhoga of Puri, vegetable, milk, sweetmeats, etc. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after which the Deity rests. This is the general program of worship. We decorate the thrones with profuse flowers, changing the dress and ornaments daily, and as far as possible the Deity platform and the Temple room are kept neat and clean always.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1970:

It is said in the Vedas asamga ayam purusa which means the living entity is always unaffected with matter. Another example is given that the reflection of the moon on water appears to be moving, but actually the moon is not moving, it is fixed up. So any living entity is like that. His reflection on the material body appears to be changing, but the spirit soul is fixed up, therefore this movement is called illusion.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1970:

Liberation means liberation from this changing condition.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jayadvaita -- Bombay 17 March, 1971:

I have dictated the missing purports from Chapter IX and they are set enclosed herewith. So far changing the working of verse or purport of 12:12 discussed before, it may remain as it is.

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 1 April, 1971:

Ordinarily we see a man as localized, but every moment the picture is changing without the notice of the viewer. The soul within the heart does not change however, it remains the same. Again, you may illustrate the verse how the soul takes on new bodies as new dress and when the dress is worn out as at the time of death, he takes on new body. I know you are all intelligent devotees of the Lord and I feel confidence in you that you can all illustrate the philosophical instructions of the Lord and this will be a great boon to the people at large.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Los Angeles 6 July, 1971:

All these initiation beads should be kept very carefully and protected. It is not a question of changing beads, but this carelessness, of losing beads, is not very good. You are very intelligent boy, so you should be careful and instruct others also. So keep your beads in a bag and keep the bag around your neck. Then you won't lose.

Letter to Karandhara -- London 5 August, 1971:

Regarding your changing position with Bhavananda, I don't think L.A. can be managed at the present time without your presence. The original proposal was that if the presidents required the change then they could switch centers, but changing of your place will not be very favorable. So stay there and develop things nicely. I am so pleased to learn that you are opening a new branch in Fresno, California and are soon to open one in Long Beach also. So your presence is required there in the West. Your overseeing is most important position.

Letter to Caitanya -- London, England 7 September, 1971:

Yes, Krishna has saved you from such a serious position. So now you should feel very much obliged to Krishna and chant Hare Krishna Mantra more enthusiastically. It is a fact that Krishna has saved you. Yamaraja couldn't touch you because you are Krishna conscious. So now it is your duty to raise your children in Krishna consciousness also. The names you have fixed up for them are all right. There is no need of changing. So be very serious to raise these two girls to be Krishna Conscious and Krishna will surely bless you more and more.

Letter to Dr. Bali -- Kenya 9 September, 1971:

So you may fix up the Madras program by consulting the local presidents in the different places and Madhudvisa Maharaja may help you in this connection. Similarly I have advised Syamasundara. to correspond with them whether our program in Madras in the month of December will not collide with other programs. I have no objection to your proposal about changing the time from October to December but it has to be fixed up in consultation with the others.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Delhi 8 December, 1971:

I am encouraged that you are improving your temple quarters by decorating them nicely. This will help to attract guests and interested people. I want that a high standard should be maintained, but unnecessarily changing and redecorating is also not good. So once you have established a very nice standard, avoid too much changing it again and again. That is wasting Krishna's money unnecessarily.

Letter to Danavir -- Delhi 12 December, 1971:

Give them nice philosophy, let them challenge us with any mundane philosophy and we shall very scholarly defeat them. The difference is that we have got absolute authority from the Source of Knowledge, Krishna, while your western mundane philosophers are simply speculating on the mental platform, which is always changing. Therefore, a philosopher is not a philosopher unless he refutes his predecessor and produces something new. This kind of knowledge is useless.

Letter to Sivananda -- Delhi 12 December, 1971:

Become yourself very convinced and learned in our Krishna philosophy and take it into such university and contaminate everything with it. We are not afraid to challenge every mundane philosopher and defeat them, because they are simply operating on the mental platform which is constantly changing, so they cannot have any real authority. But because we are hearing from the Source of all knowledge, Krishna, through His representatives, the saints and acaryas in disciplic succession, we have got solid basis for understanding.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

Diacritical marks must be maintained. These are internationally accepted by all scholars, so I want they should remain. If they are a botheration, then leave out the Sanskrit words altogether, or wherever there is Sanskrit word keep the English spelling or pronunciation in brackets following it. For example: "KRSNA (pronounced 'Krishna')." If you are printing children's books you may avoid Sanskrit words. But in my speeches there must be Sanskrit. This changing from one standard to another is not good—either avoid Sanskrit, put English pronunciation in brackets, but use the diacritical marks wherever there is Sanskrit.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

I am not much fond of the idea of changing things to accommodate the public—better to change the public to accommodate us. Therefore I suggest wherever there is Sanskrit used there should also be English spelling in brackets. In this way, the public will become accustomed to Sanskrit language so that in future we may use only Sanskrit and they will understand.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Patita Pavana -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

This Hindu religion has no philosophy, therefore it has died because in this age people have become very much hardened by material living and they are not much interested in sentimental religions like Hinduism. Sentiments are temporary and they always dry up. But what the people really want is a philosophy to give their life meaning and guide it under all changing circumstances—and the only philosophy available nowadays is profit, where is profit for sense gratification, or Marxism, or this -ism or that -ism. But none of these so-called philosophies have proven very successful in satisfying the people. Therefore, there is trouble all over the world, dissatisfaction, and people are taking to the only philosophy left or hopelessness philosophy. But our Krishna philosophy is bringing real meaning and hope to the modern people, we are opening up the dead churches and temples, so we may be certain that because our philosophy offers the substantial basis for everyone's life and the solution to all kinds of problems of miserable material life, that very soon the prediction of Lord Caitanya will come true and all men of the world will find shelter at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.

Letter to Nandarani -- Mayapur 27 February, 1972:

Devotees like to increase, that is very nice, but this whimsically changing, now one way, now another way, now this schedule, now that one, this is not good. But as you have suggested to make nice bed and night clothes, that is good proposal. Originally I wanted that such bed, along with throne or gorgeous chair, be placed to the side, but I do not think anyone has done it. So you may add these features. Main point is to keep altar and everything very clean and neat, and to offer Radha and Krishna everything in the most opulent manner just suitable to your means, and always with full love and devotion, even it may be only a little water or few leaves if you are poor man.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

You are experiencing some doubts, that you cannot believe that the Krishna from Krishna Book can be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that it must be like some fairy-tale. To clear up these things the best remedy is to discuss amongst yourselves all members regularly all our books in classes, then these doubts will be killed. Without reading books it becomes hackneyed and such obnoxious ideas trouble us. Our thoughts are always changing, that is the nature of the mind, so you cannot expect that even the great saintly persons are free from thoughts coming and going. But after thinking there is feeling and willing, willing being the stage of putting the thoughts into action. So if we are able to employ our intelligence, then we kill the thoughts before they become manifest in activity, but because we are so much inclined to enjoy something unintelligently, we have to therefore daily sharpen our intelligence faculty by reading and discussing and preaching to others. In this way we are able very easily to defeat all challengers to our philosophy and everything becomes very clear as it is revealed from different angles of vision.

Letter to Trai -- Sridhama Mayapur 1 March, 1972:

So now it will be very important to flood Berkeley city with our books and literatures, because if we can convince the intelligent class of men of our Krishna philosophy then our success for changing the position of your country and the rest of the world from a very dangerous condition is assured. Just see that our routine programme such as rising early, cleansing, reading books chanting, street Sankirtana, deity worship, and so on, if these items of regular programme are maintained to the highest standard and not neglected for anything, then everything else we try for will come out successful without fail. So you are now big officer, and I think Krishna has favored you by this position, because now you will be forced to always be the best example of KC person and be very very responsible, because you must make sure that all the devotees in your temple are always satisfied as far as possible by being happy in spiritual life.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

I have just now received one letter which has described your GBC meeting of nine men in New York, and I have cabled Rupanuga the following message: "GBC Meeting irregular. My strong disapproval, Make no changes. Inform others. Letter follows." So you can understand that I am very much perplexed why you have done these things without consulting me in the matter. If every time someone feels something they call for changing everything, then all that I have done will very quickly be lost. so for the time being there shall be no such changes as you have arranged, until I study the matter thoroughly.

Letter to Secretary to Minister of Education and Culture -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1972:

So if we are intelligent leaders of state, it is to our advantage to benefit all the citizens by satisfying their material requirements, but even more is it our duty to satisfy their need for being secure and confident that they are working under the principles of a truth or reality which does not change and is therefore absolute. That is spiritual satisfaction. Spiritual means philosophical, otherwise it is sentiment and sentiments are fickle and always changing. So we can very much appreciate your rejection of sentiment as a basis for practical activity.

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

So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. It is not a matter of changing our engagement, adjusting this or that material condition, in order to find our real happiness. Krishna Consciousness is not like that. It is able to be performed under any variety of material conditions or with any type of engagement.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Paris 25 July, 1972:

In general, deities are never removed from one place to another simply for show. Once the deity is installed in India, it can never be removed under any circumstances, even they must build the highway around it. But in our case we may sometimes have to change houses, so we may once have to move the deity from one house to another, but we shall not move them from one city to another just for our own convenience. We are always thinking these kind of changes, why is that? I simply want things to be developed which we have got, not to make so many big big plans and changing all the time, that is not very practical.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

This constantly changing managers is not good. We shall develop more progressively by sticking in one place and working, not that one week we have three presidents, that is not good. Our managers should be very responsible for developing their centre to the topmost standard, why this restlessness? It is just like one man is holding government post by getting votes, so today or tomorrow or next day, but he will have to go out, then another man comes, then another, another—in this way, democratic system, no one becomes responsible for the welfare of the citizens, only they want to take for themselves as much as they can before they have to get out, so they do not take real interest in their duty. It is a little like that. My idea is that the leaders must agree to stick at one place, even they may have to remain their life-long, that is the ideal leader, one who is conscious of his duty.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

I have never been in favor of this practice of many times changing the responsible officers, three times in one week changing presidents, this will ruin the whole thing. From now on if someone takes the leading post, he must agree to stick and not go away just because it is difficult from time to time. That is ideal leader. He is responsible and he knows his duty. Just like I did that. My Guru Maharaja gave me a task and always I was discouraged by my god-brothers, but I did not forget him even for a moment, and I was determined to follow my duty, even though sometimes I did not like to do it. But this always changing means no sense. If he is leader, he must be fixed-up. Otherwise, if he has no real interest, why he takes that post? He must be responsible.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

He must stick and develop the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness practice in that area of management. But if he is sometimes thinking, Oh, I do not like to do this, let me go away at first opportunity, then how will things go on? That is just like democratic system in your government: every four, five years changing all the leaders. In this way, each man is thinking he shall not try to do very much. No one is interested in the real welfare of the citizens, simply because the post is temporary. That is not our process.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

Advancement in Krishna Consciousness is not the result of material conditions. I shall not expect to find some perfect circumstances of occupational duty which will cause me to be automatically Krishna conscious, no. So why shall I think that by changing this, going here or there, doing something else—why shall I expect that I will become happy by adjusting material conditions in this way? They have not understood. Real attitude of devotional service is, whether I am here or there, whether I am doing this or that, it doesn't matter, just give me little prasada, little service, or if you make me big leader, that's all right—that is devotee, satisfied to serve Krishna in any circumstances of life.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

Enthusiasm and patience, these things required. If under changing conditions, I lose my enthusiasm, if I cannot endure the difficulties of my duty, therefore I go away—then how I can be leader? These things must be understood. Otherwise the whole thing will fall.

Letter to Nityananda -- Bombay 25 November, 1972:

Brahmacari, householder, it doesn't matter, but householders are doing nicely all over the world, why the others shall resent householders in your temple? That is not reason. This attitude of changing this, changing that, if there is some small thing to make it something very great, changing the leaders three every week—these things are going on, I know. This is not at all good attitude, that if by adjustment, this and that, changing everything, I may create the perfect combination and everything will be all right. I am more impressed if someone has opened one centre and that he has stayed there tightly and developed nicely, not going away whimsically.

Letter to Nirmala -- Ahmedabad 15 December, 1972:

We have neither changed our plan nor have we any intention of changing our plan of developing Hare Krishna Land in Bombay. We shall stick to the place to the last moment and we require your cooperation very much.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

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

Letter to Madhukara -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

One mistake of judgment often made by the neophyte devotees is that any time there is some disturbance or some difficulty they are considering that the conditions or the external circumstances under which the difficulty took place are the cause of the difficulty itself. That is not the fact. In this material world there is always some difficulty, no matter in this situation or that situation. Therefore simply by changing my status of occupation or my status of life, that will not help anything. Because the real fact is that if there is any difficulty with others, that is my lack of Krsna consciousness, not theirs. Is this clear? Krsna says that His dearest devotee is one who does not put others into difficulty, in fact, who puts no one other into difficulty.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 9 January, 1973:

Your plan for rotating the chief man at Nairobi Center is nice, provided the sense of authority and continuity is not weakened by so much switching of head men. As long as you are recognized to be the leader of Nairobi Center with full authority in all matters, that is the point. This constantly changing the head man and whimsically dividing the attention is not good. Someone must be there who will stick tightly to the temple and develop it gradually to the highest standard.

Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:

The laborer, the worker in the factory, all of them are sudras, and the capitalist of the industry they are vaisyas, so the whole population is now composed of vaisyas and Sudras, which means the quality of passion and ignorance is now prominent. A passionate person or ignorant person cannot understand the Powerful, only those who are in Goodness or mixed Goodness and passion they can understand the powerful. so there is a necessity of changing the ignorant persons into persons with real knowledge. Therefore these people should be turned to become God conscious, that is our programme. Anyone from any group, either sudra, vaisya, or any group lower than the sudra, we are taking them and making them intelligent and giving them a chance to understand the supreme power.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Devendranatha -- Hawaii 16 January, 1974:

I find hawaii a very suitable place for Krsna Consciousness, and want that a very strong center be established here. Therefore I think the best thing, if you are inclined to farming is to remain and cooperate with Sudama Maharaja and Bali Mardan and Balabhadra and develop Krsna Conscious farming and cow protection here. The tendency for always changing is not good. So I hope these proposals will be agreeable to you.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Vrindaban 9 August, 1974:

You say that Krsna is sending you only one new devotee every six months, but He says in the Bhagavad gita that out of millions of men one only becomes a devotee. You have sent a list of six men for initiation, so why you are disappointed? Do not think of changing the place. Stick to that place and chant Hare Krishna. Krsna will send more men, rest assured. Devotees may come or not come, but you do your duty.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Vrindaban 16 August, 1974:

Regarding the art of management, constant changing is not good. Even if there is some fault in management it should be corrected, not changed. Besides that, Vaisnava philosophy is that everyone is addressed as prabhu, or master. Everyone should consider himself the servant of the other. That will make management very nice.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 12 September, 1974:

Prabha Visnu should go on Sankirtana, and Madhavananda should be president. Everything must go on. The women are doing nicely, so why are they being changed from the pujari to the Sankirtana? These things should be done by the President. These are internal things, and you should not interfere. I do not approve of your changing the women. It should be the choice of Madhavananda who should be the pujari.

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Calcutta 22 September, 1974:

We cannot change the quality of printing for the matter of a little change in the price. This printing is not approved by me. Repeatedly changing of printers is not at all good. We cannot approve any printing less than quality of printing of Dai Nippon.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Mayapur 11 October, 1974:

There is no need of changing the signatures. It is all right that Jayatirtha continue signing checks jointly with you for normal business matters that have been approved by the trustees. So let it go on.

Letter to Revatinandana -- Mayapur 16 October, 1974:

Explain to them that after death they have to take another body. The body even in this life is constantly changing, and at death they change and take another body according to one's work in this life. They must know this fact. By taking to Krishna consciousness they can become purified and no longer have to take birth again in this material world where they are the four-fold miseries of the body.

Letter to Radhavallabha -- India 3 November, 1974:

From you letter it appears that you are printing a one volume index covering the first four Cantos, in a softcover edition. But, the indexes for the First and Second Cantos have already been published at the concluding volume of the Canto. Why are you now changing the procedure? Since the indexes for the first two Cantos have already appeared, why not just publish indexes for the next two Cantos which have not yet appeared? And, even if you bring out indexes for all the first four Cantos, since the entire work is not yet completed, you will again have to do the work over again when the succeeding Cantos are published.

Letter to S. K. Roy -- Bombay 16 December, 1974:

Our actual credit is that we are simply repeating Bhagavad-gita As It Is without changing it, altering it or adding any mundane opinion. We simply repeat what previous acarya have said and that is our merit. Therefore it is being accepted all over the world. Thank you for appreciating our books. Please continue to read them.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Yadunandana -- Perth, Australia 14 May, 1975:

I have just been informed by my servant, Srutakirti, that the young children, under twelve, are not allowed to use their japa beads while chanting. This policy is not good. Why this change has been made? I never said they should not use their beads. That is our business. They must be taught how to respect their beads. How they can learn unless they use them? That is the trouble with you westerners, always changing. No changes should be made without first consulting with my GBC representative. So, the children should immediately be allowed to chant on their japa beads.

Letter to Dr. W.H. Wolf-Rottkay -- Honolulu 18 June, 1975:

Material form means diseased form. Therefore, one has to change this form—death. And he carries with him the infection and he develops another disease. In this way, the soul although part and parcel of God in diseased condition, they are forced to change body. That is transmigration of the soul from one body to another.

To be more clear, the disease is there. Just as the Small-pox disease is there. One has to become diseased, being infected. Similarly, the forms of the body are there. One has to infect the form and it develops. karanam guna sango'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. Because he is infecting different diseased forms, therefore he is developing different forms of body. There is no such case of Small-pox changing into Malaria. Small-pox is Small-pox, and Malaria is Malaria. By the desire of the living entity, he becomes infected with a certain disease or body. Krishna Consciousness is the vaccine for all the diseases (different forms of material bodies).

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1975:

It looks that the body in the picture is moving, but the audience cannot understand that there are so many pictures in the spool. They think that the picture is moving. Similarly every second every moment we are changing the body.

Those who are not sober cannot understand how the spirit soul is changing from one body to another. Krsna therefore says that this change of body can be appreciated only by the dhiras. dhiras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). While those who are not dhiras cannot understand how the soul is changing from one body to another. There are two kind of men, dhira and adhira. The modern education is producing only the adhira class who are neither sober or educated. Therefore the majority of the population cannot understand how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. They are only interested in wine and woman under the impression of the bodily concept of life.

Letter to Rupanuga -- New Delhi 21 August, 1975:

Regarding the Washington temple why are you selling the present building? Why are you changing it? We are not businessmen that we sell for profit and then move the Deity. Develop the farm in New York nicely. Show by example what it means plain living and high thinking.

Letter to Omkara -- Vrindaban 2 September, 1975:

I have no objection to marriage, but to bless it by a fire sacrifice, that I am thinking that if they don't stay together, then it is not good. But if they can remain together for one year, then there can be fire sacrifice. But changing three times in a month husband and wife, that is not good.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

I am glad to hear that Govardhana Prabhu is doing nicely now. I am very happy. If there is any discrepancy, we have to request them to correct, not changing or dismissing. Our whole process is to humbly request, sometimes falling down on the feet and flattering. The vivid example is Nityananda Prabhu converting Jagai and Madhai.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Vrindaban 11 December, 1975:

The idea of GBC changing zones for 2-3 months of the year is also good. Bring up this point at the Mayapur meeting and vote on it.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Bombay 17 December, 1975:

My point is life comes from life. They say life has come from chemicals, so how these things can be adjusted? Besides that the scientists change their theories after some years, this proves that they have no perfect knowledge, otherwise where is the necessity of changing? That is the basic point of our argument. Perfect knowledge is never changeable. If we can prove that life comes from life, or the soul is from the supper soul, then all other things can be brought into serious consideration. So you try to prove that chemical combination can never bring about life, this is our main argument.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Bombay 17 December, 1975:

Why should we blindly accept imperfect scientists, they are imperfect because they are changing their position in the name of progress. The word progress is used when there is imperfection at the beginning. So this regular changing of standard knowledge in the name of progress proves that they are always imperfect. It is a fact that they are imperfect, because they gather knowledge with imperfect senses. At any rate we cannot deviate from vedic knowledge.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Prem J. Batra -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

From the Bhagavad-gita we can understand Krishna because He is explaining Himself. What is the difficulty to understand. There is somebody Superior in all aspects of material activities. The sun rises exactly on time, the seasons changing, fruits appearing, and flowers. There is no change in the law of nature. Don't you think that there is a Superior Being managing these things. Why not accept this proposal. It is no explanation that it is simply accident that all these things are going on so nicely. "Mayadhaksena prakrti suyatte sacara caram . . . This material world is working under my direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again." (BG 9.10).

Letter to Sri K. K. Joshi -- Honolulu 9 May, 1976:

The living entity is eternal and changing body by the evolutionary process. In this material world there are 8,400,000 forms of body and the living entity is passing through the cycle. When the living entity is given a chance in the process to become a human being, he has to decide which way he wants to go.

Letter to Bhargava -- Honolulu 29 May, 1976:

Why change the cover? When people look to see the Bhagavad-gita they expect to see Krishna and Arjuna, not the picture of Krishna with cow. You have done a great mistake by changing the front picture and it will hamper the sale. In future you don't do any changes without asking me first.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 6 June, 1976:

This is the line that you should adopt: We are already propagating Gita, but "As It Is," without changing. This should be the method. Krishna is not going to flatter the politicians and learned scholars, rather Krishna is teaching them how to flatter Krishna. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, etc (BG 7.15). If one is not prepared to surrender to Krishna, then what is the meaning of preaching Gita. If one has got their own philosophy, then let them preach their own philosophy, but do not do it in the name of the Gita. This is our protest to all of the interpreters of the Bhagavad-gita. If they do not believe in God, Krishna, and they don't want to surrender to Him, then let him preach atheism. Everyone has got the right to do this, but why through the Gita. This is like a man who wants to smoke ganga, but he does not want to be caught. So he takes a friends' hand and smokes it in his hand, and then when the authorities come, he says, "Oh, I have not smoked ganga, see, my hands are clean!" The idea is that if one wants to preach the Gita, then he must preach it as it is, otherwise, don't go through the Gita. So as my students, you can speak very tactfully.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- New York 11 July, 1976:

What happened to Jagat Purusa in Bombay? He is an experienced man in Bombay so why he should be changed to Delhi? This change of Presidents is to be made in the GBC meeting. In the middle of the year there is no question of change. Tejyas can continue as President. Three times changing president is not good. It should first be conjointly considered by the GBC.

Letter to Bhaktijana -- Vrindaban 25 September, 1976:

Why not make preaching with black people in America your lifetime preaching goal? Yes, limit to this. You preach—that is sannyasa. What is the use of changing dress? Do, actually. Regarding my leaving, I'll not leave the planet until you order.

Letter to Jagar guru -- Chandigarh 16 October, 1976:

In the last year you have changed your engagement so many times, it is not good, better to stick to something and complete it than constantly changing. If you can carry out your original plan of collecting from Indian in different parts of the world and sending to India that would be good. Why not stick with Nitai Gaura TWSKP and make this successful?

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 24 November, 1976:

The interview with the London reporter is very important. This should be presented in the courts. It is 95% of the evidence we require to prove that Krishna Consciousness is genuine. This is not a sentimental faith or religion, it is a great science. Everyone is changing bodies. Regardless of his so-called faith, the Christians as well as the Hindus are changing bodies. This is science.

Page Title:Changing (Letters)
Compiler:SunitaS, Priya
Created:07 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=89
No. of Quotes:89