Common man (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"common man" |"common men" |"common people"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to R. Prakash -- Allahabad 22 June, 1951:

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that the common folk follows the leading men of society. At the present moment of democratic age the Government of the State is conducted by the leading men of society. As such it is a good sign that the Government has taken up this work of social upliftment as a right measure at a right time. And in order to give the scheme a right direction the government may take authoritative hints from the scriptures like Bhagavad-gita.

It is a common saying that example is better than precepts. The example of the leading men in the right direction will very soon be followed by the common men.

Mahatma Gandhi set the example at his fag-end of life and his daily prayer meetings in the midst of gravest political occupation must be taken note of. So also in the Bhagavad-gita. The Arjuna in the gravest moment of warfare learnt the teachings of Bhagavad-gita & he changed his personal opinion in the manner of the fighting.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 2 October, 1951:

According to these Acaryas Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are, in their original stand, the real commentaries of the Vedanta Sutras. The Mayavadins who do not actually belong to the Vedanta school have overcast a cloud unnecessarily over the Bhagavad-gita and therefore common people are misled by them. In other words they have no entrance in the Vedanta Darsana so to say.

It is not at all necessary that an ailing person shall oblige all classes of physicians for the sake of their being medical practitioners only. The patient must be treated by such physician only who is able to cure him.

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

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. The Vedas say that stool is impure but the stool of the cow is pure. The Vedas say that bone is untouchable but the conchshell which is also a bone is perfectly pure. For the common man the statements of the Vedas appear to be contradictory. But in spite of such contradiction, because we Hindus accept the Vedas as authority we accept cow dung as pure and allow it to be used even in the kitchen. So also we accept the conchshell. The conchshell is after all a bone of an animal but because it is accepted by the Vedas we allow conchshell to be used in the sanctified room of our family deity. If we examine in the physical laboratory or analyse it by chemical test we won't find any difference between the stool of a man and that of a cow or the bone of an ox and that of a conch.

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

A mayavadi may pretend to become a so-called Vaisnava but because he cherishes at heart to merge into the Supreme, he is unable to develop the devotional cult which is a necessary qualification for understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam. And to qualify the Mayavadis and other common men who indulge in the mental speculative transactions, Srimad-Bhagavatam gives them instructions from the 1st to the 9th canto about the transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unfortunately the cheap and unscrupulous professional readers of the Bhagavata or the Mayavadi misleaders in the garb of a renouncer indulge in the highest topic of Srimad-Bhagavatam described in the Rasa Panca Adhya.

Letter to Sir -- Unknown Place May 1964:

In that book post you will find one copy of my theistic fortnightly paper BACK TO GODHEAD broadcasting exclusively everything about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These topics about Godhead are delineated in a manner for understanding of any common man and it is high time that people of the world should now know about the Supreme Truth when they have had tried enough and failed in the matter of establishing peace in the world by so much attempt.

The fact is that we all living energies in different species of life are all individual parts and parcels of the Supreme Energetic person as the son is the part and parcel of the father. The whole creation including all material or spiritual planes and planets are different parts and parcels of One Unit only but there are immense diversities in unity for variegatedness is the necessary paraphernalia of eternal pleasure which we are all seeking in the wrong way without the right information to have it.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Sir Padampat Singhania -- New York 20 January, 1966:

I am advising my man in Delhi to send you one set of my books (Three Volumes) of Srimad-Bhagavatam English version and I hope you will relish them with great interest. I shall request you to find our some time for it and see it how I have been able to present the Bhagavatam Philosophy for understanding of the common man.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 6 June, 1967:

The record which you have sent singing Sri Ram, Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram, and other Kirtana is really a new turn and we have enjoyed the record so nicely. This Narada Muni song is in your country tune and I think it will attract many more of common man to join the Kirtana so you should practice this standard Kirtana more conveniently so that during your Rathayatra festival you can have this singing with the procession.

Letter to Madhusudana -- San Francisco 30 December, 1967:

For example, Kirtanananda was giving me direct service by massaging, cooking for me, and so many other things; but later on by dictation of Maya, he became puffed up, so much so that he thought his Spiritual Master a common man, and was existing only on account of his service. This mentality at once pushed him down. Of course, those who are sincere devotee, they take direct service as an opportunity, but the illusory energy is so strong that it acts on this doctrine of familiarity breeds contempt. Kirtanananda was thinking I was existing on his service, instead of realizing I was giving him opportunity to do me some service.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- New York 26 April, 1968:

A person who is liberated acharya and guru cannot commit any mistake, but there are persons who are less qualified or not liberated, but still can act as guru and acharya by strictly following the disciplic succession. It is the injunction of the sastras that anyone who sees the Deity in the Temple as made of wood or stone, or considers the acaryas and gurus as ordinary common men, and discriminates Vaisnavas or devotees as belonging to a certain group or caste, are called hellish. Your question about Bon Maharaja in relation with his disciple is very intelligent and intricate, and we shall discuss at long when we meet.

Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 9 July, 1968:

Arjuna also was talking from the material view point of standing. All this bewilderment of great devotees are created by the Lord, for 2 purposes: one purpose, is that even great personalities like Brahma and Arjuna sometimes become bewildered, and therefore, unless they present themselves in such position of bewilderment, the common men do not have the chance to understand Krishna. If Brahma would not have posed himself as not knowing the whole truth, then some truths about the transcendental position of Krishna would not have been explained. Besides that, we cannot calculate even one day's duration of the life of Brahma. So, Krishna appears only once in a day of Brahma, and that takes a rotation of unlimited trillions of solar years. So some incidences take place in one day, and other incidents take place in another day. Just like we do something today, something else in a week, and we forget today's action tomorrow, and tomorrow's action after a week. And that is the nature of conditioned life.

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter (undated) and thank you very much for it. Your sentiments are very kind, and I very much appreciate them. Regarding your question about what determines our fortune, generally when we are in the material world, we try to be prosperous by material opulence. Just like a common man tries to have a good house, a good wife, a good property, good social prestige, and this way, go on increasing the bodily concept of life, and possess more and more in relationship to the body. This is unfortunate. All living entities beginning from Brahma down to an ant, everyone is trying to increase such materialistic way of happy life without knowing that any amount of material comforts of life cannot make the spiritual living entities happy.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Chaudhuri -- Los Angeles 6 February, 1969:

I wish that you may stock a few copies of our books in your bookstall and just have a test how the members of your institution will like this Vaisnava philosophy. Generally, people are not very much inclined to accept Vaisnava philosophy because for the common man it is not very easy to understand. In the Bhagavad-gita we find the statement that out of many thousands of people, one may be interested in the values of human life, and out of many persons who have understood the values of life, only one may be found who can understand Krishna. It is further stated that Krishna can be understood only through devotional mysticism. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah (BG 18.55). On hearing from you I will ask my San Francisco temple to deliver you some copies of Bhagavad-gita As It Is if you so desire.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

So from all Sastric point of view, the living entity and the Supreme Lord, or the Supreme Living Entity are always simultaneously different and one. One in quality, and different in quantity. this simple thing is understandable by any common man, but these impersonalists, they will simply invent jugglery of words to mislead innocent people. Therefore Lord Caitanya has warned not to associate with these impersonalist mayavadis because they will spoil one's life by diverting one from devotional service.

Letter to Kulasekhara (Colin Jury), Digvijaya (Dick Withey), Tirthapada (Tim Austin) -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

The most important of the Vaikuntha planets is called Krishna Loka, or Goloka Vrindaban. In these days the propagation for landing on the moon planet is very encouraging to the common man, but so far as a Krishna Conscious person is concerned, he is not at all interested in any of the material planets. His target is to be transferred to the topmost spiritual planet, namely Krishna Loka.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Makhanlal -- Los Angeles 3 June, 1970:

So the above verse means that as soon as one will chant the name of Lord Caitanya he will feel a transcendental ecstasy. All of us should wait for this stage of life. The transcendental ecstatic symptoms certainly become manifested in a devotee's body, but they should not be exhibited amongst common men. When Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Roy, both of them felt this ecstasy by embracing one another. But as soon as Lord Caitanya saw that Ramananda Roy was in the company of some outsider brahmanas, He checked Himself. This is already described in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Calcutta 22 September, 1970:

You may know that when I was in L.A. I especially wanted to use the new temple to attract some influential persons to our movement, but nothing much was done in that regard. Now if you can do something, that is more important than coming to India immediately. Lord Krishna says in B.G. that what great men do the common man will follow. So if we want actually to be successful we must convince the influential men of your country, then everything will follow automatically. So I request you to take this matter very seriously, as I think you have some special talent for it. Regarding the motion picture, it is a great opportunity, and if they actually want to do something wonderful I can come there personally and see to its direction. If it is an important film I think my personal direction is necessary.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

You have rightly appreciated my real mission, that whatever I have learned from Guru Maharaja I want to present to the English speaking public. Therefore I've tried to present these Vedic literatures in such a way that the common man will be able to appreciate and understand them. Both you and your brother have always helped me in this mission. Now continue to help me in that way.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Dinesh Candra -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1971:

We are not concerned with the common man because they will think that we are criticizing. So speak on general features of how we understand God. God is called great in every religion. Our appreciations of greatness are six in number. These are stated in the Krishna Book Introduction. So you have to introduce the matter of God scientifically, and that will be appreciated by any reasonable man. If we say that your God is like this and our God is like that, then there will be great disturbance. Simply speak on general topics, that God is like this. Then let them read our literature and ask questions. In this way try to push on our missionary activities.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971:

President Giri must be chief guest (preside) one day at least. If Giri can attend one day then why not Indira Gandhi? If Indira Gandhi says that she cannot attend such a function then how the president will attend? Is there any difference between the president and the prime minister? There is no need to invite Dr. Radhakrishnan. He is a retired man. So your selection is already nice. We want all influential men to sympathize with our movement. That is our aim, because if these big men are sympathetic then all the common people will follow.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Prajapati -- Mayapur 25 February, 1972:

As for your training in theology, if you simply present some of the popular western points of view of theology and then point by point you may defeat them or expose them as speculators who are simply misleading the innocent public, and that will be a very nice service, because when intelligent people begin to understand our philosophy and theology, that it is the Absolute Truth and that if anyone become Krishna Conscious, that is the highest perfection of understanding philosophy, then our Krishna Consciousness Movement will advance very quickly because everyone like the common people respect the opinions of intelligent scholars. So if you work in this way to convince the intelligent class of men, that will be very great service and also the proper use of your educational training. Thank you very much for helping me in this way.

Letter to Balavanta -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:

In this way, make big, big propaganda. Attract the public to hear our views and plans for practical welfare for the common men. You are American boys and girls, you have got the best brains, now cooperate to place this Krishna Consciousness movement at the front of all others, that is my request.

You are having difficulty with police-force, that is to be expected. This material world is so full of danger, even from our so-called "protectors." But we have got the best Protector, Krishna, so do not worry about anything police or other envious persons. In one stroke Krishna can finish them all.

Letter to Mukunda -- Bombay 27 December, 1972:

We are more interested that the mass of men shall support us—what good a handful of high-class supporters will do? Just like in your country, there was election, and the opponent of Mr. Nixon, he was supported by all high-class men, but because Mr. Nixon had help of the common men he was successful and won the fight. But, if even one such high-class man becomes preacher on our behalf, if he actually becomes converted to Krishna Consciousness preaching work, then that is the best contribution of your preaching also. Just like George, now he is practically converted and he is only preaching about Krishna, and he has done that from the beginning—I think you knew him in London also, so you know how he is helping us push on the preaching—so that type of big personality, if you can catch one or two such men for preaching contribution, oh, that will be wonderful achievement for you.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 9 January, 1973:

So far your ideas about influencing the leaders of society, yes, that must be done. But political power is not in their hands actually, factually speaking. It is the common people who elect the leaders of your country. Therefore we must get the support of the common men. What good is the support of a handful of so-called leaders of society? But, on the other hand, if such leaders of society can be influenced to preach on our behalf, help us to spread Krsna Consciousness in some practical way, that is the best service. But simply supporting, that will not help us. Support of mass of people will help us. But mass of people take direction from their leaders, so if the leaders of present day society can be persuaded of our beneficial working for the human welfare, and if they help us somehow to spread what they have learned from us to the people in general, that is the point to be considered.

Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 9 January, 1973:

I have heard that during the last election of President in your country that the opposite party to Mr. Nixon was supported by most of the so-called intelligent class of men of your country, but still, what could they do, such high class of men, in comparison with Mr. Nixon? Mr. Nixon has got the support of the common men, therefore he is successful. So life that, we must get the support of the mass of men, and if the leading men can be induced by you to preach on our behalf, then you will be able to speed up the process and actually that is a very great service for Krsna. Spending so much time with upper class citizens to get funds must be judged on this idea, whether their appreciating our movement will have any practical effect in terms of widespread spreading of Krsna Consciousness and preaching to the mass of men?

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

A laymans sentimental expression about religious problems is not a practical understanding of religious problems. Religion as we have explained means the orders of God, therefore it must be scientifically studied, what are his orders, how to abide by them. Simply by taking statistics of the sentiments of common men we cannot come to the right conclusion.

Therefore for right understanding we are advocating that people take advantage of this institution, International society for Krishna consciousness by hearing about God from authorized books like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam which were directly spoken by God himself, therefore making the whole thing most scientific and practical. I hope that we can again meet and discuss this important matter further.

Letter to Acyutananda -- New Delhi 1 November, 1973:

When Arjuna saw the virata murti of Krsna, actually he came down one step below his position. Therefore he asked for forgiveness from Krsna. So this is a teaching to the common man that we should not take Krsna immediately as intimately as the gopis, cowherds boys, and other advanced devotees treated Him. In the beginning we must treat the Lord with awe and veneration. Later one when we are perfectly on the spiritual platform, we treat Krsna more intimately, and therefore we forget the exalted position of Krsna. But, we never imitate the Brijbasis from the beginning as do the sahajiyas. In the beginning a devotee must follow strictly viddhi-marga or regulated principles. When one is on the swarupa siddha stage, the devotee can treat Krsna on an equal level or sometimes he becomes even higher than Krsna.

Letter to Bhakta Don -- Los Angeles 1 December, 1973:

It may not be possible to convince the rascal scientists of this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all, Krsna gives everyone free will and if it is their determination to remain atheistic how shall it be checked? Our principle aim is to challenge their nonsense proposition so that the layman and common people may be saved from this rascaldom. You study our books very carefully under the guidance of Amarendra Prabhu and preach our philosophy from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in your scientific language.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Professor Stillson Judah -- Bombay 20 November, 1974:

I am very much pleased that you have taken our Krishna consciousness movement a little seriously. That is very good. Lord Krishna says that when the leading men of the society accept it, then it is followed by the common men. I wish the leading men of the human society may understand the background of this great movement. It is on the basis of God consciousness. Every living entity especially in the human form of life is potentially God conscious. Unfortunately the modern leaders of the society have made the common man forget God somehow or other. Our humble attempt is to revive the forgotten consciousness of the human society.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 21 November, 1974:

This will deteriorate from the standard. Every picture is with the gopis. People are generally inclined to man and women connection, and by selling these pictures will affirm their sinful activities in the name of Krishna. These are not meant for the common man but for advanced devotees. If we would distribute them, they would misuse it. I hope you can understand this.

Letter to V. S. R. Chakravarti -- Bombay 22 November, 1974:

The summary is that the simultaneous one and different jiva brahma is simultaneously one with and different from the param brahma. Because it is appreciated simultaneously which is very difficult to comprehend by the common man, this philosophy is called acintya-bheda bheda tattva, inconceivable. This is supported by the Katho Upanisad 2/5/13 nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam/ eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. This is almost similar to the visista-dvaita vada.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 18 December, 1974:

This is a fact. The United States is the leader of all other nations. You simply educate the people in this Krsna Conscious philosophy and then there will be no difficulty in capturing the government. In your country there is very good system of democracy. As we have seen just recently the people, as the common people have so much power, that they were able to get down this Nixon, who is obviously a rascal. So if we can simply convince a good majority of persons then they will automatically want a Krsna Conscious leader. And if there are Krsna Conscious leaders in the government then they will act as Krsna's representative and will be able to save the world from the disastrous condition of life. At the present moment there is nothing but great calamity but by injecting Krsna Consciousness into the masses we can change this situation greatly.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Raj Kapoor -- Vrindaban 26 August, 1975:

So after ten years of struggle, in 1965 I went to USA, and by the grace of Krishna it has become successful all over Europe, America, Canada, and Australia. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita; yad yad acarati sresthas, tad tad evetaro janah, sa yat paramanam kurute, lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). "Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.". Your donation to this movement and your becoming the Patron Member is a very great thing, and it will ensure others who will also follow in your footsteps. So I am very much grateful to you.

Letter to Sri Ram Kumar:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter and am very pleased to read the contents. It is rare that an important man like yourself understands the prime importance of the Krishna consciousness movement. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krishna says that it is the specific duty of the leaders of society to give an example of Krishna consciousness so that the common people will follow, yad yad arcarati srethas (BG 3.21). Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that it is the leaders of the society who can understand rightly this transcendental knowledge; imam rajaso vidhuh.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Vrindaban 9 December, 1975:

So Gaura Govinda Maharaja has to go to Orissa to get that land in Bhunesvara, so I have given him the documents for necessary action. Unless he is absolutely required in Hyderabad he may go there with the other Orissa devotee. I have seen his Orissa literature about our movement and it appears to be very nice, any common man can understand it, and it is set up very nicely. He is very much hopeful to sell our books there amongst the higher class. I have already given him all instructions how to organize a center there. So I wish that he may go there and do his best to show his ability.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- Calcutta 12 January, 1976:

Then their acquaintances want the book also. The books distribution in Los Angeles during the six day period is transcendental samadhi. They are working in trance, not on the material platform. No common man can work so hard, it is not possible. Working without sleep means no death. Sleeping is dead condition. "Jiv jago, jiva jago, gauracanda bole, kota nidra yao maya-pisacira kole." Your book distribution is really intoxication.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Mayapur 6 February, 1976:

I have received your letter dated January 27, 1976 and have carefully noted the contents. Regarding the Nectar of Instruction, why not distribute it to the common men? Every book is meant for everyone, but especially for the devotees. Please try to print a large number so that it can be distributed just like Sri Isopanisad.

Letter to Dr. Dave -- Vrindaban 1 October, 1976:

"Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." (Bhagavad-gita, 3.21)

It is the Vedic system that after 50 years of life one has to take to Vanaprastha, then take to Sannyasa.

It will be a great pleasure to meet you again, and if possible please join us as soon as possible.

Letter to Dr. W.H. Wolf-Rottkay -- Chandigarh 14 October, 1976:

I am in receipt of your letter dated September 27th and October 3, 1976, I have noted the contents carefully.

Regarding the scientists, we have entrusted our own three scientists namely Svarupa Damodara, Sadaputa, and Madhva and we leave the matter to them, we do not say anything ourselves, but are leaving it to them. But there are many common men who do not believe that they have gone to the moon planet. So as common men we can simply say, how can dust and rocks reflect so much of light as to illuminate the night, like the sun at day. It is simply bogus to say that the moon is full of dust and rocks. Such a beautiful soothing planet is full of dust and rock with no living beings there is simply unbelievable.

Letter to S. N. Sharma -- Vrindaban 9 November, 1976:

When the greatest author, Krishna, is there, there is no need of bringing smaller author. When there is brightest sunshine, there is no need of bringing small lamp. When there is brightest moonshine, there is no need of bringing glowworm. This is our principle. If you want to write something, read our Bhagavad-gita As It Is carefully and write something simple to benefit the common people. In Gitanjali there is a little hint to surrender to the Supreme.