Congenial

Expressions researched:
"congenial"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 12.20, Purport:

In this chapter, from verse 2 through the end—from mayy āveśya mano ye mām ("fixing the mind on Me") through ye tu dharmāmṛtam idam ("this religion of eternal engagement")—the Supreme Lord has explained the processes of transcendental service for approaching Him. Such processes are very dear to the Lord, and He accepts a person engaged in them. The question of who is better—one who is engaged in the path of impersonal Brahman or one who is engaged in the personal service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—was raised by Arjuna, and the Lord replied to him so explicitly that there is no doubt that devotional service to the Personality of Godhead is the best of all processes of spiritual realization. In other words, in this chapter it is decided that through good association one develops attachment for pure devotional service and thereby accepts a bona fide spiritual master and from him begins to hear and chant and observe the regulative principles of devotional service with faith, attachment and devotion and thus becomes engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord. This path is recommended in this chapter; therefore there is no doubt that devotional service is the only absolute path for self-realization, for the attainment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth, as described in this chapter, is recommended only up to the time one surrenders himself for self-realization. In other words, as long as one does not have the chance to associate with a pure devotee, the impersonal conception may be beneficial. In the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth one works without fruitive result, meditates and cultivates knowledge to understand spirit and matter. This is necessary as long as one is not in the association of a pure devotee. Fortunately, if one develops directly a desire to engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in pure devotional service, he does not need to undergo step-by-step improvements in spiritual realization. Devotional service, as described in the middle six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā, is more congenial. One need not bother about materials to keep body and soul together, because by the grace of the Lord everything is carried out automatically.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 13.8-12, Purport:

The family members can sit down morning and evening and chant together Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one can mold his family life in this way to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following these four principles, then there is no need to change from family life to renounced life. But if it is not congenial, not favorable for spiritual advancement, then family life should be abandoned. One must sacrifice everything to realize or serve Kṛṣṇa, just as Arjuna did. Arjuna did not want to kill his family members, but when he understood that these family members were impediments to his Kṛṣṇa realization, he accepted the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and fought and killed them. In all cases, one should be detached from the happiness and distress of family life, because in this world one can never be fully happy or fully miserable.

BG 14.17, Purport:

Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living entities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is recommended. Through Kṛṣṇa consciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. In the mode of ignorance, people are just like animals and cannot see things clearly. In the mode of ignorance, for example, they do not see that by killing one animal they are taking the chance of being killed by the same animal in the next life. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.2.6, Purport:

Each and every living being has his eternal form in the spiritual existence, and Kṛṣṇa is the eternal attraction for all of them. Kṛṣṇa is the complete whole, and everything else is His part and parcel. The relation is one of the servant and the served. It is transcendental and is completely distinct from our experience in material existence. This relation of servant and the served is the most congenial form of intimacy. One can realize it as devotional service progresses. Everyone should engage himself in that transcendental loving service of the Lord, even in the present conditional state of material existence. That will gradually give one the clue to actual life and please him to complete satisfaction.

SB 1.9.39, Purport:

The material forms of the conditioned souls are all foreign dresses, and when the conditioned soul becomes liberated from the clutches of material energy, he attains his original form. The impersonalist wants to attain the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord, but that is not at all congenial to the living sparks, parts and parcels of the Lord. Therefore, the impersonalists again fall down and get material forms, which are all false to the spirit soul. A spiritual form like the Lord's, either two-handed or four-handed, is attained by the devotees of the Lord either in the Vaikuṇṭhas or in the Goloka planet, according to the original nature of the soul. This form, which is cent percent spiritual, is the svarūpa of the living being, and all the living beings who participated on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, on both sides, attained their svarūpa, as confirmed by Bhīṣmadeva.

SB 1.18.15, Purport:

The speaker on the transcendental activities of the Lord should have only one object of worship and service, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the audience for such topics should be anxious to hear about Him. When such a combination is possible, namely a qualified speaker and a qualified audience, it is then and there very much congenial to continue discourses on the Transcendence. Professional speakers and a materially absorbed audience cannot derive real benefit from such discourses. Professional speakers make a show of Bhāgavata-saptāha for the sake of family maintenance, and the materially disposed audience hears such discourses of Bhāgavata-saptāha for some material benefit, namely religiosity, wealth, gratification of the senses, or liberation.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.29.3, Purport:

To enter the darkest region of material existence means to enter into a species of life other than the human species. Ignorant men do not know that after this life they are completely under the grip of material nature and will be offered a life which may not be very congenial. How a living entity gets different kinds of bodies will be explained in the next chapter. This continual change of bodies in birth and death is called saṁsāra. Devahūti requests her glorious son, Kapila Muni, to explain about this continued journey to impress upon the conditioned souls that they are undergoing a path of degradation by not understanding the path of bhakti-yoga, devotional service.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.29.54, Purport:

The talks of the wife, which are enjoyed as a family recreation, and the talks of the children both attract the living entity. He thus forgets that he has to die someday and has to prepare for the next life if he wants to be put into a congenial body.

The deer in the flower garden is an allegory used by the great sage Nārada to point out to the King that the King himself is similarly entrapped by such surroundings. Actually everyone is surrounded by such a family life, which misleads one. The living entity thus forgets that he has to return home, back to Godhead. He simply becomes entangled in family life. Prahlāda Mahārāja has therefore hinted: hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5).

SB Canto 5

SB 5.5.20, Purport:

The president is selected by the votes of ignorant śūdras; therefore another śūdra is elected, and immediately the entire government becomes polluted. If people strictly followed the principles of Bhagavad-gītā, they would elect a person who is the Lord's devotee. Then automatically there would be good government. Ṛṣabhadeva therefore recommended Bharata Mahārāja as the emperor of this planet. Serving a devotee means serving the Supreme Lord, for a devotee always represents the Lord. When a devotee is in charge, the government is always congenial and beneficial for everyone.

SB 5.19 Summary:

If those who live in Bhārata-varṣa rigidly follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma and develop their dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they need not return to this material world after death. Any place where one cannot hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead from realized souls, even if it be Brahmaloka, is not very congenial to the living entity. If one who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa as a human being does not take advantage of the opportunity for spiritual elevation, his position is certainly the most miserable. In the land known as Bhāratavarṣa, even if one is a sarva-kāma-bhakta, a devotee seeking the fulfillment of some material desire, he is freed from all material desires by his association with devotees, and ultimately he becomes a pure devotee and returns home, back to Godhead, without difficulty.

At the end of this chapter, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes to Mahārāja Parīkṣit the eight sub-islands within the island of Jambūdvīpa.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.14.24, Purport:

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25), yānti deva-vratā devān: one who worships the demigods can be promoted to their planets. Yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām: and if one practices devotional service to the Lord, he goes back home, back to Godhead. In the human form of life, therefore, one is meant to act auspiciously in order to return home, back to Godhead. Devotional service, however, does not depend on material conditions. Ahaituky apratihatā. Of course, for those who are engaged in fruitive activities on the material platform, the times and seasons mentioned above are extremely congenial.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 2.117, Purport:

"Those who shed tears by practice but whose hearts have not changed are to be known as stone-hearted devotees of the lowest grade. Their imitation crying, induced by artificial practice, is always condemned." The desired change of heart referred to above is visible in the reluctance to do anything not congenial to the devotional way. To create such a change of heart, conclusive discussion about Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His potencies is absolutely necessary. False devotees may think that simply shedding tears will lead one to the transcendental plane, even if one has not had a factual change in heart, but such a practice is useless if there is no transcendental realization. False devotees, lacking the conclusion of transcendental knowledge, think that artificially shedding tears will deliver them.

CC Adi 10.85, Purport:

The sahajiyās level three accusations against Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. This is certainly not congenial for the execution of devotional service. The first accusation concerns a materialist who was very proud of his reputation as a great Sanskrit scholar and approached Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana to argue with them about the revealed scriptures. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, not wanting to waste their time, gave him a written statement that he had defeated them in a debate on the revealed scriptures. Taking this paper, the scholar approached Jīva Gosvāmī for a similar certificate of defeat, but Jīva Gosvāmī did not agree to give him one. On the contrary, he argued with him regarding the scriptures and defeated him.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.79, Translation:

She thought of Him in the calm and quiet atmosphere of Vṛndāvana, dressed as a cowherd boy. But at Kurukṣetra He was in a royal dress and was accompanied by elephants, horses and crowds of men. Thus the atmosphere was not congenial for Their meeting.

CC Madhya 1.84, Translation:

The gopīs continued, "Dear Kṛṣṇa, the fragrance of the mellows of Your pastimes is spread throughout the forests of the glorious land of Vṛndāvana, which is surrounded by the sweetness of the district of Mathurā. In the congenial atmosphere of that wonderful land, You may enjoy Your pastimes, with Your flute dancing on Your lips, and surrounded by us, the gopīs, whose hearts are always enchanted by unpredictable ecstatic emotions."

CC Madhya 2.86, Purport:

He has simply described his spontaneous understanding from superiors. If he had been carried away by someone's likes and dislikes, he could not have written of such a sublime subject matter in such an easy way. The actual facts are understandable to real devotees. When these facts are recorded, they are very congenial to the devotees, but one who is not a devotee cannot understand. Such is the subject matter for realization. Mundane scholarship and its concomitant attachments and detachments cannot arouse spontaneous love of Godhead. Such love cannot be described by a mundane scholar.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 8, Purport:

At the time of death, the mind and intelligence of a living entity create the subtle form of a certain type of body for the next life. If the mind suddenly thinks of something not very congenial, one has to take a corresponding birth in the next life. On the other hand, if one can think of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, he can be transferred to the spiritual world, Goloka Vṛndāvana. This process of transmigration is very subtle; therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises devotees to train their minds in order that they will be unable to remember anything other than Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the tongue should be trained to speak only of Kṛṣṇa and to taste only kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī further advises, tiṣṭhan vraje: one should live in Vṛndāvana or any part of Vrajabhūmi. Vrajabhūmi, or the land of Vṛndāvana, is supposed to be eighty-four krośas in area.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 75:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, “My dear King Parīkṣit, your grandfather King Yudhiṣṭhira was a great soul. His congenial disposition attracted everyone to be his friend, and therefore he was known as ajāta-śatru, one who never created an enemy. He engaged all the members of the Kuru dynasty in taking charge of different departments for the management of the Rājasūya sacrifice. For example, Bhīmasena was put in charge of the kitchen department, Duryodhana in charge of the supplies department, Sahadeva in charge of the reception department, Nakula in charge of the store department, and Arjuna in charge of looking after the comforts of the elder persons.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

So there are two stages. But that is the ultimate, but one has to come to that very point, understanding of Kṛṣṇa, ātma-rati, because he is Paramātmā. He is the Supreme Soul, and I am ātmā. I am individual soul. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That relationship is there, eternal. And that is congenial, and that is my real happiness. We have forgotten that.

We have, by chance, fallen into this material contamination and we have made our relationship with so many material things, so that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Now, the whole process is to revive our consciousness to Kṛṣṇa. For that purpose, Kṛṣṇa comes Himself or Kṛṣṇa keeps this Bhagavad-gītā for you or Kṛṣṇa sends His confidential devotees to you, to canvass you, "Come to the point and be happy." That is the whole process. So ātma-rati, ātma-rati, self-satisfaction.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

This is, all this explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So how we can get that eternal life, eternal nature, eternal happiness, and eternal knowledge—the Bhagavad-gītā is meant for that purpose. If you are interested for eternity, then Bhagavad-gītā is very congenial.

So this science was spoken first of all to Vivasvān, the sun-god. He spoke to his son Manu, and Manu spoke to his son Ikṣvāku. And in the second verse, the Lord says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: "In this way, by disciplic succession," evaṁ paramparā-prāptam. That means the process of understanding this particular type of yoga—any yoga or this yoga—is to understand from disciplic succession. Paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣayaḥ means all the names mentioned here, either Vivasvān or Manu or Ikṣvāku. They were all great emperors and kings. Formerly the emperors and kings were familywise.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

He was always thinking in a different way. Prātikūlyena. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyaṁ vivarjanam. This devotional service means to accept favorable and reject unfavorable. This is called śaraṇāgati. Surrender means to accept favorable things, how I can make progress towards Kṛṣṇa, and prātikūlya, pratikūla means rejecting unfavorable things which are not very congenial for my progress to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Rakṣayiṣyaty iti viśvāsa-pālanam. And to have firm faith that "Kṛṣṇa will give me protection. Kṛṣṇa will give me protection."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

Anyone who has taken seriously devotional service... Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Liberation means knowledge and detachment. Knowledge, full knowledge means that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul, and my bodily activities are not congenial for my ultimate goal of life. I must engage myself in spiritual activity." This is called jñāna and vairāgya. When one knows that he is not body, then why should he work hard day and night for maintaining this body? That is knowledge. And karmīs, they are trying to maintain this body. Sometimes karmīs also take to bhakti-yoga. Not bhakti-yoga, so-called bhakti. But their aim is how to maintain this body nicely. That is also accepted. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10).

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

Actually, the whole Mahābhārata is full of activities of Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is only a scene in the Mahābhārata. He's speaking in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So Nārada Muni says, "That sort of description will not be very much congenial, because the people are not steady. Their anxiety... Their mind is disturbed in so many ways exactly like a boat moving in the tossing of the waves of the sea. So this sort of understanding of God will not give them much benefit. You describe completely on the pastimes, on the activities of the Supreme Lord. That will give people release from these material clutches."

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:

Just like these children. They have taken birth now in the Vaiṣṇava family. Father is Vaiṣṇava, mother is Vaiṣṇava. And they are taken care of. So very exalted life. From the very beginning of life, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they are dancing, they are taking prasādam. The atmosphere is so congenial for spiritual life. They are getting chance. So this is a chance. These children are not ordinary children. Because they could not complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness in their previous life, they have been given chance to take birth in a family, the father and mother, they're Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is... Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). These are there.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-2 -- New York, April 19, 1973:

Wherever you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they may hear or they may not hear, it is auspicious for them. So we are sending our men for street saṅkīrtana. It doesn't matter whether people are eager to hear it or not, but it is auspicious. It will create an atmosphere which is very, very congenial to the human society. That should be our principle. Not that because we are chanting, nobody is taking care, we shall not be disappointed. Our, this saṅkīrtana movement is so nice that simply by chanting, the vibration will create an auspicious atmosphere, varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). Now you can practically see, those who are old members... So I began in this New York in that storefront simply by chanting. So I did not bribe you American boys and girls to come after me. This is the only asset was chanting. That in Tompkinson square park, this Brahmānanda Swami he first came to dance in my chant.

Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:

Niravadya. Niravadya... "I am contaminated." Avadya. Niravadya, īpsitaṁ niśamya, "after hearing the question..." What, what sort of question? Puṁsām apavarga-vardhanam. To answer to this question means "One who will hear these answers which I shall give, that is very, very congenial for liberation." Apavarga. This material world is called pavarga, and to nullify it is called apavarga. Pa and... Pavarga means pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. This is called pa-varga. In the letter arrangement, there is ka-varga, ca-varga, ṭa-varga, ta-varga... Five vargas. And pa-varga. The material life is called pa-varga. Pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. Pa means pariśrama, simply laboring. And so much labor, now, pha, there is phena, foam. You'll find in the horses; hard labor, there is foam.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

So if the wife is faithful, always trying to serve the husband, always to make her husband pleased, and husband takes care of the wife for all her necessities of life, as that home life becomes very beautiful and happy, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Puruṣa, enjoyer. We living entities, if we simply try to serve Him and make Him happy, as the gopīs did, then it is very congenial atmosphere as it was in Vṛndāvana. Everyone is serving Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is trying to please Kṛṣṇa. The birds, the beasts, the trees, the land, the water, the cowherd boys, the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa's father, mother, elderly people—everyone—the central point is Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.49-61 -- New York, January 5, 1967:

Therefore, if a prisoner says, "Yes, I am in government department," that sort of knowledge is not very good. "Because prison department is also criminal department, is also government department, so instead of becoming in the university department, let me go to the criminal department." That is not congenial. We have to select. Kṛṣṇa is everything. So Kṛṣṇa says that every dhāma, every place, belongs to Him, but yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) "There is an eternal dhāma, where going nobody comes back. That is My supreme dhāma."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:

So our movement is creating some intelligent class of men. According to our Vedic knowledge, the first-class intelligent man is he who knows what is God. He's first-class intelligent man. Otherwise cats and dogs, they also eat, sleep, have sexual intercourse, and die.

So this life is not very congenial to the human society. The chaotic situation of the present human society is due to that there is no intelligent class of men. This is our challenge. The so-called scientists, so-called philosophers, they have no intelligence. Therefore the whole society (is) in the chaotic condition. So these boys and girls, American boys and girls, they're being taught, instructed to become first-class, intelligent man. This is the movement.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion with Guests -- December 23, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: That you have to test. Now I have given you this one formula. By following any guru or any principle, if you actually develop your love of God, then it is nice. Otherwise it is useless waste of time. That is the test. But they, so far I know, these yogis, they are themselves God. They say that everyone is God. And who is dog? So I think it is not very congenial. How everyone can be God? Then what is the meaning of God?

Guest (1): (inaudible)

Prabhupāda: If everyone is God then what is the meaning of God? You must give definition of God. If you do not, then you do not know what is God. Therefore you are asking...

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 26, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So imperfect means it is not congenial for my joyful life. Therefore we are inventing something to become joyful.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is what scientists are trying.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is...

Prabhupāda: That means you are struggling. That means you are in miserable condition. So why you are put into miserable condition? Why do they not ask this question? This is intelligence. You are submitting. You are trying to get out of the miserable condition, but you are unable. You are submitting. Therefore nature is very forceful. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass. It is not possible. Then the next question will be: "How we can surpass?" That is real inquiry.

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1973, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: By symptoms.

Guest: Symptoms.

Prabhupāda: Just like your daughter, she is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Even she does not like to live with family because she does not find very congenial atmosphere.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: A devotee.... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura prays, tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vās, bhakta-sane vās. You must live amongst the devotees.

Guest: (indistinct)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 4, 1975, Dallas:

Prabhupāda: Ah. Ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa ara saba bhṛtya. "Only master is Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is servant." Accept this principle and everything will be all right immediately. Immediately. If you study the whole Bhagavad-gītā, where is any word there which you can refute or which is not good for you? Study whole Bhagavad-gītā. All practical and very congenial for human civilization. Kṛṣṇa teaches from the very beginning, "First of all learn what you are. You are not this body. You are within this body." Now, who knows this? This is the first study. As soon as you understand that "I am not this body, I am within this body," immediate you understand what is spirit. Then your spiritual knowledge advances further. But these rascals, they do not know what is spirit, what is spiritual knowledge.

Morning Walk -- November 7, 1975, Bombay:

Bhāgavata: So we will make a very nice book display. I will see that there is a very nice book display made with the Caitanya-caritamṛtas and the Bhāgavatams displayed. (break) ...the governor of Bengal, and he was quite congenial. He was friendly. And he agreed that if we contact him and make the proper arrangements he might come and see you there when you come to Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Bhāgavata: I was thinking if we had him for the festival, to come to the festival, that would be a very prestigious...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Why don't you arrange for that? You have to arrange. Yes. (break) ...king. Their constitution, first word is "the king can do no wrong." Yes, that is the Vedic system. Suppose a king beheads somebody by his own sword, as it was being done. Nobody can charge him that "Without any trial he has killed this man." No. Whatever is done... Just like we take Kṛṣṇa, apāpa viddham. Kṛṣṇa is never touched with any sinful activities. Apāpa-viddham. Tejiyasam na doṣaya (SB 10.33.29).

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

Yes, to call one another prabhu is all right, but not to become prabhu. To accept others as prabhu, and remain as servant is the idea. But because somebody is calling you prabhu, one should not become a prabhu, and treat others as servants. In other words, everyone should feel himself as servant, and not to think himself prabhu because he is being called prabhu. This will make the relationship congenial.

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

So far service to Laksmi-Narayana, and Radha Krishna, it requires highly elevated position, transcendental to Brahmins. But still, either we serve Jagannatha or Radha Krishna, the effect is the same. But to facilitate the worship of the Lord in the Form of Jagannatha is more congenial than others. But when anything is offered to Jagannatha, it does not mean that it is not taken by Krishna. So in the temple, although we offer to Jagannatha, it is also accepted by Krishna. Be rest assured of this fact.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 15 February, 1969:

I have received your very long letter dated February 9, 1969. I have to read it very carefully and reply you in due course, but I wish to inform you that the advertisements are not very congenial to our prestige, especially the hippy kind of advertisements. So we have to think over how we can avoid the advertisements and publish at the same time. The hippy advertisements referred to by Purusottama was written to you on my consent. When I look through the back issues, the comic pictures of Vamanadeva, of the hunter, of the bride-groom party, such things are very instructive. I think instead of engaging our pages in the matter of book reviews with which we do not agree, we should utilize these pages for such comic pictures.

Letter to Prahladananda -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

Please try to understand our philosophy through various books that I have already published and sometimes after you will have to carry out this order of disciplic succession. I am very glad to inform you that I am keeping well here in the atmosphere at Hawaii. The atmosphere here at Hawaii is quite suitable for my health. I am staying on the sea beach side, and the place is also very congenial.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

So in this material world, somebody is enjoying material life in some higher planet and somebody is suffering some material inconveniences in some lower planets. But they do not know that suffering or no suffering, this material existence itself is not at all congenial to the living entity. In the Western countries, Europe and America, they appear to be enjoying life in the view of the Eastern people, and therefore they hear so much about the opulences in the different universities and towns of the Western countries. But actually, they have no knowledge how to get out of the material entanglement. The only bona fide engagement is Krishna Consciousness for the all around benefit of the human society. That is a fact.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Rudra -- Los Angeles 9 March, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27 February, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to learn that you are finding the atmosphere congenial in the new Toronto center. I think your valuable services will be put to good account there in the matter of pushing our Sankirtana movement. I have heard that there is very good potential for spreading Krishna Consciousness movement in Toronto especially among the large younger population. So I think this will be a good field for you to work enthusiastically in cooperation with other good devotees like Jayapataka, Raktaka, and Jagadisa.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 17 April, 1970:

Looking on women is not an impediment to spiritual progress, but looking on women with a view of sense gratification is detrimental. The actual fact is that attachment for sense gratification is not at all congenial for spiritual progress. In this country intermingling with women is very easy, and sometimes our mind becomes agitated. Therefore we have to take little precaution and the best precaution is to raise oneself in Krsna Consciousness. Lord Caitanya said that His mind becomes agitated even by seeing a wooden model. By seeing women, if one's mind is agitated, that is quite natural. If you take the words of Lord Caitanya that His mind is agitated by seeing a wooden model, then what to speak of us by seeing actual women.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 25 May, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15th May, 1970.

I know you are sincere servant of Krsna, so sometimes we may do something which is not very congenial, but Krsna is so kind that one who is engaged in His transcendental loving service is corrected immediately from within as Krsna is sitting within everyone's heart. So you have gone there with a great responsibility on behalf of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and try to convince people about the importance of Krsna Consciousness, that will make everything nice and in order.

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

Boston is one of our major centers for the large missionary work of Krsna consciousness movement, so there is always an abundance of Krsna conscious activities going on. It is very good that you are finding this atmosphere of avid service to the Lord to be so congenial. It is the sign of advancement in Krsna consciousness that the devotee does not care for any nice varieties of material engagements based on sense gratification but he finds increasing pleasure in those places where the service of the Lord is being carried out with enthusiasm.

Letter to Jayapataka, Acyutananda -- Tokyo 20 August, 1970:

Now it is the time for the Bengalis or for the Indians to understand that this Hare Krsna Mantra will also bring in the perfection of communistic ideas. If you can therefore arrange a small meeting with the Bengali Communist leaders, I can try to convince them how Krsna Consciousness Movement is very much congenial for their purpose.

I hope the Mayapur land purchase is by this time completed. In your previous letter you wrote that if I am present there it will be done. Immediately also for this purpose I am going to Calcutta.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- Surat 1 January, 1971:

I am sure those debts will be liquidated in due course by other means as I have suggested to you before and you have also indicated that in some time hence the BTG debt will be cleared.

I am very glad that you find the situation in Hawaii so congenial and I know that Gaurasundara is doing his best there. The newly acquired property I have named as Advaita Bhavan and it sounds very inviting place for me to do my translating work. I am glad that Sai is also improving. He and his former followers are all good souls, so all of you should try to help them become fixed up in the bona fide line of devotional service to Krsna.

Letter to Vrindaban Candra -- Allahabad 8 January, 1971:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife Vidarbha Kanya Dasi. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very kind letter dated 16th December, 1970 and have noted the contents.

I am so glad to hear that our Philadelphia temple is running so smoothly, "filled with love and truthfulness." Such an atmosphere is so congenial for advancement in Krishna Consciousness and if the Prabhus there continue their devotional activities in such a spirit, so many people will be attracted. Also I am glad to note that you and your wife are cooperating so nicely in Krishna's service. So you should set an ideal example of household life in Krishna Consciousness for all to follow. In this way continue your program there in Philadelphia and Krishna will surely bless you.

Letter to Satadhanya (Stan Federoff) -- Bombay 30 March, 1971:

Please follow the regulative principles very strictly, chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra sixteen times daily round the beads and be happy.

I think the atmosphere at Pittsburgh Temple is very congenial to you, so you go on studying our literatures very carefully in the association of your Godbrothers and sisters and work cooperatively to help spread this sublime Movement to as many persons as possible, there. If you ever have any points of uncertainty, you may inquire from your elder Godbrothers or Hayagriva Prabhu and Kirtanananda Maharaja or if need be from me.

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

In Calcutta you are working very nicely so stick to Calcutta and do your best.

I don't think that the coupon program will be very successful. It is a long term business. You will need 1100 men to collect 1100 rupees but if you convince one life member then that 1100 Rs. is there. So this coupon system is not congenial. They can be given to some reliable men to collect, though. For example one person takes 10 coupons and distributes them, returns with the money and takes another 10. In this way he is engaged and can distribute to his friends. But our men cannot do this work. That is not possible.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Vrindaban 14 March, 1974:

So they should show the proper respect, as is befitting a Vaisnava, who offers respects to one and all. It is sometimes difficult for elderly people to live in our ISKCON society, so you have to make it as congenial as possible for them and see that they are peaceful in all respects.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Perth, Australia 10 May, 1975:

I think the advisory committee should not be more than ten persons, very important from the list. The other day, I saw Mahadevia's attitude not in our favor, but in favor of the tenants, being influenced by Acarya. These things should be considered very carefully. For the time being, we have stopped the wall construction, but it was not at all congenial that the tenants broke the wall illegally.

Now, plans should be made how to utilize all the lands available. Sumati Morarji wanted some land for her school on lease. I think we shall negotiate with her on favorable terms. Things in the past were done very irregularly. Now, everything must be done very carefully and cautiously.