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Family life (Letters)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- San Francisco 15 March, 1967:

I am glad to learn that your good wife is now days taking interest in Krishna Consciousness. Please offer her my blessings. I think a good and sincere husband's influence is working in her. Be happy in family life and both of you become blessed by Krishna consciousness. What about my books.

Letter to Satsvarupa, Hamsaduta -- Vrndavana, India August 1967:

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...but that we all dedicate our lives or our consciousness (no matter in what capacity) to Lord Krsna. If things can be worked out nicely within the temple, that's all right. But family life requires a certain amount of privacy and convenience, which may not always be available. I am simply concerned that you be happy and contented, so you can prosecute the most important thing, K.C., without being disturbed. Rupanuga and Damodara are both doing nicely in this regard, and I wish the same for you.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 29 August, 1967:

Lord to give up fighting; rather he was encouraged in his occupation but at the same time, he was to do it for Krishna. That is the secret of Krishna Consciousness—not that we all have to become preachers, but that we all dedicate our lives or our consciousness (no matter in what capacity) to Lord Krishna. If things can be worked out nicely within the temple, that's all right. But family life requires a certain amount of privacy and convenience, which may not always be available. I am simply concerned that you be happy and contented, so you can prosecute the most important thing, K.C., without being disturbed. Rupanuga and Damodara are both doing nicely in this regard, and I wish the same for you.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Pope Paul VI -- Montreal 3 August, 1968:

The human society cannot anymore be allowed to continue a Godless civilization at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygienic principles, forgiveness, and mercifulness. Because on account of predominance of these principles at the present moment, duration of life, strength, and memory of the human being is decreasing. The human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity, and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get Your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method or abortion is considered equivalent to murder.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura was also a householder, but he lived in so perfect Krishna Consciousness that he is better than many Sannyasis like us. So far I am concerned, I could not live like Bhaktivinode Thakura because I was disgusted with my family members and I was obliged to give up my family life. But Krishna is so kind that although I left my few children born out of this physical body, Krishna has sent many nice beautiful obedient children for propagating my mission. And you are one of them. So I am very much obliged to you.

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

Our policy of Krishna Consciousness is very nice. We are offering people good family life with faithful wives in Krishna Consciousness. Similarly, able husbands in Krishna Consciousness so that the younger generation will be happy to have nice home, nice wife, nice food, nice dress, nice philosophy of life, nice culture and ultimately, nice Krishna. So this movement is the nicest of all other movements. Simply the ministers should be ready, intelligent, honest, and sincere. Then surely the Krishna Consciousness movement will be accepted by all considerate men and women. Thank you again for your letter and I hope this finds you in good health.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Archbishop of Canterbury -- Los Angeles 1969:

The human society should not be allowed to continue in its present path at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygienic principles, forgiveness, and mercifulness. Without proper instruction on these principles, the human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity and justice. At present, "Might makes right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of mere sexuality. Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are creating man of character, and we are training our disciples to become lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) sex life outside marriage, 2) intoxication, 3) meat eating, and 4) gambling and idle sports. Our teaching are based on the authorized movement of Lord Caitanya, the teaching of the Bhagavad-gita as the beginning, and the teaching of Srimad-Bhagavatam as the graduate study.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I am happy to hear that you and your good husband are living peacefully at New Vrindaban and executing Krishna Consciousness. This is very nice, and is a good example for others. In the Western countries there is practically no real family life, and we have to show good example of Krishna Consciousness family life, and others will be attracted to follow your examples. This is my idea.

Letter to Dayananda -- Allston, Mass 1 May, 1969:

As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, Twenty-Seventh Verse, Krishna is sitting in everyone's heart and He is purifying one who is Krishna Conscious. The symptoms of advancement in Krishna Consciousness is gradually feeling detached to materialistic way of life. Although you are young man, you have got your nice young wife and child, and by Krishna's Grace, everything is all right so far as your family is concerned, still you are feeling detached. That is very nice. But when your wife and child all are cooperating in your Krishna Consciousness, there is no hampering in your progress. So keep yourself always in Krishna Consciousness with your family members, raise your children to that standard, and employ your energy for serving Krishna. Then, even though you are in family life, you are as good as sannyasi.

Letter to Sacisuta -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1969:

I am so pleased to learn that you are feeling very nicely in Buffalo temple and you are working hard and sincerely to push on this sublime movement of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your question about marriage, the thing is that as I am a sannyasi, I am not concerned with family life, but because I want to see my disciples very happy in Krishna Consciousness, therefore, those who are feeling some sexual disturbance are requested by me to get themselves married. Another principle is that those who are brahmacaris, they should sacrifice all of their income and collection for the Krishna Consciousness Movement, whereas those who are married should work, earning money as much as possible, and at least 50% should be spent for the Krishna Consciousness Movement. So we have no objection for allowing you to get married, but it is up to you to consider if you will work hard and earn money both for Krishna and for your family. You cannot get married, and at the same time do not earn money. Of course, by preaching Sankirtana Movement, if you are satisfied with a small income, that is also nice. I think that your God-brother, Rupanuga is an ideal householder, and you should try to follow him.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Tittenhurst 28 September, 1969:

So far as your family life is concerned, the description given by you is nice. You should always remember that sex life should be avoided as far as possible, and simply it can be utilized for begetting Krishna conscious children. So you are all grown up boys and girls, advanced also in Krishna Consciousness; so you will do the necessary thing even without consulting me. Regarding the pages of Nectar of Devotion which were sent to you from Germany, it may be delayed so you will have to wait for some days. It was sent by registered mail, so I am hoping it is not lost. When you receive it, please let me know. Please offer my blessings to the others. I hope this meets you in good health.

Letter to Bhagavan -- London 9 November, 1969:

In our society we want to see some ideal householders as you are, so that preaching may go on with great speed. From the very beginning of this movement the associates of Lord Caitanya were all householders. All four of the principal associates; namely Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, and even Lord Caitanya Himself—They were all householders. So we are not impersonalists or voidists. Our program is to enter into the association of Krishna. But we cannot enter within this association without being completely disinfected from the contamination of material sinful life. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krishna Himself that only those who are absolutely cleansed of all dirty sins can be engaged in Krishna Consciousness in full swing. In other words, those who are fully in Krishna Consciousness can be free from material contamination and thus enter into association of Krishna. There will be no botheration for you of family life, provided it is carried on in full Krishna Consciousness. Follow this idea and you will be happy. The Western world needs this help, so try to do this welfare work for the human society.

Letter to Linda Ryon -- London 13 November, 1969:

The purpose of our centers for Krishna Consciousness is to give everyone the opportunity to remove this cloud of Maya from their consciousness and resume their natural, blissful life of rendering devotional service to Lord Krishna. The process is very simple: chanting, dancing, eating Krishna Prasadam and associating with Krishna's nice devotees. And these four items will make one advance very quickly. We are offering to everyone everything that is nice: nice food, nice family life, nice music, nice philosophy, nice association. Only a rascal will not accept this gift of Krishna Consciousness. So please continue to follow the procedures as you have been doing under the guidance of Bhagavan das, Jagadisa, and their wives. When I return to Boston sometimes in December, perhaps you and your husband will be able to meet me there.

1970 Correspondence

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

So I was thinking very seriously, and then, as late as 1944 I started my paper, "Back to Godhead." Gradually, in 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban. In 1959, I was awarded Sannyas by one of my Godbrothers, His Holiness B.P. Kesava Maharaja.

Letter to Balai -- Tokyo 17 August, 1970:

It is very encouraging to me to know that both yourself and your good husband are combined so nicely for setting the example of Krishna conscious family life. And now you have such a good daughter who is naturally devotee of Krsna, so if you kindly continue to advance on these lines as I have already chalked out for you your perfection of life in Krsna's service is guaranteed.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 15 November, 1970:

So far typist is concerned, he is a family man, he should not be asked to relinquish family life immediately. Let him come and go and learn our philosophy.

Letter to Gaura Hari -- Bombay 20 November, 1970:

I am very glad that you have decided to become a Grhastha member of our Society. That is the way of civilized and upright human life. After practicing brahmacarya and training under the guidance of a Spiritual Master the Vedic system is prescribing the asrama of Grhastha for those who are still desiring to enter into married family life. The so-called institution of free love marriage is ruining the human society and it is our duty therefore to reestablish the correct procedure of human life in the matter of encouraging our disciples who wish to marry to enter into a contract of spiritual wedlock. Such contract is made on the basis of compatible service of the Lord because such mutual cooperation in serving the advancement of Krsna Consciousness minimizes the illusion of material compatibility and incompatibility. We are seeing practically that our householder couples are setting an example for all persons that the perfection of happy family life is not based on sense-gratification, but on sincere service to the Lord.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Gorakhpur 19 February, 1971:

I've received one letter from Gargamuni and replied it and have just now received one from Visnujana Swami, but have not heard from Brahmananda Swami for some time. Reports from Subala Maharaja are very encouraging. He has sent me some photos also. But our long outstanding program for opening a center in Paris is still in oblivion. I understand that Jaya Govinda is now very much interested in family life. Similarly Umapati has also left Europe and gone back to the U.S.A. The wife is maya but at the same time a great friend. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked that the wife is the goddess of fortune somewhere and somewhere she is a witch. Anyway, you are very strong and an ideal grhastha and therefore instead of being influenced by your wife, you have influenced her to take to Krishna Consciousness. I expect every one of my students to come to your standard and remain steadfast in pushing on this movement of Krishna Consciousness. Mandali Bhadra has changed his wife because he was also being deviated by his former wife and I hope he will stand on this point steadily.

Letter to Srutasrava -- Delhi 18 November, 1971:

I have instructed Sridama, that if he is willing then the match may take place. However I must caution that we must be careful to avoid so far as possible affection for family based on sense gratification. Be happy in your family life by working cooperatively to please Krishna, and she should be your assistant. We must always feel the grave responsibility of serving Krishna.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Honolulu 11 May, 1972:

I thank you very much for your letter dated May 8, 1972, and the check for $517.50. You are so nice and eager to serve Krishna, so all blessings of Krishna will be bestowed upon you, rest assured. Your wife has proven turbulent, that is the grace of Krishna. I may inform you in this connection about my family life. Actually, I never liked my wife. I was going to marry another, but my father saved me from the danger and he told me that you do not like your wife, that is the grace of Krishna. So don't be worried about your wife. If she wants to re-marry, let her do so, and you'll be free and I shall give you Sannyas and you will be preaching freely.

Letter to Nandarani -- New York 8 July, 1972:

Your husband has gone back from London, being completely overcome by family separation. So there is no need of living separately. Both of you husband and wife live together and render the best service to the Lord. We have never discouraged family life, so both of you are intelligent and can make your plan. Keep your situation fit for rendering service to the Lord more enthusiastically. That is my desire.

Letter to Gangadevi -- London 11 August, 1972:

I was very happy to see both you and your good husband Vasudeva when I was in Paris, especially now that you have got such a nice child. Now you have got your child and your responsibility is to raise your child in Krsna consciousness. You and your husband are very sincere devotees, and your husband is a nice boy, and I like him very much, and he is doing the best service to Krsna and humanity by managing the Berlin center so nicely. So never mind there may be some inconvenience in family life for the time being. Your husband is doing the highest service. You may assist your husband very nicely by concentrating all your time and efforts in raising your child in full Krsna consciousness. That will require all of your attention, and in that way you will be giving your husband the best assistance. This spot life is merely a platform for us to make progress toward going back to home, back to Godhead, therefore we should not be too much concerned with family matters. We are never alone in Krsna consciousness; you have got so many wonderful brothers and sisters who are really your family, and besides that the spiritual master is always in his instructions, and Krsna is there within your heart, so you need not feel you are ever alone.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Dinadayadri -- Rome 26 May, 1974:

You are a very good girl and a sincere devotee therefore, even though you have experienced difficulty you are remaining pure in Krsna Consciousness and keeping faith in Krsna and the spiritual master. This faithfulness has pleased me very much. So many great devotees have had to undergo difficulties, and the great example among women was Queen Kunti whose family life was perpetual danger, but because she always thought of Krsna she was saved.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Madame Sangupta -- Bombay 15 January, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your Bengali letter dated 29-12-74 and have noted the contents. The grievances of family life are always the same everywhere. There is nothing new in your case. I am very glad you have taken shelter there at our Detroit temple. You can remain there without any hesitation and learn how to become a devotee. We have no Bengali books. All of our books are in English, but you can chant always Hare Krishna and follow the rules and regulations and this will help you in the advancement of spiritual life.

Letter to Dinanatha -- Honolulu 14 June, 1975:

I am glad that you are now writing books about Lord Ramacandra. It is a very good idea. I think you are a devotee of Lord Ramacandra, and because you are my very old and dear friend, I will suggest now in your old age (when your sons are grown-up and well-situated), why not join this movement and retire from family life? According to our vedic principle, a person, especially a Brahmana, should leave home after the 50th year and accept the order of Vanaprastha. Then after a few years of Vanaprastha, one should accept the Sannyasa order for the rest of his life and devote himself fully in the service of the Lord.

There is a great need of the Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world. If educated persons like you take active interest in this movement, and preach the cult for the benefit of the mass of people, that is the success of life.

You will find on the 2nd page of the enclosed magazine, a list of our important centers all over the world. In big cities like London, Chicago, New York, Paris, Rome, Geneva, Tokyo, Toronto, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and in India, Vrndavana, Navadvipa, Bombay, Calcutta, Hyderabad, etc. I wish that you may retire from family life and live in one of our so many centers wherever you like, and preach the cult of Krishna Consciousness. That will make your life successful.

Letter to Dinanatha N. Mishra -- Laguna Beach 26 July, 1975:

I therefore suggested in my last letter that now you are in ripe old age, so you can accept vanaprastha life which is your duty as you are born in a brahmana family. According to our Vedic principle a brahmana is supposed to accept the four asramas, namely brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. Others are not do not accept sannyasa, but a person who is a brahmana must accept sannyasa at the end of his life.

So I would suggest that you now retire from family life and accept at least vanaprastha order of life keeping your wife with you as assistant and fully engaged in translating the Vedic literature as far as possible.

It appears that in the Western countries there is a great demand for real knowledge of Vedic literature. So you are a learned scholar both in English and Hindi, and you can do this completely devoted to the service of Lord Ramacandra.

I have opened many temples all over the world, numbering 100. Enclosed herewith are some of the photos of some of the Deities in some of the temples.

Very recently we have established our temple in Vrindaban at a cost of 50 lakhs of Rupees or more. The Governor of U.P., Dr. Channa Reddy was present for two days for the opening ceremony. All the goswamis and sannyasis like Akhananda Swami all attended the ceremony. We have got a guest house there containing about 80 rooms, and the recent report is that not less than 500 men are coming daily to visit the temple. Prasad is being distributed to the poor, and others are purchasing prasada (pakki) to the extent of Rs. 100/- per day. We are selling our books also.

Now I wish to establish some temple of Ramacandra, Sita Ram. Of course it depends on the mercy of Lord Ramacandra. Therefore I am still requesting you to join our movement completely retired from family life and engage yourself in translation work for the rest of your life.

Letter to Dr. Y. G. Naik -- Toronto 7 August, 1975:

I am addressing this letter to your Indian address because I could not properly reply your letter earlier because your letter has been redirected to me from the many places I have been on tour. I am also sending a copy of this letter to your address in USA in care of your son. I am very anxious to meet you again. I am returning to India by October, and I am inviting you to come to our Vrindaban temple and live there for some time. I have got a very nice Guest House there, and I would suggest humbly that since you are already retired from service and your sons are well situated, that you may retire from your family life and live in Vrindaban in the vanaprastha order. Our Vrindaban temple is appreciated as the best in this quarter. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh stayed with me for two days recently, so at least for a few days you may come there and live with me.

Learned scholars like you are now needed to represent the cause of Krishna consciousness because without this consciousness the human society is doomed. So I require the help of respectable, learned scholars like you for spreading this movement more and more. According to the Vedic system this body is perishable and the ultimate form of this body is to become ash, stool, or earth. Therefore it is advised by the great pandita Canakya that the body should be sacrificed for a better cause. That is the idea inherent everywhere, especially in India. Everyone is advised to achieve the result of pious activities by engaging this body for such purposes. That is the greatest gain. According to the Vedic varna asrama it is compulsory that one retire from his family life and engage this body for Krishna's service at the end of his life.

Letter to Nalinikanta -- Bombay 21 November, 1975:

I am in due reciept of your letter of November 9, 1975 and also your telegram to Brahmananda Swami reading as follows: "ASK SRILA PRABHUPADA IF WE SHOULD BUY SMALL CHURCH IN PHOENIX TWO BLOCKS FROM UNIVERSITY WITH $15,000 to $20,000 LOAN FROM BBT. WIRE BACK IMMEDIATELY AS MAY BE SOLD SOON. NALINIKANTA." So this matter I cannot say because I do not know what money is available. You have to consult this with Ramesvara. Regarding taking sannyasa, this mentality that either I will have sex life or I will take sannyasa, this is not proper. Sannyasa means that one is finished with material life. So you have gotten married and you are in family life. So you should remain there. So you thought that by getting married you would expand your service. So you should do that. Actually all my disciples are sannyasis because they have surrendered everything in the service of Krsna.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 July, 1976:

This idea of Mr. Binbani's is very good; you should encourage him. You may say that the entire expense of this issue has been met by the Binani Trust. This will encourage the other trusts to also contribute. It is very nice that he wants to help the printing of literatures. The construction of the temple is going on, now let us have new publications. I am sending by separate registered post the Hindi translation of the Nectar of Devotion. You should print it. Our Bombay center is a general cultural institution for the education of scientific knowledge and spiritual life. I am trying to induce responsible men to fully retire from family life and take to Krsna consciousness.

Letter to Sri Santosh Kumar Pyne -- Vrindaban 8 September, 1976:

After a long time I have received a letter from you with mixed information. I am sorry to learn that one of your sons is in mental disorder, so do your best for treatment and depend on Krsna for the ultimate result. The chequered history of family life is the same for everyone. According to our philosophy we call it samsara dava nada lida loka the blazing forest fire of material life. In the forest fire takes place without any human effort and it burns into ashes all the trees and animals without any relief. The relief comes from the cloud above the head.

Similarly the relief from this material world comes from above as we have got instructions in the Bhagavad-gita. So if you like you can retire from family life—you are old enough—and it may be possible for us to give you some shelter. I am in Vrndavana at present and shall remain here at least for one month. If you so desire you can come here and meet me. With my good wishes for all your family members,

Page Title:Family life (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:14 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=30
No. of Quotes:30