Please accept my greetings. I received your letter dated February 2, 1968 duly but I am delayed to reply because I was consulting my colleagues about you and the kirtana parties coming here at our expense. To call a man from India and to arrange for his stay here at best for six months in different branches of our city means rupees 20,000/—or $2,000 per head, If we call for you and a party of nice kirtana singers, five men altogether, it means rupees 100,000/—the Society is not in a position to spend such an amount at present period. I am therefore training local boys and girls for kirtana and very soon we shall be out on world tour with this kirtana party. In India, however, many rich business men maybe ready to spend this amount to spread the kirtana movement. But the Govt. will not allow us to spend Indian money in such fashion without special sanction. I have written to authorities at the Govt. of India for sanction, but I have received no reply til now. You assured me that you would be able to get such sanction from Dr. Zakir Hussein but you are now silent on this format. Why not take sanction from him for this purpose and I will arrange money from India.
Fashion (Letters)
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
Regarding your question about why we dress the Deities in very opulent fashion and not as simple cowherds boy and girl, this is an intelligent question and the answer is that according to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. We worship Radha-Krishna because Laksmi-Narayana is there also, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna with our present Deity ceremonies; we are worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. Narayana is there when Krishna is there, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna in Their Original Form. This is why we should worship Radha-Krishna in Their Laksmi-Narayana feature with all respect and reverence.
Please accept my blessings. I thank you so much for your letter of January 30, 1969. I am glad to know that you are anxious to begin tending the Deities in grand style and fashion. Before I instruct you further in this matter, please send me a detailed list of what worshiping methods you are now performing. Let me know how you are conducting temple worship now from morning till night. I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood.
I am pleased to learn that you now have Radha-Krishna Murtis given to you by Mataji Syamadevi. For the time being you should keep Them covered, and when I go there I shall install Them and teach you how to do everything nicely. In the meantime you should not tend these Deities, but a nice throne should be constructed in the same fashion as the picture which was sent to you recently. In Los Angeles temple they have constructed a beautiful throne, just on the measurements and colors as depicted on the picture sent to you, and it has come very successful.
There is another instance that Garbhodakasayi Visnu begot Lord Brahma from His abdomen, navel, and the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi, was nearby. She was just massaging the Lord's Lotus Feet, but He did not require the help of the Goddess of Fortune to beget Lord Brahma. That is His omnipotence. He is self sufficient. He has got all the limbs for all the purposes, but He can use all of them for any purpose. This is inconceivable by us. We should not therefore compare our bodily function with Krishna's. His conjugal relationship with the Gopis is not exactly in the same way as we have girlfriends, neither the Gopis made friendship with Krishna exactly in the same fashion as here in this material world a girl makes friendship with a boy. They are different spheres of activities. Therefore, I sometimes warn my students not to discuss much about the affairs of Krishna's dealing with the Gopis.
1970 Correspondence
The procedure is quite admitted that you do not accept invitation in the fashionable meetings and you lecture exclusively. That is very nice. You do not allow anyone to touch your feet—this is very good attitude—but if they want to insist on touching your feet and there is no other way to avoid it, you can simply remember your predecessor Acaryas and Spiritual Masters and accept them and return namaskara with folded hands. That is the Vaisnava etiquette.
The next point is philosophy without religion is mental speculation. No one can manufacture a system of religion. Religion is the Law of God and no one but God or empowered representatives of God can put forward religious formulas. Therefore, because every living entity is the eternal fragmental part and parcel of God, it is practical that by simply accepting the authorized statements of bona fide scripture without mental speculation or fashionable interpretation one fulfills the mission of human life very easily and goes back to home, back to Godhead. "There is another eternal nature which is transcendental to this manifest and nonmanifest matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is." (B.G. 8.20) "It is the highest destination, going, no one ever returns from that, My Supreme Abode."
1971 Correspondence
Actually, people are seeking after transcendental reading matter more and more, so if we stick to our standard, as I have given you, then there is no doubt they will come to read our magazines in great numbers. Now make it very attractive, with our KC subject matter as you have outlined, and our BTG will be very much in demand, without further changes. I have seen one Christian newspaper which is trying to attract the readers by resort to fashionable phrases and materialistic themes of mass public interest—simply because they have not got any real substance for attracting, they offer what they think the public might like, such as sex, crimes, amusements, like that. That is not our method. We have got such stock of real substance that alone it is sufficient to capture the readers, without such ordinary tricks and commercial formulas.
So if children are trained-up in this way, they will naturally grow up to be sober and responsible, the best citizens and a credit to their state. So preach in this way, attract their young children to Krishna by teaching in a very interesting fashion—let them chant, dance, and take prasadam, that's all. Later, when they are old enough to understand, a little philosophy. And always keep them engaged one way or another in devotional service. That way they will become very attached to Krishna and they will not go away to a life of false standard of life. If you can get that couple from America to help you, that will be very nice. Actually, I wanted one householder couple to come there and teach. This I told to Bali Mardan when he was with me in India. So now you are arranging for that, so that is the best plan.
It is not that we should change to accommodate the public, but that we should change the public to accommodate us. Better you devote your full time to one thing only, not many things. That way your enthusiasm and talents will have big effect by being concentrated. Therefore, kindly concentrate for producing books and magazines in European languages, as many as possible, and make this your life work. These books are the best advertising, they are better than advertising. If we simply present Krishna Consciousness in a serious and attractive way, without need to resort to fashionable slogans or tricks, that is sufficient. Our unique asset is our purity. No one any where can match it. That will be noticed eventually and appreciated, as long as we do not diminish or neglect the highest standard of purity in performing our routine work, not that we require to display or announce ourselves in very clever ways to get attention. No, our pure standard is enough. Let us stand on that basis.
1972 Correspondence
Upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept Elaine as my duly initiated disciple, and to give sacred thread to Audolomy. Enclosed please find one letter to Elaine, and one sacred thread for Audolomy. Her beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for both of them, and give gayatri mantra to Audolomy. Show him to count on the finger divisions, and have him listen to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Bali Mardan Goswami in New York. Then hang the sacred thread over his shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only.
Upon your recommendation, I have consented to accept Jan, Becky and Tina as my duly initiated disciples, and also to give gayatri mantra to Pranaballavah, Mahasakti and Nandita Gokula. Enclosed please find a letter for those who are taking first initiation, and two sacred threads for Pranabalavah and Mahasakti. The beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for all of them, and gayatri mantra to Pranaballavah, Mahasakti, and Nandita Gokula. Show them how to count on the finger divisions, and have them listen one by one to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Karandhara in Los Angeles. Then hang the sacred thread over each boy's shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only.
1973 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 16th and I have noted the contents carefully. I can see from your account that everything is being conducted in a first class fashion and if you continue to spread Lord Caitanya's movement in this way your life will also become glorious. Therefore I recommend that you go on with more enthusiasm to inspire the devotees of New Orleans Yatra and I am confident that through your sincerity you can very shortly be one of the top distributing centres in the world.
All programs must go on but it is a fact that this book distribution program is very very important. It is real preaching work but I think this program for T.V. and radio is not so important. There are so many T.V. programs. Someone will see us on T.V. and then right after they will see some other nonsense and they will forget. Therefore it is better for them to read my books but I think your proposal for seriously organizing the college programs is first class. If this program is conducted in the proper fashion it can be our biggest book distribution outlet, I am convinced of this. You are advanced devotee and you should use your intelligence to convince the professors that they should use my books in the colleges. This will be the greatest service.
1974 Correspondence
The first dated April 13, reads as follows: "My most humble obeisances departed India today for America all signs favorable for good success kindly inform care Brooklyn Temple how where you wish funds repaid also how many where to send your tickets for London plus expected arrival date. Suggest early May for English fragrant Springtime' June like flavored gold, July for the most spectacular Rathayatra ever, celebrated August meet her majesty etc., hundreds of the world's best British men anxiously awaiting to accommodate and serve you in unrivalled fashion with opulence respect public acclaim befitting Visvacarya. Especially George preparing some wonderful surprises like your classes with Prince Charles. Hrsikesananda also safely in London, your eternal servant Syamasundara das."
In the Bhagavad-gita it is said samah sarvesu bhutesu/ mad bhaktim labhate param (BG 18.54). When a person is self realized, he is equal to everyone, and that is the preliminary stage for entering into transcendental devotional service. But, one should not falsely claim to be equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because in the Vedas it is said: na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate/na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. Nobody is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unfortunately it has become a fashion to equalize everyone with Narayana. This sort of mentality is called pasandi mentality, because if anyone considers even the biggest personalities like Lord Siva or Lord Brahma on the equal status of Narayana the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is certainly a pasandi.
1975 Correspondence
It has become a fashion nowadays amongst the politicians, scholars, and so-called swamis to deride Krishna. This is very dangerous position. Any blasphemous activities to Krishna will not affect His body. He has no material body, therefore prayers or accusations do not affect Him. He is always kind and equal to everyone.
1976 Correspondence
Regarding the improvements of gold stamping and gold guilding on the Bhagavatams, I have already advised Radhavallabha Prabhu. Simply to make fashionable and increase the price may hamper the sales. Rather decrease the price.
In the English dictionary, you find that God means the "Supreme Being." There are unlimited number of living beings, but God is one Supreme Being. Supreme Being must be one. Nobody can be equal to Him, and nobody can be greater than Him, otherwise there is no meaning of God. At the present moment it has become a fashion to become God very cheaply, therefore, such system being very cheap and not authorized, there are so many religious systems. Otherwise, God is one, all living entities are His eternal servants, and therefore, the real religious system is to learn how to serve God.
No, the printing of the Gitar Gan cover this fashion is not at all approved by me. You have done most nonsensically. 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.
| Page Title: | Fashion (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, Serene |
| Created: | 23 of Sep, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=20 |
| No. of Quotes: | 20 |