Yesterday evening when we were talking at your veranda we had some talks over the advent day of Lord Caitanya which falls today the most auspicious Dol-yatra purnima day and as such I myself along with some members of my family today observing fast till the advent moment of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu just in the evening. Guru Maharaj Sastriji advised the members assembled yesterday to observe fast today and this is being done as a matter of course on the occasion of Gaura Jayanti day. I was so glad to hear from you that you know Lord Caitanya as the incarnation of Godhead. Yes he is so and there are ample proofs of His being so in the different Sastras such as Mahabharata, Bhagavata, Upanisads and many other Puranas. So on the occasion of Lord Caitanya's 463rd advent ceremony, I am taking this opportunity to remember about him which will help my vrata observed to-day.
Full moon (Letters)
Expressions researched:
"Purnima"
|"full autumn moon"
|"full autumn moon"
|"full light of the moon"
|"full moon"
|"full shining moon"
|"full, like the waxing moon in the sky"
|"moon is full"
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
The picture of Lord Caitanya with His party should be nicely decorated with flowers and garlands and Sankirtana should be performed regularly from Morning to evening. Just after seeing the Full Moon on the sky the days fast should be broken. I mean the devotees should observe fasting the whole day. In the evening the devotees should take food as in the Ekadasi days.
2. The next day you can celebrate feasting on account of Lord Caitanya's appearance and read about His life as given shortly in my Srimad-Bhagavatam and you can read also from the teachings of Lord Caitanya part of which is going to be published in the present issue of Back to Godhead.
1968 Correspondence
We are trying to get U.S.A. Immigration, permanent visa, and I am waiting for the result.
Lord Caitanya's Birthdate is on the Phalguna Purnima between 15 of Feb. and 15th of March. The full moon day is Lord Caitanya's Birthday. I think you can send for Rayarama's calendar which he has published. The exact day is 14th March, Thursday, 1968. The procedure is that you should fast from morning to evening (about 7:00) after that there should be offering to Lord Caitanya and prasadam should be accepted just like on Ekadasi day, and next day, Friday, full love feasting may be provided to as many devotees as you can.
Regarding the question (In vol I, First Canto, Ch. 1, Text 1, pp. 59 of Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is stated "anyone who hands over a charity of this great work on the full moon day attains to the highest perfection of human life by going back to home, back to Godhead." Does this mean that by giving the Gayatri mantra, only vol. one, or the complete work?) it is not the Gayatri mantra, but the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The idea is that in olden days there was no press. So books were not available printed. Formerly great aristocratic families kings, and rich men, they used to engage a qualified brahmana to copy Srimad-Bhagavatam in handwriting, and then present it to a suitable person, especially brahmanas, in a gold casket. That was the system. But since printing machine has been introduced, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and other literature are being printed.
1969 Correspondence
After 27th July, I can start on any day from San Francisco. You can shave once in a month on the full moon day with head & beard.
Then you may try for another center. For your selling BTGs there is no reason for you to be strained. Whatever you can do conveniently is all right. I have received information from the United Shipping Corporation that the Murtis are coming from Calcutta to Honolulu.
I am glad to learn that you have performed the Guru Purnima Ceremony by Kirtana that is all right. But this Guru Purnima is generally performed by the Mayavadi sects. The idea of Guru Purnima is to offer gratitude to the Spiritual Master by the disciple once in a year. That is called Guru Purnima. So far as we are concerned, Gaudiya Vaisnavas, we offer all our gratefulness to the Spiritual Master on His Appearance Day Ceremony, called Vyasa Puja. So kirtana is our daily function; whatever you have done is all right, but actual worship of the Spiritual Master will be done by all of my disciples on the fifth day of September, just one day after Janmastami.
So you should advise them to send medicine and suitable vehicles which can't be obtained in this country. But if the medicine is only mixed with honey, as they usually do, then there is no difficulty. You can refer my name also to this physician. Then he will be more careful.
Regarding Holy Days, I am very glad that you performed Guru Purnima, and you offered puffed up kacoris. You must have enjoyed Prasadam very nicely, but you forgot the statement bracketed on that list, "special honoring of the Spiritual Master," and that you had to send some contribution to the book fund. Never mind, you can do it again on the 5th September and rectify the mistake. I hope it will not be a very difficult job. Regarding celebrations of other holidays, they will be described as to how they should be celebrated in future memos to all of the temples.
1970 Correspondence
So far determining Ekadasi it is counted 11 days after the full moon and 11 days after the new moon, but sometimes it so happens as you have noted one day later. However, what I have given is correct.
The Panjika which I gave you is old Panjika, our calendar is for this new year.
Regarding the Prayer book, I did not ask you to transliterate this—somebody else has underlined, I have not underlined it. I have received both the prayer book and the panjika also with your letter.
So you come to San Francisco, both husband and wife, and meet me there because I want to see you both since a long time. And after coming there, if you still insist, then I may go to Hawaii for a week only. I think this is not advisable. The best thing would be that you come to San Francisco and I give you instruction for developing New Navadvipa, so that next march when there will be Lord Caitanya's Birthday I must go there. It is my desire that three places at the present moment namely San Francisco (New Puri), New Vrndavana and New Navadvipa should be especially organized for three great festivals; namely Janmastami, Rathayatra and Phalguni Purnima or Lord Caitanya's Birthday. On these occasions not only myself but all the devotees should assemble in these places and we shall meet together for the mutual advancement of our centers. So by all means you, husband and wife, come to San Francisco during Rathayatra festival.
In the accompanying packet are enclosed some prints from this year's various Rathayatra festivals and also issue No. 20 "Back to Godhead" which was a special issue on last year's festivities.
Other major celebrations are Janmastami and Lord Caitanya's Abhirbhava on Phalguni Purnima. These are especially celebrated gorgeously at New Vrndavana and New Navadvipa respectively. For its lavish Rathayatras yearly for the last four years San Francisco is now commonly known as New Jagannatha Puri. We are gradually increasing the size of major festivals and eventually there will be twenty-four or two each month. The public response is always very encouraging.
Srila Vyasadeva therefore summarized the whole Vedic knowledge in the shape of Srimad-Bhagavatam which is known as the ripened fruit of the desire tree known as Vedic knowledge. The ripened fruit is received hand to hand through disciplic succession and anyone who does this work in disciplic succession from Srila Vyasadeva is considered as representative of Vyasadeva and as such the bona fide Spiritual Master's Appearance Day is worshiped as Vyasa Puja. Not only that, the exalted seat on which the Spiritual Master sits is also called Vyasasana.
In the Mayavadi Sampradaya they observe the Guru Purnima day to offer respect to the Spiritual Master. This system of offering respect to the Spiritual Master is current in all sections of Vedic followers, but so far we are the Gaudiya Sampradaya is concerned, we offer on the Appearance Day of the Spiritual Master our humble homage annually and this particular auspicious moment is called Vyasa Puja.
1971 Correspondence
My Dear Nagapatni, Tradhis, Janmastami, Vikramini, Babrubahan, Sacidevi, Karandhara, Santanandi, Romaharsan, Suchitra, Gajendra, Purnima, Sarala, Karunasindhu, Ananga, Krsnakanti, Herapancami, Jayatirtha, Ujjala, Gopala Bhattadas, Vrindaban-Candra, Vidarba Kanya, Kanupriya, Caitanyadevi, Dasi, Baba, Govinda Das, Poulastini, Brin, Dru, Becky, Nandalal, Freda, Tungabhadra, Cintamani, Carol, Silavati, Tulsidevi, Prsni, Joanne, Suniti, Cidananda, Madhukanta, Siddhesvara, Ramesvara, Phillip, Paramesvari, Bhutanath, Trilochana, Jangarama, Pierre, Upadaliya, Pipali, Larry, Premarnava, Srivas, Sarvabhauma, Riktananda, etc.
You may give your new child the name Purnima dasi, as you like. But one thing, always inform my secretary if there is a new name given to any of your children, so that a record may be kept.
You may give your new child the name Purnima dasi, as you like. But one thing, always inform my secretary if there is a new name given to any of your children, so that a record may be kept.
1974 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very nice letter and I thank you very much for your kind sentiments. I understand that you are the mother of the little boy Purnima das. He is very nice boy. He is Vaisnava. So you are very fortunate to have such a son. You can take it that Krsna has given you this son. So you must take care of him nicely and raise him in Krishna consciousness. All these boys must be taken care of very nicely. They are the future hope. When he is ready, he must be taught English and Sanskrit.
I am in due receipt of your letters dated September 5 & 9, 1974 with enclosed clippings of my visit to Chicago Ratha Yatra. The clippings are especially nice, and I am requesting that they be displayed here at Mayapur for our Gaura purnima festival. I very much liked your Chicago festival, and I encourage you to increase it next year. This ratha yatra festival is very dear to me from my very childhood days, so I very much appreciate your holding this festival in Chicago. If you have longer route and two or three cars it will be very good.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your card from Radha Kunda with enclosed Travelers Cheque for Dollars 50.00. I thank you for this, and I am glad to learn that you are appreciating my books. The opening of the Vrindaban temple has been postponed to after March, 1975, so if you like you can come to our Gaura purnima celebration at Mayapur and then to the Vrindaban festival at that time.
"It will not be difficult", assured Srila Prabhupada. He further revealed, "I have named this temple Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, the Rising Moon of Mayapur. Now make it rise, bigger and bigger until it becomes the full moon. And this moonshine will be spread all over the world. All over India they will come to see. From all over the world they will come...Krishna will supply the money. Don't bother. The money will come either locally or from USA."
"Nowhere do we have such a nice temple in such an open place," Prabhupada remarked on one morning walk. In Bombay a shipment of 2,000 kilos of Australian ghee has been sent by Madhudvisa Maharaj. It will be sold to the Indian temples and used for the festival for the opening of the Vrindaban temple to be held after the Gour Purnima festival in April. For the Mayapur festival ghee will be supplied by each and every devotee who comes. Everyone should bring one tin of ghee. It can be brought for personal use.
I mentioned to His Divine Grace that air fares will be increased next year due to the petrol shortage, and this might affect the number of devotees who attend the Gour Purnima festival. Prabhupada asked me, "How much foodstuffs have you eaten in your whole life?" Quite a lot I had to admit, not understanding why he asked this question. "And what is the cost of all these foodstuffs?" That I could not say. "So, do you stop eating because there is so much cost? No. You go on eating and whatever is the cost, you spend. The principle is that if you have got money, then you can spend, but if you do not have money, then you cannot spend." So as many as possible should surely come if the money is there.
This is to inform you that yesterday Giriraja has sent by T.T. Rs. 2,25,000/- to American Express Bank a/c No. 090031. Now the wall and proposed rooms and other works must be finished by Gaura Purnima.
In the meantime you go on managing things there very nicely, and you can refer matters to me. In this way Hawaii will be managed. Regarding your request for being GBC of Hawaii, yes formally you were GBC of Japan, so it can be considered at the next GBC meeting during Gaura Purnima time.
Krsna has given you a very good field there, and I know there is wide scope for spreading our movement, and I like the place there. So do everything very carefully, always following our principles, and Krsna will give the necessary intelligence for pushing on this sublime movement very successfully.
Hamsaduta has sent RS. 15,000/00 for the Food Program, and Bhagavan dasa has given the check to Gargamuni Swami for the Pavilion. So money is there. That is no difficulty. Only the projects must be finished by Gaura Purnima.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 2, 1974 with enclosed copy of Trial Balance from June '73 to June '74. and also your telegram reading as follows: ONE THOUSAND RUPEES BOOKS SOLD MAYAPUR RAS PURNIMA DAY THOUSAND VISITED CHANDRADOYA MANDIR PRASADAM DISTRIBUTED—
GARGAMUNI SWAMI.
So this is very nice. Why not reprint our Gitar Gan in Japan fifty thousand copies? Our temple is getting more and more famous. It is already famous as the sahib temple. And it will become even more famous when there is gate. __ walls, kitchen, prasadam pavilion, and lake. Then it will be very nice. So I am looking forward to seeing these things when I return to Mayapur. This next Sunday I am planning to start for Honolulu.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 6, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am simply surprised how many people visited the temple on Ras Purnima and that so many Gitar Gans were distributed. I do not think so many people visited the other maths there in Mayapur.
Regarding the construction you have not mentioned anything about the gate. I want that the gate should be there. The gate should be constructed before the wall is constructed. It is very nice that the work is progressing by having a hired man instead of a contractor. This is proper method for us. Gargamuni Swami has telegrammed that work on the kitchen has stopped and that money from Jayatirtha has not come. But Jayatirtha has told Brahmananda Swami that it was already sent. So what can I do? Anyway the work should not be stopped. This is not good.
1975 Correspondence
Yes, I have received your letter dated May 26, 1975. So it is good that you are meeting with the Government officials and they are taking interest. Yes, you arrange for a big festival in Bombay and get them to come. That will be very nice, but not exactly on Gaura Purnima as we will be in Mayapur, but afterwards.
Why are speaking of a loan for Bombay construction when you have already taken two lakhs from the Book Fund? What do you mean that you want another loan? Why are you again asking for a loan? Why is Giriraja not writing?
We have already organized the Ratha Yatra ceremony, and we hold a great Love Feast festival every Sunday in everyone of our branches. Now I advised to organize more festivals during Janmastami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day, and Gaura Purnima, the Appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
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.
1976 Correspondence
Now beginning from this year's Mayapur festival the devotees will begin preparing for Bhakti-sastri examination. Therefore we require a guidebook for Deity worship, arcana-paddhati, based on Hari-bhakti-Vilasa. All brahmanas will be responsible to learn this book. I would like to have the manuscript ready as soon as possible, preferably my Gaura Purnima. So please work diligently for this. Pradyumna began this, but I do not know what he has done with his work.
You say my apartment will be ready by mid-March but without an elevator, how can I use it? Here in Mayapur we have begun construction on a 67 room Residential Quarters along the Northern boundary of the land to be ready for use by Gaura Purnima. I have asked Tamala Krishna to send his Radha Damodara party's collections to pay for it. Caitya-guru is engaged to help oversee the construction.
I have already sent by separate post the authorization for the Rs. 22,143/49p to be transferred to the B. of Hyderabad a/c.
Regarding the mutation, I understand the Settlement officer has asked you to wait still another month. Also you have no men nor books. Neither you have any place to live. Therefore, the best thing is that you come immediately to Mayapur where I am staying until Gaura Purnima. You can do your translation work nicely here, and after the Gaura Purnima festival all the necessary arrangements for Orissa can be made.
Regarding the examinations, the idea is that anyone, after studying the books, who wants to gain the title of Bhakti-sastri, can take the exam. This is academic. Just like a brahmana with sastric knowledge and a brahmana without. It is optional—one who wants may take. The real purpose is that our men should not be neglectful of the philosophy. The examinations will begin on Gaura Purnima, 1977, not this year, so there is no reason why any of the devotees should give up their normal engagement.
So far your idea for teaching classes, this should be discussed at the GBC meeting. If it does not hamper our normal procedure then it is welcome.
I am in due receipt of your invitation letter and I am very glad that your daughter Kum Kum is going to be married. Please convey all my blessings to the bride and bridegroom.
I shall remain in Mayapur up to the Gaura Purnima festival in April. Then I shall go to Delhi for our festival there. It will be a great pleasure for me to see you, your daughter and your new son in law at that time.
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. You are a learned scholar, do you think it is believable that dust and rocks can illuminate the whole universe at night. It is so soothing and beautiful. I shall be very glad to receive further enlightenment in this connection from your good self.
I have received one telegram from Gargamuni reading as follows; Ras purnima over five thousand books sold four lakhs visit temple Bhavananda signs twenty thousand autographs awaiting your arrival 15th or after please reply.
This means that by the grace of Krishna, not only our Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir has become very popular all over Bengal, side by side you have also become the attractive feature in Bengal. So, it is Krsna blessing you. Take this opportunity for preaching in Bengal. Especially please go from village to village with a party of 5, 6 men and preach the message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu with great enthusiasm. Along with preaching simultaneously Gitar Gana will be distributed.
Now we are becoming hair-headed, we are forgetting shaving. Because there is a little leniency, immediately faulty things are creeping in. So we should be known as shaven-headed, not hair-headed. This is discrepancy. At least once in a month you must be clearly shaven-headed. On the bright fortnight, on the day of purnima, four days after ekadasi. Once in a month, in the bright fortnight we must be shaven-headed. It is not desirable that in grown up age also, you be chastised. that is not desirable-that is also difficult because when the disciple or son is grown up, if he is chastised, then he breaks. So before being chastised we should be conscious that this is our rules and regulations, we must observe. Therefore it is advised by Canakya Pandit (Sanskrit) After the 16th year of the disciple or son, he should be treated as friend because if you chastise when he is grown up then he will break up- that is also another risk. So our request is that instead of chastising, with folded hands I request you, don't you become hippies again by growing hair.
Therefore it should not be played in the temple. Gross outsiders only.
Kindly send a copy to each of our centers as soon as is conveniently possible. His Divine Grace specially requests that the system of shaving on the fourth day (the head) after Ekadasi, on Purnima, be introduced immediately in all centers.
1977 Correspondence
Anything else is simply artificial and simply gives me suffering. Somehow or another I have become the most fortunate person to be your servant, so let that good fortune continue, forever, and wherever you go, kindly take this foolish person with you and engage him in your service in whatever way you see fit.
Jaya, all glories to you Srila Prabhupada, the full moon of devotion to Sri Krsna.
I beg to thank you for your letter dated 24 March, 1977.
I was expecting to come to Vrndavana to be with my disciples during the Gaura Purnima time but I was suddenly forced to change my plans due to illness. Now, by the grace of Krishna, I am gradually recovering. Sooner or later we have to give up this body, but a Vaisnava may live or die for in either case he is always serving his Lord Krishna. So whatever Krishna's desire is, we are quite agreeable to it. As you are eager to see me, I am also eager to see you, but as to when I shall be returning to Vrndavana I cannot say. You can take information from time to time from my disciples as to when I shall be expected to be there, and when I come we shall be able to spend time together.
| Page Title: | Full moon (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 01 of Jun, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=37 |
| No. of Quotes: | 37 |