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Impersonal (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"imperson" |"impersonal" |"impersonally"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query:imperson or impersonal or impersonally not "Impersonal Brahman" not "impersonal feature*"

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Taber -- New York 9 June, 1967:

A spirit soul is not impersonal, and because he is a person he has the latent desire for sense gratification; but in the material condition he does not know how to enjoy; therefore one should purify the senses being free of all material designation. In conditioned stage we are designated souls like "American," "Indian," "dog," "demigod," etc., but in pure consciousness or Krishna Consciousness, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. By Brahman realization, as you may have read in Bhagavad-gita: brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati (BG 18.54). So in our pure stage when we understand that we are eternal servants of Krishna there is no more distress. Therefore the devotee prays: "My Lord, when shall I be freed from all material desires and be completely engaged in your transcendental loving service. At the present moment I am forlorn and nobody is my master. When shall I have You as my Supreme Master; then shall I joyfully wander over the whole universe knowing that You are my master." Please therefore try to be in Krishna Consciousness and there will be no distress. Gradually as you realize this, you will experience it also; but the process is the same, both at the beginning and at the end.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Vrindaban 27 August, 1967:

Your nice letter of 8/18 in hand; your nice philosophy that Krishna takes and Krishna gives, is very nice. This means Krishna is not impersonal. He is the Supreme Person and fully reciprocates. The impersonalist cannot reciprocate. Krishna does not take anything from them, neither does He give them anything. The Impersonal, therefore, simply enjoys the troubles of speculation. I have received news from Sante Fe that they have opened a nice branch there in an old castle, and it is very much pleasing to me. Now Kirtanananda Swami is going very soon to the U.S.A., and I expect that all of you will combine together to open at least 108 centers before I leave this world. I hope by this time you have seen Mr. Nehru; I am anxiously awaiting your report. I am also glad to learn that MacMillan is going to publish our books, and are including Gita and Bhagavatam on their spring lists. So I shall not bother to arrange for printing in India. Please confirm this.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 16 October, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter (dated Oct. 10) & I've also received Kirtanananda's letter. From different centers of our society the news of the activities of Kirtanananda is giving me too much pain. From Rayarama's letter it is clear that Kirtanananda has not rightly understood Krishna Consciousness philosophy & it appears that he does not know the difference between impersonal & personal features of Krishna. The best thing will be to prohibit him to speak in any of our functions or meetings. It is clear that he has become crazy & he should once more be sent to Bellevue. He was in Bellevue before & with great difficulty & with the help of Mr. Ginsberg we got him out. But it appears that he has developed his madness again, therefore if he is not sent to Bellevue then at least he should be stopped from speaking such nonsense. It is clear from his activities that he has been attacked by maya; he is a victim. We shall pray to Krishna for his recovery but we cannot allow him to speak on my behalf.

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 16 October, 1967:

Krishna is certainly one and different, but his oneness is stressed by the impersonalists which is distinct from our philosophy. Our philosophy of Krishna's oneness & difference is explained in the 9th ch, 4th verse of B.G. in which it is clearly stated that Krishna is one by distribution of his diverse energies. When Krishna controls his diverse energies he does not become impersonal. If Kirtanananda believes in one-Self, why does he stress the vibration & not the words? Why does he find difference in vibration & words? If he believes in one there is no difference between vibration & words? And why shouldn't one be attached to the chanting? All this means that he has no clear idea & he is talking nonsense. If Kirtanananda does not understand this philosophy then better he should stop speaking nonsense. I can understand his designs but I cannot help because I am far away from the place. I am leaving here with a note to Kirtanananda which you please show him & do the needful. Hope you are well.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Calcutta 19 October, 1967:

I was very glad to receive your letter dated Oct. 13. I congratulate you for your successful dealing with your good brother, Sriman Brahmananda, against His falling back a prey to Kirtanananda's recent propaganda. To save a man from impersonal calamity is the greatest service to humanity. I also thank Rupanuga & Rayarama for helping you in your very laudable action. Brahmananda is very pure at heart. He might have been misled by Kirtanananda for the time being but Krishna did not allow him to fall back. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord is full in six opulences & the rascal impersonalists says that the Lord has no form & the most dangerous accusation for the Lord that He assumes a material form when he descends.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Calcutta 19 October, 1967:

The impersonalist presents any form nonsensical by his imagination & worships it as God. This accusation of the Lord is the greatest offense of the nonsense impersonalist. Such offender can never realize the transcendental form of the Lord & the Lord puts such nonsense into more & more darkness so that the dangerous impersonalist can never know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I do not believe that Kirtanananda has gone to such an extent of ailing situation but if he does not rectify himself immediately his future is very dark. If he is sincere in his concept of impersonal Absolute he should enter into correspondence with me & I shall refute all his arguments; but I understand that he could not answer you even when you hit him with some questions. I shall request that you save this poor creature from impersonal calamity.

Letter to Rayarama -- Navadvipa 27 October, 1967:

I am so pleased for your sincere endeavour for improving the quality & quantity of BTG. Krishna is helping you in this endeavour & he will help you more & more for your sincerity. Our circulation manager, Sriman Gargamuni, is surely taking great interest in seeling the copies. Regarding Kirtanananda's article, I do not know what he has written but I can guess that it must be polluted with impersonal poison, so for the time being you can keep this article aside. I was so glad to learn that you are acting exactly like a lion cub & I know that in the future you shall conquer ever many jackals. We have got experience in India that the jackals roar four times at night without any influence but the one roar of a lion drives away many elephants. The pressure Maya is elephant-like, big, but the roaring of Nrsimhadeva can drive away many elephants. Please convey my thanks to Satyavrata (Moskowitz) & inform him that I've received his letter. His humble attitude is just befitting a genuine devotee. I very much appreciate his devotional attitude.

Letter to Himavati -- Navadvipa 2 November, 1967:

They will be corrected as soon as I return. You have rightly said that he and Hayagriva came like two children and took their things from the temple. Don't you think that all this is childish activities? If Kirtanananda donated the candle holders and clothes to the Temple of Krishna how could he take them back for his own purpose. If they think impersonally that Krishna is present everywhere, how could they think of Krishna not being present in the New York Temple. So all their activities are befitting children; so as children commit mistakes and again reforms similarly they will be reformed in due course. After their malady of impersonalism is over. You can go on with you regular classes, chanting Hare Krishna sincerely, without taking seriously into account the childish activities of Kirtanananda and his friend. Leave the __ to Krishna.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 5 November, 1967:

The boy who spat upon the person of Kirtanananda must send a letter of regret and apology. That will be nice. You should always try to pacify the living entities in their rebellious propensities. These individual propensities are factual evidence for their becoming individual entities. If everything would have been impersonal there would have been no scope for the individual manifestations. It is understood that Hayagriva will purchase the property at Wilkes-Barr with the help of Dr. Henderson's financial assistance. I do not mind that they will do something separately, but I wish that there may not be any misbehavior between the God-brothers. I think you can write Hayagriva a personal letter regretting the incident which had unfortunately occurred, namely spitting over the person of Kirtanananda.

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 15 November, 1967:

Now please do your best and hand it over to MacMillan Co. for necessary action. We have tried our best in the Gita Upanisad that Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person and His energies acting impersonally. The devotees are primarily concerned with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna and His impersonal expansion of energy is of secondary importance to the devotees. Less intelligent asuras are attracted by the impersonal manifestation because they have no chance to meet Krishna face to face. In the last paragraph of your letter of the 7th, you have mentioned very nobly that you can work with me on the project of Srimad-Bhagavatam and it will be a great success of my mission if we jointly finish up complete Bhagavatam published by MacMillan Co.

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 14 December, 1967:

Brahmananda is shortly going there and after his return, we may all go together to London and start a branch there in grand scale, so also in Amsterdam and in Berlin or Moscow. We have to save the world-people from the misconception of voidism and impersonalism. "The absolute is sentient Thou hast proved all impersonal calamity Thou has moved." These lines were presented by me to my spiritual master and He was highly pleased with me. Let me follow the same principle and my Guru Maharaja will bless me. I have always my good wishes and blessings for you all because you are cooperating in a great mission.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:

Please offer my thanks and blessings for her in this endeavor.

Omkara is the alphabetical representation of Krishna. This representation of Krishna is impersonal, just like His lustre of the Body, Brahman effulgence. Impersonalists like to chant Omkara, but we wish to chant His Feature of Pastimes, because His personal feature is the ultimate understanding. Omkara is the symbol of eternity, but there is no bliss and knowledge. Om Tat Sat: Tat means the Absolute Truth, and Sat means eternal. Omkara is also used denoting address. Om Tat Sat means, oh, the Absolute Truth is Eternal.

Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968:

Similarly, when the material world dissolutes, the spiritual world remains. Krishna and His Kingdom, the spiritual world, are eternal. We have to understand things in this method. That is Krishna Consciousness. Do not misunderstand that after the variegatedness of the material world being finished, everything becomes impersonal, that is nonsense. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita nicely. Your faith in the Christian religion is very strong, I can understand. So, when you want to convert Christians into Krishna Consciousness, you should understand first of all the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. Without understanding the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, if we try to convert Christians into Krishna Consciousness, it will be utter failure. We do not condemn any religion because the Bhagavatam says that the religious process is the best by which one can attain love of God. So we are teaching Love of Godhead, not any particular type of religion.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:

So I am very much anxious to know from you also how much this scheme has advanced. So far I could understand on the letter of Kirtanananda, that we had no freedom of action because the land belongs to Mr. Rose, who wants to develop an institution appealing to all sections of seekers in spiritual enlightenment. Such ideal of impersonal views can never be successful. That is the distinction between impersonalism and personalism. The impersonalists ultimate goal is something void, and therefore, any attempt for self-realization ending in voidness is all the same for the impersonalists. But we the personalists, we do not agree that all systems of self-realizing process ends in the same goal. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is explicitly said that the worshippers of different demigods ultimately reach the planets of respective demigods; the worshippers of forefathers also go to different pitri planets, respectively; the worshippers of mammon remain in the mammonish world; and the persons in Krishna Consciousness, ultimately reach to the planet of Krishna loka. So our mission is to reach the supreme planet, in the spiritual sky, namely the Abode of Krishna.

Letter to Harer Nama -- Los Angeles 21 December, 1968:

"My Dear Lotus Eyed Personality of Godhead, persons who are very proud of becoming one with the brahma effulgence and thereby consider that they have become liberated are factually in a contaminated consciousness on account of the absence of devotional service unto You. Such persons may rise to a high level of spiritual understanding as far as the impersonal brahma-jyotir but on account of the lack of devotional service unto You, they generally fall down again into material contamination."

The final question which was asked by Tosana about the validity of the story of the sparrow and the ocean, you should know that everything that is found in these scriptures is factual. There is nothing allegory. But you must not depend upon your own limited experience. What happens in different corners of the Lord's Creation no one can say. But we can hear from the authentic Vedic sources such as the Puranas. This story of the sparrow is found in the Puranas.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 30 January, 1969:

If you can understanding by reading silently, there is no need to read out loud, because this may make others feel disturbed. The mantra you have asked about which is mentioned in Brahma Samhita means the pastimes, Form and Qualities of the Lord with His Associates. Our mantras are never impersonal. When we meditate upon Hare Krishna we remember the Pastimes, Form, Qualities, etc., of Lord Krishna.

Regarding the teaching at Sir George Williams University, if you like you may take charge, I have no objections. But if there is somm one who may speak better at present, you should give him a chance. In either case, you should please try to introduce into every college and university our Bhagavad-gita As It Is. That will surely be a great service. The Bhagavad-gita is well read everywhere, and you need only to convince them that this is the best edition.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

Therefore we accept the Spiritual Master for guidance. You should not depend on your own intelligence. Just like a child requires a parent to tell him the correct thing to do, similarly, a strict disciple should always use his intelligence in conformity with the instructions of the Spiritual Master.

Regarding your dealings with impersonalists, any one who teaches of the impersonal nature should be avoided. If we hear them, it will hamper our progress. That will be the result—no progress. Therefore, rigidly we will try to avoid the impersonal teachings. Generally, it only produces bad effects.

As for your question about the ecstasy of chanting and working for Krishna, the ecstasy which is automatically manifest is very welcome, but we should not try to come to the ecstatic status by any artificial practice. You should give more stress on the importance of chanting. Working for Krishna is not different from chanting, but such work would be done under the direction of the Spiritual Master.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1969:

"Non-Christian Unity Ruled Out," is not very surprising. Religious bigotry is one of the strong material symptoms, therefore, in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said dharma projhita. This means that the idea of religiosity, economic development, sense-gratification, and endeavors for merging into the impersonal absolute are the different activities for the materialist person. Leaving aside the too grossly materialistic persons, who are without any moral principles or social conventions, if we take the right type of civilized man, then we find that he is engaged in some type of religious principle. It doesn't matter if he is Christian, Moslem or Jew, the symptom of a civilized man is that he must have the recognition of religious principles; that is required for civilized man. But generally men take to religious principles for economic development. Just like in the Christian religiosity the prayers for solving the economic problem or bread problem.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1969:

So such people are gradually forgetting their eternal relationship with God because they think that without God they can inquire sufficient progress in economic development which is required for sense gratification. Some of them, when they are frustrated, try thinking of voidness or merging into the impersonal absolute truth. So voidness or impersonal idea of the absolute truth is just an opposite of material variegatedness. So this idea can also be accepted as the material concept of transcendence. So things are going on like this, not only now, but it is the nature of the material world.

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

For the time being he has come from Montreal along with Hamsaduta. He proposes to begin a temple in Palm Beach. He is a very enthusiastic musician and appears to be very nice boy.

Regarding your questions, the swami order is certainly introduced by Sankaracarya, because almost all sannyasis of impersonal philosophy take this name, Swami. But the Swami title offered to me is equivalent to Goswami. Swami and Goswami are actually the same, synonomous. Swami means the master, and master means the master of the senses. Goswami directly explains master of senses. Go means senses. So this name, Goswami, is not the Sankaracarya's order. So far as your second question, Thakura Bhaktivinode was not official Spiritual Master of Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja was already renounced order, Paramahamsa, but Thakura Bhaktivinode, while He was even playing the part of a householder, was treated by Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja as Preceptor, on account of His highly elevated spiritual understanding, and thus He was always treating Him as His Spiritual Master.

Letter to Joel Chalson -- Los Angeles 22 July, 1969:

Therefore, Krishna should always be in the front of us, and Maya will disappear automatically without any separate attention. Yogis and jnanis artificially try to get rid of Maya, but in spite of their much endeavor for spiritual realization they are still in the Kingdom of Maya. The conclusion that God is impersonal or that everyone is God is the statement of a person who is in Maya. In other words, anything which is a setback to the realization of Krishna Consciousness is Maya. Anyone who is not in Krishna Consciousness is supposed to be in Maya, and anyone who is in full Krishna Consciousness is out of the clutches of Maya. This is the statements of the Vedic literatures, and we should try to understand and follow the principles.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 24 July, 1969:

Regarding your question, "what is the difference between the spirit souls comprising the Brahmajyoti and the spirit souls here in Maya?", in the Brahmajyoti the spirit souls on account of their impersonal views are devoid of a body, exactly like here in Maya there are ghosts who are devoid of any gross bodies. The ghost being devoid of a body, he suffers terribly because he is unable to satisfy his senses. The spirit souls in the Brahmajyoti, although they have no desire for sense gratification, still they feel inconvenience like the ghost, and they fall down again in the Maya's atmosphere and develop a material body. In the Bhagavat therefore it is said that persons who are impersonalists and do not develop the dormant devotional attitude, their intelligence is not pure, because for want of a spiritual body, they come down again to the material world.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Tittenhurst 13 October, 1969:

So the more Govinda Ganamrta or the glories of Govinda will be spread the more the nonsense of impersonalism and monism will be defeated. It is said kaivalya nistaraka. This means the Goswamis deliver us from the danger of being lost in the philosophy of monism. As I wrote in my prayers to my Spiritual Master, "impersonal calamity Thou hast moved". So this impersonalism is a calamity for the spiritualist.

I understand that you have sent $1,000 to Brahmananda for the press instead of $5,000. So I have completed that $5,000 by sending him another check for $4,000. Whatever you have done is all right, but if you have taken anything from the book fund, you may replace it as soon as possible. I am so glad to learn that the book fund is doing very well. I think the book fund should be immediately deposited to my savings account, and if need be, I shall pay you again. I am very glad to learn about the contribution of Mr. Raj Anand. He appears to be devotee, so deal with him very carefully.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Executive Senior Editor of Los Angeles Times -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1970:

With reference to your article in the Los Angeles Times dated Sunday 11th January, 1970 under the heading "Krishna Chant," I beg to point out that Hindu religion is perfectly based on Personal conception of God or Visnu. Impersonal conception of God is a side issue or one of the three features of God. The Absolute Truth is ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Paramatma conception is localized aspect of His omnipresence and the impersonal conception is the aspect of His greatness and eternity. But all combined together makes the Complete Whole. Dr. J.F. Staal's statement that Krishna cult is a combination of Christian and Hindu religion—as if something manufactured by concoction—is not correct. If Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist religions are personal that is quite welcome.

Letter to Jayadvaita -- Los Angeles 30 January, 1970:

When we speak of Krishna, Krishna is not alone. Krishna means His name, His qualities, His fame, His friends, His paraphernalia, His entourage—everything included. Just like when we speak of a king, it is to be understood that he is surrounded by ministers, secretaries, military commanders and many other people. Krishna is not impersonal, so in His Vrindaban Lila especially, He is always surrounded by the Gopis, cowherd boys, His father, His mother and all the inhabitants of Vrindaban.

Regarding your second question, Byabhaichary, you have got 31 only out of 33. I think some of the brackets are not counted. So if the parentheses are removed from "intoxication" and "impotency" and they are also counted, the total of symptoms will come to 33. Simply add commas after the preceeding symptoms namely "prestige" and "impudence" respectively.

Letter to Professor J. F. Staal -- Los Angeles 30 January, 1970:

This is the easiest and recommended process in the Vedas. In the Brihad Naradiya Puranam it is clearly stated that it is only chanting of the Holy Name of Hari that can save the people from the problems of materialistic existence, and there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative in this age of Kali.

Western culture is monotheistic, but they are being misled by the impersonal Indian speculation. The young people of the West are frustrated because they are not dilligently taught about monotheism. They are not satisfied with this process of teaching and understanding. This Krishna Consciousness Movement is a boon to them because they are being really trained to understand Western Monotheism under authoritative Vedic system. We do not simply theoretically discuss, but we learn by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations.

Letter to Professor J. F. Staal -- Los Angeles 30 January, 1970:

The scope of the Krishna Consciousness Movement is Universal. The process for regaining one's original spiritual status or eternal life full with bliss and knowledge, is not abstracted dry theorizing. Spiritual life is not described in the Vedas as theoretical, dry or impersonal. The Vedas aim at the inculcation of pure love of God only, and this harmonized conclusion is practically realized by the Krishna Consciousness Movement or chanting Hare Krishna Mantra.

As the goal of Spiritual realization is only one, love of God, so the Vedas stand as a single comprehensive whole in the matter of transcendental understanding. Only the incomplete views of various parties apart from the bona fide Vedic lines of teaching, give a rupturous appearance to the Bhagavad-gita. The reconciliative factor adjusting all apparently diverse propositions of the Vedas is the essence of the Veda or Krishna Consciousness (Love of God).

Letter to Robert, Karen -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1970:

The Absolute Truth is outside the relative world. Just like when a child is born, he is relative—he is born by his father. Then you go on researching and you will find that his father is also born of his father and so on. In this way if we go on searching out the Absolute Truth, you will find Him, the Supreme Person, not imperson. Just like the child is a person, therefore the agent or the truth which begot the child is taken without any hesitation as a person. Therefore the Absolute Truth cannot be imperson—that is a fact.

Impersonalism is only a solace for the frustrated. When we are frustrated by the relative personalism of this material world, we try to find out, in material way, the opposite number. Just like a patient who is suffering in diseased condition tries to find out something opposite number. So this is a long course explanation, but actually impersonalism cannot give us the answer to our eternal search after peace.

Letter to Robert, Karen -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1970:

These things are all explained in our books, and I would request you to read these books especially the recently published Isopanisad.

There are many impersonalists within our experience who renounced this world to merge into the impersonal existence, but being baffled there they come down again to the material world to find out engagement as altruist, philanthropist, communist, etc.. So there is no stand on impersonalism, but there is steady stand in Bhakti cult because in this cult God is there, the devotee is there and the devotional service activities are there, and when they are joined together that makes us able to stand on the Absolute platform.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1970:

I have received one letter from Balmukund Parikh, the copy of which is enclosed herewith. It is understood that he is introducing something new in the name of teaching Devanagari script. The prayer of the Spiritual Master as he has quoted has no use for us, it is completely impersonal. This prayer immediately must be stopped.

Another thing is he asked me about Aurobindo's estimation. This means that he gradually wants to introduce Aurobindo philosophy. All these things do not sound very nice.

Please let me know what is the necessity of learning Devanagari script. We are transliterating all our books—Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Brahma Samhita, etc.—in Roman type, So why you should waste your time in learning Devanagari script?

Letter to Balmukundji -- Los Angeles 13 May, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated the 6th instant, and noted the contents.

In my last letter I advised you that your Devanagari Lipi class should begin by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra, but if you find the time is short, then instead of reciting the Guru mantra quoted by you which is of impersonal mature, you can chant the following verse which we do along with others.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1970:

The process of meditation recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is not to fix up one's attention on something impersonal or void. The meditation should be concentrated on the Personality of Godhead, either take Him as Virata Rupa or gigantic universal form, or take Him as His Sacidananda Vigraha as described in the scriptures. There are authorized descriptions of Visnu forms and there are authorized presentations of Deities in the temples. So one can practice meditating upon the Deity, concentrating his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord gradually rising up and up to the smiling face.

Letter to Vrndavana Candra -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:

One who knows what is Om knows that Om is the sound representation of Krsna he immediately remembers Krsna just like we chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. This conception of Om and impersonal conception is different. The impersonalist has no information of Krsna, he thinks of something like the Brahmajyoti effulgence.

Yes Krsna fulfills everyone's desires fully. He can full our desires either materially or spiritually. Material desires to be the supreme enjoyer or god are not natural desires, however. Such desire is maya. Maya means what is not. Our constitutional position is not that of the supreme enjoyer so such desire is unnatural and false. Krsna fulfills the ultimate spiritual desire of everyone also. According to one's constitutional position he enjoys a fully perfect relationship of love with Krsna.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 25 July, 1970:

Regarding your questions, the first answer is that it is correct that the body transcendental of Krsna and Krsna Himself are nondifferent. So what is the difficulty to understand that the soul of Aghasura merged into the body of Krsna? In other words Krsna benedicts the demons Whom He kills personally with the impersonal liberation of merging with Him.

There is a difference between the activities of Krsna which are exhibited to the perception of the conditioned souls in this world and His activities in Goloka Vrndavana. Because Krsna was playing as an ordinary human being, His activities here appear just like ordinary human activities, but in the Spiritual Sky there is no such requirement. There in the spiritual sky Krsna has His activities also but they cannot be understood by the conditioned living entities how they are going on without any resemblance of the mechanical workings of things in this material world.

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

Krsna Consciousness Movement is not a sectarian religion, but it is a solution for all the problems of life. In other words, Krsna is good for everyone. The idea is Krsna is substance and Maya is illusion. Illusion is accepted as void and impersonal, but Krsna is the Summum Bonum Person. Krsna is one and Maya is zero. Zero by the side of One is ten, but thousands of zeros clogged together do not make one. So there are many ideas within this world put forth by many philosophers, politicians, religionists, philanthropists, etc., but all of them are considered as illusion or zeros if there is no Krsna Consciousness. We have to push forward this philosophy throughout the whole world. We have sufficient support for acknowledging this philosophy.

Letter to Ben -- Bombay November 22, 1970:

I am very glad that you are so much appreciative of our program and philosophy. Actually it is the only factual presentation of our true relationship with God, Krsna. And it is our earnest endeavor to preach this philosophy very vigorously to clear out the diseased condition of impersonal and voidist philosophy which are so much misleading the innocent persons. So you are very fortunate. Krsna has saved you from the impersonal calamity.

I am very much pleased to know that you are trying to set a fine example to your young son, Joseph, and your good wife. It is the duty of our students who are married men to train both their wife and children in devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The easiest program is that you add to your daily schedule a Kirtana chanting of Hare Krsna Maha-mantra both in the evening and the morning with your family and after chanting you can read something from our Bhagavad Gita As It Is or Krsna Book or our other literatures. You are already offering service to Lord Jagannatha and offering Him some nicely prepared fruits, milk, sweet smelling flowers and incense.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jayadvaita -- Bombay 17 March, 1971:

Independent of Krsna consciousness, the cultivation of knowledge, work, meditation and renunciation are of no value or the proud achievements of the atheist or less intelligent class of men. In this connection, the term "knowledge" is mental speculative theorizing up to the stage of brahmajnana or impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth. Especially such knowledge as it is concerned with various views of the causal and effective material phenomena is of no importance in the matter of spiritual realization or God-consciousness which is transcendental to the realm of sensual, mental and intellectual activities. So the order of supercession of these various indirect processes for approaching the Absolute Truth is not as much important as fixed understanding of the exalted position of devotional service rendered directly to Krsna.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1971:

You can make Radha Krishna appear in this in picture for B.G. Ch. 5, vrs 4-6. Radha Krishna includes Laksmi Narayana. Then the picture will be more clear to the reader, as you have mentioned. The bhakta worships the Deity in form and the Sankhya meditates on the Deity in the heart, so the Deity is there in either case, so they are the same. But impersonal meditation is not bona fide. Personal meditation is bona fide. So one has to attain any state by Bhakti. Without bhakti, there is no chance of perfection, either to merge with Krishna or to become an associate. Bhakti must be there. But the sort of Bhakta who is trying to merge, that is not pure bhakti.

Why just 25 rounds? You should chant as many as possible. Real Ekadasi means fasting and chanting and no other business. When one observes fasting, the chanting becomes easier. So on Ekadasi other business can be suspended as far as possible unless there is some urgent business.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Sydney 9 April, 1972:

Of course, I can only suggest, and wherever possible that can be applied, but I do not force anyone. After all, you are only working so hard to please Krsna only out of love for me, so there can be no question of force if love is there. We should not ever try to force anyone or reduce our Society to an impersonal business exchange, this will kill everything. Our only purpose in every endeavor is simply to make advancement in spiritual life or in pleasing Krsna.

I have consented to accept Susan Tumminia as my duly initiated disciple, especially as you have recommended her because she never talks nonsense. That silence, or only speaking of Krsna-related subjects, is first sign of the advanced devotee, because a man or woman may be wearing something so that we might think, Oh, he is like this or she is like that, but we cannot really understand what a person is until they speak something words, then we can understand, Oh, this is nonsense, or, here is a devotee.

Letter to Bhavananda -- London 14 July, 1972:

As soon as we offer obeisances to guru, the name should be there. We are strictly personalists. The sahajiya's, they write Glories to Guru. Why you are learning this impersonalism, who has taught you? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, otherwise it is impersonal.

Formerly, I told that Calcutta should support Mayapur. So whoever can take charge of both, he should be President. You should discuss these things amongst yourselves. Simply taking title of President will not help. Why there are no letters from Tamala Krishna, why he is not taking active part in Mayapur? I originally entrusted him with responsibility for Mayapur, but he does not even write what is the situation there, nor does he co-sign for money to be sent.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Ghosh:

I am in due receipt of your letter of 10 March 1974 and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much pleased to learn you are so much advanced spiritually. I have seen your book, Pancamrta, and found it very interesting. I can understand you are following the impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth, but I am glad to see you have chanted the Holy Name of Lord Krsna. This is the only process:

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet
(SB 12.3.51)

In this age of Kali yuga everything is full of faulty things and the only remedy is to chant the Holy Name of Krsna. That is the injunction given in the Vedas. In any condition anyone can chant Hare Krsna Maha Mantra and by doing so one can be elevated to the highest platform. Param vijayate Sri Krsna sankirtanam This is a verse of Siksastakam by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am also very glad to hear you want to retire completely from materialistic life and devote yourself fully to the service of the Lord. The service of the Lord can be done directly as Krsna says, Sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vrajam (BG 18.66).

Letter to Trista Hubbarth -- Bombay 3 May, 1975:

That is because I am not trying to avoid Krsna or give some misinterpretation, but I have accepted the actual Bhagavad-gita, wherein Krsna says, Mattah parataram nanyat (BG 7.7), there is no higher than Me. Nowadays so called gurus are promising us that we ourselves can become equal to God or that God is impersonal, or that everyone is God, but nowhere is this stated in the Bhagavad-gita or any other Vedic literature, nor is it taught by any of the great spiritual masters above mentioned.

My point is that when we say "self realization" it does no means that one should realize that He is the Supreme. Real self realization means to understand that you are the eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and perfection is to develop love or bhakti, loving service in relationship with that Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Letter to Sri Pannalalji -- Bombay 16 May, 1974:

God is one and He cannot be imagined; He is fact. Of course, sometimes we feel a little difficulty preaching this cult in India but we do not feel such difficulty outside of India. Although Indian people are by culture God conscious yet on account of vigorous preaching of the Mayavadi philosophy that god is impersonal and can be imagined in anyway by the fertile brain of a person as he likes, the whole Mayavadi philosophy is based on this imagination. We don't imagine God. Krsna is not imagination. He presented Himself 5,000 years ago as He is, and we are presenting Krsna as He is. We are presenting Krsna's philosophy and teaching as it is and what can we do more? But this process of presentation has become fortunate and we have become successful. I do not wish to change the process. I hope you will appreciate this process of preaching to please the facts as they are confirmed by all Vaisnava acaryas.

Letter to Sridhara -- Vrindaban 19 August, 1974:

I am glad to hear that now in Bombay finally you have good facilities for eating and sleeping, other-wise how will you live? It is also good that Mr. Candrai has donated a water filter.

Regarding your question about eternal spiritual and temporary spiritual, the temporary spiritual is the impersonal brahma-jyotir. The impersonalists by severe austerities and penances arise to the Brahman effulgence. But it is only temporary. Eternally we cannot remain aloof. As living entities, we want pleasure in association; therefore we see in the material world where for sense gratification the karmis take so much responsibility. First of all they accept one wife. The more he enjoys the wife, the more he becomes implicated. So, this means that we must have pleasure even at the risk of gross implication. Therefore our Krishna Consciousness movement is that we want pleasure but without any implication. This is happening actually. All of our Krishna Consciousness students they are enjoying life without any implication.

Letter to Richard -- Vrindaban 20 August, 1974:

"One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who knows everything, Who is the oldest, Who is the controller, Who is smaller than the smallest, Maintainer of everything, and Who is beyond all material conception, Who is inconceivable, Who is always a person and luminous like the sun, and Being transcendental, beyond this material nature." So Krishna is not something impersonal or void. So you should read my books and try to understand the nature of Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it will be easy for you to think of Him.

I thank you for your desire to distribute the Goswami literature. Right now we are publishing Caitanya Caritamrta in 12 volumes. It is a big expense so if you would like to contribute something give money to my book trust. You can make some contribution and help in this great mission.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Vahna -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 12, 1975 and have read the Cintamani poetry book. It is indirect, impersonal and useless. Who will read these things? Krishna's name is only mentioned in two poems in the whole book. What is this? There are so many poems written by great acaryas. Why do you try to concoct something like this? It is not in our line. How is that our Kirtanananda Swami is there and he has approved printing this? It is a waste of time, paper, money, ink, and labor. There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this. You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Srutadeva -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976:

If one does not preach, it does not mean that he is fallen, condemned. It is not artificial, one gradually becomes perfect by association.

It is correct that the brahma-jyotir is comprised of spiritual souls and that ultimately nothing is impersonal. Dead matter means forgetfulness of Krsna.

If you want to stay in Krsna Consciousness you will have to develop firm faith in Guru and Sastra. Therefore, you must study my books very scrutinizingly, follow the four regulative principles very strictly and chant 16 rounds daily avoiding the ten offenses. Don't take this movement as something cheap.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Vasudeva -- Bhuvanesvara 23 January, 1977:

Remain in your position and try to understand the philosophy—that will make you perfect. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva, jivanti sanmukharitam bhavadiya-vartam, sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanuvan-manobhir, ye prayaso jita jito-py asi tais tri-lokyam. Ramananda Raya said (to Lord Caitanya), "Lord Brahma said (to Krsna), 'My dear Lord, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities. They should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words and mind, they can live in any asrama or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.' " (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Ch. 8 Text 67)

Letter to Nandarani, Unknown -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

The impersonalist, however, has a tendency to place more emphasis on Omkara and less on the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Lord Caitanya appeared specifically to teach personal love of God through the chanting of the supreme Name of Krsna. For purification we need concern ourselves with no other teachings than those of Lord Caitanya; and what He taught was that in this age of Kali there is no other way to achieve God-realization than by chanting the Holy Names Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Omkara is there, and one may chant Omkara and achieve impersonal realization. But we are Vaisnavas and we are seeking the supreme perfection. Therefore we are chanting the supreme Name—Krsna.

Page Title:Impersonal (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:25 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=49
No. of Quotes:49