So in pursuance of the order of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, following His footsteps, we are trying to introduce this saṅkīrtana movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and it is coming out very successful. Everywhere. I am especially preaching in the foreign countries. All over Europe, America, Japan, Canada, Australia, I am traveling. Malaysia. And anywhere I have introduced this saṅkīrtana movement—we have got different centers, about sixty centers—they have been received with great pleasure. Just like you saw these boys and girls. I have not imported them from India, but they have taken this movement very seriously, and they will take it, because it appeals to the soul directly. We have got different status of our life. Bodily concept of life, mental concept of life, intellectual concept of life and spiritual concept of life. So actually we are concerned with the spiritual concept of life, athāto brahma jijñāsā. If you are allured by the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than these dogs and..., cats and dogs. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). If we accept that "I am this body," then we are no better than the cats and dogs, because their concept of life is like that.
Malaysia
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
The Deity of Gopāla had been buried within the jungle for many years, and although He was installed and was offered thousands of pots of water, He still felt very hot. He therefore asked Mādhavendra Purī to bring sandalwood from the Malaya province. Sandalwood produced in Malaya is very popular. That province is situated on the western ghāṭa, and the hill Nīlagiri is sometimes known as Malaya Hill. The word malaya-ja is used to indicate the sandalwood produced in Malaya Province. Sometimes the word Malaya refers to the modern country of Malaysia. Formerly this country also produced sandalwood, but now they have found it profitable to produce rubber trees. Although the Vedic culture was once prevalent in Malaysia, now all the inhabitants are Muslims. The Vedic culture is now lost in Malaysia, Java and Indonesia.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Prabhupāda: So ekonaviṁśe. Eka ūna. Ūna means less. Eka means one. And viṁśa means twenty. So this is the way of Sanskrit literature: ekonaviṁśe, "less than one of twenty." That means nineteen. Ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime. And next, twentieth. So Balarāma first appeared, and then Kṛṣṇa appeared. Ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime vṛṣṇiṣu, in the family of Vṛṣṇi, Vṛṣṇi dynasty. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Vārṣṇeya because He appeared in the Vṛṣṇi family. Just like sandalwood. Sandalwood is known as "Malayan sandalwood." Malaya. There is a country, you know. East Asia, Malaysia. Now it called Malaysia. So formerly they were growing sandalwood in large quantity. Now they are growing rubber, no more sandalwood. They are not interested with the sandalwood. They are now interested in rubber wood. Because you have got motorcars, you require motor tires. So formerly these Malaysian sandalwood was very famous. So sandalwood can grow anywhere, but because in Malaysia sandalwood was very largely growing, therefore sandalwood was generally known as malayaja-candana. Malayaja, in Sanskrit. "The sandalwood of Malaysia."
Prabhupāda: So there are two Malayas. One Malaya hill and one, this Malaya... Malaysia, now it is known as. Formerly, in this part of the world, Malaysia, they were growing sandalwood in great, large scale. Because 5,000 years ago, there was good demand for sandalwood. Every person should use the sandal pulp. Because in India, it is tropical country. So this is a good cosmetic. Still, those who can afford during very warm day of summer season, if you apply pulp of sandalwood on your body, you feel no warm. It is cool. Yes.
Kṛṣṇa appeared in the dynasty of Mahārāja Yadu just to glorify. He was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and He is born in the family of Mahārāja Yadu. The whole family is celebrated still: Yādava. Kṛṣṇa's name is Yādava, because He took His birth in the Yadu family. So how is it that, that Kṛṣṇa took...? Now to glorify the family. Exactly, the example is given: Just like malayasyeva candanam (SB 1.8.32). Candana. This is a tree. A tree can grow anywhere, but the sandalwood tree, because it is very prominent in the Malaysia country, formerly they were growing this candana tree, as I told you, because there was good demand, in India especially, of sandalwood. So they, nowadays they are growing rubber tree because there is good demand for rubber.
So... So even after business... Kuntī is giving this very nice example. This candana tree, it is a particular type of tree. It can grow anywhere. Not necessarily that it has to grow in Malaysia, or Malaya Hill. There is no such rules and regulations. It can grow anywhere. But because this sandalwood is grown in large quantity in such part of the world, the sandalwood is known as malaya-candana. Malaya-candana.
Just like in, in your western countries, the scented water: eau de cologne. Eau de cologne. Cologne is a country in France...? And there it is manufactured, therefore it is called eau de cologne. Similarly eau de cologne can be manufactured anywhere, but originally because it was manufactured in that Cologne city, it is known as eau de cologne. Similarly sandalwood also can grow anywhere but because originally it was very prominent in the Malayas...
Now 5,000 years ago, Kuntī is offering this prayer. That means before 5,000 years, the sandalwood was growing in the Malaysia. So this Malaysia is not a new name. It was known thousands and thousands of years ago. And... All these places, they were Vedic culture. So similarly she's giving the example that Kṛṣṇa has no obligation that He has to take His birth in a particular family or particular country. He has no such obligation. But to glorify a certain family or certain person because he is devotee, therefore He has taken birth.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa has no birth. Kṛṣṇa doesn't require. He can appear in any family. He... Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared, matsya-avatāra, in the family of fish. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Kṛṣṇa took birth as a pig. Keśava dhṛta-varāha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Kṛṣṇa is free. He can appear anywhere, everywhere. That is... Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He's situated in everyone's heart. So He is with everyone's... Every living being has got Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is already there in the heart. From the heart, if He appears in front... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He was meditating that Viṣṇu form of Kṛṣṇa, and all of a sudden he saw that Viṣṇu is not there. Then he opened his eyes. He saw Viṣṇu is in his front. So what is the difficulty for Kṛṣṇa? If He is within the heart and if He comes in your front, is it very difficult task for Him?
But the rascals, atheists, they cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa everywhere. That is explained here, yadoḥ priyasya anvavāye. He can appear... How it is? Malayasyeva candanam. The sandalwood is famous as produced in Malaysia, or Malaya. I think formerly they used to grow sandalwood in Malaysia. What...? What is that capital?
Devotee: Kuala Lumpur.
Prabhupāda: Kuala Lumpur. Yes. We had been in Kuala Lumpur. Now, instead of sandalwood, they are growing rubber, rubberwood. Yes. So formerly malaya-candana, Malaysia, Malayasian candana, sandalwood was very famous. Still it is famous. So this candana tree can grow anywhere, but it is famous as Malayan candana. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa can appear from anywhere. He is independent. But He appeared as this descendant of the Yadu dynasty. Why? Yadoḥ priyasya, puṇya-ślokasya kīrtaye (SB 1.8.32). Those who are devotee, they are puṇya-śloka. Or Kṛṣṇa is also puṇya-śloka, uttama-śloka, Kṛṣṇa's another name... As Kṛṣṇa is known as Uttama-śloka, similarly, the devotees are called puṇya-śloka. How they become puṇya-śloka? Simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śloka-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Anyone who is always in contact with Kṛṣṇa, he's puṇya-śloka, and Kṛṣṇa is Uttama-śloka.
Prabhupāda: So Lord Kṛṣṇa is addressed here as kṛṣṇa-sakha. Although Arjuna is Kuntī's son, subordinate, but she knows that Kṛṣṇa is more intimately related with Arjuna than herself. She knows that. Another kṛṣṇa-sakha means Kṛṣṇā. Kṛṣṇā is the name of Draupadī. So Kṛṣṇa saved Draupadī from insult. She was attempted to be naked by Duryodhana and Karṇa, but Kṛṣṇa saved her. So in that sense also Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-sakha. Vṛṣṇy-ṛṣabha. Ṛṣabha, the chief. The best man is called ṛṣabha. So in the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, Kṛṣṇa is the chief. Because Kṛṣṇa appeared in the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, therefore the dynasty became famous. That is already discussed previously. Malaya-candana. Just like sandalwood. Because sandal is produced in the Malaya, Malaysia now, the name, therefore it is called malaya-candana. Or sometimes it is produced in the Malaya Hills. There is hill, another.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Guru dāsa: Dr. Chandra has found many Viṣṇu-mūrtis in Buddhist temples.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Yamunā: Especially in Malaysia.
Prabhupāda: Malaysia.
Yamunā: Especially in Malaysia, so many.
Prabhupāda: Malaysia, I speak of Malaysia, Penang is in Malaysia. Dr. Chandra (indistinct).
Guru dāsa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So they worship Viṣṇu. And Buddha...Buddha-dharma is an offshoot of the Vedic religion. That is the proof, they worship Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā.
Guru dāsa: But to this man, he says that's the proof that Vaiṣṇava is an offshoot of Buddhism, that Viṣṇu is in the Buddhist temple. He can say that.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Guru dāsa: This Caitanya who has written this book can say that since Viṣṇu is in the Buddhist temple that this proves that Viṣṇu is an offshoot of Buddhism.
Prabhupāda: Yes, he can say like that. But the offshoot he cannot say. Viṣṇu is long, long ago mentioned, Buddha is later. Buddha can be from Viṣṇu, but Viṣṇu cannot be from Buddha.
Upendra: These two boys, they are coming all the time and chanting, these two boys.
Prabhupāda: Yes, I have seen these boys. You are from China?
Malaysian Boy: No, Malaysia.
Prabhupāda: Malaysian. Oh. Malaysians, they are originally from China.
Malaysian Boy: Yes. There's one Lalitā-Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Lalitā-Kṛṣṇa. Yes.
Upendra: He went to Malaysia. He is going to university here, and he went back home, looking all over for the devotees, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, couldn't find them. He was looking all over for them. Then he came back here for study.
Prabhupāda: They do not issue the visa. The difficulty is. What can be done? Now you... Lalitā-Kṛṣṇa, his name is Lalitā-Kṛṣṇa? He is now initiated. He is pukka devotee. He is chanting, dancing, like anything, in ecstasy. He is a very good boy. Where he is now?
Śyāmasundara: Juhu.
Prabhupāda: Bombay. Oh, he is very intelligent. So if some of you become devotees, then you can start this movement there in Malaysia. It is a very nice movement. It is the movement for the present day, for human peace and love. So if... Every one of you should study the philosophy, try to understand it and spread it. That is good for you and good for others. (end)
Correspondence
1971 Correspondence
Your reports of Sankirtana activities are all very much encouraging. It seems that there is great potential there for spreading our Krishna Consciousness Movement in Malaysia. So work with determination and sincerity and Krishna will give you all facility.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letters dated 1st March, 1971 requesting that I visit San Diego temple upon my return to U.S.A. Thank you for your invitation. When I go to L.A. next time, I will be sure to visit San Diego temple as well. But when that will be I can't say. My program is not yet fixed. Presently arrangements are being made for me to go to Australia, Malaysia and Russia also. So my return to U.S.A. may be somewhat delayed.
Last time I heard from you, you wanted to go to Jerusalem to start one center there and I agreed. Almost everything was settled up. What happened next? I thought that you had already gone. Presently I am making plans for going to Australia, Malaysia, and Russia also and I was planning to go to Jerusalem as well on my way to Russia. So let me know immediately in this connection what your plans are.
Still I would like to go to London, but when that will be is very uncertain. Presently plans are being made for me to go to Australia, Malaysia, Russia as well, and perhaps Jerusalem. So it may be some time before I can come. In the meantime go on improving London center more and more. London is the most important city in the world and I want that our center there be a grand success. What news about Regents Park?
My program here is not yet fixed up so it is uncertain when I shall be returning to U.S.A. Presently arrangements are being made for me to go to Australia, Malaysia and Moscow, Russia as well. I have received one invitation to speak at the university there. So we shall see what Krishna desires.
Presently I am in Bombay where preaching work is going on very successfully. Soon I shall be going to Russia also. We have got an invitation from one professor at the University of Moscow to speak there, so it is a good opportunity for spreading Krishna Consciousness. From there I may be going to Malaysia and Australia also, so my return to U.S.A. will be somewhat delayed.
Regarding Festival in Calcutta, I shall attend. Even though I go to Moscow by the 1st May 1971 for a fortnight only, still I shall be able to come back by the 14th of May 1971 and attend your festival in due course. In that case it will be good advertisement for me that I am turning back to Calcutta after preaching in Moscow. How do you like this idea? Then after finishing Calcutta business I shall go to Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) as we have got a land donated for constructing a temple there.
So far as recording record albums is concerned, I can go there by the end of May, at the present I am going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 30th April and then I shall be going to Calcutta via Sydney, Australia by the 14th May. They are having one Hare Krishna Festival similar to the one just held in Bombay up until the 24th May. So at that time if Mr. Duffy is still offering, then he should send me tickets for three men and I shall go there. In the mean time I shall try and send some tapes.
When the date is fixed up, you can write both Hamsaduta and Madhudvisa so that some men can come and join you there in Vrindaban. Perhaps you know that Hamsaduta is now in Ahmedabad. His address is as follows: c/o Chimanlal M. Soni; Manekchawk Sankdhishere; Kehjdapol Vithal Niwas; Ahmedabad-1, Gujarat. Probably I will not be able to join you since I am going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then on to Sydney Australia, and will be starting Monday morning.
I am still in Bombay and am supposed to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next Monday. I was supposed to go today but did not because my new passport was misdelivered by the post office. So I am trying to reserve my seat and probably will be going on Monday.
Regarding Satyaloka, one is in the material world and one is in the spiritual world. The spiritual Satyaloka is eternal; the material Satyaloka is not, although it is so-called. Satyaloka is another name for Vaikuntha.
Hoping this will meet you in good health and jolly in Krishna's service.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
P.S. Today going to Malaysia & then to Sydney.
I'm very glad to inform you that we have reached Malaysia very shortly, that on my arrival there was nice meeting, and then we have come outside the city. Yesterday I was very busy all day.
I'm expecting some letter from Russia. So, if such letter comes, you can keep the original letter, but send me a copy. From here the program is I shall go to Sydney and then to Calcutta. So, I asked Tamala to let me know when they want me there.
You'll be glad to know that I have come to Malaysia. On Monday night there was a good meeting upon my arrival, and then yesterday I was all day busy in attending three or four meetings. All of them were very big meetings, and this place appears to be very prospective for our preaching work. People are inclined to give us land and a house. Two or three such offers are already in view. So, I'll try to open a branch immediately, either in Kuala Lumpur or Ipoh or Teluk Anson. In Teluk Anson one retired principal of college has offered a house which can be used as temple, already started very big. It is understood that the property is about fifty to sixty thousand dollars. So, things are going on nicely, and I shall be glad to hear from you about how things are going on there.
I have been so long in answering because just recently I went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Sydney Australia also, and have just recently returned to Calcutta. Here we held one "Hare Krishna Festival" as we held in Bombay, and it was even more successful.
1972 Correspondence
I am sending three devotees to open a temple in New Zealand, and I have instructed them to go by way of Malaysia and Indonesia and that they should preach along the way. So if you have fixed up your program you can inform Tusta Krishna Prabhu here in Bombay and it may be that you can meet each other and preach together, in Indonesia or Malaysia while they are on their way to New Zealand. I expect to be going to Hong Kong by the first week of March, and from there to Australia and perhaps New Zealand. Then I will go to Tokyo, Hawaii and return to the U.S.
Now I have just got a complaint, both in writing and in person, from a man studying here in Madras who is supposed to be engaged to marry a young girl by name of A. Satyabama, who lives at #8A Krishnan Temple, Taiping, Malaysia. He complains that you and others of our devotees in Malaysia have somehow or other caused some disturbance in the girl's family, especially Hanuman, and has requested me to ask you to not interfere in the matter anymore. Now I do not do not know what are the details, but you may inform me. We must be very careful to avoid anything scandalous in our dealings, and always keep to the highest standards of respect and courtesy. So kindly deal with such matters in future with great caution and tactfully so that our Movement may not get a bad reputation, especially among people who are very sensitive to such things. I know in your country the mixing between boys and girls is very ordinary thing, but in our Asian countries one must be very very careful about such matters, so kindly inform Hanuman and the others in this way.
I had written you one letter to Bombay requesting that you shall be the GBC man for the South Pacific, South West Asia, and Australia-New Zealand zone. It was the idea of Karandhara, and Syamasundara and the others to redivide the world into twelve zones and reappoint new GBC members to fill those positions. So we have been meeting for the past several days, and we have decided that you will be the best man to manage Australia, New Zealand, and all of the South West Asia zone, including Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia, etc. Now I want that my GBC representatives shall travel extensively throughout their zone, without stopping in any one place for very long. Their job will be to see how things are going on, that the spiritual standard is maintained very high, to give encouragement to the devotees, like that. So you organize one traveling party and yourself lead them and go all over that zone, opening new centers wherever possible. Trivikrama has written me one letter and he is requesting to change from Japan. So if you like he can come to Manila or Sydney or wherever you prefer. He is awaiting your instructions in Tokyo.
Now our society is well known both in India and around the world and in India we have got our headquarters in Bombay, Vrndavana, Calcutta, Mayapur and very soon we shall have our center in Delhi also. Besides that we are exporting our Hindi books especially to Africa, Malaysia, Hong Kong and other places where there are Hindu communities in the world. So if you get opportunity to see any of our places either in India or we have got over 100 centers in other parts of the world, I cordially invite you to stay with us and see how the things are going on.
So far the flats, yes, Rs. 80/- per sq. ft. should be the price. Rs. 100/- is the standard rate for that neighborhood, so our price is not too high. So far Lalita Krishna is concerned, I have received one letter from Purusottama das Brahmacari requesting to travel to Malaysia with Lalita Krishna for opening some centers there. So best thing is to open centers in Malaysia and Singapore, recruit many Chinese-speaking devotees, translate our books into Malaysian and Singapore language, then with a party go to China later on. Regarding the boys you have recommended, their letter of initiation is enclosed and beads are sent under separate post.
1973 Correspondence
I am glad to hear that some progress is being made for getting that house in Malaysia. Please keep me posted as things progress in this regard.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 23, 1973 and have noted the contents.
So you may drop the matter of the house in Malaysia.
1974 Correspondence
I think we will accept your invitation to join us when we break our journey to Melbourne by stopping somewhere in Malaysia, probably Jakarta, where you say we have good friends who would like to accommodate us with a place to stay. We shall inform you positively of the date of arrival there when we receive our tickets from you in Paris and confirm the flight. So I think we shall arrive in Melbourne no later than the 26th of June.
1975 Correspondence
Regarding Hong Kong, Bhurijana is in Melbourne and he is again ready to help there if he is needed. Yes, try to start a center in Malaysia. That Malaysian boy can help in this connection.
Regarding your going to Malaysia, at the present moment we are not going to open a temple there. We first want to see that the Vrindaban temple is going on very solidly. So go on with working there in Vrindaban for the time being, and when I return to Vrindaban in October I shall speak to you personally.
Regarding the Malaysian trip being called off, everything must be done very cautiously because our Indian people they are very poor and are prone to steal. We collect money with so much hard labor. But, one thing is that the money is not important. If the man goes away taking our money that is our discredit. The man is more important than the money. We admit everyone to our society, including the cheater, the drug addicted, all qualified. We should take the responsibility to train them. Why has he left? It is our responsibility to train and rectify them.
Regarding Malaysia, postpone it. Hamsaduta sent to Hyderabad L1,000. Where is that money? Please check it. Yes, it is nice that you go to Ahmedabad for collecting only. It is also good that you are selling books in the Santa Cruz Airport.
Regarding your coming to India and travelling with me, oh yes, you are welcome. It is very good that you have been observing Catur-masya. I have already sent through Brahmananda Swami a telegram approving your travel program. That's very nice that you will travel to the Southeast Asian countries, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and also China. That is very nice.
1977 Correspondence
So I wanted that he should preach to the Africans and convert them to become devotees, that should be his real business, nevermind wasting time with so many nonsense Indians. And as soon as he did as I instructed, immediately he has got some black devotees, and he has removed himself from the entanglement of the Hindus, and he is making good progress spreading Krsna Consciousness amongst the native citizens. And there black devotees are making advancement and they are also going out to preach themselves to other places in Africa. So that should be the program in Hong Kong. I read(?) to the Chinese residents, do not bother with the Hindu businessmen except to collect for the preaching work. Actually, the Indians will be glad to donate if they see you are converting Chinese to their religion. They will provide immense funds for this purpose, because they have got interest for improving Indian and Chinese relations for their business. So preach widely and enthusiasically to Chinese population, especially to the young people, and they may not respond quickly, but they are very sober-minded, when they decide to join us that will be fixed decision. So in this way go on and make some Chinese devotees, then they will manage things and spread further to other places in China. After all, a large portion of the earth's population is Chinese origin, so why should we neglect them? If you can turn only one or two men to be devotees, they can do the rest themselves. There is one boy here in India, I think he is going to Malaysia very soon, Lalita Krsna, and he is Chinese boy. Why not invite him there to help you open nice center in the Chinese neighborhood so the preaching will go on? Otherwise you yourself consulting Madhudvisa Swami, try to make some solution to the problem. If we cannot persuade at least one local man to come forward, then we have missed the point. But if you try for that, praying to Krsna for helping you remain strong, He does not like to see His devotees upset or frustrated, so if you are determined and sincere Krsna will do everything, you needn't worry for anything. At least one will come out to take up Krsna's mission, that is sure.
| Page Title: | Malaysia |
| Compiler: | Jahnu |
| Created: | 25 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=6, Con=2, Let=28 |
| No. of Quotes: | 37 |