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Massage (Letters)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Nandarani -- New York 9 June, 1967:

I am very glad to receive your recent letter. I am also glad to inform you that I am improving my health by the Grace of Krishna. I don't believe in medicine or doctors, but I am practically perceiving that the massaging is helping me beyond expectation. Today I have taken a shower bath by myself, and I am reciting from Srimad Bhagavatam, and am enjoying the seashore here in N. J. I believe that within a fortnight I shall recoup my health sufficiently and be able to start for San Francisco and meet you all there.

Letter to 'Children' at New York -- Vrindaban 26 July, 1967:

Dear "children" at New York,

Please accept my blessings. We had a very nice plane ride here to New Delhi, although it took somewhat longer than we had anticipated. We arrived in London on schedule Sunday morning, and Kirtanananda gave me a massage, and then I took shower bath and rested until afternoon. We boarded the plane for Moscow and no more than we got in our seats, when it was announced that due "to health regulation" there would be a short delay—the delay, however, turned out to be some 16 hours. It seem that someone on the plane when it came into London had smallpox, so the plane was quarantined until it could be thoroughly fumigated. So they put us up for the night in the "Excelsior" Hotel, which was something like a dream palace, complete with air conditioning, TV, Hi-Fi, swimming pool and everything else. We had a nice meal and slept very nicely.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 30 December, 1967:

So far my health is concerned, Gaurasundara is keeping me quite fit by massaging and Govinda dasi is supplying me upma. Perhaps you have never tasted what is upma. But if Jadurani can prepare it I shall send the formula.

Letter to Madhusudana -- San Francisco 30 December, 1967:

Whatever allocation of duty there may be, if we try to execute such specific duty sincerely, that alone can make us much more advanced in Krishna Consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is stated that for the fixed up devotee there is one duty. This duty is understood through the transparent medium via media of the Spiritual Master. It is better service to Krishna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of separation; sometimes there is risk in the matter of direct service. For example, Kirtanananda was giving me direct service by massaging, cooking for me, and so many other things; but later on by dictation of Maya, he became puffed up, so much so that he thought his Spiritual Master a common man, and was existing only on account of his service. This mentality at once pushed him down. Of course, those who are sincere devotee, they take direct service as an opportunity, but the illusory energy is so strong that it acts on this doctrine of familiarity breeds contempt. Kirtanananda was thinking I was existing on his service, instead of realizing I was giving him opportunity to do me some service.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

So far I am personally concerned, Kirtanananda was doubtful about my existence because he thought that I am dependent on his massaging, so the thought that there is no necessity of Spiritual Master, because Spiritual Master is an ordinary man, and to depend on an ordinary man is a tyranny. Therefore one should always think of Spiritual Master not an ordinary man. You are intelligent and advanced in Krishna Consciousness, and you can understand what is the attack of Spiritual Master by Maya. Maya's duty is to keep the conditioned souls under her clutches, so if there is any hindrance by anyone in the discharge of her duties, she must attack the opposite party. But Krishna saves his sincere servant in Krishna Consciousness. The Pandavas were declared devotees of Krishna ___ and so many troubles in their life; but ultimately they were victorious by the Mercy of Krishna. This is the process of understanding Krishna and his devotees.

Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968:

You have to forget always material concepts of existence for Krishna. Krishna is totally different from anything of material concept. In the material idea, we think that how a male can be a female, or how a female can become a male. This is material. But you know the picture that Krishna as Garbhodaksayi Visnu is lying on the sea, and a lotus stem is growing out of His abdomen navel, and Brahma is born there. Visnu's wife, Laksmi, was present there. She was just massaging the Lord's leg, and the Lord avoided her and produced a child. Here in the material world, without the assistance of the wife, nobody can produce a child. But there is the tangible example, that Visnu, without any sex life with wife He produced a child. In the material sense, we cannot conceive how a child can take birth without being born through the abdomen of one woman. Therefore, Krishna being both father and mother, He can be addressed also as mother. That is His all-powerful strength. He is full in Himself. He does not require anyone's help, therefore, He is both father and mother. I think this will clear your idea.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:

I have sent some drawings to Yamuna devi for the certificates, and I hope she is taking proper care. I understand Malati is having some rheumatic condition, and it is causing pain and numbness. The best thing is to take hot baths, and massage with camphor oil, and if it is too much painful, use Sloan's liniment. Best thing is to consult with some expert physician. The Ayurvedic medicine which I could recommend is probably not available in London, but if there is any Ayurvedic shop let me know and I shall recommend some medicine. The best thing is to chant Hare Krishna loudly.

Letter to Kris -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your nice letter and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, you were very kind to massage when I was there in Santa Fe, and I thank you very much for this.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

The story is like this: Caitanya Mahaprabhu after taking His lunch would rest for a while and Govinda was daily massaging His feet. So one day Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell asleep very soon and keeping His head on the threshold. So while He was sleeping, Govinda came crossing the body of Caitanya and massaged His Feet. But he was sitting there, so when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was awake He saw that Govinda was sitting there although it was too late. So He inquired, "Govinda, you have not taken your Prasadam, you are sitting here?" So he replied, "Yes, I shall go now to take Prasadam." Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "Why so late?" He replied, "I could not go on the other side because You were lying on the threshold." Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "How did you come in?" He flatly replied, "By crossing You." Then He inquired, "Why did you not go out by crossing Me?" Govinda said, "That I cannot do. I came crossing You inside the room for Your service, but I cannot go out crossing You for taking my lunch. That would be for my sense gratification."

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1969:

Regarding your headaches, your bowels are not clear. This is the cause of the problem. So you should take more milk and fruits, and eat less wheats and rice. If sandalwood oil is available, you try to massage on your shaved head. Let me know how this trouble is improving. A brahmacari should not have any complaint of bodily disease.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1969:

So far as your fraternal quarrel is concerned, I may recite in this connection one story: An old father required massaging so all the children wanted to serve the father. The father divided the right and left portion of his body to be served by the children. Later along with the service, there was some quarrel between the children, and they were competing by hitting the parts of the father which was assigned to the opposing party. So the father said that you are hitting my different parts due to your opposition to one another, but I am therefore dying. Similarly, either this department or that department, if you quarrel amongst yourselves it will be detrimental to my missionary ambition. Please therefore stop this unnecessary strain. If there is any misunderstanding, it will be solved when I am present there in April. In the meantime, please live peacefully, and things may go on as it is going on.

Letter to Madhusudana -- London 23 November, 1969:

Krishna has genitals certainly. It is said that He has eternal, blissful Body, full of knowledge. So when He has got a body, He must have all the parts of a body. But we should not consider that His parts of the body are the same as ours. In the Brahma Samhita it is said that His parts of the body, or limbs, each of them has got potency of the others. For example, with our eyes we can see only, but we cannot eat. But Krishna's eyes can not only see, but also eat and beget children also. In the Vedas it is said that He put His glance over Maya and impregnated her with all the living entities. Therefore, although He has got genitals, necessarily He does not require to use it for the same purpose as we do. There is another instance that Garbhodakasayi Visnu begot Lord Brahma from His abdomen, navel, and the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi, was nearby. She was just massaging the Lord's Lotus Feet, but He did not require the help of the Goddess of Fortune to beget Lord Brahma. That is His omnipotence. He is self sufficient. He has got all the limbs for all the purposes, but He can use all of them for any purpose. This is inconceivable by us. We should not therefore compare our bodily function with Krishna's.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Sivananda -- Delhi 12 December, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 1, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. You have from the very beginning been a very determined and nice servant of Krishna, and just now as I am taking my daily massage, I remember that you also used to massage me. You are a very good boy, thank you very much for helping me.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 26 May, 1976:

I received the plan of my house in Mayapur from Bombay address. I do not approve of this plan just yet. I liked one plan which I saw in London. Where is that original plan? Then I can make comparison. There was supposed to be a lift from the ground floor to the first floor. Also, why the guest rooms are upstairs, above me. Guest rooms are alright, but they cannot be occupied while I am there. There is also the question of the kitchen. And moreover, if there is no sunshine it will not be very nice. Will sunshine be able to enter my room? . . (there are over-hanging verandas) . . and is there a place on the roof open to the sun for taking massage? In any case, I want to see the plans which I saw in London for comparison. Also, I do not want to go ahead with the construction of my house is Mayapur until I see the master plan of the Mayapur City. It may be that there in a more secluded, less congested, place to situate my house.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Srila Prabhupada -- Unknown Place 13 March, 1977:

Now I am feeling very mixed emotions as I take leave of your lotus feet and venture off to try and enter the fire of preaching. I want very much to try to please you in all respects and I will do my best to spread whatever I have learned from you without envy or interpretation, and I beg of you your blessings in this regard. I also feel very much attached to your personal service, massaging your feet and doing whatever menial service I can, and if at any time in the future Your Divine Grace sees fit to have me back, I will immediately come. I know that my only business is to try and please you and that is all that makes me happy. 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.

Page Title:Massage (Letters)
Compiler:Rishab, Rajnish
Created:18 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=15
No. of Quotes:15