The harijana is a word which shall not be used neglectfully as it is done now but attempt should be made to make everybody a harijana. Harijana means the recognized man of Hari the Personality of Godhead and thus he (the harijana) is as important a man as the knight of the king. So harijana movement should be strengthened more scientifically to turn every person who is now mayajana into a harijana. The mayajana is a word which is applicable to a person who is ordinarily engaged in the service of materialistic pursuits, whereas the harijana is the person whose main business is to attain perfection of human life, as Mahatma Gandhi did, by spiritualistic realization. This movement should therefore be conducted under strict disciplinary methods as prescribed by the mahajana or the harijana of accredited merit. In such a movement we shall have full co-operation of the sadhu community in India.
Materialistic (Letters)
Expressions researched:
"Materialistic"
|"materialistically"
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
When such spiritual progress is definitely made, the materialistic progress is automatically effected as a matter of course. That makes a real classless society.
The above four-fold Gandhi movements, if done in an organized, scientific way supported by all the authentic scriptures of all religiosities, will bring in that tranquillity of peace respite of all harshness and bitterness of the present world, which we have longed for till now.
I wish to organize a spiritual society for the above movements and therefore I seek your active help and support for this.
Smoke emanates from the fire under certain condition but it is a disturbing condition of the fire. We need the fire and not the smoke.
The present smoky materialistic or sensuous civilization has to be kindled into the fire of reality or spiritualism. It is neither difficult nor impossible and is much more simpler than any other method. It is just a simple process of fanning the fire in order to get rid of the disturbing smoke. Such fanning process is eternally the same and the one and the empiric speculators have nothing to invent now in it.
As a matter of fact, therefore, no new temples or places of spiritual enlightenment are constructed now in the newly constructed colonies of different cities. There are some of the signs of materialistic trend.
If I remember rightly, you have been criticizing in the meeting of the 16th instant about the culture of Hollywood cinemas. The Mayavadi philosophy having killed the spiritual variegatedness of the Supreme Being—the people are generally attracted in the variegatedness of material existence. In the vedanta sutras, we have direct information of how a spiritual entity is joyful—full of spiritual bliss.
After my education I was appointed (1921) as the Asst. Manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd of Calcutta and then engaged myself in my personal business in the chemical line. I was a research student in chemical and medicinal composition and for the first time in India, I introduced Gadine preparation in the medical profession. I met my spiritual master Late Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in 1922 and he desired me to preach in the foreign countries the spiritual movement started by Lord Caitanya for enlightenment of all materialistic men all over the world. He gradually turned my mind from matter to spirit and I was accepted as his disciple in 1933 after full association of ten years. He left this world in 1936 and insisted to explain the mission in English. I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954. Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work.
1966 Correspondence
There is great difference between these people and our Indian people. In India people are automatically taught spiritual life by tradition and these people are automatically taught to be materialistic. They are sincere undoubtedly but because they have no information of the Bhagavatam life, they appear to be different. It is the duty of every Indian to preach the cult of Bhagavatam in every part of the world and your cooperation in this attempt will be highly appreciated by Lord Dvarakadhisa. Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita has said that one who helps in the matter of preaching the principles of Bhagavad-gita is the most favorite of the Lord. So this knowledge should be distributed systematically and we Indians specially the Hindus and more specially the Vaisnavites must abide the instruction of Lord Krishna to distribute the knowledge all over the world.
1968 Correspondence
No, there is no color picture of Lord Caitanya's birthplace and temple at Mayapur. You can color with your choice. Yes, try at your convenience to paint pictures from the Bhagavat statement, in terms of the purport and explanation.
So long we have got materialistic view the serpent is fierce. When Prahlada Maharaja saw Lord Nrsimhadeva, he was not at all afraid of the fierceful feature of the Lord. The big jaws and nails of the Lord Nrsimhadeva and fiery tongue of the Lord, and gigantic Lion's Head did not create any fierceful havoc before Prahlada Maharaja. He said, "My Dear Lord, I am not afraid of this your fierceful feature, but I am afraid of the repeated cycle of birth and death in the material existence." That instruction is very valuable. In our material existence, we are always in dangerous and fierceful condition, but by the spell of Maya, we do not take it very seriously.
Our institution is mainly for the devotees and as it is the custom in India, devotees are maintained by the general public, who are engaged in materialistic activities for sense gratification. But in this country it is not possible that the Brahmacaris or Sannyasis shall beg from door to door, as it is the custom in India. But at the same time we require some money for conducting our business of our society. Therefore the idea was that we may sell some pictures but so far I understand that even if we follow the principles of modern artists, still our pictures like Narada Muni, Panca-tattva, etc., will not have immediate prospective market. If there is actually any prospect for selling our pictures put up in this modern artistic way, then I have no objection for putting pictures in this way for selling them.
Generally these dramas are sentimentalism. Those who are devotees of Lord Caitanya, they do not discuss much about the Lord's renouncing the householder life, but there are certain persons who floodlight the renouncement of Lord Caitanya in a materialistic sentimental way. I have seen such drama, written by Mr. Diliproy, and that was nearly nonsense. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu decided to accept this renounced order of life in a moment, and the business was finished in a day. But these people, in order to create a scene, they adulterate the Lord's renouncement in so many ways. so I guess in the drama of Mr. Chatterji similar such things may be included. Any drama or book written by unauthorized persons should not be indulged in. (In this connection I may mention that I have seen one copy of "Narada Pancaratra" sent here from San Francisco, and it is not good. Please stop circulation of this book, which is not authorized.)
Sukaracharya was afraid of his own position. He was living at the cost of Bali Maharaja, so if Vamanadeva would take away everything from Bali Maharaja, he was thinking how he would live. That is a materialistic temperament. The materialist does not want to serve or to give to Visnu, because he thinks that by giving away to Visnu he will be put into poverty-stricken condition. This is materialistic estimation. But actually that is not the fact, as it will be evidenced by the dealing of Bali Maharaja and Vamanadeva.
I can only wish that Krishna may give you more and more strength in understanding His transcendental nature. The only process for perceiving Krishna and His name, qualities, form is our sincere service attitude with our senses. Beginning from the tongue, all our senses are practically led by the tongue sense, whose business is to vibrate and to taste. If we can change the materialistic nature of the tongue, by changing of taste and vibration, then automatically the other senses become purified. And we can render service to Krishna with purified senses. As such we should try to chant and eat Krishna prasadam as much as possible.
Fortunately, in our movement the youngsters are attracted. And in your country, I have studied it thoroughly, that the younger generation is looking after some sort of new engagement, and they are not very much interested in the materialistic way as America is professing. This is very natural. When one person, or one community, makes such improvement in material advancement the next stage is the spiritual inquiry. So I have felt the pulse of your country, not of your country, but throughout the whole western world, and younger generation, they are in need of this Krishna Consciousness movement. And I am therefore sending a branch to Europe, beginning from London, and so you are very intelligent boy, and Satsvarupa is also very intelligent boy, and if you organize the students to attract them to this movement, it will be great service to your country, and to the cause of Lord Krishna.
Regarding Radha Damodara temple, because it is one of the most important temples in Vrindaban, I took shelter in this temple, just to improve the dilapidated condition. The present proprietor or the men in charge of this temple, they are most materialistic men, and simply utilizing the temple and its property for their sense gratification. If Radha Damodara likes, in future, I may be able to do something for this temple, but until I have got the opportunity probably I am not going again into that temple. I have now New Vrindaban scheme and I shall try to develop all the important temples of Vrindaban including Radha Damodara temple in our New Vrindaban site.
This is unfortunate. All living entities beginning from Brahma down to an ant, everyone is trying to increase such materialistic way of happy life without knowing that any amount of material comforts of life cannot make the spiritual living entities happy. Therefore, when a living entity becomes very serious to become really happy and gets into touch with Krishna Consciousness by the Grace of Krishna and the Spiritual Master, that is the beginning of his fortunate life. And the more one becomes advanced in that fortunate way of life, the more he becomes happier and happier. This is the difference between fortunate and unfortunate. The beginning of contact with Krishna Consciousness is the beginning of good fortune.
1969 Correspondence
Therefore, simply to know that this body is made of chemicals is not sufficient knowledge. When one can reproduce a similar body with the known chemicals, then he is to be considered as the expert scientist. The spirit soul is impossible to find out by materialistic scientific means, but if one will hear from the right authority, he may understand. The gentleman is disappointed that probably no one will ever know about spirit, but this is not true. We know what is spirit, how does it work, how does it transmigrate from one body to another or from one planet to another. We know these very scientifically, and we are firmly convinced about it. We can refute any dogmatic arguments against this conviction, and how do we do that? Simply because we start our understanding from the data of authoritative sources like Krishna or His representative. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna speaks about spirit soul from the very beginning.
So even if you do not get any assistance from friends, get it translated by Uttama Sloka, and publish. You can at least publish a 5-10 page edition of German Back To Godhead. That is my request.
In the Western World, people are simply interested more in politics because the problems here is materialistic. In the material way of life, people are embarrassed with the thoughts of how I shall sleep, how I shall eat, how I shall mate, and how I shall defend. That is the way of material life. In the spiritualistic life one knows that God has provided food for everyone, so we shall live on whatever things are contributed by the Grace of God. God has provided immense land on this globe, so so we have enough place to lie down. Mating is possible even in the bird's and beast's life, so that is not a problem, and defending is always incomplete.
This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita so one has to use his own discretion in this matter and Krishna will help such discriminatory method. It is not that in every state you have to concern me but you have to concern Krishna Who is situated within. On the whole, sex life, like that of ordinary materialistic men, is not recommended for a Krishna Conscious person. My Guru Maharaja although he was Brahmacari, sometimes he used to say that if I could beget Krishna Conscious children I am prepared to indulge in sex life a hundred times. The summary is sex life should be utilized only for begetting Krishna Conscious children—that's all.
Regarding Mataji, I have noted your remarks, and actually we do not want to create a group of prakrta sahajiya, or devotees who do not know the science of Krishna and do not know the science of devotion, but simply worship the Deity with no depth of knowledge. That is called materialistic devotee, but it is also not rejected. It is a beginning, but a preacher must be above this. Anyway, keep friendship with her. She is trying to love Krishna and that is good. Why not ask her to help you perform the Rathayatra? If she can give financial help, all other help will come. Please thank Malati for her nice letter of May 30th. If you can please take quotation from some Holland printer how much they will charge to print a book exactly like TLC we can utilize this information. I hope you are well and await your reply.
I thank you so much for your letter of July 15, 1969, and I think of you very often that you are a most ideal devotee wife. Your husband, Advaita, is working very hard and nicely in Krishna Consciousness, and when the husband is executing his activities very nicely it is credit not only to the husband himself, but it is a credit to his wife also. In materialistic marriages generally there are too many troubles and frustrations because the basic principle for both the husband and wife is their own personal sense gratification. Therefore there is inevitable conflict and divorce petition. But in a Krishna Conscious marriage the basic principle is for both husband and wife to serve Krishna nicely and to help the partner advance in spiritual life.
The first day I arrived we had talks about two hours with the Beatles, but because they are materially very rich, it is little difficult for them to understand Krishna Consciousness philosophy. In the Bhagavad-gita, perhaps you have read, it is said there that those who are too much addicted to materialistic way of sense gratification, they cannot put their faith in Krishna Consciousness. Anyway, whatever they are helping, that is welcome. Their record is selling nicely, and George Harrison is more inclined to our movement. Now he is not in London, because his mother is very ill and he has gone to Liverpool. I am living in the guest house of Mr. Lennon. He has spared a very nice temple house here where we hold our kirtanas, since our own temple house in London proper is under renovation.
1970 Correspondence
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu very mercifully reclaimed the fallen souls especially in this age by this short-cut method of chanting Hare Krishna Mantra.
By repeated chanting of this transcendental sound vibration, dirty things in the materialistic mind become cleansed. The dirty things in the materialistic mind are the modes of passion and ignorance. When the modes of passion and ignorance come in, although the process of cleansing is not yet completed the modes of goodness become prominent. This means that the propensity of being lusty and greedy diminishes and one can be fixed up in the devotional service of the Lord. When one is fixed up in the modes of goodness and devotional service of the Lord, he can factually understand his constitutional position, and that is his liberation.
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.
Similarly, in the Kalisantra Upanisad it is stated that these sixteen words Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare are especially meant for counteracting the degrading and contaminating influence of this materialistic age of Kali.
All these points are elaborately presented in my book, The Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Regarding Yugoslavia, the communist country, if they are anxious for our association why not take this opportunity immediately. The communists are first class disciples of Kali; therefore our attention should be more upon them because of their serious materialistic fever. So you can make immediately correspondence with the Yugoslavian friends, and as Tamala is going there very soon, he can immediately open a center with the cooperation of local people. So, with George's recommendation letter, if somebody goes there, I am sure it will be a successful attempt. Actually I am very much eager to start a temple in the communist country.
One should be very careful to estimate how every moment of his life is being utilized in the service of the Lord. The Goswamis were very much advanced in this line of action, and therefore about them it is said "nidra hara bihara vijito" that means one who has conquered over eating, sleeping, and mating. The idea is to save more time from this materialistic business and utilize it for Krsna's service. When our anxieties are how to utilize life in that way, that stage is abyarthya kalatvam "utilizing life without spoiling it." The next stage is namagane sada ruci "attraction for chanting the Holy Name always" and priti tad basati sthale "feeling of pleasure in living in the Temple or in the place of pilgrimage." So I am very glad that you are gradually coming to that stage; continue it carefully. Try to realize it yourself and teach the method to all your younger brothers and sisters.
Please accept my greetings and blessings of Lord Krishna. I thank you very much for your kind letter dated 17th April, 1970. You have rightly pointed out that people are becoming more materialistic in this age on account of their forgetfulness of Krishna Consciousness.
Actually there is nothing like materialism. Materialism means forgetfulness of Krishna or God. We are preaching therefore Krishna Consciousness. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the first-class religion is that which teaches love of Godhead. At the present moment, one professes a type of religion, but does not develop real purpose of religion, namely love of Godhead—that is materialism.
Our business is to glorify Him always, either He plans to dance with the Gopis, or He makes a plan to kill others on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, or He plans to do something which is not very good from materialistic point of view. Our only business is to remain steadfast devotee to Krsna in all conditions. That is the instruction given in Siksastaka, wherein it is said, "My Lord, whatever You like You can do, but unconditionally You are my only object of worship." That is pure devotion.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th May, 1970. I am very glad you are coming here by the 6th of June next, and it will be a great opportunity to discuss at that time about New Vrndavana, and other affairs.
Your remark on the student demonstration is quite appropriate. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura said that materialistic knowledge is another expansion of the influence of Maya. The result of material education is that the living entity forgets his own identification and takes to the business of a particular type of body which is given to him by the grace of Maya. The Vedic education means one has to understand his real identity as brahman or the spirit soul.
This site situated in the midst of the beautiful West Virginia mountains provides an ideal setting for demonstrating the simplicity of naturalistic living based on brahminical culture and cow protection in Krsna consciousness. Cow protection practically solves the problems of sustenance and the greater portion of time of the devotees, being not engaged in the frantic scramble of materialistic competition for food and shelter, is kept engaged in the pursuit of spiritual perfection.
The activities are centered on the temple schedule of Aratikas (six daily, very regularly), kirtanas and classes in the Vedic scriptures. Work is in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, dairy and construction as well as devotional studies.
It is also good news that your recent marriage celebration in Krsna Consciousness was filmed for display by a large television station. People will very soon come to appreciate the Krsna Conscious way of life as distinct from the dull repetition of materialistic activities. I have noted the news article sent by you and it appears very nice. I beg to thank your good wife for the gorgeous handkerchief which she has so thoughtfully offered to my Radha Krsna Deities. I am also glad that you are regularly sending the maintenance checks for your Temple to Karandhara. Thank you very much for this.
1971 Correspondence
I have studied your method for care of funds, etc. So far as filling out forms is concerned, that is too much botheration. No one should require money but simply you should see to it that the goods required are supplied. In materialistic calculation they think all these things are necessary, but in spiritual life it is not required. Things should be done as simply as possible. Presently Karandhara is seeing to keeping our books so that they meet with government standards. You can correspond with him in that regard.
That is akin to our philosophy although it is a little different. Buddhist philosophy is direct renunciation of material life but they have no information of spiritual reality because the followers of Lord Buddha were more materialistic. Spiritual information was not suitable for them. Now we are presenting complete spiritual information. So preach to them in that light and surely you will be successful.
This is very important work. It is our main consideration in the development of our centers that the people should be attracted to this Krsna consciousness Movement one way or another. So we inform them of Lord Caitanya's sublime message which easily enables any man to overcome the difficulties of materialistic existences and graduate to the pure transcendental platform where he finds shelter from the ravages of birth, death, disease and old-age. By Krsna's grace you are getting ample facility for spreading the transcendental message and as you work sincerely Krsna will certainly give all things needed for the continuous dissemination of the Hare Krsna Mahamantra.
Now make it very attractive, with our KC subject matter as you have outlined, and our BTG will be very much in demand, without further changes. I have seen one Christian newspaper which is trying to attract the readers by resort to fashionable phrases and materialistic themes of mass public interest—simply because they have not got any real substance for attracting, they offer what they think the public might like, such as sex, crimes, amusements, like that. That is not our method. We have got such stock of real substance that alone it is sufficient to capture the readers, without such ordinary tricks and commercial formulas.
1972 Correspondence
My Guru Maharaja said that this materialistic society is a society of cheaters and cheated. Because people want to be cheated, men such as you mention have become very popular. They are preaching all nonsense and the people are accepting them, but if someone wants to be cheated, what can be done? This Krishna consciousness is authorized, practical and simple and those who have enough intelligence will recognize this fact and will join with us. Our program is to simply chant Hare Krishna, follow the regulative principles, and preach this philosophy without any adulteration. If we stick to this policy, then by our good example, people will see the potency of this great movement.
Because there is close proximity of many students, the important thing to give them is our book and literature. They are interested to get knowledge, but the materialistic knowledge will lead them astray from real goal of their intelligence, and all of their credits in education will only add up to so many zeros. But if you yourself are very much well-acquainted with our Krishna philosophy, you will be able to convince them that if they make Krishna or God the center of their learning process, never mind they're scientists, chemists, politicians, whatever they may be, if they put Krishna in front of so many zeros they will come out with a huge sum and their life will be very much perfect. If you require assistance for preaching to the student class, I think Revatinandana can come there and preach very nicely to the scholarly class in their own language.
1973 Correspondence
So I am so much pleased upon all of the boys and girls in Los Angeles and all over the world who are understanding and appreciating this unique quality of our transcendental literature and voluntarily they are going out to distribute despite all circumstances of difficulty. By this effort alone they are assured to go back to home, back to Godhead. In order to change this materialistic society and prevent them from gliding to hell, first thing is to educate them. All decent men want to give service to humanity, only thing is they do not have information really what is that service. Hospitals, feeding the poor, Red Cross, these are service to the bodies only, not to the man. Service to humanity means jnana. By giving people knowledge, jnana, that is the highest service to humanity.
Of course, we cannot expect to find always any utopia in this material world, that is a fallacy, and it may appear to someone who is materialistically inclined that what we are doing is not only harmful to our materialistic condition, but also that we are not caring for our students and so many other things. But if you inquire from our students more carefully, you will come to understand that these superficial matters are not very serious in the long run, and that the students are becoming very happy by their acquiring spiritual knowledge and serving Krsna in so many ways. It is said that "one man's food is another man's poison." Because they have become disgusted with this material world, sometimes our devotees appear to have foolishly disregarded everything, that is seen to be something bad in their eyes, but we should not take these things very seriously.
Krishna tells Arjuna, His disciple, that "It is lust only . . . which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world." In the Vedic language, their word for materialistic "love" as we call it at present day; "kama" lust for material desire, not love. The word for love, actually love we find in Vedas is "prema", meaning one's love of God, only. Outside God, there is no possibility of loving. Rather it is lusty desire the whole range of human activities, whatever and whenever, so long with this atmosphere of matter, the every activity of the human being—or any living entity—is based upon or given impetus, and thus polluted, by the attraction between male and female, sex-desire. For that sex-life, the whole universe is spinning round—and suffering! That is the harsh truth.
So Everything appears to be going well there, just go on increasing. As you write that the Swedish society has placed great stress on material happiness so you can expose how this material life is actually full of miseries and temporary, and the so-called happiness is only illusion. People in the western countries are becoming gradually fed up with materialistic propaganda so you will find good response simply by chanting, speaking from Bhagavad gita as it is, and distributing prasadam to everyone. Unless the human society takes to this process the situation is very precarious. So we have to work hard.
1974 Correspondence
We will present our program at Bhaktivedanta Manor exactly in the line of Lord Caitanya, by kirtana, prasadam distribution and speaking from Bhagavad-gita. We cannot deviate even an inch in order to attract the followers of the ecology philosophy or any other materialistic, utopian movement. You say you know a number of influential leaders of this group, but what is the use of knowing them, since you yourself found them deficient and left them? Our ideal Vedic community will attract everyone on its own merit, and we shall be glad to welcome and accept everyone who comes without our compromising in order to attract them.
Yes, by all means you may print my morning walk speaking about "Life comes from Life" into a small book; this argument should be spread, as any intelligent man will be convinced that our discussion is thoroughly scientific and exposes the so called materialistic scientists as rascals. So go on printing and distributing as many books as possible; this is your real work and your personal success. From you report of an hour long kirtana at Moscow Airport, I understand that the sankirtana movement has already begun there and now it will go on further.
I am very pleased to receive your letter dated 9/11/74 and have noted the contents with great delight. The thing is where is the question of making any conspiracy. The materialistic man creates diplomacy and conspiracy for sense gratification. Everyone wants in the material world some reputation, profit, and some adoration. But so far we are concerned we are being trained up by following the footsteps of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye/ mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). "My Lord I do not want any monetary gain, neither any number of followers, or wife, but simply I want to be engaged in Your causeless devotional service, which means I do not even want salvation."
I wanted you all my experienced disciples should manage the whole institution very cleverly without any personal ambition like ordinary materialistic men. The Gaudiya Math institution has become smashed, at least stopped its program of preaching work on account of personal ambitions.
So whatever is done is done. I shall request you all not to be personally ambitious. I shall do everything in my power to fulfill your personal ambitions, but that will be done in due course of time when you are fully trained up and following the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds.
Yes, the Mahabharata is an authoritative book. It is considered the fifth veda. But, quotations must be given from the original Mahabharata.
Regarding your question on demigod worship, there are so many demigods, and the qualities may be overlapping. Demigod worship is meant for materialistic men whether in goodness, passion, or ignorance. Those in the transcendental position above the qualities of the material world worship Visnu. Most people do not know that Visnu is the ultimate aim of worship. The varna-asrama system is organized with this purpose, to worship Visnu. So far we are concerned, we never recommend to worship any demigod either in goodness, passion or ignorance.
What is important is that we should simply fix our mind on Krishna's Lotus Feet. This is His instruction in the Bhagavad-gita. So we associate with one-another so that we can assist each other in hearing and chanting about Krishna. That is the purpose of our Society. This you will not find in the materialistic society where all hearing and chanting is simply concerned with sense gratification. So our desire is Krishna and we want to go back home—Back to Godhead where Krishna lives eternally. So you simply follow my instructions as I have given to you and surely your life will be a success.
1975 Correspondence
I am advising therefore my senior disciple, His Holiness, Kirtanananda Swami to attend the meeting and I hope he will be able to present the proper view of our Krishna Consciousness movement. Our movement is completely a spiritual movement, therefore sometimes it appears to be a little different from the materialistic cultural movement. In the Bhagavad-gita, the spiritual hint is there in the beginning of the lesson to Arjuna. Krishna wanted to pick up the spiritual soul from within the body: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara (BG 2.13). So, the spirit soul is within the body. Unless we catch up the spirit soul within the body, there is no question of spiritual life or culture. Still, we are trying to push this movement in the western countries and many of them are taking it very seriously. I hope Sriman Kirtanananda Maharaja will be able to convince you further in the meeting and I hope you will give him some time to speak on the subject matter on my behalf.
This is very good. You are doing it enthusiastically. For the article of my touring they have selected the photos very nicely. We can talk with anyone. Marx. Darwin, all professors and politicians, we can challenge and defeat them. Our philosophy is so perfect. So go on exposing them, that is the purpose of Back to Godhead paper, to expose their materialistic ideas as all nonsense and present the real philosophy that Lord Krsna gives. This is the real knowledge.
Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not. Therefore we should take advantage of the vani, not the physical presence, because the vani continues to exist eternally. Bhagavad-gita for example is the vani of Lord Krishna. Although Krishna was personally present 5,000 years ago and is no longer present physically from the materialistic viewpoint, still Bhagavad-gita continues. So you have correctly concluded.
Nairobi temple is very nice, and there is great potency there. Now just cooperate with Shakti Mati and organize things nicely. This is wanted. Also you may thank Parvati for making the sandesh I took on the plane. She has made it very nicely. She learned the art.
The varnasrama college means to train people in varnasrama life. In human society a section of people must act as strict brahmanas. Similarly, another section must act as strict ksatriyas, still another as strict vaisyas, and the rest will be considered as sudras and less than sudras or the candalas. This is a materialistic division, but spiritually anyone can be elevated to the transcendental position simply by devotional service. This is the sum and substance of the Vedic education. If you and Siddha Svarupa Maharaja can organize such an institution following yourself the rules and regulations then it will be very glorious thing and I shall be very happy. But in any case both of you do not forget to come to Mayapur during Caitanya Mahaprabhu's birth ceremony. Let us act co-operatively, maybe sometimes separately, but the central point and aim should be one—Krsna.
1976 Correspondence
The hatchet replies, "I have come here to cut you down." The tree then said, "You can not cut me down, alone, but with the help of my descendants you can do it." The idea is that the ax-handle is made of wood, and so without the assistance of the wooden tree, the hatchet is useless. Similarly, we can use our materialistic knowledge to defeat the atheistic philosophy of the scientists. So you also can continue your studies and learn what is shil and noda (mortar and pestle) so you can break their dater goda (break their teeth).
1977 Correspondence
Without such making sacrifice for God or Krsna, our life is only full of anxieties, worries, insecurities, and false ideas. Trying to be happy under these conditions is impossible. Still the materialistic men struggle to live long under great difficulty to tryto make a permanent settlement in the material environment, and everything is defeated at the moment of their death. So what is the use of such wasted labor? So we are most pleased that you and other good members and employees of Dai Nippon Company are giving such nice service to Krsna. That means you are getting benefit also. That means whenever Krsna is pleased by our working on His behalf, automatically everything becomes successful. He is the supreme proprietor of everything, so if He likes, He can give any amount of wealth, fame, reputation, like that.
| Page Title: | Materialistic (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 30 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=53 |
| No. of Quotes: | 53 |