This system is very, very old and is still followed. So, therefore, it is mentioned here that when the Deity is on stroll the people should follow behind.) (8) A devotee must visit a Viṣṇu temple at least once or twice every day, morning and evening. (In Vṛndāvana this system is followed very strictly. All the devotees in town go every morning and evening to visit different temples. Therefore during these times there are considerable crowds all over the city. There are about five thousand temples in Vṛndāvana city. Of course it is not possible to visit all the temples, but there are at least one dozen very big and important temples which were started by the Gosvāmīs and which should be visited.) (9) One must circumambulate the temple building at least three times. (In every temple there is an arrangement to go around the temple at least three times.
Morning and evening
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 13 - 18
As for detachment from children, wife and home, it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these. They are natural objects of affection. But when they are not favorable to spiritual progress, then one should not be attached to them. The best process for making the home pleasant is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can make his home very happy, because this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very easy. One need only chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Kṛṣṇa, have some discussion on books like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and engage oneself in Deity worship. These four things will make one happy. One should train the members of his family in this way. The family members can sit down morning and evening and chant together Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one can mold his family life in this way to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following these four principles, then there is no need to change from family life to renounced life. But if it is not congenial, not favorable for spiritual advancement, then family life should be abandoned. One must sacrifice everything to realize or serve Kṛṣṇa, just as Arjuna did. Arjuna did not want to kill his family members, but when he understood that these family members were impediments to his Kṛṣṇa realization, he accepted the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and fought and killed them. In all cases, one should be detached from the happiness and distress of family life, because in this world one can never be fully happy or fully miserable.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
He used to supply fruits, roots and leaves to the ṛṣis, and thus he was blessed by them with fulfillment of his desires. Although a kṣatriya by birth, he never ate flesh in his life. He was especially hospitable to Vasiṣṭha Muni, and by his blessings only he attained the higher planetary residence. He is one of those pious kings whose names are remembered in the morning and evening.
Yayāti: The great emperor of the world and the original forefather of all great nations of the world who belong to the Āryan and Indo-European stock. He is the son of Mahārāja Nahuṣa, and he became the emperor of the world due to his elder brother's becoming a great and liberated saintly mystic. He ruled over the world for several thousands of years and performed many sacrifices and pious activities recorded in history, although his early youth was very lustful and full of romantic stories. He fell in love with Devayānī, the most beloved daughter of Śukrācārya.
SB Canto 5
His purpose was to give abundant benefits in material existence. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks that in the months of April and May the rays of Mahārāja Priyavrata's brilliant sun were as pleasing as the rays of the moon, and in October and November, both morning and evening, that sun provided more warmth than the sunshine. In short, Mahārāja Priyavrata was extremely powerful, and his actions extended his power in all directions.
SB Canto 7
The brahmacārī should go out morning and evening to collect alms, and he should offer all that he collects to the spiritual master. He should eat only if ordered to take food by the spiritual master; otherwise, if the spiritual master does not give this order, he may sometimes have to fast.
SB Canto 9
If one hears and chants or remembers this narration in the morning and evening with great attention, he certainly becomes learned, experienced in understanding the Vedic hymns, and expert in self-realization.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
In the morning and evening one should collect foodstuffs and other articles and deliver them to the spiritual master. Then, being self-controlled, one should accept for oneself that which is allotted by the ācārya.
After being purified by his father's performance of the prescribed rituals leading to Mārkaṇḍeya's brahminical initiation, Mārkaṇḍeya studied the Vedic hymns and strictly observed the regulative principles. He became advanced in austerity and Vedic knowledge and remained a lifelong celibate. Appearing most peaceful with his matted hair and his clothing made of bark, he furthered his spiritual progress by carrying the mendicant's waterpot, staff, sacred thread, brahmacārī belt, black deerskin, lotus-seed prayer beads and bundles of kuśa grass. At the sacred junctures of the day he regularly worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead in five forms—the sacrificial fire, the sun, his spiritual master, the brāhmaṇas and the Supersoul within his heart. Morning and evening he would go out begging, and upon returning he would present all the food he had collected to his spiritual master. Only when his spiritual master invited him would he silently take his one meal of the day; otherwise he would fast. Thus devoted to austerity and Vedic study, Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi worshiped the supreme master of the senses, the Personality of Godhead, for countless millions of years, and in this way he conquered unconquerable death.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
We are actually teaching in our classes how to go about this. One who feels that he is not yet ready to live in a temple or undergo strict regulative principles in the temple—especially householders who live with a wife and children—can start a center at home by installing the Deity, worshiping the Lord morning and evening, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and discussing the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anyone can do this at home without difficulty, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested all the devotees present there to do so.
“In Vṛndāvana You also have Your father's elder brothers, Your father's younger brothers, maternal uncles, husbands of Your father's sisters and many cowherd men. There are also cowherd boyfriends, and You eat twice a day, morning and evening, in the house of each and every one.
The Lord used to bathe three times a day in the warm water of the waterfalls. He also used to heat Himself morning and evening with a fire made with the limitless wood.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
This ecstatic love is prior to the pure love of Kṛṣṇa, because in the next verse Nārada confirms that by the gradual process of hearing from the great sages he developed love of Godhead. In that connection, Nārada continues to say in the First Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 28, of the Bhāgavatam, "First I passed my days in the association of the great sages during the rainy autumn season. Every morning and evening I heard them while they were singing and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and thus my heart gradually became purified. As soon as I heard them with great attention, the influence of the modes of material ignorance and passion disappeared, and I became firmly fixed in devotional service to the Lord."
These are practical examples of how one can develop to the stage of ecstatic love simply by the association of pure devotees. It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way one will get the chance to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic pure love for Kṛṣṇa.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
When Kṛṣṇa was sitting before Mother Yaśodā, all the elder gopīs began to lodge complaints against Him so that Kṛṣṇa could hear. They said, “Dear Yaśodā, why don’t you restrict your naughty Kṛṣṇa? He comes to our houses along with Balarāma every morning and evening, and before the milking of the cows They let loose the calves, and the calves drink all the milk of the cows. So when we go to milk the cows, we find no milk, and we have to return with empty pots. If we warn Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma about doing this, They simply smile so charmingly that we cannot do anything. Also, your Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma find great pleasure in stealing our stock of yogurt and butter from wherever we keep it. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are caught stealing the yogurt and butter, They say, "Why do you charge Us with stealing? Do you think that butter and yogurt are in scarcity in Our house?"
In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is confirmed that one who is constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa is a first-class yogī among all kinds of yogīs. "My dear friends," one lady told another, "we must accept the activities of the gopīs to be the highest form of piety; otherwise, how could they have achieved the opportunity of seeing Kṛṣṇa both morning and evening—in the morning when He goes to the pasturing ground with His cows and cowherd boyfriends, and in the evening when He returns with them, playing on His flute and smiling very brilliantly?"
Lord Balarāma is the Personality of Godhead Ananta Himself; therefore He is beyond the scope of understanding by mind, intelligence or body. He descended exactly like a human being and behaved in that way for His own purposes; we can only explain His activities as the Lord's pastimes. No one can even estimate the extent of the unlimited demonstrations of His pastimes because He is all-powerful. Lord Balarāma is the original Viṣṇu; therefore anyone remembering these pastimes of Lord Balarāma in the morning and evening will certainly become a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus his life will be successful in all respects.
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So all of them are expansion and equally powerful. But still, for understanding, for pure knowledge, we should under stand that Kṛṣṇa is the origin. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). This is the...
So anyone who will recite these incarnations of God, Kṛṣṇa, regularly, in the morning and evening, that is the phala-śruti...(?) Janma guhyaṁ bhagavataḥ. Bhagavataḥ. He is the original source of everything, and He is taking birth. Therefore it is called guhyam. It is very mysterious. Just like Kuntī, when offered prayer to Kṛṣṇa, she said that "You are inside and You are outside. You are all-pervading. You are present everywhere. Still, people cannot see You." This is the mystery. God is everywhere, but we cannot see. How it is? That is explained by Kuntī. Just like somebody's father is playing on the stage dressed in a different way like a king or something.
So these are the recommendation in the śāstra. If we don't follow, then we must fall down. There is no doubt about it. But if we follow the regulative principles, as they are enjoined in the śāstra... Sādhu-guru-śāstra. Śāstra will say the same thing as guru advises. Sādhu-guru. A saintly person also will say the same thing. Just like here, Sūta Gosvāmī, he is saintly person. He is advising, sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "Morning and evening you should try to understand the science of God." Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, topics, chanting. So these are the process. Sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā.
So the devotee must be clean, inside and outside, both. Outside cleaning by taking bath, washing the body with oil or soap or soda, and inside, inside, materially, there will be no unclean things, stool, unnecessary stool. That means one must evacuate every morning and evening. If we eat more, then we have to evacuate twice. But if we eat less, then once evacuation is sufficient. It is said, yogi, bhogī, and rogī. Yogi means spiritually advanced, and bhogī means materialist, and rogī means diseased. It is a common saying. A yogi evacuates only once. That is yogi. And bhogī, because he eats more, so he evacuates twice. And one who evacuates more than twice, he's rogī, diseased. Yogi, bhogī, rogī. So everything has got routine work.
All Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So this is a chance, that "Come to Vṛndāvana, and wherever you go, you see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That will make your life successful." By seeing, seeing, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, seeing, seeing, you'll get an impression. And if you continue... The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, you'll find if, when you go there, that in the morning and evening, all of them, they are going different temples and seeing the Deity Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So there is no need of education, there is no need of philosophy, there is no need of science. Simply if you visit temples of Viṣṇu, then your life is successful. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. Simply if you move to the temple and see with your eyes; very simple process. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness program is so simple, at the same time sublime, that you become liberated at the end. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you simply think of Kṛṣṇa in that way.
So Kṛṣṇa's name are different. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). There Kṛṣṇa is tending this surabhī. Surabhī cow means, that is also wonderful, spiritual. You can milk cow, milk from the cows, as many times as you like. Just like here in the, we have got experience, we can take milk from the cows morning and evening, not more than that. But there you can milk the cows whenever you like, and you can draw milk as much as you like. That is called surabhī cow. The trees are like that, the cows are like that, but there are houses, there are forests, jungle trees, cows, water, everything, but they are all spiritual. All spiritual, therefore there is one. Here is also one, because everything material. Whatever, either you take cow's body or your body, or tree's body, or any body, what it is made of? Kṣitir ap teja marut vyoma, the earth, water, air, fire, and sky, that's all. Here it is all one, but, and there also it is one, but there it is all spiritual, and here it is all material.
Here you can take some fruits or flower from a particular tree, but there, if you like, you ask kachori and samosa from a tree—you get. But we have no idea what is surataroḥ, what is kalpa-vṛkṣa. Whatever you desire, you'll get it. Surabhīh, surabhīr abhipāl... The cows are surabhī. Here you have got limitation. You can milk morning and evening to a certain extent, but there the cows are surabhī. Surabhī means you can milk as many times as you like, and as much milk as you want, you can take it. But these things are there. But we have no information. We are struggling here.
Pradyumna: "The brahmacārī should go out morning and evening for collecting alms. All the collections should be offered to the spiritual master. The brahmacārī is supposed to eat only if he is ordered to take foodstuffs by the spiritual master; otherwise, without being so ordered by the spiritual master, he may sometimes have to observe fasting."
Prabhupāda:
- sāyaṁ prātaś cared bhaikṣyaṁ
- gurave tan nivedayet
- bhuñjīta yady anujñāto
- no ced upavaset kvacit
- (SB 7.12.5)
Very strict life. The brahmacārī should go out of the āśrama for begging alms: "Mother, we are coming from such and such temple or āśrama. Give us some alms." So every home, gṛhastha, they will give some little attar. It doesn't matter he gives so much. A little, that is nice. Little attar or little rice or little dahl, little fruits, or little vegetable—everyone can contribute. And the brahmacārī should go to neighboring householders' place to take something from him. This collection is not for his personal sense gratification.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
As soon as He will call, the cow will come immediately and dropping milk. And those cows are also spiritual. Surabhī. It is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhī. Surabhī cow means nonexhaustive. You can milk as much milk you want and as many times. In the material world the cow is limited. There is time that you can milk, morning and evening, and so much quantity, not more than that. But surabhīr means you can milk those cows anytime you like and you can draw milk as many as you like, as much as you like. This is called surabhī. Surabhīr... In the description of Brahma-saṁhitā: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhīr abhipālayantam. So therefore He is Govinda. He gives... He is pleasure for everyone.
General Lectures
Because it is absolute, independent, so any person takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be happy immediately. So we invite you. We have got classes, we have got different branches in different cities, we have got books, we have got magazines, and we try to convince you by our morning and evening classes. So my humble request to you all that you try to understand. Caitanyer dayā kathā karaha vicāra. We put for your judgment to understand. We put this Kṛṣṇa consciousness before you for your judgment. And if you scrutinizingly see and try to understand, then you'll feel, "Oh, it is so sublime. It is so nice." That is our request.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Two hours for eating?
Paramānanda: Eating and taking rest.
Satyabhāmā: Well, noon prasādam, morning prasādam, milk in the evening.
Paramānanda: Morning and evening, half hour, noon, one hour.
Hayagrīva: Bathing, bathing takes an hour.
Prabhupāda: So you want to stop chanting and reading?
Satyabhāmā: No. No. (laughs)
Kīrtanānanda: We don't want to stop chanting. I don't want to. That's not the proposal. The proposal was...
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Kīrtana we hold here. If we have to go individually everyone's house, how it is possible?
Guest: I, I don't know. I'm just... He asked me to come and request it, so...
Prabhupāda: We are holding kīrtana here, morning and evening if one is interested.
Guest (2): There are about thirty Westerners there.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Guest (2): We have thirty Westerners there, that everyday we go to a Mahārāja's darśana.
Prabhupāda: Thirty Westerners?
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So? What is your philosophy?
Rāmeśvara: Well, it seems somewhat hypocritical because chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means you are praying to Kṛṣṇa to please be engaged eternally in His service and to become completely dependent on Him. So we try to explain like that. And to follow all the teachings and instructions, attending maṅgala āratik and morning and evening class.
Prabhupāda: So they are doing that or not?
Guru-kṛpa: No. They are not even following regulative principles.
Prabhupāda: Then?
Rāmeśvara: They think just by chanting, they will go back to the spiritual world. That is enough.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Bhavānanda: Morning and evening.
Prabhupāda: Your party has sold twenty-five thousand big books?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: After three weeks.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So far this month.
Prabhupāda: Twenty-five thousand. I never thought that these books will be so well received. It is beyond my imagination. I thought a few copies may be sold.
Sudāmā: Remember, Śrīla Prabhupāda, Tamāla, he inaugurated in Seattle, Washington, the saṅkīrtana party...
Prabhupāda: No, he inaugurated from San Francisco. We were printing these Back to Godhead, five hundred. And he was most of the... You were selling?
Prabhupāda: It may be ten o'clock. (laughter) What is the difference when here and there? (Prabhupāda laughs) Just like a blind man, he's sleeping, now his son is getting, "Please rise, it is now morning." So he said, "For me, morning and evening is the same thing. I am blind." Kebā rātra kebā din. "For me, there is no difference between day and night, because I cannot see anything."
Rakṣaṇa: Because you see only Kṛṣṇa all the time, Śrīla Prabhupāda, it doesn't matter whether you're in the room or in the garden.
Prabhupāda: So you want to see something other than, better than Kṛṣṇa? So ārati time is now? No. If you have to go, you can go.
Prabhupāda: "The brahmacārī should go out morning and evening to collect alms, and he should offer all that he collects to the spiritual master. He should eat only if ordered to take food by the spiritual master; otherwise, if the spiritual master does not give this order, he may sometimes have to fast."
- suśīlo mita-bhug dakṣaḥ
- śraddadhāno jitendriyaḥ
- yāvad-arthaṁ vyavaharet
- strīṣu strī-nirjiteṣu ca
"A brahmacārī should be quite well behaved and gentle and should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the sastra. Fully controlling his senses, he should associate only as much as necessary with women or those controlled by women."
Prabhupāda: Sādhu-mārga.
Girirāja: We study the śāstras every morning and evening in all of our centers, so we become educated. (break)
Prabhupāda: Four places, Haridvar, Prayāga, Vṛndāvana.
Mr. Malhotra: But after every 11 years or...?
Prabhupāda: No. It comes in rotation, every four years.
Mr. Malhotra: So there are sort of ardha-kumbhīs and then kumbha.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In Allahabad they actually hold every year. Māgha-mela.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, every day.
Prabhupāda: Yes, morning and evening.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like a Deity.
Prabhupāda: Yes. "So I know that, but I have no money." I replied to that Mr. Mukerjee. He lives near that University, Columbus? Columbia? He's a teacher there. So he came to see me in the 100th Street West, and he requested me, "Swamiji, if you move in this dress, nobody will respect you." "It doesn't matter."
Brahmānanda: Who was this?
Prabhupāda: One Mr. Mukerjee. What is that?
Satsvarūpa: Resolution about restaurants, that they may be named either Hare Kṛṣṇa restaurant or Govinda's restaurant. Then we passed a resolution about attendance at the temple functions. All GBC members and temple presidents are responsible to see that all devotees in their zone attend the morning and evening program except when there is alternate bona fide preaching in the evening, like if there's some book distribution in the evening. Otherwise everyone must go to the morning and evening.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Indian Astronomer: No, not in Madras. Mogun. Near the Madras also, by one of the yajñas there. But my agni-hotra place is at Kumbha-grama(?). We are following agni-hotra tradition for more than ten generations. I myself performed so many yajñas. And now I am performing yajñas also, day and night or morning and evening.
Prabhupāda: So...
Indian Astronomer: I am also a great lover of Bhāgavata. That is my life.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Indian Astronomer: Bhāgavata is my solace of my life.
Prabhupāda: So we are presenting this planetarium...
Indian devotee (2): There was meeting of Arya-samaj, so we went to attend that. They invited him there. And later on, they asked that the government should help them to open a big hospital there. And he said that "Because I myself do not use allopathic medicines, so how can I help you? How can I introduce? I believe in nature cure. I can't help. If you produce something, that nature cure hospital, my government will help you." He said, "I never took medicine in my life." Morarji Desai says. And he was in jail. He said that everybody was seeing that they were nineteen months in jail, and they have disease, some pain, and some this one, some this one. He said, "But I got something from there. I learned whole Bhagavad-gītā by heart. I was worshiping Kṛṣṇa. I was reciting Bhagavad-gītā in the morning and evening. I got something, whereas others, they have failed. They couldn't get anything. I took something from that jail."
Yaśomatīnandana: (reading) "Regulative rains not only help ample production of food grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do the people want cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc.? What is the need of an artificial, materialist's life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling individually and nationally?"
Prabhupāda: Like hog. (break)
Prabhupāda: But they have to observe the rules and regulations.
Brahmānanda: Yes. I told him that everything must be... There must be offerings throughout the day, at least three times a day, and then āratis performed morning and evening.
Prabhupāda: He has agreed?
Brahmānanda: Yes, he will do these things. They will do. With a wife they can do these things, bathing the Deity and so forth.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some kīrtana, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Hm. (break)
Prabhupāda: It is very, very good.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really fresh.
Prabhupāda: If I drink this milk twice, morning and evening, I think I can avoid any food.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can what?
Prabhupāda: Avoid any food.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You don't like fruit juice?
Prabhupāda: I mean to say, I can drink in the meantime, but by simply drinking this milk, I can live healthy. I think so.
Prabhupāda: News from Bombay? (break)
Girirāja: ...activities are going on. Haridāsa promised that he would, you know, maintain the collections for maintenance. So he's doing that with the help of one or two other boys. And I asked about the attendance at the morning and evening programs, and they wrote back that the attendance at the morning program is very good, maṅgala-ārati and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And it's fair attendance in the evening. And then the construction is going on. It's in the final stages. And then you probably know we had a meeting to discuss the plans for the opening and the management of the new guesthouse and restaurant and theater. So I think the plans are very good. Actually last night we were discussing that the cullis pieces which go on the top of the domes, that those are ordered in, I think, brass or copper like here. But those become black very quickly.
Śatadhanya: No. He just said it's very powerful medicine.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What time should it be taken? Morning and night?
Śatadhanya: Morning and evening.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Any particular time in the morning?
Śatadhanya: No.
Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to take some now?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? Huh? Tamāla?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Simply with honey.
Prabhupāda: They are taking their prasādam and living there?
Girirāja: Yes. They have nice meal in the morning and evening, and then in the day the main activity is they have the chanting party, and around the chanting party they distribute literature.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nice beginning, all-auspicious.
Trivikrama: Is the weather very cold?
Girirāja: It's not very cold. The climate is very healthful. In fact, two devotees were there who were in India for some time and they felt a little weary, and they both said that they felt that their health and strength had increased.
Bhakti-caru: It's a beautiful city also.
Girirāja: Yes. It's very peaceful and clean.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Some of my friends in India are sending Sri Murtis (Radha-Krishna), and we are getting locally sculpted Jagannatha, Balavadra, and Subhadra Murtis to install in the temples. The societies are being worshiped with flowers and fruits, and Kirtana is being performed both morning and evening, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is being recited. Don't you think that this movement is glorious both for India and the world? Kindly, therefore cooperate with me in full heart.
My first concern is that you are not eating well. It is a case of anxiety. Please don't eat dal and spices. Simply boiled vegetables, rice and a few capatis. Take butter separately and eat only as much as you may require for taste. Drink milk twice, morning and evening. Don't eat at night. Eat some fruits in the evening. Use some digestive pill after each principle meal. I think soda-mint tablets will help. Be careful about your health first. This information is not only for you but all my noble sons. I am an old man. I may live or die it does not matter. But you must live for long time to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement.
1968 Correspondence
The best thing will be that you practice chanting, both husband and wife together, and Krishna may send some friends, who may also take part in the chanting. We have to create the atmosphere of Krishna Consciousness, and thus create devotees also. I therefore advise you to begin classes as usual, morning and evening, sitting together, husband and wife, in the front of Krishna's picture, and chant Hare Krishna and read Srimad-Bhagavatam. When I was in Los Angeles, I asked Dayananda to speak, and I was very glad that he speaks very nicely. So he can speak, also, in the class, and if there is none else there, he can speak to you. So don't feel lonely. Try to understand Krishna Consciousness mutually, and this will give you transcendental pleasure.
Don't be allured by such maya. I am training you all to become future Spiritual Masters, but do not be in a hurry. If the family of the boy who is so eager to be initiated certainly, are Vaisnavas, let them offer you some place, because you are in need of a place, first and foremost. In that place hold Kirtana daily, morning and evening, as we do, that will be the sign of their sincerity. So for the time being, hold Kirtana. as I have advised above, and speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and try to serve the cause of the Krishna Consciousness society. You don't be attracted by such cheap disciples immediately. One has to rise gradually by service. If you get a place in Patel Nagar, that will be very nice.
Take for example, the Bhagavad-gita: the instruction of Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita are just suitable for a perfect human civilization. So one should learn this teachings of Bhagavad-gita as it is. Next point, in order to understand this teachings of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, there should be centers where people can assemble daily, morning and evening, and try to understand this Krishna Consciousness or God consciousness movement. So we are trying to open branches all over the world in every city, in every town, in every village, and people should take advantage of it. There is no question of monetary transaction to enter into these centers and institutions, but because we have to maintain such institutions, public should voluntarily contribute and that is very gladly accepted.
1969 Correspondence
I shall be glad to hear what about the press matter and printing Back To Godhead in German Language.
Chanting 16 rounds without fail, performing Kirtana at least twice daily, morning and evening, discussion on Bhagavad-gita, and Srimad-Bhagavatam in the class, and work diligently and cooperatively amongst yourselves is my fervent request. Kindly follow this and be happy.
These books are all in English, and in addition you should read our monthly journal, Back To Godhead. You should go on inquiring about your pros and cons ideas in the matter of the Krishna Consciousness. Along with this you chant Hare Krishna in the assembly of friends and family members regularly, morning and evening, and then Krishna Consciousness will become revealed unto you. Krishna Consciousness is already in you—not only in you, but in every living being. Such consciousness is aroused just like a sleeping man is aroused from slumber by vibration of sound. Similarly, a conditioned soul is aroused by the vibration of the Hare Krishna Mantra into Krishna Consciousness. This is the process. We will be glad to give you all instruction on this point, providing you are serious to accept it, and to propagate it.
1970 Correspondence
I reply each and every letter that I receive, but sometimes it may be a little late due to pressure of work. But they should write; there is no checking. But it is better if simple questions are solved amongst yourselves in the Istagosthi class. Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice—in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered.
3 times round the plant both morning and evening.
1972 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 19, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. Now we are in Radha-Damodara Temple staying, and the programme of speaking morning and evening in the courtyard is going on very nicely. It is the same peaceful atmosphere as your New Vrindaban, and just as in New Vrindaban everyone present is devotee. Actually, everywhere wherever Krishna is being glorified, that is Vrindaban.
You have become my disciple so I must request you to chant 16 rounds and follow the regulative practices of devotional service, and you may know it for sure that very quickly you will achieve the supreme perfectional stage of your life.
Now we are in Vrindaban, and the programme for speaking daily morning and evening in the courtyard samadhi-place at Radha-Damodara temple is very much being appreciated by the devotees. Next we shall go to Hyderabad for some weeks. You have mentioned nothing of your wife, so what is her position?
Thank you for your letter dated October 26, 1972, which has reached me here at Vrindaban. Yes, the programme is going on very nicely, and all the devotees are enlivened by our discourses daily in morning and evening in the Samadhi courtyard at Radha-Damodar temple. I can understand that due to so many celebrations at this Urja time you are unable to join me here.
Now after Urja you will go to Puri for again trying for that place, but now there is competition, so how we can stop it? But if you offer them the right price, and if we try to get it very seriously we shall be able to do it, by Krishna's grace. So if you need any help from me in this connection, I am here in India, so I am at your service to do the needful and secure Srila Prabhupad's birth-site.
Regarding the work of Pradyumna, now he is working very hard to finish those missing portions, and he will send you very soon. Actually, whatever else he may be doing, I very much appreciate Pradyumna's work. Everyday he gives me some solid work, at least something every day, so I am very much appreciating. I was in Ahmedabad preaching daily in the morning and evening for last two weeks, and at least ten thousand were coming to hear. From January 12th our second Hare Krishna Festival will go on in the Cross Maidan in Bombay, and Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara are planning something very gorgeous just to push on the preaching work. Meanwhile I am little resting behind the scenes for few days, and one Karatieya Mahadevia has been very kind to give us his place all to ourselves just by the seaside on Warden Road.
1973 Correspondence
In this way, try to recruit some local men to help you. You are only two persons, therefore big temple with deity worship and so many other things will be impossible to maintain. Therefore if you get a place, simply hold our standard program of kirtana morning and evening, with class, inviting friends and other people that you meet. In this way develop the thing gradually, we are not in very much hurry to get big big house and very comfortable position, no. Our first and foremost business is to spread Krsna Consciousness. So utilize every opportunity that Krsna gives you for preaching His message, that is real meaning of temple management.
So now I am seeing more and more that my senior disciples must take an active role in continuing the high standard of purity which has been established in our Vaisnava line. In your travelling from centre to centre, you must be very careful to see that the leaders are observing the principles of chanting 16 rounds, rising early for Mangala Arati, participating in the morning and evening classes, observing the four regulative principles etc., and if there is any deviation from this standard then it is the responsibility of you and the local GBC representative to rectify it immediately. Within these Vaisnava standards which I have put forward lies the spiritual strength of our movement. So you may please do the needful in this regard. I shall be returning to the U.S. in April and I will be looking forward to seeing you at that time.
Regarding Gaura Nitai deities either wood stone or metal, it is all right.
There should be no complaint, under all circumstances we must chant regularly 16 rounds and attend the morning and evening classes, for Krishna we can work like anything, but one lick done for maya it is useless, overendeavoring.
I am going to New Vrindaban and thereafter I shall be happy to accept your invitation for Chicago to meet the Professors as you mentioned. I shall inform you later of my itinerary.
1974 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 15, 1974 with two bank receipts enclosed. I have noted the contents and am very pleased with the progress going on there. Things are going on. That I wanted. The classes and program must continue. That is the life of the temple. Everyone must attend the morning and evening program, otherwise it will be a dead temple.
Regarding the land purchased, I am enclosing one copy of one letter to Pranava. The land purchase should be done according to this letter. I shall advise the Bank to pay the necessary money, but the sales agreement and the conveyance deeds must be sent to me for my approval. If necessary I shall advise the bank to give a letter of credit to the Vendor, then upon completion of the conveyance, this amount shall be paid in the presence of the registrar.
Thank you for representing me there in LSS by stressing the importance of attendance to the morning and evening programs and following all of the spiritual practices. This is wanted. Without these things there is no devotional life. And by your example many others will also become strong.
Regarding my coming to Mexico City and Caracas, yes I want to come there very much. Now we are in Bombay trying to get permission from the government to build our temple. And it appears that we will possibly be getting the permission next week. If this works out then I will immediately be going to Honolulu and from Honolulu I can go directly to Mexico City, then Caracas, and then to Australia by the end of Jan.
1975 Correspondence
I am in due reciept of your letter dated January 18, 1975. I am glad to note that your Amsterdam center is improving and that new devotees are joining. Example is better than precept, so you follow the regulative principles, chant 16 rounds daily, attend morning and evening arati and as much as possible go for sankirtana distributing my books.
I have already written Puranjana, that whatever money is owed to the BBT that should be paid. You may continue to distribute records, providing a book is given with each record.
So you are the president there at Schloss Rettershof, it is your duty to see that the standards of Krishna Consciousness are always maintained, especially chanting 16 rounds daily, observing the four regulative principles, no meat, fish, eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex life. The students must all attend morning and evening arati and classes. If we follow this simple program along with regular sankirtana, distributing the books and preaching, then there will be no fall down. Just like if one keeps himself clean and properly nourished by eating regularly, he will not infect disease, but if there is neglect, then there is room for infection, he becomes weak and fall prey to disease. So Krishna consciousness is the medicine for the material disease, and chanting Hare Krishna mantra sincerely is the basic ingredient of that medicine.
1976 Correspondence
So now the Lord has come to your home and agreed to be worshiped by you, therefore everything should be clean and neat. Nice prasadam should be offered regularly and distributed to guests. Kirtana may be performed morning and evening and some discussion from Bhagavad-gita as it is, or other books from our publications.
Your activities in Germany are all right, try to help the sankirtana and preach to your own circle of friends. I think at this time there is no need for you to come to India. If there is need I shall let you know. You are all little older and India will be difficult for you, for the time being please remain situated as you are. Chant Hare Krishna and help spread this movement in the best way open to you.
1977 Correspondence
Worship the Deity very gorgeously with full attention to regularity and cleanliness. Distribute ample quantities of sumptuous prasadam to everyone who visits Kaliya-Krsna. This program will make us successful. And in the morning and evening hold regular Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita discourses, but do not allow any rascal professional receiters to discourse in our temple. Only initiated disciples should be allowed to speak on the subject matter of Krsna consciousness.
Now I have come to the West in a broken condition of health. In such condition no one would think of touring. An ordinary man would prepare for death. But I am not afraid of death, so why not let me see once again all of my beloved disciples and the Temples all over the world. When I go to Hawaii this winter I shall be very much eager to come to Fiji and to see you at that time.
| Page Title: | Morning and evening |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 04 of Apr, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=6, CC=3, OB=6, Lec=9, Con=16, Let=24 |
| No. of Quotes: | 65 |