I shall be glad to hear from you when you are going to take possession of the house. Inform all friends there that I wish that we may enter the house on or before the 26th March 1967. You have done right by removing the pictures which deal in Gopis and Krishna. They are never for public show. They are very confidential and meant for advanced devotees who know Krishna fairly well. The neophytes will be misguided by such pictures. I hope you will understand me right.
Neophyte (Letters)
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Letter to Jadurani -- Calcutta 12 December, 1967:
These people are professional singers. Krishna Kirtana is not for earning livelihood. Krishna Kirtana is not meant for entertaining the public for demonstration of arts. It is dynamic service to the Lord. We do not therefore mind so much about the artistic presentation of Krishna Kirtana but we want to see how much a devotee is satisfying the Supreme Will. The pictures of Lord Krishna and His expansions are particularly meant for giving chance to the neophytes for offering devotional service. It was very nice that Purna das offered respects to the Sankirtana painting. That will enlarge Krishna Consciousness. Your program for publishing pictures in details of great authorities like Bhisma and others is very much appreciated. I am so glad to learn that Rayarama, Satsvarupa, yourself, Gaurasundara, Govindarani and others are doing so much for improving BTG.
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 26 March, 1968:
I am very happy to learn that you are rendering a nice service to Krishna by cooking for him and distributing prasadam to others. The association of devotees is the only solace for our existence. New York might have been a little busier than Boston, but so long it is under the guidance of an experienced devotee, the affairs in both the cases are all right. The tendency for solitude is a kind of reaction on our past material activities, but solitude is not very good for a neophyte. Maya is always trying to attack us, and as soon as she finds some opportunity she tries to inflict her poisonous effects. The best thing is therefore not to seek solitude in the beginning but to remain in the midst of pure devotees so that even there is attack of Maya, their association will protect us. If you are, however, always busy in the matter of preaching work that is very nice. But to remain alone in a solitary place for a new man is not advisable.
Letter to Mukunda -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:
Acyutananda and Harivilasa have informed me that Hrsikesa has taken the step as a matter of diplomacy, but he will come back again when I come back to India. I am not astonished for his behavior, but I am sorry for my God-brother's behavior. He is a neophyte and so he may commit so many mistakes, but Bon Maharaja should not have committed such mistake. It is not approved by Vaisnava etiquettes.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:
A preacher's business is to love God, to make friendship with devotees, to enlighten the innocent, and to avoid the demons. This principle we shall follow. But in higher devotional life, there is no such distinction. The topmost devotee sees everything in Krishna, and Krishna in everything. Generally, as preachers, we are middle class devotees. So we should not remain as neophyte devotee. Neophyte devotee does not know how to preach. He simply goes to the temple, and offers everything with devotion to the Deity, and he doesn't know anything else. So our devotees of the society should not remain in the neophyte position; neither should they try to imitate the topmost devotee. Best thing is to remain in the via media of middle class position, namely to love God, to make friendship with devotees, and to enlighten the innocent, and to avoid the demons. These differences of body according to Karma are there, but a devotee divides them into the above groups, and so we have to divide them into these different groups and behave differently with each of the groups. It is true that we should not be attached to the differences of material bodies, but practically, in practical field, the behavior should be as stated above.
1969 Correspondence
Letter to Himavati -- Hawaii 23 March, 1969:
Because Lord Siva is Grhastha, so by his past habits if he appeared to have been attracted by sex life, that does not mean he has been degraded from his position. You should never think of any devotee like that. There are many other stories also, but such apparent falling is without any influence to very very advanced devotees. A neophyte should always be careful. One should not discuss about such great devotees' apparent fall-down. Just like one should not discuss about the sun who evaporates urine from the earth; it is possible for the sun to do it, and still remain the sun, but for ordinary man if he lives in a filthy place he will be infected. So Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, they are highly elevated devotees, and we should not try to criticize about their behavior even though it appears against the rules. These things are very nicely explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam in course of discussion between Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Goswami, in the 10th canto.
Letter to Vrndavanesvari -- New Vrindaban 25 May, 1969:
So long as one is under the cover of material designations, he cannot serve Krishna. Therefore, we have to transcend this position by cleansing our hearts from such rubbish concept of life that I am American, I am European, I am Indian, I am this or that. Anyone keeping himself under such impression, but at the same time trying to get into Krishna Consciousness is called neophyte devotee, or prakrta. Lord Caitanya has given us a very nice method of chanting Hare Krishna, and if we execute this without any offense, we can transcend this prakrta platform and come to the spiritual platform of serving Krishna. And unless we serve Krishna there is no possibility of getting His Grace, and without His Grace it is not possible to preach Krishna Consciousness. Therefore, we should more depend to receive His Grace then to depend on mental or intellectual activities.
Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 12 August, 1969:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 4th, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your questions about details for Deity worship, I have already mentioned in a previous letter that I shall teach you these things when I arrive in London. In the meantime there is no necessity for you to increase Deity worshiping. For the time being these new Deities may be put away nicely until I personally install Them and instruct you very nicely how to tend for Them correctly. For the present you may join Sankirtana Party because I know that your presence will enliven everyone. Actually, temple worship is for the neophyte devotee, and the preacher is in a higher position than the neophyte. That is the definition given in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The advanced devotee should be very much enthusiastic in preaching the transcendental message of Lord Caitanya, and temple worship should be entrusted to the newcomers, or neophytes.
Letter to Jayapataka -- London 26 September, 1969:
That is the first class yoga system approved by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. This Pranamoya, Annamoya, etc. are different stages for persons who are too much engrossed in the bodily concept of life. Our philosophy begins from the point where we immediately accept that I am not this body; I am pure spirit soul, servant of God, Krishna. Therefore, these studies are meant for neophyte transcendentalists. But this devotional service is far above such platform. Regarding your last question, generally those who are attracted very much to Lord Caitanya and Goswamis are understood to develop to the conjugal love stage with Lord Krishna. So I am very much pleased, and I congratulate you.
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tittenhurst 28 September, 1969:
Regarding your question about faith in devotees, faith must be there. But we should always take instruction from devotees who are considered to be elevated. A preacher's position is like this: He should have firm faith and love for Krishna. He should make friendship with devotees. He should be very much charitable and kind to the neophytes and he should avoid the company of nondevotees. This program suggests, of course, that a devotee who is not in the neophyte stage can discriminate what is Krishna, what is devotee, what is neophyte and what is nondevotee. Unless one is able to discriminate, he is to be considered to be in the neophyte stage. In the neophyte stage the position is that the neophyte devotee worships the Deity in the temple with great awe and reverence, but he cannot discriminate who is devotee, who is nondevotee and who is neophyte. I think you must be in the second stage and should try to discriminate as above. Any devotee wanting to see you should be welcomed, but your treatment should be according to his position.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- London 13 December, 1969:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 7, 1969 along with the article of Acyutananda. Your decision not to publish this article is correct. To the neophyte devotees we should issue instruction that there are four stages of understanding the Absolute Truth. The first stage is re-establishing our relationship with Krishna. This is the first stage. The second stage is after understanding our relationship, to perform devotional service under proper guidance. The third stage is acquisition of the desired Object. The fourth stage is relishing the nectar of perfectional love. So Radha-Krishna Lila belongs to the fourth stage of understanding, and we are publishing BTG for people in general to re-establish their forgotten relationship with Krishna. So we should always remember this and from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and Isopanisad they should try to write how our relationship is revoked from this stage of forgetfulness.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Professor J. F. Staal -- Los Angeles 30 January, 1970:
I thank you very much for your kind letter dated 23 January, 1970. In the last paragraph of your letter you have mentioned that you are not irritated at the chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra (like some people) but rather you like it. It has given me much satisfaction, and I am sending herewith a copy of our magazine, "Back to Godhead" issue number 28, in which you will find how the students liked this chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra although all of them were neophytes to this cult of chanting. Actually it is very pleasing to the heart and the best means of infusing spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness into the hearts of people in general.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1970:
As I have already said many times that we have to maintain two lines parallel; namely the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam and the path of Pancaratriki. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the path for Paramahamsas, ansd Pancaratra path is for the neophytes. So the Temple worship is necessary for the beginners so that by following the regulative principles such devotees become more and more purified and thus gradually come on the platform to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we shall always keep these principles in view and maintain our centers on this standard.
Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:
Holland is full of cows, so that would be the best place for a European New Vrndavana scheme. But it is not immediately possible. If we get some suitable land opportunity. But we have already got New Vrndavana that is yet to be developed. So that scheme is not yet feasible. In future we shall see to that.
Vidhi marg and raga marg are already explained in the TLC. Neophyte devotees who are trained under rules and regulations is called vidhi marg. When by execution of the vidhi marg one comes to spontaneous service of the Lord that is called raga marg.
Letter to Satsvarupa, Uddhava -- Los Angeles 27 July, 1970:
You are all my children and I love my American boys and girls who are sent to me by my spiritual master and I have accepted them as my disciples. Before coming to your country I took sannyasa in 1959. I was publishing BTG since 1944. After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my other Godbrothers in India. I was not very much interested in these matters because my Guru Maharaja liked very much publication of books than constructing big, big temples and creating some neophyte disciples. As soon as he saw that His neophyte disciples were increasing in number, He immediately decided to leave this world. To accept disciples means to take up the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of life of the disciple.
Letter to Bali-mardana -- Tokyo August 16, 1970:
Our different centers are meant for organizing a group of pure devotees so that neophyte visitors may take examples from them and thus become attached to Krsna consciousness. This formula is active everywhere and I see practically here in Japan where they do not understand the language but still they are taking part like other centers.
1971 Correspondence
Letter to Yugalakisora -- Gorakhpur 15 February, 1971:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your repentant letter dated 28th January, 1971, and I am so much glad that you have again come to our camp after some time being mislead by Maya. You should take severe warning from this incident and not treat the matter as very light. Maya is always peeping for a chance to allure the neophyte devotees from the path of Krsna Consciousness and this potential danger is always there everywhere in the material world. The only solution to the danger of material entanglement and consequent unhappiness is to surrender unconditionally at the Lotus feet of Krsna because only He can give assurance of protection from all sinful reactions. So you are very much fortunate that Krsna has again taken you back into the company of devotees.
Letter to Krsnakanti -- Bombay 30 May, 1971:
So far as your coming here to India, one thing to consider is that temple worship must go on nicely. That cannot suffer and if it is dependent on you, then you shouldn't come. For India, anyone can come; a newly initiated neophyte is all right. Experienced men like yourself are not required. So instead of you, find a newcomer; he can come.
Letter to Vamanadeva -- London 24 August, 1971:
So you are an advanced student. Krishna is giving you intelligence. So use your discretion. But your wife is pregnant, so it is best not to move at the present. Just like this girl Sravaniya Dasi, so many neophytes are coming. So guide them all and help them to become Krishna Conscious devotees. That is the greatest service to humanity. Krishna is very much pleased upon such devotees who try like this.
Letter to Badarinarayana -- Delhi 18 November, 1971:
Regarding your second point, I am pleased to hear that you are concerned for the development of your neophyte godbrothers and godsisters. So just try to help them by giving them Krishna Consciousness and the best way to do this is to set the example by being very enthusiastic to do anything and everything to please Krishna, even we may have to make sacrifice. Follow the regulative principles very strictly, and be ready to tolerate all kind of setbacks and disappointments. The difference between a devotee and a nondevotee is this, just like the bee and the fly: the bee always is attracted by the honey and flies go to the open sores. So the devotee is only attracted by the good qualities in other people and does not see their faults. He is friend to everyone and in this way he finds his life sublime.
1972 Correspondence
Letter to Yajnesvara -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:
I have remarked that in your country when friends met, one friend has one dog beside him, the other friend always bends down to pat the dog first, then he is very much appreciated by the dog's master and the friendly discussions can begin. It is something like that. Your next question was regarding the neophyte devotee who is unable to comprehend even the existence of God, how he shall ever become lover of God? Therefore he has to be engaged in deity worship, and gradually you will have that sense. It is obligatory for the neophyte devotees to be engaged in deity worship.
Letter to Yajnesvara -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:
If one has appreciation for the spiritual master then he must follow the instructions of the spiritual master, and that means he is supposed to worship the deity in a certain way, like that. It is not possible to love the spiritual master without loving God. Your next question was about the free will, whether we have it or not? If one is not intelligent enough for making for making decisions, then all decisions shall be sanctioned by the spiritual master. Neophyte means no independent decisions, no free will, that means surrender. But when he is trained up then automatically he gets his freedom. Just like a small child can only eat such things which are sanctioned by his parents, not by his own discretion. Free will is that when the controller says do this, you can use your free will to do it or not to do it.
Letter to Chaturbhus -- Bombay 21 January, 1972:
I am happy to receive your nice letter of January 10, 1972, and I am pleased to note that you are asking very intelligent questions. That is natural position for the neophyte devotee who is sincerely seeking to understand what is the Absolute Truth. So I am very much engladdened to hear that you are very intelligent boy, like your father, and that your whole family is advancing in Krishna Consciousness. May Krishna give you all blessings.
Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:
So also in Africa you require one such model center. If you remain only traveling parties, that will be nice for distributing many many books, and for having the sankirtana, but for new devotees that will be too much rigorous and they will not be able to adjust to the constant moving and changing about. That will spoil their chance for developing in their Krsna consciousness from neophyte stage. So keep the Nairobi center always very active, nicely decorated, worship the deities just to the highest standard, making sure that all of the students are rising to attend the mangala aratrika, chanting regularly sixteen rounds, reading books—in this way utilize what Krsna has given us there and develop it for the headquarters building for Africa.
Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:
So it will not be the truth to say to people like that, but I have no objection if they give more hearing such thing. Let them say, who will check us? We may tell any damn thing to induce people to give us money on Krsna's behalf, that is not the point. The point is that by saying lies, the less advanced neophyte devotees may become entangled or disturbed in their minds by it. Of course by their collecting more money and giving to Krsna, He will relieve them of all anxiety of telling lies. But not everyone is able to catch the big fish without themselves becoming wet. I am convinced that if you simply glorify Krsna and our books in the best descriptive manner, that anyone and everyone, no matter even atheist or otherwise, they can be convinced to purchase. Of course that is a great art and not everyone can do it, but gradually by practice of preaching in this way, striving to so much present a wonderful picture of our books to the people, gradually you will master the trick how to do it. Being the senior devotee there, you may give the younger students all good instruction and advice how to do this, but not for any reason shall we decrease the book sales and collection monthly over some small lying about Bangladesh or other things.
1973 Correspondence
Letter to Madhukara -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:
There is one verse from Bhagavad-gita: yasman nodvijate loko lokan nodvijate ca yah/harsamarsa-bhayodvegair mukto yah sa ca me priyah, "He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me." (12.15) One mistake of judgment often made by the neophyte devotees is that any time there is some disturbance or some difficulty they are considering that the conditions or the external circumstances under which the difficulty took place are the cause of the difficulty itself. That is not the fact. In this material world there is always some difficulty, no matter in this situation or that situation. Therefore simply by changing my status of occupation or my status of life, that will not help anything. Because the real fact is that if there is any difficulty with others, that is my lack of Krsna consciousness, not theirs. Is this clear? Krsna says that His dearest devotee is one who does not put others into difficulty, in fact, who puts no one other into difficulty.
Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 9 January, 1973:
That means that not all of our men are meant for married life, but because there are so many women we may not leave them unprotected without husband, that will also not serve us well. Therefore it will be the best idea if those who are well-qualified as husbands to keep more than one wife very much satisfied in every respect, if such men can marry more than once. That will free the others to remain brahmacari. But you must consider very carefully the possibility of becoming scandalized in the public for breaking their laws in this way. And in future also the devotees who are neophyte may not understand our policy in this connection, and we gradually could wind up attracting only a class of men who are very eager for unlimited sex life only. These things must be avoided at all cost.
Letter to Lynne Ludwig -- Los Angeles 30 April, 1973:
Of course, I do not know the case, what are the circumstances, but kindly forgive my beloved disciples any unkindness or indiscretions on their part. After all, to give up one's life completely for serving the Lord is not so easy thing. And Maya, or the illusory material energy, she tries especially hard to try to get back and entrap those who have left her service to become Devotees. So sometimes in the neophyte stage of devotional service, in order to withstand the attack of Maya and remain strong under all conditions of temptation, young or inexperienced devotees will adopt an attitude against those things or persons possibly harmful, threatening to their tender devotional creeper. They may even over-indulge in such feelings just to protect themselves, and thus they will appear to some non-devotees, who are perhaps themselves still very enamoured by the material energy of Maya, as being negative or pessimistic.
Letter to Lynne Ludwig -- Los Angeles 30 April, 1973:
"Even if a devotee commits the most abominable actions, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated,". As you will say, "To err is human", so in the neophyte stage we may always expect some discrepancies are there. Kindly see the things in this light and forgive their small mistakes. The big thing is they have given their life, everything to Krishna—that is never a mistake.
Letter to Tejiyas -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 15 August, 1973:
If respectable gentlemen become interested in our Krishna Conscious Movement then our temple in Vrindaban will stand first, because all other temples in Vrindaban gather general mass of people without philosophical understanding. Some 50 years ago some Christian priest went to Vrindaban and inquired from many residents why Krishna enjoyed Rasa dance with other wifes which is against the Vedic principle, but nobody could satisfy him. On this point my Guru Maharaja said that Vrindaban is inhabited by neophyte devotees. So we wish our temple will be able to reply anyone in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, then many modern philosophers and scientists will come to Vrindaban, that will be very much prestigious.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 30 September, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 20th, 1973, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to note your Sankirtana enthusiasm. These Volkswagen buses are very nice. This is real Sankirtana preaching. Regarding Hong Kong, I think the Sankirtana can be organized there also. Please try to organize it. Your reply to the Hindus regarding another Swami speaking in our Krishna Consciousness Temple is nice. We cannot compromise to satisfy others. The neophyte preaching programme is very good, and this should be introduced in all our centers. Regarding the devotees getting sick, they are not accustomed to eating fatty foods. Therefore, I suggest boiled vegetable taking only little ghee and capati without any ghee.
1975 Correspondence
Letter to Mrdapriya -- Philadelphia 12 July, 1975:
However in the neophyte stage it is best to develop firm faith, that just by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra everything else will come, and try to avoid the ten offenses. So please continue to chant 16 rounds daily and follow carefully the four rules and regulations, and Krsna will help you more and more.
Letter to Sri Rameshji Mahalingam -- Vrindaban 31 August, 1975:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. I am very sorry for the incidence which has taken place between you and my devotees. So you may please note it that I am dealing with these foreign students and teaching them to become Krishna devotees, and some of them being neophytes may sometimes commit some offense. There is nothing surprising in this, but their ardent desire to convey the idea of Krishna consciousness is always laudable.
Of course we have to speak the truth but very palatably. These neophyte devotees have not yet learned how to speak the truth palatably, but gradually they are learning. Certainly Hindu culture does not allow illicit sex, eating meat, fish or eggs, taking intoxication, or gambling. If Indians, after going to the foreign countries, learn this behavior, certainly it is not good. The only fault on the part of the devotee is that he could not present the things very politely.
Letter to Jayatirtha, Manjuali -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:
As soon as one thinks that he is greater than his spiritual master that is the greatest offense. Krsna will give one everything, but to these offenders everything is lost. I thank you very much. You know how to dress and how to worship and I am very much pleased. It is a question of heart how to please Krsna. One simply has to agree to be trained up how to do it. You have done very nicely. I am very much pleased. And now you should teach others how to do it. This is very important business, Deity worship. The more the Deity is decorated, the more your heart will be decorated with Krsna consciousness. This is the way for the neophyte devotee how to absorb his mind in Krsna consciousness.
1976 Correspondence
Letter to Ramesvara -- India 25 February, 1976:
Jayatirtha is experienced; he is very good at negotiations. It is nice that he be retained as consultant/negotiator. The others are neophyte; sometimes they are cheated. George Harrison was cheated 20,000 pounds by reality men.
| Page Title: | Neophyte (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 09 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=36 |
| No. of Quotes: | 36 |