Not very difficult (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"not a very difficult" |"not become very difficult" |"not very difficult"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Andrea Temple -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1968:

Recently I have come to Los Angeles where the warmer climate is better for my health than in San Francisco. I am told the Bahama Islands are very warm year round, and I am very interested to come there. If you can find an appropriate storefront, and decorate it nicely for a Temple, with altar, pictures, candles, incense, etc., and begin holding Kirtana there, then I will come there in February to the Bahama Islands, and give lectures there in the Temple. You will be doing very good service to Krishna, and it is not very difficult to do. People will come, you will see. However, if it is not possible to do this, then I will be very happy to meet you when I go to New York in April, and to Montreal afterward.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Montreal 16 June, 1968:

Kitchen should be considered as good as the Lord's room, and nobody should wear shoes in the kitchen, smelling and tasting of foods being prepared for the Lord should never be done, talking within the kitchen should be only what is necessary for preparing the prasadam, or about the Lord, and dirty dishes (those taken from kitchen and eaten from) should not be brought back into the kitchen (but if there is no other place to wash them, then they should be put into sink and washed immediately.), hands should always be washed when preparing prasadam, and in this way, everything shall be prepared very cleanly and pure.)

What is the difficulty of enforcing these rules? They are rules, and they are simple rules, and must be followed. One must be prepared to follow the rules for Krishna. Otherwise where is the proof that he loves Krishna. And they are not very difficult to follow.

Letter to Uddhava -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

The book size of Srimad-Bhagavatam will be exactly as it is, at present, but it may be that the pages may be increased. Because next printing I am thinking three volumes in one. And the papers may be just like Bible paper, thin, and pages will be not less than 1000, and we shall print in one volume; the binding should be very first class, and similarly, part by part, we shall have to print 12 parts, altogether. So if some of our students becomes expert in binding, that will be very nice. I think Devananda, who is in Boston, he has some knowledge in binding. Binding is not very difficult task. Anyone can do it, but I do not know how it will be successfully done. But the cost of binding must not be more than 40 cents.

The Seattle center is going on very nicely, and most probably with our next center will be opened in Florida. I am so much thankful to you for your affection for me, and I pray to Krishna that you may make progress more and more in Krishna Consciousness.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1969:

There is even archeological evidence of Vyasadeva which was recently propounded by one Dr. Cakravarti. I personally saw this in a monthly magazine of Calcutta of the name Mother in which I was giving my articles. If you like, you can inquire from them or such institutes as Caitanya Research Institute, started by my godbrother, Tirtha Maharaja. That is not a very difficult task.

Actually we have nothing to do with compromising with Christians or Buddhists. Our principles should be to preach Krishna Consciousness as it is spoken in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. As we are now collecting some fortunate students in our movement, similarly, it will be possible to collect more students in the future. But it is a fact that the unfortunate persons who stick to the four material misbehaviors, just like illicit sex life, etc. cannot accept these principles of Krishna Consciousness. But still there is chance for them simply by giving aural reception to this transcendental sound of Hare Krishna Mantra.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

The body is described there as Vasamsi, which means dress. So unless one has got originally hands and legs, how the dress, coat and pants and shirt, takes such form? Therefore the spirit soul has original form. When he is in the material energy the dress is evolved materially and when he is in the spiritual energy, the dress is evolved spiritually. This is also not very difficult to understand, as our students before coming to my contact, he was supposed to be materially dressed, attached to sense gratification, and after devoting himself in Krishna Consciousness, he is gradually developing a spiritual dress. That means attached to satisfying the senses of the Supreme.

Your second question, how the impersonalists mistake the difference between the soul and the Supersoul—The mistake is due to their obstinacy. The impersonalists masquerade as Vedantists, but actually they are defying Vedanta.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Hamburg 7 September, 1969:

For so many countless lifetimes the conditioned souls have been giving all of their service and energy to the service of Maya, and I am requesting all of my disciples that for this one lifetime you give all of your energy and service to Krishna. The spiritual force is eternal, so to give simply one lifetime to Krishna is not a very difficult thing. And yet if we are serious in executing the devotional principles, this one lifetime of service to Krishna will absolute and final solution to all the problems of life. Sincere devotional service in even one lifetime is sufficient to make one eligible to return to the Vaikuntha world permanently. Krishna Consciousness has got this power. So stick to this path as you are now doing, and as your sincerity and determination increase more and more, Krishna will surely be pleased to bestow all of His blessings upon you.

Letter to Aniruddha -- London 26 November, 1969:

In our Indian way there is no question of acceptance or rejection. The parents arrange for marriage and whatever boy or girl they select for their son or daughter, that is accepted. Even there is some disagreement at times, that is not taken very seriously. In this way, in mature life they become happy. I want to introduce this system in the Western countries, amongst my disciples at least. Their primary business should be Krishna Consciousness. Other relationships are mundane and therefore not very important. So please try to open a branch in Argentina, and it is not very difficult. Recently Vamanadeva who was in Columbus, now has married and has ventured on my advice to open a center in St. Louis. I have received his report several days ago, and it is very encouraging.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Harer Nama -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1970:

We should not pray to Krishna anything except to ask to engage in His service. If we are engaged in His service then automatically everything will be revealed.

Any foodstuff suspected to contain untouchable ingredients should never be used in the temple. Yogurt can be prepared in the temple, it is not very difficult. Boil the milk at night, put a little yogurt in it, and next morning you will find it full of yogurt. You can ask New Vrindaban, they are practically preparing all these things.

Please let me know how many members are there, what is your source of income, and what is your program of expenditure. I shall be glad to know these things. I would also like to know if the initiated devotees are chanting regularly sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles rigidly. This is very essential.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 March, 1970:

Regarding opening of a branch in Providence, Rhode Island, it is very encouraging. Both Nandakisora and Sri Dhama are nice devotees and I am sure they will be successful in conducting the new center. It is a good news for me. To open a center for us is not very difficult job. Simply the devotees who volunteer their service must be very serious and sincere.

Both Sri Dhama and Nandakisora are good administrators of Prasadam which is our peak medicine for driving away Maya; so I have all blessings for them. Let them chant Hare Krsna and distribute Prasadam, and things will come very quickly.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 1 April, 1970:

It is very encouraging that Sankirtana Party is going twice daily, that should be continued. Other things will be adjusted by the grace of Krsna.

I talked with Gargamuni, you can immediately begin the incense business. It is not very difficult and you can do very nice business in London. From Holland you can get very good scents. Holland is a great center of manufacturing essential oils.

One thing, all other centers print the Acarya's name on the letterhead of their stationary—you should also do that. And every center contributes $15 monthly towards my maintenance fund, so you also try to contribute this monthly. Besides that, in your book list I don't find the name of Srimad-Bhagavatam. You should have all the books in stock always. If you have not got any Srimad-Bhagavatams in stock, just order them from Brahmananda. Also, I have not heard anything from Ksirodakasayi in some time. So let me know how he is doing.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 24 April, 1970:

In that sense, if every living entity is working under His direction, then all the legs and hands which are existing all over his creation are His legs and hands. We are simply instrumental. When the Veda says that He has nothing to do, it means that He has so many hands and legs that personally He has nothing to do. It is not very difficult to understand that a big business man is sitting in his room and thousands of workers are engaged in different activities under his direction. So practically the business man's brain is working, but when we see the business man alone in the room we see that he is not working. So we have to understand God from authoritative sources by spiritual education by being trained under the experienced guidance of a self-realized personality, otherwise how we can understand such vast subject matter delineating about God?

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 6 May, 1970:

So if Krsna is giving us the chance to purchase it, let us take advantage of the opportunity.

But from strategic point of view, as we are expecting to purchase Mr. Snyder's property next year, he may be still tighter. But the advantage of being on the roadside in future will be of great use, there is no doubt of it.

Here in L.A. we are decorating the Temple room very nicely. As I am inviting everyone to come here and see, I think you should also once come here and see the Temple room so that you can erect in New Vrndavana in the same style. It is not very difficult, but it looks very gorgeous.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1970:

Therefore my request is that all of you be determined to maintain this standard which is not very difficult to follow that I have introduced.

I am so glad to learn that you are trying to compose at least 800 pages per month. That will enliven me very much to write more and more books for you. I have received some photographs of London Sankirtana on the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so publish them in BTG.

The copies of the police commissioner's letter are very much encouraging, so this will be documentary evidence for executing our missionary activities. If you quote the actual wordings of the specific laws mentioned in the letter, then it will be helpful to other centers also. Actually we do not want to disturb the law and order of the state, that is not our business, but the Vedic principle to receive contribution from the devotees has to be allowed.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Gorakhpur 16 February, 1971:

My suggestion to you for going to Pakistan was on the following point: if any mission goes to Pakistan from India, they will not allow. But Pakistan is on good friendly terms with the U.S.A. as far as we know from the political situation. Therefore my idea was that an ISKCON mission may go to Pakistan directly from America. I am sure that if a mission from America goes there they will not deny to admit them. It is not very difficult task, but it is difficult also, simultaneously. It is not a difficult task in this way: as we are going in so many countries, you can also go there with the Krsna Consciousness mission. But as they are not very advanced in culture, there is possibility of misunderstanding also. So both yourself and Brahmananda Maharaja may thoroughly consider this point also, before going there. On the whole, I am not insisting you to go there, but if it is possible for you to go there four to five men and preach this Krsna cult there, that will be a great achievement.

Letter to Bill -- London 29 June, 1971:

I am so glad to learn that Hrdayananda Prabhu has joined you in Gainesville and that you have got a nice place also. Now my desire will be fulfilled. I have wanted a center in Florida for a very long time. Two years ago I tried to open a center there with the help of one local gentleman but it was not very successful. So you are intelligent boy; I have heard so from Gargamuni Swami, and now Hrdayananda is there also. So do something wonderful there in Gainesville. Wonderful means simply you chant loudly and distribute prasadam. That is not very difficult. It is very easy. Simply if you do it enthusiastically and sincerely, then success will be there.

So far your questions are concerned: Number one engagement is that you must chant at least 16 rounds Hare Krishna Mantra daily; The four regulative principles are most important and must be observed rigidly in temple life; You should speak according to the sastras and be compassionate to all conditioned souls and try to convince them about the real truth.; The more you increase your Krishna Consciousness, the more these things such as lust, anger and greed, will automatically decrease; You can surrender by doing your best to preach this Krishna Consciousness in Florida.

Letter to Sri Galim -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:

So what is the difficulty? Simply preach very sincerely to anyone and everyone, and go on in this way preaching more and more, and the demand for our books will increase.

So far the impersonalist rascal, you may simply challenge him by asking "what is your philosophy." It is not very difficult to defeat these persons, because they haven't got any substance, simply big words. But we have got our books, Bhagavad-gita—if you engage him in public debate, politely handle his statements with a cool head and reply from the authority of our books, that's all. Krishna will give you all help to expose his lack of knowledge and his faulty understanding.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

I act like a king because no one can defeat me, and similarly, you should take your responsibility very, very seriously as being the representative of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Who is God Himself, and always remember that you are one of the few men I have appointed to carry on my work throughout the world and your mission before you is huge. Therefore, always pray to Krishna to give you strength for accomplishing this mission by doing what I am doing. My first business is to give the devotees the proper knowledge and engage them in devotional service, so that is not very difficult task for you, I have given you everything, so read and speak from the books and so many new lights will come out. We have got so many books, so if we go on preaching from them for the next 1,000 years, there is enough stock. Just like we have spent one day discussing one sloka, so you introduce this system in all of the temples, and very quickly the devotees will make spiritual progress by getting knowledge.

Letter to Sri Joshiji -- Paris 25 July, 1972:

The same thing is there in India also. I therefore suggest that when you return to India next time, that you take sannyasa in your ripe old age without any family responsibility, and let us together do something tangible in India. In 1970 I went to Amritsar, invited by Swami Nirmalananda, and I saw the people of Amritsar are greatly devoted. We were invited by many temples and private persons, and we were made very much welcome, and somebody wanted to give me some land also. Anyway land is not very difficult to gain, but we require some men to work for this great mission. The educated younger sections are required to join this great movement.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 7 September, 1972:

So our movement is Krishna. The Krishna Consciousness Movement is nondifferent from Krishna. If we therefore present the Krishna Consciousness in right earnestness, then certainly all these insignificant glowworms and frogs will have no more importance. Please therefore take it very seriously and do it on the right path which is not very difficult, then certainly we will come out victorious all over the world. I have read all the newspaper cuttings and handbills very attentively, and I very much appreciate the counter presented by us against the vilificaion by the enemies. Sriman Subala das's reply in the paper with reference to the context of sastra are excellently gorgeous. He has given references from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion and Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and it is very nice. So Krishna is within everyone and He becomes revealed in proportion to our sincere service, Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuratyada (Brs. 1.2.234). I am also glad that you have collected 25,000 rupees within three weeks with all great honor and prestige. Thank you very much.

Letter to Karandhara, Tamala Krsna, Giriraja, Bhavananda -- Vrindaban 24 October, 1972:

And why you are giving limit 30 days to find title? You say 30 days after conveyance is signed, so that gives you much more time to find it out. Title can be cleared in time, that is not very difficult business.

You think your position is rather hopeless. But I say that our position is very strong, just the opposite. Why you say hopeless? When Nair accepted two lakhs rupees of ours, the terms of purchase are finished, simply he has delayed to give us the papers. The transaction is finished when he accepts the money, so by tricks he is delaying. So why you are delaying to make case, there is no question of searching out the title. The point is when he accepted the money he accepted the conveyance. So immediately make a criminal case. After the case is decided, he shall be forced to give us the conveyance, and within one year after we shall give him the next installment of two lakhs.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

Without tapasya there is no question of making advancement. So if still the material nature is so much attractive to you that you are unable to sacrifice things in this way, then better you give up the whole thing and do as you like outside. But if you want to call yourself devotee and serve Krsna in that capacity, then you must avoid these four basic principle restrictions under all circumstances, without any exceptions. Of course once, twice, Krsna may excuse, that is not very difficult, but more than that it will become very difficult for Krsna to excuse you and there is great risk that everything will be lost despite all of your time and effort spent.

You have got some desire to become a famous preacher and famous Vaisnava singer and also jagad-guru. This is a spiritual desire, so it is not like any material desire and it is all right to desire for Krsna in this way. but great Vaisnava or famous Vaisnava means that you have no sex desire.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Sudama -- Calcutta 26 January, 1973:

This is the duty of a sannyasi, to travel amongst all of our centres for elevating the standard of devotional service. If by your presence in a centre the devotees become enlivened, that is the sign of successful preaching. It is not very difficult. Just read from my books and try and explain the meaning in your own words. It does not matter that you are not so expert at Sanskrit. You just try to realize the importance of Krsna consciousness and make your life cent per cent engaged in Krsna's service—that is perfection. I can understand from your letters that you are following Krsna's dictation and are trying very sincerely to help me in spreading this great movement of Krsna consciousness, and for this I shall always be grateful to you for dedicating everything to assist me.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 27 July, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 22nd, 1973. You are to be congratulated—you have defeated the rascal scientist Mr. Roger Reville from the Big University. Actually, it is not a very difficult task, they have no definite ideas, everything they put forward is doubtful, even they say—"I think", "perhaps", "it may be", "theoretically speaking", and like that.

Vedic knowledge is definite. Take for example Padma Purāṇa, there it is said there are 8,400,000 species of life: two million trees, one million insects, four hundred thousand humans. Nowhere do we find about so and so many, but exactly the number is given. Or we see the description of Kali yuga, and we are experiencing it. "People of this age will keep big bundles of hair and thus think themselves very beautiful." So this is going on. "For want of bathing the population of this age will appear like Pisacas"—hippies.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 8 August, 1973:

If you have got a copy then you ask Mr. Vakil that the clause No. 5 shall be omitted. You cannot go to Hyderabad unless approved by me, you will understand everything from the enclosed letter. But I am happy to know that the preaching is going on. Above all our preaching must go on. If we do not get that land then we may purchase some other land, that is not a very difficult thing, but preaching is our real business.

If Mrs. Nair's solicitors are serious then we can show bank reference by the 25th August 1973.

Gargamuni told me that he collected 50,000 Rs/. of which the major portion was spent to pay for bills that Madhavananda left unpaid. If this is a fact then it is most dangerous. Let me know. Gargamuni is sending you reports, but have you not received this report?

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Saxena -- Hyderabad 23 April, 1974:

Our principle is to become gradually purified by avoiding the four principles of sinful life, namely 1. no illicit sex, 2. avoidance of all kinds of intoxication, 3. avoidance of all kinds of eating of meat fish or eggs, 4. no gambling. And if one chants Hare Krsna Maha Mantra with a vow of at least 25,000 names daily minimum that will assure him all spiritual advancement. If you have time you can chant 100,000 times daily. I wish that you society's members may take up this vow; it is not very difficult. On that sound background if you read Bhagavad gita As It Is then you'll make rapid progess in spiritual life. In this connection I may quote a verse from Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu by Rupa Goswami

adau sraddha tatha sadhu-sango' tha bhajana kriya

tato nartha nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati

sadhakanam ayam premnah prahur-bhave bhavet kramah

THIS is the process. Thank you for your letter, and I am always at your service.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- Johannesburg 16 October, 1975:

So far Kirtiraja is concerned, preaching is our first business and ordering is routine work. Anyone can learn and manage the ordering department, but preaching requires special qualification. So Kirtiraja, if he is qualified for preaching he can be replaced for routine work of order execution.

I hope that this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Concerning Prices of books to Nairobi, if it is not very difficult for you, you can accept this. Our main purpose is to distribute books not making extraordinary profit. I think India and Africa, both are poor countries; so it is up to you.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dina Dayala -- Nellore 6 January, 1976:

Yes, your idea to teach English by having the students read KRSNA book is very good. When you were in Mayapur you saw Bhavananda Maharaja doing this and it was very successful. Simply repeat this. Have them also chant the Hare Krishna mantra and as far as you can arrange, feed them nice Krishna prasadam. That is our entire process. I started this movement just in this way. It is not very difficult. The important thing is that you behave nicely, chant all your rounds and follow strictly the regulative principles. Example is better than precept. These spiritual practices are our actual strength.

Letter to Punjabi Premanand -- Bombay 16 April, 1976:

If you are very eager, please get hold of at least half a dozen young men like you then with another half dozen foreign disciples, I can immediately take up this program and tour village to village and town to town. It will be very, very effective, I know that.

To think of Krishna 24 hours a day, if you are serious this can be done. It is not very difficult. Your associates are harassing you for your interest in spiritual culture, yes, that is due to India's great misfortune. They're impressed with so-called politicians and scholars of the modern age. The example is given in this connection that when a man is ghostly haunted, he speaks all nonsense. At the present moment they're all ghostly haunted and in this delirious condition the only cure is chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Letter to Jayadharma -- Hyderabad 20 August, 1976:

You may hold a fire yajna and at that time the names of the initiates as well as their beads chanted on by Gurukrpa Maharaja may be given. Make sure that they are well aware of the four rules and regulations and that they are fixed in chanting the prescribed number of 16 rounds daily on the beads. Without these two principles no one can make advancement on the path of regulated bhakti. Teach them the science of the Bhagavad gita and train them to be first class representatives of Krsna. It is not very difficult, simply one has to hear from the perfect authority who is in disciplic succession from Krsna Himself, and then repeat the same message without any change. If one does this then he is qualified to become guru.