Pregnant (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"pregnancies" |"pregnancy" |"pregnant"

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Himavati -- Delhi 23 September, 1967:

Please try to be steadfast in your time of pregnancy and Krishna will be pleased. Yours will be the first baby born into a KC family in America, so we must be very careful for him while he is in the womb. In SB the environment of a child in the womb is described by Narada Muni as a very awful place and after nine months when the child has developed its body and consciousness to some degree the entrapped soul begs to Lord Krishna to set me free and promises that in this life he will be a devotee. At that time the baby is allowed to be born but, unfortunately during the Kali yuga as soon as the child is come out of the womb he is in 90% of the cases he is not given any facility to further its KC. However in your case Krishna has shown this soul great mercy. The Bhagavat also says that no one should become the parent unless he can deliver the child from the clutches of death. So it is your duty to make this baby KC so that he may not have to take birth again. My advice for the present is that during your time of pregnancy you should eat very simple foods, hot or spicy foods are not to be taken and also sexual relations are forbidden.

Letter to Himavati -- Navadvipa 2 November, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26 Oct. and I may advise you that in your pregnant condition you may not take any pungent foodstuffs. Your husband knows how to prepare nice capatis and you can take them nicely buttered. Don't be mortified with Kirtanananda's behavior. The present feature of Kirtanananda and Hayagriva are temporary manifestation of maya. They will be corrected as soon as I return. You have rightly said that he and Hayagriva came like two children and took their things from the temple. Don't you think that all this is childish activities? If Kirtanananda donated the candle holders and clothes to the Temple of Krishna how could he take them back for his own purpose. If they think impersonally that Krishna is present everywhere, how could they think of Krishna not being present in the New York Temple. So all their activities are befitting children; so as children commit mistakes and again reforms similarly they will be reformed in due course. After their malady of impersonalism is over. You can go on with you regular classes, chanting Hare Krishna sincerely, without taking seriously into account the childish activities of Kirtanananda and his friend. Leave the __ to Krishna. Hope you are well.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Balai -- Montreal 4 July, 1968:

Yes, this is very nice sentiments. All parents should think like that. Maharaja Prahlada, Dhruva Maharaja, they are ideal child devotees and everyone's children should be trained in the ideal of such great personalities.

Yes, during pregnancy you should live very carefully.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 20 September, 1968:

So the householder is allowed to have sex life once in a month, just after the menstrual period. The menstrual period prolongs at least for 5 days, so after this 5 days, one can have sex life provided he desires to get a child. And as soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life, until the child is born and is grown up at least for 6 months. After that, one may have sex life on the same principle. If one does not want more than one or two children, he should voluntarily stop sex life. But one should not strictly use any contraceptive method and at the same time indulge in sex life. That is very much sinful. If the husband and wife can voluntarily restrain by powerful advancement of Krishna Consciousness. That is the best method. It is not necessary that because one has got wife, therefore you must have sex life. The whole scheme is to avoid sex life as far as possible. And if one can avoid it completely then it is a great victory for him. Married life is a sort of license for sex life on condition of raising children. So you should try to understand these principles of married life and use your discretion. You should not imitate great personalities like Bhaktivinode Thakura, but you must follow His footprints. But it is not always possible to have the same success as great personalities like Bhaktivinode Thakura achieved. So in all circumstances you should try to follow the footprints of authorities but never to imitate them. Unless Jadurani develops a better health and strength, I do not advise her to become pregnant. I think you will understand the instruction as I have given and try to follow it as far as possible.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 25 December, 1968:

1. Pregnant Devaki is sitting in a palace room and some glaring effulgence is coming out of her body. Almost near the ceiling of the room, the demigods are surrounding her and praying for the Appearance of Lord Krishna. Some of the demigods are throwing flowers upon her.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 29 December, 1968:

I think that because Jadurani is not quite healthy at the present there is no need of overburdening with pregnancy. In her weakness, the child will be a burden for you and her. Also a child born in weak health is always unhealthy. So it is better you wait until the situation improves.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1969:

1. Pregnant Devaki is sitting in a palace room and some glaring effulgence is coming out of her body. Almost near the ceiling of the room, the demigods are surrounding her and praying for the Appearance of Lord Krishna. Some of the demigods are throwing flowers upon her.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 9 February, 1969:

I have received one nice letter from Ivan Levine, and I would like to know your opinion whether or not he should take initiation without his wife doing the same. I have no objection to initiate him alone, but will he be able to thereby follow the rules and regulations? If you recommend it, I shall initiate him. Of course, the best thing will be to initiate husband and wife together. If the wife is interested, why does she not agree to be initiated with her husband? What is the difficulty. On hearing from you in this matter, I will do the needful. Also, I understand that Mrs. Levine has not been feeling well due to her pregnancy. Please convey my request to her that she rest as much as possible and not too much exert her energies in any way. Upon hearing from you, I will inform Mr. Levine as to what is to be done.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I understand you are now expecting a nice child for raising in Krishna Consciousness. In this connection, you should avoid any spicy foods so long the child is within the womb. So far this soy sauce, I have no personal experience with it. I understand soy beans are nice, but I do not know about this soy sauce. So far natural childbirth is concerned natural delivery is possible if we keep ourselves naturally. And so far I know that a pregnant woman should not eat any pungent food stuffs, she should not move in cars, and she should not sit idly. She should move and do some physical work. These are the general rules and regulations I have seen in India, and they have natural delivery. But so far your country is concerned, and especially the situation of the women here, that is a different thing. I cannot say definitely what is to be done. And under the circumstances, the best thing is to consult a doctor as they usually do. And after all, Krishna is the ultimate master, so if we keep the natural habits and depend on Krishna, then everything will be done nicely without any difficulty.

Letter to Isanadas -- Allston, Mass 30 April, 1969:

Regarding Vibhavati's plan of natural childbirth, this is very good. Since your wife is pregnant, let her be engaged with some little work, That will help her natural childbirth. I have read your suggestions for improving Back To Godhead and they are very good. You are acquainted with Rayarama, so please write your suggestions to him. But I like these ideas you have suggested.

Letter to Vibhavati -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:

Regarding your questions about sex life, the basic principle is that in executing Krishna Consciousness sex life should be avoided as far as possible, and it may be utilized only for begetting Krishna Consciousness children. This is the basic principle that should be followed as far as possible by all married individuals. During the period of pregnancy sex life should be strictly avoided. The basic idea of raising children as they are described in the Vedic literature is that from birth till the age of five years the parents may be very lenient with the child. From the ages six to ten they should tighten the discipline of their child, and from the ages of ten till the sixteenth year the parents should be as strict as a tiger with their child so that he will be afraid to be disobedient at all. Then after the sixteenth year the parents shall treat their child as a friend, and the child is allowed to gradually develop his adult responsibility and independence.

Letter to Paramananda -- Los Angeles 29 July, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Friday July 25, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Now that Satyabhama Dasi is becoming advanced in her pregnancy, all care must be taken for her. I think it is a good idea that she may go to New York, especially because she can receive free aid from your doctor friend. And if you feel that your presence there will be helpful, then I advise you to go with your wife to New York. Regarding someone to go there to take charge of the children in Satyabhama's absence, I will write to Lilavati in Boston to see if she is able to fill this position for that time. If not, we will have to make other arrangements.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tittenhurst House, England 31 October, 1969:

The crude example is that when a man is physically very strong, and if he has sex intercourse with a woman, she is sure to become pregnant. When pregnancy fails, it is due to the weakness of the male partner generally. Similarly, if we are full with Krishna vitality, then wherever we go the audience will be impregnated with Krishna Consciousness. Now some of our leading boys, like you, Brahmananda, Tamala, etc. you should be very careful to train your other junior Godbrothers to the right type of preacher, keeping full faith in Krishna and the Spiritual Master, and executing the routine works of chanting and following the regulations. That will make you all great preachers, and wherever you go you will come out victorious.

1970 Correspondence

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

If you have got extra time, I encourage you to learn Sanskrit along with your husband. So far your movement is concerned, in pregnancy, you should strictly not ride on cars or any conveyance until your delivery, neither should you dance also.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Bigelow -- Allahabad 20 January, 1971:

So far as heart transplant is concerned, there is no question of success unless the soul is there in the heart. So it has to be accepted. Just like in sexual intercourse, if there is no soul there is no conception, no pregnancy. Contraception means to make the womb deteriorated so that it no longer is a good place for the soul. That is against the order of God. By the order of God a soul is sent to a particular womb and by this contraceptive, he is denied that womb and has to be placed in another. That is disobedience of the Supreme. Just as a man who is supposed to live in a particular apartment. If the situation there is so disturbed that he cannot enter the apartment then he is put at a great disadvantage. That is illegal interference and is punishable.

Letter to Karandhara -- London 5 August, 1971:

Forget taking sannyasa order for the time being. Unless your child is born, there is no question of taking sannyasa. We shall consider the matter further when your child is born. So now you should take care of your wife. The woman should be cared for, especially during pregnancy. At the time of the marriage ceremony there is a promise that the husband will care for the wife throughout her life and the woman will serve the husband throughout his life. When the child is grown up then the husband can take sannyasa. Of course Lord Caitanya took sannyasa at 24 years, but that is a special case. I think that now you're doing more than sannyasa.

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.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Visvambhara -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972:

(1) So far your question about the Gopis, in the beginning there is no such question. In the beginning we have to follow the principles of devotional service rigidly, like chanting 16 rounds, regularly following the instructions of the Spiritual Master, which includes study, temple worship, sankirtana, like that. And the more one become perfect at following these principles, the more his relationship with Krishna becomes manifest. Following in the footsteps of Gopis comes in the perfectional stage. First you come to the perfectional stage, then you talk of Gopis. Going to girls and making them pregnant, then talking of Gopis, that is going on, that is nonsense. Without coming to the perfectional stage, if anyone tries to understand the Gopis he becomes a sahajiya. Gopis are not ordinary women, they are all expansions of Krishna's pleasure potency. So when we understand Krishna, then we shall understand Gopis. We can simply follow foot prints of Gopi how they loved Krsna.

Letter to Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 30th, 1972, wherein I am so shocked to hear from you that you have left your good wife for some time to have sex-life with another girl, who is also a devotee, and that she is now pregnant with your child. That is most disturbing to me. But I know that all big leaders are falling victim to sex-life. So let her live in New York and you live in Paris with your wife, what can be done? But you should not ever see or correspond in any way with her again. That will be the worst example. If you are leader, how you can do these things? If someone will have her, she may get herself married and be happy in Krsna consciousness—I do not want that she shall go away from shame. But you must have nothing more to do with her. Just like (another devotee) has done. He was like the sifter, full of holes, and he was finding fault only in others: Oh, just see that needle, he has got a hole. Now he has made one girl pregnant and they were found out, so he has left me as my personal servant. That is the common practice: full of holes, yet they are accusing others, "Oh! He has got one hole!

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Bali Mardan -- Bombay 14 October, 1973:

It is a good suggestion by your father-in-law that your wife not know sadness during pregnancy. She should not be shocked in any circumstance and eat mild foodstuff so as not to cause any irritation.

Now as I have been delayed in Bombay I wish to get leisure from this business by the 25th(?) instant. Then I shall go to Vrindaban and Delhi, and stay until the 18th November, then go from there to Nairobi. Brahmananda is there and we shall go with him for the installation ceremony and remain there until the end of Nov. Then I go to south Africa until Dec. 10, then Sydney, and remain say up to 15th Dec., then Hong Kong, and if your Japanese program is fixed I can go there or I can go to Hawaii on my way to L.A. by Dec. 20th.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Taittiriya -- Mayapur 3 March, 1974:

I was expecting you also in Mayapur along with your husband, but I think you have done rightly by not coming here in your pregnancy. I thank you for your kindly sending me some sugar and one hundred dollar bill.

Letter to Gopijanavallabha -- Bombay 12 December, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 27, 1974 and have also seen your letter addressed to Brahmananda Swami dated November 21, 1974. I never said that what Taitiriya was doing should be overlooked because of getting the buildings. Anyway where are the buildings? Bali Mardan says he will know who she is in the next 8 weeks, so just see he has made her pregnant twice, thrice, and he does not know who she is?

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Ed Gilbert -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1975:

Women claim to be equal, so that now they are thinking that they do not want to become pregnant, so they are killing their own child. What kind of equality is this that it creates another's suffering? As soon as the body is different how can there be equality? We see that woman cannot work so hard as a man, and women can do work that a man cannot do, so where is there equality?