If the financier is paying him all cash what is the cause of delay. We have already handed over the amount $5000.00 and if things are still lingered in such a way it becomes really disturbing. I shall be glad to hear from you how things are taking place. In your last letter I was given to understand that while signing the agreement Mr. Taylor was not present. This was something like marriage performances without the bridegroom. In your last letter you informed me that you are going take possession of the house immediately. I hope you are going to do so and I may inform you that the possession must be taken on or before the 26th March 1967 because that is the day of Lord Caitanya's birthday. You shall observe Lord Caitanya's birth day as follows:
Something like... (Letters)
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
It seem that someone on the plane when it came into London had smallpox, so the plane was quarantined until it could be thoroughly fumigated. So they put us up for the night in the "Excelsior" Hotel, which was something like a dream palace, complete with air conditioning, TV, Hi-Fi, swimming pool and everything else. We had a nice meal and slept very nicely. We boarded the plane for the second time the next morning at nine a.m. and took off for Moscow shortly thereafter, and arrived at that bastion of propaganda about three hours later. We had an hour stop there, so we got off the plane just to take a walk. We were met by a "friendly guard" and informed that they would keep our passport until we returned to the plane, and then "guided" down the corridor to the terminal.
1968 Correspondence
I thank you very much for your nice letters of Feb. 8, and Feb. 10. As always, I am so happy to hear about all the nice artwork you and your associates are doing. Regarding your questions: The airplanes in Vaikuntha isn't exactly like the airplanes here, but it is something like the swan while flying, in shape, with a throne on the back, bedecked all over with golden filigree works, and looking very brilliant. It isn't a bird flying, but the shape of the plane is like the swan bird flying.
The demons could assume any gigantic shape they liked. They can play jugglery; they are not ordinary human beings. You must know that a person with whom God had to fight is not an ordinary person. He could play almost equally with the Lord, but nobody can excel the Lord. Therefore, he was killed. To expand and to reduce the body is sometimes performed by a successful yogi.
You have written to say that Buffalo is doing well, but I think Buffalo is doing well because you are doing well. Every place is expansion of Krishna's material energy, and material energy being expansion of Krishna, in one sense there is no difference between Krishna and the material energy. The only defect of material energy is that it is something like the prison department of the government. But it is not that all the persons residing in prison are under prison rules and regulations. Similarly, all conditioned souls who are within this material energy, are supposed to be the prison walls of material nature, but those who are officering on behalf of Krishna, they are not members of the prison rules and regulations. So our members of Krishna Consciousness all over the world who are engaged in preaching Lord Krishna's desire, that everyone should surrender unto Him, so one who has taken up seriously to preach this message in the world, he is considered as doing well.
1969 Correspondence
So I think it best if everyone centers his attention on the Deity in the temple, and in that way the temple worship will pull on nicely. Of course, if the temple is unapproachable, or too far, or something like that, that is different thing, but if the temple is easily accessible then this is the best program—for all to go there and attend arati and kirtana etc.
No, I do not think you should give Jagannatha to small children because they will not take proper care and make offenses. In this country their parents do not give them proper example of worshiping the Deity with all respects. Just like in my childhood, I was seeing my father bowing down and offering respects to the Deity and I did the same on seeing him. But this is not done here, so it is better to take some care in giving Jagannatha out.
Regarding the Beatle hero, certainly you will find him nonsense. Actually they are nonsense, but in the Western part of the world it is a folly to be wise, and ignorance is bliss. This whole material civilization is gross ignorance, and therefore you cannot expect very intelligent persons in this part of the world. Even though one is a great philosopher, writer, or something like that, it does not qualify him to be one of the selected intelligent persons who take to Krishna Consciousness. There is another proverb in Bengali that in the forest a jackal is considered to be a great nobility because he is very cunning. Similarly, in the materialistic way of life everyone is blind, and in spite of thousands of big blind leaders, the followers who are also blind cannot get any tangible benefit. So you have done your duty to give him some impression about Krishna Consciousness. That is all right. We should not waste much of our time with these so-called leaders because they are jackals in the forest. They are not actually leaders. The only leader is Krishna and one who is Krishna Conscious. Others are simply misleaders.
Actually, a living entity does not require to be entangled more and more. Rather he should save his time to finish the Krishna Consciousness business, and thus be liberated in this life. Sex urge is a symptom of every living entity, but in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is advised that it is something like the itching propensity. If one can tolerate this itching, he can save himself from enormous troublesome business resulting from this itching sensation. So an intelligent person rather suffers the pain of itching sensation than accepting the after effects of satisfying the itch. In India, therefore, there are many akanda brahmacaris, and my Guru Maharaja was the best brahmacari. So your decision to remain a brahmacari is very glorious, and if you you stick to the principles of Krishna Consciousness rigidly, you will never be disturbed by any sex urge, and life will be very much simplified, completely being engaged in Krishna Consciousness.
I thank you very much for your appreciation of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. Except for the Krishna Consciousness Movement, any other attempt for spiritual realization, such as drugs, voidness, impersonalism, bodily exercises of Hatha Yoga, etc.—they are all something like unconsciousness under some super-intoxicant. Srila Rupa Goswami has given a very nice example in this connection. He says that a conditioned soul remains in the slumber of unconsciousness just like a patient bitten by a poisonous snake. In India there is a class of snake-charmers and physicians who treat snake-bitten persons with a particular type of jungle herbs. This treatment is to bring the herb near the nostrils of the patient for being smelled, and then the patient comes back to consciousness and finds relief from the snake bite effect.
Yesterday we held Vyasa Puja Ceremony, and it was very nice. I shall take the opportunity now to thank you for the nice booklet you have had printed and for the part in this booklet written by you. After all of the reading was finished, I explained how service and prayers are accepted by Krishna through the medium of the disciplic succession. It is something like electricity: if one is in touch with his Spiritual Master, and his Spiritual Master is in touch with his bona fide Spiritual Master, then in this way an offering is automatically transferred to Krishna. Just as the Mercy of Krishna is coming down through the disciplic succession, so the service of the devotee is offered up to Krishna through the disciplic succession.
1970 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 13, 1970 and your question is very peculiar.
You have admitted that it is something like the tricks of the mind. May I ask you if you are regularly chanting 16 rounds of beads? The tricks of the mind or influence of Maya will infiltrate if we do not follow the regulative principles and regularly chant the prescribed Names without any offense. Perhaps you know that there are 10 (ten) kinds of offenses in chanting the Holy Name. The first offense is not to obey the order of the Spiritual Master, and the second is to minimize the authoritative value of the Scriptures. These things are infiltrating within you as I see from your writings that Vedas or Bhagavatam or Gita seem not so universal.
The living entities within this material world are supposed to be rebellious conditioned souls who disregarded the order of the Supreme Lord, and they lost their spiritual kingdom. It is something like Milton's idea of "Paradise Lost." This material world is created, developed, maintained, produces many by-products, then gradually dwindles, and at last it is dissolved or annihilated. The spirit souls or living beings, are by nature eternal. This condition of life for the living beings are by nature eternal. This condition of life for the living beings, namely to go through repeated births and deaths, is unnatural for him. Therefore the whole Vedic knowledge is devised to regulate the life of the living entities not in the animal form of life, but in the human form of life, so that he can fulfill his material desires, but at the same time he becomes elevated to his original spiritual position.
They are also hankering after something like this for spiritual advancement.
So I have no definite idea, but I give you this hint that in the Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, there is need of spreading this Krsna Consciousness Movement. I hope you will understand the philosophy fully and try to spread it in these countries as far as possible; and Krsna will give you all strength and resources to fulfill your mission.
One who knows what is Om knows that Om is the sound representation of Krsna he immediately remembers Krsna just like we chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. This conception of Om and impersonal conception is different. The impersonalist has no information of Krsna, he thinks of something like the Brahmajyoti effulgence.
Yes Krsna fulfills everyone's desires fully. He can full our desires either materially or spiritually. Material desires to be the supreme enjoyer or god are not natural desires, however. Such desire is maya. Maya means what is not. Our constitutional position is not that of the supreme enjoyer so such desire is unnatural and false. Krsna fulfills the ultimate spiritual desire of everyone also. According to one's constitutional position he enjoys a fully perfect relationship of love with Krsna.
1972 Correspondence
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. Even if he has no love of God, by following the regulative principles and worshiping the deity he will awaken that dormant love, and if you have got some faith in your spiritual master, by engaging in serving your spiritual master you will also come to the point of love of God:
We can understand that Lord Ramacandra was able to make a bridge by causing the big stones to float n the water, so counteracting the law of gravitation is the law of the Supreme. Gravitation is caused by the Supreme Lord, so He is also able to remove that law or do anything and everything at His will. If you know something like swimming, then the law of gravitation will not work, and who knows better than Krishna how to do everything, so Krishna can change anything, therefore we worship Him as the greatest Scientist.
If a man knows swimming he can stay up. So if this much power has a man, what to speak of God. So we see that Ramacandra has the art how to make stones float. It is a question of knowing the art. Art means the display of intellectual energy. Everywhere we can see intelligence in everything, so the Lord knows the art of everything, so He can change anything, we cannot.
Real acting art is to know how to speak. The greatest dramas, even in your western culture, they can be played without any extra equipment. Just like your Shakespeare—sometime I saw they were playing one drama, I think Hamlet or something like that, and only two men were there on the bare stage and everyone was praising. So the art is catching their ears. Now in that spirit go on with your work and try to do something wonderful.
So far your question, how far should the orders of my duly appointed officers like GBC, etc., be obeyed and followed, the answer is that they must always be followed exactly as he says. Have you not heard me on this point? Why these questions are repeated again and again? This individual begging must be stopped.
So you may write to me your grievance—what can I do?—but meanwhile you must follow him exactly whatever he says. If there is complaint, I can make adjustment later. But first of all you must without hesitation obey. It is something like the appealing to the higher court if one is not satisfied by decision of the lower court.
The idea is that they will only agree to join us if we ourselves conduct ourselves intelligently by the preaching approach. The secret will be to engage them as they like to be engaged, that is, supposing I have got some education, I am business student, or I have got some skill or talent, I am typist or musician or something like that, so I will like to utilize these things for Krishna only if I am encouraged in a certain way, very tactfully, and I must not be discouraged by too much forcing me at first to accept everything of shaving the head, rising very early, going for street sankirtana, like that. No, let me come gradually, let me study also Krishna Consciousness and see how it is practical and sublime. Gradually I may get some taste for these other things and agree to do them voluntarily and intelligently. We are not dogma or like army-camp, no.
1973 Correspondence
That will be the proper arrangement. So if you hold the concert in the auditorium and advertise these singers and dancers, that it will be their program, and also that it will be a "Hare Krsna Benefit Show" or something like that, that will be best. Of course, we may also appear and perform kirtana at the opening of the concert, and we will sell our books there, and if there is some opportunity to give also short lecture, that will be nice. But if you do all these other performances of aratrika, a drama, like that, perhaps it will appear like it is our program and not the program of the musicians. If there is confusion, if the public is thinking that we are something show or commercial performers, that will not be proper idea. But if the musicians and dancers want to give one concert and donate the proceeds to us, we shall gladly thank them.
Yes, that is correct, the deities should never be bathed with water or something like that. Always bathe them with the mantra process. Of course the big deities should be bathed daily! Should not the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if He is recommending to us as brahmanas to bathe so many times, should he not also take bath? There is no objection either to applying the jewels to Their bodies with beeswax or to swinging them in the public functions in the temple on Sunday, so long there is very nice jhulan or swing being profusely decorated. Radha and Krsna may be swung in this way, but you may avoid swinging Lord Jagannatha like that.
Hearing and chanting are essential processes for sankirtana. So if someone is hearing us singing on the street, or if he is purchasing one book and if he reads sincerely, these two activities are the same. So if there is any occasion of necessity, if there are not very many men available or if there is prohibition by the municipal authorities, something like that, we may assign everyone for distributing our literatures, there is no loss for that. But it is always better if there are also some devotees chanting loudly on the street. If there is even one man to two men or a small party who are chanting Hare Krishna, that will increase also the book sales. So if there are sufficient men, and if we have got sanction by the authorities, it is always better to have at least a small party chanting along with as many distributers of books as possible.
So far as my health is concerned it is improving a little but at the same time another new symptom is developing. Yesterday all of a sudden I have developed eye trouble. They said it is conjunctivitis or something like that. The left eye is swollen and always weeping and I cannot see properly.
Syamasundara came here and he also wants me to come to London for talking with some important men. I am thinking of going there by the first week of July but wondering what shall I do if some new symptom of my bad health threatens me in so many ways. But on the whole, if I go to London I think it will not be difficult for me to go to New Vrindaban. Sometimes by the 20th of August I could arrive because Janmastami will take place on the 21st. Just now I cannot promise taking consideration of my bad health.
Yes, I am prepared to pay the entire amount for purchase of the land at Juhu. But Mrs. Nair cannot increase the price. If she wants to increase then we will demand she return the 5 lacs rupees, plus interest and damages. So she has already got something like 2 lacs, so as soon as the conveyance is made and taken to the register, we will immediately pay cash, about 12 lacs rupees.
You ask that I arrange to have 9 lacs of rupees ready from America for this purchase, but so far you have already paid 2 lacs, 3 lacs are in the bank—so if we have to raise 9 lacs from outside India then my question is what are you collecting there? Anyway, collect as much as possible and I will fill the balance. Rest assured, that if required, we can even draw the money from the U.S.
1974 Correspondence
I have received your letter sent to Mayapur with a list of questions regarding your painting pictures for my books. The answers are as follows.
1. Kardama Muni should look something like you have pictured Vyasadeva, with beard and top know of hair, not as you have pictured him in your drawing. Generally munis have beards.
2. a) The kinnaras and kimpurasas should look like demigods.
b) Ghosts and hobgoblins look all rights as you have them pictured.
c) There is nothing peculiar looking about Yaksas and Raksasas; they are meat eaters. Just as meat eaters in the ordinary world do not look different. You may show them eating meat, or something like that.
I appreciate your interest in making the Krishna book film but it is not important for now. I therefore think that you could use your talent better if you work with Yadubara. In Hawaii I understand that he is making TV programs. So you can go and help with him. I do not care very much for these filmings because by presenting Krishna in this way it makes it something like fantasy. It is better to have people to read my Krishna books what I have written so that they can understand Krishna fully. I think you can understand this.
I hope in the meantime you will come to your real condition of mind. Your duty is to carry out my orders. There cannot be any question of resignation. If anyone surrenders to Krishna wholeheartedly and engages in His service he cannot say later on I resign. It is not something like material service. Once surrendered, it cannot be withdrawn.
So never mind. Don't be agitated. Any complaint may be put before the GBC meeting. In the meantime go on with your duties. That is my request.
You mention in your letter that you had heard that I said that you and Syamasundara. were engaged in a conspiracy against me and that you felt very bad upon hearing this. Do not feel like that. But in London at the Vyasa Puja ceremony during the offering of flowers you, Syamasundara. and Mukunda left the room. So questioned by a devotee I might have said something like that. But forget it now. Yes, I also maintain a hope for Syamasundara.. Everyone is hoping that Syamasundara. will be able to reestablish himself in Krsna Consciousness again. I do not understand why he is engaged in this business of his if there is not any tangible profit. He says that there is big, big money but still he has not yet paid ISKCON the debt that he has. Therefore what is this business.
1975 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 12, 1975 and have read the Cintamani poetry book. It is indirect, impersonal and useless. Who will read these things? Krishna's name is only mentioned in two poems in the whole book. What is this? There are so many poems written by great acaryas. Why do you try to concoct something like this? It is not in our line. How is that our Kirtanananda Swami is there and he has approved printing this? It is a waste of time, paper, money, ink, and labor. There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this. You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing.
1977 Correspondence
The living entities within this material world are understood to be rebellious conditioned souls who disregarded the order of the Supreme Lord and thus lost their spiritual kingdom. It is something like Milton's idea of Paradise Lost. This material world is created, developed, and maintained; it produces many by-products, then gradually dwindles, and at last it is dissolved or annihilated. The spirit souls or living beings are by nature eternal. This condition of life for the living beings, namely, to go through repeated births and deaths, is unnatural for them. Therefore the entire Vedic knowledge is designed to regulate the life of the living entity, not in the animal form of life, but in the human form of life, so that he can fulfill his material desires but at the same time become elevated to his original spiritual position. This process of evolution from the lowest aquatic life up to the stage of brahminical culture is deliniated in the Vedas. This is called knowledge, and when one is liberated from the material contamination, the same knowledge, further advanced, becomes transcendental knowledge.
| Page Title: | Something like... (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 31 of Oct, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=29 |
| No. of Quotes: | 29 |