There is no harm (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"there is no harm"

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Rayarama, Gargamuni, Rupanuga, Donald -- San Francisco 28 March, 1967:

English translation of Caitanya-caritamrta by Nogan Roy have been seen by me. There is no commentary and therefore it can be read. but I do not know who is this Sanjib Choudhuri. Anyway there is no harm reading simply the translation.

Letter to Rayarama, Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 30 March, 1967:

English translation of Caitanya Caritamrta by Nogen Roy have been seen by me. There is no commentary and therefore it can be read. But I do not know who is this Sanjib Choudhuri. Any way there is no harm reading simply the translation.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 18 November, 1967:

Replying your letter of Nov. 9, I beg to inform you that Kirtanananda and Hayagriva's recent standing is being directly dealt by me; at least Hayagriva is not as fanatic as Kirtanananda. His latest letter reveals that he is not out of Krishna Consciousness as we understand. The whole episode was generated by personal grudge. This personal grudge is not inhuman and as I have told many times, that individualism is the cause of personal misunderstanding. When such individualism is employed in the center of Krishna there is no harm even if there is personal misunderstanding. Personal misunderstanding exists even in the higher levels. There is competition of loving Krishna even in the party of Srimati Radharani. It is a kind of rasa to compete in loving affection centering around Krishna.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

Regarding my Deity worship: I can understand that the regulative principles are taking much of your time, but you can minimize according to your convenience. There is no harm. But I am so glad to learn that this engagement makes one developing the Brahminical qualities.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

In fact, unless our Brahmacaris are very adamant remaining as Brahmacari, I shall recommend everyone to marry. Because these girls generally come to our society to find out a suitable husband, so there is no harm to live as husband and wife, as Mukunda, Gurudasa, and Syamasundara., they are living very nicely.

Letter to Syama -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:

Regarding your questions, you want to offer something in the evening to Krishna besides fruit and milk, so there is no harm. Because Krishna can eat as many times as you give Him to eat, because He is unlimited. He can eat unlimitedly, provided we can supply foodstuff unlimitedly. But that is not possible for us. Therefore, we limit the supply. But anyway, if you can increase the offerings it is very nice. But one thing is that whatever you make routine work to offer Him food stuff, that should be continued. Do not change it. So if you can continue to offer foodstuff like fruits and milk in the evening, you can introduce that system. There is no harm.

Letter to Harer Nama -- Los Angeles 1 December, 1968:

You have asked me about sassafras and yes, it may be offered. Mushrooms are generally not offered, but there is no prohibition, there is no harm in them.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1968:

So far as the lady psychiatrist making tests with our children, you should know that our children are fireproof and waterproof due to Krishna Consciousness so there is no harm for them. Let them test if they wish, we shall come out successful.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1968:

Concerning the house, if it is possible to rent it with an option to purchase that will be very nice. My Guru Maharaja instructed us, especially to me, that it is better to remain in a rented house than to purchase our own place, but actually He had constructed many temples during His lifetime. The idea is that if things can be done without any extra endeavor, that is all right. If purchasing a house becomes cause of our extra anxiety, we should avoid it. But if by the grace of Krishna it can be easily done, there is no harm of having our own house.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Allston, Mass 26 April, 1969:

There are many churches everywhere like that, and if some of the proprietors are convinced, we can utilize such churches for this Krishna Consciousness movement for the general welfare of the mass of people. Why not approach the proprietors of such churches? I know it is very difficult, but there is no harm if we approach.

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

There is a proverb in Bengali sabure mawaphale. This means that all valuable nuts like almonds, macadamias, walnuts, coconuts, etc. all take a long time to fructify. Anything valuable takes a little time to come into existence. Therefore there is no harm in waiting for the best thing. But everything is well that ends well: That should be the principle.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy. Every individual being must have his opinion; that is the significance of individuality, but all such differences of opinions must coincide in Krishna.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

As in the material world sometimes failure is considered as a pillar of success, similarly in the spiritual order also the same principle can be applied. So don't be disappointed. Maybe Krishna's desire is something higher in this connection. If the Rathayatra has not been performed, you can postpone it to be performed on the Janmastami Festival. There is no harm if you postpone the function to a later date, and the public will appreciate it. You consult amongst yourselves without being discouraged and patiently work for its being performed one month later. There is no harm.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- England 30 September, 1969:

Regarding responsive chanting, that is the preferred method, but if you think it will be better to chant nonresponsively at certain times, there is no harm. If you think that people will chant more if you do it non-responsively, then do it that way. It is the chanting that is required.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970:

Another thing, If Jayananda has got even a little desire for marrying there is no harm in that way but if he wants to marry, he may do so immediately and that girl Sacidevi is quite suitable. I know if Jayananda becomes married, he will not be a lost child; rather, a good wife in Krishna consciousness will be an extra impetus for his improvement.

Letter to Lalita Kumar -- Los Angeles 2 February, 1970:

We do not want any false pretenders in numbers, but we want a single sincere soul. There is no harm in accepting a wife and living without any disturbance of the mind and thus sincerely advancing in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 27 February, 1970:

There is no harm if the devotees chant in the temple during the time when the Deities are resting. You may have heard that here at L.A. Temple, they are holding Kirtana and chanting 24 hours in the temple, and the program is very encouraging to all the devotees.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 27 May, 1970:

You can sing individually the names of the Gopis, there is no harm, but when we sing the prayer "Sri radha krsna padan sahaguna lalita sri visakhan vitams ca" this includes them all.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 2 June, 1970:

I thank you very much that the work with Dai Nippon is going nicely. Gargamuni said that they want to increase price for printing the pictures one side. There is no need of such arrangements, there is no harm to do it as you have got it in TLC. I have received the blueprint from Uddhava and I have already corrected 180 pages and sent it to Boston, and the balance will be sent tomorrow.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1970:

The devotees who are trying to join our movement may be called by some Vedic name, but ultimately change of name will take place after first initiation. In the meantime there is no harm in calling them by some suitable good names.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Calcutta 19 May, 1971:

When Arjuna left his family connections, he went to the Himalayas. The picture may be shown of Arjuna going step by step to the Himalayas; Yes, occasionally devotees may be pictured with full head of hair instead of sikha. You should use your own discretion; the garb can be Vedic or "American." There is no harm. Dress has nothing to do with the soul;

Letter to Saradia -- Nairobi 25 September, 1971:

Krishna has blessed you with a very nice child, Ananga dasi, and I am very much pleased to note how she has got some affection for Lord Jagannatha. That is very nice. And actually there is no harm in her playing with Jagannatha but how the Deity will be kept from being mishandled or kept in a dirty place or even thrown away at the whim of the child? You cannot always check her. Therefore to such a small child the Deity of Lord Jagannatha should not be given.

Letter to Sri Galim -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

To answer your last point, one who teaches can be treated as Spiritual Master. It is not that after we become initiated we become perfect. No. It requires teaching. So if we take instruction from them, all senior godbrothers may be treated as guru, there is no harm. Actually, you have only one Spiritual Master, who initiates you, just as you have only one father. But every Vaisnava should be treated as prabhu, master, higher than me, and in this sense, if I learn from him, he may be regarded as guru.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Aniruddha -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:

The children should be trained in early rising, attending mangal arati, some elementary education: arithmetic, alphabet, some of our books, like that. They should go to bed by 8 p.m. and rise by 4 a.m. for mangal arati, getting 8 hours sleep. If they take 8 hours sleep, they will not fall asleep during arati. When they get up they should wash with a little warm water, at least three times wash face. They may sleep one hour in the afternoon and there is no harm. Encourage them to chant as much japa as possible, but there is no question of force or punishment. If there is need you may shake your finger at them but never physical punishment is allowed.

Letter to Saradia -- Bombay 5 February, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 26, 1972, and I am very upset to learn the news of that incident in Trinidad. Yes, you are right to stay away from such a place, and there is no harm if husband and wife live separately for some time.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Auckland 14 April, 1972:

One thing, I have received on complaint from Damodara Maharaja that there was some quarrel with Acyutananda Maharaja. I do not know what is the fact, but we should avoid any quarrel with our godbrothers, and always be very nice and kind to them, and cooperate with them. Because Damodara Maharaja is offended, so Acyutananda Maharaja should go to Damodara and beg his forgiveness, and bow and touch his feet. There is no harm in such behavior of begging forgiveness.

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

If Tusta Krsna is so much anxious to acquire a press for New Zealand, there is no harm. I have written to him to use his better judgement in the matter.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 24 October, 1972:

But so far recommendation of the Indian government is concerned, they will not help us, that is to be expected. They are the most corrupt of all, simply levying taxes, living nicely at the public expense, plotting how to get votes, and if anyone approaches "please help us spread God-consciousness" they say "No" and make some excuse, that's all. Never mind, we do not rely upon Indian government or any government, we shall take our strength from Lord Caitanya and He has said that His Name shall be heard in every town and village, and He is God and we are doing His business, so what some government officials can do? But because we want to engage everyone in the service of Lord Caitanya, therefore we approach these rascals, just to engage them. So you may continue in this way to canvass government leaders, the Indian Tourist __ Kenneth Keating, and anyone and everyone to help us, there is no harm.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Vrindaban 27 October, 1972:

Regarding the cook-book, that is a nice proposal to divide into two parts. There is no harm if devotees have invented recipes, so long they are strictly vegetarian, no garlic, no onions, like that.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

Your wife may also assist you in your important activities of spreading Krsna consciousness. She is a very nice painter and artist, and she is very sincere and serious also, so you may together utilize your spot-life as preachers of Krsna consciousness, that will be the better occupation. There is no harm for having children, that is no impediment for preaching endeavor. But too much attachment for children, home and work will spoil your opportunity to get very quickly the mature benefit of Krsna consciousness or self-realization.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

The highest development of Krsna consciousness understanding will be when you are able to give anyone the truth but in such a manner that they will respond in a positive way. If people like to contribute by hearing such things, there is no harm, that is just to induce him to purchase.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Dhruvananda -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

I do not know when I have said to anyone that Krsna should not wear anything black color, nor I know where I have given any permission to wear black color, but there is no harm if sometimes Krsna dresses something black. Sometimes in Vrndavana they dress Him in black.

Letter to Dinatarini -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Dallas School dated December 26, 1972, along with examples of the children's classwork. Thank you very much for allowing me to see the nice progress being made by our future preachers. I think everything is going on there nicely, and the children are learning in the proper line. So far geography and history are concerned, you may teach geography as it is, there is no harm to getting knowledge about our material earth planet, even up to learning all of the countries and places, names, landscape, production, natural resources, climates, oceans, deserts, everything should be there. Krsna Consciousness devotees shall not be known as fools. All of you nice boys and girls have had that kind of education, and you are preaching now Krsna consciousness in its pure form, so there is no hindrance for learning such things, just as you have also learned them as child. So teach them in this way, exactly as you have also been taught geography, history and other things. So far history is concerned, we shall not teach the history as Darwin has given, but there is no harm to learn what is the history of your country, just like Washington was the first president, and after him came so-and-so, like that. If the modern historians have altered the story of history to fit their own view of things, that can be avoided, anything like opinion and speculation, but the bare facts as much as we know them may be learned by the young children, there is no harm.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Los Angeles 25 April, 1973:

Your paper also I like very much. It is very nicely done. But, as we have the Back to Godhead paper,* if the men can be used elsewhere in pushing on this movement there is no harm. I want that all you boys use your American intelligence cooperatively in spreading this Sankirtana movement.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- U.K. 7 August, 1973:

Regarding selling books in Karmic clothes; yes, it may be done, there is no harm. This book distribution and Ratha Yatra Festivals should go on all over the world. I want to introduce this Ratha Yatra Festival programme all over the world.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Ranchor -- Vrindaban 15 March, 1974:

As for supporting your preaching financially, if you are a preacher you can take a donation from the audience. When I was in the U.S.A. I was taking collection and the people were paying. Don't demand but you can ask and there is no harm.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Bombay 13 April, 1974:

Regarding Srinivasa Svarupa it is very pleasing to hear that this Indian boy wants to surrender his whole life to Krsna. There is no harm if he finishes college and gets his degree. If possible, he can live in the temple and attend the university daily.

Letter to Satadari -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1974:

Any senior devotee can be an instructor in spiritual subject matters. If you like to take instruction from Madhukanta, there is no harm.

Letter to Satyabhama, Paramananda -- New Vrindaban 20 July, 1974:

You have written that the devotees here say that you cannot know me, but only Kirtanananda Maharaja can know me. But, if Kirtanananda is a disciple and he can know me, and you are also a disciple, why you cannot know me? I have no objection to your taking Kirtanananda's instruction. There is no harm in going through Kirtanananda.

Letter to Pariksit -- Mayapur 9 October, 1974:

The answers to your questions are as follows:

1. Regarding Krsna das Kaviraja, there is no such information, but as far as possible, he was brahmacari.

2. Lord Nityananda and the associates appeared in the room.

3. The stick held by Lord Nityananda is like your sketch.

4. The bodily hues of the devotees of Lord Nityananda, why green? But, it can be done, there is no harm.

Letter to Frederico Lourenco -- Mayapur 14 October, 1974:

Your drawing attempt is very nice. Thank you. Where did you get the om? Om is not required. Krishna is sufficient, but there is no harm.

Letter to Giriraja -- Mayapur 19 October, 1974:

Regarding the road, if by sacrificing the wide road we have gotten the sanction of constructing according to the layout plan, then there is no harm.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Cyavana -- Los Angeles 23 July, 1975:

Now I have received one letter from Bhakti Mati and she has some complaint. She also says there was some physical attack against Navayogendra. This is not good. So I think they can open a separate temple in Mombassa for the Asian community. The Africans and the Asians will not like to mix. So there is no harm in opening separate temples. Both will preach Krishna consciousness and the kirtanas will go on. So do like that.

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Vrndavana 21 September, 1975:

Regarding the corrections you have sent, this kind of changes is admissible. There is no harm.

Letter to Alanatha -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:

It is your responsibility as the president of the temple to see that these devotees strictly follow the rules and regulations such as chanting 16 rounds minimum on the beads. 16 is the minimum; one can chant more. There is no harm, but one at least must chant the fixed number of rounds.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Bombay 9 January, 1976:

Sometimes devotees are promised a plate of maha-prasadam for the biggest distributer. There is no harm. Actually one should try to serve Krishna to his or her full capacity without thought of reward—service is itself the reward.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Mayapur 26 January, 1976:

Regarding supplying the Radha Damodara TSKP books at discount, there is no harm. The BBT should charge them the printing cost only and the balance they will send to India.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Mayapur 29 January, 1976:

If you cannot come to India there is no harm. Ordinarily, if you leave, your application will be closed. Better not to take any chances.

Letter to RamaKrishnaji -- Honolulu 14 May, 1976:

It is the duty of the Indian Leaders to note this degradation. There is no harm to become materially advanced, but if simply for material advancement we forget our spiritual basis, it will be a great loss. Therefore, I am also very eager to revive India's spiritual culture with the help of the Gita Foundation.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Valencay, France 7 August, 1976:

For example, we see that two lawyers in the courtroom may fight vigorously about a law point, but upon returning to the law library, they talk and embrace like friends. So you should always remember that we have no ill feelings towards Vallabha Bhattacarya. We have full respect for him, so there is no harm if these facts are discussed in the society of devotees. Devotees always humbly offer respect to everyone, but when there is a discussion on a point of sastra, they do not observe the usual etiquette, satyam bruyat priyam bruyat. They speak only the satyam, although it may not necessarily be priyam.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Krishna Balaram Mandir October 22, 1976:

Yes, there is no harm if you have to do some research. Krsna will supply the materials. You may write slowly, but give something full of meaning and instruction for the misguided people of this age.

Letter to Adi-kesava -- Bombay 26 December, 1976:

Regarding the use of Ostrich feathers, we don't find such things mentioned in the sastras, only peacock feathers. But, there is no harm. It is for dressing the Deity.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Aksayananda -- Bombay 25 March, 1977:

It is alright that the road is called "Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg", there is no harm. But in your letter you have mentioned that in the letterhead it will be called "Bhaktivedanta Marg". Why you are leaving out the name "Swami"? Please do not commit this nonsense mistake.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Bombay 29 April, 1977:

There is no harm if the land in Mauritius is jointly in the name of ISKCON and the Gita society.