a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1968 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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22 Oct 2004 Tuesday, October 22, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Kirtanananda, Please accept my blessings. While I am packing my goods for going to Montreal I have received your letter of Oct. 18, 1968. Yes, when Krishna has given us New Vrindaban, it must develop rest assured. You have got very good engagement by the Grace of Krishna, do it nicely and your life will be glorious and successful. So also Hayagriva's. When you go to Columbus take Radha Krishna with you and teach Hayagriva also how to worship the Deities. If required, ask Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda to send you another pair of Deity for Hayagriva. Radhakrishna shall be your life companion and thus you will be always secure from the attack of Maya. So also Hayagriva. The present mode of worship is quite alright, don't worry. You have seen in Vrindaban so do follow as much as possible. Decorate the Deity as nicely as possible with nice flowers and dress. You will forget all other false beauty. Open the Columbus center gorgeously along with Hayagriva and Pradyumna. The boys will like it. Carry Deity with you. Krishna is so nice. He is carrying the whole planetary system as Sankarsana, but at the same time, He agrees to be carried by His devotees as small as a devotee can carry Him. He is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest. His greatness is there even when He becomes small to be carried by a devotee. The Mayavadis cannot understand how the greatest can become the smallest as it is impossible on material understanding. I am going to Montreal to meet the consulate of USA for my permanent visa. Let me see what Krishna desires. Hope you are well. Offer my blessings to all. Your ever-Well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 07:32 | 21 Oct 2004 Monday, October 21, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Muralidhara, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated, but I know this letter was received a few days ago, and I could not reply earlier on account of heavy pressure of so many letters. Anyway I may inform you it does not matter that you cannot paint one picture daily, but you go on doing it as many pictures as you can finish in a month or in a week. Do it nicely and I don't press upon you. But the idea is that I wanted so many pictures from Srimad-Bhagavatam but I wish that some of my disciples, either individually or collectively may produce at least half a dozen pictures daily. Anyway I think Krishna will give you strength more and more. Do not stop your work, go on painting as far as possible. Regarding your question, what color is the ocean of milk, it is white. You can make it bluish shade in order to distinguish that it is water. Visnu's color is sky blue, and Laksmi's color is just like gold, molten gold. Laksmi is not always with Visnu, there are many Visnu forms Who are alone. That form is called Vasudeva Visnu. No demigod remains with Visnu. Demigods are destined to live within the material world. In the spiritual world there is no place for the demigods, but who are elevated to the position of pure devotee, they can be promoted to the spiritual world. In the material world, either ordinary living entities and the demigods, they belong to the same category of jiva tattva, the marginal potency of Visnu. The marriage ceremony of Vasudeva and Devaki, the daughter Devaki was offered by her father named Devak, to Vasudeva, and Devak had eight daughters, and all the 8 daughters were offered to Vasudeva. The marriage is performed generally by priest. Sacrificial fire you have seen in our ceremonies, it is in the same way, but there are some decorations, just like a canopy is made with 4 pillars and it is decorated with green foliage and flowers, and water pot, under each stand, and in this way, it is decorated. And just outside the canopy, the relatives and other Brahmins they sit down to see the marriage ceremony going on. The omen was heard while Kamsa was carrying his sister and brother-in-law in the chariot. There were hundreds of other chariots also, given in dowry. The omen was heard that it was addressed to Kamsa that My dear Kamsa, you are so joyfully carrying your sister but you do not know that a son, the 8th son of your sister will kill you. The 8th son of Devaki was Krishna Himself, and before Krishna, all the sons of Devaki were taken by Kamsa and killed. I am going to Montreal on the 23rd and from there I shall go to Santa Fe, then I shall come to Los Angeles. I shall be glad to know what is your program. You propose that you shall go to reside with Gargamuni. Is that idea still going or have you changed your ideas. I shall be glad to hear from you. Thanking you once more for writing me, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 17:36 | October 21, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Makhanlal, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter without date, but I am sorry that I am late in replying to your letter. I have received a report of Krishna Devi giving birth to a tiny daughter, and I have already sent my congratulation to her. Krishna has saved her child and herself also, because it is the promise of Krishna that his devotees are always protected by the Lord. I am very glad to learn that your Sankirtana party in San Francisco is doing very well, and similarly you will be pleased to know that here Sankirtana, led by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna, they are also doing very nice. Average, they are collecting about $50 a day, and selling about 50 to 75 copies of Back to Godhead. Similarly, you also try to sell copies of Back to Godhead. This is propaganda. If we can sell some copies of our publications, books and literature, and we can maintain our establishment, somehow, we shall think it is a great success. We don't want anything more. Neither we want any big bank balance. Our mission is that people should understand their relationship with Krishna, and thus let him become Krishna Consciousness so that he may be relieved from the three-fold miseries of this material existence. So far crying for Krishna is concerned, it is very nicely explained by Lord Caitanya. He says that a moment is appearing to me as 12 years, and my eyes are tearing torrents of rain, and I am feeling everything vacant in the absence of Govinda. The thing is that as we go on chanting Hare Krishna, in the pure status, we shall be on the loving platform and at that time, we shall feel the greatest separation from the Lord; but that feeling of separation from the Lord is more relishable than meeting the Lord. These are all transcendental existential understandings and as we grow in Krishna Consciousness, we understand everything, gradually, by the Grace of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, and He reveals Himself to the devotee with the progress of Krishna Consciousness. Thank you very much for your writing me. Your ever-well-wisher, ACB letters | 05:37 | October 21, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Syama dasi, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated, but I am sorry I am late in replying it due to so many letters I have to reply every day, so please excuse me my delay. 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. Your second question, ice cream purchased from the market may not be offered. Because such ice cream contains sometimes undesirable things, which we should not offer. We must offer to Krishna only first class prepared foodstuff, especially made at home. We shall try to avoid as far as possible goods purchased from the market and offer to Krishna. Regarding your third question, morning lecture is also allowed. Lecture is also kirtana, and so as morning kirtana is there, similarly morning lecture can also be delivered. In New York , or even in San Francisco, when I was present I was giving lectures in morning also. So far as girls or boys lecturing in the morning, that doesn't make any difference. Either girl or boy devotees may deliver lecture if they choose to do. We have no such distinction of bodily designations, male or female. Krishna Consciousness is on the spiritual platform. As such, anyone who is a devotee of the Lord, following in this line of disciplic succession, can deliver lecture, on the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. Regarding your question no. 4, Gayatri mantra means it is chanted by a qualified Brahmin. A devotee of Krishna is understood to have surpassed the stage of becoming qualified Brahmin, so Gayatri mantra can be chanted by qualified Brahmin, and the meaning of Gayatri mantra is Gayat--Gayat means sin, and tri means deliverance. Gayatri. And mantra, man--means mind, tra means deliverance. So the things chanting which one is delivered from the mental platform is called Gayatri mantra, or mantra. So all mantras are like that, but this is the meaning of Gayatri mantra. I am so grateful for your nice sentiments for me, and Krishna will bless you. I am very poor and I have nothing to return for your loving service, but I can simply pray to Krishna for your gradual advancement in Krishna Consciousness. I think that is the best blessing which we can have in this material existence. Thank you very much for your writing me, and occasionally please try to write such letters whenever you find convenient. I am going to Montreal on the 23rd, and from there I shall go to Santa Fe, and then I shall come back to Los Angeles. Maybe I may go to San Francisco also, or you may come there to see me. Hope this will find you in good health. Regarding Karnapura's poetry, it is not available now. There is a book of Karnapura, and that is written in Bengali type, partly Sanskrit. When opportunity prevails, we may translate it into English then we shall get the poetry; for the time being there is no possibility of getting the poetry of Karnapura. Thanking you once more, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:35 | October 21, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Krishna das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 13 Oct., 1968, and I have noted the contents carefully. In the beginning you write to say that you have written at least 3 letters to me, but this is the first time I have received any letter from you. I do not know how they are missing. Anyway, I have also received one letter from Sivananda, it is understood that you are trying your best to secure a place in Hamburg, but still you have not been able to find out. In the meantime, before this, Sivananda wrote me a letter that he has already opened a branch in Berlin. And this news was spread by me to others. Now it is understood that you have changed your idea and you want to open our center in Hamburg. It is nice so far I get information that Hamburg is very more important than Berlin, but if you find difficulty in locating a place for our center in Hamburg, it is better go back to Berlin and take whatever place is available. To feel separation from the Spiritual Master or Krishna is very good position. That means one who is in pure love with Krishna and His Representative, Spiritual Master, he thinks always of Them. And this thinking process is Krishna consciousness. If we can think always of Krishna even in separation, that is Krishna Consciousness. And in the absolute platform, there is no difference of separation and meeting. The separation is also meeting, rather in separation one relishes the loving relationship more tasty. So don't be disappointed that you are separated from me, I am also always thinking of you how you are making progress there. And I am always expecting your letters that you have already opened a center there, and you are working very nicely. So far Seattle is concerned, we have opened here a branch about one month past, and it is well established. People have known it and students are coming from the university community, and taking interest. I've gone to the university and delivered lecture. And last Sunday we initiated 3 devotees, and 2 or 3 are still waiting. So this branch is going nicely. And the kirtana party led by Tamala and Jayananda, they are also selling Back to Godhead daily, at least 50 to 75 copies, and collecting money also, average of 40 or 50 dollars daily. So this branch is very nice. I hope I shall hear soon that you are doing the same thing in Hamburg. In London, although they have not opened a branch, but they are doing kirtana performances daily, twice or thrice, and in the parks, schools, colleges, clubs, society and private houses, so our propaganda is not stopped. So even you have not found out any place at Hamburg, you three together you can chant Hare Krishna kirtana in the same way as they are doing in London and other cities. We are more or less concerned for preaching. It does not matter even if we have got a temple, but if the preaching work goes on that is a great satisfaction. I understand from Sivananda's letters that you are getting engagements in Berlin, but I don't hear that you have got any engagement in Hamburg. So please try to find out some engagement and perform kirtana. You are now three. One can play mrdanga and two can play cymbals and chant nicely, and so even you are not yet found a place, you can go on with your work, ask New York to send you magazines and go on with kirtana. So far your long letter, I am very much pleased to have your long letter. I can see from your writing that you have got capacity to write, this is a great help. You can write articles for Back to Godhead, so writing capacity is not discouraged. And I shall always be glad to receive your long letters. You can inform Sivananda that I have received his last letter and he has several questions and he wants some letter address. So you can send me the language or the body of the letter which I shall type and sign and send to you So my request to you is that even though you are unable to find out a suitable place, you can go on with performance of Kirtana and other Kirtana parties are doing. They are doing like this in Seattle, San Francisco, even in Montreal. Hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. Tomorrow I am going to Montreal. From there I will go to Santa Fe on the 27th, stay there for a week and then go to L.A. letters | 02:33 | 19 Oct 2004 Saturday, October 19, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Aniruddha, Please accept my blessings. I am duly in receipt of your letter of Oct. 16, 1968, from San Francisco. You have asked my permission whether you can stay in San Francisco, but I think your service will be required in Los Angeles. The Sankirtana party is going to Los Angeles very soon, and I shall decide about you when I go there. In the meantime, you stay in San Francisco, and help Cidananda as secretary. Regarding Dr. Bagchee--we must always know that we are executing the topmost yoga system, Krishna Consciousness, and we do not require any inferior quality yoga system. You must have read in Bhagavad-gita in the 6th chap., last verse, that one who is constantly in Krishna Consciousness, he is the topmost yogi. So the process which we have adopted cannot be compared even with any other yoga system. That is a fact. Hope this meets you in good health, and more when we meet. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:51 | 18 Oct 2004 Friday, October 18, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Umapati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Oct. 11, 1968, and I am so glad to note your very nice sentiments. I am so pleased to note that you are getting attraction for Sri Gopalaji, and that will save you from all kinds of opposing elements. I am glad that Sacisuta is living with you and if both of you are feeling some inconvenience, then you are welcome to live with me for some days. I am going to Montreal on the 23rd October, and I shall again start from Montreal to Santa Fe. If you so desire, you can see me in Montreal on the 24th instant, and I shall be glad to know what is your particular difficulty. If Sacisuta is finding difficulty to cope with his God-brothers in the temple, he can travel with the Sankirtana party. That will be very nice. Anyway, both of you may not leave us. Each and everyone of you is very important assistant for me, so do not try to leave us, but try to adjust things as far as possible, but my last request to you both is that if you find such difficulty to live with your God-brothers, you can live with me. Hope this will meet you in good health. And thanking you once more for writing me. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 13:40 | October 18, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Harer Nama and Tosana Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Oct. 12, 1968, and I thank you very much for your invitation. Please offer my blessings to other members of the temple who are residing there. And I have decided to go to your temple by the 26th October. On the 23rd of October, 1968, I am going to Montreal to keep one appointment with the Consulate General of United States, and then by the 26th instant I wish to go to Santa Fe directly. I hope you have already talked with Jayananda in this connection. And now you can arrange for that. I thank you once more for your assurance of service to Krishna and it is very enlightening for me that we have got so many nice souls to serve the cause of Krishna, and in the matter of pushing Krishna consciousness in this country and all over the world. I beg to remain, Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 01:40 | October 18, 1968 Seattle, Washington My Dear Krishna devi, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your long letter dated Oct. 13, 1968. I am so glad to read it that you are writing your letter from hospital, and I thank you very much that you are so much enthusiastic that even in hospital bed, you are thinking of serving Krishna in different ways. When I received the news sent me by your husband to Jayananda that you are going to be operated, I was little bit perturbed, but immediately I submitted my prayer to Krishna, and I am so glad that Krishna is so merciful. He has saved your life and your baby, it is very much pleasing to me. So I am so much grateful to Krishna, and you should also know that how much grateful we should all be to Krishna. Actually, your case was life and death, without Krishna's Mercy you could not be saved. At least one life was at risk, either your baby's life, or your life. But Krishna is so kind that He has saved both of you. Now feeling this obligation to Krishna, you should be more enthusiastic to serve Krishna and I am very pleased to learn that you have got a nice beautiful Krishna Conscious child, so raise her to full Krishna Consciousness, and engage yourself, your husband, then the family will be very beautiful happy family. You will enjoy in this world, and in the next world. So it is all very nice by the Grace of Krishna. I am going to Montreal on the 23rd October, 1968, and from there I shall go to Santa Fe, and from there I shall go to Los Angeles. I understood that Dinesh was to see me this Sunday, but if it is not possible to see me on Sunday, then the next chance will be to see me at Los Angeles. I think the Sankirtana party can sell the records very nicely, and you can directly correspond with Tamala Krishna. They are also going to Los Angeles just after my departure. Hope this will find you in good health, and pray to Krishna for your quick recovery. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 01:35 | |
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