a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1973 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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25 December 2007 Tuesday, 25 December, 1973 Los Angeles My Dear Gurukrpa Maharaja and Yasodanandana Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. Karandhara has received a letter from Tamala Krsna Goswami and he is expressing some hesitation about your returning to India. I can understand that previously there must have been some quarrel amongst you and that sometimes happens amongst god-brothers. Whatever is done is done; the main thing is we must not carry grudges or continue to quarrel amongst one another. So I am asking you personally, along with Tamala Krsna Goswami to whom I am sending a copy of this letter, to bury the hatchet and join together to push on this movement cooperatively. Tamala Krsna Goswami has been appointed by me to manage and direct our Indian projects and actually he is the most expert and qualified in this connection. You both are also sannyasins and I know that the service which you do the best is Hare Krsna kirtana and Bhagavata Dharma preaching. So I have no objection if you return to India. Rather, I know you both can be a great asset for our programs there. I am requesting you, therefore, to concentrate on preaching and kirtana and work cooperatively with Tamala Krsna Goswami who is in charge there. Whatever imperfections and discrepancies may exist, if you all agree to my directions and cooperate in the right spirit then everything will turn out, but it will require everyone involved to be responsible and cooperate in executing and following the instructions of the Spiritual Master. Now, one thing is I understand that in the past you were visiting Lalita Prasadji and that you may also be planning to continue to visit him when you return to India. This is not approved by me and I request you not to go to see him any more. He holds a grudge against my Guru Maharaja and even if it is transcendental it will gradually appear mundane in our eyes. Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction. So I hope that you have understood these matters and I pray to Krsna always for your protection and advancement in Krsna consciousness. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:Kda c.c. Tamala Krsna Goswami Maharaja Labels: Bhaktisiddhanta, co-operation, disagreements, Gaudiya Math, India letters | 17:35 |13 December 2007 13 December, 1973 Los Angeles My dear Balabhadra Prabhu, Please accept my blessings. I understand from Sudama Goswami that Gaurasundara has handed over to you some portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Temple there. I do not know why he has sold the Temple without my permission. He had no right to do such a thing. I request that you kindly send whatever money he has given you directly to me in Los Angeles by registered post. The old Temple BBT and Spiritual Sky debts may be cleared with it first and the rest should be sent directly to myself. We require huge sums of money for our Temple projects in Vrindaban and Mayapur so we have good use for it. Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa have almost fallen down. Do not join them. Stay in the association of our Temple and work according to established programs as I have already directed. I hope this meets you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS:Kda c.c. Sudama Goswami Labels: disagreements, Hawaii, management letters | 11:55 |10 December 2007 Monday, 10 December, 1973 Bombay My Dear Sudama das Goswami: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10/4/73 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding the Hawaii situation, do not worry. I shall rectify when I come there. They are chanting, this will save them. Otherwise, they are all good boys, and they cannot go away. It is not hopeless situation. Whenever you meet them, tell them that Prabhupada is coming and that they should not give up the chanting, never mind they can do whatever they like. Send me their address and I shall write them. Where is Govinda dasi? Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha? You are not paramahamsa that you can do whatever you like. So my advice to you is that you remain ideal Vaisnava internally and externally, and everyone will respect you. Don't be agitated. They will come back because they are chanting maha mantra. You keep your standard and try to help them, but don't become influenced by them. Regarding the Deity worship, it must go on nicely. Govinda dasi was doing very nicely. Decorate with flowers and incense and have arati and offer bhoga. Regarding your traveling plans, yes that is good. You can go in bus all over the islands. Live there for sometime and make Honolulu your headquarters. Sometimes you can visit Japan and the neighboring islands. For a sannyasi, traveling gives him more experience for serving Krsna. So far your health is concerned, Hawaii is very good climate. You can take bath in the sea, and that will keep your health. Take dhal, especially urd, arhad, and tour, a little cheese, peanuts, green vegetables, especially squash leaf. Please offer my blessings to Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi. I have not heard from her. She is the center of Hawaii organization. Let her cooperate with you. She is a good preacher. Sometimes reverses may be there, but just depend on Krsna. Balabhadra is a very good boy. Make him in charge, also Govinda dasi, and you come and go. Yes, you can go to Brazil. Also, you come to Mayapur on Mahaprabhu's appearance day as many as possible at least for a week. Yes, the Gaura Nitai Deities may be taken out for festivals. I am glad to hear of the excellent book distribution that is being done there. From other parts of the world there is also very good report of book distribution. That is our main propaganda work. So you go on with your preaching work and I will be pleased to receive your report regularly. Enclosed is the sanctified sacred thread for Krsna Caitanya dasa. Now hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees and let him hear the gayatri mantra from the tape through the right ear and teach him how to chant it three times daily. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: book distribution, disagreements, Hawaii, sannyasa letters | 10:22 |11 November 2007 11 November, 1973 New Delhi My Dear Govinda devi dasi: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents carefully. I do not know why you have parted from the Deities. Who has told you to do this? If you are at all interested, you can return. Your service was there. Why did you leave, and now you are whimsically asking for service. You never asked me before leaving. How can I guide you? If you act whimsically, nobody can make you happy. In Honolulu tulsi is dying, and you have left this service. You introduced tulsi, and they are dying for want of water. Gaurasundara said to live alone, but our policy is to live with devotees. Immediately return and live with devotees and take care of the Deities and tulsi. That is our main business. My Guru Maharaja condemned living alone in a lonely place. He wrote as follows: dusta mana, tumi kisera Vaisnava pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tavra hari-nama kevala kaitava "O rascal mind, what kind of Vaisnava are you. In a lonely place your chanting of Hare Krishna is simply cheating." And, Narottama Das Thakura says: tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa janame janame haya, ei abhilasa "To serve the feet of the acaryas in association of the devotees is my desire birth after birth." Why I have opened this Society? I was living with four children, and now I have 4,000. There is no good in living alone. I hope this meets you in better health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: disagreements, Hawaii, tulasi letters | 05:22 |7 November 2007 Wednesday, 7 November, 1973 New Delhi Sunset Beach, Hawaii My Dear Tusta Krsna Maharaja: Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your telegram dated October 29 reading as follows: "DEAR SRILA PRABHUPADA, PLEASE ACCEPT MY HEART AT YOUR FEET RECEIVED YOUR LETTER AND TELEGRAM TODAY TEMPLE WILL NOT BE SOLD ALL PAPERS TO BE SIGNED OVER TO YOU NEVER INTENDED TO CLAIM PROPERTY OR MONEY AS MY OWN DETAILED LETTER FOLLOWS PLEASE FORGIVE ANY CONFUSION OR ANXIETY MY BLUNDERS HAVE CAUSED YOU--YOUR SERVANT TUSTA." I am at present in New Delhi awaiting for our festival here, so your telegram has been redirected from Bombay. I am so much pleased to read it because I know that all of you, Siddha Svarupa Maharaja, Sudama Vipra Maharaja, and yourself, are all good souls, and so I also know that Gaurasundara is also of this same level, but I do not know why this disruption has taken place. If there is any misunderstanding with the GBC men, that can be readjusted by mutual understanding. I wanted to see you all to mitigate this misunderstanding, but I was very busy in Bombay for the same Juhu land of Mr. Nair. Perhaps you remember that you introduced Mr. Nair to me. Now he is dead and gone, but he created so many obstacles. So I had to pay them so many lakhs of rupees black, but now the position is that it is purchased, but still there is a little discrepancy. I hope this will also be squared up without delay. So kindly take my word and do not leave our society. If you cannot agree with the GBC, I can take up your matter personally and do the needful. I love you all very much, and if you go away and stay independently that will be a great shock for me. I want to meet you all together. Let me know where I shall go to meet you. Just now I have received the news that in Hawaii the tulsi plants are drying for want of watering. How has Govinda dasi left the tulsi plants which she nourished so lovingly? Please therefore all of you go to your respective positions and revive your devotional activities without any further delay, and if you cannot cope with the GBC men, which I suppose there must have been some disagreement, I shall deal with you directly. But, do not leave the Krsna consciousness movement, at any cost. If possible kindly let me know where is Gaurasundara. On my behalf please request him to come back to the temple and save the tulsi plants. Ask Govinda dasi also on my behalf to do this without delay. Kindly treat this letter as very urgent and do the needful. Awaiting your early reply. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: Karandhara Das, ISKCON, Los Angeles, Madhudvisa Maharaja, ISKCON, Sydney ACBS/bs Labels: disagreements, GBC, Hawaii, tulasi letters | 05:18 |22 October 2007 Monday, 22 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa Swami, Please accept my blessings. With regards to your telegram to Tamala Krsna Maharaja dated October 19, 1973 I may inform you that I have today sent the following cable to Tusta Krsna Maharaja. Tustakrsna, 59215 Kenui Road, Sunset Beach, Hawaii, USA: "REFER MY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 15 CARE OF SUDAMA COPY BEING SENT UNDER SEPARATE POST. DO NOT SELL NEW ZEALAND TEMPLE TO OTHERS. IF YOU WANT MONEY I SHALL PAY TO YOU REST ASSURED. - BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI" I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Australasia, disagreements, Hawaii letters | 14:25 |18 October 2007 18 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja: Please accept my blessings, and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully. Next time you come to India, you must come to Mayapur in March, not only you but many others. Our Bombay affairs are almost settled by 90%. The conveyance deed is prepared and it will be signed within one or two days. Now this displeasing of godbrothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it. Following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu: trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna/amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih. "One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." We must always remember this verse and be as tolerant as the tree, as we execute the Krsna consciousness movement. Without this mentality we cannot be successful. Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this Kali yuga. But, for this Krsna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. One section of men have already gone out, therefore we must be very careful to maintain unity in diversity, and remember the story in Aesop's Fables of the father of many children with the bundle of sticks. When the father asked his children to break the bundle of sticks wrapped in a bag, none of them could do it. But, when they removed the sticks from the bag, and tried one by one, the sticks were easily broken. So this is the strength in unity. If we are bunched up, we can never be broken, but when divided, then we can become broken very easily. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Karandhara Das, ISKCON, Los Angeles Mohanananda Das, Gurukula, Dallas Labels: disagreements, Gaudiya Math, GBC, New Delhi letters | 14:21 |17 October 2007 17 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Karandhara Das: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5/10/73 and have noted the contents. I have also received the enclosed duplicate deposit slip for $125.89. Also find herewith checks Nos. _ for deposit. Regarding the Krsna books being transferred, yes for the time being you may hold it. As we are getting money from the U.S.A. it may not be required, but keep it ready and I shall let you know later on. Regarding Hawaii affairs, let it go on for the time being, and we shall see later on. They cannot go outside the clutches of Krsna consciousness. Regarding the selling of the temple, it was ISKCON's temple, so how can they sell? This is illegal. Gaurasundara was a representative of ISKCON, but he cannot sell and take the money. This is an illegal implication. I am simply thinking of the luxurious tulsi plants there. Govinda dasi took so much care. How they could have left this place I cannot imagine. Yes, do not attempt to open any more centers. Let them go by busses. That is a very nice program. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: disagreements, legal, Los Angeles letters | 14:20 |15 October 2007 Monday, 15 October, 1973 Bombay My Dear Tusta Krsna Maharaja and Beharilal Das, Please accept my blessings. News has come to me that you want to sell our temple to somebody else which I cannot believe. Even that you have been in charge of the New Zealand center, now you have taken it as your personal property and you have demanded from Madhudvisa Swami the price of the temple. This is all amazing to me. I do not know what is your decision. Tusta Krsna has already left and is in Hawaii with Siddha Svarupananda Maharaja. I never believed that again you would go back to your old habits, giving up the Krsna Consciousness Movement in a whimsical way. Please do not do this mistake. It will be a great calamity for you. If you have any misunderstanding with the GBC member, you should have let me know. But I do not think there can be any misunderstanding. When I was last at the New Zealand temple, everything was so peaceful and hopeful. Now all of a sudden you have changed that program and taken to your original ways? I am so much aggrieved to receive all this news. For Krsna's sake, do not do these things. I request Tusta Krsna to go back to New Zealand and take charge of your duties, and when I shall go to Australia, I shall go to New Zealand and see things personally. Please do not leave Krsna. You will not be happy. That is my request. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Australasia, disagreements, GBC letters | 14:14 |30 September 2007 30 September, 1973 Bombay My Dear Madhudvisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 20th, 1973, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to note your Sankirtana enthusiasm. These Volkswagen buses are very nice. This is real Sankirtana preaching. Regarding Hong Kong, I think the Sankirtana can be organized there also. Please try to organize it. Your reply to the Hindus regarding another Swami speaking in our Krishna Consciousness Temple is nice. We cannot compromise to satisfy others. The neophyte preaching programme is very good, and this should be introduced in all our centers. Regarding the devotees getting sick, they are not accustomed to eating fatty foods. Therefore, I suggest boiled vegetable taking only little ghee and capati without any ghee. Tusta Krishna Maharaja, Siddha Svarupananda Maharaja and Sudama Vipra Maharaja are good boys and if there are any difficulties, I shall rectify these on my return to Los Angeles via Hawaii. Regarding the Lord Caitanya murti, it is not at all good and I do not approve. Lord Caitanya is stout and strong. There are so many pictures which you can follow. So have the artist start a new murti. Regarding my coming there in December for opening the new Australian Headquarters, yes that will be possible if the opening ceremony can correspond with the celebration of the Disappearance Day of my Guru Maharaja on December 13rd, that will be auspicious. I hope this meets you and all my beloved disciples in Australia well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: Australasia, deities, disagreements, health, sankirtan letters | 10:21 |29 September 2007 Friday, 29 September, 1973 Bombay Dear Shri Khilnani: Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25.9.73 and I have immediately informed the man in charge in Paris to suspend the marriage. The copy of the letter to Bhagavan Das, the man in charge, is sent herewith. So far education is concerned, our philosophy is: sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma nivedanam iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava laksana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye' dhitam uttamam (Bhag. 7.5.23-24) We consider one who is a devotee as being first class learned and educated. If you do not like your daughter being in Paris with the devotees, you can call her back. I have no objection. But, our mission is that everyone should be given the chance to become Krsna conscious. Many thousands of boys and girls in the Western countries are seriously taking to this movement sacrificing many things. Especially they do not indulge in illicit sex life, gambling, meat eating, and intoxication. I think your daughter is very fortunate to be amongst the devotees and living a very happy life. But, if you think it is not good, then you can guide your daughter. I have no objection. I have forwarded your letter for necessary action. Faithfully yours, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami cc: Bhagavan Das, ISKCON, 14 Le Sueur, Paris 16, France At a meeting for Janmastami in London I was present, and the Indian High Commissioner His Excellency Shri Rasagotra came to our temple amongst many thousands of Indians and Englishmen. If required you can inquire from him how this movement is going on in the Western countries. ACBS/ds Labels: disagreements, New Delhi, Paris letters | 16:14 |29 September, 1973 Bombay My Dear Bhagavan das: Please accept my blessings. Herewith please find one letter from Mr. Khilnani, father of Anita, and the contents will speak for itself. I wish that the marriage will be suspended for the time being unless the father agrees to this marriage. According to the Vedic system marriage takes place according to the sanction of the parents, although this is not being followed strictly at the present moment. So read this letter and do the needful so we may not create some disturbing marriage condition. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc:K.R.F. Khilnani, New Delhi Labels: disagreements, New Delhi, Paris letters | 16:09 |23 August 2007 23 August, 1973 Bhaktivedanta Manor My Dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th August 1973. So the Hyderabad situation should be cautiously dealt with and Mr. Pittie should be consulted. When the final agreement is made send me a copy and if I approve then I shall send you the power of attorney. Herewith please find fixed deposit certificate xerox copy for 143,727.78 which is equal to 10 Lakhs Rs/., now deposited with First National City Bank in the name of ISKCON on the 20th August 1973. So you can utilize this xerox certificate that we have money. I will send you further certificate of deposit in the bank for 161,000.00 equivalent to 12 Lakhs Rs/. So I think Mr. Vakhil will be convinced about our financial position and we have got 50 branches in the U.S. alone, so if required we can raise immediately 50 Lakhs Rs/. but we do not wish to block the money unnecessarily especially in India. So at any moment 12 Lakhs Rs/. can be paid to Mrs. Nair without any difficulty. From here I have got my program in Europe up to 15th September. I have got my program in Stockholm also 5th to 9th September. So most probably I shall go to Japan on the 15th September directly from London. If in the meantime the Nair affair is fixed up then I shall carry the money with me and go to Japan via India. Find herewith 2 xerox copies about our financial position, you can do the needful. I hope this letter meets you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. I have received one complaint from Indian devotee at Mayapur, Prabharupa Das Brahmacari, that he is mal treated by our American devotees. Kindly inquire into this matter and do the needful. Either Indian or foreign whoever joins us they are not under any obligation, our only tie is Love of Godhead. It should be our definite policy that nobody is ill treated that he may go away. We recruit a person to join us after spending gallons of blood. Everyone comes for reformation, you cannot expect everyone to be perfect, rather it is our duty to make everyone perfect as far as possible. So we shall be very much cautious and careful in this connection. Labels: bank, Bombay, disagreements, itinerary letters | 12:17 |11 May 2007 Friday, 11 May, 1973 Los Angeles My dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. Herewith please find the letter I have replied to Madan Mohan Goswami in response to his letter dated 4/5/73. He refers to your letter dated 26/3/73 which I do not possess. So you send me a copy of your letter as well as a copy of the letter which I issued to him in 1972 when I was in Vrindaban. This man is playing some trick so we shall also play some trick. We shall take all the Shebaits to court and pray to the court to settle the matter. He has mentioned that you are the licensee, but according to the present act the licensee shall be considered as tenant or owner if the licensee has occupied the building or land in February 1973. I think we shall keep this place at Radha Damodara temple as tenant. As Madan Mohan Goswami is trying to play trick we shall not vacate any of the rooms upstairs or downstairs; this should be our policy. The deposit money of Rs. 700/. with the other Shebait has not yet been settled up. We shall file a petition to the rent controller court and fix up a standard rent for all the four rooms up and down. And the rent which will be fixed up for the upper two rooms, we will adjust for one years rent from the Rs. 700/. with interest. When you file the petition we shall bring in all the Shebaits names. In this way we have to deal with these men. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: disagreements, Vrindavan letters | 20:38 |30 April 2007 Monday, 30 April, 1973 Los Angeles Sylmar, California My dear Lynne Ludwig, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from California dated November 27, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully, although due to extensively travelling and preaching tour in India, I have not yet got the opportunity to reply you at length until now. Your complaint is that you have met two of my young disciples in California and they appeared to you as having "a very negative outlook towards the people they meet." Of course, I do not know the case, what are the circumstances, but kindly forgive my beloved disciples any unkindness or indiscretions on their part. After all, to give up one's life completely for serving the Lord is not so easy thing. And Maya, or the illusory material energy, she tries especially hard to try to get back and entrap those who have left her service to become Devotees. So sometimes in the neophyte stage of devotional service, in order to withstand the attack of Maya and remain strong under all conditions of temptation, young or inexperienced devotees will adopt an attitude against those things or persons possibly harmful, threatening to their tender devotional creeper. They may even over-indulge in such feelings just to protect themselves, and thus they will appear to some non-devotees, who are perhaps themselves still very enamoured by the material energy of Maya, as being negative or pessimistic. But actual fact is that this material world is a miserable, negative place, full of danger at every step, duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], temporary abode of death, birth, disease and old-age, home of suffering and pain only. To come to that platform of understanding of things as they are, that is not a very common thing, and therefore such persons who attain to it, they are described as great souls: mam upetya punar janma duhkhalayam asasvatam napnuvanti mahatmanah samsiddhim paramam gatah [Bg. 8.15] This verse is spoken by Krishna, or God, Himself in Bhagavad-gita so who can be more final authority? That means that anyone who has understood that the material worlds are places of misery and temporaryness, duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], they never return here again, and because they are mahatmanah, the great souls, Krishna keeps them with Him, having qualified themselves to escape this nasty place by becoming His pure devotees. So the point is that to make advancement in spiritual life, everything material, unless it is utilized to serve and please Krishna, must be viewed with a pessimistic eye. We are not very much hopeful for any lasting pleasure or satisfaction for our deepest cravings within this realm of gross matter. You refer to the word love several times in your letter, but actual fact is there is no love in this material world. That is false propaganda. What they call love here is lust only, desire for personal sense-gratification; kama esa krodha esa rajoguna samudbhavah maha-sano maha-papma viddhy enam iha vairinam Krishna tells Arjuna, His disciple, that "It is lust only . . . which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world." In the Vedic language, their word for materialistic love as we call it at present day; kama lust for material desire, not love. The word for love, actually love we find in Vedas is prema, meaning one's love of God, only. Outside God, there is no possibility of loving. Rather it is lusty desire the whole range of human activities, whatever and whenever, so long with this atmosphere of matter, the every activity of the human being - or any living entity - is based upon or given impetus, and thus polluted, by the attraction between male and female, sex-desire. For that sex-life, the whole universe is spinning round - and suffering! That is the harsh truth. So-called love, here, means "you gratify my senses, I'll gratify your senses," and as soon as that gratification stops: immediately there is divorce, separation, quarrel, hatred. So many things there are, going on under this false conception of love. Actual love means love of God, Krishna. Everyone wants to repose his loving tendency in some object which is in his opinion worthy. So it is a question of ignorance only, poor fund of knowledge, where to find that Supreme Lovable Object actually worthy to accept and reciprocate their love. People simply do not know, there is no proper information. Anything material, as soon as there is some attachment, it will kick you upon the face, deteriorate, disappoint you--it's bound to dissatisfy and frustrate you, that's a fact. So these young boys in your country, and all over the world, they are accepting. "Yes, that is fact," and they are getting the right information from Krishna: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah "After many births and deaths, he who is actually wise surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." [Bg. 7.19] Again Krishna uses the word mahatma, great soul. So these are not ordinary boys and girls, our devotees, that you have met, no. They are to be considered as actually wise, great souls, because they have experienced in so many births the miserable disease of material life and they have become disgusted. Therefore they are seeking higher knowledge, something better, and when they find Krishna and surrender unto Him, they become mahatma, actually in knowledge. This material world is just like a prison-house, a punishing place just to bring us to that point of becoming disgusted and surrendering at last to Krishna, going back to my original mature of eternal life of bliss and complete knowledge. So these devotees, that is their credit, they have done what is "very rare" amongst all men in the human society, sudurlabhah, very rare. So after surrendering to Krishna, that will be the final receptable for investing his love: in God. If somehow or other anyone develops their dormant love of God - love of god is present there in everyone. Just like fire is there in the unlit match, covered-over - if Krishna becomes the Supreme Adorable Objective, the Supreme Friend, the Supreme Master, the Supreme Lover - then, oh, he shall never again become disappointed or unhappy. Rather, because his loving propensity is rightfully placed. mac-citta mad-gata-prana bodhayantah parasparam kathayantas ca mam nityam tusyanti ca ramanti ca [Bg. 10.9] The devotee, one whose life is surrendered to Krishna, is always enjoying great satisfaction and bliss and he is constantly enlightened, always positive, not negative as you say. The advanced devotee is the friend of everyone: yoga-yukto visuddhatma, purified soul engaged in loving devotional service to Krishna, sarvabhutatmabhutatma, he is dear to everyone and everyone is dear to him. And in another place Krishna claims that: yo mad bhakta sa me priya, that His devotee who is very dear to Him, advesta sarva-bhutanam, maitah karuna eva ca, is not envious but is the kind friend to all living entities. The devotee is supposed to be, furthermore, equal to everyone, panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18], never discriminating; this one good, this one bad, no. So these are the descriptions of the more advanced stages of Krishna Consciousness devotees, when has got mature knowledge by development, and at present many of our students are young boys, they are learning gradually and the process is so effective, certain, and authorized that if they stick to it they will come to the right point, as you say, of loving. But that love is not material, that is our point, so it may not be judged on the on the false sentimental platform of ordinary mundane dealings. So to say they are not loving, that maybe true from the materialists point of view - they have given up affection for family, friends, wife, country, race, like that, all based upon the bodily concept of life or flickering sense - gratification - they have become little detached from Maya's love, or lust, and they want Krishna's love, or endless, full, rewarding love. But they have not yet developed to that point, that's all and we cannot expect that all of a sudden, being addicted to so many bad habits, your countrymen, will give up eating flesh, taking intoxication, sex-life, and so many other nasty things, and become overnight great self-realized souls. That is not possible. That is utopian. Just becoming initiated as Krishna's devotee puts him in the topmost category of human society: sa buddhiman manusyesu, sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt: "He is intelligent among human society, he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in sorts of activities." [Bg. 4.18] And such devotee, no matter he has not advanced yet to the highest level of spiritual understanding, still he is to be considered the most exalted personality never mind he has got any temporary frailties: api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah "Even if a devotee commits the most abominable actions, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated." [Bg. 9.30] As you will say, to err is human, so in the neophyte stage we may always expect some discrepancies are there. Kindly see the things in this light and forgive their small mistakes. The big thing is they have given their life, everything to Krishna - that is never a mistake. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: disagreements, philosophy letters | 13:25 |10 March 2007 Saturday, 10 March, 1973 Calcutta My Dear Bhumata dasi: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 2, 1973. I have examined the contents carefully and I think you are doing nice. Because we are all individuals sometimes there is disagreement between devotees. When non-devotees quarrel they cannot stop and end up killing each other. But the devotees' disagreement does not last long because they patch it up for Krsna's sake, because they are all working for the same end--Krsna's service. And devotees do not suffer from skin disease, black or white or brown or red or whatever. In the material world black and white are opposites, but spiritually black and white are varieties. That is the proper vision. Now you can consult my Governing Body Commission for advice in your situation. I have no objection to your establishing a center there in Nashville, but these matters I am leaving up to my GBC. The GBC representative for your area is Rupanuga das Goswami who is presently here with me as my secretary for one month. He will be returning to the USA by the first week in April to New York City and I think you can leave a message for him there where he can reach you and he can see you personally in the matter. In the meantime you can make arrangements again with Atlanta for more literature making the proper arrangement for payment also. I hope this meets you in good health and high spirits. Hare Krsna. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rdg Labels: disagreements, GBC letters | 04:35 | |
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