a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1968 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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7 Aug 2004 August 8, 1968 Montreal, Quebec My Dear Satsvarupa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 16, as well as July 30, 1968, together through Vaikunthanatha dasa. The press cuttings were nice. Pictures appeared to be very attractive, and it is learned that it is the biggest daily paper in New England. So it is good publicity. Janmastami is to be performed on the 16th of August, and the next day is my Birthday. The feasting should be held on the 17th, so that you can finish two festivals in one--namely, Nandotsava and Vyasapuja (Spiritual Master's Birthday). I know you are doing your best to maintain the establishment of Boston center, and Krsna will certainly help you someway or other. Do not worry. I am a little anxious to understand about Jadurani. When I was in Boston, I saw her weaker, and I asked her what was the trouble. She said that it was not very serious. But now I can understand that the ailment is increasing. So she must have complete rest--no work for the time being, and positively she should not play mrdanga. I understand that she is determined to keep going at top capacity, and it is good that you have restricted her. I do not know whether Saci Suta is still there, but if he is there, show him this letter and I am asking him herewith that he may stay with you for some time. Uddhava has already joined the printing work, and I have decided that as soon as Advaita and Uddhava gives me assurance that they will be able to conduct a regular press with other assistants, I shall immediately start one press in New York. You will be pleased to learn tha I have already my immigration visa in Canada. So there will be no difficulty anymore for going to USA. It may be that I may also get American visa. Regarding collection from the public: I think you should take special license or permission from the authority because as a religious society, we can collect in such a way. Simply the authorities have to be informed that we are a serious institute for spreading God consciousness, and that we are not professional beggars. This method of chanting in the park, distributing Prasadam, and selling our literature and making some collection, is just the way by which we can make both propaganda and maintain our institution. So this process must be continued with necessary sanction from the authority. I think there will be no difficulty in getting such sanction. Regarding Prasadam: It should be cooked in the temple, and nowhere else, and both the Brahmacaris and the Brahmacarinis shall partake of the Prasadam in the temple. I understand that you are working also very hard, so I request you to take care of your health also. Regarding the location of your temple: I can understand that the students are not very happy neighbors. Practically they are not students. Because the system in your country to allow the boys and girls enjoying sex life from the very early age makes them most irresponsible and careless. Student life means complete celibacy, but that is not observed in your country, rather they are indirectly encouraged by distribution of contraceptive pills. If things are allowed to go on like this, the future of the Western world is very dark. By such unrestricted association of young boys and girls, is gradually turning them to be victims of the hippy and communist philosophy. So far I have considered it is very difficult to turn the people's face toward spiritual advancement. There is so much protest all over the world in the Catholic church on account of the Pope's refusal to sanction the contraceptive method. Even if you change the locality, you cannot expect very good audience. But still, wherever we may remain, we have to chant and distribute Prasadam, and I think the best method is to do it in the public parks. That the Brahmacarini ashram is a good success is very good news. But the best thing will be if the grown-up Brahmacarinis get married. According to Vedic culture, woman is never to remain independent. I shall be glad if the Brahmacarinis can have nice husbands, and live as Grhasthas. But if they cannot find out good husbands, it is better to remain a Brahmacarini all the life, even though it is little difficult. I am sending herewith two tapes for Srimad-Bhagavatam. I do not know if there are any other tapes with you, but you may send them back after typing. It is heard that the postal strike is ending, and the working of the post office will begin from tomorrow, but do not know whether it is going to happen. Hope you are all well, and that Jadurani is feeling little better, and she must take plenty of rest. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:57 | Wednesday, August 7, 1968 Montreal, Quebec My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Krsna will save you do not worry. Let us forget about our past incidents with Hayagriva and Kirtanananda. Treat Kirtanananda as bona fide and address him as Kirtanananda Maharaja. He should be first offered obeisances and he will return the respect to his Godbrothers. I am expecting you here as Vamanadeva has informed me. The strike is still going on. If you do not come then talk with me by phone. Please be brotherly with Hayagriva and Kirtanananda. They have come back with sincerity. Hope you are all well. I am fit. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:52 | August 7, 1968 Montreal, Quebec My Dear Nathan Baruch, Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter, without date. (In future, while corresponding, please try to put the date of writing.) I received your letter a couple of days ago, but could not reply you due to the mail strike. It is expected that the mail strike will end by tomorrow, as it is announced about their settlement, but still I am not certain. I am therefore replying your letter by posting at Boston. Hope you will receive it duly. Your letter is very encouraging, and I think in future your enthusiasm and energy can very suitably be engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krishna. Everyone of us has got a certain amount of good energy derived from Krishna, and when that energy is employed under the expert direction of Spiritual Master, one's life becomes successful. That is the secret of Krishna Consciousness. The Spiritual Master must be bona fide representative of Krishna, by disciplic succession, receiving orders from the superior, and the disciple must agree to abide by the orders of the Spiritual Master. This is the simple method of spiritual advancement; if you remember this principle it will be very nice. If you can carve Radha Krishna Murti very nicely, it will be a great service to the society. There is a quality of wood, which is very hard and strong and black and heavy; in India we call it iron wood. I think it is called ebony here. If you can carve Krishna from this ebony wood, and Radharani from another wood, one which is very hard, and of golden color, and from this same golden wood, Lord Caitanya (all of Them 24" in height, and Radharani a little less) then you can begin this work immediately. I'm so glad to learn that you are eager to serve Krishna in every way possible. This mentality is very rare, and I guess that you must have been engaged in Krishna's service in your previous life. To begin eager to serve Krishna is the greatest achievement after many many duration of pious life. So I entrust you to begin this work immediately. And concentrate your energy making this art perfection. So far Radha Krishna Murtis are concerned, you have many pictures in San Francisco, and you can do accordingly, and so far Caitanya Mahaprabhu Murti is concerned, I am giving you a rough diagram herewith. (Murari has got one diagram drawn by Gaurasundara under my supervision which you can also see.) So far Sankirtana is concerned, that should be continued in all circumstances. Chanting of Hare Krishna, Sankirtana is our life and soul. Side by side, if possible, then you can attempt for the ISKCON restaurant and Krishna Prasadam distribution, but this I think is secondary. I can understand from your letter that you have varied energies, and you want to employ all of them into the service of Krishna. Please try to do as above mentioned, and it will be a great pleasure for me and a delight for all others. Hope you are well and I shall be glad to hear from you by return of post. Please convey my blessings to all the disciples and inform Krishna das that I have received one letter from his good mother, and I shall reply it within a day or two. I am very much obliged to Krishna das's mother for her kind letter to me, and hope she is well and happy. Your ever will-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:46 | 3 Aug 2004 Saturday, August 3, 1968 Montreal, Quebec His Holiness The Pope, Paul VI Vicar of Jesus Christ State of Vatican City Rome, Italy Your Holiness: Please accept my respectful humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. I beg to introduce myself as an Indian monk, following the Vedic principles of religious life, and at the present, I am in the renounced order of Sannyas (aged 72 years) and preaching God consciousness all over the world. I came to America in 1965, and since then I have many followers belonging to both Christian and Jewish faiths. And I have established 8 centers of Krishna consciousness temples in the USA and Canada. In the month of September, 1968, I am scheduled to go to London on this mission, and maybe I can visit other cities of European countries. My mission is in the line of Lord Caitanya, Who is Personified Love of Godhead, and Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India, and preached God consciousness all over the country. His mission is to revive God consciousness all over the world, on the basis of Srimad-Bhagavatam (Science of God). The principle of Srimad-Bhagavatam is that any religious faith which helps a man to develop Love of God, without any motive, and without being hampered by any material condition, is transcendental religion. And the best process or the easiest process, in this age especially, is to chant the Holy name of God. From this definition of religion as we find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the criterion test of religion is how it helps people to develop his dormant Love of God, which is not artificially invoked, but it is aroused from within by bona fide association of devotees and hearing about God. The human form of life is specially meant for this purpose, namely, to invoke the dormant Love of God, because better development of consciousness is found in the human body. Animal propensities for sense gratification equally found both in man and animals. But the special significance of human life is to achieve Love of God as the prime perfection of life. Unfortunately, at the present moment people are more concerned about the principle of sense gratification, or the animal part of human life, and they are gradually declining in God consciousness. This tendency is very much deteriorating, and because Your Holiness is the Head of a great religious sect, I think we should meet together and chalk out a program for cooperation. The human society cannot anymore be allowed to continue a Godless civilization at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygienic principles, forgiveness, and mercifulness. Because on account of predominance of these principles at the present moment, duration of life, strength, and memory of the human being is decreasing. The human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity, and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get Your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method or abortion is considered equivalent to murder. Therefore, in the matter of sex, the human society is gradually degrading even less decent than the animals. As a result of unrestricted sense gratification, even in ordinary dealing, a man cannot trust another man, because the cheating propensity of a man has increased beyond imagination. Attraction of young boys for young girls is no more as a matter of love, but such attraction is only on the basis of sexual potency. As soon as there is slackening of sex life, there is immediately the divorce petition. In India, which was one day the land of religion and Brahminical culture, things have deteriorated to such an extent that a man in a higher caste is recognized simply by putting a piece of thread on the body as a sign of sanctity. The so-called Swamis are cheating the public because the public also want to be cheated by cheap method of self-realization. They are practicing so-called yoga performances for the matter of reducing fat, and keeping the body fit for sense gratification. If somebody has no sufficient money, it is very hard for him to get justice from the court. And if anyone can simply bluff by so-called advancement of knowledge, he is offered the doctorate degree. If a man is poor, he is at once accepted as non-civilized. If a man is falsely proud, he is accepted as civilized. By frustration, people are gradually becoming communists and hippies, and the guardians of the society must now take up the situation very seriously, without further delay. The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are creating men of character, and we are training our disciples to become Lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) Sex life outside of marriage, 2) Meat eating, or eating of any animal food, 3) All forms of intoxication, 4) Gambling and idle sports. The teachings are based on authorized movement of Lord Caitanya, on the principles of Bhagavad-gita, as the beginning, and Srimad-Bhagavatam as the graduation. I do not wish to prolong the body of this letter further, but if you think that a meeting with You will be beneficial for the human society at large, I shall be very much pleased if Your Holiness will grant me an interview. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply. Yours in the service of the Lord, ACB letters | 05:08 | Saturday, August 3, 1968 Montreal, Quebec My Dear Gargamuni, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter via New York, dated July 23, 1968. The bicycle accident may be ignored, because even if there is a case against you, you can plead that the man was going, and all of a sudden he turned imbalance, and dashed with my car. So it was his fault, he could not keep balance with the cycle. And as soon as I saw him dashed, I stopped immediately and what could I do more? In India such accidents are never taken seriously by the police, because in busy streets, cycling is prohibited. So your decision not to pay him any money is right. Besides that, if he was to institute a case against you, he should have at once reported the matter to the policy nearby. Regarding your business: This ebb tide and flow tide of business we should always expect. But so far I know that you do more business by traveling. Under the circumstances, the showroom you are keeping is extra expense. I do not know who looks after your store in your absence. So you can take action according to the necessity of business, because we must use our full intelligence in any matter. Anyway, if you find it too much inconvenient to stay in San Francisco, you can come to Vancouver or London. I hope you are feeling well, and similarly all your God-brothers and sisters there. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:06 | August 3, 1968 Montreal, Quebec My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I am very glad to receive your letter suggesting a branch in Vancouver, and it is very encouraging. Please negotiate with your friends as soon as this postal strike is over, and if there is a suitable place to open a center, I am agreed to this proposal. In the meantime, Hamsaduta is coming and I shall consult with him also, and if possible we will go to Vancouver. Regarding Gargamuni's proposal: I am writing him separately and you will know the result from him. If Gargamuni's business is going in San Francisco nicely, he should not for the time being divert his attention. There are two friends also known to me, in Vancouver, and I have written them letters but I have not received any reply from them, probably due to the postal strike. Anyway, I am anxious to open a branch in Vancouver, and as soon as there is favorable circumstances, either through you or through any other friend, it will be a great pleasure for me to open a branch there. I hope all is well in San Francisco, and you are feeling in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Please locate and send to New York, the following medicines: Triphala-(brownish powder, appears like earth, and with faint sweet odor.) Baraillaich-(ground up nuts, very pungent odor--you ground up such nuts in S.F., after they were sent from Acyutananda in India.)* ACB *you can send them here (Montreal) when the strike is over ACB letters | 05:02 | |
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