a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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6.3.09 1961: April 15 Delhi Dear Sir, I beg to inform you that I have very kindly been invited by the noble Japanese organizers of the International Congress for Cultivating Human Spirit, to be held in your different important cities. I am an Indian Vaisnava Sannyasi dedicated to the cause of spiritual upliftment of the human society. I have therefore taken up the cause of the ensuing congress in your country and wish to meet you conveniently when I am in Japan. Present advancement of material civilization, in the opinion of the Indian sages, is going in the wrong way because it has neglected the spiritual side of human constitution. All living beings are spiritual sparks covered by material encagement. In his pure spiritual form a living being eternal, cognizant and blissful, but being covered by matter he is suffering threefold miseries of material existence. The human form of life is the highest developed stage in the evolutionary process and thus a civilization based on spiritual culture is the right type of human civilization. The human being must know what he is, where from he has come what is the position after death; why we are suffering threefold miseries of life; what is the ultimate goal of life; what is this cosmic universe; what is matter and what is spirit; which of them is superior etc. There are so many things to be learnt by the human being. Unfortunately, the present human society by the advancement of scientific knowledge, has manufactured lethal weapons to kill and destroy. They have no discovery for living and building peaceful and progressive life. The world has no information for the great problems life. I am very glad that some of your noble countrymen have taken notice of this defective civilization and have very timely invited this important congress with a future idea of forming an international body like the United Nations Organization not for conflict but for HARMONY. I am very glad to know this and I am anxious to meet you and render my full cooperation in this great, important and noble endeavour for welfare of the entire human society. I hope this noble movement will unite the communists and the capitalists alike for the common goal of life which still remained veiled for want sufficient intelligent class of men. I wish, therefore, that in this congress a combination of the most intelligent personalities of all nations shall unite together and teach the prople in general, ignorant in spiritual knowledge, that: (1) Human life is based on spiritual ground (2) Spirit is separate superior element than matter and (3) by spiritual culture of life only the human society can be brought into perfection. This perfection of life will help also in building up the next progressive life after death. The human society is meant for liberal cooperation for this movement of all round perfection of the human society without any bar for class or nation or dogmatic faith. Spiritual culture is not dogmatic faith but it is based on philosophy, reason and culture. This can be introduced very easily through convenient methods of music, dance and refreshment which are acceptable by all grades of human being in all parts of the world. It requires only to be organized by combined effort of the intelligent class of men of all nations. I have tried to explain the human cultural synopsis in fifty pictographical explanation and I wish that these pictographical explanations may widely be distributed. The sponsors of the Congress have taken charge of this and I hope they will do the needful. Without spiritual culture a human society is another polished edition of the animals. There is no value of education in the animal society as the trained up loon in a circus is never to be trusted. The lion is not trusted because it cannot assimilate spiritual knowledge. But a man is able to take up this knowledge and his formation of the brain is meant for it. It is nothing extraordinary for him because he is prepared for this culture and is awaiting proper administration only. The ways and means were envisaged by the liberated souls and especially by the sages of India and I proud to feel that Lord Buddha happened to be an Indian and we worship Him as incarnation of Godhead. His holy name is mentioned in the Vedic literature like Bhagavata. We can take help from the Bhagavata the cream and ripen fruit of the Vedic literature and stop at once the quarrel and turmoil of the present world. I hope that your honour along with other thoughtful men of your great country will give full attention to this movement and I am always with you for rendering my humble service for this cause. I hope this will meet you alright and more when we meet. Yours in the service of the Lord. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. A similar letter by air is also sent to: Mr. Teruta Kunito Mayor of Takamatsu City Takamatsu City, Shikoku Island, Japan letters | 04:19 | 5.3.09 1961: April 1 Delhi Mr. Toshihiro Nakano Secretary General International Foundation for Cultural Harmony. P.O. BOX No. 43, Numazi City Japan Dear Mr. Toshihiro Nakano, I beg to inform you that while I was on tour a letter from you was received in the office and it was sent to me on my tour. Unfortunately the same is missing and I shall be obliged if you please send me a copy of the same by return post. The subject matter of your letter under reference was, however, noted and as such I have dispatched to your address one copy of EASY JOURNEY TO OTHER PLANETS and the pictographical explanation of spiritual culture 21 typed pages per separate air mail book-post (Regd). Kindly acknowledge receipt and oblige. I have sent you about 20 pictographical illustrative ideas and explanations. There are more 30 also but considering that you may feel difficulty to get all these 50 pictures printed and published within such short time, I have sent you only 20 pictographical ideas. But if you think that I can send you the remaining 30 pictographical explanations also, you may let me know at once and I shall do the needful. For the present I have come to Delhi from Vrindaban and am staying at the above camp address. You can therefore address for the time being at my abovementioned camp address. My small booklet Easy Journey to Other Planets is a novel step towards the path of cultivating Human spirit. The Russian scientists are trying to reach other planets by sputniks but such attempt is more or less utopian. There are innumerable planets, within the visible sky and each of them have different climatic conditions. Human being of this planet can hardly adjust with the climatic conditions of other planets even if he is able to reach there by the sputniks. The easy method is suggested in my book which is called Bhakti-yoga easy to be performed by any layman in any part of the world. By such practice of Bhakti-yoga one can reach even the spiritual sky which is far far away from this material sky. But the propagation of Human Spiritual Culture, your institution the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony, can teach all the people of the world about the easy method of Bhakti-yoga which can carry the practitioner to any other planets even up to the spiritual sky. They are all results of cultivating Human Spirit. And if you take up the matter seriously, I can help you also very seriously in cooperation with all important gentlemen who will arrive at Japan from every corner of the world. Please therefore think of a programme for execution by your good Foundation. My advance copy of speech, which I have already sent you, together with the pictographical explanation, may be formed into one book and the pictures may be drawn in colorful expressive tone by your good Japanese artist. Japan is famous for artistic work and India is famous for spiritual culture. We should now combine together for uplifting the unhappy human being from the muddy things of gross materialism. The Book may be published under the auspices of your good foundation and if you like it we can publish many other books for cultivating Human spirit. When I go to Japan I shall carry with me some important mss of my works and if possible we shall get them published for every one's benefit. After the session of your organized session of the Congress I wish to make an extensive tour in Japan, China and U.S.A. for preaching the Cult of Human Spirit and I shall be glad if you consider this proposal with due importance. All great sages of the world like Lord Krishna, Lord Buddha, Lord Christ, Hazrat Mohammed, Acarya Sankara, Acarya Ramanuja, Lord Caitanya, all lived for enlightening men on this culture of Human spirit. And men like us should follow their footprints for all round welfare of the human society. Your Foundation has rightly taken up the cause in due time and I have my full cooperation with you. Hope you are well. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:13 | 3.3.09 1961: March 31 Delhi Deputy Manager, The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd. Scindia House, Dougall Road ballard estate, Bombay-1. Dear Sir, Kindly refer to your letter No. OPD.FREE.369 dated 30.12.58 and I beg to inform you that you agreed to give me 50% concession from India to U.S.A. and I had to postpone my journey for not being able to pay you even 50% charges. I am a Sannyasi and my expenses for propagting the transcendental message is borne by the philanthrophist every where. Recently I have been invited by the Japanese friends to attend an international Congress for Cultivating Human spirit and the copy of the invitation certificate will speak for itself. I shall therefore request you to give me full concession for going and coming back from Japan. India has to teach the world for cultivating human spirit and we are meant for this purpose. Please therefore cooperate with us broadcasting the message of cultivating human spirit and increase India's original culture of spiritual value for which counties outside India are always eager to have it. An early reply to my above camp address will enable me to arrange for my journey to Japan. Thanking you in anticipation, Yours faithfully, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami True Copy. Certificate. From the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony. PO Box No.43, Numazi City, Japan. To Whom it may concern. This is to certify that Sri A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 1.859, Kesi Ghat P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura) U.P. India, is a bonafide visitor to the "CONGRESS FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN SPIRIT" will be held under the auspices of the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony from the 10th May through the 24th May this year 1961 at the important places in Japan. It is understood that lodging and boarding arrangements during the period will made and payed by us. It would be a great favor if necessary passport and a visa to visit Japan are passed to him to make his arrival in Japan before the 10th May 1961. sd.-Toshihiro Nakano General Secretary International Foundation for Cultural Harmony N.B. Japan is far nearer than U.S.A. and therefore your sacrifice for travel to Japan even in full concession will be not more than 50% concession to U.S.A. I hope therefore you will agree to this international cultural harmony and let me know your affirmation per return of post. Thanking you once more. Yours etc. letters | 04:57 | 2.3.09 1961: March 31 Delhi My dear Brijratanji, Kindly accept my greetings. I hope you are quite well in all respects by the Grace of the Lord. I beg to inform you that an international congress for cultivating Human Spirit is going to be held in Japan in the month of May 1961 and you will be glad to know that the Japanese organizers have invited me to attend the congress. They have already taken from me in advance the copy of my views on Human Culture and their second letter confirms it that they are very much anxious to receive me there. From the copy of the enclosed certificate, you will find it that they have arranged for my boarding and lodging during the days of my stay there. Now I request you to arrange for my passage to Japan and oblige. Last you were ready to bear my passage expenses from India to South America. And as I could not get the No objection certificate I had to postpone the journey. This time there is no such question and the passage expenses to Japan are far less than South America. Kindly therefore do the needful immediately and give me a chance to speak to the enlightened people of the world the message of Human Culture from the Vedic literatures. I am sure such views will change the angle of vision of the world activities. Awaiting your early reply to the above camp Address and thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami True Copy. Certificate. From the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony. PO Box No.43, Numazi City, Japan. To Whom it may concern. This is to certify that Sri A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 1.859, Kesi Ghat P.O. Vrindaban (Mathura) U.P. India, is a bonafide visitor to the "CONGRESS FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN SPIRIT" will be held under the auspices of the International Foundation for Cultural Harmony from the 10th May through the 24th May this year 1961 at the important places in Japan. It is understood that lodging and boarding arrangements during the period will made and payed by us. It would be a great favor if necessary passport and a visa to visit Japan are passed to him to make his arrival in Japan before the 10th May 1961. sd.-Toshihiro Nakano General Secretary International Foundation for Cultural Harmony Copy forwarded to Sri Brijratan S. Mohatta Peoples Building Sir P. Mehta Road Fort Bombay-1. N.B. If you want take my assistance in any matter to be executed at Japan, I shall consider it my duty to do without any obligation on your part, Yours etc. letters | 03:20 | 1.3.09 1961: March 29 Delhi My dear Doctor Radhakrishnan, I beg to acknowledge receipt with thanks your letter of the 24th instant and have noted the contents. I have come back from Cuttack on the 26th night. You know that I am a Sannyasi without any relation with Bank neither I am attached with financing institution. But the Japanese organizers have liked my literatures and they want me to be present there. The Congress which is going to be held at Japan is on the matter of How One Should Cultivate Human Spirit. While the Indian leaders are giving more importance on the material construction of the human body, enlightened people of other countries are thinking of the Human Spirit. People of other countries who have already tested the bitterness of materialism, are now seeking something else other than matter. The sages of India in the bygone ages cultivated on the Human Spirit in an elaborate way. Sripada Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhva and later on Sri Caitanya dealt on the subject most scientifically for the welfare of all men in the world. I think therefore that the Indian Government should send there all the representatives of the abovementioned Acaryas to deliver the message of Atma or the Human Spirit. A Godless civilization cannot bring about peace and prosperity and when they are anxious about it we must administer the required medicine. I am therefore very much anxious to attend the Congress although I have no means to go there. They are also very much anxious to get me there and if I say that I cannot attend the congress for want of means then I think it will be an insult to my country. Formerly the Zamindars and Princes would provide for such endeavours. But they are now finished. Under the circumstances it is the duty of the Government to arrange for our travel in such noble mission. I wish therefore that you can specially recommend my case to Minister Humayun Kabir to arrange for it. If it is impossible altogether, then personally you can send me there without any difficulty. They have already agreed to pay for my boarding and lodging for the days I shall remain there. I may also inform you that the Secretary of the INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL HARMONY has already agreed to publish some of my literatures. If you will kindly somehow or other dispatch me there, then it will be a chance for my mission. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:48 | |
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