a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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24.11.09 Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64 contains 54 individual letter entries from 1947 - 1964. View them in their entirety in chronological order by scrolling down the page. Use Google Custom Search (immediate right) to search for specific letters from 1947 - 1964. View - Today's Letters - at Letters :: Anthology >> letters | 18:16 | 1947: October 21 Calcutta The Proprietor, Aska Distillery, Aska. Dear Sir, We have decided to open a branch manufactory of our above laboratory in a suitable locality of Berhampur. We are arranging to approach the local excise authorities to grant us permit for possessing and using rectified spirit for medicinal purposes. But before we do anything finally as would like to enquire from your good self whether it is possible to get sufficient quantity of rectified spirit from your distillery. The bearer of this letter is a messenger on our behalf and we shall be thankful if you will kindly let us know the following points per bearer. 1. Whether rectified spirit is obtainable from you at the rate of 100 gallons per month. 2. Whether you distill rectified spirit throughout the whole year. 3. Your usual strength of rectified spirit. Yours faithfully, For Vimaltone Laboratories Ltd. Abhay Charan De Director in chief. letters | 05:34 | 1947: July 13 Cawnpore Raja Mohendra Pratap World Federation Prem MohaVidyalaya P.O. Brindaban. Dear Raja Sahib, In continuation of my last post card, I beg to inform you that I have finished the reading of your book Religion of Love. In my opinion the whole thesis is based on the philosophy of pantheism and the approach is made by the services of mankind. Religion of love is the true religious idea but if the approach is made through the service of mankind only, then the process is made imperfect, partial and unscientific. As you say the waves of the creations are the different aspects, why a particular type of waves namely the mankind should be partially selected and offered services and why other types of waves such as the beasts or birds, the plants and the stone shall not be offered a similar type of services? In that case how can you say that the worship of a stone is sinful while a man who is more than a stone shall be considered as the object of love? These are some of the questions that arise out of a critical study of your book. If you so desire I can enter into discussions about it and my opinion is that your approach is partial and unscientific. There is no hesitation to accept the principle of the Religion of Love because the Absolute Truth is, as we have known, Godhead Who is sat, cit and ananda. Without ananda there cannot be any love that is an accepted fact. Your delineation of society, friendship and love among the human beings is based on this ananda portion only but you have avoided the other portions of eternity and cognition of God the Whole Soul. Thus the approach is partial and unscientific. The true religion of love is perfectly inculcated in the Bhagavad-gita. When we speak of love there must be the object of love and the lover too. Here in this world we find that the object of love and the lover both are the cheater and the cheated in their reciprocal dealings. That is our experience. But the ultimate end being one Whole Soul, the dual existence of the object of lover and the loved loses identity. In that case the eternity and cognizibility of the loved and lover vanish at once. In this way there arises many questions which may be put forward to you for further discussions to adjust your ideas of religion. Besides you have not quoted any authority for all your statements. So it is more or less dogmatic. If different men put different dogmatic views about religion and its essentials who is to be accepted and who is not be? Therefore the approach shall be and must be authoritative, scientific and universal. Your delineations do not conform to all these necessary things. That is my main contention. If you have time to discuss on it, I shall be glad to substantiate my contentions as far as possible. My basis of arguments will be Bhagavad-gita which is the most authoritative, scientific and universal. To summarise the conclusions of Bhagavad-gita it may be said that, 1) God is one and everything is in Him and He is in everything. 2) To render transcendental service unto God is to serve everything that be, just like to water the root of the tree is to water the different branches and numerous leaves of the tree or to supply food to the stomach is to vitalize all the senses and the sense organs of the body. 3) The parts are automatically served when the Whole is served but when the parts are served the whole may not be served or not served at all. 4) The parts and the Whole being eternally related, it is the eternal duty of the parts to render service unto the Whole. 5) A recipient of the services of the parts, God's sat-cit-ananda vigraha i.e. the all-attractive Cognizant and all-blissful Personality eternal. He can reveal Himself by His own potency without any help of the external potency called maya in order to be cognizable by the limited potency of the parts and as such He is not only the greatest of all but he is the smallest of all. That is His prerogative. 6) He is better realized when He by His causeless mercy agrees to descend in this mortal world but he He is never realised by the partial speculations of the empiric philosophers however systematic and long-termed it may be. 7) Sri Krishna is the Personality of Godhead and is the Summum Bonum Cause of all Causes proved by fact and figures in the statement of Bhagavad-gita, but He reserves the right of not being exposed to the sensual speculations of the empiric philosophers. 8) One should therefore surrender unto Him if one wants to know Him as He is and that is the real process to approach the Infinite by the infinitesimals. 9) Sri Krishna is easily available by the religion of love i.e. by love and service as conceived by the damsels of Vraja who had practically no education whatsoever and much less any claim for high class birth right. 10) The highest service that can be rendered to the mankind is, therefore, to preach the philosophy and religion of Bhagavad-gita for all the times, all the places and all the people. I hope you may agree with me and thus make a combined effort in this direction for the benefit of the mankind. Yours sincerely, Abhay Charan De letters | 05:25 | 16.11.09 1947: July 12 Cawnpore Mahatma Gandhijee Bhangi Colony New Delhi. Dear Friend Mahatmajee, Please accept my respectful Namaskar. I am your unknown friend but I had to write to you at times and again although you never cared to reply them. I sent you my papers "Back to Godhead" but your secretaries told me that you have very little time to read the letters and much less for reading the magazines. I asked for an interview with you but your busy secretaries never cared to reply this. Anyway as I am your very old friend although unknown to you I am again writing to you in order to bring you to the rightful position deserved by you. As a sincere friend I must not deviate from my duty towards a friend like your good self. I tell you as a sincere friend that you must immediately retire from active politics if you do not desire to die an inglorious death. You have 125 years to live as you have desired to live but you if you die an inglorious death it is no worth. The honour and prestige that you have obtained during the course of you present life time, were not possible to be obtained by any one else within the living memory. But you must know that all these honours and prestiges were false in as much as they were created by the Illusory Energy of Godhead called the maya. By this falsity I do not mean to say that your so many friends were false to you nor you were false to them. By this falsity I mean illusion or in other words the false friendship and honours obtained thereby were but creation of maya and therefore they are always temporary or false as you may call it. But none of you neither your friends nor yourself knew this truth. Now by the Grace of God that illusion is going to be cleared and thus your faithful friends like Acarya Kripalini and others are accusing you for your inability at the present moment to give them any practical programme of work as you happened to give them during your glorious days of non-co-operation movement. So you are also in a plight to find out a proper solution for the present political tangle created by your opponents. You should therefore take a note of warning from your insignificant friend like me, that unless you retire timely from politics and engage yourself cent per cent in the preaching work of Bhagavad-gita, which is the real function of the Mahatmas, you shall have to meet with such inglorious deaths as Mussolini, Hitlers, Tojos, Churchills or Lloyd Georges met with. You can very easily understand as to how some of your political enemies in the garb of friends (both Indian and English) have deliberately cheated you and have broken your heart by doing the same mischief for which you have struggled so hard for so many years. You wanted chiefly Hindu-Moslem unity in India and they have tactfully managed to undo your work, by creation of the Pakistan and India separately. You wanted freedom for India but they have given permanent dependence of India. You wanted to do something for the upliftment of the position of the bhangis but they are still rotting as bhangis even though you are living in the bhangi colony. They are all therefore illusions and when these things will be presented to you as they are, you must consider them as God-sent. God has favored you by dissipating the illusion you were hovering in, and by the same illusion you were, nursing those ideas as Truth. You must know that you are in the relative world which is called by the sages as Dvaita i.e. dual- and nothing is absolute here. Your Ahimsa is always followed by Himsa as the light is followed by darkness or the father is followed by the son. Nothing is absolute truth in this dual world. You did not know this neither you ever cared to know this from the right sources and therefore all your attempts to create unity were followed by disunity and Ahimsa. Ahimsa was followed by Himsa. But it is better late than never. You must know now something about the Absolute Truth. The Truth with which you have been experimenting so long is relative. The relative truths are creations of the daivi maya qualified by the three modes of Nature. They are all insurmountable as is explained in the Bhagavad-gita (7.14). The Absolute Truth is the Absolute Godhead. In the Katha Upanisad it is ordered that one must approach the bonafide Guru who is not only well versed in all the scriptures of the world but is also the realised soul in Brahman the Absolute--in order to learn the science of Absolute Truth. So also it is instructed in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:-- tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti tad jnanam jnaninas tattvadarsinah (4.34) But I know that you never underwent such transcendental training except some severe penances which you invented for your purpose as you have invented so many things in the course of experimenting with the relative truths. You might have easily avoided them if you had approached the Guru as abovementioned. But your sincere efforts to attain some Godly qualities by austerities etc surely have raised you to some higher position which you can better utilize for the purpose of the Absolute Truth. If you, however, remain satisfied with such temporary position only and do not try to know the Absolute Truth, then surely you are to fall down from the artificially exalted position under the laws of Nature. But if you really want to approach the Absolute Truth and want to do some real good to the people in general all over the world, which shall include your ideas of unity, peace and non-violence, then you must give up the rotten politics immediately and rise up for the preaching work of the philosophy and religion of "Bhagavad-gita" without offering unnecessary and dogmatic interpretations on them. I had occasionally discussed this subject in my paper "Back to Godhead" and a leaf from the same is enclosed herewith for your reference. I would only request you to retire from politics at least for a month only and let us have discussion on the Bhagavad-gita. I am sure, thereby, that you shall get a new light from the result of such discussions not only for your benefit but for the benefit of the world at large--as I know that you are sincere, honest and moralist. Awaiting your early reply with interest. Yours sincerely, Abhay Charan De. Enclosure--one leaf from Back to Godhead letters | 04:18 | 16.10.09 1949: September 1 Calcutta Secretary Sri Gita Mandir Trust, Gita Mandir Road, Ahmedabad. Dear Sir, I am so much obliged to your kindly conveying the blessings of Reverend Swamiji 108 Sri Srimad Vidyanandji Maharaja. I am very glad to learn that your program for preaching in the foreign countries, is still under consideration. I beg to submit herewith my missionary views in respect of preaching Bhagavad-gita and I shall be glad to know the reaction of your association in respect of my views: I believe that practical solution of world unrest is lying in the transcendental message of Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead as given by Him lately in the Bhagavad-gita. In this sacred philosophical discourse the Supreme Godhead declares Himself as the begetting father, who impregnates the seeds of living entities in the womb of mother nature who in turn gives birth to all varieties of living entities or species. So the plain truth is that the Supreme Godhead the Father, the nature material is the mother and all living entities are so many children of almighty father Godhead, and the mother nature. The whole arrangement is just a family unit, and we should wonder as to why there is so much anomaly in this great universal family unit. The answer for this is also given in the Bhagavad-gita. It is said that there are two classes of men in the creation. One class is called the devas (godly) and the other class is called the asura (demonic or godless). As sons of the almighty Father Supreme Godhead, all individual living individuals have their respective independence. One can utilize this god-gifted independence properly or improperly. When a living entity improperly uses god-gifted independence and apply such independence for sense-gratification without fulfilling the will or the plan of Godhead, he at once develops the demonic qualities in contact with the illusory Energy of Godhead and becomes a full-fledged asura. But one who do not misuse the God gifted independence and does not engage himself in the act of sense-gratification but fulfills the plan of the Godhead, continues to be a deva or godly. In this act of sense-gratification the asura children of Godhead forgets the plan of Godhead and therefore tries to exploit the state of Godhead for their own benefit which is sometime centralized but sometimes extended. The gods or the godly sons of Godhead do not act like this and they are therefore distinguished from the asuras. The mother nature or, the material energy of Godhead is, as she should naturally be, the most faithful mistress of Godhead. She does not tolerate the exploitative motive of the asura children of Her and for this he has to assume the role of Daiva Maya and takes at once Her grim trident and inflicts the weapon in the very heart of the asura although the latter is her own son. The asura is thus subjected to three-fold miseries and this is done according to the plan of Godhead. The mother nature, therefore chastises her disobedient sons in order to bring them to the right path of fulfilling the plan of Godhead. This process of chastisement is necessary for the benefit of both the asuras and the gods alike. Such process re-establishes the plan of Godhead. The asuras however when turned to act according to the plan of Godhead, at once become a God. When the asura becomes a God the angry mode of nature subsides [PAGE MISSING] letters | 03:13 | 12.10.09 1949: July 5 Calcutta The Secretary The Board of Trustees Mahatma Gandhi Memorial National Fund, New Delhi. Dear Sir, With reference to the invitation issued by your Board, for suggestions for the administration of the Fund, I beg to inform that Gandhiji's memorial can fittingly be perpetuated by a continued effort to keep in motion his spiritual movements. I beg to suggest most humbly to your board that Gandhiji, minus his spiritual activities, is an ordinary politician. But actually he was a saint amongst the statesmen and his basic principle was to overhaul the very foundation of present civilization by the novel philosophy of satyagraha and nonviolence. The Congress institution is already in the waning for neglecting Gandhiji's spiritual movement which was the main pillar of his universal popularity. By claiming the Indian state as secular we should not sacrifice Gandhiji's spiritual movement which is different from communal religiosity. This fact is corroborated by such personalities as Sri Aurovindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. You may do everything for commemorating his memory living but if you do not accelerate his spiritual movement, his memory will be soon as dead as has been the lot of other politicians. Mahatma Gandhi, although he was always busy with his political activities, never missed to attend to his daily prayer meetings in the evening. This rule he observed punctually even a few seconds before his assassination. To give a fitting memorial to Mahatma Gandhi we must follow and propagate this particular line of spiritual activities and must daily read a chapter from Bhagavad-gita in congregation. Bhagavad-gita is the world recognized philosophy of Indian culture and the favorite scripture of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great follower of this great philosophy like other great saints and he was therefore a great devotee of Rama and Krishna and for this only he was raised to such exalted position of a saint amongst the statesmen during his very life time. The Gandhi Memorial National Fund should be utilized for training up the people in general in this line of daily prayer in different places of Gandhi memorial buildings and other similar important places. If systematic and principled direction is given to this daily prayer meetings following the footprints of Mahatmaji, then we can help all concerned in subduing their evil propensities which are the causes of disruption in the human society at large. When spiritual instincts, which are inherent qualities in every living being, are kindled by such daily prayer meetings, it is then only the people in general develop the qualities of the gods and the Trust Board of Mahatma Gandhi Fund should not miss this lesson of Mahatmaji's practical life. Such qualities being developed people in general will give up the habit of imitating others but they will live and act freely boldly and rightly like Mahatma Gandhi and that will bring real freedom of life individually or collectively. Mahatmaji started another spiritual movement known as the temple entry movement and he wanted to give this facility to everyone irrespective caste distinction. The temple worship is another kind of spiritual cultural movement for the benefit of the ordinary class of people. He himself installed the deity of Sri Radha Krishna at Noakhali when he was there and that is also very significant. The theistic temples all over India are actually the different centres as are the churches and mosques all over the world. These sacred centres were meant for diffusing spiritual education and by this process of spiritual culture the disturbed mind could be trained up in concentration for higher duties which every human being must do. By such education in practice can help man in realizing the existence of God without whose sanction, according to Mahatma Gandhi, "not a blade of grass moves." A part of this movement is the harijana movement. The harijana means the God's man or the godly man as distinguished from the satanic devils. How a man of satanic principles can be turned in to a God's man is enunciated in the Bhagavad-gita. The way of karma-yoga i.e. doing everything for God's sake should be the principles of life. The activities of the general public may not be stopped but may diverted in the manner stated in the Bhagavad-gita. By doing so any one in the world can be turned into a God's man. Thus the harijana movement started by Mahatma Gandhi should not be taken absolutely for the benefit of the bhangis and ___ so to say but it should be utilized for all who have the mentality of the bhangis etc. By all the above process Mahatma Gandhi wanted to establish a greater human society. His idea of a casteless society could only be given a shape under the guidance of the principles of Bhagavad-gita. There are men of different mentalities according to quality and work. There are different modes of nature. These natural modes work everywhere in the world and different propensities develop by the psychological modes of nature. The caste system is nothing but a classification of men according to such modes of nature. It is not therefore bound up within the walls of India but this is current all over the world may be under different names. This scientific and natural division of men should be accepted and people should be given chance to become harijana with equal facilities for all. The Bhagavad-gita gives a clear idea of doing this work and the Gandhi Memorial Fund should be utilized mainly for this purpose. Myself with a batch of sincere workers are ready to take up this work, and I shall be glad to have your reaction to my above suggestions. Yours sincerely, Abhay Charan De letters | 04:06 | 8.10.09 1949: May Calcutta Dear Sir, On the conclusion of the All Religious Conference held at Bombay very recently, I may submit that nothing practical has come out of it for uniting the different faiths of the world. The practical solution is lying in the transcendental message of Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead as given by Him lately in the Bhagavad-gita. In this sacred philosophical discourse the Supreme Godhead declares Himself as the begetting Father who impregnates the seeds of living entities in the womb of Mother Nature who in turn gives birth all varieties of living species. So the plain truth is that the Supreme Godhead is the Father, the Nature is the Supreme Mother and all living entities so many children of Almighty Father Godhead and the Mother Nature. The whole arrangement is therefore a family unit and one should wonder as to why there is so much anomaly in this universal family affair. The answer for this is also given in the Bhagavad-gita. It is said that there are two classes of children in the creation of Godhead and nature. One class is called the daiva (godly) and the other class is called the asura (demonic or godless). As sons of the almighty Father Supreme Godhead, all the living entities have individual independence and when some of the children misuse the godgifted independence for their sense gratification and not to fulfill the plan of Godhead, they develop the demonic qualities and become asuras. But those who do not misuse the the godgifted independence for sense gratification they continue to remain as the Daivas. For sense gratification the asura children of Godhead and Nature forgets the plan of Godhead and thus they begin to exploit and trouble the mother Nature and other obedient children of Nature, for their own benefit sometimes centralized and sometimes extended. Those children who do not do like this are gods themselves distinguished from the asuras. The Mother Nature is, as She should naturally be, the most faithful mistress of Godhead and She becomes angry for the behavior of the Asura and thus assume the role of Daivamaya (generally known as the Mohakali, Durga, Bhadrakali etc.) and take at once Her grim trident and inflicts the weapon in the heart of the asura who is also Her son. The asura thus becomes subject to threefold miseries and this is done according to the plan of Godhead as the mother has to chastise the disobedient son in order to make him alright. This process of chastisement is necessary for the benefit of both the asura and the daiva sons in order to stop disorder in the great plan of Godhead. As sons as the asura, however, surrenders unto Godhead as the obedient son and servitor of the plan of Godhead the asura is turned into a devata. The angry mode of Mother Nature at once subsides and she appears to such godly sons as the most affectionate Mother in the role of Yogamaya (commonly known as Laksmi, Sita and Radharani etc). So according to Bhagavad-gita the whole trouble of the world is due to the increase in the number of the asura and decrease in the number of the daivas. Who is a daiva and who is a asura is clearly defined in the Bhagavad-gita. Thus the whole problem has to be solved according to expert advices and it is not possible to solve the world problem so easily as by holding occasional discussions by some who are already themselves under the influence of the asuric qualities. This should be done most scientifically which is above mistakes and illusion. As stated above the asura, as soon as he surrenders to Godhead makes the whole problem solved. But unfortunately the ____ to the threefold miseries of mother Nature and thus befooled by his repeated foolish activities will not easily surrender unto Godhead due to his long forgetful relation with the almighty Father. It is a hard job therefore to turn the asura to be a daiva but the process has been made easy by the Personality of Godhead Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. Mahatma Gandhijee took up this cause to begin with but he is gone without further progress in the matter. If we are intelligent enough we should again take up the matter more scientifically and do the job very nicely for the peace of the world. I have, according to the instruction of my spiritual master, chalked out a programme of work according to Bhagavad-gita and I wish to discuss it personally with your good self to give the plan a practical shape. Will it be convenient for you to see me for this purpose? I am prepared to go to you at my cost at wait upon you if so desired by you. Awaiting your early reply and thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully, Abhay Charan De letters | 04:58 | 6.10.09 1949: March 14 Calcutta Dear Juggannath Babu, Please accept my respectful namaskara. The sacred meeting organized by you at your place yesterday will be remembered by me with great reverence and I must thank you from the very core of my heart for giving me a chance to serve the cause of the potency of the almighty God. I think you have inherited some transcendental talents by the good deeds of your past life and as such you have taken your birth in the family of the srimatam as stated in the Bhagavad-gita. God willing you shall render tremendous transcendental service in the rest of your life and by doing so you shall not only glorify the family in which you have taken your birth but also the community and the country will be benefited. Yesterday evening when we were talking at your veranda we had some talks over the advent day of Lord Caitanya which falls today the most auspicious Dol-yatra purnima day and as such I myself along with some members of my family today observing fast till the advent moment of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu just in the evening. Guru Maharaj Sastriji advised the members assembled yesterday to observe fast today and this is being done as a matter of course on the occasion of Gaura Jayanti day. I was so glad to hear from you that you know Lord Caitanya as the incarnation of Godhead. Yes he is so and there are ample proofs of His being so in the different Sastras such as Mahabharata, Bhagavata, Upanisads and many other Puranas. So on the occasion of Lord Caitanya's 463rd advent ceremony, I am taking this opportunity to remember about him which will help my vrata observed to-day. I hope you will not mind for intruding upon your time with this statement. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam when Karabhajana Muni was elucidating the different incarnations of Godhead in different yugas, he said that "In the Kali-yuga the intelligent persons will worship the incarnation of Sri Krishna, by the transcendental sankirtana method. This incarnation of Sri Krishna will be non-blackish in the color of His body but will constantly chant the name of Krishna along with His many disciples who will act as the soldiers for the deliverance of the fallen souls of the Kali-yuga." Sri Krishna Caitanya preached as one of the Vaisnava acaryas like Ramanujacarya and others and His mission was to establish the same theory of deliverance as was propounded by Sri Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord personally described as to the method of approaching Him, His real features, His different Potencies known as the mahamaya and the yogamaya, His virat appearance His method of creation maintenance and destruction of the material world, information of the transcendental world which does not annihilate even after the annihilation of the material world. The living entities souls, the process of migration of the souls the description of the mahatmas, their duties and lastly the duty of everybody after elaborate elucidation of the three modes of nature, satya raja tama and the different human races, work, knowledge, devotion, worship activities under the influence of such modes of nature. In the Bhagavad-gita a clear distinction has been made between the asura prakrti and daiva prakrti and He has vehemently deprecated the demonic or asuric prakrti and eulogized the daiva prakrti. The Mahamaya who is known as Durga, Kali, Candi, Bhadrakali, Mohalaksmi, etc is the embodiment of His external potency as described in the Candi and it is the thankless task of the Mahamaya to punish the asuras with Her all powerful weapons in the ten direction of the material world. She does not only create and maintain this material world but also she annihilates it according to the direction of the almighty God. In the Bhagavad-gita this Mahamaya has also been described as Daivi Maya and She is so powerful that the asuras cannot by-pass Her at any rate. The asura can get remission from the stroke of the trisula of Mohamaya when he the asura, surrenders surrenders himself to Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead. As Superintendent of the material world the Mohamaya has been described Durga as the protectress of the great durga or fortress of the grand universes. She gives all the necessities for our existence but as soon as we become an asura like the Mohisasuras, Ravanas, Hiranyakasipus, and in later ages like the Mussolinis and such others for the exploitation of the material energy, the Durga Devi at once appears Herself with Her dreadful trident and begins to devastate the whole existence by such tribulations as war, famine, pestilence, or sometimes annihilation of a total existence. The methods of annihilation as are invented by the human brain such as the atomic bombs etc are also Her creations but the deluded asuras, who are caused to act by the modes of prakrti the material nature, do think themselves as the originator or inventor of such weapons. In that way a constant struggle is going on between the asuras and the prakrti and the asuras are thus being punished in different ways which the asuras cannot overcome by any method except by full surrender unto the almighty God. In the Bhagavad-gita the last instruction is to surrender fully unto Him the author of the Bhagavad-gita but unfortunate men of demonic mentality misunderstood the teachings of Bhagavad-gita as a method of sophistry and therefore the same Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna in the garb of a transcendental devotee preach the same techniques of Bhagavad-gita i.e. full surrender unto the almighty God or His different potencies in a demonstrative way. The method of His demonstration was also very suitable. He inaugurated the sankirtana movement accompanied with melodious song which method has been found practically very effective amongst the masses. It is not possible for the masses to study the Vedanta or to undergo the difficult mystic processes especially in the Kali-yuga when the general people is indolent, unfortunate, shortlived and always disturbed by physical and mental tribulations. So they the general mass of people are fallen in the estimation of the great saints and as such for them Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the only hope for deliverance. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Varanasi He was invited to a philosophical discourse by the Prakashananda Sarasvati a great giant scholar and sannyasi of the Mayavadi or Sankara sampradaya and discussion was made on the Vedanta philosophy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was victorious in that discussion and converted the great sannyasi with his 60,000 followers to His cult of devotion and established His easy method of sankirtana movement the most suitable method for the deliverance of the people in general. So on the occasion of the Lord's 463rd advent day, I beg to suggest that in the guru-mandala some such preaching method as was adopted by Lord Caitanya, may also be adopted for the benefit of the general people. The upasana of yoga system as recommended by Sastriji may not be suitable for the people in general because hardly they will be able to adhere to the principles of yoga and it may be as suggested by the Rajguru Sastriji that in the default of such yogic method the performer may fall ill and thus become doomed for his life. You have encouraged your mill employees by establishing a recreation club and the amiable feelings of your employees with the benevolent proprietors as has been exhibited in yesterdays function, may be supplemented by infusing them with spiritual inspiration by the simple method as done by Lord Caitanya. In the last portion of His transcendental pastimes, Lord Caitanya lived in Puri-dhama and worshiped the Lord Jagannatha. By Some way or other your mill area has been named as the Jagannatha Puri and I suggest that an actual temple of Sri Jagannathaji may be erected by the guru-mandala for the benefit of these mill workers. If they simply make melodious kirtana of Rama or Krishna or both combined and they are offered the prasadam of Sri Jagannatha surely they shall imbibe the spiritual tendency inherent in every human [PAGE MISSING] letters | 05:48 | 3.10.09 1949: February 28 Calcutta Hon. Sardar Dr. Vallavbhaiji Patel Deputy Prime Minister, Government of India, New Delhi. Revered Sir, May your honour accept my humble namaskara. Your honour is well known as the iron man of India but I know that you the most practical man who can take things as they are. With this idea in view I venture to approach your honour for submitting the following few lines for your consideration and necessary action. Funds are being collected to commemorate Mahatma Gandhiji in a fitting manner and I beg to suggest that the same may be done in the Gandhian way and not otherwise. Gandhiji's whole life was dedicated to the service of humanity at large with special interest for raising the moral standard. His later activities showed that he was equal to every one and all the people of the world knew him more as the spiritual leader than a mere politician. Devotion to Godhead was his ultimate aim and when I say that his sacred memory should be perpetuated not in the ordinary way but in the Gandhian way, I mean that fitting respect to his memory will be done in the following manner. 1. In the midst of his multifarious duties, Gandhiji never missed to attend to his randhun kirtana meeting. This is one of the soundest method for the culture of devotion to God. In the opinion of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one who is imbibed with the devotion of Godhead is also endowed with all the good qualities of the gods. But one who is not a devotee of Godhead, has not any value for his good qualities because he utilizes his so called good qualities for ulterior purposes. As such the easy way to raise the moral standard of people in general, is to make this sankirtana movement more popular all over the world by philosophical discourses based on reasoning and moral and ethical codes. The Vaisnava acaryas especially Lord Caitanya and his six Gosvami disciples give us ample opportunity and scope for this work. Lord Caitanya first inaugurated the sankirtana or randhun movement and the later Gosvamis supported it by scholarly philosophical synthesis. The six sandarbhas by Srila Jiva Goswami are marvelous in this respect. 2. The second item is to take up the temple entry or temple worship movement. This is, in the real sense, a theistic cultural movement and the facility or opportunity shall be open to every one whatsoever he may be. All the past acaryas accepted everyone who desires to offer his respect to God inspired by transcendental love and devotion. We can support this movement of Gandhiji on the authority of sastras. There are thousands and lakhs of temples all over India but they are not always properly managed. Some of them have become the positive dens for undesirable activities and most of the owners or trustees of such temples do not know how to utilize these sacred buildings. Neither modernized gentlemen have any interest for these neglected theistic institutions. Originally the aim of these temples was to diffuse spiritual culture in every quarter. These temples or theistic institutions should therefore be reorganized as the centre of spiritual culture according to authentic principles as laid down in the scriptures like Bhagavad-gita. 3. The third item is to take up the harijana movement. This movement is, in the real sense, a spiritual initiation movement and this should be organized in such a manner that people all over the world may take interest in it. The harijana is a word which shall not be used neglectfully as it is done now but attempt should be made to make everybody a harijana. Harijana means the recognized man of Hari the Personality of Godhead and thus he (the harijana) is as important a man as the knight of the king. So harijana movement should be strengthened more scientifically to turn every person who is now mayajana into a harijana. The mayajana is a word which is applicable to a person who is ordinarily engaged in the service of materialistic pursuits. The harijana is the person whose main business is to attain perfection of human life, as Mahatma Gandhi did, by spiritualistic realization. This movement should therefore be conducted under strict disciplinary methods as prescribed by the mahajana or the harijana of accredited merit. In such a movement we shall have full co-operation of the sadhu community in India. 4. The fourth item is to organize the much discussed caste system as a solution of natural division of the human beings all over the world. Nationalistic division of human races is artificial but scientific division of the caste system as envisaged in the Bhagavad-gita is natural. We shall have to pick up brahmanas and others not only from the Indian people but from the peoples of all over the world. The vitiated caste system of present India is never sanctioned by the scriptures. But the caste system is made by God according to quality and work of the subject and it was never designed for the benefit of accidental birth right. Thus whatever is made by God cannot be destroyed by man. Destruction of the caste system as contemplated by some exponents, is therefore out of question. By the modes of nature different persons are imbued with different qualities and the scientific way of division of human society, from the qualitative aspect, by the caste system is quite natural. But the basic principle of such caste system is to serve the plan of Godhead and by doing so the four orders of caste system make a headway by the co-operative method. When such spiritual progress is definitely made, the materialistic progress is automatically effected as a matter of course. That makes a real classless society. The above four-fold Gandhi movements, if done in an organized, scientific way supported by all the authentic scriptures of all religiosities, will bring in that tranquillity of peace respite of all harshness and bitterness of the present world, which we have longed for till now. I wish to organize a spiritual society for the above movements and therefore I seek your active help and support for this. The immediate need is to start an organization centre in a suitable place preferably in New Delhi under your direct supervision and to train up a batch of young men for this transcendental service. If possible to conduct a monthly magazine in this respect for propaganda work. If your honor will allow me an interview, I shall be very glad to explain the whole idea personally and let you know how the scheme can be given a practical shape for subsiding the general unrest all over the world. Such an organized movement shall be the panacea of all social maladies. The State is giving help for so many man-made purposes and I pray that a sum of Rs 2000.- per month may be allowed for starting these Gandhian movements in organized form and that on authentic basis I think if your honour as a renowned practical man accepts my humble suggestion, it may be by the will of God, that the whole atmosphere of the present world calamities may be mitigated altogether. My humble self had the privilege of taking this training under the lotus feet of my spiritual master and I am confident to organize this work in a scientific way if I am helped by the state. Hoping to be excused for intruding upon your valuable time and awaiting your early reply with deep interest. With my best regards, I beg to remain, Yours faithfully, Abhay Charan De letters | 04:03 | 16.9.09 1950: December 12 Calcutta Sriman Ram Krishna Dey c.o Day Bannernut Co. Waterloo St.-Cal. My dear Father Ramakrishna, My departure for Allahabad was postponed due to the failure of my proposed tenants' payment of Rs 500.-. The man promised to pay me yesterday but he said his cheque was dishonored. Today he has again promised to pay at 12 noon but I do not now count upon him. So either he pays or not pays, I must proceed to Allahabad tonight positively otherwise the whole thing will be spoiled. Now as a helpless child looks upon his father, so I look upon you in the absence of my real father. Please therefore come in the evening, or tomorrow morning, enquire __ if I have had the balance money (Rs 500.-) before going to Allahabad and if you learn that the tenant is not __ with money, please try to send me further Rs 500.- to my Allahabad address by T.M.O. or letter T.T. and write me the news. As the son cannot repay the father, so I cannot repay the obligation I owe to you, but my sincere blessings are always upon you because you have tried to help me in a very critical time. My life was miserable due to my family affairs and you have come to rescue me from the plight. May God help you in all respects. With my blessings, I beg to remain Yours affectionately, Abhay Charan De. letters | 03:52 | 8.9.09 1951: October 2 Allahabad Mr. Daniel Bailey Information Officer American Reporter 54, Queen's Road, New Delhi. Dear Mr. Bailey, I am in due receipt of your letter No.AR-2732 of the 26th ultimo, and I am very glad to note your frankness to admit that you cannot go so far at present to disseminate the basic principles of Indian philosophies. Indian philosophies mean generally the Sada Darsana or the six different schools of philosophers namely, 1. the Mimamsa, 2. Sankhya, 3. Nyaya, 4. Mayavada, 5. Patanjal and 6. the Vedanta. The last named Vedanta Darsana was compiled by Sri Vyasa after a thorough refutation of all other five Darsanas and therefore Vedanta is accepted by all Indian scholars and no body is recognized as bonafide who has no interpretation of this Vedanta Darsana. The Western philosophers mostly of the Sankhya school have less aquaintance with the Vedanta Darsana and philosophers like Kant, Mill, Aristotle or Schopenhauer etc all belong to either of the above five Darsanas except Vedanta because limited human thinking power cannot go beyond that stage. But Vedanta Darsana is far beyond the limited mental speculation of the human brain conditioned by material nature. Unfortunately Sankara who belonged to the Mayavada school made a misinterpretation of the Vedanta for his own purpose to convert the Buddhists in India. The Ramakrishna mission although it does not come out of the above six schools of philosophers--generally they prefer to call themselves as Sankarites or belonging to the Mayavada school. Interpretations of Vedanta made by them are neither Mayavada nor Sattattva. They have their own interpretation different from the Vyasa school of philosophers. Other Acaryas such as Ramanuja, Madhva etc and lately Sri Caitanya--all belong to the original Vedantist school by direct disciplic succession. According to these Acaryas Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are, in their original stand, the real commentaries of the Vedanta Sutras. The Mayavadins who do not actually belong to the Vedanta school have overcast a cloud unnecessarily over the Bhagavad-gita and therefore common people are misled by them. In other words they have no entrance in the Vedanta Darsana so to say. It is not at all necessary that an ailing person shall oblige all classes of physicians for the sake of their being medical practitioners only. The patient must be treated by such physician only who is able to cure him. Philosophical ways are practical and it is no use simply by indulging in speculation without any practical result just like to keep a cow without any milk. We must always seek a practical value from philosophy for the benefit of all. The mission with which you have started your service inspired me to help you as far as possible and I thought it fit to inform you that your mission can be well guided by the practical philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita. If you do not wish to have it that is a different question. If you put up a programme acceptable to one and all there is no necessity of patronising a particular ism. A common formula can be of practical use both for India or others. As such you can have practical solutions of all problems such as social, religious, cultural, political, economic as well as agricultural and industrial--from the Bhagavad-gita. It is possible only simply by assimilating it by direct perception. It is meant for all living being. Indirect perception will mislead far away from the truth and I am afraid many such indirect misinterpretations in a speculative mood by various commentators, have done more harm than good to the humanity in general. In all humility I beg to differ with you that all men should be free to make their choices and interpretations in all things. Less intelligent men are always guided by those who are superior in knowledge in all spheres of life. This principle is applicable everywhere but the guidance must be right and bonafide. But it depends always on the sweet will of the guided to accept this principle or reject it. I am glad that you have a copy of Gita with you. Apart from the Swamijee's learned interpretations--you can see for yourself what is written in the 18th Chapter 67th sloka. Empiric philosophers may call it a sophistry but is a fact substantiated after all human reasoning offered by Arjuna. It is clearly said here that one should follow Sri Krishna alone. If any body makes his choice not to follow him surely he will have relative result. Bhagavad-gita is mostly read by almost all classes of people of the world but unfortunately they are accepted in an independent choice of indirect interpretation. That is a deviation and for that reason only they cannot derive the direct benefit. My sincere thanks are due to you for the last portion of your letter under reply. Yours sincerely, A. C. Bhaktivedanta All Glory to Sri Guru and Gauranga. letters | 03:46 | 3.9.09 1951: September 14 Allahabad Mr. Daniel Bailey Information officer American Reporter, 54, Queensway, New Delhi. Dear Mr. Bailey, I am in due receipt of your kind letter No. AR2295 of the 7th instant and I thank you very much for the same. You have written to say that "The United States and the American Reporter are keenly interested in bringing together the East and the West closer on a philosophical and religious basis as well as economical and political." Certainly this attempt is not only a laudable thing but also a stepping stone towards the ultimate self realisation. When we speak of Philosophy it is something higher than the attempt of combining the East and the West. The whole cosmic situation is a complete unit and unless and attempt genuine is made for harmonizing the whole disturbed system and partial attempt on our part however large in magnitude will fail to approach the ultimate goal. Sages of India realised this by a perfect deductive process which descends on human consciousness by the transcendental unbroken chain of disciplic succession--that material civilization is a gigantic temporary demonstration of a rabid process of sense-gratification. In that mode of civilization the sense organs are give unrestricted liberty to gratify ever-increasing desires and the whole show of cultural advancement in science, art, education, trade, industry economics and politics is only varied activities of the sense organs. While I appreciate contribution by Swami Nikhilananda of Ramakrishna Mission in New York towards "India American relation--A way to world peace." It will not be out place to mention that comparative study & Philosophical ideas expressed by different religious heads will not only bring large contributions to the said _ _ but will also give the public at large a conviction of the Bhagavad-gita. Smoke emanates from the fire under certain condition but it is a disturbing condition of the fire. We need the fire and not the smoke. The present smoky materialistic or sensuous civilization has to be kindled into the fire of reality or Spiritualism. It is neither difficult nor impossible and is much more simpler than any other method. It is just a simple process of fanning the fire in order to get rid of the disturbing smoke. Such fanning process is eternally the same and the one and the empiric speculators have nothing to invent now in it. The great Philosophy of Bhagavad-gita is the authoritative book to guide us in this respect. We have nothing to drag init by forcing empiric interpretations. Let it be understood as it is because it is just like the Sun. The Sun does not require to be helped by other light. So there is no need of interpreting Bhagavad-gita by any indirect meaning. Let us understand that Kuruksetra is Kuruksetra and it is still a sacred place of Hindu pilgrimage. The Pandavas are the sons of Pandu as it is stated in the history of Mahabharata. The Pandavas and the Kurus met at the battlefield of Kuruksetra and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita was told by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna. I wish that the American people may try to understand Bhagavad-gita in terms of its direct meaning. Let it not be unnecessarily misunderstood by the empiric speculative method for making a show of the vanity of so called learning without any living experience. Such academic erudition has nothing to do with living reality. I wish to present an analytical study of Bhagavad-gita as it is. If your people can grasp the direct meaning of Bhagavad-gita it will be possible for us all to understand the basic principle of cosmic harmony. When that is done we shall know then that all adjustment of our existence is not only peaceful but an eternal bliss distinguished from the ephemeral sensual satisfaction. We shall then only know that here is world where there is no struggle for existence and every living entity, never mind what it is, is fit to exist. Thanking you in anticipation, Yours truly, Abhay Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta letters | 03:31 | 8.8.09 1952: September 26 Allahabad My Dear Ramakrishna, In reply to Srimati Suluxmona's letter, I am sending herewith one letter for her which may be delivered to her. I came here to improve my lot but I see that my bad luck is impossible to be improved. For the last two years approximately I have met expenses from this business to the extent of Rs 600.- month. Calcutta, Allahabad, Ranchi High Court & Ry Journey altogether five different items of expenses have been so far met. But all of a sudden my sister opponent firms have designed to remove me from this place. By their trick the Drug Controller has suspended my business for the last one and a half month with the result that about Rs 1000.- has been locked up & sealed and I have been put to shame by my servants. I require immediately Rs 300.- to meet the establishment charges without which I am much humiliated. I am trying my level best to reopen the business but still it will take minimum one week to come to the normal condition. I am awfully stranded and put to much shame. Will you kindly help me as you have done so many times? As a son has no shame to ask his father, so I feel no shame for it because there is no other help at the present moment. If you can, please do send me T.M.O. for Rs 300.- & save my prestige & honour. I expect to return you this sum after a fort night. As soon as my business is opened I shall at once get back Rs 1000.-. May God bless you. Yours affectionately Father-in-law. N.B. I shall expect your T.M.O. by Monday next or latest Tuesday next. ACD letters | 03:26 | 1.8.09 1953: July 7 Allahabad [True copy of the letter published in the A.B. Patrika on 7.7.53 at Allahabad under the heading "Hindu Missionaries"] Sir--With reference to the letter of Sri Satish Asthana published in your columns of the 2nd instant, I have the honour to inform all concerned through your esteemed paper, that an association for missionary activities under the name and style "The League of Devotees" has already been established recently with the same aims and objects as suggested by Sri Asthana and Sri Sitaram. The registered office of the above League is situated at the big spacious building "Bharati Bhawan" at Sipri Road, Jhansi. Gentlemen interested in such cultural activities may ask from the Founder Secretary, the prospectus of the mission (in Hindi or in English) with details of the institution. The matter is so important that it cannot be (now) set aside to be managed by the Sadhus and Sannyasins only but it must be taken care of by all responsible men. The word "Hindu" is somewhat foreign according to India's spiritual or cultural conception. The exact word used for this purpose is "Sanatanam" or the eternal. Sri "Bhagavad-gita" gives us the message that "Sanatana" religion is meant not only for the "Hindus," the Indians or all the humanity at large but also for all living beings on earth. It is wrong to interpret that Vedic religion (commonly known as "Hinduism") is not proselytistic. The proselytising method of "Bhagavad-gita" is to turn the face of all mundaners towards the transcendental service of the Absolute Personality of Godhead "Sri Krishna" which process can only save them (the mundaners) from all calamities past present and future. The present Godless civilization has to be remoulded into Godly one and for this purpose all missionaries (Hindu or non-Hindu) who have regard for scientific proselytising method may join this "League of Devotees" [PAGE MISSING] letters | 03:16 | 30.7.09 1955: December 25 Delhi Names of the Executive members of the Delhi section of the League of Devotees. (1) Rai Bahadur Pandit Narain Das, 21 Pusha Road, N. Delhi (2) Rai Sahale Seth Girdharilal, Bag Diwar, Delhi (3) Seth Baseswar Natha, 9 Barkhnkakau Road, N. Delhi (4) Sat Narayana Gurvala, Malibara, Delhi (5) Rai Sahale Ram Saran Das, 11 Ramanagar, N. Delhi (6) Sri Makhanlal Gupta, ___, Delhi (7) Sri Bipin Candra Misra (8) Lala Maha Sankara, Ramanagar. (9) Pandit A. C. Bhaktivedanta (10) Lala Mohanlal Advocate. c.o Girohilal (11) Sri Ram Prakash, ___, Chawn Bazar (12) Sri Direndra Kumar, Siddhomal & Sons, Chawn Bazar Dear Sirs, With reference to the inaugural meeting of the Delhi section of the League on 22.12.55 the gentlemen named above have been selected to be the executive members. The immediate programe of work is to find out some suitable place for the central office as also to provide the place of residence for the workers. When I was at Jhansi, I was provided with a big palatial building to live in associated with 40 workers who are being trained up for intinerary preaching work. The expenses were about Rs 1000.- per month. I approached the Govt for help but even after one year no definite decision could be arrived at by the Govt and the matter is still pending. Jhansi was a poor place & I shifted to Delhi. My associates were therefore disbursed & I came to Delhi to give it a new life. Delhi is the only centre where from this cultural movement could immediately be given effect because it is the centre of international political, social educational & cultural movements. What I want to do immediately are as follows:-- (1) To hold consecutive meetings at different Mohallus & houses of Delhi for impressing the ideas of the mission. (2) To give training to at least 7 to 10 educated young men in the "parampara lessons of Bhagavad-gita" and then to "Brahma Sutra," Bhagavata & Caitanya Caritamrta (3) To publish an English monthly paper to sell specially to the English knowing heads of the society and to get printed some relative literatures __. A meeting of the executives has to be called for discussing the above subjects but before doing so I wish that you all gentlemen may kindly fill up the typed membership forms enclosed herewith--so that following your foot prints other members of the public may __ members of this institution in large numbers. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully, For the League of Devotees (Reg. J.S.) A. C. Bhaktivedanta Founder Secretary To __ of the following immediately (1) Letter Heading (English) (2) Visiting Cards (English) (3) Japa Appeal (English & Hindi) (4) Membership forms (English & Hindi) (5) Rubber Stamps letters | 02:03 | 28.7.09 1955: October 5 New Delhi My Dear Sripada Gosvami Maharaja, Kindly accept my humble and respectful dandabats. I am in due receipt of your letter of the __ __ while you're staying at Howrah Gaudiya Math. I hope by the time this letter reaches your hand you might have come back to calcutta. I was anxiously awaiting your articles for October. Today is the 5th and I thought that by the 15th of this month the paper might be be out. So please send the articles per return of post and oblige. I have noted your instruction for reviewing Netaidas Brahmacari's book. The other book is not available from Sri Kesavanadaji. I am glad that you have purchased one model No 16 Remington Typewriter and I think you have done right in doing so. To conduct the Sajjan Tosani Patrika it is absolutely necessary. This typewriter is to be returned today because the period of one month expires today and as you are bringing very soon the purchased one, I shall return it today with out further rental expenses. I wish to see this paper just to the standard of "Illustrated Weekly" with numerous pictures in order to make it a very popular literature and for this I wish to move myself to secure subscribers as well as advertisers. I wish to visit good businessmen, insurance companies and Govt. officers in this connection. But I have no proper dress at all. I want two set of good dresses in order to take up this reponsibility and I shall be glad to have you decision on this matter. It is my heart's desire that this paper is improved to the highest elevation. I am glad that Sripada Sridhara Maharaja has advised you to purchase a land at Mayapur. Yes we we must have a temple at Mayapur. If every one of us possess a temple there, the importance of Sridhama Mayapur will automatically increase and we must have this ideal in view always. I am also glad to learn that you are securing some good land on long lease from the Port commissioners for our Howrah Math. Howrah is a good place for preaching our cult and it behoves that we have a decent Math there. Akincana Maharaja has received your cheque for Rs400.- and he is preparing to start for Jaipur as early as possible. Awaiting your early reply. Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta N.B. Some non-Bengali gentlemen are demanding my Hindi edition of Caitanya Caritamrta. They are prepared to pay any price for this (Rs 32. or Rs 25.- ) your Holiness has already seen the manuscript. I wish to get it out part by part. The first part will cost near about Rs 600.-. If this part is sold out, The other parts will automatically come out. I would request you to invest this initial Rs 600.- for this purpose under any arrangement you like. I shall be glad to receive your reply on this point. I hope you will give this starting & oblige. ACB. letters | 03:25 | 24.7.09 1955: September 19 New Delhi My dear Sripada Gosvami Maharaja, Please accept my respectful obeisances. I hope in the meantime you have received my last letter. This day I had been to the office of the Director of Postal Service along with our friend Sri Horendra Natha Shome and Sripada Akincana Maharaja. Some of the would be customers whose addresses were given for registration denied to be our paid subscribers and this was against the registration certificate. We had some talks with the Asst. Director who was a perfect gentleman. Heron Babu being one of them he told that he is also a customer. When he wrote in black and white his version the Director agreed to register it and I am glad to inform you this day our "Sri Sajjanatoshani Patrik" is registered in the postal department as a monthly newspaper under registration No.D797. Just on the way I dropped in at the Kapoor Art Press and I gave him the No. for printing on the cover. Our posting date has been fixed up on the 26th and 27th inst. I do not know if the press will be able to finish the job by that date. I have already given him the pressure and I shall see that it is duly published by the above date and posted. If not then we will have to make another application for changing the date of posting. I understand that you have written to Sripada Akincana Maharaja to print the paper 500 only for September. In this connection I asked the press if they will reduce the charges for this less number of printing. He said that the charges will be same. I think that we should print it as usual i.e. 1000. Akincana Maharaja has secured contribution of three reams of paper (24lbs) and the postal charges will be only 1.4th of the last month. So why for the matter of saving some papers we shall not print the full number. In my opinion we should print more than 1000 copies every month and distribute them in large scale. I think you will reconsider the matter and let me know your further opinion. The printing will begin from day after tomorrow and you will kindly reply this just on receipt of it. I hope by the time this letter reaches you you have had returned from Navadvipa. Hope you are well. Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta letters | 04:18 | 16.7.09 1955: September 16 New Delhi His Holiness Sripada Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaja Sri Caitanya Saraswat Math Kolergunj P.O. Navadvipa, Dist. Nadia (W.Beng.) My dear Sripada Govinda Maharaja, This morning I received two copies of your "Gaudiya Darshan" and I was very glad to see its appearance. When I was at Mathura I heard from Spd. Kesava Maharaja and so also I heard it from Spd Goswami Maharaja that His Holiness Sripada Sridhara Maharaja is going to publish "Gaudiya Darshan" and today I find it actually in hand. I cannot but offer my congratulations to your holiness. Because I know if anything has been done it is due to your energy. I can understand now why Sripada Sridhara Maharaja bestowed all his mercy upon you. He rightly found in you some dormant energy for future action and we can see that it is now fructifying duly. I have read with great interest your article especially the one which is named as "CHALAR PATHE." It is not only very amusing but also instructive. Simple dry philosophical arguments will not be appealing now a days to people in general. They will like to read such articles as written by you with greater relish. In this article I can find out that you have really some parts and in time you can become a great transcendental humorist in the art of journalism. You have complete mercy of your Divine master and you can depend on his blessings for your future improvement. I sincerely wish you all success--Undoubtedly you are now in the highest order of Varnasrama Dharma but we cannot forget that you belong to the category of our affectionate sons. We cannot forget all such filial love for you and when we see that you are improving in all respects it gladdens our heart. I have just written a letter to Sripada Gosvami Maharaja and in that letter the following statements have been carried to him him. The wordings are as follows: "This day we have received two copies of Gaudiya Darsana from Sripada Sridhara Maharaja's Math at Navadvipa. The starting is very good and I have quite appreciated the endeavour of Sripada Maharaja although very late. It is better late than never. He has a very good assistant in the person of young Govinda Maharaja and I think it is a good attempt." Your poem on Vasita is also good. All these show that you have good tact and may God help you more and more. Sripada Sridhara Maharaja's article on Gaudiya Darsana is philosophical and if he so desires I can get it translated into English by myself and get it published in the Sri Sajjanatoshani Patrika. I understand that Sripada is now out on pilgrimage and you can let me know his opinion when he comes back or earlier according to your convenience. Hope you are well. Brindaban wanted to live with me and so he has come here from Calcutta just a few days before. Where is Madhusudana Maharaja? Please convey my dandabats to all the Vaisnavas. With my regards for you all. Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta letters | 03:12 | 12.7.09 1955: September 16 New Delhi My dear Sripada Gosvami Maharaja, Please accept my respectful obeisances. I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated the 14th instant and I have noted the contents very carefully. I am glad that you have come back to Calcutta from the inundated area of Orissa and am more glad to learn that your holiness is trying to return to Delhi for creating a peaceful atmosphere here. You will be glad to learn that day before yesterday morning at about 9 O'clock Sri N. C. Chatterji the big advocate and President of the Hindu Mahasabha came to our Sangha with his secretary unexpectedly. It happened that about a fortnight past we had a Path Kirtana function at his residence at 7-B, Pusa Road and in that evening we had some talk about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He appeared to be well versed with the matter of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. I therefore invited him to come to our Sangha and he replied that he would try. After a week I reminded him again by letter and in response to my letter he came here all of sudden. Practically all the members were out at that time and myself along with two other Brahmacari and Brindaban received him. He was acquainted with our activities and was offered Prasadam which he accepted and took it with him. I have asked him to come again when your holiness come back. Regarding your instruction for Spd Akincana Maharaja, I have intimated him about it and it is learnt that he has asked Sripada Bonbehariji to bring along with him the old receipts when he is coming to Delhi. Your note for Sriman Kesavanandaji has also also been noted by him. All the press matters for September issue have been duly handed over to the Kapoor Art Press but till now we have not got any proof from them. I sent for it this morning and they have promised to deliver it from tomorrow. It is learnt from Kesavanandaji that they have promised to finish the task by the 25th of this month. I have noted your remark about the cover of the monthly and I have already suggested so many things to Sripada Ramananda Prabhu for apprisal. Sripada Ramananda Prabhu and many others along with me want to see the paper just fit for the foreign countries. In that case we must get it printed on nice paper in a very good up-to-date Press. It all depends on the expenditure that we are able to meet but the ideal must be for its many sided desirable improvements. When you come back we shall see to it because in your absence it is not also possible to change the press. When we cannot change the press immediately it is useless to change the paper or the cover. The suggestion made by some friend that the paper may be printed from Calcutta is alright. But my suggestion is that either in Calcutta or in Delhi we must have our own press with good equipments so that we may be able to broadcast the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in all the important languages specially in Hindi and in English. Hindi is meant for all India propaganda while English is meant for world wide propaganda. This day we have received two copies of "Gaudiya Darshan" from Sripada Sridhara Maharaja's Math at Navadvipa. The starting is very good and I have quite appreciated the endeavour of Sridhara Maharaja even though very late. It is better late than never. He has a very good assistant in the person of young Govinda Maharaja and I think it is a good attempt. Regarding Typewriter machine I understand that Sripada Ramananda Prabhu is unwilling to part with it. Of course in his head office of the institution he requires one for so many correspondences but here also in the office of Sri Sajjanatoshani Patrika which purely in English one machine is absolutely needed. Here all the presses do want type written copies so that the matter may be promptly executed. Some of the presses are ready to finish the whole printing work within 4 or 5 days if the whole matter is given in distinct type written papers. This machine was hired and I have already informed you about it. We have in the meantime type written three copies of all the addresses so that for three months we can simply paste the addresses on the covering wrapper without taking any trouble of clerical job. Any way we shall see to it when you come back if possible with the machine. Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta letters | 04:07 | 8.7.09 1955: September India Dear Brother, I am in due receipt of your kind enquiry and I am glad that you wish to become a member of the League of Devotees for learning the science & techniques of Theism or spiritualism of the highest standard. The Prospectus is enclosed herewith please find & decide for yourself for becoming a permanent member of this noble institution. The membership fees are mentioned below which is the extract from the Leagues registered rules & regulations. Rule 1. "The general body of the League will consist of members of the four orders of life namely (a) Brahmacaris (b) Grhasthas (c) Vanaprasthas (d) Sannyasis or Tyagis". Rule 4. "The members will be of three classes defined as class A, B and C in accordance with the membership fees paid. (a) Those who will contribute Rs 500.- and above per month will belong to the "A" class. (b) Those who will contribute Rs 50.- and above per month will belong to the "B" class. (c) Those who will contribute Rs 10.- and above per month will belong to the "C" class." Rule 16. "Every member is entitled to one vote either in person or by proxy at a general meeting held for its elections of the members of the Executive Committee. or for any other purposes." If you think yourself unable to pay either of the above mentioned membership fees per month, then you can apply for free membership or for a lesser value of monthly subscription for consideration of the Executive Committee., who will decide on the subject. But if you become preacher member, in that case you will have to pay once Rs 10.- only for the degree of "Bhakti-sastri" which will be awarded to you by registered certificate of degree for your becoming preaching member of the League and doing the necessary preaching work on behalf of the League. The preaching work is conducted as follows: (1) As soon as you get the certificate of degree of "Bhakti-sastri" at once you become a bona fide preacher of this institution and for this you will have to read "Bhagavad-gita" regularly. (2) As you go on reading "Bhagavad-gita" question will arise in your mind for so many teachings in that Book & you are at liberty to ask us for answers of those questions which will be replied to you very clearly for your understanding. (3) Some of the general questions are already answered in different pamphlets & one of them is sent herewith for example and your understanding. (4) These questions & answers you will have to preach to others, so that both yourself & your audience will be benefited by that process. (5) If you cannot go to others outside your hearth & home, you can do the preaching work amongst your family members only and in this meeting your other friends, neighbors & relatives also can join. (6) Hold this meeting regularly for one hour in your home or any other suitable place near about your home, and chant the hymns or slokas of "Bhagavad-gita" with reverence & devotion. If possible the reading of Bhagavad-gita may be preceded & followed by a congregation chanting of the holy name of God as mentioned below--Hare Krishna . . . Hare Hare. (7) Now relevant questions that may be arising out in the meeting may either be answered relevantly & just according to the authority of "Bhagavad-gita". But if it is found difficult the question may at once be referred to us and it will be very nicely & clearly answered by us for clear understanding of all concerned. (8) Some of the audience also may be interested in becoming a preaching worker of this League & we shall be glad to substain him in the same way as we shall be dealing with you. We are interested more in preaching members than in the sleeping members. The motto of preaching shall always be aimed at the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to re-establish our lost relation with Godhead who is the Absolute Whole, and we all living entities are His parts & parcels. We have forgotten our relation with Godhead from time immemorial by somehow or other & due to our forgetfulness of the relation, we are roaming life after life in different species of bodies which are 84 lacs in number. This process of transmigration from one body to another after death is a __ of disease of the living entity & the chance of curing the disease is possible very effectively in this human form of life. The value of this human form of life is therefore immense and a moment lost of this life means a loss of immense value. Do not therefore neglect the time that you have been allotted by the laws of Nature and utilize it fully--not in the matter of animal life but in human life. Eating, sleeping, fearing & sense gratifying process are meant for the animal portion of our life, but as human being we have got the special prerogative for searching out the cause of our threefold miseries & to rectify it in this very life without any further loss of time. The League of Devotees stand to serve the humanity in this spirit & the preaching member's cooperation in this noble act of human behavior will reciprocally benefit both the League and its preaching members. The highest benefit that is possible to do to the humanity is this act of preaching for receiving the Divine Consciousness of the living being. By doing so, we do not only send a living entity back to home & back to Godhead but at the same time we ourselves also go back to home back to Godhead. Rise up to the occasion of this preaching work & be a real benefactor to the people in general & your family members in particular. [PAGE MISSING] letters | 04:01 | 3.7.09 1955: February 4 Allahabad The Registrar of Joint Stock Companies Uttar Pradesh--Lucknow. All Glory to Sri Guru and Gauranga. Dear Sir, With reference to my interview with your honour on the 3rd instant, regarding registration of the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of the League of Devotees (alias Sarbabhouma Bhagavata Samaj), I beg to inform you that I have deposited the fee RS 50.- (Rupees Fifty only) in the Imperial Bank of India Ltd, Lucknow and beg to hand you the following as advised by you. (1) The Memorandum of Association clearly signed by the present members of the League of Devotees. (2) The Rules and Regulations duly signed by the present members of the League of Devotees. (3) Deposit Challan No 81D.4 3.3 for Rs 50.- Kindly acknowledge receipt of the above and do the needful at your earliest convenience. All correspondence in this regard may be addressed to the undersigned in his present address as above mentioned. Thanking you in anticipation, Yours faithfully-- A. C. Bhaktivedanta Enclosures--3. letters | 04:56 | 1.7.09 1955: January 1 Allahabad 1st form No-1. The circular letter addressing as "Dear Brother" to be sent along with the Prospectus by book Post 2nd letter on receipt of the reply of the 1st circular letter. (For inner members who are willing to live with us for spiritual upliftment) Dear Brothers, I am very much glad that you are willing to live with us. As already informed we have no restriction for admitting inner members, so far nationality, caste and creed are concerned. But the inner members will have to abide by the following rules, which are necessary as basic principles for spiritual upliftment. The inner members will not have: (1) illegitimate connection with women. (2) He shall not be addicted to intoxicating habit. No member shall be allowed to smoke, chewing betel, drink tea etc. inside the house. (3) He must be satisfied with "Prasadam" which will be served to him & must be strictly vegetarian. No inner member shall be allowed to eat fish, meat, eggs, onions, etc. (4) the inner member shall not indulge in unnecessary indoor or outdoor games, sporting or gambling habit. The nominal boarding charges is Rs 25.-. No charges for lodging. (5) the inner member must enroll himself as regular member in the A. B. or C. Category. Members with voting power will have to pay the scheduled monthly subscriptions The lowest rate of subscription is Rs 10.- per month. Any one unable to pay the membership fee may apply for free membership or lesser subscription for consideration of the Board of Executive members. The executive committee. can decide on it. (6) The inner member is requested to rise early in the morning before sun-rise and finish his morning duties for inner & make cleanliness. And after finishing such duties, he will have attend to "Mangalaratric" service to be held in the temple of "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu & Radha Govinda". (7) The inner members will be served with Prasadam after "Mangalaratric" (mostly some milk-preparation) (8) After partaking the "Mangalaratrik" Prasadam, he shall attend the morning class of "Path Kirtana" in which chanting of the holy name of God along with musical instruments, will be sung before and after reading of "Srimad Bhagavad-gita" "Bhagavatam" etc. This function will continue from 6 to 8 in the morning. (9) After this a cup of milk along with other foodstuff will be served to the inner members as break fast. (10) After breakfast the member can devote himself, for studying book in this connection which will be supplied to him by the League. (11) At eleven noon, the "Bhogarati" service will be done in the temple and the members will be requested to attend this ceremony after bath, __. (12) Just after "Bhogarati" function, the members will be served with "Prasadam" which shall consist of the following items: (1) Rice, (2) Dal, (3) Capatis with ghee (4) 2 curry (5) Bhija (6) Khicheries (7) ___ (8) Sauces (9) Pampar (10) miscellaneous. (13) After taking "Prasadam" in the noon the member may take rest from one to three in the after noon. (14) At three in the after noon there will again "Baikali" ceremony in the temple which the members will be requested to attend. And again at the end of the "Baikali" ceremony at about 4, the members shall be served with Prasadam consisting of a cup of milk & some fruits. (15) the member shall then attend the Path Kirtana class from 5 to 7 in the evening as is done in the morning. (16) from 7 to 8 pm there will be "Sandhyaratrik" ceremony in the temple & the members will be requested to attend to this. (17) At nine in the night, there will be again Bhogarati ceremony which members will be requested to attend. After this "Prasadam" will be served consisting of capatis or rice with dal, currys & some milk preparation at the end. (18) From 10 to 4 at night the members shall take rest for the night, (19) After six months of living or earlier as the case may be the members will be expected to be initiated in the devotional service of Theism or Vaisnavism. (20 For such initiation the member will have to accept "diksa" according to the rules of the Gosvamis & just become a qualified "Brahmin." (21) Initiated members shall observe the "Ekadasi Brata" twice in a month and on that day he will be allowed to take only fruits & none of the cereals. (22) Initiated members shall adhere his body with the marks of Vaisnavism; (23) He shall chant the holy name of God systematically & regularly according to the rules of the Goswamis. (24) He shall try to worship in the temple after learning the art from another co-worker. The initiated member is converted & accepted as bonafide Brahmin & thus he can enter the temple. (25) He may enhance his spiritual education taking lessons from Geeta, Bhagavata, Science of Devotion, Lord Caitanya etc. and prepare for the examination of Bhakti-Sastra, Bhaktisiddhanta, Bhaktivedanta etc. (26) If he desires to be a preacher, he will be trained up in that way & will be given the titles of ___ ___ ______ according to preaching capacity. [PAGE MISSING] letters | 03:51 | 18.6.09 1956: November 21 Delhi Letter to the President His Excellency Dr. Rajendra Prasad President Indian Union, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi (Through His Private Secretary Sri Visvanatha Varma) May it please your most exalted Honor, Kindly accept my humble obeisances. It is the custom of India from a time immemorial that a citizen of the state would approach the king, to express his grievances for redemption and the king would very kindly consider his case as duty bound and give him necessary relief by the royal judgement: At the present moment, your excellency is seated in the position of the king by the will and Grace of the Lord and as a true Vaisnava I must accept your excellency as the representative of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, as He has expressed Himself in the pages of Bhagavad-gita. As such I beg to lay before your most exalted honour, the following few lines for favorable consideration and do the needful in pure consciousness. Your Excellency is the Representative of Sri Krishna by authority and I hope Sri Krishna will direct you from within in the matter of my transcendental service to Him. I beg to submit herewith that by the Grace of Sri Krishna through His mercy personified--my spiritual master, I have realised it most thoroughly that going "Back to Godhead" is the highest privilege of mankind and that is the supreme perfection of human life. Unfortunately, the present day human civilization is very much attracted with the beauty of Apara Prakrti the illusory material Nature and as such they are overpowered by a demoniac form of propensity in the atheistic set up of civilization manifested in the matter of sense gratification. This tendency is dangerously harmful to the real progress of life. The aim of life should be to make a sincere effort to go "Back to Godhead" but contrary to this, the tendency is to go back to hell or in the cycle of evolutionary animal life as it is described in the 16th chapter of Bhagavad-gita. Please therefore save them from the great falldown. Believe me or not, I have got the clue of going "Back to Godhead" just after leaving my present material body and in order to take along with me all my contemporary men and women of the world, I have started my paper "Back to Godhead" as one of the means to the way. Please do not think of me as an wonderful or a mad man when I say that I shall go "Back to Godhead" after leaving my present material body! It is quite possible for everyone and all of us. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said very clearly that whosoever may adopt the specific principle of accepting Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead, he will be able to achieve the highest transcendental goal of life,--never mind what he is either a born untouchable, a fallen woman, a laborer or a man dealing in rupees annas pies. His being so, what is there difficulty for a pious "Brahmin" and devoted king for going "Back to Godhead"? Everyone should therefore adopt this principle of going "Back to Godhead" in order to get released from the world of miseries, with temporary existence. This fact is corroborated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the practical demonstrator of Bhagavad-gita and as the most magnanimous incarnation of Sri Krishna--the Personality of Sri Krishna Caitanya has made the path of going "Back to Godhead" so easy for every one that even a boy of the world can swim across the ocean of religiosity, although it is injected with so many dangerous animals ready to devour up a fallen person in that great massive water. I have simply adopted the easy method of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu just suitable to the modern people in general. As such I am feeling as sure of going "Back to Godhead" as I feel without any doubt after taking my dinner that I have eaten to my satisfaction. This feeling is a necessary concomitant factor of the great science of devotional service in the approved line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am therefore very eager to broadcast the secret of my success to all men and women of the world as a natural consequence and I am seeking your excellency's help and co-operation in this great attempt of transcendental service. I am enclosing herewith 12 (twelve) copies of "Back to Godhead" (I to XII) for your excellency's reference. If possible kindly go through them all and I am sure that your honour will understand me right about my assertion. If it is not so possible, your excellency can kindly give a glance over the head lines only, and I am sure that will also give your excellency an idea of my definite assertion. To make a world wide propaganda for this most essential service to humanity, it is necessary that your excellency will stretch the helping hand necessary in this matter, as your exalted honour is personally fit also to do this job. Although the method is very simple for universal adoption, it is not possible for me to express in this letter all the words that I wish to tell your honour. As such, I am seeking an interview with your honour herewith. When your excellency will see personally the papers and programme of work about my bonafides, I am sure your excellency will be interested in co-operating with me. There is immense work to be done so far India's spiritual asset is concerned and I think the Govt. may take up the matter scientifically for the good of all men. India's specific culture demands that there should be a ministry of spiritual affairs to save the great culture of "Bharatavarsa". I am crying alone in the wilderness at the present moment. So please help me in this noble cause and oblige. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply, I am, Yours in the service of the Lord, A. C. Bhaktivedanta letters | 03:45 | 8.6.09 1957: May 7 Kanpur Sri Padampat Singhania, Kamla Tower, Kanpur My dear Sri Padampat Ji, In continuation of my yesterday's letter, which I hope you have duly received by this time, and with reference to your request of submitting the way of powerful Mantra for broadcasting all over the world, I beg to inform you further that in every Mantra the prefix of Namah is generally added. Just for example you said the other day Namah Sivaya. Now this Mantra is practically indicating the holy name of Lord Siva. Na means negation and Ma means false ego or Ahamkara. Therefore Namah means surrendering to the name Siva. In other words to accept the supremacy of Lord Siva means Namah Sivaya. Therefore the conclusion is that in Mantra the name of the deity is unavoidably amalgamated. And in the Mantra the spiritual power, by the Rsis like Narada etc. is surcharged like the copper is electrified by magnetic force. The etymological alphabets are so surcharged with spiritual potency and as such all Mantra indicating the transcendental holy name of God or Godhead is to be understood in that way. When we chant the Mantra as were presented by the authorities--the process helps communication with the personality of Godhead by the sound waves as we have now experienced in the material world of physical waves vibrations. The powerful Mantras have such potency if they are sounded in the right direction. And by chanting the Mantras only one can spiritualise the whole existence as heat can expand on the spherical objects. Mantra Siddhi means complete liberation. Therefore, there is no difference between the holy name and Mantra. Man means mind and tra deliverance. That which delivers one from mental speculation is called "Mantra". "Mantra Siddhi" is to transcend the gross and subtle mental plane. The same meaning is for ___ In this age all the Mantras that can help us reaching perfection up to the plane of Godhead--has been still more concentrated into the Harinama. We find therefore in the Brhannaradiya Puranam (38.126) a particular stress on Harinama which is stated as follows: harinama harinama harinama eva kevalam kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha The above statement is very important in the following manner. There are two different processes for acquiring knowledge. The one is Deductive Process and the other is Inductive Process. In the Deductive Process we deduce the conclusion from the statement of higher authorities whereas by the Inductive Process we make a research in the truth by our own imperfect knowledge and induce a conclusion. Say for example if we want to know how man is mortal then we have to make a research in statistics of daily death occurrences. Rama dies, Syama dies, father dies, mother dies, he dies, she dies, etc. all these experiences may help us in the conclusion that after all man dies and therefore the conclusion man is mortal made. But the defect of this process of knowledge is that it may be that we have not seen a person who is still living even after some thousands of years. As soon as we get this information the whole conclusion that a man is mortal--is at once changed and we have to say that some men are mortal. In this way the research work of scientific thought are constantly changing because the very research work is done by person who is himself a condition by the four principles of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection. Therefore, the Deductive Process is more effective. Man is mortal we have heard it from very authoritative sources like the Vedas and we have accepted it. The Vedas say that stool is impure but the stool of the cow is pure. The Vedas say that bone is untouchable but the conchshell which is also a bone is perfectly pure. For the common man the statements of the Vedas appear to be contradictory. But in spite of such contradiction, because we Hindus accept the Vedas as authority we accept cow dung as pure and allow it to be used even in the kitchen. So also we accept the conchshell. The conchshell is after all a bone of an animal but because it is accepted by the Vedas we allow conchshell to be used in the sanctified room of our family deity. If we examine in the physical laboratory or analyse it by chemical test we won't find any difference between the stool of a man and that of a cow or the bone of an ox and that of a conch. And yet the whole Hindu Muslim conflict, the whole struggle of Gandhi and Jinnah and the whole question of Kashmir problem in the UNSCO have arisen from this petty difference of bones only. In the Hindu temple the bone conchshell is already there but as soon as a Muhammadan throws a piece of bone of the ox in the temple--the whole trouble began, resulting in the partition of India and Pakistan. So an impartial mundane student who will enter into the research work of such bone affairs in the annals of Indian History--surely he will come to the conclusion of unrestricted obedience to the words of the Vedas or that of the Koran or that of the Bible that lead to all sorts of Jehad and crusade. As a matter of fact the so called intelligent persons of the modern age have taken the shelter of secularism on the strength of past unfortunate religious feuds. This is another type of nonsense. Therefore in the present age respect for Deductive Process is dwindling whereas respect for Inductive Process is increasing although we know so far the Inductive research is concerned the process has not been successful. The conclusion is that we have lost our faith in the traditional Vedic knowledge handed down from the Guru to Chela or from the father to the son, although such system of Deductive Knowledge from the authority is the most perfect form of knowledge. The ultimate truth which is far beyond the reach of our imperfect senses can never be known by such inductive research work. The imperfect senses could not even measure the distance of the physical product The Sun or the Innumerable stars in front of us--and what such imperfect senses can make a research in the Mantras which are purely spiritual affairs. We have to accept the Mantra and its potency from the Vedic source and follow the practice and principles only to arrive at reality of truth. Research work by imperfect senses is practically a revolt against the established truth. Let us therefore accept the Vedic injunction of Brihannaradiya Puranam I have already mentioned about this Mantra in my previous letter and I beg to confirm it further that the Name "Krishna" even up to the foreign words like God and Allah, if they at all aim at the Supreme Personality--then the Name is as much holy and potential as perfect is the Supreme Lord--because in the Absolute Realm or Spritual Nature everything is identical with everything as all of them are qualitatively spiritual and therefore pure, eternal, liberated and perfect. For all practical purposes if we systematically preach to chant the holy name of Godhead, I think no body even the religious fanatic will take objection to it. Every human being has a conception of the supreme truth. That conception is presented in some concrete shape. If therefore the Mussulman or the Christian denies to chant the name of Rama or Krishna we may ask him to chant the name of Allah or God respectively and I think therefore there will be no objection even by the Buddhists if we simply ask them to chant the name of Lord of Buddha in the systematic way. The systematic way means to avoid the ten different offences in the process of chanting, which are all philosophical truths. If by such propaganda of chanting the holy name, the filthy atmosphere of jealousy, bickerings, selfishness, falsehood and so many other affairs of the modern age--can be avoided, and if by such chanting the complete process of self-realisation can be achieved--is it not our duty to do this service by combined force. In this age of quarrel and fight everything has to be done by combined force to achieve ready success. As the topmost person of a group of large scale industries, your good personality knows better than me how combined forces and diverse energies make the particular industry a successful establishment. In the same way we have to combine the different forces of Sociology in men, money, intelligence and field work to make the spiritual movement a grand success. If we do not do that we shall be failing in our duty to serve the complete whole. No partial service or temporary benefit can lead us to perfection. The world is mad after such temporary benefit and partial service and it is our duty to change the face altogether by an authorized spiritual movement. The other day I was very glad to hear your ideas about it and in our next meeting I wish to say some thing about it as I have realised. Hope you are well. With my regards. Yours sincerely, Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Editor--"BACK TO GODHEAD." letters | 04:34 | |
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