26 Oct 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Kirtananda Swami, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Bhaktipada, disciples, Gerald Ham, Hare Krishna leader, Hare Krishna Movement, Keith Ham, Kirtanananda Swami, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada
"Your ever well wisher"
Kirtananda Swami, former American Hare Krishna leader, died Monday in a hospital near Mumbai, India. According to his brother, Gerald Ham, he died of kidney failure at age 74.
Kirtananda Swami, was born September 6, 1937 New York. Given the name Keith Gordon Ham, he was the youngest child of a Baptist minister, Kirtananda was among the first Hare Krishna devotees in the United States. In 1968 he founded what eventually became the largest Hare Krishna community in the country. Despite having been excommunicated in 1987 by the leadership of the Hare Krishna movement, he presided over that community until 1994.
In a letter written to Janardana in 1968, Srila Prabhupada has this to say about Kirtananda Swami and to all those he has accepted as disciples…
Regarding Kirtanananda’s letter, I may inform you that I always think of him and pray to Krishna for his good sense. That is my duty. Anyone who comes to me for my help or wants advance in Krishna Consciousness, and whom I initiate and accept as my disciple, I must pray for him and his welfare always. So Kirtanananda personally served me, especially during my illness, which I always remember. But because somehow or other he has misunderstood our activities that does not mean that I am no longer his well wisher. I write at the end of my letters to my disciples, “Your ever well-wisher”, and as such, I cannot become otherwise than being ever well-wisher of my disciples, even though he may leave me. So I was praying to Krishna that He may save Kirtanananda from his misunderstanding and if ever he chanted Hare Krishna at least once in sincere heart, I am sure Krishna would not allow him to go out of his influence. Therefore, I believe that he can never forget the Form of Krishna, neither he can deny His Personality. It is good news that he is trying to establish a new Vrindaban, which I suggested through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if he is successful, in his attempt, certainly it will be considered a great benediction upon him by Lord Krishna. When I offered him Sannyas, I expected such great achievements through him and if Krishna desires, he will come out successful in his great attempt. Yes, I expressed my desire to go there through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if I am invited, to go there, by Kirtanananda Swami, it will be my great pleasure to see the place and enjoy his company.
For entire letter
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01 Oct 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Siksa
Tags: GBC, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, initiator guru, instructor guru, Iskcon, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Madhudvisa Swami
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
“This is the function of the GBC, to see that one may not be taken away by maya. The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This is what I want.” (Letter to Madhudvisa Swami, August, 4, 1975)
for entire letter…
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28 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's Books
Tags: bhagavad-gita, book changes, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Miss Nedungadi, original books, Srimad Bhagavatam
Bombay, Calicut–2, Kerala State,
Friday, 19 March, 1975:
My dear Miss Nedungadi, please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 6th, 1975 and have noted the contents.
Thank you so much for your kind appreciations. I am so much grateful that you have enjoyed studying my books. Many young intelligent persons such as yourself are studying these books in the colleges and universities all over the world.
Actually anyone who tries to understand these books will become a great realized devotee of Lord Krishna gradually. The original potency of the sastra remains in these books because I have not added or opinionated anything of my own. I have simply presented the scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as they are. Therefore just see the effect they have on the world.
At present, we have about 100 centers worldwide and about 10,000 fully dedicated students in those centers. You are welcome to visit or stay in any of our centers for your spiritual advancement. We have a nice center in Madras: 50, Aspiran Gardens, 2nd St., Kilpauk, Madras–600010. You can get all the books there.
I will be in Bombay at the end of April and beginning of May. So, if you can come then, I shall see you there. In the meantime please correspond with or visit one of our temples.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami
ACBS/ps
20 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krishna Consciousness, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Gaudiya Math, Kali-yuga, Kirtanananda Swami, Krsna consciousness movement, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this Kali yuga. But, for this Krsna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity.
In an October 18, 1973 letter, Srila Prabhupada wrote to Kirtanananda
My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja:
Please accept my blessings, and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully..
Now this displeasing of god brothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it.
Following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih
“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”
We must always remember this verse and be as tolerant as the tree, as we execute the Krsna consciousness movement. Without this mentality we cannot be successful.
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17 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Prasadam, Vegetarianism
Tags: Aniruddha, Bhagavad-gita 3.13, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Nandarani dd, non-vegetarian, Prasadam, Srila Prabhupada, vegetarian
Prasadam
. Anyone who is cooking for himself, he is eating simply volumes of sin. So in the material world, either a man is vegetarian or non-vegetarian, they’re eating simply sin, and they will have to suffer the consequence. But so far we are concerned, we are eating remnants of foodstuff which was offered to Krishna, so we are not afraid of anything. If Krishna wants vegetable foodstuff, therefore we supply Him vegetable foodstuff, and if He wants non-vegetarian foodstuff, we can offer Him also, but He does not want it, as it is explicitly stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
So we are concerned with Krishna Prasadam, neither vegetarian or non-vegetarian. … There are many vegetarians animals also; the monkeys are vegetarians, the pigeons are vegetarians, so to become vegetarian is not very good credit.
But to become Krishna Consciousness is the most important business of life. You should try to convince your friends in that way. They should try to learn about Krishna Consciousness. But because they are vegetarians, there is great possibility for them to understand this philosophy.
This article includes both the Bhagavad-gita verse 3.13 and a letter written in 1968 to Nandarani dd which both help explaine the importance of Prasadam
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30 Aug 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison
Tags: Dhananjaya, Jai Hari, Krishna, Rebatinandana Swami, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison
I can understand by your activities that you are making good spiritual progress, by Krishna’s grace. That is very good news to me. It is not by accident that you are coming gradually to the right point, neither it is very common thing,
Bombay
4th January, 1973
My Dear George,
Please accept my blessings. I was informed by some of my disciples at London, namely, Dhananjaya, Jai Hari, Rebatinandana Swami and others, that you so kindly have sent your car and drive to our place filled-up with fruits and flowers to offer to Radha and Krishna on the Disappearance day of my Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. I am so much pleased that you have thought of Him in that way, thank you very much. Surely you will become blessed by Him more and more.
Yes, if one simply comes to that platform of spontaneous love for the spiritual master, then very quickly he will get love of God, or Krishna, and his all hankerings and lamentations of life will be finished. That is the process. Just like when two friends meet and, if the friend is also with his dog, the gentleman pats his dog first, is it not? So the friend becomes automatically pleased, his dog being patted. I have seen it in your country sometimes when I used to walk in the Regents Park early mornings. So it is like that, the spiritual master is the pet dog of Krishna, and if he is pleased so Krishna is also pleased. That is the process.
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03 Aug 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotee's, Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krishna Goswami
Tags: krpa siddha, Krsna, nitya siddha, sadhana siddha, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Tamala Krishna
Letter to: Tamala Krsna
Los Angeles
21 June, 1970
Paris
My Dear Tamala,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th June, 1970, sent by Special Delivery Air Mail.
Krsna philosophy is understood as it is stated in the Vedas:
Yasya deve para bhakti yatha deve tatha gurau
tasya ete kathitha hi artha prakasante mahatmanah
“One who has got unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord and similar faith in his Spiritual Master to him only the imports of Vedic knowledge become revealed.”
A Spiritual Master is always liberated. In any condition of His life He should not be mistaken as ordinary human being. This position of a Spiritual Master is achieved by three processes. One is called sadhana siddha. That means one who is liberated by executing the regulative principle of devotional service. Another is krpa siddha, one who is liberated by the mercy of Krsna or His devotee. And another is nitya siddha who is never forgetful of Krsna throughout his whole life. These are the three features of the perfection of life.
So far Narada Muni is concerned, in His previous life He was a maidservant’s son, but by the mercy of the devotees He later on became siddha and next life He appeared as Narada with complete freedom to move anywhere by the grace of the Lord. So even though He was in his previous life a maidservant’s son there was no impediment in the achievement of His perfect spiritual life. Similarly any living entity who is conditioned can achieve the perfectional stage of life by the above mentioned processes and the vivid example is Narada Muni.
So I do not know why you have asked about my previous life. Whether I was subjected to the laws of material nature? So, even though accepting that I was subjected to the laws of material nature, does it hamper in my becoming Spiritual Master? What is your opinion? From the life of Narada Muni it is distinct that although He was a conditioned soul in His previous life, there was no impediment of His becoming the Spiritual Master. This law is applicable not only to the Spiritual Master, but to every living entity.
There are thousands of examples explained in our books that the conditioned soul is never affected with the material body. It is said in the Vedas asamga ayam purusa which means the living entity is always unaffected with matter. Another example is given that the reflection of the moon on water appears to be moving, but actually the moon is not moving, it is fixed up. So any living entity is like that. His reflection on the material body appears to be changing, but the spirit soul is fixed up, therefore this movement is called illusion.
Liberation means liberation from this changing condition.
So far I am concerned, I cannot say what I was in my previous life, but one great astrologer calculated that I was previously a physician and my life was sinless. Besides that, to corroborate the statement of Bhagavad-gita “sucinam srimatam gehe yogabhrasta samyayate” [Bg. 6.41] which means an unfinished yogi takes birth in rich family or born of a suci or pious father. By the grace of Krsna I got these two opportunities in the present life to be born of a pious father and brought up in one of the richest, aristocratic families of Calcutta (Kasinath Mullick). The Radha Krsna Deity in this family called me to meet Him, and therefore last time when I was in Calcutta, I stayed in that temple along with my American disciples. Although I had immense opportunities to indulge in the four principles of sinful life because I was connected with a very aristocratic family, Krsna always saved me, and throughout my whole life I do not know what is illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating or gambling. So far my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krsna.
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02 Jul 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison, Syamasundara das
Tags: Govinda Record, Govindam, krsna consciousness, Radha Krishna Temple Album, Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison, Syamasundara das, transcendental, Yumuna dd
Prabhupada Enjoys the Govindam Record Album
The record is so nice that I am playing it at least once in a day and it is giving me transcendental pleasure with tears in my eyes. I am sure this record will be the first-class hit as already opined by the experts.
Los Angeles 8 March, 1970
My Dear Syamasundara.,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, along with the “Govindam” record. The record is so nice that I am playing it at least once in a day and it is giving me transcendental pleasure with tears in my eyes. I am sure this record will be the first-class “hit” as already opined by the experts.
Certainly this has has come out so successful because of George’s sincere effort in Krsna Consciousness. I am so pleased that he is advancing towards perfectional stage of Krsna Consciousness; and your association will greatly help. Try to convince him to avoid the four principles of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna mantra as much as possible, then he will find everything is successful in his life.
I think on account of this record, many people, at least from different parts of Europe, will come to see our Temple. Many tourists also may come there. So you do not take it as gloomy, but you should welcome them in our Temple. Regularly try to sell our books and magazines to them. So far taking away the shoes is concerned, you can make the following arrangement: just after the entrance door, arrange for a movable railing so that anyone willing to enter the Temple room, but who does not like to take of his shoes, may be allowed to enter th room, but who does not like to take of his shoes, may be allowed to enter the door but stand near the railing and see the Deity from that place. Anyone willing to go inside the railing boundary must have to get out of his shoes. And exactly by the side of the Altar another railing may be fixed up. This railing should stand between the Vyasasana and the Altar.
So anyone who may come must be well received, informed about our activities, and when we publish a little pamphlet which is in preparation, it may also be distributed to each and every one of the visitors.
I have not heard anything from you about the small leaflet to be prepared for putting along with the “Govindam” records. Are you preparing it or not? or do you think it is necessary or not?
The next song you may record isJaya Jagadisa Hare:
Kesava dhrta dasabidha rupa
Jaya Jagadisa Hare
And we shall make a children’s book with ten pictures of Krsna’s different appearances (Dasavatara.) and a short story or explanation for each. Now we have just received part of the manuscript of an abridged version of KRSNA especially meant for children.
Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Pasted from http://krishna.org/prabhupada-enjoys-the-govindam-record-album/
01 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Guru & Disciple, July 9th Letter, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Siksa, Srila Prabhupada His Movement & You
Tags: BBT document, Brahma Sampradaya Acharya, Founder Acarya, GBC, hansadutta das, July 9th Letter, last will & testament, Prabhupada's behalf, ritvik, ritvik gurus, ritvik initiations, Temple Presidents
The endless controversy over whether Prabhupada appointed gurus, acharyas or rittvik deputies can be satisfactorily concluded by pointing out that Prabhupada left written instructions. Srila Prabhupada left a last will and testament. He left a BBT document regarding the continued publication of his books. He left a GBC document outlining how the movement is to be managed. And he wrote a letter on July 9, l977, appointing ll senior devotees as rittvik gurus, officiating deputies, to continue the process of initiating new members on behalf of ” the Founder- acarya ” Srila Prabhupada . All the men named in that letter already had been doing these rittvik initiations on Prabhupada’s bellalf for a number of years. Therefore, there was no need for Prabhupada to write an official letter in this regard, save and except to make it clear that these senior disciples should perpetuate the rittvik responsibilities they were already performing in the future, as in the absence of Srila Prabhupada, which at that time was apparently very near at hand.
Letter to all GBC and Temple Presidents
from Srila Prabhupada, dated July 9th, 1977 (see photocopy above):
To All G.B.C. and Temple Presidents
July 9th, 1977
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus:
Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently, when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrindavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as “rittvik”-representative of the acharya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. HisDivine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity:
His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami
His Holiness Satsvarupa das Goswami
His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami
His Holiness Hrdayananda Goswami
His Holiness Bhavananda Goswami
His Holiness Hamsadutta Swami
His Holiness Ramesvara Swami
His Holiness Harikesa Swami
His Grace Bhagavan das Adhikari
His Grace Jayatirtha das Adhikari
In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee’s initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace’s “Initiated Disciples” book.
Hoping this finds you all well.
Your servant,
Tamal Krishna Goswami
Secretary to Srila Prabhupada
Approved: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
[ Srila Prabhupada’s signature appears on the original.]
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15 May 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: books by Srila Prabhupada, devotee of Lord Krishna, Miss Nedungadi, self realization
Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Anyone who tries to understand these books will become a great realized devotee of Lord Krishna gradually
Bombay, Calicut–2, Kerala State,
Friday, 19 March, 1975:
My dear Miss Nedungadi, please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 6th, 1975 and have noted the contents.
Thank you so much for your kind appreciations. I am so much grateful that you have enjoyed studying my books. Many young intelligent persons such as yourself are studying these books in the colleges and universities all over the world.
Actually anyone who tries to understand these books will become a great realized devotee of Lord Krishna gradually. The original potency of the sastra remains in these books because I have not added or opinionated anything of my own. I have simply presented the scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as they are. Therefore just see the effect they have on the world.
At present, we have about 100 centers worldwide and about 10,000 fully dedicated students in those centers. You are welcome to visit or stay in any of our centers for your spiritual advancement. We have a nice center in Madras: 50, Aspiran Gardens, 2nd St., Kilpauk, Madras–600010. You can get all the books there.
I will be in Bombay at the end of April and beginning of May. So, if you can come then, I shall see you there. In the meantime please correspond with or visit one of our temples.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami
ACBS/ps
Pasted from http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/?p=3171
12 May 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison, Syamasundara das
Tags: bhagavad-gita, Krishna Cconsciousness, My Sweet Lord, Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison, Syamasundara dasa, The Beatles
Los Angeles
14 May, 1970
70-05-14
c/o George Harrison
Oxfordshire, England
My Dear Syamasundara
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7th May, 1970, written on Hare Krishna stationery of George Harrison. My hearty thanks are to George Harrison because now he is chanting Hare Krishna so enthusiastically. May Krishna bless him more and more, and he may advance in Krishna consciousness.
So as suggested by you I am deleting the words “of the famous Beatles”, and simply putting his name and his present transcendental change by chanting Hare Krishna. In the Preface the one paragraph is being replaced by the following words, suggested by him.
“If there is a God, I want to see Him. It’s pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krishna Consciousness and meditation are methods where one can actually obtain ‘God perception.’ You can actually see God, and hear Him, play with Him. And He is actually there, actually with you.”
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02 May 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison, Syamasundara das
Tags: Apple Records, Apple Studio, John Lennon, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison, Syamasundara das, The Beatles
Letter by Srila Prabhupada to Sriman Syamasundara Prabhu
June 29, 1969, Los Angeles, Calif.,
My dear Syamasundara, please accept my blessings.
I am in due receipt of your letter of June 19, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully.
Here in Los Angeles I have arrived on the 23rd of June from New Vrindaban. I received your telegram for a loan of $1025, and immediately I arranged to have it sent from New York. I understand from Mukunda’s letter dated June 25th that the lease agreement has duly been completed.
Now I think you are all happy to have a nice place for our London temple, so just organize it to your best capacity. It doesn’t matter when I go there. In the meantime, you give your full attention to decorating the temple, and I am very glad to learn you are making the throne and altar according the the design I sent to you.
I learned that Mataji has arranged for the Radha-Krishna Deities for our temple. Is this a fact? If not, let me know, I have already one pair of 24″ Deities from Vrindaban that will be dispatched, and as suggested by you, by Janmastami the Deities may be installed.
I am very glad to know that George is interested in recording some Krishna Consciousness album, and it is very happy news. I request you and, through you, your friends, George and John, to make a nice Hare Krishna record sung by the most popular Beatles and assisted by our devotees. That will be very nice.
“
I have all encouragement for you for this purpose. Try to make this Hare Krishna Movement popular through any source that is possible. That is our business.
I thank you very much for your gorgeous, hopeful words that when I go to London, the London center will be pivot for our Krishna Consciousness Movement. I still maintain the idea of a world Sankirtana Party, so we have got men now in Los Angeles, in Montreal, in Boston, in New York, in New Vrindaban, and in London, who can form a nice group of Sankirtana, at least with 25 heads.
If we travel, beginning from London, around the world and again come back to London, surely your foretelling will be a factual event. So try your best, and Krishna will help us as He is helping us. Krishna can help us immediately with all of His resources, but first of all He wants to see how much we can work seriously. So the more we become steady and serious, the more help we will have from Him, rest assured.
I shall be glad to know of your further progress in the temple attempts and the recording affairs. Please convey my blessings to the others.
I hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Pasted from http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/?p=4530
13 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, Srila Prabhupada's Books
Tags: Bhagavad Gita, Brahmananda dasa, conversations, Gaurasundara dasa, God-brothers, Govinda dasi, Hansadutta dasa, Jayananda dasa, Karandhara dasa, Krishna dasa, krsna consciousness, lectures, personal guide, physical association, Sivananda dasa, Srila Prabhupada letters, Srimad Bhagavatam, Suci devi, vani, vapuh, Vrindavan, walks
click on image to enlarge
I am always thinking of you (Srila Prabhupada)
Prabhupada: So there is nothing to be said new. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand it and continue your endeavor. Whether I am present or not present, it doesn’t matter. (770517ar.vrn Conversations)
“I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically, as I am getting personal guidance from my guru maharaja” (Srila Prabhupada to Tamal Krishna, 14 July 1977)
You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you, and you are always thinking of me . That is real association. Just like I am always thinking of my Guru Maharaja at every moment, although he is not physically present, and because I am trying to serve him to my best capacity, I am sure he is helping me by his spiritual blessings. So there are two kinds of association: physical and preceptorial. Physical association is not so important as preceptorial association. (SP Letter to Govinda Dasi, 18/8/69)
But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me, I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually. So we should be concerned only with this spiritual connection. (SP Letter to Gaurasundara, 13/11/69)
You write to say, ….I really miss Swamiji and my God-brothers’ association so much.” But I may remind you that I am always with you. And so wherever I am there, and you are there, all your God-brothers are there. Please remember always the humble teachings that you have received from me, and that will make you always associated with me, and with your other God-brothers. (Letter to: Sivananda dasa. Montreal , 24 August, 1968)
“However, the disciple and spiritual master are never separated because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of vani (words). Physical presence is called vapuh. As long as the spiritual master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the spiritual master.” (SB 4.28.47 purport)
Associate with Srila Prabhupada through his Vani
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09 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: 16 rounds, back to Godhead, bona fied spiritual master, devotional service, initiated disciple, Ravindra Gupta das, Srila Prabhupada
Vrindaban, Tuesday, 12 February, 1974:
Dear Ravendra Gupta, please accept my blessings. I have only recently received your letter of February 6, 1974, due to travelling.
I am very glad to hear you are following my instructions by chanting 16 rounds daily. In order to chant offenselessly, so that the chanting will have the greatest effect, one must avoid the four sinful activities.
You have asked “How serious would it be for me if I should miss the golden opportunity to become your initiated disciple?” You should know that the value of accepting a bona fide spiritual master is more than we can calculate.
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03 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: communities, dairy, farm projects, grains, ideal life style, ideal society, Krishna consciousness, self-sufficient
Srila Prabhupada:
“Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don’t like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide.” (Letter to Rupanuga, 18 December, 1974)
28 Feb 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Science of Self Realization
Tags: Arjuna, chanting, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, J.F. Staal, Krishna Krishna, Krsna, liberation devotional service, sound vibration, Supreme Brahman
Excerpt from The Science of Self-Realization
by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Letter to J.F. Staal Professor of Philosophy and of South Asian Languages
January 30, 1970
“By sound vibration one becomes liberated.” By devotional service, by understanding well the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can go to His abode and never come back again to this material condition. How is it possible? The answer is, simply by chanting His name constantly.
This is accepted by the exemplary disciple, Arjuna, who has perfectly learned the conclusion of spiritual science from the yogeśvara, the master of mystic knowledge, Kṛṣṇa. Recognizing Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Brahman, Arjuna addresses Him, sthāne hṛṣīkeśa…: “The world becomes joyful hearing Your name, and thus do all become attached to You.” (Bg. 11.36) The process of chanting is herein authorized as the direct means of contacting the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. Simply by chanting the holy name Kṛṣṇa, the soul is attracted by the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, to go home, back to Godhead.
In the Nārada-pañcarātra it is stated that all the Vedic rituals, mantras, and understanding are compressed into the eight words Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Similarly, in the Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad it is stated that these sixteen words, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, are especially meant for counteracting the degrading and contaminating influence of this materialistic age of Kali.
19 Feb 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, His abode, His form, His pastimes, His Qualities, Krishna, Prahladananda, Quotes
“The more you become in service attitude for Krishna; Krishna will reveal Himself to you. Krishna is within you and He is awaiting your surrender and service, and as soon as He sees that you are seriously in serving mood, you will understand everything about Krishna – His qualities, His form, His pastimes, His entourage, and His abode.”
– in a Letter to: Sachisuta, Montreal, June 17, 1968
“We are trapped souls in a state of forgetfulness of Krishna, and Krishna is giving you the chance now to re-establish your relationship with Him by this chanting process. So take full advantage of it and be happy.”
– in a Letter to Prahladananda, Feb. 14, 1969
17 Feb 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: bhakta-visesa, devotees, diksa, GBC, Governing Body Commission, guru, Letters, siksa, Srila Prabhupada, Umapati das
The following is excerpts from letters written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami about the duty and fuction of the GBC (Governing Body Commision)
In a July 9, 1971 letter to Umapati Das, Srila Prabhupada wrote:
“GBC members are simply to see that things are going on. Other centers have got president, secretary, etc. and they are managing separately. That is the formula. So how is it that the GBC are the final authority? They are simply to examine that things are going on nicely, that is all.”
“GBC men should not dictate very much, simply supervise and see that the standards are maintained.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 14th, 1972)
“What will happen when I am not here, shall everything be spoiled by GBC? So for the time being, let the GBC activities be suspended until I thoroughly revise the whole procedure.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 11th, 1972)
“I made the GBC to give me relief, but if you do like this, then where is the relief. It is anxiety for me. This is the difficulty, that as soon as one gets power, he becomes whimsical and spoils everything.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, September 12th, 1974 )
“I am training some of my experienced disciples how to manage after my departure. So if instead of taking the training, if in my lifetime you people say I am the Lord of all I survey, that is dangerous conspiracy.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, October 8th, 1974)
“But the difficulty is that our GBC men are falling victim to maya. Today I trust this GBC and tomorrow he will fall down. That is the difficulty. If the GBC men are so flickering then what to speak of the others. Unless this problem is solved whatever we may resolve it will not be very useful. “
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 16th, 1974)
“The GBC should all be the instructor (siksa) gurus. I am the initiator (diksa) guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want.”(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 4th, 1975)
“The GBC (Governing Body Commission) has been established by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to represent Him in carrying out the responsibility of managing the International Society for Krishna Consciousness of which He is the Founder-Acarya and supreme authority. The GBC accepts as its life and soul His divine instructions and recognizes that it is completely dependent on His mercy in all respects. The GBC has no other function or purpose other than to execute the instructions so kindly given by His Divine Grace and preserve and spread his Teachings to the world in their pure form.”;(GBC Resolution No.1, 1975)
“Now has the GBC become more than Guru Maharaja? As if simply GBC is meant for looking after pounds, shilling, pence. The GBC does not look after spiritual life. That is a defect.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 10th, 1975)
“It is now evident that some of our top men are very much ambitious and there has been so many fall-downs.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 27th, 1975)
“Our mission is to serve bhakta-visesa and live with devotees. Not that you take the place of the guru. That is nonsense, very dangerous. Then everything will be spoiled. As soon as you become ambitious to take the place of guru—gurusu nara-matih. That is the material disease.”( Srila Prabhupada Conversation, April 20th, 1977)
Pasted from
04 Jan 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada Quote of the Day:
“…never compromised…”
Monday, 3 January, 1972
Bombay
Letter to Giriraja
“The fact is that I am the only one in India who is openly criticizing, not only demigod worship and impersonalism, but everything that falls short of complete surrender to Krishna. My Guru Maharaja never compromised in His preaching, nor will I nor should any of my students. We are firmly convinced that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all other are His part and parcel servants.
This we must declare boldly to the whole world, that they should not foolishly dream of world peace unless they are prepared to surrender fully to Krishna as Supreme Lord.”
02 Dec 2010
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Los Angeles, 16 February, 1970
Sriman George Harrison
c.o Apple Record Co.
London England
My Dear George,
Please accept my blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your valued cooperation in spreading my movement of Krsna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your contribution of $19,000 (nineteen thousand dollars) for publication of my book, Krsna, now going to the press within the week.
Please note that every farthing of this money will be employed in the service of the Lord, and the Lord is so kind and grateful that He will bestow upon you benediction at least ten times more than that you have done for Him. It does not, however, mean that Lord Krsna is like a business man, and He bestows benediction when He is profited by our service. The Lord is full in Himself; He does not require our service, but if we render service unto Him in love and devotion, such action enriches our very existence.
The example in this connection is given that when a man decorates his face, he does not feel much enjoyment because he cannot see his own face. But he enjoys his beautiful face when it is reflected on the mirror. In other words, when a living entity, by rendering service to the Lord, feels happy, the Lord enjoys the situation.
Under the pressure of illusory energy, especially in the age of “Kali,” all the people of the world are unhappy; but I am sure if they take to this simple chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
under the guidance of Lord Caitanya, certainly they will be happy.
I know that both you and John are very good souls. Both of you are pledged to do something for the peace of the world. By the grace of Krsna, you have already realized to some extent about the necessity and importance of Hare Krsna movement in the world. Similarly, if John also does so, it will be a great event.
John and his wife were very kind upon me when I was staying at Tittenhurst Park as their guests. I always prayed for them to Krsna for understanding this great movement. Please inform him this message on my behalf. I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time. In the meantime, please ask him to cooperate with this movement as you are doing, and he will be very happy.
Please try to understand the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness in a nutshell: Every living entity has a dormant propensity to love somebody other who is very excellent in his opinion. Everyone of us therefore wants to love somebody else, attracted by his different varieties of opulences. Somebody loves some other either on account of riches, power, popularity, beauty, knowledge, or renunciation. But this loving propensity for somebody else is fundamentally meant for the supremely rich, powerful, popular, beautiful, wise, and unattached Lord Krsna.
Everyone is hankering after loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none of them has the right information. By Krsna Consciousness movement we want to broadcast this information that if anyone reposes his loving propensity upon Krsna, he will immediately feel full satisfaction, as much as he feels full satisfaction by supplying food in the stomach. Otherwise, everyone will be frustrated.
Please try to understand this simple philosophy by critical analysis, and I hope by the grace of Krsna you will be a great servant of His in fulfilling His desire that He may be known by His Holy Name in every village and every city all over the world, and thus the people will become happy.
Hope this will meet you in good health and shall be very much pleased to hear from you.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS:db
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