29 Apr 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, My Dear Sons and Daughters
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhu, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, My Dear Sons and Daughters, Srila Prabhupada letters
I was reading some of the letters that Srila Prabhupada had written addressed to “My Dear Sons and Daughters”, and was moved by how affectionate and personal these letters are. So I put together this post of some of these letters. How fortunate are all the devotees who in Srila Prabhupada’s words; “So you have now got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by chance that you have met your spiritual master…” We are meeting him again each day through his vani, his words.
My Dear Sons and Daughters,
…I can understand that you are all very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Simply follow the regulative principles with determination, and you will become free from all attachment to maya, by Krishna’s Grace. The example is when the sun is in the sky, there is no question of darkness. Similarly, when Hare Krishna Mantra is vibrating on your tongue and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear or Krishna Consciousness, and there is no question of maya or hazy consciousness. Just as when the light and the darkness come together, the darkness cannot stand before the light, so maya cannot remain in the presence of Krishna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krishna, and that will save you in all circumstances without any doubt.
Hoping this will meet you all in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
…Now my request to you all is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, observing strictly the four basic restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
If you practice these basic principles successfully, not forgetting your duty even for a moment, automatically your love for Krishna will come out and you will keep yourselves always enthusiastic to serve Krishna. So you have now got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by chance that you have met your spiritual master, so if you are intelligent you will conclude that, whatever else I may do, I must accomplish the supreme goal of my life in this very lifetime and go back to home, back to Godhead…
Hoping this meets you all in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
…Now it is your duty that you always must keep yourselves fit in Krishna’s service. The formula is very simple and if you will follow undeviatingly then your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness is certain. All of you must chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail. That is first and foremost. And follow all the rules and regulations of devotional life rigidly. Read all our books, attend classes and aratis, go on street Sankirtana, and always be thinking of Krishna. That is the point. Somehow or other always be thinking of Krishna. Then you will be happy and your going back to home, back to Godhead will be certain…
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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08 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Spiritual Life
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad Gita, body mind and intelligence, conditioned soul, Krsna, Krsna conscious person, krsna consciousness, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, material contamination, purified activities, sadacara
…I wish everyone of my devotees may purify himself from all material contamination and thus be eligible for entering into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material life means indulging in sense gratification which diverts our attention from spiritual importance and thus we remain captive under the bewilderment of Maya. This is the most dangerous of our condition of life. Intelligent persons therefore try to avoid it under the protection of Krsna and the Spiritual Master. (from a letter by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Aug.25 1970)
…A conditioned soul, entangled in material contamination, is sure to act in the material atmosphere, and yet he has to get out of such an environment. The process by which the conditioned soul can get out of the material atmosphere is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (purport Bg. 4.24)
…By acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the satisfaction of the senses of Kṛṣṇa, any action, whether of the body, mind, intelligence or even of the senses, is purified of material contamination. There are no material reactions resulting from the activities of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Therefore, purified activities, which are generally called sadācāra, can be easily performed by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (purport Bg. 5.11)
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28 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotional service, guru disciple, kripa siddha, leberated person, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Mukunda das, New Vrindavan 1969, nitya siddha, Prabhupada Letters, sadhan siddha, spiritual master
In this letter to Mukunda dasa, Srila Prabhupada answers many relevant questions about the qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master.
My Dear Mukunda,
Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of June 3, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully.
…The answer to your Istagosthi questions are as follows: Unless one is a resident of Krishna Loka, one cannot be a Spiritual Master. That is the first proposition. A layman cannot be a Spiritual Master, and if he becomes so then he will simply create disturbance. And who is a liberated person? One who knows Krishna.
…Your next question, whether the Spiritual Master was formerly a conditioned soul, actually a bona fide Spiritual Master is never a conditioned soul. There are three kinds of liberated persons. They are called 1) sadhan siddha, 2) kripa siddha, and 3) nitya siddha. Sadhan siddha means one who has attained perfection by executing the regulative principles of devotional service. Kripa siddha means one who has attained perfection by the special mercy of Krishna and the Spiritual Master, and nitya siddha means one who was never contaminated. The symptoms of nitya siddha is that from the beginning of his life he is attached to Krishna, and he is never tired of rendering service to Krishna. So we have to know what is what by these symptoms.
…You are correct when you say that when the Spiritual Master speaks it should be taken that Krishna is speaking. That is a fact. A Spiritual Master must be liberated. It does not matter if he has come from Krishna Loka or he is liberated from here. But he must be liberated. The science of how one is liberated is explained above, but when one is liberated, there is no need of distinction whether he has come directly from Krishna Loka or from the material world. But in the broader sense everyone comes from Krishna Loka. When one forgets Krishna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krishna he is liberated. I hope this will clear up these points. I hope this will meet you in good health.
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15 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Babajis and Sahajiyas, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sahajiya
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, asatsanga tyagi, babajis, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, mixing with babajis in Vrindaban, Nitai, sahajiyas, siddha-deha
Mixing with the Babajis and Sahajiyas is to be Avoided
Letter to: Nitai
From A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
7 June, 1976
My dear Nitai das,
Please accept my blessings. I have received information that some of our devotees are mixing with the babajis in Vrindaban. This has produced so many problems amongst our men and women who visit Vrindaban. Here in Los Angeles, we have found that there is a group of about 40 devotees who privately meet to discuss the intimate pastimes artificially thinking that they can enter into the understanding of the gopis prematurely. This will create havoc in our society, and the result will be that if this is allowed to go on, our preaching work will be greatly hampered. This premature desire to understand the lila of Krishna is due to mundane sex-life desire as we have seen amongst many of the babajis and sahajiyas in Vrindaban. Our Jagannatha das came back from Vrindaban asking me that he had heard some babaji speaking about siddha-deha and he also was listening to these babajis. So I want this immediately stopped. If it continues, this mixing with the babajis, then it will mean spoiling. In many cases, these babajis keep 2 or 3 women. Asatsanga tyagi. Their association is to be avoided and prohibited amongst all of our devotees who visit Vrindaban.
I hope that this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/pks
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12 Jul 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Prayers & Verses, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Slokas
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, conversation with Srila Prabhupada, imports of Vedic knowledge, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada lectures, quotes by prabhupada, spiritual master, SU 6.23, Svetasvatara Upanisad, vani, vani quotes, Vedic knowledge, yasya deve para bhaktir, yatha deve tatha gurau
Last night I was having a discussion with a fellow vaisnava, and the following, important sloka, came up in the course of our conversation. I was reminded of a story that once Gurukrpa Swami asked Srila Prabhupada what was the most important sloka in our literature, and Srila Prabhupada responded:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
I wanted to see how many times Srila Prabhupada used this sloka in his books and lectures so I went to Vani Quotes and did a search. It appears that this verse was used in:
Bhagavad-gita; 2 times
Srimad Bhagavatam; 11 times
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta; 12 times
Lectures; 43 times
Letters; 7 times
Morning Walks and Conversations; 22 times
Other books; twice
We share with you some of the the results of the Vani Quotes Research team, and thank Visnu Murti and Mayapur prabhu’s efforts.
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18 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sankirtan, Susan Beckman, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, humble state of mind, Jayananda das, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya, lower than the straw in the street, sankirtan, sankirtan movement, Susan Beckman, The Hare Krishna Movement
…Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Godhead in this age has delivered the medicine for all problems of the world by his introducing the Sankirtan movement. The chanting is a process of purification. Just like we use soap to cleanse the body, this is material, but the chanting is spiritual cleansing.
…one should learn the art of chanting the Holy name of Krishna 24 hours a day and that alone is the remedy for all problems of material existence. How is it possible to chant 24 hours a day? Lord Chaitanya gave the hint, “One can chant the holy name of God in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street, more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all kinds of sense of false prestige, and always ready to offer all respects to others. In such a humble state of mind one can chant the Holy name of God constantly.” So I cannot give you any better advice for your problem, simply chant Hare Krishna and everything will be all right. (Letter to Susan Bekman from Srila Prabhupada)
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08 Nov 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotees, Krishna, Krishna consciousness philosophy, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Master Krishna, Servant Krishna, spiritual master
click on image to enlarge
Letter by Srila Prabhupada
“Lately there has been some misunderstanding amongst our devotees about our Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Particularly there has been some confusion about the relationship between the Spiritual Master and Krishna.
The Vedas say that there is a Master Krishna. This Servant Krishna is the Spiritual Master and this is the conclusion. The Spiritual Master is the Mercy Representative of the Supreme Lord and as such He is given honor as good as Krishna, but He is never identical with Krishna.
Perhaps you know the picture of Madhvacarya, one of the great Acaryas in our line, who is holding two fingers up to indicate Krishna and jiva. The impersonalists hold up one finger because their idea is that everything is one. So if we make the Spiritual Master identical with Krishna, then we will also become impersonalists.
If we say that our Spiritual Master is Krishna, then the conclusion is that if we become Spiritual Master some day, then we will also become Krishna. Please try to understand how dangerous this kind of reasoning is.
In my books I have tried to explain clearly this simultaneously one and different philosophy acinta beda beda tattva propounded by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But sometimes it happens that this philosophy is given a self-interested interpretation. As soon as personal motivation comes in it is not possible for one to understand our Krishna Consciousness philosophy.” (From Letter to Isana and Vibhavati, 21 September, 1970, Calcutta)
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24 Sep 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Yosomatinandana das
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, Krishna, Krishna philosophy, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yasomatinandana
click to enlarge
Back to Godhead Magazine
Letters, Volume-01 Number-55, 1973
My dear Yasomatinandana,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter, and I am so much pleased to read it. Your letter is so nice that I am advising that it be published in Back to Godhead. In the meantime you can immediately begin translating all our books into the Gujarati language. All these translations will be published in series in our Gujarati BTG, and if you are serious about it, you can be the Editor. So immediately begin translating and regularly produce books in Gujarati, and it will be a great service for you. The more you render service, the more you will be enlightened by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thank you once more for understanding our philosophy very nicely.
Hoping this will meet you in good health,
Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Full letter by Yasomatinandana dasa More
14 Jun 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, God's holy name, Hare Hare, holy name, Janardana, kingdom of God, Krishna consciousness movement, Krishna Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya, Lord Jesus Christ, millions of holy names
…The Lord Has millions of holy names and you can chant any one of them, and each and every Name of the Lord is of full potential. We chant the above mentioned holy Name of the Lord because the name was Chanted by Lord Caitanya, the father of this movement of Krishna Consciousness. We follow Lord Caitanya’s footprints to achieve very quick result…
Letter to: Mr. Dambergs (senior)
New York,12 April, 1967
Dear Mr. Senior Dambergs,
Kindly accept my greetings. I am unknown to you but I have heard about you from your very good grandson Sriman Janardana (Janis). I have heard that you have been ailing since a long time but I have heard also that you are a great devotee of Lord Jesus Christ. It is very good. I am also an insignificant servant of Lord Jesus Christ because I am preaching the same message as Lord Jesus did. I’m preaching God consciousness or Krishna consciousness. Fools thought that Lord Jesus Christ was dead by crucifixion but He resurrected. All living entities are parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore they are also eternal. All our ailments are due to the external body. Although we have to suffer some time from bodily inconveniences specially in the old age, still if we are God conscious, we shall not feel the pangs. The best thing is therefore to Chant the holy Name of the Lord Constantly. I would you request you to chant always God’s holy Name. We are chanting God’s holy name always and instructing our students to do so. If you have any holy name for God do chant Him always and it will do you the greatest benefit. And by chanting so when you will be remembering Him always then you transfer to the Kingdom of God is guaranteed. When you return to the Kingdom of God there is no necessity to come back again to the rotten world full of miseries. We are chanting God’s Name as
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
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09 Jun 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotional sentiments, disciple, guru, Guru Maharaja, I am always with you, Krsna's Mercy, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, mercy of Krsna, our ever well-wisher, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada
“The Spiritual Master is present wherever his sincere disciple is trying to serve his instructions. This is possible by the Mercy of Krsna. In your attempts to serve me and in all your sincere devotional sentiments I am with you as my Guru Maharaja is with me. Remember this always.”
.
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 12/01/73)
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04 May 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Jayananda Thakur, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, disappearance day, jayanananda thakur, Jayananda, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Jagannatha, Ramesvara, Ratha-yatra, Srila Prabhupada
Jayananda’s death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda’s picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas. (from Letter by Srila Prabhupada to Ramesvara)
Letter to: Ramesvara from Srila Prabhupada
New Delhi 11 May, 1977
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17 Feb 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Distribution, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhagavad-gita, Book Distribution, Krsna Book, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, quotes by Srila Prabhupada, sankirtan, Srila Prabhupada's books, Srimad Bhagavatam
I am glad to hear that you are distributing nicely books and magazines. The more we sell books, the more we advance in Krishna Consciousness, and the more we help others to have solid information how they may take advantage of their human form of life and achieve the supreme perfection. So I want that you should now increase very greatly this selling of books and literatures. (S.P.L. to Kulasekhara 20/1/72)
One Krishna book sold means we go forward one step in our Krishna Consciousness. We should always remember this. (S.P.L. to Visnujana Maharaja 4th April 1971)
I am very glad to hear all the good news, especially that you want to sell books more and more. That is the best preaching work; each book sold means there is some practical effect of preaching, there is some tangible progress. So try to sell books as many as possible in your country, and in this way, so long you remain active but not for your personal sense-gratification, so long you remain active only satisfying Krishna’s senses, then this movement will be successful without any doubt. As soon as someone wants to satisfy his own senses, then he fails at everything. (S.P.L. to Kuruksetra 23/11/72)
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29 Jan 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna consciousness, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, prabhupada, pure devotee, spiritual master
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Letter to his London disciples, July, 1969:
“Therefore having a bona fide spiritual master and serving him and pleasing him and getting his mercy is essential. Otherwise there can be no advancement in Krishna consciousness. And unless the spiritual master is a pure devotee of Krishna then he has no potency to give you Krishna. He is simply a cheating rascal.
So in fact above all the rules and regulations and offenses I have mentioned the most important thing, the essential thing, which is required if you want to come to the stage of purely chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is you must have a bona fide spiritual master who is a pure devotee of Krishna. Without having a bona fide spiritual master you can chant Hare Krishna forever but you will not be able to advance because Krishna does not reveal Himself in this way. He only reveals Himself to those devotees who surrender to and serve and please His pure devotees.”
Pasted from; http://prabhupadanugas.blogspot.com/2012/01/gbc-stop-cheating.html
22 Dec 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Yamuna devi
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, chant Hare Krishna, Gurudas photo, letter to Yamuna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Radha Krishna deity, Yamuna devi
(click on photo to enlarge)
Dear Yamuna,
Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter of January 18, and studied the contents.
The picture of your Radha Krishna deities is very good. They appear to be like the Radha Govinda deities of Mullick Thakur which I used to see from my childhood.
Yes, go on with your program. Live a simple life. Take a little milk and food grains, chant Hare Krishna and worship Sri Sri Radha Krishna deity, that’s all. That will make you perfect.
Hoping this finds you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Smte. Yamuna devi dasi
Sri Sri Radha Vanabehari Mandir
Murphy, Oregon 97533
ACBS/sdg
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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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
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