# PERSONALITY DESCRIPTIONS ## Advaita Acarya ==72-06== “Regarding your questions, no, ==the descendants from Advaita are to be considered dvija-bandhu,== that is, unless they are like *brahmanas* , that is, very highly qualified to know the higher values of life in the Vedic traditional way, so in that way even he is descended from Advaita, unless he is qualified he cannot be worshipable. Nityananda has no seminal descendants, his son Birbhadra never married. If some said he is descended from Nityananda, that means one of his disciples. These persons may be given some respect, but they are not equal to Advaita. *Dvija-bandhu* means son of a *brahmana* father but without the qualifications. Similarly, there are *Advaita-bandhus* . So far the Mayapur construction work, kindly send me some photos of the current progress.” (SPL to Acyutananda, June 12 * * th* , 1972) 75-04 “Regarding your question, you may refer to *Adi-lila,* Chapter 6, Text 79, along with the purport. ( *Caitanya-caritamrta* ). The answer is there. ==The basic understanding is that Sadasiva is an expansion of Maha-Visnu and that same Sadasiva incarnates as Advaita Acarya.== Therefore since Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Sadasiva who is non-different from Maha-Visnu, we can say that Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Maha-Visnu.” ([[letters/1975/750406_mr._vincent_karl|Mr. Karl, 6 April, 1975]]) ## Ananta Sesa ==68-12== “In answer to your question, let me say that Lord Visnu is served by Sesa who is also an incarnation of Visnu. His business is to supply all bodily comforts to Lord Visnu. ==Sesa, or Ananta, serve Visnu as His mattress and protects Him from all atmospheric disturbances by making His heads like a canopy or umbrella.== In this way, He supplies umbrella, bedding, slippers and everything else personally required by Lord Visnu. This information we get from scriptural sources. So keeping pace with this scriptural injunction you may paint nicely as Krsna gives you instruction.” ([[letters/1968/681205_jadurani|Jadur**ani, 5 December, 1968]]) ## Arjuna ==68-06== “your 2nd question: ==’Why did Arjuna ask Krsna to go to His four-armed form rather than His two-armed form after Krsna had shown Arjuna his Visvarupa?’== Because he understood that Krsna is the original Narayana. After seeing His Visvarupa, Arjuna was accustomed to see Krsna with two hands, but when he saw the Visvarupa he understood Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, he requested Him to revert to the original form of Narayana. Then, Krsna, after showing him the Narayana form, again to revert to His original Krsna form. Krsna explained that the Narayana form is not original but the Krsna form with 2 hands is the original and even the demigods desire to see this form.” ([[letters/1968/680614_purusottama|Purusottama, 14 June, 1968]]) *** 68-12 “To answer your second question, ==you should know that Arjuna and Kunti-devi are not in Krsnaloka. They are eternally associated with Krsna only in the material world.== Just like Krsna is always in the spiritual world, so similarly He is always in the material world and His pastimes are going on there also. In the material world, Krsna also has eternal associates, such as Arjuna and Kunti devi. There is a difference between the body and soul who is Arjuna. This spirit soul expands into many different bodies and thus you can understand that there are also incarnations of devotees as well as incarnations of Krsna. This is the power of the spirit soul, that is unlimited. Such conception cannot be understood while one is still in the conditioned state.” ([[letters/1968/681212_ananda|Saradiya, 12 December, 1968]]) ## Balarama ==67-12 “To answer your question regarding your names: Balai is the name of Baladeva, Krsna’s elder brother. His wife is called Balai dasi or His girlfriend is called Balai dasi. Baladeva is not different from Krsna. He is the first expansion from Krsna. All the incarnations and expansions begin from Baladeva.”== (SPL to Balai, December, 1967) ## Bali Maharaja ==68-07 “Regarding Bali Maharaja: he is born in the same atheistic family as Prahlada Maharaja. He happened to be the grandson of Prahlada Maharaja and as his great grandfather, Hiryanakasipu was very powerful,== and as there was animosity between the demigods and demons, Bali Maharaja also defeated the demigods several times, and was occupying all the planets. At that time, Vamanadeva appears as the son of Kasyapa Muni. Bali Maharaja was very charitably disposed. Sometimes the atheists are also very charitable. Persons who believe that we are doing pious activities, making charities and welfare work to the human society, why should we bother about God? Such persons even though very moral and pious in the estimation of the material world, are also demons, on account of their apathy for Krsna consciousness. So, Bali Maharaja was a man of that type. Under the circumstances he was not adverse to accept charity and other pious activities. He was guided by his spiritual master, Sukracarya. Sukra means the semina. In other words, one claims to become *acarya* on the principle of being born of a *brahmana* father. They may be called *sukracarya* , or *acarya* or preacher not by disciplic succession but on the right of heredity. In India there are still superstitions that one should be initiated by such *Sukracarya* family. They are called generally as the *jatigosain* . *Jatigosain* means the caste spiritual master. All over India, especially in Bengal, this *jatigosain* spiritual mastership is very prevalent. But really *gosvami* means one who is master of these influence of the different senses, namely the influence of tongue, the influence of mind, the influence of anger, the influence of belly, the influence of genital and the influence of talking. So one who is master of these influential webs of sense gratification, he is called *gosvami* . *Gosvami* is not by hereditary chart. So Sukracarya posed himself as such *gosvami* spiritual master. He had many mystic powers, therefore he was considered to be very influential spiritual master of the demons. So when Vamanadeva appeared, Bali Maharaja was attracted by His beauty as a dwarf *brahmana* , and as he was charitably disposed he wanted to give Him some charity. But Sukracarya, being elevated in mystic powers, he could understand that Vamandeva was Visnu. And in order to favor the demigods, He had come there to cheat Bali Maharaja in the shape of begging some charities Bali Maharaja was puffed up with his material vanities, and Vamanadeva as He is Visnu, all peaceful, without interrupting his attitude, just approached him in the form of the *brahmana* , who has a right to bed something from the princely order. And the principal orders also are always disposed to make charities to the *brahmanas.* Question 2: Sukracarya as the spiritual master of Bali taught him that everything should be offered to Visnu. But when Visnu actually appeared before Bali, he was afraid of Bali Maharaja’s charitable disposition. He warned Bali Maharaja that this Vamanadeva had come there to take everything from him in the shape of charity, therefore he should not promise to give Him anything. This advice revolted Bali Maharaja because he was formerly instructed that everything should be offered to Visnu, now why Sukracarya was asking him not to act by his previous instructions? Sukracarya was afraid of his own position. He was living at the cost of Bali Maharaja, so if Vamanadeva would take away everything from Bali Maharaja, he was thinking how would he live. That is a materialistic temperament. The materialist does not want to serve or give to Visnu, because he thinks that by giving away to Visnu he will be put into poverty-stricken condition. This is materialistic estimation. But actually that is not the fact, as it will be evidenced by the dealing of Bali Maharaja and Vamanadeva.” ([[letters/1968/680703_rupanuga|*SPL to Satsvarupa, 3 July, 1968]]) *** 68-07 “Question 3: ==Why Bali Maharaja is considered a mahajana? Bali Maharaja is a mahajana because he wanted to serve Visnu by disobeying his non bona fid spiritual master.== As explained above, Sukracarya was hereditary spiritual master by seminal succession. But Bali Maharaja first revolted against this stereotyped seminal succession spiritual master and therefore he is *mahajana* . Jiva Gosvami has described in his Karama-sandharva that one should be anxious to accept a spiritual master who is bona fide in spiritual knowledge. And if need be one should relinquish the connection of hereditary spiritual master and accept a bona fide spiritual master. So when Sukracarya advise him contrary to his previous instructions, specifically he checked Bali Maharaja in the matter of worshiping Visnu, and thus Sukracarya became at once fallen down from the position of becoming a spiritual master. Nobody can become a spiritual master who is not a devotee of Visnu. A *brahmana* may be very expert in the matter of performing Vedic rituals, accepting charities and distributing wealth—these are exalted qualifications of the *brahmanas* , but the Vedic injunction is, in spite of possessing all these qualities, if somebody is against Lord Visnu, he cannot be a spiritual master. So when Sukracarya advised Bali Maharaja against Visnu, he at once became disqualified for becoming a spiritual master. Bali Maharaja disobeyed such unqualified spiritual master, and therefore he is accepted as *mahajana* . *Mahajana* means a personality whose footsteps should be followed. So, his exemplary behavior in rejecting a non-Vaisnava spiritual master being ideal to the bona fid students, he is considered a *mahajana* .” ([[letters/1968/680703_satsvarupa|Satsvarupa, 3 July, 1968]]) ## Bhakti Devi ==69-01 “Bhakti devi is the expansion of Srimati Radharani. I hope this letter will meet you in very good health. Thanking you once more for your nice letter.”== ([[letters/1969/690131_satsvarupa|SPL to* Rukmini, 31 January, 1969]]) ## Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati ==68-12 On the disappearance day of my Guru Maharaja, you may hold meeting to discuss his activities and offer respect to his memory. Practically, this movement is his because it is under his order that I have come to your country.”== (SPL to Upendra, Decem**ber 2nd, 1968) 69-02 “Regarding the 8 *gopis* and my spiritual master, I think you did not follow what I said, but that does not mean that you should be disappointed. We are all students, and we are apt to commit mistakes; but that does not mean we should be disappointed. Lord Caitanya also presented Himself before Prakasananda Sarasvati as a foolish student of His spiritual master, although He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Anyway, the actual fact is that the eight *gopis* are as good as Krsna and Radharani. Therefore, no Vaisnava will claim to be one of the eight *gopis* because that will tinge one with Mayavadi philosophy. If somebody says, ’I am Krsna,’, or ’I am Radharani,’, or ’I am one of the eight *gopis* ,’ that is against Krsna philosophy. ==My Guru Maharaja claimed to be one of the sub-devotee assistants of the 8 gopis.== Lord Caitanya also claimed Himself as servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna. So even though you might not have understood, you can correct it now and don’t be disappointed.” ([[letters/1969/690205_gargamuni|Gargamuni, 5 February, 1969]]) *** 70-11 “During my Guru Maharaja’s time, even a person was coming from a *brahmana* family, he was initiated according to the *pancaratriki-vidhi* system taking him to be a *sudra* . So the birthright *Brahmanism* is not applicable at the present moment. The sacred thread inaugurated by my Guru Maharaja according to *pancaratriki-vidhi* system and *Hari-bhakti-vilasa* by Srila Sanatana Goswami must continue. It does not matter whether the priestly class accepts it or not. When my Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupāda introduced this system, it was protested even by His inner circle of Godbrothers or friends. Of course ==he had actually no Godbrothers, but there were many disciples of Bhaktivinoda Thakura who were considered as Godbrothers who protested against this action of my Guru Maharaja, but he didn’t care for it.”== (SPL to Acyutananda Maharaja, November 14th, 1970) ## Bhaktivinoda Thakura ==68-11== “Regarding your questions, ’I read in a book sent from India that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was sent directly by Lord Sri Caitanya from the spiritual sky. I am not sure if the book was bona fide. Is the above true? Someone, a Godbrother brought up that he heard that Srila Bhaktivinoda was at one time an impersonalist. Was he ever?’ Yes, what you have heard is all right. Just like Arjuna is constant companion of Krsna, as it is confirmed in the 4th chapter, Krsna says that both Arjuna and He appeared many times in this world, but he had forgotten his past appearance and Krsna did not. Krsna is like the sun and *maya* is just like the darkness. When Krsna is present there cannot be any darkness of *maya* . So as Arjuna although always in the presence of Krsna as eternal companion in friendship, still he had some illusion on the battlefield of Kuruksetra and Krsna had to dissipate the darkness by the teachings of *Bhagavad-gita* . The purport is that ==sometimes even a liberated person like Arjuna plays the part of a conditioned soul in order to play some important part. Similarly, Bhaktivinoda Thakura for some time was associating with the impersonalists and then he exhibited himself in his true color as pure devotee,== exactly in the same way as Arjuna exhibited in the beginning as a conditioned soul, and then as a liberated soul. So there is nothing to be misunderstood in this connection. Krsna and His devotees sometimes play like that, as much as Lord Buddha, although an incarnation of Krsna, preached the philosophy of voidism. These things are conducted in terms of place, audience, time, etc. In the *Caitanya-caritamrta* it is said that the activities of the Vaisnava cannot be understood even by the greatest scholar. So we have to understand everything through the transparent via media of the spiritual master. So there is no doubt about it that Bhaktivinoda Thakura is eternal energy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And whatever he did, was just to suit the time, place, circumstances, and etc.” ([[letters/1968/681120_madhusudana|Madhusuda**na, 20 November, 1968]]) *** 68-11 “Thank you very much for your endeavor and all blessings of Thakur Bhaktivinoda and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati will be bestowed upon you because you are trying to push on their life long mission. ==Thakur Bhaktivinoda, in the year of my birth, first attempted to introduce these missionary activities in McGill University and the same attempt is being renovated by your combined efforts.== I am sure that Lord Caitanya and His eternal associates, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, will be pleased to bestow their mercy upon you. Please try to continue this attempt and I am sure you shall be successful.” ([[letters/1968/681124_hayagriva|Hayagriva, 24 November, 1968]]) ==69-05 “Enclosed are a few nice poems by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura which you may hand over to Mandali Bhadra for translation into German and to be submitted for publication in German Back to Godhead.”== ([[letters/1969/690514_ananda|Ananda, 14 May, 1969]]) *** 72-06 “I have just now got one letter from Acyutananda Maharaja from Mayapur, and ==his plan is to photograph all of the original manuscripts of Bhaktivinoda Thakura which are held by his son, Lalita Prasada Thakura, in Birnagara. This is a very, very important work, so I think you are just the right man for going there with Acyutananda to make photos of each and every page== of the old manuscripts as they are in very bad condition. After taking the photos, we shall be going to London on 2nd, 1972, so send reply accordingly.” (SPL to Yadubara, June 20th, 1972) ==72-07 “Regarding Lalita Prasada Thakura, as I have advised Acyutananda above, unless he keeps his promise then we are not interested to publish any of Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s books. That animosity against Guru Maharaja is going on, so we shall have nothing to do with it.” ([[letters/1972/720722_acyutananda|*SPL to Jayapataka, 22 July, 1972]]) ==72-07 “Yes, that is nice, you may continue to photograph all of the manuscripts of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other great acaryas in our Vaisnava line, but for now do not photograph anything of Lalita Prasada’s manuscripts. When I go there I shall see. First of all let us see Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s works, then we shall see further.”== ([[letters/1972/720729_yadubara|Yadubara, 29 July, 1972]]) *** 72-07 “One thing is, Sriman Lalita Prasada Thakura has not fulfilled his promise to give us that place in Birnagara for our ISKCON temple. So I don’t want you to mix with him further. I have just got one letter from Acarya dasa, wherein he request to live with Lalita Prasada Thakura for taking instruction from him. I do not like this idea, I don’t know where these ideas are coming from. No one should go there any more. ==Let Yadubara take his photos as he has taken so much trouble and they may be valuable for the future,== but besides Yadubara no one else should go there, and Acarya dasa should not go there either.” ([[letters/1972/720729_acyutananda|Acyutananda, 29 July, 1972]]) ==72-08 “Regarding Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s manuscripts, immediately we do not have any program for printing them. You keep them carefully and when I return I shall consider the matter. The translating work can be done both by Ramananda and Niranjana in Benares.”== ([[letters/1972/720821_yadubara|Yadubara, 21 August, 1972]]) ==72-12 “Regarding your questions, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura never took formal sannyasa. He was babaji, living in seclusion away from wife and family as paramahamsa. One can have as many children as Bhaktivinoda Thakura as long as one is as good as Bhaktivinoda Thakura.”== ([[letters/1972/721213_candravali|Candravali, 13 December, 1972]]) ## Bhismadeva ==67-12== “Regarding your questions: This incident is in the *Srimad-Bhagavatam.* ==Bhismadeva, when he was lying on the bed of arrows before passing away, Lord Krsna, accompanied with the Pandavas, came to see him.== Ordinarily Bhismadeva was worshipper of Lord Visnu, but he knew also that Krsna is the same Lord Visnu. When Krsna came to see Bhismadeva on his deathbed, Bhismadeva remembered Krsna in His fighting feature at the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Bhismadeva wanted to see Krsna angry, he knew that Krsna was very kind upon him, but to make a front he displayed a chivalrous mood, pretending to kill Arjuna, although he knew it very well that no power in the world could kill Arjuna while he was shielded by Krsna Himself as his charioteer. Yet he tried to agitate the mind of Krsna but Arjuna he almost killed. Actually, Krsna thought it that Bhismadeva was to see Him in His angry mood and supposed to be broken in His promise to fulfill the desire of Bhismadeva. He got down from the chariot and took a wheel of the chariot, going forward as if to kill Bhismadeva. Bhismadeva, as soon as he found Krsna in that angry mood, he gave up his fighting weapons and prepared himself for being killed by Krsna. This attitude of Krsna pleased Bhismadeva very much and at the time of his death he recalled back the angry feature of Krsna. He was a military man so he was pleased to see Krsna in military spirit, as much as the gopis wanted to see Krsna as the most beautiful lover. There is no difference between the attitude of the *gopis* and Bhismadeva in the matter of exchanging transcendental mellows between God and His devotee. Krsna can be loved in any feature and because he is absolute there is no difference to love Krsna as a military man or as a simple *gopi.* During the day the 2 sides would battle and at night they would visit one another’s camps, just like friends, talking and eating together. Bhisma was accused of not trying hard enough to kill the Pandavas, due to affection for them. So, he said, ’Tomorrow, I kill all 5 brothers and these 5 special arrows I shall kill them with.’ For safekeeping Bhismadeva gave the 5 arrows to Duryodhana who had accused Bhismadeva of too much affection for the Pandavas. Formerly, Duryodhana had made a promise to Arjuna that he could some day ask for some favor, so Krsna, knowing all these things, sent Arjuna to Duryodhana for asking favor of giving the arrow to Arjuna that night. The next day, Bhisma knew it was Krsna who arranged all this, and so he told Duryodhana, ’Today it will be either Arjuna or I, but one of us will die.’ And so he fought very hard to kill Arjuna, but with Krsna as protector no one in the world could kill Arjuna. Krsna’s body was pierced, here and there, all over, as you like. As military man, Bhisma had no right to shoot the chariot driver but he knew Krsna’s body was not material, and will not be harmed, so he took pleasure in piercing the body of the Lord. Bhismadeva became so pierced with arrows that he laid down and with the arrows standing on end, all over stuck through his body. Yes, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva came and were there in the sky with many demigods and throwing flowers. You can consult *Srimad-Bhagavatam* , second part.” (SPL to Jadurani, 29 * * th* December, 1967) ==68-06== “Your next question (S.B.) chapter 9, text 1, ’Suta Goswami said thus being afraid of the act of killing the subjects on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, Maharaja Yudhistira went to that place of massacre where Bhismadeva was lying on the bed of arrows for passing away. Bhismadeva was endowed with the power of leaving his material body at his will and his lying down on a bed of arrows was his own choice.’ ==’Did Bhismadeva get wounded by the arrows at the battle of Kuruksetra or did he simply choose to leave his mortal body and thus lay down for passing on a bed of arrows?’== Bhismadeva was surely wounded by the arrows of Arjuna. But wounding is not always the cause of death. In our own practical experience we know that many soldiers become wounded in the battlefield sometimes very severely, but still one is not dead—he recovers in the hospital. So Bhismadeva was certainly such severely wounded, but that was not the cause of his death. He preferred to lie down on the bed of arrows and all Pandavas and Krsna arrived there to see his passing away. So his passing away was just on his own will—that was the benediction given by his father. In the battlefield Bhismadeva also wounded very severely Krsna. He was a great devotee of Krsna. And Lord Krsna accepted those arrows piercing His body as if somebody is worshiping with soft rose flowers. That is Krsna’s transcendental body. But those who are materialists, they are cheated by Krsna that He is wounded. The materialists think that Krsna was wounded, but one who knows what is Krsna knows also that He is worshiped by the arrows. So in the battlefield, neither Krsna was wounded, neither Bhismadeva died due to injuries out of the wounds. He decided to pass away at that time, therefore he died. These things will be more and more clear when you understand Krsna by revelation. I think if you make progress in your present attitude, you shall soon know all these intricacies of spiritual and material living conditions.” (SPL to Sacisuta, 17 * * th* June, 1968) ==68-11 “And your question about Bhismadeva, after he left this planet, he went to Vaikuntha because he was Narayana worshiper. In Bhisma’s prayer, it is clear that he is worshiper of Four Handed Narayana. Although he knew that Narayana and Krsna are non-different, but his affection was for Narayana. Therefore he entered the Narayana loka.”== (SPL to Tosana Krsna, November 13 * * th* , 1968) ## Bilvamangala Thakura ==67-12== “Lilasukha is the name of Bilvamangala Thakura; this ==Bilvamangala Thakura was a great devotee of Krsna and he wrote a famous book Krsna Karnamrta recognized by Lord Caitanya.== Kancanbala was one of the *gopis* in the association of Krsna. Ekayani was the wife of a great sage who was in the Satya-yuga when all persons were *paramahamsa* or liberated persons. Ekayani’s husband was a liberated person.” (SPL to Balai, December, 1967) ==75-09 “Regarding your question, Sukadeva and Bilvamangala Thakura developed the conjugal ecstasies later on.”== (SPL to Acyutananda Swami, 3 * * rd* September, 1975) ## Brahma, Lord ==68-04 “There are two kinds of dissolution. One is when Brahma goes to sleep and another is when Brahma dies.== When Brahma goes to sleep, the highest planetary system does not dissolve, the lower planetary systems, beginning from heavenly planets downwards, everything is dissolves. And when the day comes out, they are again created. When the living entities enter into Brahma, or into the Body of Narayana they keep their own spiritual body, that is very small, 1/10,000 of the tip of a hair, and when there is again material creation, they manifest again with different kinds of bodies. Just like a man sleeps at home without any dress, and when he goes out to work he dresses himself. So similarly in creation there are different kinds of bodies for working and whenever there is no creation, they remain in their own spiritual body sleeping. No, there is no complete annihilation at the end of Kali-yuga; there may be some disturbances, but not complete annihilation. There are thousands of Kali-yugas in every day of Brahma and they come and go just like seasonal chances.” (SPL to Aniruddha, 9 * * th* April, 1968) ==68-04 “Now, regarding your question about Brahma, he may be chosen either from the liberated or the conditioned souls. In this case Brahma is a liberated soul from the beginning; therefore there is no contradiction that Brahma can be Haridasa Thakura.== Those who are conditioned souls are eternally so, which means that it is never possible to trace out how long ago the conditioned existence began. We simply say that misuse of the little independence we have got creates so much trouble for us. But now by adopting Krsna consciousness, we may finish this conditioned life immediately. That is Krsna consciousness. Your reasoning is all right that the Brahma energy must have conscious direction to manifest form. Therefore, He who gives that direction is the ultimate controller or Paramesvara. In *Brahma-saḥhitā* it is said, *isvara paramah krsnah, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah, anadir adir govindah, sarva-karana-karanam (B.S. 5.1) Krsna is the Supreme Controller of all controllers and therefore, He is the Origin of everything including the Brahma energy. This Govinda is the cause of all causes, and He is without any cause. This is the beauty of the * sastras *, that one * sloka* finishes billions of years hard labor of mental speculation. Just try to give evidence like this.” (SPL to Sivananda, 1968) ==68-07== “Your questions about Lord Brahma: ==’Brahma is a great devotee of Lord Krsna and Brahma-saḥhitā, etc. reveal his knowledge of the Lord.== So are these 2 stories, namely 1) He doubted Krsna became a cowherd boy and stole His cows etc; 2) Krsna showed him the one quarter part of His creation after Brahma had to designate himself as 4-headed Brahma. These 2 stories are just examples to the conditioned souls who think we can put God under restrictions?’ ==Brahma is not among the great devotees, but he is a devotee of Krsna. All the great devotees of Krsna are in the Krsnaloka,== constant companions of Krsna at Vrndavana. They are actually great devotees of Krsna. Brahma is a great devotee in the sense that he wants to serve Krsna the best with some material power. That means that he has a tendency to enjoy some material opulence. So Krsna had made him the number 1 living creatures within this universe. But a great devotee does not want even the position of a Brahma. He would prefer to become an insignificant living creature like an ant or spider in the house of a great devotee, than to become Brahma, who has got the inclination of becoming powerful in the material world. The great devotees are always liberated from all material desires, big or small. That is the sign of great devotees. Brahma came to Krsna because he has very exalted ideas about Krsna, and he was doubtful how his Lord could come into the material world and become a cowherd boy. This incident is known as, *Brahma-vimohana-lila* or the pastime of bewildering Brahma. In the beginning of the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* it is stated that great personalities like Brahma become bewildered in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. So sometimes such pastimes are manifested by the Lord in order to teach the so-called mental speculators. Even Arjuna was bewildered although he was His constant companion. Arjuna also was talking from the material viewpoint of standing. All this bewilderment of great devotees are created by the Lord for 2 purposes: one purpose is that even great personalities like Brahma and Arjuna sometimes become bewildered and therefore, unless they present themselves in such position of bewilderment, the common men do not have the chance to understand Krsna. If Brahma would not have posed himself as not knowing the whole truth, then some truths about the transcendental position of Krsna would not have been explained. Besides that, we cannot calculate even one day’s duration in the life of Brahma. So Krsna appears only once in a day of Brahma and that takes a rotation of unlimited trillions of solar years. Some incidents take place in one day, and other incidents take place in another day. Just like we do something today, and something else in a week and we forget today’s action tomorrow and tomorrow’s action after a week. And that is the nature of conditioned life. Therefore, Brahma being a big conditioned soul, this forgetfulness of one’s affairs in the next day are not uncommon. Just as we are forgetful, Brahma also is subject to forgetfulness. Our so much so-called knowledge is nothing in comparison to Krsna’s full knowledge. That is admitted by Brahma there is that verse that, ’People may say they know You very well, but so far I am concerned, I admit I do not know even a farthing of You!” (SPL to Jadurani, 9 * * th* July, 1968) ==73-05== “Your next question: ’The *Bhagavad-gita* says that Lord Brahma is a conditioned soul. Then how was it possible for him to impart the *Vedas* to a non-conditioned soul—Narada Muni?’ So, ==Lord Brahma is a conditioned soul means that due to his desire to become the creator of the material manifestation he had to take birth within the material world. But although he was conditioned by such desire, still he is a great devotee of Lord Krsna.== He has written *Brahma-saḥhitā* which is pure Vaisnava literature describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahma was the first created being within the universe and the first spiritual master, as he received knowledge from within his heart from Lord Krsna. Narada appears as the son of Brahma and therefore he had to accept Lord Brahma as his spiritual master.” (SPL to Caturbhuja, 9 * * th* May, 1973) ## Buddha, Lord ==68-07 “You know that Lord Buddha was Hindu, born in India, in a royal family, but because He advocated voidism, His philosophy was not accepted by the leaders of Vedic principles.== For the time being, Lord Buddha’s philosophy was accepted by Emperor Asoka, and due to royal influence, it spread all over India. But later on, when Sankaracarya preached the Vedic principle, the voidism of Lord Buddha was driven out of India. Similarly, Ramanujacarya found Sankaracarya a second edition of Buddhist philosophy, he also expunged Sankaracarya as compromising the Buddha, and he established personal worship of Lord Visnu. Later on, other *acaryas* , including Sri Caitanya, developed the transcendental reciprocation of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Lord Caitanya preached that loving service in the highest conjugal love with Krsna is also possible. So we are preaching the highest principles of loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, there is no scope for compromising with any of the kinds of philosophies of the impersonalist school.” (SPL to Hayagriva, July 10 * * th* , 1968) ==70-04== “I am very much glad to receive your letter because sometimes I was thinking of you. You are a very intelligent boy, so I was impressed by your talking when you were walking with me on the street of Hamburg. You have got a strong tendency to accept the Buddha philosophy, but you should know it also that if you want to accept Buddha philosophy you should act practically for this purpose. ==Lord Buddha was the embodiment of renunciation. He was in the princely order, grown up very luxuriantly and he accepted the order of a mendicant, devoting his whole time to mediation.== I meet many people who talk Buddha philosophy, but their practical life is different. Our philosophy is that we must apply in practical life what we believe. In this age no other philosophy or process of self-realization will be practical and effective as Krsna consciousness is. So I would request you to come and live with our devotees in Hamburg and join the *sankirtana* party, try to understand the philosophy, eat with them, sleep with them, talk with them, and chant Hare Krsna. I am sure you will be happy and will be relieved from the present disturbances of your mind. I would be glad to ask you to come here, but I do not know whether it is possible for you to come here. But if you live in our temple in Hamburg, I am sure you will be happy. If you have got any drug habit you must give it up. The drug habit is killing the soul of the younger generation in the Western world. So if you live with the devotees, you will get strength to give up this bad habit and if you live separately you will never be cured of your present diseased mental condition.” (SPL to Bertl, 18 * * th* April, 1970) ## Caitanya, Lord ==68-07 “Regarding your question about the picture of Lord Caitanya with six arms: This form was shown to Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. This is called Sada-bhuja Murti.== This Sada-bhuja Murti is also worshipped by the devotees of Lord Caitanya, and especially the Murti which is situated in the temple of Jaganatha Puri. Sometimes when you may go to India and visit the temple of Jaganatha, you will find this Murti.” ( *SPL to Madhusudana, 29* *th* July, 1968) ==73-11 “Regarding Lord Caitanya’s danda, it was broken for good. So after Puri, He never took danda.== So for painting Him as *sannyasa* , it depends on the time as to whether He had *danda* or not. The *eka-danda* is all right, as in the Sada-bhuja picture I sent. Do not be concerned with how the Mayavadi *sannyasi dandas* are wrapped because we are not following them.” (SPL to Jadurani dasi, 8 * * th* November, 1973) ==74-03 “In Panca-tattva everyone has an effulgence, but especially Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. The Mayavadi sannyasis generally wear their dhotis up over their knees, and because Lord Caitanya took sannyasa from a Mayavadi sannyasi He is shown like that. So He is seen like this as a sannyasi.”== (SPL to Muralidhara 7 * * th* March, 1974) ## Demigods ==68-03 “Yes, the wind, the earth, the water, and so forth, all have controlling personalities.== Just like there is a sun god who is in charge of the sun planet; similarly, for each body of water, for the wind, there are controlling personalities. They are in control of some small part of the material creation, but the ultimate controller is Krsna. These demigods all are servants of the Supreme Controller.” (SPL to Balai, 12 * * th* March, 1968) ==70-03 “The demigods are included within the species of human life.”== (SPL to Rupanuga, 7 * * th* March, 1970) ==70-11== “Regarding *devi candana* , we have no use for it. It has got no place in our Vaisnava worship. ==So far the demigods are concerned, we Vaisnavas have nothing against them, so they may be offered all respects as part and parcel servitors of the Supreme Lord Krsna.== The foolish persons may worship the demigods as supreme, but we see only that they are agents of the Lord and as such we may offer them our humble respects. Hope this will meet you in good health. Another thing, although we respect the demigods, we may not take their *prasadam* if invited. We observe the system followed in Jaganatha Puri. First the foodstuff is offered to Lord Jaganatha and then His *prasadam* is offered to the different demigods; then we may take such remainders as *prasadam* . This is the correct procedure.” (SPL to Upendra, November 21 * * st* , 1970) ## Durga ==67-10 “Vaisnavas are not concerned with Durga Puja.”== (SPL to Pradyumna, 17 * * th* October, 1967) ==68-05 “Durga is the expansion of the internal energy and Radharani is the quintessence of internal energy. In that sense Durga is expansion of Radharani.”== (SPL to Uddhava, 28 * * th* May, 1968) ## Einstein ==69-03== “We should train our disciples as well as ourselves in such a spirit that even if the whole world is against us, which is impossible to happen, the *sankirtana* movement must be pushed on without any reference to archaeological evidence or any such scientific advancement of knowledge. Besides that, the argument that archaeological evidence will lead many people to accept the philosophy of Lord Caitanya has no evidence. For example, the Christian religion is now established in archaeological evidence, but still it is not that the whole people of the world are attracted by Christian religion. ==Even a great scientist, Professor Albert Einstein, was Jewish by religion, but because the Christian religion gives evidential proof of archaeological discovery, still he did not become a Christian.== No religion or no principle is accepted by the whole world; that is a fact. I can give you a statement of Albert Einstein in which he says, ’The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is in the sensation of the mystical. It is a shower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, he who can no longer stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power which is revealed in the comprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.’ I think that our Hare Krsna movement is just following in the same concept of God by awakening the dormant transcendental emotion of the human being without any consideration of religious faith. In our camp all of my disciples are coming from different faiths, mostly Christians or Jews, and why are they accepting this *sankirtana* movement, unless there is the awakening of mystical emotion described by a great scientist like Albert Einstein.” (SPL to Janardana, 2 * * nd* March, 1969) ## Ekayani ==67-12 “Ekayani was the wife of a great sage who was in the Satya-yuga when all persons were paramahamsa or liberated persons. Ekayani’s husband was a liberated person.”== (SPL to Balai, December, 1967) ## Gadadhara ==70-05 “Regarding your two questions, the first, Sri Gadadhara is an expansion of Radharani and Srinivasa is the expansion of Narada Muni, or in other words they are the internal and devotional energy respectively.”== (SPL to Tamala, 27 * * th* May, 1970) ## Gandhi, Mahatma ==47-07== “Please accept my respectful *namaskara* . 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 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 honor and prestige that you have obtained during the course of your present lifetime were not possible to be obtained by anyone else within the living memory. But you must know that all these honors and prestiges were false inasmuch 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 were you false to them. By this falsity I mean illusion or in other words the false friendship and honors 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 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 Krpalini and others are accusing you for your inability at the present moment to give them any practical program of work as you happened to give them during your glorious days of the non-cooperation 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 preaching work of the Bhagavad-gita, which is the real function of the mahatmas, you shall have to meet with such inglorious deaths as Mussolini, Hitler, Tojo, Churchill or Lloyd George met with.== You can very easily understand as to how some of your political enemies in the garb of friends (both English and Indian) 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 the creation of 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 something about the Absolute Truth. The Truth which you have been experimenting so long is relative. The relative truths are creations of the *daivi-maya* qualified by the 3 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 bona fide guru who is not only well versed in all the scriptures of the world but is also the realized soul in Brahman the Absolute—in order to learn the science of the Absolute Truth. So it is instructed in the *Bhagavad-gita* as follows: But I know you never underwent such transcendental training except some severe penances which you have 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 above mentioned. 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 idea of unity, peace and nonviolence, then you must give up the rotten politics immediately and rise up for the preaching work of the philosophy and religion of the *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, Abhaya Charan De” (SPL to Mahatma Gandhi, 12 * * th* July, 1947) ==49-07== “The Secretary Board of Trustees Mahatma Gandhi Memorial National Fund 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 be fittingly 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 statesman and his basic principle was to overhaul the very foundation of present civilization by the novel philosophy of *satyagraha* or 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 Aurobindo 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 bus with his political activities, never missed to attend his daily prayer meetings in the evening. This rule he observed punctually even for 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 and propagate this particular line of spiritual activities and must daily read a chapter of *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 Krsna and for this only he was raised to such an exalted position of a saint amongst statesman during his very lifetime. The Mahatma Gandhi National Memorial 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 of 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-Krsna at Noakhali when he was there and that is also very significant. The theistic temples all over India are actually the different centers as are the churches and mosques all over the world. These sacred centers 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 into a God’s man is enunciated in the *Bhagavad-gita.* By doing so anyone 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 processes Mahatma Gandhi wanted to establish a greater human society. His idea of a casteless society could be given a shape under the guidance of the principles of the *Bhagavad-gita* . There are men of different mentalities according to quality and work. There are different modes of nature. These modes of nature work everywhere in the world and different propensities develop by the psychological modes of nature. It is not therefore bound up within the walls of India but this is current all over the world maybe 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.”== (SPL to Mahatma Gandhi National Memorial Trust Fund, 5 * * th* July, 1949) ==75-12== “So if we want to be happy in this life and the next we have to worship Visnu. What Gandhi did to satisfy Visnu? He was trying to satisfy his country, and his country killed him. He manufactured so many things which were never found in *Bhagavad-gita* . Throughout the *Bhagavad-gita* Krsna is encouraging Arjuna to fight, and Gandhi manufactured nonviolence from *Bhagavad-gita.* Everyone in India knows the *Mahabharata* , the great battle of Kuruksetra, 640,000,000 gave up their life in that battle, and Krsna was personally instructing Arjuna to fight, and Gandhi took *Bhagavad-gita* and preached nonviolence. So what was his understanding? ==At the end of his life he frankly said, ’I don’t believe there was ever such a historical person as Krsna.’ So what did Gandhi know about Bhagavad-gita?”== (SPL to Tulasi dasa, 18 * * th* December, 1975) ## Ganega, Ganapati ==71-04 “No, there is no need for worshiping Ganapati, and the facility for such worship is not available in your country. Worshipping Krsna is sufficient.”== (SPL to Vrndavana Candra, April 13 * * th* , 1971) ==71-07 “Vyasadeva did not speak all the Vedas to Ganesa. He simply dictated.”== (SPL to Jadurani, July 9 * * th* , 1971) ==71-08 “So far worshiping Ganesa is concerned, that is not necessary. Not that it should be done on a regular basis. If you like you can pray to Ganapati for removing all impediments on the path of Krsna consciousness. That you can do if you like,”== (SPL to Sivananda, August 25 * * th* , 1971) ==74-11 “The Ganesa puja may not be performed. No, it is not to be done. No need of it.”== (SPL to Sudama dasa Goswami, 21 * * st* November, 1974) ==75-02 “Concerning Ganesa worship, it is not actually necessary for us.== But, if someone has a sentiment for getting the blessings of Ganesa in order to get large amounts of money for Krsna’s service, then it is all right, but anyone who takes up this kind of worship must send me at least $100,000 monthly—not less. If he cannot send this amount then he cannot do Ganesa worship.” (SPL to Bhakta dasa, 1 * * st* February, 1975) ## Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja ==69-05== “So far as your 2nd question, Thakura Bhaktivinoda was not official spiritual master of Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja was already renounced order, *paramahamsa,* but Thakura Bhaktivinoda while he was even playing the part of a householder, was treated by Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja as preceptor, on account of his highly elevated spiritual understanding, and thus he was always treating him as his spiritual master. ==The spiritual master is divided into 2 parts, siksa-guru and diksa-guru. So officially Bhaktivinoda Thakura was like siksa-guru of Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Mahajara.”== (SPL to Dayananda, 1 * * st* May, 1969) ## Gauri Dasi ==74-12 “Your sankirtana reports are very encouraging, especially that one girl, Gauri dasi, who has set an all ISKCON women’s record of 108 big books. This is very wonderful.== Formerly this would have been considered impossible, but now by Krsna’s grace everything is becoming possible. Encourage them all to increase more and more. Now Tripurari Prabhu is there and he can train the others. This book distribution is the essence of our mission.” ([[letters/1974/741218_rupanuga|Rupanuga, 18 December, 1974]]) ## Gopis ==67-12 “Kancanbala was one of the gopis in the association of Krsna. Indira was also one of the gopis in the association of Krsna.”== (SPL to Balai, December, 1967) ==70-05== “Regarding your two questions, the first, Sri Gadadhara is an expansion of Radharani and Srinivasa is the expansion of Narada Muni, or in other words they are the internal and the devotional energy respectively. The second question. Yes, ==Rupa Goswami is a gopi by the name of Rupa Manjari, but not all the six Goswamis of Vrndavana are gopis. The following is a list of some of the principles gopis, the first eight are called Astasakhi:== 4. Campakalata 5. Rangadevi 7. Tungavidya 8. Indurekha 9. Rupamanjari 10. Ratimanjari 11. Labangamanjari 12. Rasamanjari 13. Manjuali 14. Kasturika etc. You can sing individually the names of the *gopis* , there is no harm, but when we sing the prayer: *sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca* ; this includes them all.” (SPL to Tamala, 27 * * th* May, 1970) ## Gosvamis, the Six ==67-09== “Your letter of 8/24 contains some important questions. ==The six Goswamis are not all eternal associates of Krsna. Only Rupa and Raghunatha Goswami are eternal associates.== You know there are 2 kinds of living entities: *nitya-mukha* or eternal associates of the Lord, and *nitya-baddha* or eternally conditioned. This material manifestation is the chance for the eternally conditioned living entities to go back to Godhead but when they go back there is no distinction between the two. When Krsna appears some of His eternal associates come with Him to assist Him in His different incarnational activities; and some of the living entities from conditioned life are liberated by following the footprints of Lord Krsna and His bona fide associates; so all of the 6 became eternal associates of Krsna.” (SPL to Jadurani, September, 1967) ==68-03 “Rupa Goswami’s eternal rasa is conjugal love. He is one of the associates of Radharani, and he helps Radharani while engaged in the service of Krsna. He is known as Rupamanjari in the spiritual world.”== (SPL to Rupanuga, 12 * * th* March, 1968) ==68-12 “Regarding the six Goswamis of Vrndavana, actually they are our guidance in Krsna consciousness.== Sanatana dasa Thakura has said that anyone who follows the footprints of the six Goswamis, he will wish to be his servant. So we should always try to follow the footprints of the six Goswamis and it will be easy to understand the Krsna conscious philosophy.” (SPL to Hamsaduta, 16 * * th* January, 1969) ==70-05 “Yes, Rupa Goswami is a gopi by the name of Rupa Manjari, but not all the Six Goswamis of Vrndavana are gopis.”== (SPL to Tamala, 27 * * th* May 1970) ==70-11== “Your tendency to give Srila Jiva Goswami the proper position of philosopher is very much appreciated. Some years back I attended a meeting in Calcutta wherein Pramathanath Tarkabhusan, the learned Sanskrit scholar, was present. He said about Jiva Goswami very highly, that ==there was no comparison with Jiva Goswami and any other philosophers of the world. Gaudiya Vaisnavism is very much proud of having such a great acarya as Jiva Goswami.”== (SPL to Dr. Cakravarti, November 3 * * rd* , 1970) ## Guru Nanak ==75-06 “Will you kindly let me know what Guru Nanakji has said about Lord Krsna and Lord Rama in his Grantha Sahib? How we can cooperate with the Sikh Community?”== (SPL to Caitya-guru dasa, 10 * * th* June, 1975) ## Haridsa Pandita ==73-06 “No, Haridas Pandita is not the nama-acarya Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Pandita was the pujari of the temple.”== (SPL to Jadurani, 28 * * th* June, 1973) ## Haridsa Thakura ==73-06 “No, Haridas Pandita is not the nama-acarya Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Pandita was the pujari of the temple.”== (SPL to Jadurani, 28 * * th* June, 1973) ## Hirji Baba ==76-02== “To the members of the family of Hirjibhai Gelabhai Baba Respected ladies and gentlemen of the family: ==I am very sorry to learn that His Holiness Hirji Baba has recently disappeared from this material world.== Last time when I was in Nairobi, I had some talks with him when we were preparing to take lunch at the house of Damji Devji. That was our last talk. So it is a great shock that he is not visible to our eyes. But as we know, the living being does not die. It is said about the saintly persons: *moro va jivo va* —which means that the saintly person devoted to the lotus feet of the Lord is always glorious either physically present or not present. So I wish that the devotees who took shelter of this saintly person continue to progress in spiritual life. May Krsna bless all of you in spiritual life.” (SPL to To the members of the family of Hirjibhai Gelabhai Baba 9 * * th* February 1976) ## Hitler ==72-11== “Regarding Hitler, so ==Hitler may be good or bad man, so what does he help to our Krsna consciousness movement? But it is a fact that much propaganda was made against him, that much I know, and the Britishers are first-class propagandists.== And I have heard that his officers did everything without informing him, just like in our ISKCON there are so many false things: ’Prabhupāda said this, Prabhupāda said that.’ But we have nothing to do with Hitler in our Krsna consciousness. Do not be deviated by such ideas; *jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam,* Krsna is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, He is the goal of knowledge and: ’Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, *without doubting* , is to be understood as the knower of everything, and he engages himself therefore in devotional service.’ This is the understanding of an advanced devotee, so my best advice to you is to agree to come to this understanding.” (SPL to Krsnadasa, 7 * * th* November, 1972) ==76-05 “Why should our temple support or denounce Hitler. If somebody says something in this connection it must simply be some sentiment. We have nothing to do with politics.== It is after all sentiment, you say something and I say something. In this material world, to say this is good and this is bad has no value. To us, everything material is bad as it is lacking Krsna consciousness. Just like wet stool and dry stool. Stool is stool, but somebody is saying that wet stool is better than dry stool. What is this good or bad? The top side of some stool is dry and the bottom side is wet, but anyway that you take it, the material world is stool, and it must be given up. Therefore, we are trying to get out of the material world and go back to Home, back to Godhead. But, of course, everyone has got some sentiment. If you want that my sentiment be decried, what is the wrong I say that your sentiment should be decried. In this world of duality, this is good and this is bad has no meaning, it is called *manodharama* , mental concoction. However, the real truth is that Krsna says that: *duhkhalayam asasvatam;* the world is a place of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. Now this is good misery or bad misery? Misery is misery; and you to die, good die or bad die? So to us everything material, without connection to Krsna, is to be rejected as stool, otherwise we will waste valuable time needed to solve the real problems of life, namely, birth, death, disease, and old age.” (SPL to Dr. Wolf, 20 * * th* May, 1976) ## Incarnations ==67-12 “Balai is the name of Baladeva, Krsna’s elder brother. His wife is called Balai dasi or His girlfriend is called Balai dasi. Baladeva is not different from Krsna. He is the first expansion from Krsna. All the incarnations and expansions begin from Baladeva.”== (SPL to Krsna dasa, 15 * * th* January, 1969) ==69-01== “The statues which you have received is not Visnu Murti. Visnu Murti is never to be found in fighting spirit with anyone. ==When the Lord incarnates within this material world, He does not come in Visnu Murti.== Lord Nrsimhadeva, although Visnu Himself, fighting with the demon Hiranyakasipu, although He is Krsna, He is different from Visnu Murti. So I think that the Murti which you have got is not Visnu Murti, but it appears to be a Murti of Lord Siva. Anyway, this Murti is not worshipable by us. In our temple we shall always worship Radha-Krsna Murti or Lord Jaganatha. If possible you can sell this Murti to some antique store and get some profit.” (SPL to Krsna dasa, 15 * * th* January, 1969) ==70-07 “So far the avataras are concerned there are two types. One is called nitya and the other is called naimittic.== *Nitya* means eternal and *naimittic avataras* appear for some specific function in the material worlds. *Nitya-avataras* appear for some specific function in the material worlds. *Nitya-avatars* have their eternal abodes in the spiritual sky from which they may sometimes descend to the material worlds, but *naimittic avataras* are expansions of *nitya-avataras* for some timely purpose. So the non-human forms of *avataras* do not have their planets in the spiritual sky.” (SPL to Ekayani, 25 * * th* July, 1970) ==74-05== “As for your questions you have asked for clarification in the *Krsna* book when Maha Visnu says to Krsna and Arjuna that ’You are My incarnations in My appearance as Nara-Narayana.’ So you asking how this can be so. ==The answer is when Krsna comes all the incarnations are within Him.== Actually this is a very intricate question. So do not be so concerned about it now. When you become more advanced you will be able to realize these things.” (SPL to Lilavati, 12 * * th* May, 1974) ==75-02== “Regarding your question, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is recognized through the *sastras* not otherwise. For instance, in the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* , First Canto, Third Chapter, all the major incarnations of Godhead are listed. Many ties the scheduled time of appearance and family, etc. are also mentioned. ==The incarnation of Godhead must be indicated in the scriptures, otherwise we cannot accept him as being incarnation.== Today, there are so many bogus incarnations, but we do not accept them. The Supreme Lord can appear in this world at any time, but he does so according to the regular scheduled appearances mentioned in the *sastras* . According to the *sastras* , the last most recent incarnation was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who appeared in West Bengal about 500 years ago. We are following in direct line of disciplic teaching from Him. Another point is that the words of the Lord have been recorded in the *Bhagavad-gita* , so if someone comes claiming to be incarnation, but also contradicts the *Bhagavad-gita* , then we can be sure he is phony. Please try to read and understand my books very carefully. All these things are explained.” (SPL to Dr. Kumara, 16 * * th* February, 1975) ## Jambavan ==70-06 “Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna.== Just like sometimes our name is Krsna, that does not mean that I am real Krsna, but I am Krsna dasa or servant of Krsna. From the description of the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* we understand that this Jambavan was very sturdy and strong fighter. Sometimes we get such picture of bodily construction of a black man in your country. So in this way you can guess what should be the features of his body. But certainly he was not a bear.” (SPL to Jadurani, Baradraja and Muralidhara, 4 * * th* June, 1970) ## Jaya and Vijaya ==68-10== “Regarding your question about Ravana: It is not a fact that every time whenever Krsna comes in the material world, the demons are, like Ravana, always associates of Krsna who come here to fight with Him. The Jaya and Vijaya incident was a specific only. Not that every time they come. For them, the Lord’s order that they would continue only three births, and then come back. So they went back; not that every time they have to come back and play the part of a demon. In this material world there is no scarcity of demons. ==There are so many demons, so Krsna has opportunity to fight with them. But that was a special case, who played the part of Ravana, Jaya and Vijaya.”== (SPL to Nandarani, 15 * * th* October, 1968) ## Jayananda ==67-09== “Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter undated. I congratulate you on you being elected as president of ISKCON San Francisco branch. Your election as president is recognition by Krsna and therefore I have got full support for you. Mukunda and the other members have rightly selected you as president. You service attitude for Krsna and your sincere attempts at being advanced in Krsna consciousness will work with you and make your life more and more glorious and a happy state. I’ve been very glad that you are appreciating by yourself the effects of sincere Krsna consciousness. I’ve nothing new to instruct you, the same old instruction namely constant chanting and attentively hearing the transcendental vibration of Hare Krsna is the only process for self-realization in this age. In San Francisco while you were driving your car and I was sitting by you hearing your transcendental vibration, this very sincere attempt has enriched your consciousness and my only instruction is that you may constantly do this habit without fail. Regarding your dispute in your mind as to remaining a *brahmacari, grhastha* or becoming *sannyasi* , there is nothing to be bothered with. Anyone who is in full Krsna consciousness and is dedicating his life for Krsna is already a *sannyasi* even if he is a married man. If you like you can become a householder and I’ve no objection to that. Our Vaisnava philosophy instructs to become, *vidvati sannyasis* . This means a man who knows things as they are, therefore a devotee who knows that everything belongs to Krsna and that He is the proprietor of all such a devotee is certainly a *vidvati sannyasi* . Our philosophy is that we should accept things as *prasada* of Krsna and nothing for sense enjoyment. Anyone who accepts things for sense enjoyment even if he is externally a saffron dressed man is not a *sannyasi* . The Mayavadi *sannyasi* considers himself as God, this concept of life develops under illusion. When a person fails to become the Lord of the universe it is like the sly fox who attempts to taste the grapes and failing to do so says the grapes are sour. The Mayavadi *sannyasis* are frustrated beings in their attempt to enjoy the world, therefore they say the world is false or the grapes are sour. The world is not false, Krsna is the Supreme Truth and the world is His energy, therefore the energy of the supreme truth cannot be false; but we must know that this energy is inferior to his spiritual energy. As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary. The same temporary energy when surcharged with Krsna consciousness transforms into supreme energy by the supreme will. By this will any energy can be transformed into another just like electronic energy in a refrigerator or in a heater, to an ordinary layman, he sees cold and hot but to an electrician he sees electricity. So when one is engaged in the service of the Lord that person is already in the spiritual energy, and a *sannyasi* is to transform himself from the inferior to the superior, spiritual energy. If your consciousness is absorbed in Krsna you are always a *sannyasi.” (SPL to Jayananda, 29* *th* September, 1967) ==67-09== “My dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I’m so glad to receive your letter of August 30 and I know also that you are a sincere devotee of Lord Krsna. When you drive your car you always chant Hare Krsna and when I was by your side I could understand how heartily you have accepted the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. Krsna is very kind to all but He is especially kind to His sincere devotees. Krsna is always with us, within our hearts and He is always ready to give us direction but because everyone is independent Krsna responds cooperatively. Anyone who voluntarily cooperates with Krsna’s desire He responds to his call very eagerly. Krsna descends to teach us *Bhagavad-gita* begging our cooperation and anyone who cooperates with Him becomes blessed. You are sincerely cooperating with Krsna and therefore you all boys and girls in San Francisco, working together harmoniously, harmony means Krsna consciousness. Without Krsna consciousness there cannot be harmony in the world. I’ve received report of successful performance of *Janmastami* ceremony. I’m glad to learn that you are willing to come to India for further study. I received no letter from Dayananda or his wife Nandarani. I am anxious to receive the report of the Los Angeles center. I do not know their address. Your acknowledgement, ’Krsna has been very merciful to me’ is remarkable. You are realizing the fruit of chanting. So far my health is concerned I’m improving, by Krsna’s grace and it is due to your feeling of my absence and eagerly awaiting for my return. Please go on cooperating between your Godbrothers. I’m always with you, never mind if I am physically absent. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls and tell them that I’m very eager to return.” (SPL to Jayananda, September, 1967) ==68-02== “Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your latest letter, and I am so glad to learn that you are making nice arrangements for my lecturing in different places, and I expect to return in San Francisco by the tenth of March and wish to execute all programs within 20-30 days from my arrival before starting for New York. I shall be very glad to initiate girl friend if you recommend her actual mental condition. We should not initiate anyone who is not willing to follow our regulations. In the meantime, let her attend our classes and join the *sankirtana* program regularly. I am so pleased to learn that you are by the grace of Krsna improving day by day in the matter of Krsna consciousness. Thank you very much for your sincere service. Hope you are well.” (SPL to Jayananda, 24 * * th* February, 1968) ==68-03== * * “Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated February 23, 1968. The description of the house which you propose to purchase is very much attractive. And I think it is Krsna’s arrangement by His inconceivable energy in exchange of your sincere service to the Lord. I have gone through the whole letter and it is encouraging and therefore I have full sympathy with the transaction, and I approve of your good attempts to purchase this house according to the right estimation; it appears to me all round good. The arrangement of payment is also very nice. I know that you haven’t got to pay the house tax, as it is owned by ISKCON, which is tax-free organization all round. As you have desired to liquidate the loan in respect of this purchase, I am sure Krsna will help you in this direction. We are starting for San Francisco on the 8th, flight No. 977 at 10:10a.m.; this information is already sent to Uddhava. I think you will do the needful. Hope you are well.” (SPL to Jayananda, 1 * * st* March, 1968) ==68-03== “In the meantime there is a good new for us that Jayananda, the president of our San Francisco center, is attempting to have their own house in San Francisco. I am returning to San Francisco on the 8th March. I shall see how the matters have proceeded there.” (SPL to Rayarama, 3 * * rd* March, 1968) ==68-07== **“My Dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 3, 1968. I have heard about your successful Ratha-yatra festival in San Francisco from so many sources. And I am so glad to hear the news. But until now I have not received any newspaper clippings or photostats of news articles. Yes, this Jay boy has come here and I have seen he is sincere in accepting these principles. I have decided to initiate him very soon. They have got a 2 days engagement of *kirtana* here in the expo pavilion and they have agreed to pay $15- per day. If the 2 days’ program is successful, then they may get more money and more engagements. Yes, I have received Sriman Vinode Patel’s letter and I have replied the same also promptly. He appears to be a great help to your temple, and please try to keep him nicely. This is the sequence of Krsna consciousness. He is a foreigner and belonging to a different country and culture, but Krsna consciousness is so nice that one forgets his material designations and one tries to associate with similar Krsna consciousness persons. This is a Sanskrit word and it is called: *svajati snigdha saya* . That means melted on the pure spiritual platform. We hope to bring everyone to such platform so that everyone will forget his material false identification and come to the real platform of becoming eternally the servant of Krsna. I am so glad that your parents are realizing the importance of Krsna consciousness through their worthy son, Jayananda. A similar incident was there when Lord Caitanya was present, that one father became a devotee of Lord Caitanya through the exigency of the son. The son was prior a devotee than the father. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the father whether he was father or the son was father, and the father replied that in his spiritual enlightenment, his son was his father. So you are acting like a good father to your parents. So Krsna consciousness will spread nicely in this way. And Lord Caitanya will be very much pleased on your benevolent activities. I have seen your father and mother, and they are very good souls, especially I remember your mother. And I hope by the grace of Lord Krsna they will take to this Krsna consciousness very seriously. Hoping you are all well, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (SPL to Jayananda, 12 * * th* July, 1968) ==68-08== “My dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1968 and I have noted the contents. I am as much anxious to go to San Francisco as you are always anxious to get me to San Francisco and receive me there. But immediately, I never said to Pradyumna that I can go to San Francisco, so immediately do not arrange for renting any apartment, because I am contemplating on going to Vancouver. It is not yet settled, but there is chance of my going there and I wish to go to San Francisco from there. Yes, I have inquired from Govinda dasi that she and her husband can utilize the half ticket facility, so when I settle to go, certainly I shall ask you to send me the necessary money and I am so pleased that you are always ready to send us the required money and return back to San Francisco. In the meantime, please go on as usual, and I am so pleased to learn that the Patels are taking great interest in our temple affairs. Please convey my blessings to all the boys and girls there. Last night we had very nice performance of Janmastami ceremony and all the San Francisco devotees and some of the New York devotees including Uddhava are all now present here. The Indian public here also took great interest in this program this year. And today they are performing both the *Vyasa-puja* and *Nandotsava* ceremonies. Regarding Murali Manohara Murti, I understand that the Patels are ready to present silver Murti, but we cannot worship Murali Manohara alone, without being accompanied by His most favorite consort Radharani. You know that we worship Radha’s Krsna. We should always understand that Krsna is sold to the loving service of Radha, therefore Krsna cannot be alone. And the *Gaudiya Vaisnavas* they want to see Krsna as Radha’s property. Therefore, if Mr. Patel can present a pair of Radha-Krsna *Murtis* , not less than 18” in height, never mind even They are made of yellow brass metal, that will be very nice. And if They are made of silver, that is still more nice. And it will be my great pleasure to install the Murtis in the temple as soon as They are ready. If it is possible rent a bigger place for our temple, even without possessing the same as our property, I think that will be a great facility. I understand that new men are coming in the temple. You may consult with the Patels about this and do the needful. Thank you all very much for your doing nicely in San Francisco. Yesterday, Mukunda and Gurudasa were telling me that the man known as Asoka Fakir, now living in San Francisco, is advertising himself that the members of our temple are all his disciples. This man has written me letter also, from which I can understand he is a hodgepodge man. He is not a pure devotee of Krsna, neither his behavior is quite up to the standard. Therefore, you should warn all our devotees not to mix with this man very intimately. Hope you are all well. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami” (SPL to Jayananda, 17 * * th* August, 1968) ==68-08== “My dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your note, along with the forms. And I thank you very much for this. The forms are already fingerprinted because on inquiry it was found in the American Consulate here, so I have done the necessary fingerprints and submitted to them. And let us see what happens. But I understand you can get a personal certificate form the police officer or the police station nearby, if it is possible, get it. That will help us very much. And you may know that the London party has already left Montreal and they are in New York, and from there sometimes within this week they will go to London. I understand from various sources that our San Francisco center under your good leadership is going on very nicely; I thank you for your such transcendental activities, and Krsna will be certainly very much pleased and give you more and more strength to understand Krsna consciousness and make advancement in that line. I also beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your letter date July 13, 1968, which was not delivered so long due to the mail strike. And you enclosed in that letter a check for $75 which has been duly received. Regarding Tamala Krsna, I have replied separately. I understand from different sources that he is doing very wonderfully. And he has become a great assistant to you. It is all Krsna’s grace. Please ask him to enhance the *sankirtana* party more and more, and then the whole San Francisco city will be followers of our Krsna consciousness movement. It is so pleasing that more and more boys are joining the Krsna consciousness movement and I wish that the whole group known as hippies may take advantage of this movement and make their life very successful. I have also received one letter from Vinode Patel also, and it is understood that he is living in Berkeley School, and I am replying him separately. He appears to be sincere boy. Thank you once more for your kind letter, I beg to remain, your ever well-wisher,” (SPL to Jayananda, 22 * * nd* August, 1968) ==76-07== “Please accept my blessings. For so long I have wanted to have Ratha-yatra in New York and now at long last you have helped me fulfill this long-cherished dream. The *ratha* carts were very strong and attractive and I thank you and all of your assistances for working so hard to prepare such nice carts. May Krsna bless you all for your sincere service that you may all go on making more and more advancement in Krsna consciousness. I hope that this meets you in good health.” (SPL to Jayananda dasa, 19 * * th* July, 1976) ==77-02== “My dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 21st, 1977, and I thank you for the check as well as the nice sentiments you have expressed. In the beginning you also gave me $5,000 and now again you have sent. This body is today or tomorrow finished. We should not be very much bothered about the body. Trees also live for thousands of years but that does not mean a successful life. A successful life is one of Krsna consciousness. By the grace of Krsna from the very beginning you are a devotee and that is the real profit of your life. I thank you for your check, but I would prefer that you may require the money for your treatment. So if you like I can return it. But I hear that you have some income. I pray to Krsna for your more advanced Krsna conscious life. About a *sadhu* it is said: *jiva va maro sadhur* , a *sadhu* may live or die, it doesn’t matter. While living he is engaged in Krsna conscious business and when dying he goes back home back to Godhead. Hoping this finds you improving in your health. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (SPL to Jayananda, 26 * * th* February, 1977) ==77-05== “My dear Jayananda, Please accept my blessings. I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting Hare Krsna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5,000) for printing my *Bhagavad-gita* . After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krsna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krsna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krsna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogi’s or a *brahmana’s* or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krsna consciousness. But as you were hearing Krsna- *kirtana* , I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna- *loka* . Krsna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami” (SPL to Jayananda dasa, 5 * * th* May, 1977) ==77-05== “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 Jaganatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas.” (SPL to Ramesvara, 11 * * th* May, 1977) ## Jesus Christ, Lord ==68-11 “Yes, Lord Jesus was jiva-tattva. He is not Visnu-tattva. When a jiva-tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called Saktyavesa-avatara. Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus Christ were in this group of Saktyavesa-avatars. But they were not in conditioned state when they appeared; they came to teach here.”== (SPL to Aniruddha, 14 * * th* November, 1968) ==69-07== “He has done very nicely here in the Ratha-yatra festival and it was very successful in San Francisco. I shall send you later on the reprint pictures published in the local newspapers and you will be glad to learn that about 10,000 people participated in this function. The procession was taken along about an 8 mile distance and the people followed all through simply chanting the Hare Krsna *mantra.* This was a unique scene in this part of the world. Some of the Christian-minded people became almost envious and I have received some anonymous letters. Maybe as our movement increases in volume the orthodox section of Christianity may be envious of our successful march. I think you should collect some information from the Bible that *sankirtana* , chanting of the holy names of God, is recommended there also. ==There is a book called Aquarian Gospel in which it is stated that Lord Jesus Christ lived in the temple of Jaganatha. Without being His devotee, how could he live there and how could the authorities allow a non-devotee to live there?== From that book it appears that Lord Jesus Christ lived in intimate relations with the priest order. So as far as possible, you should prepare yourself for future writings that our movement is not against the philosophies of Jesus Christ, but it is in complete collaboration with his line of religiosity. Actually, we won’t decry any religious way of the world, but we are simply advocating that people should learn to love God by following their religious principles. If one is not fortunate to be learning how to love God, then his religious principles are simply fanaticism, without any value. We are presenting the same thing practically which one can learn very quickly how to love God, and then his life becomes sublime. So our process is a system, following which any man from any religious sect may come and join and learn how to love God.” (SPL to Hayagriva, 31 * * st* July, 1969) ==69-09 “Regarding the Aquarian Gospel of Lord Jesus the Christ, I have taken some stray extracts just to support our views, but we don’t give any importance to that book. The best thing is that we accept Lord Jesus Christ as a great devotee of the Lord and the son of God. It is better not to discuss in any detail about the Christian religion or any other religion.”== (SPL to Tamal Krsna, 14 * * th* September, 1969) ==69-12== “I am very glad that you are feeling very strongly for Jesus Christ. You have already mentioned the exemplary character of Lord Jesus Christ that he sacrificed everything for God. This example should be taken. The process should be to follow the example, Lord Jesus Christ wanted to preach amongst some persons who were practically against the principle of accepting God as the Supreme, and the result was that these people crucified him. At the present moment, the world situation is more dangerous than before. People have become actually Godless. So if you follow the footsteps of Lord Jesus Christ to preach God consciousness against Godlessness and dedicate your life in that way, that will be the real purpose of following Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ revealed that he was the son of God, and Krsna revealed that He is God Himself, the Supreme Father of all living entities. So if you dedicate your life to the service of Krsna, the Supreme Father, don’t you think that Lord Jesus Christ will be pleased with this? At the present moment we have to preach in an enlightened society. So Krsna consciousness has got inexhaustible treasure-house of philosophy, logic and science to convince people about God consciousness. So if you are actually serious about following the footsteps of Lord Jesus Christ, you should take advantage of the great philosophical background of this Krsna consciousness movement and make people God conscious, dedicating your life. One should try to make progress. One should not try to remain satisfied at a point which awaits further advancement. For example, the Commandment says, ’Thou shalt not kill.’ This means one should be nonviolent. This is a good principle, but in the actual field, for want of sufficient knowledge, even this commandment is being misinterpreted and misused. In the *Bhagavad-gita* you will find there are 20 items **for advancing in knowledge. Perhaps you have read in the 13th chapter. Out of the 20 items, this nonviolence item is one. But devotional service is so potent, that if one is engaged in devotional service to Krsna automatically all good qualifications are there. Thus, from the practical point of view you can see the distinction between our disciples and any other group of religious faith. We do not indulge in illicit sex life, which includes not to covet with another’s wife or daughter. We do not eat meat, and that means automatically that we are nonviolent. We do not indulge in intoxication, and that means we are sane in considering things in their true perspective. ==You have asked to know what is the difference between Jesus Christ and Krsna. That we have several times explained in many meetings, that Krsna is God and Jesus Christ is the son of God. And as there is no difference between the father and the son, so there is no difference between Krsna and Lord Jesus Christ. But still the son is never equal to the father.== So you have got advantage of reading our many books for advancement of knowledge. The best thing will be for you to engage your time more in *sankirtana* party and reading our Krsna conscious literature.” (SPL to Sucandra, 8 * * th* December, 1969) ==70-05== “Regarding your second question, ’Where in our scriptures is there mention of Lord Jesus Christ as recognized and what is the purport?’—We do not find in the scriptures Lord Jesus Christ’s name. There is mention of Lord Buddha’s name which is described in our *Srimad-Bhagavatam.* ==So far we are concerned, we have all our obeisances for Lord Jesus Christ because His whole life was devoted to the service of the Lord.”== (SPL to Gurudasa, 16 * * th* May, 1970) ## Kapila, Lord ==76-01 “In the syllabus of Nrsimha Vallabha Goswami, the Sankhya-karika must be by Kapiladeva, Devahuti-putra. The other is atheistic. There are two sankhyas== — ==theist and atheistic.”== (SPL to Nitai, 24 * * th* January, 1976) ==76-08== “You may title this book, *Teachings of Lord Kapila* , but it must be subtitled, ’The Son of Devahuti.’ That will remain, do not try to change it. The Americans may like it or not like it, but ==we must make the distinction between Devahuti-putra Kapila, and the atheistic Kapila.== Do not try to change anything without my permission.” (SPL to Radhaballabha dasa, 26 * * th* August, 1976) ## Karna ==68-04== “So far your question about Karna, the first son of Kunti; that Radha was not the same Radha as Krsna’s Radha. That was adopted mother, ==Karna was born before Kunti was married so in order to keep it silent, he was kept in a package and floated in the ocean.== And this carpenter father and his wife, Anuradha, took care of him and he was brought up there with them. So Karna was known as the son of a carpenter; nobody knew that he was the eldest son of Kunti, and a *ksatriya* . This was not known until he died and Kunti began to cry. Yudhisthira asked her why you are crying, he is the enemy and she said he was my first son. He was born out of her ear so he was called Karna. When she was very young, she got some *mantra* which could be used to call any demigod, so just to try it, as experiment, to see if it worked, she called the sun god. He immediately appeared there before her and said, “I will give you the benediction of one son.’ She replied that she simply was experimenting with this *mantra* and that she did not want a son, and she became afraid as she was an unmarried girl. He said, ’I shall give you a son anyway and it shall be born out of your ear.’ So as she was virgin girl, she became very frightened that people may say things, so she put him into the ocean. Yes, Karna had many extraordinary attributes. He was a great soldier, and a most charitable man. He was so strong that it was not possible for Arjuna to kill him; he had to take unfair tactics to kill him. Karna could have killed Arjuna, but by Krsna’s grace, Arjuna killed Karna, otherwise nobody could have killed him.” (SPL to Nandarani and Dayananda, 29 * * th* April, 1968) ## Krsna, Lord ==67-12== “Formerly, Duryodhana had made a promise to Arjuna that he could some day ask for some favor, so Krsna, knowing all these things, sent Arjuna to Duryodhana for asking favor of giving the arrows to Arjuna. So as the promise was made, Duryodhana gave the arrows to Arjuna that night. The next day, Bhisma knew it was Krsna who arranged all this, and so he told Duryodhana, ’Today it will be whether Arjuna or I, but one of us will die.’ And so he fought very hard to kill Arjuna, but with Krsna as protector no one in the world could kill Arjuna. Krsna’s body was pierced, here and there, all over, as you like. ==As military man, Bhisma had no right to shoot the chariot driver but he knew Krsna’s body was not material, and will not be harmed, so he took pleasure in piercing the body of the Lord.== Bhismadeva became so pierced with arrows that he laid down and with the arrows standing on end, all over stuck through his body. Yes, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva came and were there in the sky with many demigods and throwing flowers. You can consult *Srimad-Bhagavatam* , second part.” (SPL to Jadurani, 29 * * th* December, 1967) ==68-01== “So far as we are concerned, our new year is every day because ==Krsna belongs to the nitya-lila. Nitya lila means that all of His pastimes are going on in either of the so many universes. It is just like the rising of the sun.== In your country the sun is supposed to rise at 6:30 at the present moment, but at any time you can inquire in some part of the world and there is the same 6:30 sunrise. While you are in this meridian, in another country it may be 6:30 a.m. and the sun is rising.” (SPL to Kīrtanānanda, 12 * * th* January, 1968) ==68-01== “In your poetry, last line, I have changed the word ’beautiful transforming being’ into ’beautiful eternal being.’ ==Krsna does not transform but He has millions and billions of expansions which are all eternally existing simultaneously.== Just like the sun at noon, and the sun at morning time, and the sun at evening time; they are simply by names and they are eternal. To the sun there is no morning or evening or noon, still we say morning sun, evening sun, noon sun. There is a nice verse in the *Brahma-saḥhitā* —that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and has multi-expansions like Rama, Nrsimhadeva, Vamana, etc.” (SPL to Jaya Mazo, 18 * * th* January, 1968) ==68-02 “I think you are missing the four points of Krsna’s superexcellent qualities to be added in the Teaching of Lord Caitanya. The four points are as follows:== 1. He can create continuous waves of transcendental pastimes which attract the attention of everyone including His Visnu expansions; 2. His super-excellent beauty in the midst of Radharani and Her associates; 3. His superexcellent sound of His transcendental flute; 4. His super-excellent beauty cannot be surpassed by anyone in the 3 worlds, namely the material world, the Vaikunthaloka and Krsnaloka. I hope you will add these points to complete the vacancy.” (SPL to Brahmananda, 8 * * th* February, 1968) ==68-06== “Your 2nd question: ==’Why did Arjuna ask Krsna to go to His four-armed form rather than His two-armed form after Krsna had shown Arjuna his Visvarupa?”== Because he understood that Krsna is the original Narayana. After seeing His Visvarupa, Arjuna was accustomed to see Krsna with two hands, but when he saw the Visvarupa, he understood Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, he requested Him to revert to the original form of Narayana. Then, Krsna, after showing him the Narayana form, again to revert to His original Krsna form. Krsna explained that Narayana form is not original but Krsna for in 2 hands is the original and even the demigods desire to see this form.” (SPL to Purusottama, 14 * * th* June, 1968) ==68-06== “In the battlefield Bhismadeva also wounded Krsna very severely. He was a great devotee of Krsna. ==And Lord Krsna accepted those arrows piercing His body as if somebody is worshiping with soft rose flowers. That is Krsna’s transcendental body. But those who are materialists, they are cheated by Krsna that He is wounded.== The materialists think that Krsna was wounded, but one who knows what is Krsna knows also that He is worshiped by the arrows. So in the battlefield, neither Krsna was wounded, neither Bhismadeva died due to the injuries out of the wounds. He decided to pass away at that time, therefore he died. These things will be more and more clear when you understand Krsna by revelation. I think if you make progress in your present attitude, you shall soon know all these intricacies of spiritual and material living conditions.” (SPL to Sacisuta, 17 * * th* June, 1968) ==68-06== “Regarding your question how Krsna can become a male (your question, ’I read from *Srimad-Bhagavatam* , chapter 11, text 7, “Oh! Creator of the Universe, You are our mother, well-wisher, Lord, father, the spiritual master and worshipable Deity.” I was asked, “How can Krsna be mother if He is the Supreme Male?” That is His all-powerful strength. ==You have to forget always material concepts of existence for Krsna. Krsna is totally different from anything of material concept.== In the material idea, we think that how a male can be a female, or how a female can become a male. That is material. But you know that Krsna as Garbhodakasayi Visnu is lying on the sea, and a lotus stem is growing out of His abdomen navel, and Brahma is born there. Visnu’s wife, Laksmi, was present there. She was just massaging the Lord’s leg, and the Lord avoided her and produced a child. Here in the material world, without the assistance of the wife, nobody can produce a child. But there is the tangible example that Visnu, without any sex life with wife produced a child. In the material sense, we cannot conceive how a child can take birth without being born through the abdomen of one woman. Therefore, Krsna, being both father and mother, can also be addressed as mother. He is full in Himself. He does not require anyone’s help, therefore, He is both father and mother. I think this will clear your idea. It is our material thinking that is hindering us. You are thinking male of the material world, and a male in the material world cannot produce a child. And if you think also that Krsna is mother, again you are thinking with material conception. ==So we have to avoid using our material thinking and material concepts when we think about Krsna.== Therefore, we have to approach a bona fide spiritual master in order to understand. Another example is explained in the *Bhagavad-gita* , that Krsna begets the living entities, within the womb of the material nature. The material nature is also expansion of Krsna’s potency. The potency is not different from the potent. Just like the heat is not different from the fire. In other words, heat and fire are the same thing; so if we talk in that way, material nature is the mother and Krsna is the father. But material nature being non-separable from Krsna, Krsna becomes both father and mother at the same time. The heat is fire and fire is heat. Although you can bear the intensity of heat, but if you put into the fire, you will be burned. The heat and fire are simultaneously one and different. That is the philosophy of inconceivably one and different, expounded by Lord Caitanya. Try to understand in that way.” (SPL to Sacisuta, 17 * * th* June, 1968) ==68-06 “Mr. Rose may be a very good man, but he does not know what is sectarian and what is non-sectarian. But at least you should know that Krsna is non-sectarian.== Krsna claims that He is the seed-giving Father of all the 8,400,000 species of life visible within the material creation. They may be of different forms—some of them are aquatics, some of them are vegetables, plants, some of them are worms, some of them are birds, some of them are beasts, some of them are human beings. Krsna claims that all of them are His begotten sons. Neither Krsna claims Himself that He is an Indian or a *ksatriya* , or a *brahmana* , or white or black. He claims that He is the enjoyer of everything that be. He is the proprietor of all the planets and the creation, and He is the intimate friend of all living entities. He never claims that one should offer Him very valuable things to satisfy Him—but He says that even a little bit of leaf, a little bit of fruit and water, you offer to Him with devotion and love, and He accepts and eats such things. So it is a fact that Krsna is universal. Krsna is non-sectarian, and therefore if Mr. Rose actually wants to have some institution, he must know how that non-sectarian institution is possible. So factually, Krsna consciousness is non-sectarian movement. There is no sectarian question. But if somebody without understanding this non-sectarian philosophy thinks otherwise, he himself becomes immediately sectarian. I therefore think that you should try to convince Mr. Rose about our philosophy of Krsna consciousness, and let him become actually non-sectarian. Without understanding Krsna, everyone is sectarian and combination of such non-Krsna conscious persons will never create any institution of non-sectarian nature. That is not possible. If Mr. Rose is serious to give facility for a non-sectarian institution in that part of the country, he should understand Krsna and this philosophy thoroughly. Our Krsna consciousness movement is no religious movement as it is generally understood. Our propaganda is to make people feel for Krsna or God, and become engaged in His transcendental loving service. Anyone who has a concept of God will agree to this philosophy. There are many sectarian religions where acceptance of God is there, but there is no love for God.” (SPL to Kīrtanānanda, 30 * * th* June, 1968) ==68-10== “Regarding your question about this planet and Krsna’s coming here, you may note that Krsna comes within this universe once in one day of Brahma.== Duration of Brahma’s day is very, very long, it is stated in the *Bhagavad-gita* —432 crores of years forms the duration of 12 hours of Brahma’s day. And similarly, there are 12 hours of night, so after 864 crores of years, Krsna comes in this universe, and whenever He comes, He of course appears on this planet, that is the fortune of the people of this planet. We should know very clearly that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is neither Indian nor American, as much as the sun is neither Indian or American. The original name of this planet is called Bharata-varsa and before that it was known as Ilavrta-varsa. Now since the day of Emperor Bharata this planet is known as Bharata-varsa, but in course of time, the human race divided, therefore we find so many other names. But the original name of this planet is Bharata-varsa and in the Vedic literature, it is stated that anyone who takes birth on this planet, they are very fortunate. Because it is the special planet where Krsna descends when He comes.” (SPL to Tosana Krsna, 7 * * th* October, 1968) ==69-08 “Regarding the footprint on Krsna’s chest which you say is Radharani’s, that is not correct. That footprint is of Bhrgu Muni.”== (SPL to Yamuna dasi, 12 * * th* August, 1969) ==69-11== “Regarding your question, it is welcome. It is not outrageous. Any honest question is welcome. The spiritual master is meant for answering any honest question. Krsna has genitals certainly. It is said that He has eternal, blissful Body, full of knowledge. So when He has got a body, He must have all the parts of a body. But we should not consider that His parts of the body are the same as ours. ==In the Brahma-saḥhitā it is said that His parts of the body, or limbs, each of them has got potency of the others. For example, with our eyes we can see only, but we cannot eat. But Krsna’s eyes can not only see, but also eat and beget children also.== In the *Vedas* it is said that He put His glance over *maya* and impregnated her with all the living entities. Therefore, although He has got genitals, necessarily He does not require to use it for the same purpose as we do. There is another instance that Garbhodakasayi Visnu begot Lord Brahma from His abdomen, navel, and the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, was nearby. She was just massaging the Lord’s lotus feet, but he did not require the help of the goddess of fortune to beget Lord Brahma. That is His omnipotence. He is self-sufficient. He has got all the limbs for all the purposes, but He can use all of them for any purpose. This is inconceivable by us. We should not therefore compare our bodily function with Krsna’s. His conjugal relationship with the *gopis* is not exactly in the same way as we have girlfriends, neither the *gopis* made friendship with Krsna exactly in the same fashion as here in this material world a girl makes friendship with a boy. They are different spheres of activities. Therefore, I sometimes warn my students not to discuss much about the affairs of Krsna’s dealing with the *gopis* . In the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* such dealings are described in the 10th Canto, and as it is already explained, 9 Cantos have been devoted just to understand the philosophy of Krsna. In the 2nd Canto it is recommended that one should begin to see Krsna from the lotus feet, not from the genital. Gradually, as he advanced in understanding Krsna, he should go up and up. In this way, one should try to see the face of Krsna; and His dealing with the *gopis* is compared with His sweet smile. So for the present we should better stick our faith and observation to the lotus feet of Krsna and pray fervently that He may give us the strength and capacity to understand Him as He is. Because as soon as we are able to understand Him as He is, immediately we become liberated persons, eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. This is confirmed in the *Bhagavad-gita* , 4th Chapter where the Lord says: ’Simply by understanding My transcendental position, appearance, disappearance and activities, one becomes eligible to enter into My Abode, just after giving up the present material body.’” (SPL to Madhusudana, 23 * * rd* November, 1969) ==70-01== “I am very glad to learn that *Nectar of Devotion* is now completed. ==You have inquired about the quality number 63 of Krsna, that He is surrounded by loving devotees can be explained as follows:== When we speak of Krsna, Krsna is not alone. Krsna means His name, His qualities, His fame, His friends, His paraphernalia, His entourage—everything included. Just like when we speak of a king, it is to be understood that he is surrounded by ministers, secretaries, military commanders and many other people. Krsna is not impersonal, so in His Vrndavana *lila* especially He is always surrounded by the *gopis* , cowherd boys, His father, His mother and all the inhabitants of Vrndavana.” (SPL to Jayadvaita, 30 * * th* January, 1970) ==70-06 “Krsna is our head man in the family. Kartamasi means head man. According to Vedic system, Kartamasi is asked in the morning by His wife what kind of foodstuffs He will like to take on that day.== And the Kartamasi or the head man of the family will dictate some preparation and that will be the accepted foodstuff for everyone on that day. Similarly, our principle should be to act in the way as Krsna will feel satisfaction.” (SPL to Jadurani, Baradraja and Muralidhara, 4 * * th* June, 1970) ==70-07== “Regarding your questions, the first answer is that ==it is correct that the transcendental body of Krsna and Krsna Himself are non-different.== So what is the difficulty to understand that the soul of Aghasura merged into the body of Krsna? In other words, Krsna benedicts the demons whom He kills personally with the impersonal liberation of merging with Him. There is a difference between the activities of Krsna which are exhibited to the perception of the conditioned souls in this world and His activities in Goloka Vrndavana. Because Krsna was playing as an ordinary human being His activities here appear just like ordinary human activities, but in the spiritual sky there is no such requirement. There in the spiritual sky Krsna has His activities also but they cannot be understood by the conditioned living entities how they are going on without any resemblance to the mechanical workings of things in this material world. In the spiritual sky and in the material sky also there is no question of separation from Krsna. Krsna is all-pervading, so where can one be out of His presence? Whatever has to do with Krsna is on the spiritual platform and on that spiritual platform there is no difference between being together and being apart from Krsna. So even in the feeling of being separated from Krsna, Krsna is there.” (SPL to Ekayani, 25 * * th* July, 1970) ## Kunti ==68-12== “To answer your second question, ==you should know that Arjuna and Kunti-devi are not in Krsnaloka. They are eternally associated with Krsna only in the material world.== Just like Krsna is always in the spiritual world so similarly He is always in the material world and His pastimes are going on there also. In the material world, Krsna also has eternal associates, such as Arjuna and Kunti-devi. There is a difference between the body and soul of Arjuna and Kunti-devi. But although Arjuna is with Krsna in innumerable different material universes at one time, still there is only one spirit soul who is Arjuna. This spirit soul expands into many different bodies and thus you can understand that there are also incarnations of devotees as well as incarnations of Krsna. This is the power of the spirit soul, that is unlimited. Such conception cannot be understood while one is still in the conditioned state.” (SPL to Saradiya, 12 * * th* December, 1968) ## Laksmi ==69-11 “Regarding your final question about Laksmiji, she never has conjugal relations with Lord Narayana. Neither does she desire to have conjugal relations with Krsna. Her desire is to follow the gopis of Vrndavana.”== (SPL to Krsna devi, 2 * * nd* November, 1969) ==70-01== “In Boston always 50 to 100s of devotees chanting, dancing and engaged in Krsna conscious business. That is the aim of our Krsna consciousness movement. We do not want stopping the natural instincts of the living entities. We simply want them to be dovetailed in Krsna’s service. ==Your country is fortunate enough by the grace of the Goddess of fortune. The Goddess of fortune or Laksmi-devi is eternally engaged in service of the Lord.== Therefore, the favor of the Goddess of fortune which is bestowed upon the American people may be fully engaged in Krsna’s service. That will be a finishing touch to this material advancement. If people do not take to Krsna and simply want to utilize the Goddess of fortune for sense gratification as it was the policy of the demons like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu, then the finishing touch will certainly culminate in releasing the nuclear weapon exactly like Ravana was vanquished by such policy.” (SPL to Bhagavan dasa, 2 * * nd* January, 1970) ==73-03 “Actually, everyone is trying to enjoy Laksmi without Narayana.== Ultimately, the Mayavadi is envious of Krsna and wants to enjoy the original Laksmi, therefore they call each other *’namo narayana,’* they sit around and address each other as Narayana. This is the greatest offense, and they are actually unfortunate because they do not engage in devotional service. The goddess of fortune Laksmi is fickle towards the materialist, sometimes he is prince and sometimes he is pauper. But Laksmi cannot leave the side of Lord Narayana and wherever Lord Narayana is worshipped with care, good fortune and opulence is there. Therefore, the devotee is known as the most fortunate, and you American boys and girls are the most fortunate of all, now make everyone else fortunate by spreading this Krsna consciousness.” (SPL Vijitatma, 8 * * th* March, 1973) ## Madhu, Demon ==70-02 “The Madhu demon was killed a very long time ago, in the beginning of creation. The story may be found in one of the Puranas.”== (SPL to Ekayani, 10 * * th* February, 1970) ## Madhavacarya ==76-04 “Yasodanandana Swami has written an article on Madhvacarya and Udupi and it has been submitted to my monthly journal Back to Godhead, which has a circulation of 10 lakhs copies monthly.”== (SPL to Sri Viswesha Tirtha Swamiji, 20 * * th* April, 1976) ## Maharishi ==69-08== “Regarding your meeting with the Ramakrishna Mission man, you write to say he has advised you how you should work combinedly with the Maharishi group in Hamburg and he has said that our goals are actually the same. Our goal is Krsna and we are preaching the Gospel of Krsna, *Bhagavad-gita As It Is.* In the *Bhagavad-gita* the point is stressed to concentrate on Krsna only, and the highest perfection of yoga process is to realize Krsna both externally and internally. We are teaching to vibrate the transcendental chanting of Krsna because in that way by hearing the sound vibration of Krsna, we can see everything as diverse extension of Krsna’s external energy. And because we think of Krsna in all our activities, therefore, internally we are 24 hours in meditation with Krsna. I don’t think the Maharishi group or the Ramakrishna Mission is teaching like that. So how can it be accepted that our goal is actually the same? Accepting that Krsna is everything, what is aimed by the Ramakrishna Mission or by the Maharishi group is also Krsna’ but Krsna says that although everything is expansion of Himself, He is not in everything. Exactly like in our material experience we can understand that everything is ultimately produced of sunshine, but that does not mean everything is sunshine. Rather, other things cover the sunshine and create a shadow. The Ramakrishna Mission or the Maharishi’s activities are nothing but expanded energy of Krsna, but by such work Krsna is covered. Therefore it is called *maya. Maya* has no separate existence beyond Krsna, but when there is *maya* , Krsna is covered. Exactly like the cloud is nothing but creation of sunshine—the cloud has no independent existence—but whenever there is a cloud in the sky the sunshine becomes covered. Therefore it is *maya* . ==Maya means things which have no existence independent of Godhead, but its business is to cover Godhead. Similarly, either the Ramakrishna Mission or Maharishi’s group they have no existence independent of Krsna, but their activities are just like the cloud covering Krsna.== Actually, they never directly preach Krsna consciousness. On the other hand, they do something to cover Krsna consciousness. So although water is generated from fire, we cannot pour on water when the fire is blazing. We cannot adulterate Krsna consciousness with the Ramakrishna Mission or with anything else. We must present Krsna consciousness in its pure form [text missing] disturbances. If we nicely organize as it is going on now, only selected persons will live there and peacefully cultivate Krsna consciousness.” (SPL to Jaya Govinda, 13 * * th* August, 1969) ## Mahavisnu ==75-04== “Regarding your question, you may refer to *Adi-lila* , Chapter 6, Text 79, along with the purport ( *Caitanya-caritamrta* ). The answer is there. ==The basic understanding is that Sadasiva is an expansion of Maha-Visnu and that same Sadasiva incarnates as Advaita Acarya.== Therefore, since Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Sadasiva who is non-different from Maha-Visnu, we can say that Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Maha-Visnu. It can be said in both ways, that He is an incarnation of Sadasiva or Maha-Visnu.” (SPL to Mr. Karl, 6 * * th* April, 1975) ## Mohammed ==70-04== “Question #5: What has Hasur Mohammed Sahib said about 14th century and why? Answer: I have not sufficient information about the instruction of Hazur Mohammed Sahib, but if you mean ==Mohammed, the inaugurator of Islam religion, I accept him as empowered servant of God because he preached God consciousness in those parts of the world and induce them to accept the authority of God.== He is accepted as the servant of God and we have all respect for him. I do not know what he has said about the 14th century, therefore, I cannot answer this point. You are mentioning the holy names of Nanak, Krsna, Kabir, Christ, Mohammed, etc. Out of all of these names we accept Krsna as the Lord and all others representative servant of God, Krsna. In the English dictionary, it is said God is the Supreme Being, and when Krsna appeared on this earth He proved to be the Supreme Being in all respects. We are spreading this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world and if all the leaders would accept this philosophy of the *Bhagavad-gita As It Is* , then I am sure that the world would be fortunate to follow one type of religion, and accept one God without any faulty conviction.” (SPL to Mr. Dhawan, 2 * * nd* April, 1976) ## Narada Muni ==70-05 “Regarding your two questions, the first, Sri Gadadhara is an expansion of Radharani and Srinivasa is the expansion of Narada Muni, or in other words they are the internal and devotional energy respectively.”== (SPL to Tamala, 27 * * th* May, 1970) ## Nityananda ==69-12 “Lord Nityananda is Balarama Himself, not an expansion of Him. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung that the Lord who appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja has now appeared as the son of Sacidevi; and the same Balarama has appeared as Nityananda.”== (SPL to Jaya Govinda, December 8 * * th* , 1969) ==72-06== “Regarding your questions, no, the descendants from Advaita are to be considered as *dvija-bandhu* , that is, unless they are like *brahmanas* , that is, very highly qualified to know the higher values of life in the Vedic traditional way, so in that way even he is long descended from Advaita, unless he is qualified he cannot be worshipable. ==Nityananda has no seminal descendants, his son Birbhadra never married. If someone said he is descended from Nityananda, that means one of his disciples.== These persons may be given some respect, but they are not equal to Advaita. *Dvija-bandhu* means son of a *brahmana* father but without the qualifications. Similarly, there are *Advaita-bandhus* .” (SPL to Acyutananda, June 12 * * th* , 1972) ==74-03 “In Panca-tattva everyone has an effulgence, but especially Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda…Lord Nityananda never took sannyasa. He was independent, like a brahmacari, and later he became married.”== (SPL to Muralidhara, 7 * * th* March, 1974) ==74-05== “You mention that in the picture where Lord Caitanya is discussing with the Kazi about cow killing, Lord Nityananda is there with a drum. No, there is no mention of Him being with a *mrdanga* . He should not have a shaved head as a *brahmacari* but in the same feature as we always see the two, Gaura-Nitai. ==Nityananda was brahmacari and became grhastha but you should always paint them in the Gaura-Nitai style and feature you are already accustomed to doing.== Do not feel frustrated about the slowness in producing paintings. Simply paint as many as possible.” (SPL to Jadurani dasi, 15 * * th* May, 1974) ## Radhakrishnan, Dr. ==68-01== “I thank you very much for your letter of January 3rd, 1968, on ISKCON PRESS stationary. It is so nice and attractive and all the credit goes to you and your assistants. Please convey my sincere thanks to your 2 assistants, Jaya Govinda and Purusottama, for their sincere service in the cause of Krsna consciousness. Please take it for granted that I have sanctioned for all your schemes. Because you are sincere worker Krsna is dictating from within yourself as He has promised in the *Bhagavad-gita* , and things are coming so nicely. May Krsna grace you more and more in your advanced service of Krsna consciousness. You have very nicely stated that I am your life. This means you are my body and so neither life nor body can be separated because on the spiritual platform there is no such distinction. On material platform sometimes life is separated from body, but on the Absolute platform there is no such distinction. ==Dr. Radhakrishnan foolishly makes such distinction on the body of Krsna, and therefore when Krsna says that one should become His devotee, he comments that it is not to the Person Krsna, but to the Light within Krsna.== He does not know that in spiritual platform, there is no such distinction of life and body.” ([[letters/1968/680111_rayarama|Rayarama, 11 January, 1968]]) ## Radhani ==69-01 “Bhakti-devi is the expansion of Srimati Radharani.”== (SPL to Rukmini, 31 * * st* January, 1969) ==68-02 “The proper spelling of your name is LABANGALATIKA. The meaning of Labangalatika is delicate, sometimes Radharani is addressed as Labangalatika.== (SPL to Labangalatika, 4 * * th* February, 1968) ==68-05== “Sambhu is the principle by which the Lord impregnates the material nature with the seeds of living entities. ==Durga is the expansion of the internal energy and Radharani is the quintessence of internal energy. In that sense Durga is expansion of Radharani,== Brahma is the father of Rudra or Sambhu, therefore Brahma is the original creature for creation. Generally Sambhu is the creator of many, many demons. Demons are therefore mostly worshippers of Lord Siva.” (SPL to Uddhava, 28 * * th* May, 1968) ==70-05 “Regarding your two questions, the first, Sri Gadadhara is an expansion of Radharani and Srinivasa is the expansion of Narada Muni, or in other words they are the internal and devotional energy respectively.”== (SPL to Tamala, 27 * * th* May, 1970) ## Ramacandra ==68-06== “Maharaja Dasaratha, although he was a great devotee of the Lord, but because he was a *ksatriya* king, keeping one’s promise is inevitable for him. He preferred to banish Ramacandra on the request of his wife on the principle of keeping his promise. In higher states of spiritual life, one can break even promises also, but they are devotees of comparative merit. In the case of Vasudeva, we find that he was spiritually more advanced than Dasaratha. Vasudeva was also in agreement with Kamsa that he would deliver all his sons to his hand, as soon as the child is born. But in the case of Krsna, he broke his promise. The point is that Krsna appeared as the full fledged Personality of Godhead. But Ramacandra appeared as an ideal king. Therefore, in the *lila* of Ramacandra, the principles of morality and ethics as they are to be followed by the ideal king and ruler was followed. In the same sense, He banished Sita in order to prove Himself as an ideal king who wanted to make His subjects always happy. The whole program was on the basis of an ideal king. But in the case of Lord Krsna, He played as full independent Supreme Personality of Godhead. Apparently, therefore he transgressed so many moral and ethical principles. ==These comparative studies on the life of Krsna and Ramacandra are very intricate, but the basic principle is that Ramacandra appeared as an ideal king and Krsna appeared as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.== Although there is no difference between the two. A similar example is Lord Caitanya. He appeared as devotee, and not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is Krsna Himself. So we should accept the Lord’s mood in particular appearances and we should worship Him in that mood. Sometimes Lord Caitanya, because He is Krsna Himself, somebody worships Him in the same manner as Krsna. But Krsna was in the role of enjoyer and Lord Caitanya is in the role of being enjoyed. So the party known as Gauranga Nagari are considered to be deviated from pure devotional service, on account of Lord Caitanya given the same facility as Krsna, which He did not like. Our service mood should be compatible to the attitude of the Lord. Not that we should overlap the attitude of Krsna to Lord Caitanya, or Lord Caitanya to Krsna, or Krsna to Ramacandra, or Ramacandra to Krsna. Therefore, in the *sastras* , specific injunctions are there, just like to worship Lord Caitanya is by the method of chanting Hare Krsna. Yes, it is true that Ramacandra banished Sita later on. Ayodhya is not bound up with any material worlds. Just like Vrndavana is not bound up by any material limitations, as much as Krsna is not bound up by any material limitations. So the kingdom of Ayodhya historically was a tract of land as we see at the present moment but at that time the king of Ayodhya was the emperor of the world.” (SPL to Satsvarupa, 16 * * th* June, 1968) ## Ramadevi ==70-03 "Yes, Ramadevi is the sandhini attribute of cit-sakti because her function is for creation, and the jivas are members of the samvit attribute of the cit-sakti. The demigods are included within the species of human life."== ([[letters/1970/700307_rupanuga|Rupanuga, 7 March, 1970]]) ## Ramakrishna ==68-11== “Regarding Ramakrishna’s book reviewing, ==I am not very much in favor of this unnecessary publicity to a person whom we do not like. We know that this institution is a bogus humbug only without any substance, and why should we bring them in prominence by criticizing them.== They are not very much popular in America. They are working for the last 75 or 80 years in this country, since 1893, but I think our ISKCON institution is better known in your country than the Ramakrishna missionary activities. If you actually make progress in the constructive program of our Krsna consciousness movement very soon we shall surpass all nonsensical activities, including Ramakrishna Mission, Yogananda *asrama* or so many yoga societies. Simply we have to push on the *sankirtana* party and organize them nicely. And increase the sale of our *Back to Godhead* .” (SPL to Brahmananda, 16 * * th* November, 1968) ==69-08== “Regarding your meeting with the Ramakrishna Mission man, you write to say he has advised you how you should work combinedly with the Maharishi group in Hamburg and he has said that our goals are actually the same. Our goal is Krsna and we are preaching the Gospel of Krsna, *Bhagavad-gita As It Is.* In the *Bhagavad-gita* the point is stressed to concentrate on Krsna only, and the highest perfection of yoga process is to realize Krsna both externally and internally. We are teaching to vibrate the transcendental chanting of Krsna because in that way by hearing the sound vibration of Krsna, we can see everything as diverse extension of Krsna’s external energy. And because we think of Krsna in all our activities, therefore, internally we are 24 hours in meditation with Krsna. I don’t think the Maharishi group or the Ramakrishna Mission is teaching like that. So how can it be accepted that our goal is actually the same? Accepting that Krsna is everything, what is aimed by the Ramakrishna Mission or by the Maharishi group is also Krsna’ but Krsna says that although everything is expansion of Himself, He is not in everything. Exactly like in our material experience we can understand that everything is ultimately produced of sunshine, but that does not mean everything is sunshine. Rather, other things cover the sunshine and create a shadow. The Ramakrishna Mission or the Maharishi’s activities are nothing but expanded energy of Krsna, but by such work Krsna is covered. Therefore it is called *maya. Maya* has no separate existence beyond Krsna, but when there is *maya* , Krsna is covered. Exactly like the cloud is nothing but creation of sunshine—the cloud has no independent existence—but whenever there is a cloud in the sky the sunshine becomes covered. Therefore it is *maya* . ==Maya means things which have no existence independent of Godhead, but its business is to cover Godhead. Similarly, either the Ramakrishna Mission or Maharishi’s group they have no existence independent of Krsna, but their activities are just like the cloud covering Krsna.== Actually, they never directly preach Krsna consciousness. On the other hand, they do something to cover Krsna consciousness. So although water is generated from fire, we cannot pour on water when the fire is blazing. We cannot adulterate Krsna consciousness with the Ramakrishna Mission or with anything else. We must present Krsna consciousness in its pure form [text missing] disturbances. If we nicely organize as it is going on now, only selected persons will live there and peacefully cultivate Krsna consciousness.” (SPL to Jaya Govinda, 13 * * th* August, 1969) ## Ramanujacaraya ==68-07== “You know that Lord Buddha was Hindu, born in India, in a royal family, but because he advocated voidism, His philosophy was not accepted by the leaders of Vedic principles. For the time being, Lord Buddha’s philosophy was accepted by Emperor Asoka, and due to royal influence, it spread all over India. But later on, when Sankaracarya preached the Vedic principle, the voidism of Lord Buddha was driven out of India. Similarly, ==when Ramanujacarya found Sankaracarya a second edition of Buddhist philosophy, he also expunged Sankaracarya as compromising the Buddha, and he established personal worship of Lord Visnu.== Later on, other *acaryas* , including Sri Caitanya, developed the transcendental reciprocation of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, there is no scope for compromising with any of the kinds of philosophies of the impersonalist school.” (SPL to Hayagriva, July 10 * * th* , 1968) ## Sahajananda Swami: Divine Life ==75-10== “His Holiness Swami Sahajananda Divine Life Society of South Africa P. O. Box 19069 Dormerton, Durban, 4015 My dear Swamiji, Please accept my humble obeisances. I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated 10th October, 1975 and it is very encouraging as you write to say: As many spiritual leaders are often deriding the Godhood of Lord Krsna, it is gratifying that your great movement is disseminating His greatness and thus keeping alive our devotion to Lord Krsna.” It means that Your Holiness is a great devotee of Lord Krsna. So, out of your natural humbleness you have presented yourself as my ’humble child.’ Certainly, in consideration of age, you are my child but I see in devotion you are greater than me. So as you are a devotee of Lord Krsna you are my guru. Thank you very much. It has become a fashion nowadays amongst the politicians, scholars, and so-called svamis to deride Krsna. This is very dangerous position. Any blasphemous activities to Krsna will not affect His body. He has no material body, therefore prayers or accusations do not affect Him. He is always kind and equal to everyone. ’I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.’ But, those who are deriding the Godhood of Krsna are considered as demons and *raksasas* . There was only one *raksasa* at the time of Lord Ramacandra who did not care for the Lord and attempted to kidnap his wife so he took away *maya* -Laksmiji from Narayana. The result was that he became ruined with his whole family and kingdom. In this Age of Kali there are a number of Ravanas deriding the Godhood of Lord Krsna and Lord Ramacandra, and they will meet with the same result as it was done in the case of Ravana. So it is a dangerous position of the whole world that they have become all godless or atheists in different degree or manner. It is the duty of saintly persons to save these rascals from ruination. So, I wish that a devotee of Lord Krsna like you may conjointly work in propagating Krsna consciousness to save the fallen souls from going down to the darkest region of hell. I am quoting one verse from the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* , Canto 7, chapter 5, verse 31: Thank you very much for your kind letter. With my best wishes and regards. I beg to remain.” (SPL to Swami Sahajananda, 12 * * th* October, 1975) ## Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya ==67-09 “Regarding Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he descended from a higher planet for being liberated in the association of Lord Caitanya, so his conditioned life came to an end after he contacted Lord Caitanya.” (SPL to Jadurani, September, 1967) ## Siva, Lord; Sankaracarya and Sambhu ==68-05 “Sambhu is the principle by which the Lord impregnates the material nature with the seeds of living entities.== Durga is the expansion of the internal energy and Radharani is the quintessence of internal energy. In that sense Durga is expansion of Radharani, Brahma is the father of Rudra or Sambu, therefore Brahma is the original creature for creation. Generally, Sambhu is the creator of many many demons. Demons are therefore mostly worshippers of Lord Siva.” (SPL to Uddhava, 28 * * th* May 1968) ==69-01== “The Sankara’s *bhaja* verse is as follows: ==This is Sankara’s last instruction to his followers and the purport is that the Mayavadi philosophers are very much accustomed to draw favorable meanings from unwanted interpretations by grammatical jugglery.== In Sanskrit the grammatical jugglery is a great puzzle, there are many words which can be changed into different meaning by grammatical root derivations and affixing and prefixing *pratyayas* . So Sankara advised that do not try to exact favorable conclusions by beating the *sastras* , but be submissive to Lord Govinda and worship Him. Otherwise, this grammatical jugglery of words will not help you at the time of death. At that time only if you can some way or other remember the lotus feet of Govinda, Krsna, that will save you. Oh the fool number one, don’t waste your time in misinterpreting the *sastras* .” (SPL to Jayapataka, 21 * * st* January, 1969) ==70-03== “Your question ==why Lord Siva was ordered to appear as Sankaracarya and teach Mayavada philosophy to turn the people to atheism and thus increase the population, that nobody can understand.== If Krsna desires Lord Siva to do like that, so He had some plan which we need not understand. He is the Supreme Lord and He is maintaining the huge universal affairs, so how does He do things and for what purpose He does them, it is very difficult to understand. Just like He planned the battle of Kuruksetra and He induced His friend, a great devotee, Arjuna, to kill. So why does He plan to make others atheist, it is known to Him. Our business is to glorify Him always, either He plans to dance with the *gopis* , or He makes a plan to kill others on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, or He plans to do something which is not very good from the materialistic point of view. Our only business is to remain a steadfast devotee to Krsna in all conditions. That is the instruction given in *Siksastakam* wherein it is said, ’My Lord, whatever You like You can do, but unconditionally You are my only object of worship.’ That is pure devotion.” (SPL to Ekayani, 3 * * rd* May, 1970) ==70-07 “Yes, Mahesh-dhama is in the spiritual sky. That is the described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Brahma-saḥhitā. At the time of dissolution of the material worlds, Lord Siva remains in His spiritual abode while the cosmic manifestation merges into the body of Mahavisnu.”== (SPL to Ekayani, 25 * * th* July, 1970) ==70-11== “I am glad to see that you are working in the universities. They are a good field for spreading our Krsna consciousness activities. Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success. ==Dr. Cenkner is correct in saying that Sankaracarya’s belief is personal. Actually he is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism.== All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism, but because he had to bring Buddhists back to the Vedic cultural form, he adopted impersonalism. From the *Padma Purana* , it is learned that Sankaracarya is Lord Siva, and who can be a greater devotee than Lord Siva. Lord Siva is considered to be the foremost Vaisnava.” (SPL to Damodara, November 12 * * th* , 1970) ==70-11== “I am glad to see that you are working in the universities. They are a good field for spreading our Krsna consciousness activities. Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success. Dr. Cenkner is correct in saying that Sankaracarya’s belief is personal. Actually he is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism. All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism, but because he had to bring Buddhists back to the Vedic cultural form, he adopted impersonalism. ==From the Padma Purana, it is learned that Sankaracarya is Lord Siva, and who can be a greater devotee than Lord Siva. Lord Siva is considered to be the foremost Vaisnava.”== (SPL to Damodara, November 12 * * th* , 1970) ==74-11 “Regarding those professors who say that Siva is the Supreme, in the Rg Veda it is stated: Om tad visnoh paramam padam. The lotus feet of Visnu are the supreme devotional platform. There Visnu is accepted as the supreme.== So there are 18 *Puranas* , six of them are for persons in the modes of ignorance, some for those in passion, and the topmost are for those in goodness, the sattvic *Puranas* . If one intelligently reads the *Puranas* and *Vedas* , then he can understand that Visnu is the Supreme Person. But, for those on the stage of ignorance and passion, sometimes such statements are there. So it depends on the quality of the nature of the person that one accepts Lord Siva or Lord Visnu as the Supreme, but one who studies scrutinizingly all the Vedic literature and who accepts the statements of the *acarya* who guide the destiny of Vedic culture of India who all accept Visnu as the Supreme Person, then he will also have the same conclusion. So far we are concerned in the Krsna consciousness movement, we are preaching the teaching of the *Bhagavad-gita* . Krsna is the Supreme Person even before all demigods including Lord Visnu even, and of course Lord Siva. Our fundamental principle is the teaching of the *Bhagavad-gita.* Those persons who cannot understand this on account of particular modes of nature, such persons require further education, and until such time is fulfilled, we are helpless. To an animal in the modes of ignorance, how can we preach? Then we are helpless. I have read your letter to the professor and it is a good challenge. You have written nicely. You correctly cited the *Vedas* wherein it is stated: *eko vai narayana asin na brahma na isano* … In the beginning there was no Brahma, no Siva, only Krsna. The cosmic manifestation is from *mahat-tattva* , and before the *mahat-tattva* there is Narayana. Sankaracarya is a Lord Siva worshipper and an incarnation of Lord Siva, and he admits that Narayana is the master, and Narayana is the Supreme— *narayana paro vyaktat* . This is the best authority. What more evidence you want? This is in his *Sankara Bhasya* on *Bhagavad-gita* . This is not even the statement of the *Puranas* but of Sankaracarya’s own writings. How can you deny if the incarnation of Lord Siva says that Krsna is supreme? In the *Puranas* it is stated that another demigod is supreme just to convince the devotee. Just like a student in primary school, he thinks the primary education is everything and has no idea of higher education. This is to convince the devotees but from the *Gita* we understand that it is from Krsna. That He gives the faith by which one can worship the demigods. Krsna says: ’ *aham adir hi devanam* .’ Is Krsna speaking a lie? *Mattah parataram nanyat* : nobody is greater than Me, He says. Why should we reject Krsna’s statement? Our mission is to put Krsna first, and they may take it or not. We do not interfere with their choice, but we do it as our duty.” (SPL to Satsvarupa, 3 * * rd* November, 1974) ==75-04== “Regarding your question, you may refer to *Adi-lila,* Chapter 6, Text 79, along with the purport. ( *Caitanya-caritamrta* ). The answer is there. ==The basic understanding is that Sadasiva is an expansion of Maha-Visnu and that same Sadasiva incarnates as Advaita Acarya.== Therefore since Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Sadasiva who is non-different from Maha-Visnu, we can say that Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Maha-Visnu.” (SPL to Mr. Karl, 6 * * th* April, 1975) ## Sridhara Swami ==76-08== “I am sorry to learn that you have become a little agitated regarding the publication of an article in our *Back to Godhead* magazine. It is certainly unpleasant, but the officers who publish the magazine do not know *satyam bruyat priyam bruyat* , in this material world only palatable truth should be spoken. Unpalatable truth should be carefully avoided. The cause of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s agitation was much the same as your own. As you are irritated by the criticism of Sri Vallabahacarya, similarly Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also agitated when Vallabhacarya criticized Sridhara Swami. ==Sridhara Swami is accepted as the orginal commentator on the Srimad-Bhagavatam.== Perhaps you know that there is an edition of the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* by Krsna Sankara Sastri ’ *abhinavah sukah’ Vedantacarya, Sahitya-tirtha, Sri-bhagavata-sudhanidhi,* from Ahmedabad. In his book he has given almost all the important commentaries on the *Bhagavatam* , as follows: 1. Sridhara Swami 2. Sri Vamisidhara 3. Sri Gangasahaya 4. Srimad Viraraghavacarya 5. Srimad Vijayadhvaja Tirtha 6. Srimad Jiva Goswami 7. Srimad Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur 8. Srimad Sukadeva 9. Goswami Sri-Giridharilal (Vallabhacarya *sampradaya* ) 10. Sri Bhagavat-prasadacarya, etc. Among all commentaries, Sridhara Swami’s is given the first position. This *parampara* has existed for a very long time. It was also accepted during Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time, but Sri Vallabhacarya violated the system. Instead of acknowledging Sridhara Swami’s pre-eminent position, he wanted to take it himself. I am enclosing herewith some photocopies of the important verses from the original book *Caitanya-caritamrta* that specifically deal with the subject matter. These verses are from *Antya-lila* Chapter 7, entitled ’Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta.’ I would like to draw your attention to verse 113 on page 55 where Vallabha Bhatta says: ’In my commentary on *Srimad-Bhagavatam,’* he says, ’I have refuted the explanations of Sridhara Swami. I cannot accept his explanations.’ Moreover verse 114 states: “Whatever Sridhara Swami reads he explains according to the circumstances. Therefore he is inconsistent in his explanations and cannot be accepted as an authority.’ Vallabha Bhatta’s declaration certainly agitated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Consequently, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked sarcastically that He considered that anyone who did not accept the *svami (or Sridhara Swami) as an authority was a prostitute. * Prabhu hasi’ kahe*; but he smiled and said this jokingly, because they were friends. Although this point is very controversial, it is not based on hearsay, as you have stated, but it is authoritatively documented by the *Caitanya-caritamrta* . As you have written in a friendly spirit, I do not wish to discuss this point further. If you will kindly take a little to read this chapter ’Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta’ you will understand the whole situation. Actually Vallabha Bhatta should not have criticized Sridhara Swami, because even now Sridhara Swami is very respected. Even authorities like Sri Jiva Goswami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur mention in their commentaries, *svami caranat* , as we have learned it from the lotus feet of Sridhara Swami. So when Vallabha Bhatta criticized Sridhara Swami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabha Bhatta strongly. This is a fact, but this does not mean that Vallabha Bhatta and Caitanya Mahaprabhu were inimical. Vallabha Bhatta honored Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a superior. Sometimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would chastise Vallabha Bhatta and sometimes He would favor him, because this was their relationship. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would never refuse the occasional invitations of Vallabha Bhatta. Everything will become clear if you kindly read this chapter with attention. For example, we see that two lawyers in the court-room may fight vigorously about a law point, but upon returning to the law library, they talk and embrace like friends. So you should always remember that we have no ill feelings toward Vallabha Bhattacarya. We have full respect for him, there is no harm if these facts are discussed in the society of devotees. Devotees always humbly offer respect to everyone, but when there is a discussion on a point of *sastra* , they do not observe the usual etiquette: *satyam bruyat priyam bruyat* . They speak only the *satyam* , although it may not necessarily be *priyam* . I hope you will understand the whole situation. If you still have any doubts, I shall be glad to hear from you and shall try to satisfy you to the best of my ability. I am presently not in very good health, nonetheless I hope this meets you well.” (SPL to Madame Sumati Morarji, 9 * * th* August, 1976) ## Srinivsa ==70-05 “Regarding your two questions, the first, Sri Gadadhara is an expansion of Radharani and Srinivasa is the expansion of Narada Muni, or in other words they are the internal and devotional energy respectively.”== (SPL to Tamala, 27 * * th* May, 1970) ## Subhadra ==68-03== “No, when the Lord appears it is mentioned in the *Bhagavad-gita* that He does so in His own internal potency. ==This internal potency is called yogamaya. All the pastimes and activities of the Lord are administered by yogamaya.== Therefore, He is not under the influence of the material energy, as the conditioned souls are. By the arrangement of *yogamaya* , the devotees sometimes forget the presence of the Omnipotent Lord. Just like Yasodamayi treats Krsna as her begotten son and forgets Krsna’s inconceivable power. Therefore, she asks Krsna to open His mouth to see whether He actually ate some earth. He showed her that He not only swallowed a bit of earth, but the whole cosmic manifestation. Yasoda Mata was astonished to see this miracle, but still she forgot that Krsna was God, that Krsna is the Supreme Lord Himself, and not her ordinary son. In this way, reciprocation between the Lord and His devotees takes place. The Lord doesn’t forget but in order to enthuse the pastimes of the Lord, the action of *yogamaya* is prominent.” (SPL to Upendra, 1 * * st* March, 1968) ==68-09 “I am pleased to learn that Subhadra is looking on you, it is a good sign, that she is favoring you in your activities. She is sakti of Krsna, or the internal potency and by her mercy glance you will be more and more successful in your advancement in Krsna consciousness. Thanking you once more for your kind letter.”== (SPL to Hamsaduta, 19 * * th* September, 1968) ==69-02== “Regarding your question about Subhadra and Durga, they are not at all the same. Durga’s other name is Bhadra not Subhadra and Durga’s activities are within the material world. ==Subhadra does not work as Durga. Subhadra is the internal energy and Durga is the external energy. As energy they have a relationship as much as we are energies of Krsna,== but the energies are working in different capacities. Although originally the energy is one, by their expansion, the accents of the energies are different and as we are not impersonalists, this variegatedness of actions is essential for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as much as the government is one but there are multi-departments for management of government. The education department and the criminal department are all departments of the government. The government is connected with all parts and departments, but the education activities are different from the criminal activities. This is the philosophy of inconceivably simultaneously one and different manifestations of the Absolute Truth.” (SPL to Hamsadutta 9 * * th* February 1968) ==70-02 “We do not find who is the mother of Subhadra, but she was one of Vasudeva’s wives. So far putting kohl on the eyes of the Deities that is not required. The Madhu demon was killed a very long time ago, in the beginning of creation. The story may be found in one of the Puranas.”== (SPL to Ekayani, 10 * * th* February, 1970) ## Sukadeva Gosvami ==74-06 “Your question of how did Sukadeva Goswami hear Srimad-Bhagavatam it was in the womb of his mother.”== (SPL to Acyutananda Swami, 27 * * th* June, 1974) ## Supersoul ==67-12== “I am glad to learn that you are getting strength in Krsna consciousness so that you have decided to remain in the temple in the absence of your husband. This is very nice. We should learn to depend on Krsna more and more. ==Actually, Krsna is always guiding us as Supersoul, but due to our forgetfulness, we do not understand that Krsna is our friend everlasting.== With advancement of Krsna consciousness one is able to realize that Krsna is always with His devotees—not only with His devotees, also with the non-devotees, but the devotees can recognize His presence and the non-devotees cannot. The more you make advancement in Krsna consciousness you will see Krsna everywhere. Not only on the bank of the river but also on streets, trees, lamp posts and so on. The more you see like that you know you are making tangible advancement in Krsna consciousness. Actually, there is nothing but Krsna around us. This is explained in the *Gita* . He is the taste of water, light of the moon, the fragrance of the flower, light of the sun, sound of the sky, the power of the strong and so on. So one who is actually making progress in Krsna consciousness can see Krsna everywhere. At every stage of life who can avoid the sunlight, the moonlight, the fragrance of the flower, the taste of the water the sound of the sky, and so on; but one has to learn it that there is Krsna in all these varieties of existence. Without Krsna there is nothing. It is simply by the influence of *maya* that we forget the relationship of Krsna with everything that be.” (SPL to Krsna devi 21 * * st* December, 1967) ==68-01== “I have duly received your last letter (undated) and noted the contents very gladly. My sincere blessings are for you for your nice prosecution of Krsna consciousness. Whatever you are doing at the present moment is approved by me and ==I think on account of your becoming a sincere soul, Krsna is dictating from within and you are doing things so nicely. There are two gurus—one internal and one external.== The internal guru is Krsna Himself seated in everyone’s heart and the external guru is the spiritual master. So a sincere devotee is helped both externally and internally. To the sincere devotee the internal guru Krsna dictates, but the thing has to be confirmed by the external guru then it is all right. I am very glad you don’t go out and keep indoors engaging yourself in Krsna consciousness activities. (SPL to Kancanbala, 14 * * th* January 1968) ==68-05 “Our only business is to spread Krsna consciousness to the best of our possibility and Krsna has given us discrimination and judgement. So, Krsna is within you, you chant and ask Him, Krsna and He will give you proper instruction.”== (SPL to Hamsaduta, May 14 * * th* , 1968) ==68-06 “Yes, we have got all the qualities of the Supersoul. Therefore, unless the Supersoul has got consciousness, how we can have consciousness?== We are the samples, therefore the origin must have all the qualities that we have. There is no such thing as acceptance or rejection by the mind of the Supersoul. Our mind is in the present material existence as a nonsense. Its business is simply to accept or reject. The Supersoul has no separate mind like that, but He has got mind also, and whatever he thinks in His mind, also, that is a fact. There is no question of accepting or rejecting. In Sanskrit language it is called *satya sankalpa* . And our mind is *vikalpa* . The mind, body and the Supersoul is the same Absolute Truth, there is no distinction between Them. This is in answer to your question, ’Is the “conscience” the symptom of the Supersoul?’” (SPL to Rupanuga, June 30 * * th* , 1968) ==68-11== “Regarding your question about Supersoul, we take it from *Bhagavad-gita* philosophy that the distinction between Supersoul and individual *jiva* soul must always be there. ==The Supersoul will never fall under the clutches of this illusory maya and the jiva soul has this tendency.== So there is distinction, yet, the two, Supersoul and *jiva* soul are also the same as much as sunlight and sun are qualitatively the same. So this is Krsna’s message that we are simultaneously one and different from Krsna. When the *jiva* soul accepts the dictates of the supreme consciousness Supersoul, his activities will no longer be for the sake of personal sense gratification but will be only for the purpose of gratifying the senses of Krsna. This attitude of service is the perfection of the living entity.” (SPL to Hamsaduta, 24 * * th* November, 1968) ==68-11== “Your questions are very nice. Yes, ==the Supersoul and the soul are both unchanged. The difference is that in material contact, the soul appears to be changed.== But the Supersoul is not affected by material contamination, therefore there is no sign of change. The change of soul is like that water becomes ice in contact with the refrigerator. And as soon as there is temperature the ice again becomes water. Similarly, the changing nature of the soul is just like the change of water to ice. The tendency of ice is to melt and become water again. So due to contamination of matter, the soul by illusion identifies with material existence. But the tendency is to melt again to Krsna consciousness. So when there is sufficient temperature in contact with bona fide spiritual master and devotees, the soul again becomes Krsna conscious, like the water. If someone is fortunate enough to find out a bona fide spiritual master, his life is successful. And to be fortunate, there must be sincerity, and Krsna will lead him to a bona fide spiritual master. *Purusa* means God or Krsna. *Atma,* there is Paramatma and *jivatma* . Both are *atma* because they are spiritual, but the living entities are called *jivatma* . *Jivatma* means the small partile of *atma* which has the tendency to fall down in the material atmosphere. He is called *jivatma.* And *Atma* or Supersoul, Who never falls in material contamination is called Paramatma or Supersoul. And because He does not fall under material illusion, His another name is Acyuta—Acyuta means never fallen.” (SPL to Malati, November, 1968) ==68-12== “You have asked how Krsna is with the spirit soul in the spiritual world and the answer is that Krsna is in the heart of the spirit soul, or spiritual body. ==So Krsna is never apart from us. Either He remains in the heart of the material body, or He remains in the heart of the spiritual body.== This is Krsna’s causeless mercy to all of His beloved children, or living entities.” (SPL to Saradiya, 12 * * th* December, 1968) ==69-03== “I understand that you have sent passage money to Jaya Govinda. Let him come first. He is very sensible boy, and I hope on his arrival there will be no dissension. Last night one German boy was initiated by me, and he will be entrusted for rendering all my books in German language. There will be no difficulty to publish the German edition of *Back to Godhead* therefore, in your newly purchased press. You should take the indication given by Lord Krsna: The press is already there, the press worker, Jaya Govinda, is coming, and the German scholar has joined our institution. ==Don’t you see the indication by Krsna that we must make propaganda in the German language in that part of the world? So you have to adjust things to the indication of Lord Krsna. Don’t do anything whimsically.== The direction comes through the spiritual master, and anyone who abides by the order of the spiritual master to give shape to the wish of the Lord is (page missing).” (SPL to Krsna dasa, 5 * * th* March, 1969) ==69-03 “Your sixth question, ’Is it that the Supersoul controls every movement in this world through the agency of maya and the inferior energy according to the desires of the dreamer-jiva?” Yes.”== (SPL to Rupanuga, 14 * * th* March, 1969) ==69-04 “Don’t feel yourself to be alone because Krsna is always with you. Krsna is always with every living entity as Supersoul, and to His devotee especially He talks and gives instructions== how to attain the perfectional stage of meeting Him. So don’t feel alone. Always chant whenever possible, read our books, and there will be no great difficulty.” (SPL to Ananda, 3 * * rd* April, 1969) ==69-05== “Regarding your question of Paramatma, ==you are fortunate enough for your sincere service, Krsna as Paramatma Who is sitting within your heart is now dictating.== Krsna is so kind that He wants to help us as spiritual master in two ways. He helps us from within as *caitya-guru (instructor) and * diksa-guru *, (initiator). So the principle is that whatever you are instructed by the * caitya-guru * internally may be confirmed by the instructor or initiator externally. Then your progress will be complete. Hope this will find you in good health. Thanking you once more.” (SPL to Sivananda, 21* *st* May, 1969) ==70-02 “If you simply chant your rounds daily as prescribed and stick strictly to the rules and regulations, all these questions will automatically be answered by Krsna as Supersoul.== You may refer in this connection to *Bhagavad-gita (10.10): ’To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.’ And (10.11): ’Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.’ This process if understanding by devotional service is essential for developing Krsna consciousness and you all must follow this program assiduously.” (SPL to Sacisuta, 14rh February, 1970) ==72-02== “Regarding your question, ==this surrender to Supersoul is in the advance stage of Krsna consciousness. So long one is not advance, he has to take information and direction from the representative of Supersoul or the spiritual master.== The spiritual master is the external manifestation of the Supersoul. Thus the Lord helps the living entity, helps both from inside and outside.” (SPL to Rupanuga, February 22 * * nd* , 1972) ## Vallabhacarya ==72-04== “There were four listeners when Krsna instructed Arjuna, so there are four bona fide Visnu *sampradayas* . Ramanuja is in the Sri or Laksmi *sampradaya* , Nimbarka is in the Kumara *sampradaya* , ==Vallabhacarya is a follower of Visnusvami or Rudra sampradaya,== like that. Besides the Visnu *sampradayas* , there are other *sampradayas* , but they are following the directions given under off-shoot authorities. They have created so many, but these are not recognized by us. The four Visnu *sampradayas* are authorized by us, they are the original authorized *sampradays* or religion, the Vaisnava religion. The original *dharma* is to follow the *varnas* and *asramas* , and these are created, according to *Bhagavad-gita* , to please Visnu. So *sampradaya* means one of the four original Visnu *sampradayas.* ” (SPL to Madhavananda, April 25 * * th* , 1972) ==71-08== “Vallabhacarya’s teachings are bona fide. This difference of opinion is there always. Just like you differ with your husband, but that doesn’t mean that you and your husband are not devotees.”== (SPL to Ekayani, August 31 * * st* , 1971) ==76-08== “I am sorry to learn that you have become a little agitated regarding the publication of an article in our *Back to Godhead* magazine. It is certainly unpleasant, but the officers who publish the magazine do not know *satyam bruyat priyam bruyat* , in this material world only palatable truth should be spoken. Unpalatable truth should be carefully avoided. The cause of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s agitation was much the same as your own. ==As you are irritated by the criticism of Sri Vallabahacarya, similarly Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also agitated when Vallabhacarya criticized Sridhara Swami.== Sridhara Swami is accepted as the original commentator on the Srimad-Bhagavatam. ====Perhaps you know that there is an edition of the *Srimad-Bhagavatam* by Krsna Sankara Sastri ’ *abhinavah sukah’ Vedantacarya, Sahitya-tirtha, Sri-bhagavata-sudhanidhi,* from Ahmedabad. In his book he has given almost all the important commentaries on the *Bhagavatam* , as follows: 1. Sridhara Swami 2. Sri Vamisidhara 3. Sri Gangasahaya 4. Srimad Viraraghavacarya 5. Srimad Vijayadhvaja Tirtha 6. Srimad Jiva Goswami 7. Srimad Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur 8. Srimad Sukadeva 9. Goswami Sri-Giridharilal (Vallabhacarya *sampradaja* ) 10. Sri Bhagavat-prasadacarya, etc. Among all commentaries, Sridhara Swami’s is given the first position. This *parampara* has existed for a very long time. It was also accepted during Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time, but Sri Vallabhacarya violated the system. Instead of acknowledging Sridhara Swami’s pre-eminent position, he wanted to take it himself. I am enclosing herewith some photocopies of the important verses from the original book *Caitanya-caritamrta* that specifically deal with the subject matter. These verses are from *Antya-lila* Chapter 7, entitled ’Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta.’ I would like to draw your attention to verse 113 on page 55 where Vallabha Bhatta says: ’In my commentary on *Srimad-Bhagvatam,’* he says, ’I have refuted the explanations of Sridhara Swami. I cannot accept his explanations.’ Moreover verse 114 states: “Whatever Sridhara Swami reads he explains according to the circumstances. Therefore he is inconsistent in his explanations and cannot be accepted as an authority.’ Vallabha Bhatta’s declaration certainly agitated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Consequently, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked sarcastically that He considered that anyone who did not accept the *svami (or Sridhara Swami) as an authority was a prostitute. * Prabhu hasi’ kahe*; but he smiled and said this jokingly, because they were friends. Although this point is very controversial, it is not based on hearsay, as you have stated, but it is authoritatively documented by the *Caitanya-caritamrta* . As you have written in a friendly spirit, I do not wish to discuss this point further. If you will kindly take a little to read this chapter ’Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta’ you will understand the whole situation. Actually Vallabha Bhatta should not have criticized Sridhara Swami, because even now Sridhara Swami is very respected. Even authorities like Sri Jiva Goswami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur mention in their commentaries, *svami caranat* , as we have learned it from the lotus feet of Sridhara Swami. So when Vallabha Bhatta criticized Sridhara Swami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabha Bhatta strongly. This is a fact, but this does not mean that Vallabha Bhatta and Caitanya Mahaprabhu were inimical. Vallabha Bhatta honored Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a superior. Sometimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would chastise Vallabha Bhatta and sometimes He would favor him, because this was their relationship. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would never refuse the occasional invitations of Vallabha Bhatta. Everything will become clear if you kindly read this chapter with attention. For example, we see that two lawyers in the court-room may fight vigorously about a law point, but upon returning to the law library, they talk and embrace like friends. So you should always remember that we have no ill feelings toward Vallabha Bhattacarya. We have full respect for him, there is no harm if these facts are discussed in the society of devotees. Devotees always humbly offer respect to everyone, but when there is a discussion on a point of *sastra* , they do not observe the usual etiquette: *satyam bruyat priyam bruyat* . They speak only the *satyam* , although it may not necessarily be *priyam* . I hope you will understand the whole situation. If you still have any doubts, I shall be glad to hear from you and shall try to satisfy you to the best of my ability. I am presently not in very good health, nonetheless I hope this meets you well.” (SPL to Madame Sumati Morarji, 9 * * th* August, 1976) ==76-08 “There has been some disturbance created by the publishing of a few comments on Vallabhacarya in Back to Godhead Vol. 10, no. 8, page 5, column 3, paragraph 2. Kindly avoid comments such as these in future publications.”== (SPL to Jaganatha Suta dasa, 28 * * th* August, 1976) ==76-11== “You can reply to Govindalaji Maharaja as follows: ’What we have discussed is printed in *Caitanya-caritamrta.* How can we rectify? ==We can’t rectify what is written in Caitanya-caritamrta. We have no bad feeling or disrespect for Vallabhacarya. We consider ourselves the most obedient servants of Vallabhacarya.== The exchange between Lord Caitanya and Vallabhacarya was on friendly terms. This was raised in connection with support the position of the *acaryas* . The real point is that Sridhara Swami is still being criticized by you in the following words, “…and has sown specifically the nature of the error committed by the previous commentators including Sridhara Swami…Sridhara Swami…was never regarded as a Master…” So this criticism of Sridhara Swami was as much intolerable for Caitanya Mahaprabhu as His criticism upon Vallabhacarya is intolerable to you. Such kind friendly criticism you’ll always find among learned scholars, but that does not mean any ill feeling with one another. So, as you can criticize Sridhara Swami in the above words, what is the wrong if in the same spirit the supporters of Sridhara Swami criticize you. There is an English proverb spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, “Judge not other lest ye be judge.” So, the conclusion is, as we learn from *Caitanya-caritamrta* , that in the beginning Sri Vallabhacarya criticized Sridhara Swami and then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabhacarya. So what can we do now after 500 years? Recently some criticism has appeared in the Illustrated Weekly also. So, such things will go on in this world, but that does not mean we have got any disrespect for any Vaisnava *acarya* .” (SPL to Giriraja, 25 * * th* November, 1976) ## Varaha, Lord ==68-03 “Yes, there are two boar incarnations, one is reddish and the other whitish. Varaha is the first, He is reddish just like a boar.” (SPL to Jadurani, 16 * * th* March, 1968) ## Vasudeva ==70-02 “We do not find who is the mother of Subhadra, but she was one of Vasudeva’s wives.”== (SPL to Ekayani, 10 * * th* February, 1970) ## Vedas ==70-01 “Regarding your first question, ’Who is the speaker of Isopanisad?’ The speaker is the Vedas personified.== In the Vedic age a disciple heard from the spiritual master messages which were coming down in disciplic succession, so as a disciple, whatever he heard from his bona fide spiritual master he would recite. The Vedic *mantras* are kown as *sruti* , to hear from authoritative source and then repeat it, chanting. So there is no question of who wrote it. It is said that no human being has compiled them. Later on, before the beginning of Kali-yuga, all the Vedic *mantras* were written in books, most of them were done by Srila Vyasadeva Mahamuni and his different disciples.” (SPL to Citsukhananda, 28 * * th* April, 1970) ## Visnu, Lord ==74-11 “Regarding those professors who say that Siva is the Supreme, in the Rg Veda it is stated: Om tad visnoh paramam padam. The lotus feet of Visnu are the supreme devotional platform. There Visnu is accepted as the supreme.== So there are 18 *Puranas* , six of them are for persons in the modes of ignorance, some for those in passion, and the topmost are for those in goodness, the sattvic *Puranas* . If one intelligently reads the *Puranas* and *Vedas* , then he can understand that Visnu is the Supreme Person. But, for those on the stage of ignorance and passion, sometimes such statements are there. So it depends on the quality of the nature of the person that one accepts Lord Siva or Lord Visnu as the Supreme, but one who studies scrutinizingly all the Vedic literature and who accepts the statements of the *acarya* who guide the destiny of Vedic culture of India who all accept Visnu as the Supreme Person, then he will also have the same conclusion. So far we are concerned in the Krsna consciousness movement, we are preaching the teaching of the *Bhagavad-gita* . Krsna is the Supreme Person even before all demigods including Lord Visnu even, and of course Lord Siva. Our fundamental principle is the teaching of the *Bhagavad-gita.* Those persons who cannot understand this on account of particular modes of nature, such persons require further education, and until such time is fulfilled, we are helpless. To an animal in the modes of ignorance, how can we preach? Then we are helpless. I have read your letter to the professor and it is a good challenge. You have written nicely. You correctly cited the *Vedas* wherein it is stated: *eko vai narayana asin na brahma na isano* … In the beginning there was no Brahma, no Siva, only Krsna. The cosmic manifestation is from *mahat-tattva* , and before the *mahat-tattva* there is Narayana. Sankaracarya is a Lord Siva worshipper and an incarnation of Lord Siva, and he admits that Narayana is the master, and Narayana is the Supreme— *narayana paro vyaktat* . This is the best authority. What more evidence you want? This is in his *Sankara Bhasya* on *Bhagavad-gita* . This is not even the statement of the *Puranas* but of Sankaracarya’s own writings. How can you deny if the incarnation of Lord Siva says that Krsna is supreme? In the *Puranas* it is stated that another demigod is supreme just to convince the devotee. Just like a student in primary school, he thinks the primary education is everything and has no idea of higher education. This is to convince the devotees but from the *Gita* we understand that it is from Krsna. That He gives the faith by which one can worship the demigods. Krsna says: ’ *aham adir hi devanam* .’ Is Krsna speaking a lie? *Mattah parataram nanyat* : nobody is greater than Me, He says. Why should we reject Krsna’s statement? Our mission is to put Krsna first, and they may take it or not. We do not interfere with their choice, but we do it as our duty.” (SPL to Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, 3 * * rd* November, 1974) ## Visnupriya ==72-12 “Visnupriya, the wife of Lord Caitanya, was a young woman of sixteen years old when her husband took sannyasa, leaving her without any children, but she always remembered Him, so in that way she was always serving Him and she was never separated from Him.”== (SPL to Candravali, 13 * * th* December, 1972) ## Vyasadeva ==70-08== “Of course that time was just the moment when Kali, the predominating Deity of the present age, was peeping to infiltrate in the worldly affairs and later on it was complete through the exigency of an upstart *brahmana* boy. So ==Vyasadeva was a real person accepted by all authorities and any one can judge how wonderful he was to compile the Vedic literatures. He is therefore known as Mahamuni.== Muni means thoughtful or great thinker or great poet and *maha* means still greater. So there is no comparison with Vyasadeva with any writer or thinker or philosopher. Nobody can estimate the scholarly importance of Srila Vyasadeva. He composed many millions of Sanskrit verses and we are just trying to receive a fragmental knowledge out of them by our tiny efforts only. Srila Vyasadeva therefore summarized the whole Vedic knowledge in the shape of *Srimad-Bhagavatam* which is known as the ripened fruit of the desire tree known as Vedic knowledge. The ripened fruit is received hand to hand through disciplic succession and anyone who does this work in disciplic succession from Srila Vyasadeva is considered as representative of Vyasadeva and as such the bona fide spiritual master’s appearance day is worshipped as Vyasa-puja. Not only that, the exalted seat on which the spiritual master sits is also called *vyasasana* .” (SPL to Bali Mardan, August 25 * * th* , 1970) ==71-07 “Vyasadeva did not speak all the Vedas to Ganesa. He simply dictated.”== (SPL to Jadurani, July 9 * * th* , 1971) ## Yadu Dynasty ==68-08== “The lump of iron stone which was delivered by Samba. The members of the Yadu family wanted to destroy it by rubbing on a stone, and the pulp made out of the stone gridded down on the bank of a river and gradually grew into a log. So ==at the end the members of the Yadu dynasty when they were fighting, took advantage of the log and beat one another and thus the whole family was dead and gone.”== (SPL to Krsna devi, 2 * * nd* November, 1969) ==71-08 “Because there is some similarity of the word Jew and Yadu so some historian or scholar, so-called, created this notion.== I have read it also in some paper. But even it is true, we have nothing to do with it. Lord Krsna killed his own dynasty under His personal supervision. So certainly Krsna didn’t like the idea that future dynasties would be able to identify having Krsna’s blood. Krsna has no material blood; neither He is different from His body. The example is given that Malayan sandalwood is famous as grown in Malaya but the fact is that sandalwood can grow anywhere. Nowadays in Malaya there are only rubber trees but still in the market the sandalwood is known as Malayan sandalwood. Similarly a family may become famous for Krsna taking birth in that family but Krsna is independent and can appear anywhere and everywhere, where His devotees are.” (SPL to Nayanabhirama, 22 * * nd* August, 1971) ## Yogananda ==68-11== “Regarding your question about Yogananda, you write to say that you received the impression from his autobiography that he was a genuine saint who dedicated his life to serving God. But the thing is that you do not actually know what is a genuine saint, and what can you understand about saintly life from reading his autobiography. I may inform you that just recently I visited his so-called *asrama* retreat, and it was simply a hodgepodge of all nonsense. There was a Buddha statue, a Christ statue, a Gandhi’s memorial labeled as ’ *World Peace Memoriam’* —and what world peace he has brought? None. And what does Gandhi have to do with spiritual realization anyway? Gandhi was simply interested to get the Britishers out of India—what has that got to do with self-realization, the prime goal of life? And here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like, ’Be still and realize I am God’—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God? The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God? This is all conglomeration of nonsense ideas. Practically, this ==Yogananda has no philosophy or authority; he simply drags in Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and whoever else he can think to put, so that whatever you like it is in his shop. He is just a good shop-keeper.== Krsna says—give up all nonsense engagements and come here and surrender unto Me!—that is real philosophy. Krsna says that anyone who is worshiping any demigod, it is all nonsense and just give it up and come to Me. Our philosophy is to worship Radha-Krsna. We don’t make any hodgepodge or any compromise. If you like you can accept it, and if you are fortunate you will accept, and be happy, but this hodgepodge nonsense will never help you. Just like we prescribe certain rules and restrictions for our disciples so that they can make real advancement in spiritual life. This Yogananda gives no restrictions or regulative principles to his disciples, and thereby collects all nonsense class of men. But, if you put restrictions then not so many men will come, but sincere ones will come, those who are actually sincerely searching after real spiritual life. This Yogananda accepts everything as bona fide, because he simply doesn’t know what is bona fide and what is nonsense. So there is no need to waste your time.” (SPL to Kris, 13 * * th* November, 1968)