# June 17 ## Spoken on June 17 *Lectures from this day: 11 recordings* --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.20–21](spoken/1972/720617sb.la)** > They do not know what is God, because they have not heard about God, how powerful He is, how brave activities He does. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when He was seven years old, He lifted a great hill, Govardhana Hill. Giridhārī. And He kept it on His finger for seven days. That is God. Kṛṣṇa, when He was householder, He married sixteen thousand wives. And who can maintain sixteen thousand wives? One cannot maintain even one wife. This is called *urukrama.* Great activities. Not that Kṛṣṇa remained one, and He had sixteen thousand wives. No. He also expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms so that no wife may be displeased. His wife... If I am one, and if I have got many wives, so everyone will be displeased. He provided sixteen thousand palaces, and in each palace, there were many thousands of servants and maidservant, and each wife was blessed with ten sons. This is called *urukrama,* great activities. > Na śṛṇvataḥ:* They have decided, "There is no God. God is dead. God has no personality. He's zero," therefore they have no opportunity to hear about God. *Na śṛṇvataḥ karṇa-puṭe narasya.* This human form of body... These earholes are meant for giving aural reception to the message of God. But they'll not do that. Therefore your mission is to go home to home, village to village, town to town, and give them injection, "Hear." Make such arrangement, nice dancing, nice chanting, *prasāda* distribution. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.10.2](spoken/1973/730617sb.may)** > Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti*.* That *prīti* is required. That is the essential quality. *Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati*.* Real thing is *bhakti.* Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, that you will give Him some good food and He will eat it, never mind in which way you can give. "Oh, here is *purī, halavā.* Kṛṣṇa must eat." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry for your *purī, halavā.* But if there is *bhakti,* if there is love, then He eats. "Then I eat, if there is *bhakti,* love." "Kṛṣṇa, what can I do for You? I am so teeny, You are so great. Still, I have tried to do something. If You kindly eat." This is *mantra.* Real *mantra* is that; not so many formalities of *mantra.* Kṛṣṇa does not say, "One who offers Me with the Vedic *mantras...*" Never says. Kṛṣṇa says *bhaktyā,* "with devotion." > So others may criticize you, that "These American Vaiṣṇavas, they do not know how to do this, how to do that." Let them criticize. But Kṛṣṇa says *bhaktyā.* You remain perfect devotee. Then your life is perfect. Kṛṣṇa does not say that the Indian devotee who discriminates between touchable and untouchable and big, big *paṇḍitas* or *deva-gosvāmī,* not *dāsa-gosvāmī...* Kṛṣṇa does not discriminate like that. Kṛṣṇa says *bhaktyā, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.* Kṛṣṇa wants to see how much sincere devotee you have become. That is His business. Kṛṣṇa does not see, "Oh, whether you are coming from *brāhmaṇa* family or *śūdra* family, this family or...?" No. Therefore in the *śāstras* it is forbidden: *vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ* [*Padma Purāṇa]*. Vaiṣṇava does not belong to the material caste. He is transcendental, because He is rendering service to Kṛṣṇa on the transcendental platform. He is not in the material platform. --- **[1974: Morning Walk](spoken/1974/740617mw.ger)** >so many, so much production, but if nature's like it can stop this production, then the question of overpopulation. If the nature likes, it can produce three times, four times this production. *Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi*. After all, nature is producing. We do not know how to deal with nature. Therefore there is scarcity, and we say "overpopulation." There is no question of overpopulation. There are so many hundred and thousands of birds within this forest, other animal. They have no problem of overpopulation. Eh? [pause] All these men who are living in these villages, so what is their means of livelihood? Agriculture or industry? Or service? > Then the intelligent class. They consider, "What is this nonsense? They are all suffering here." In this way, one who becomes actually intelligent, wise, then he understands, "Kṛṣṇa is everything." *Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate*. So that highest position we are giving by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not training them to be first-class fool, second-class fool, third-class... No. First-class intelligent. *Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura.* Without being first-class intelligent man, nobody can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness --- **[1974: Room Conversation with German Women Philosophers](spoken/1974/740617r1.ger)** > [aside:] You read this book. *Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ*. Read this verse. Just see how misbelief, that there is no hell. Just see. In this way, misled, whole world. The so-called rascal leaders mislead, "There is no hell. Don't believe in hell." Vivekananda said, "Yes. There is no hell." *Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ.* > "Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets, those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets, and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds." --- **[1975: Room Conversation](spoken/1975/750617r1.hon)** > Govinda dāsī: It's not certain whether they're actually being attacked or eaten. It's not certain. It's just that they're present there; the bugs are present there. But whether they're actually eating is not for certain. I suspect it's not certain. > So these rascals, they're still barbarian because they have diverted their energy in making machine, motorcar and this skyscraper building. So no growing, no food, so the same primitive... They used to kill one animal; that is going on. They remain the barbarian. Simply they have learned some craftsmanship, that's all. But the mentality is barbarian. The uncivilized man, in the primitive... Uncivilized man is still there; it is not Darwin's theory, that now uncivilized. That chapter is always there. But civilized man, they have turned their attention in some ludicrous activities and keeping themselves in the same barbarian stage—kill some animal, kill some bird—to make shortcut. They did not know how to get fruits, flowers, grains, and how to cook them nicely and offer to the Deity and then chant, dance and take *prasādam*. The uncivilized man did not know that. So they're remaining still the same uncivilized barbarians. They do not know the civilized way of life. And their intelligence is being utilized in technology so much. Now they're finding difficulty in educational system: the boys are going hell. They have to conduct education with guns and police. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760617r1.tor)** > In our childhood, in the school, a book was there, *England's Work in India*. One Mr. N. Ghosh, he wrote this book just to flatter the Englishmen. This, that "White man's burden." And it was the impression in those days: just to become like Englishmen, that is civilization. The Parsis in Bombay, they were the first-class flatterer, imitation, how to become like English lords, barons. This Tata factory was started by such ambition. They wanted to be English baron, lord, industrialist. In Calcutta also. Where our temple is, that is called *sāhīb* quarter. In our childhood we used to say *sāhīb* quarter. *Sāhīb* quarter means European neighborhood. They say our temple is *sāhīb mandira* in Māyāpur. And in Vṛndāvana, *aṇgrejī mandira.* The same impression. To become *sāhīb,* that was great prestigious. Yes. [laughs] --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.1](spoken/1976/760617sb.tor)** > Actually, teaching begins, according to our Vedic system, everywhere, teaching begins at the age of four or five years. Either you teach about material things or spiritual, teaching must begin at the age of four and five. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "My dear friends, it is not that we have to wait up to our old age, because there is no guarantee of life. Where is the guarantee that we shall become old? We may die tomorrow or today. There is no guarantee. Therefore immediately we shall begin how to learn *bhāgavata-dharma.*" *Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān. Dharmān, dharma* means religion. And specially, he has specifically, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, *dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma,* religious, religion. *Dharma* means *bhāgavata-dharma*. The other *dharma* cannot be *dharma*. Therefore you'll find in *Bhagavad-gītā* Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. Mam.* Kṛṣṇa is *bhagavān.* If you follow the instruction of Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, that is *bhāgavata-dharma*. > There may be other *dharma,* just like *deśa-dharma* or *samāj-dharma*. There are many other *dharmas—brahma-dharma*, this *dharma,* that... But that is not *dharma.* Real *dharma* means *bhāgavata-dharma.* That is real *dharma.* Otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*? *Mām ekam.* He is Bhagavān. You'll find in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* it is said, *bhagavān uvāca.* Whenever you find the instruction, *bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān, bhagavata-śabda.* The original word is *bhagavat.* So from *bhagavat,* this sound *bhagavān* also comes. And from *bhagavat, bhāgavatam.* The same root is *bhagavat-śabda.* So Kṛṣṇa says..., Kṛṣṇa, in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* He says that *yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham* : "When there is discrepancies in the matter of understanding religious system, at that time I incarnate, I come." *Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir.* Now this *dharma,* one can say there are so many *dharmas,* in the different *dharmas.* But *dharma* cannot be different. *Dharma,* religious system, cannot be different. If it is... *Dharma* means from the Bhagavān. --- ## Letters on June 17 *Letters from this day: 31* --- **[1968: Letter to Sacisuta](letters/1968/680617_sacisuta)** > I am glad to know you are feeling like that, and keeping chanting Hare Krishna and the answer is already received by you. Regarding your question, how Krishna can become a male: (your question,". --- **[1969: Letter to Balabhadra](letters/1969/690617_balabhadra)** > Your description of the parade with 55,000 people viewing is very much encouraging, and it is clear that Krishna is giving you nice opportunities for spreading the Sankirtana Movement throughout Hawaii. --- **[1969: Letter to Dinesh](letters/1969/690617_dinesh)** > I quite follow you that you are planning to work conjointly with our London party. So I am sending you back the agreement duly signed by me, and I hope you will do the business side of these records with the Grace of Lord Caitanya. --- **[1969: Letter to Gaurasundara](letters/1969/690617_gaurasundara)** > I am very glad to hear about your recent Sankirtana success, and as long as this is going on, everything will come out nicely. --- **[1969: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1969/690617_hansadutta)** > Regarding the tour of North Dakota, this is a nice proposal. --- **[1969: Letter to Harer Nama Prabhavati](letters/1969/690617_harer_nama_prabhavati)** > I have also received short letters from the new people who have come to help you in the Santa Fe temple, and their nice appreciation of our movement is a great pleasure for me to note. --- **[1969: Letter to Jadurani](letters/1969/690617_jadurani)** > Now you send to Brahmananda as many photographs as possible of the parading and the other chanting engagements. --- **[1969: Letter to Muralidhara](letters/1969/690617_muralidhara)** > I am enclosing a list of the special Krishna Consciousness holidays to be celebrated in your temple for the next several months. --- **[1969: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1969/690617_satsvarupa)** > I am pleased to note that Murari is such a tremendous boon to your activities there, and you "do not know how you managed without him before." I hope this will meet you all in good health. --- **[1969: Letter to Sir](letters/1969/690617_sir)** > I beg to hand you herewith one Bank Draft in your favor for Rs 825.00 for credit of my above a/c. The purpose of sending this money is to purchase Brass Deities from Vrindaban. --- **[1969: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1969/690617_tamala_krsna)** > You write to say in your your letter, "Please come to Los Angeles immediately, Prabhupada. --- **[1969: Letter to Umapati](letters/1969/690617_umapati)** > Please accept by blessings. I think there is a great plan of Krishna that you should not get suitable service till now. It may be that you are required for preaching work 100%. --- **[1970: Letter to Paramananda](letters/1970/700617_paramananda)** > I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 7th June, 1970, and as I did not receive your letter since a long time it is a great pleasure to have it now. --- **[1970: Letter to Yamunacarya](letters/1970/700617_yamunacarya)** > You write to say how you were saved from a commitment of suicide. So you have seen the mantra in Isopanisad: --- **[1971: Letter to Bhakta Dasa](letters/1971/710617_bhakta_dasa)** > Presently I am in Bombay and on the 20th of this month I will be going to Moscow for five days. I was wanting to go to Rathayatra festival in San Francisco, but I don't think that is possible because there are no direct flights from Moscow to California. --- **[1971: Letter to Ksirodakasayi](letters/1971/710617_ksirodakasayi)** > Since you have left for London because of your wife's illness, I have not heard anything from you. How is your wife doing? What has been your program also? Please let me know. --- **[1971: Letter to Prahladananda](letters/1971/710617_prahladananda)** > I am so glad to note how ISKCON Houston is making steady progress for becoming a grand success. --- **[1971: Letter to Sri Ravelji](letters/1971/710617_sri_ravelji)** > On the 20th instant I will be going to Moscow for five days, and then on to Paris and London. From there I will go directly to U.S.A. and hope to be back in Calcutta by the middle of August for opening our Mayapur temple. --- **[1971: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1971/710617_tamala_krsna)** > I am so glad to note how you are so much enthusiastic for developing the Mayapur program. --- **[1972: Letter to Balavanta](letters/1972/720617_balavanta)** > I thank you very much for the nice flower garland you have sent, and the nice fragrance is very pleasing. Beautiful flowers are compared to Krishna smiling. --- **[1973: Letter to Carol](letters/1973/730617_carol)** > I can see from your letter that you are very sincere about Krsna Consciousness and Gurukula. Yes, you should always feel yourself most fortunate and glad that you are in the Krsna Consciousness movement where you can learn sanskrit and English from such nice Krsna Conscious teachers as Dayananda and Dinatarine, and not be learning-as in the public schools-how to cheat and eat meat etc. Please stick to this conviction of yours and more and more your natural Krsna Consciousness will develop. --- **[1973: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1973/730617_hansadutta)** > The magazine is gorgeous, better than Dia Nippon. Continue the standard, increase the pages, increase the articles, increase the distribution. May Krsna bless you more and more. --- **[1973: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1973/730617_tamala_krsna)** > So let Syamasundara come to Mayapur and we can discuss this and correct any difficulty. --- **[1974: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1974/740617_brahmananda)** > I am glad to read that you are eager to join me as my permanent secretary and that your major concern is to help provide me with "a conducive environment to translate" my books. On the other hand, I can understand the programs are developing in Kenya and therefore you want a strong replacement before you leave Africa. --- **[1974: Letter to Jaya Hari](letters/1974/740617_jaya_hari)** > I am presently travelling through Europe and in the past weeks have held many programs in Rome, Geneva, Paris and now Germany. I, therefore, have no time to carefully study and decide on your proposals. The best thing is if you can come and meet with me personally after I have finished this present tour. --- **[1974: Letter to Malati](letters/1974/740617_malati)** > I can understand by what you have written that you are advancing in Krsna Consciousness. By your unalloyed service to the Deities you are becoming more and more attracted to the spiritual world and seeing the material world as a condemned place of no happiness. So our business as Vaisnavas is to increase our natural attraction to Krsna and try to tell others about this great hopefulness to human life. --- **[1975: Letter to Batu Gopala](letters/1975/750617_batu_gopala)** > Their names are as follows, Bill—Bhama dasa, Brenda—Brahma-vadini devi dasi, Michael—Mahana dasa. Their beads may be chanted by Kirtanananda Swami. --- **[1975: Letter to Bhakta Dasa Jayananda Bahulasva](letters/1975/750617_bhakta_dasa_jayananda_bahulasva)** > It sounds like things are going very nicely there. Regarding the sannyasis convincing men within the temple that they should leave and go with them on their parties, that is not at all good. The sannyasis should work with what men they have got and they cannot secretly convince men in the temples to leave their duties. --- **[1975: Letter to Gadi](letters/1975/750617_gadi)** > Thank you for the $20 donation. Thank you for helping me in this preaching work. Make sure that you preach nicely and at the same time follow the example of perfect behavior given by your spiritual master and the previous acaryas and confirmed in the scriptures. --- **[1975: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1975/750617_madhudvisa)** > Regarding Ratha-yatra, we shall chose the most favorable time to hold our celebration. If for our preaching, it is going to be more beneficial to hold it in September, then you may do so. --- **[1975: Letter to Mrs. Beatrice Matusow](letters/1975/750617_mrs._beatrice_matusow)** > Regarding your idea, I think it will be best, if the next time you come to Honolulu, you come to our center here and discuss this proposal to the temple president named Manasvi dasa. ---