What is the etiquette?

[Guest guest]

> When writing to one's spiritual master or about him, should we capitalize

> the initial letter in the words like: Him, His, Your...?

 

Satsvarupa: Prabhupada, in editing, there are two different policies about

using capitals. One is to use as few capitals as possible or to use many

capitals, in grammar capitalized, or to use few. So sometimes your Nectar of

Devotion has got very few capitals. When Balarama is referred to as "he,"

there is no capital. But the other policy is to always put... Krsna's Hands,

capital H, Krsna's Feet, capital F, Krsna Who, capital W. Which is...

Prabhupada: No, no, no. Don't follow that policy. That will not be very...

Then...

Satsvarupa: The less capitals, the better?

Prabhupada: Yes. I think. What do you think?

Hayagriva: Well, I think, when referring to Krsna, we should always have a

capital "H."

Prabhupada: Especially. Yes. Especially for Krsna, you can.

Hayagriva: And if we want to, for Radha, capital "S."

Prabhupada: But Balarama is not different from Krsna.

Satsvarupa: So He is capital "H."

Hayagriva: So He is capital "H." But then here we go. (laughter)

Prabhupada: No, no. You limit to these three. That will do.

Hayagriva: Limit to those three.

Prabhupada: Or Visnu. Yes. Visnu.

Hayagriva: What about avataras, in reference to Christ or Buddha?

Prabhupada: Buddha is capital used. Jesus Christ is capital used.

Satsvarupa: Yes. But he... Like "He." He means Buddha, "Who."

Hayagriva: No, "He."

Prabhupada: No. That you can use...

Satsvarupa: Small.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Satsvarupa: Then words like Krsna's "pastimes,entourage," His "will."

Prabhupada: No, small.

Satsvarupa: Small.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Hayagriva: The possessions of Krsna, small.

Prabhupada: Small.

Satsvarupa: His hands and feet, small.

Brahmananda: Lotus feet?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Satsvarupa: Lotus flower?

Prabhupada: Yes. All small. Simply name. Stick to name.

Hayagriva: The pronoun, Krsna, "who." The pronoun "who," that's not...

Prabhupada: No, no. Use small.

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston