A letter from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

May 17, 2007

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja

Sri Mayapura

Padmanabha 15, 429 Gaurabda [1915 AD]

My dear -

I have received your letter dated Padmanabha 5. Due to the lack of time, I feared writing an extensive letter, but I can see how the delay prolongs, so I write in short. I was very happy to learn that you have come to the understanding that everything is auspicious when the holy name of Krsna is chanted with perseverance. Do not become slack in your chanting the holy name when material thoughts are coming at the time of chanting. Gradually, as a secondary result of chanting the holy name, such useless thoughts will be naturally removed, you do not have to be occupied with that. The result cannot be there right in the beginning. With the rise of great pleasure in Krsna's name, the allurement of material thoughts will diminish. How would the material thoughts look like without an eager acceptance of the holy name?

Foreign sugar or mixed ghee is impure, our native unadulterated sugar and unmixed ghee is pure. But both pure and impure things are material substances. If one does not offer things with feelings in his heart, the Lord will not accept any thing, be it pure or impure. What is required is to perform service without offenses. If one serves sri-nama, the holy name, with his body, mind and words, then sri-nami, the possessor of the holy name, will reveal His all-auspicious form.

I hope your worship is going on nicely.

your ever well-wisher,

Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati

____________________

sri sri gandharvika-giridharibhyam namah

Sri Caitanya Math, Sridham Mayapur

August 5, 1926

My dear ---

Having received your lengthy letter from the 21st day of the month of Asarh, I acquainted myself with your report. At that time I resided in Puri, in the Jagannatha-vallabha Math. Then I spent several days in Sri Bhuvanesvar and Cuttack, after which I moved to the Gaudiya Math. Today it has been some 10 to 12 days since I came here.

I understand that you were taking care of the Math in Varanasi by yourself, and that led you to writing such a letter.

krame krame paya loka bhava-sindhu-kula - "By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence." [Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Raghunatha dasa, CC Madhya 16.237]

Everything auspicious comes through becoming hopeful and serving Krsna, serving devotees and chanting the holy name with great eagerness. If we always exert all kinds of endeavor for Krsna, we cannot be covered by various temptations of maya. Always engage in hearing and chanting, read the books of mahajanas and the Gaudiya literature, and if you thus acquire the siddhanta, your lethargy shall not stay.

Whenever there are devotees somewhere, talk with them about the Lord, and you will be able to realize how elevated worshiping Him is and at the same time how fallen and insignificant you are. You know that, sarvottama apnake hin kori' mane - "Although a pure devotee's standard is above all, he still considers himself to be in the lowest stage of life." [CC Madhya 23.26] Wish the best fortune on all your servants; that will make our worship stronger.

Although service to Krsna, service to devotees and chanting the holy name are three different activities, still the purpose of all three of them is one.

nama sankirtanera dvara krsna o karsna-seva hoy

vaisnavera seva korile krsna kirtana o krsna-seva hoy

krsna-seva korilei nama-sankirtana vaisnava-seva hoy

tahara pramana ei - "sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam"

Through nama-sankirtana one serves both Krsna and devotees, while serving Vaisnavas one performs both kirtana and service to Krsna, and in serving Krsna both nama-sankirtana and service to Vaisnavas are included. The proof of that is this quotation: sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam - "Worshiping Vasudeva is enacted on the platform of pure goodness." [sB 4.3.23]

The recitation of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta is a service to Krsna as well as chanting the holy name. The same is accomplished by reciting the Srimad-Bhagavatam in the assembly of devotees. The Deity worship also includes these three kinds of duties. They are also nicely executed by singing devotional songs.

Learn from the ancient histories about the propitiousness of devotional service, in other words, know how favorable situations developed from unfavorable worldly interests. An unfavorable misfortune is made favorable by devotional service after some time. All objects in the whole manifested world are ingredients for serving Krsna. The intelligence turning away from service has a disastrous effect on our inclinations, engaging the objects for our enjoyment. As soon as we see, by awakening of transcendental knowledge, how everything in the world has its relationship with Krsna, we cannot be consumed by the poisonous fruits of fame.

Cancala jivana-srota pravahiya, kaler sagare dhae - "This flickering life is slowly drifting away, flowing onward into the ocean of time." [bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sri Kalyana Kalpa-taru, part 3, song 4] With this knowledge it is necessary to become permanently attached to the Lord's service. Thus it is my duty to willingly and happily accept whatever pleases Krsna. If Krsna feels happy when neglecting me, which makes me sad, then it is to be welcomed by me.

Tomara sevaya, duhkha hoya jato, sei to' parama sukha - "All the troubles encountered in Your service shall be the cause of great happiness," [bhaktivinoda Thakura, Saranagati, part 2, song 8] - that is Vaisnava realization, that you try to follow. When we free ourselves, by serving Krsna, of all anarthas, it brings about the everlastingly auspicious result for us. The former behavior of Bilvamangala Thakura, talking of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, quibbling of Prakasananda - all of these anarthas eventually turned into Krsna's service. Therefore do not mind your previous anarthas at all. The present anarthas will have no power, if you take advantage of the power of hearing and chanting. Our life lasts a few days only, therefore endeavor sincerely to serve the Lord before death comes. Following mahajanas is the only bridge leading to our good fortune.

Consider the verse aham tarisyami duranta-param - "I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Krsna. This was approved by the previous acaryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramatma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." [sB 11.23.57] I have read your letter to Sri Bhaktivilasa Thakura, and he expressed his satisfaction.

As the result of my previous misbehavior, I am sometimes well and sometimes my state turns bad. When I think I am OK, then I lose my interest in Krsna, and consequently I consider myself better than devotees, whom I consider inferior. Thus Krsna, having judged my condition, keeps me in various kinds of distress, painful discomfort and problems. At that time I try to understand the meaning of the verse tat te 'nukampam - "My dear Lord, one who constantly waits for Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him and who goes on suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim." [sB 10.14.8] People of the world, permanently maddened by pleasures independent of Krsna, want to quarrel with others. When I am busy serving Krsna, the whole world attacks me.

I hope you are well.

your ever well-wisher,

[nityasirbadok; literally "one who blesses eternally"]

Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati

Murali_Mohan_das · May 17, 2007

All objects in the whole manifested world are ingredients for serving Krsna.

Amazing letters! This sentence jumped out, though, as giving so much hope.

Guruvani · May 17, 2007

I think personal letters should stay exactly that.

This was a personal and private letter.

I don't think anyone has the right to make these kinds of personal letters for public display.

I also question the motives of the anonymous guest who has posted this letter.

Could be some enemy of the Saraswata sampradaya as far as that goes.

I don't think that anyone should be allowed to anonymously post such private and personal letters as this.

the anonymous posting is immediate grounds for suspicion as far as I am concerned.

I don't think this person is a friend of the Saraswata camp.

I think he is a trouble-maker.

Murali_Mohan_das · May 17, 2007

Guruvani Prabhu,

Your deep grasp of the Vaishnava conception is evident from your more level-headed expositions. Yet, there appears to be a war raging inside your mind.

A very good friend of mine once pointed out to me that almost all of my songs start with the word "I". It gave me pause to think.

In the post below, you start five sentences with the word "I". What does this say about your statement?

To satisfy my interest, can you point out just why it is you are so offended by these letters being posted and why the poster might be inimical to Bhakti? I'm oblivious to any reason.

If we see Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta) as having come here to deliver us from misery, why would he object to us finding nourishment from any words he had written or spoken?

I think personal letters should stay exactly that.

This was a personal and private letter.

I don't think anyone has the right to make these kinds of personal letters for public display.

I also question the motives of the anonymous guest who has posted this letter.

Could be some enemy of the Saraswata sampradaya as far as that goes.

I don't think that anyone should be allowed to anonymously post such private and personal letters as this.

the anonymous posting is immediate grounds for suspicion as far as I am concerned.

I don't think these person is a friend of the Saraswata camp.

I think he is a trouble-maker.

Guruvani · May 17, 2007

Guruvani Prabhu,

Your deep grasp of the Vaishnava conception is evident from your more level-headed expositions. Yet, there appears to be a war raging inside your mind.

A very good friend of mine once pointed out to me that almost all of my songs start with the word "I". It gave me pause to think.

In the post below, you start five sentences with the word "I". What does this say about your statement?

To satisfy my interest, can you point out just why it is you are so offended by these letters being posted and why the poster might be inimical to Bhakti? I'm oblivious to any reason.

If we see Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta) as having come here to deliver us from misery, why would he object to us finding nourishment from any words he had written or spoken?

I think the person who posted this letter has invaded the privacy of Srila Saraswati Goswami.

I think he has taken liberties he had no right to take.

I am speaking for myself as I can't speak for anybody else.

That is why I use the word I when I say what I feel like I want to say.

I think that says enough.

Murali_Mohan_das · May 17, 2007

I think the person who posted this letter has invaded the privacy of Srila Saraswati Goswami.
I think he has taken liberties he had no right to take.

I am speaking for myself as I can't speak for anybody else.

That is why I use the word I when I say what I feel like I want to say.

I think that says enough.

The sincere have no secrets and no shame (since they shamelessly spread the glories of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga). What need have they for privacy?

If Srila Bhaktisiddhanta (or Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada) was so concerned with the privacy of his correspondence, no doubt he could have instructed his disciples to keep his letters private or destroy them upon reading them. For that matter, ciphers and codes have been in use for centuries.