bhakti-lata-bija ----the seed of bhakti

[theist]

The goal is for the creeper of devotion to grow to Goloka and flower at Krsna's lotus feet. But how can there be a creeper without first having a planted seed?

 

Some have told me this seed comes only at formal initiation.

 

Others say the presence of the seed is initiation.

 

Letter to: Larry Snyder, Mark Perlman, John Curran

--

Los Angeles

1 February, 1969

69-02-01

 

My Dear Larry Snyder, Mark Perlman and John Curran,

 

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your very nice letter dated January 23, 1969, and I have read the contents with great satisfaction. Your eagerness to spread the Krishna Consciousness movement in that party of the country is certainly dictated by Krishna, Who is situated within your heart. There are innumerable living entities wandering within the universe in different forms of life and conditions in different planetary systems. Out of many, many of such conditioned souls, only one will come into contact with a bona fide Spiritual Master by the Grace of Krishna. Krishna can understand from within the sincerity of purpose of a particular living entity, and He gives direction to such sincere devotee to the path of realizing Krishna Consciousness. So you have already achieved to this stage of life. Please do not miss the opportunity. Although you are not formally initiated, you have associated with our devotees in the New York temple, and it has acted. The seed is already there in you and it has to be helped to grow and fructify. The best means of watering this seed of Krishna Consciousness is to chant and hear Hare Krishna. Now you have got our book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and also you have available our regular publication, Back To Godhead. In the latest issue there is an article you should read called the Isopanisad. So with these literatures you can immediately start a center wherever it is possible for you. I think that Florida will be a very nice place for this, and I have always had a great desire to open a center there.

 

So my advise to you is that you make a small center immediately, and, if possible, get some musical instruments from New York. Brahmananda will supply you with a mrdanga and a few pairs of cymbals. Simply you have to sit down together as you have seen done in New York. Just begin chanting Hare Krishna in the accompaniment of a beating drum and the playing of cymbals. There is no necessity of any other instrument at present. The chanting is very simple; Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So in this way for 15-20 minutes you chant, and then read from our Bhagavad-gita. There is explanation there as far as possible to convince everyone what is the importance of Krishna Consciousness. So 15 minutes of chanting and dancing, and 1/2 hour of reading from text of Bhagavad-gita, then questions and answers, and at last chanting again of Hare Krishna. In this way you can begin, and there will be no difficulty. Gradually, as you get even more interested in this procedure,

[page MISSING]