I am preaching the Hare Krishna movement throughout the country

October 21, 2003

Los Angeles

1st February, 1968

Dear HareKrishnaji,

Please accept my greetings. I hope you are all well with your associates. You will be glad to learn that I came here to the United States in 1965, and since then I am preaching the Hare Krishna movement throughout the country. The Society's name is as above, and I have got six branches at the present moment, as follows:

ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple

26 Second Avenue

New York, N.Y. 10003

ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple

518 Frederick Street

San Francisco, Calif. 94117

ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple

95 Glenville Avenue

Allston, Massachusetts 02134

ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple

5364 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, Calif. 90019

ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple

3720 Park Avenue

Montreal 18, Quebec, Canada

ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple

411 B.W. Water St.

Santa Few, New Mexico 87501

Now I want to send a batch of disciples into India, and you will see how they are absorbed in this SAMKIRTAN movement. When I was in India, I had some talks with you and you were interested in the matter of spreading the SAMKIRTAN movement, HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE, all over the world. I shall be glad to hear from you if you still maintain the idea, and if so, there is ample opportunity now to spread this Bhagwat movement, backed by literatures like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagwatam, Lord Chaitanya's teachings, etc, which are already published. You will be glad to know also that my Gita under the title of Geetopanisad, or Bhagavad Gita as it is, is going to be published by Messrs. MacMillan and Co. of New York. Gradually they will take up my English version of Srimad Bhagwatam, Brahma Samhita, etc.

The younger section of this country, both boys and girls, are taking great interest in this movement. At present I have more than 100 students already initiated, strictly following the Vaishnava regulations. They are freed from following bad habits, namely; illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling, and non-vegetarian diet. So there is ample opportunity for spreading this original Indian cultural movement all over the world, and because you have interest in it, I shall be very glad to hear from you by return of post how you can cooperate in this world wide movement.

I shall request you in this connection to secure a copy of "Ilustrated Weekly of The Times of India," published on January 21, 1968 and see on page 38 how our movement is going on. Many papers in this country also, especially LIFE magazine, Times of India, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other minor papers have printed articles about our movement. The late Ambassador of India, now Governor of Assam, Sri B.K. Nehru, has also great appreciation for these activities.

You will be glad to know that we draw no distinction of caste, creed, or nationality. So if there is any possibility of uniting the whole human race under one religion, under one scripture, under one mantra, under one activity, then this movement will be active. Our mission is one God, Sri Krishna; one scripture, Bhagavad Gita; one mantra, HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE; and one activity, namely to serve Lord Krishna with life, wealth, intelligence, and words.

I shall be glad to hear from you how much you are interested in this movement. On hearing from you favorably, I shall arrange to send a batch of trained disciples of this country to exhibit in all important cities of India how they are working.

Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Acharya

October 23, 2003

Letters from Srila Prabhupada #41

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San Francisco

22nd March, 1968

My Dear Terry, and associates,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 16, and I thank you very much for it. I am so much pleased to hear the wonderful news of your Samkirtana meetings in N.J. It is very good. This sort of enterprise is the most valuable spiritual attempt. And I thank you from the core of my heart for doing such a nice thing. Krishna will be pleased upon you, and bestow His Benediction. Similarly, we want to open hundreds of centers, so that people may take up K.C. -- that is our mission. It is an easy process, and appealing, and the highest spiritual realization simultaneously. Please continue your excellent work in Krishna's service, and when I come to NY, I shall come there to see how nicely things are being carried on.

I am happy to hear that you continued to chant despite so many doubts and skepticism. That is the process. Even there may be doubts and skepticism, if one continues the chanting process, the doubts will all disappear, and real knowledge will be revaled by the Grace of Krishna. There is the example given of the jaundice patient. He is suffering from disease, and when given sugar-candy, which is the cure, he finds it very bitter and distasteful. But that does not mean the sugar-candy is not very

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<< Back sweet or delicious; it is simply due to his diseased condition that it seems bitter. In order to be cured from his disease, he must take the medicine of sugar-candy, despite the apparently bitter taste, and as he becomes cured, the real sweet taste of the candy is gradually revealed. Similarly, we are diseased, and only if we take to this chanting process may we be cured. Maya may put so many doubts and worthless arguments into our minds, but if we continue the chanting, the curing process will go on, never mind the doubts, and gradually we will get a taste of that sweet nectar of Krishna Nama Sankirtan. That is the process; and you may explain it to all your friends, so they may understand the nature of their doubts and skepticism, and be benefitted.

Yes, your devotion will grow at "doubled rates" as you give more and more service to the Supreme Lord. Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita that the one who is spreading KC is the most dear to Him. So, you are doing the most valuable service to the Lord by introducing your class-fellows and friends to this Samkirtan movement, and therefore, you will feel more and more increase in your devotion to the Lord. Please continue to do like this, and Krishna will be pleased, and you will be always happy in this life, and what to speak of the next.

Hoping you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

ACB

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October 25, 2003

Montreal

3rd August, 1968

His Holiness The Pope, Paul Vl

Vicar of Jesus Christ

State of Vatican City

Rome, Italy

Your Holiness:

Please accept my respectful humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. I beg to introduce myself as an Indian monk, following the Vedic principles of religious life, and at the present, I am in the renounced order of Sannyas (aged 72 years) and preaching God consciousness all over the world. I came to America in 1965, and since then I have many followers belonging to both Christian and Jewish faiths. And I have established 8 centers of Krishna consciousness temples in the USA and Canada. In the month of September, 1968, I am scheduled to go to London on this mission, and maybe I can visit other cities of European countries.

My mission is in the line of Lord Chaitanya, Who is personified Love of Godhead, and Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India, and preached God consciousness all over the country. His mission is to revive God consciousness all over the world, on the basis of Srimad Bhagavatam (Science of God). The principle of Srimad Bhagavatam is that any religious faith which helps a man to develop Love of God, without any motive, and without being hampered by any material condition, is transcendental religion. And the best process or the easist process, in this age especially, is to chant the Holy name of God. From this definition of religion as we find in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the criterion test of religion is how it helps people to develop his dormant Love of God, which is not materially invoked, but it is aroused from within by bona fide association of devotees and hearing about God.

The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose, namely, to invoke the dormant Love of God, because better development of consciousness is found in the human body. Animal propensities for sense gratification is equally found both in man and animals. But the special significance of human life is to achieve Love of God as the prime perfection of life. Unfortunately, at the present moment people are more concerned about the principle of sense gratification, or the animal part of human life, and they are gradually declining in God consciousness. This tendency is very much deteriorating, and because Your Holiness is the Head of a great religious sect, I think we should meet together and chalk out a program for cooperation.

The human society cannot anymore be allowed to continue a Godless civilization at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygenic principles, forgiveness, and mercifulness. Because on account of predominance of these principles at the present moment, duration of life, strength, and memory of the human being is decreasing.

The human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity, and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method or abortion is considered equivalent to murder.

Therefore, in the matter of sex, the human society is gradually degrading even less than decent animals. As a result of unrestricted sense gratification, even in ordinary dealing, a man cannot trust another man, because the cheating propensity of a man has increased beyond imagination. Attraction of young boys for young girls is no more as a matter of love, but such attraction is only on the basis of sexual potency. As soon as there is slackening of sex life, there is immediately the divorce petition.

In India, which was one day the land of religion and Brahminical culture, things have deteriorated to such an extent that a man in a higher caste is recognized simply by putting a piece of thread on the body as a sign of sanctity. The so-called Swamis are cheating the public because the public also want to be cheated by cheap method of self-realization. They are practicing so-called yoga performances for the matter of reducing fat, and keeping the body fit for sense gratification. If somebody has no sufficient money, it is very hard for him to get justice from the court. And if anyone can simply bluff by so-called advancement of knowledge, he is offered the doctorate degree. If a man is poor, he is at once accepted as non-civilized. If a man is falsely proud, he is accepted as civilized. By frustration, people are gradually becoming communists and hippies, and the guardians of the society must now take up the situation very seriously, without further delay.

The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are creating men of character, and we are training our disciples to become Lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) Sex life outside of marriage, 2) Meat eating, or eating of any animal food, 3.) All forms of intoxication, 4) Gambling and idle sports. The teachings are based on authorized movement of Lord Chaitanya, on the principles of Bhagavad Gita, as the beginning, and Srimad Bhagavatam as the graduation.

I do not wish to prolong the body of this letter further, but if you think that a meeting with You will be beneficial for the human society at large, I shall be very much pleased if Your Holiness will grant me an interview. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply.

Yours in the service of the Lord,

ACB

November 2, 2003

Montreal

22nd August, 1968

My Dear Daniel,

Please accept my blessings. I am so much thankful to you for your good wishes, and your realization that you are the eternal servant of Krishna. It is the primary understanding of our consitutional position. Actually, we are servant, but in the conditioned state, every one of us is posing as the master. The sooner we forget that we are not the master, we are servant; and if though we are not inclined to serve Krishna, we have to become the servant of the senses. So the sooner we realize this fact, that our constitutional position is servant, that means we are liberated. Liberation means to be situated in one's original position. Just like a man suffering from fever, so relief from fever means to be situated in normal condition. So service is our normal condition, but this service being misplaced, we are not happy but as soon as the service is placed to the right person, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, everything becomes happy and successful.

Please go on chanting "Govinda Jai Jai," along with "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare." And in any condition you shall be happy without any doubt. Thanking you once more for your postcard, and I beg to remain

Your ever well-wisher

April 29, 2004

hari krishn i also pray to lord krishna and believes he is my one true love and life i believe he is within us all. and i know he is always with us he dances when i dance and he is my every life that i have i love krsna