a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1975 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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17 December 2008 17 December, 1975 Bombay My Dear Svarupa Damodara dasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 29, 1975. I have noted the contents carefully. Your book is selling very nicely in south India, people are appreciating it very much. This scientific book should be done very carefully, so that people in general may not be mislead by the over intelligent scientists. There are so many contradictory things, but we have our authority and they have their authority. Our knowledge is from Vedic scriptures which we accept as definite and without any mistake. A modern scientist believes that there was no civilization before 3,000 years, our Bhagavatam was spoken by Sukadeva Goswami 5,000 years ago and he is explaining "as I have heard it from authority," so we have got parampara system for millions of years. If there was no civilization before 3,000 years, then how this subject matter of knowledge could be discussed? How could it be received through the param-para system? So there is contradiction certainly. But the statement that there was no civilization 3,000 years ago can be adjusted by the conviction that there was civilization, millions and millions of years ago. For more information regarding Vedic astronomy you can consult any learned astronomer, there are many in Calcutta, my Guru Maharaja was also very learned in this field. My point is life comes from life. They say life has come from chemicals, so how these things can be adjusted? Besides that the scientists change their theories after some years, this proves that they have no perfect knowledge, otherwise where is the necessity of changing? That is the basic point of our argument. Perfect knowledge is never changeable. If we can prove that life comes from life, or the soul is from the supper soul, then all other things can be brought into serious consideration. So you try to prove that chemical combination can never bring about life, this is our main argument. If we can prove this particular subject matter, that the soul cannot be manufactured by combination of chemicals, then gradually we can prove that Vedic knowledge is perfect, while other sources of knowledge by speculation and imagination are all wrong. The other day I was talking on the morning walk about the sun globe. They say because it is fiery there cannot be any life there, but sometimes we see a big iron factory is full of flames from the chimney at a long distance, but does it mean there is no life in the factory? Fire is one of the five material elements, and Bhagavad-gita says that the soul is never burnt by fire. So in the sun globe globe if the living entities have a fiery body, just as fish have body suitable for living in the water, so how is it that there is no living entity in the sun globe if they have a body suitable to live in the sun globe? In the Vedic literatures it is said that there are germs (agni pok) within the fire. There are so many contradictions, but we have our own defense. Why should we blindly accept imperfect scientists, they are imperfect because they are changing their position in the name of progress. The word progress is used when there is imperfection at the beginning. So this regular changing of standard knowledge in the name of progress proves that they are always imperfect. It is a fact that they are imperfect, because they gather knowledge with imperfect senses. At any rate we cannot deviate from Vedic knowledge. Regarding coming to Mayapur festival, you must come, because after that we are going to Manipur. I will send your corrections to the editors. Thank you. I hope this letter finds you well. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/hda Labels: Atlanta, scientists, Vedic letters | 01:44 |21 November 2008 21 November, 1975 Bombay My dear Svarupa Damodara das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 9, 1975. Regarding Manipur, I have replied your letter on November 12th and have informed them that we will be able to go to Manipur in April of 1976. And I am glad to note that Dr. Wolf is ready to help the German translation work. I know that he is a sincere devotee and I pray for his ever advancement in Krsna consciousness. I am glad to note that your book about the origin of matter and life is progressing very well. This will be a great challenge. From the Srimad-Bhagavatam we learn that the universe is like a tree with the roots being upwards. The pole star which is situated within the constellation is the root. The universe is pivoting around the pole star. That is one movement. The second movement is that the sun is revolving around the universe, or as if it were going around the tree. That is the second movement. The sun is not fixed. If this is proved, then their whole scientific theory collapses. According to them, the stars are all suns. The stars may have the same composition as the sun but they are not suns. The Brahma-samhita says that the sun is the king with unlimited light and temperature. The Srimad-Bhagavatam sublime literature describes all these things and it was written five thousand years ago. And they say that five thousand years ago there was no civilization. That Srimad-Bhagavatam has this information proves that Indian civilization is the oldest civilization. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd letters | 08:36 | 12 November 2008 12 November, 1975 Bombay My dear Svarupa Damodara das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 11, 1975. I had never received your letter of September 21st and the invitation for going to Imphal for Manipur Gita Mandal. So I have now written them a letter as per enclosed and please find enclosed the copies. So we shall go there in April, 1976 and I will take some of my disciples who are good kirtana men. So you also should come and join in this program. Please arrange for that. Regarding your letter of September 21, yes, it is a very good idea to have a meeting at the Mayapur meeting time to thoroughly discuss the Bhaktivedanta Institute. So please do the needful. It will be a great service if you can organize such an Institute in the U.S.A. In Dallas there is one former army base which is now vacant that has a number of buildings and enough land. It is located about 70 miles from the city of Dallas. So you should immediately correspond with Jagadisa. It is very big and nice. I think we should take it for the Bhaktivedanta Institute. The climate there is also nice. I am glad that you are doing lectures in the various universities. When you go, take all of our books and keep them in your front. We have got so many books for study. I am forwarding you the letter which Dr. Wolf has written me. I have not replied it, but you can reply it as you think fit. Also enclosed is one article sent to me by Hayagriva about the new discovery which creates turmoil and confuses the physicists. The material scientists, they are discovering so many particles, but they have not yet discovered the soul. In Bhagavad-gita we learn: apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat (Bg. 7.5) That the jiva-atma is the superior particle and these other particles are all inferior. So this is their business, to discover the inferior particles and neither have they discovered the superior particle which is one ten-thousandth the tip of a hair. Simply they are wasting their time. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: Atlanta, Bhaktivedanta Institute, Manipur letters | 01:09 |24 October 2008 Friday, 24 October, 1975 Mauritius My dear Svarupa Damodara das, Please accept my blessings. Since a long time I have not heard from you. About a week before when I was in passing from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, I saw several factories for preparing chickens. The modern scientist, they say, from chemical life has come, or life from matter. So, I suggested that a little chemical composition may be made by the scientists with some yellow color, and why not put this artificial egg in an incubator and get more and more chickens. If they cannot produce even a chicken or even an egg of chicken, how can we believe their very big, big talks. In the words of Bhagavad-gita, they are described as mudhah, mayaya-apahrta jnana. Besides that, can you tell me what is the scientific opinion of the days being consecutively Sunday then Monday, then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and last Saturday? What is the history of this set-up? (from Sunday to Saturday). According to our sastra, sun is first, then moon, then Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, like that. In other words, from Bhagavatam we understand that the moon is 1,600,000 miles above the sun. If that is true, then is it possible to go to the moon planet by persons who can never imagine to go the distance to the sun planet? Under the circumstances, if we say that they have never gone to the moon planet, is it exaggeration? You are a scientist, I hope you will reply these 2 points scientifically. If the moon planet is actually far away from the sun planet, how they can go there and publish in the paper that the moon planet is the nearest planet. Enclosed you will find one form for application to a new professorship that has opened up in the big university here in Durban, South Africa. It is a university only for Indian students, and the rector there is very much impressed and eager to have one of our men with the educational qualifications to come and take the seat of professor there. The rector wants an experienced teacher for Vedic Culture. The whole Vedic Culture is discuss in our books. I think that you shall be able to do this job very well. Please fill out the form enclosed and return to the Johannesburg Temple, 59 Muller Street, Yeoville, Johannesburg, South Africa. When mentioning your qualifications, you can also mention that you are a Bhakti-sastri from (ISKCON). I hope that this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Labels: astrology, Atlanta, scientists letters | 03:08 |30 September 2008 30 September, 1975 Bombay My Dear Svarupa Damodara das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 16, 1975 addressed to Brahmananda Swami. The purpose of the Institute is to achieve the distinction of human life. The human being is meant for understanding his real identity. If a human being becomes entrapped with this body which may be American, Indian, brahmana, ksatriya, and so many other designations, then he remains on the platform of cats and dogs. A dog or a cat is thinking he is such and such. Similarly a human being thinks he is this and that designation, then he remains in the dog and cat category. The Institute will be primarily for those who have not entered our temples. The subject matter will not be different from what is taught in our temples. There will be no difference between our temples and the Institute, but the Institute will be official for the general mass. It will be a formal education and they will get degree. It will be open for everyone, including those who have already entered our temples, they may also participate. But, the subject matter should not be different from what is in the temples. I hope this meets you in good health. I have heard that Dr. Wolf has turned against us. What is his complaint? Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs Labels: Atlanta, Bhaktivedanta Institute letters | 12:25 |21 September 2008 Sunday, 21 September, 1975 Vrndavana Srimati Harinama-devi dasi Srimati Tadit-devi dasi Bhaktin De Anna My dear devotees, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter. I thank you very much for the package containing the woolen slippers and the nice bag for the karatalas. They are very nicely done. Regarding the baby Acarya das, yes, the name is approved by me and it is a very nice thing that he was born with umbilical cord wrapped like sacred thread. I am very pleased to hear about the book distribution. I know that Atlanta is very good place for book distribution and you are doing it nicely. So please continue. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: Atlanta letters | 04:27 |7 September 2008 7 September, 1975 Vrindaban My dear Balavanta das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated with enclosed check for $500. Thank you very much. I am very glad to hear that everything is going on nicely, especially your developing your new 250-acre farm. Yes, if you can get the government to support our project, that would be big triumph for us. They are spending millions and millions of dollars trying to keep the young people from turning into hippies, drug-addicted, and we are actually doing it. So why they should not give us some support? Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following as twice-born initiated brahmanas and their sanctified threads and mantra sheets are enclosed: Ballabadra Bhattacarya das Brahmacari and Mahejya das Brahmacari. I also accept as my initiated disciples the following and their spiritual names are: Dr. Richard Thompson, Ph.D.--Sadaputa das; Mike Dunn--Vedaguhya das; Chuck and Diana Sanders--Munjakesa das and Madamohini dasi; Cindy Barber--Janmasunya dasi. Please see that they are chanting 16 rounds without fail. You should hold a fire sacrifice and let the second initiates hear the mantra from my recorded tape through their right ear. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/BS/mdd Labels: Atlanta, farm, initiation letters | 13:21 |31 August 2008 31 August, 1975 Vrindaban My Dear Svarupa Damodara das: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 6, 1975 with enclosed photo of the Gaura Nitai Deities. It is very nice how you are worshipping the Deities. Our movement of Krishna consciousness is not dry. Your letter was pleasing to me. I am glad that you have keen interest in the Institute program. Be ready, as I am negotiating. As soon as it is complete, I shall send a telegram for you to come. In the meantime request all GBC's to send lists of all our disciples who have B.A., M.A. or Ph.D. degrees. I am glad to know that you are getting nice cows for your farm. If you have good cows then you will have good milk, which is the most important food. We are giving cow protection in the very place where they are eaten. At Bon Maharaja's Institute there is enough land for also keeping cows. I was not able to come to Atlanta because I was called here to India on urgent business. Also I was feeling inconvenient by so much travelling. Regarding your question, so long they are not getting the human form by natural elevation, they are under the laws of nature, prakrteh kriyamanani, gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Material nature is helping to bring him to the human body, or human species. When a human being is civilized he can take knowledge from Vedic literature. So in Kali Yuga the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic literatures: nigama kalpa taror galitam phalam [SB 1.1.3]. So by study of Srimad-Bhagavatam under the bona fide spiritual master, one becomes aware of the full value of life, and then he revives his original Krishna consciousness. That is the perfection of life. The individual soul is already under specific material nature, and the process is going on in lower grades of life, but in the human form of life by advancement of education, one can become above the modes of material nature. That chance is given to him. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: yanti deva vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. So if he likes he can go back to Godhead, yanti mad yajino 'pi mam, and stop this transmigration process. Then he comes again perfect in Krishna consciousness. We are trying to bring the human society to this stage of life. In human life even in the lower stage of modes of nature, he can come to the higher stage. That is our movement. In the animal form there is no chance, only in the human form. Unfortunately the modern mode of education is to kill the chance. In animal stage of life it is very dangerous. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami N.B. The negotiation with Bon Maharaja is not very feasible. It is too much encumberous. So if it possible, you start the Institute in USA. Do you think it is possible here in India or in USA? ACBS/bs Labels: Atlanta, Institute, Srimad Bhagavatam letters | 05:43 |5 July 2008 5 July, 1975 Evanston, Illinois My Dear Svarupa Damodara das: Please accept my blessings. I have read Dr. Wolf's letter addressed to you dated July 1, 1975. I think he has given you good, sane advice. I think you should not think of relinquish your job without meeting me and discussing the matter deeply. Don't do anything out of sentiment. You must make the best use of a bad bargain. Unless you keep your job, you will not be considered an important man in the material sense. And, if you are not an important man, then who will listen to you? I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/bs cc: Dr. W.H. Wolf-Rottkay, California letters | 03:49 | 23 June 2008 23 June, 1975 Los Angeles My Dear Svarupa Damodara dasa: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 20, 1975 with enclosures, and I thank you very much for it. It is very good that you are progressing with the book proving scientifically that Lord Sri Krishna is the origin of life. Yes, do it slowly but surely. It is important work for our preaching mission. As you say you are thinking of retiring from the university, yes, as you are not a family man, you can do it for better service to the Lord. Regarding Manipur, you said that there is a Govinda temple there and that they are willing to hand over the management. I think somebody came to see me in India about it, but I don't exactly remember the name. The best thing will be for you to retire and take charge of such a noble project. Regarding your question about the jiva soul in the heart and the jiva soul within the cells, they are separate. Both are jiva atmas, but a particular jiva belongs to a particular body. There is the jiva in this body, but there are also jivas within the cells. Just like I am living within this apartment, but does it mean that no other living entity can live here. There are so many ants, flies, bugs, they are also living within the apartment. Even in my stool there are thousands of living entities. Your second question is not very clear what you want to ask, but the fact is that each and every living entity is covered by two kinds of bodies, one subtle and one gross. So the subtle body causes the living entity to take another gross body. We have got experience that in dreaming the gross body is inactive while the subtle body is continuing activities; and again in deep sleep the subtle body is continuing activities. The living entity after being carried by the subtle body to another gross body, it sometimes remains in deep sleep in the womb of the mother. Then gradually the subtle body begins to act within another gross body. When this gross body is fully developed befitting to come out of the mother's body, that is called another birth. Again he changes to another gross body imperceptibly. Just like in the film thousands of pictures are moved imperceptibly. It looks that the body in the picture is moving, but the audience cannot understand that there are so many pictures in the spool. They think that the picture is moving. Similarly every second every moment we are changing the body. Those who are not sober cannot understand how the spirit soul is changing from one body to another. Krsna therefore says that this change of body can be appreciated only by the dhiras. dhiras tatra na muhyati. While those who are not dhiras cannot understand how the soul is changing from one body to another. There are two kind of men, dhira and adhira. The modern education is producing only the adhira class who are neither sober or educated. Therefore the majority of the population cannot understand how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. They are only interested in wine and woman under the impression of the bodily concept of life. Therefore out of so many scientists in this country only you and the few others are understanding the importance of this subject matter. manusyanam sahasresu [Bg. 7.3]. So please work very hard, following our rules and regulations and you will always remain in the fire of Krsna consciousness. Regarding your asking me to come to Atlanta, it may be possible. That I shall see. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:08 | 15 February 2008 15 February, 1975 Mexico City My dear Svarupa Damodara dasa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 20th, 1975 and have noted the contents. I was very glad to receive your letter and to hear that you are feeling very happy in Krishna's service. I will be coming to Atlanta around the first week of March. Rupanuga prabhu has informed me that he will call a meeting of all the scientists in the movement at that time in Atlanta. So I will be seeing all of you there. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Atlanta, scientists letters | 18:44 |16 January 2008 16 January, 1975 16 January, 1975 My dear Tripurari das, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated Jan. 1st and 5th, 1975 and have noted the contents. My general request is that you all distribute as many books as possible and at the same time be very careful in dealings with others so that they may not become irritated with us. Your book sale statistics are astounding. I am so much pleased. Please continue distributing such nice quantities and try to enthuse others more and more. You are sincere, so Krishna will give you all intelligence, strength and everything else you may need to distribute millions and millions of books. I have written letters to Ramesvara and Rupanuga in regards to the recent controversies about book distribution methods to be used by our men. You may refer to those letters if you like. Regarding the two boys you mentioned, they can receive initiation in Mayapur as long as they are recommended by the temple president or GBC. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami ACBS/ps Labels: Atlanta, book distribution letters | 17:19 | |
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