Why Doesn’t God Just Appear so we Can See Him?

Why is it that God does not just manifest Himself? Wouldn’t that end all the disbelief in the Lord? Wouldn’t that end atheism completely? I am trying to comprehend this matter Wouldn’t it be a billion times easier for everyone from devotee to doubter if the Lord just manifested himself today before us all? I am very confused on this matter. I am a believer from faith but am still confused. Your friend, Tom

Dear Tom

Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I have been well. Thanks for asking.

Your question is a very good one. Why does Krishna not just appear before us.

The thing is we do not have the eyes to see Krishna. Krishna does sometimes appear before us in the material world but only the devotees recognize Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You may think it strange but when Krishna was present on this planet 5000 years ago in India very few people recognized Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He displayed so many pastimes impossible for any human to display. He lifted a great mountain when he was only 5 years old. He fought with and killed so many powerful demons, he was so amazingly beautiful that everyone was attracted by Him. But still most were thinking He was some extraordinarily powerful man, perhaps a demigod.

When Lord Caitanya appeared 500 years ago in India also He was not recognized by many as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He purposely did not manifest the opulence’s of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and acted as a pure devotee of Krishna, not as Krishna Himself.

Prabhupada’s Magic: He Got the Whole World Chanting Hare Krishna! (MP3 Audio 1977 Conversation)

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Throughout the whole world we are chanting Hare Krishna. Is not that magic? Foreign countries, foreign religion, and they are accepting Krishna and chanting Hare Krishna. Is not that magic?

Tamala Krishna: He was asking that… He was hoping that because he had heard that you had some mystical powers, so he was hoping that you could help his situation by demonstrating some of these mystical powers.

Prabhupada: Some magic. Our magic is already there. Throughout the whole world we are chanting Hare Krsna. Is not that magic? Foreign countries, foreign religion, and they are accepting Krsna and chanting Hare Krsna. Is not that magic?

Indian man (1): It is.

Prabhupada: And still more magic? The world is chanting Hare Krsna. Boliye?

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah

He is yogi. There are many varieties of yogis. And Krsna concludes, “Of all the yogis, big, big yogis, the person who is always remembering Krsna and chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantrais first class.” This is said by Krsna, not by me. Therefore it is authorized statement. Without Krsna consciousness, all these mystic powers… They may be temporarily some magic, but Krsna says that “One who is always remembering Me,” satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah, “he is first-class yogi.” So all these persons who are chanting Hare Krsna according to the prescribed rules and regulations, without any offense… There are ten kinds of offenses. So in the beginning there may be offenses. It doesn’t matter. It will be rectified. Offenseless chanting means mukti, and then pure chanting means love of Godhead. There are three stages. In the beginning, when one begins chanting, it is not pure. There are so many offenses. But chanting, chanting, the offenses become purified. Offenseless chanting is not purified completely, but it is offenseless. So offenseless chanting makes one liberated, and then pure chanting makes one lover of God. This is the process. So chanting is definite mystic power. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, ceto-darpana-marjanam: “By chanting, your heart becomes purified.” Ceto-darpana. We are suffering in this material world on account of… (background talking) (aside:) Ask him not to talk loudly. On account of impurities… (aside:) What is the use of talking? The first impurity is identifying… (aside:) Stop him. Don’t talk at all.

Indian man (1): It is one gentle…, one person. He says, “I am Bengali.” And he has got some trouble. He was told that “If you have got any physical trouble, go to the medical practitioners.”

Prabhupada: Yes.

Living With the Devotees (Compilation of Quotes)

One cannot live outside the society of devotees; one must live in the association of devotees, where there is constant chanting and hearing of the glories of the Lord. The Krsna consciousness movement is started for this purpose, so that hundreds of centers may give people a chance to hear and chant, to accept the spiritual master and to disassociate themselves from persons who are materially interested, for in this way

SB 1.5.28 P Narada’s Instructions on Srimad-Bhagavatam for Vyasadeva
Transcendental loving service for the Supreme Lord is the natural inclination of every living being. The instinct is dormant in everyone, but due to the association of material nature the modes of passion and ignorance cover this from time immemorial. If, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough to associate with the unadulterated devotees of the Lord and gets a chance to hear the unadulterated glories of the Lord, certainly the flow of devotional service takes place like the flow of a river. As the river flows on till she reaches the sea, similarly pure devotional service flows by the association of pure devotees till it reaches the ultimate goal, namely, transcendental love of God. Such a flow of devotional service cannot stop. On the contrary, it increases more and more without limitation. The flow of devotional service is so potent that any onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance. These two qualities of nature are thus removed, and the living being is liberated, being situated in his original position.

SB 1.19.16 P The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami
That a devotee of the Lord is the only perfect living being is explained herein by Maharaja Pariksit. A devotee of the Lord is no one’s enemy, although there may be many enemies of a devotee. A devotee of the Lord does not like to associate with nondevotees, although he has no enmity with them. He desires association with the devotees of the Lord. This is perfectly natural because birds of the same feather mix together. And the most important function of a devotee is to have complete attachment for Lord Sri Krsna, the father of all living beings. As a good son of the father behaves in a friendly way with all his other brothers, so also the devotee of the Lord, being a good son of the supreme father, Lord Krsna, sees all other living beings in relation with the supreme father. He tries to bring back the upstart sons of the father to a saner stage and to get them to accept the supreme fatherhood of God. Maharaja Pariksit was certainly going back to Godhead, but even if he were not to go back, he prayed for a pattern of life which is the most perfect way in the material world. A pure devotee does not desire the company of a personality as great as Brahma, but he prefers the association of a petty living being, provided he is a devotee of the Lord.

SB 3.8.2 P Manifestation of Brahma from Garbhodakasayi Visnu
The sage Maitreya proposed to speak on Srimad-Bhagavatam because it was especially compiled, and traditionally comes down in the disciplic succession, for the solution of all the problems of human society. Only one who is fortunate can have the opportunity to hearSrimad-Bhagavatam in the association of pure devotees of the Lord. Under the spell of material energy, the living entities are entrapped in the bondage of many difficulties simply for the sake of a little bit of material happiness. They engage in fruitive activities, not knowing the implications. Under the false impression that the body is the self, the living entities foolishly relate to so many false attachments. They think that they can engage with materialistic paraphernalia forever. This gross misconception of life is so strong that a person suffers continually, life after life, under the external energy of the Lord. If one comes in contact with the book Bhagavatam as well as with the devotee bhagavata, who knows what the Bhagavatam is, then such a fortunate man gets out of the material entanglement. Therefore Sri Maitreya Muni, out of compassion for the suffering men in the world, proposes to speak on the Srimad-Bhagavatam first and last.

The Art of Living (Mayapura 1977 Srimad Bhagavatam MP3 Audio Class)

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We have to train up the mind until we get the another body. That is the art of living. So if you train up your mind simply to think of Krishna then you are safe. Otherwise there is chance of accident…

Prabhupada:

sri prahlada uvaca
brahmadayah sura-gana munaya ‘tha siddhah
sattvaikatana-gatayo vacasam pravahaih
naradhitum puru-gunair adhunapi pipruh
kim tostum arhati sa me harir ugra-jateh

So ugra-jateh means demonic family, passionate. Ugra. There are three qualities within this material world. Therefore it is said guna-mayi. Daivi hy esa guna-mayi. Guna-mayi means threegunas, three modes of material nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. So our mind is jumping. Everyone knows the nature of the mind, sometimes accepting one thing, again rejecting it, sankalpa-vikalpa. This is the quality of the mind or nature of the mind. Sometimes the mind is jumping over sattva-guna, sometimes on the rajo-guna, and sometime on thetamo-guna. In this way we are getting different types of mentality. In this way, at the time of death the mentality which is just at the moment of leaving this body will carry me to a different body of sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. This is the way of transmigration of the soul. Therefore we have to train up the mind until we get the another body. That is the art of living. So if you train up your mind simply to think of Krishna then you are safe. Otherwise there is chance of accidents. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram. At the time of leaving this body, if we have not practiced the mind to fix up at the lotus feet of Krsna, then there is… (break) A particular type of body we get.

So Prahlada Maharaja, although he does not belong to this platform of mental speculation… He is nitya-siddha. He has no chance because he’s always thinking of Krsna. (loud electrical noise) (aside:) What is that? Sa vai manah… Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor. Practice this very simple thing. Krsna is here. We see the Deity daily and see the lotus feet of Krsna. Fix up your mind in that way. Then you are safe. Very simple thing. Ambarisa Maharaja, he was also a great devotee. He was king, very responsible person, politics. But he practiced in such a way that he fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. This practice. Don’t talk nonsense. (noise again) (aside:) What is the trouble? Take out.

So mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. We can learn Krsna consciousness perfectly well if we follow the mahajanas. Mahajana means great personality who are devotees of the Lord. They are called mahajanas. Jana means person. Just like in ordinary way, in India a person is calledmahajana who is very rich. So this mahajana means one who is rich in devotional service. He is called mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. So we have got Ambarisa Maharaja. We have got Prahlada Maharaja. There are many, many kings–Yudhisthira Maharaja, Pariksit Maharaja–they are rajarsi. So Krsna consciousness, actually, it is meant for very great personalities.

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave prahur
manur iksvakave ‘bravit

Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. Actually, sastra is not for the loafer class. For highly learned brahmanas and highly elevated ksatriyas. And the vaisyas and the sudras, they are not expected to become very learned in sastra, but, being directed by proper brahmanaand ksatriya, they are also perfect. The first perfect class, munayo, as it is said, sattvaikatana gatayo munayo, “Great sages…” Generally, “great sages” means brahmanas, Vaisnavas. They are situated on the sattva-guna by devotional service. Rajas, tamo-guna cannot touch them.Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya. The bhadra and abhadra, good and bad… So the rajo-guna and tamo-guna is bad, and sattva-guna is good. If we are situated, as it is said, sattvaikatana-gatayo… If you are always situated on the sattva-guna, then everything is clear to be done. Sattva-guna means prakasa. Everything is clear, full knowledge. And rajo-guna is not clear. The example is given: just like the wood. There is fire, but the first symptom of fire, wood, you’ll find smoke. When you set fire in the wood, first of all smoke comes. So smoke… First of all wood, then smoke, then fire. And from fire, when you engage the fire for fire sacrifice, that is the ultimate. Everything coming from the same source, from earth… The wood is coming from wood, the smoke is coming from smoke, the fire is coming… And fire, when engaged in fire sacrifice–svaha–then it is proper use of fire. If one stays in the wood platform, that is completely forgetfulness. When one stays in the smoke platform, there is little light. When one is staying in fire platform, then full light. And when the light is engaged in Krsna’s service, that is perfect. We have to understand like that.

WATER — This Taste is Krishna!

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“O son of Kunti, Arjuna, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether and ability in man.”

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: “O son of Kunti, Arjuna, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether and ability in man.”

Prabhupada:

raso ‘ham apsu kaunteyaprabhasmi sasi-suryayohpranavah sarva-vedesusabdah khe paurusam nrsu

This is all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should mark the important word in this verse: aham. Aham means the person. Krsna never says that “I am imperson.” Imperson is the feature of Krsna. Just like in the Ninth Chapter, Krsna says, maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina. Maya, “I am all-pervasive by My energy.”

We have already explained that Krsna has multi-energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate.That is the Vedic version, that the Absolute Truth, Supreme Person, has got multi-energies. In the Visnu Purana also: whatever we are experiencing, that is simply Krsna’s energy. Just like we can experience the heat and light from the sun. We can understand the constitution of the sun globe. Although we are ninety-three million miles, away from the sun, but by his energy, heat and light, we can understand what is the sun. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, He has got multi-energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate.

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyatena tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyateparasya saktir vividhaiva sruyatesvabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

This is the version of Upanisad. He has nothing to do. Na tasya karyam. Why? And because…Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. And nobody is equal to Him. Neither greater than Him. And He hasn’t got to do anything because He has got so many energies. Svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. Everything is being done by His energy very perfectly.

So His energy is working even in the water. You can perceive His energy within the water. We are daily using water. We are tasting water. So you can perceive Krsna’s presence, Krsna’s all-pervasiveness, even while you drink water. Every one of us, we drink water. And… So the taste of the water, Krsna says, “Here I am.” This is impersonal feature, but the person is behind. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih. Water is one of the products of this material nature, but behind this existence of water is Krsna. Then you can understand Krsna. You try to understand by studying His energy. Therefore Krsna is describing that “Although you cannot see Me just now…” Because in the preliminary stage nobody can see Krsna, although Krsna is present everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. He is present within the atom. But it requires the qualified eyes to see Him or purified senses to perceive Him.

Animal Expertise [MP3 Audio Conversation]

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There are many experts from the lower-grade creatures. Ant hill. You are spending so much money for skyscraper building. The ant, they construct big hill as their residential quarters.

Prabhupada: (referring to ants) Just see. One second, thousands came.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Prabhupada: How quickly they come! Just see. And wherefrom they get out of?

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, how do they find out about it? That’s what I don’t understand.

Prabhupada: That they know.

Tamala Krsna: They were all over, and the medicine was up here.

Prabhupada: Come just like magic, they come.

Tamala Krsna: Yeah, how is it? I can’t understand it. I really don’t understand it.

Giriraja: Acintya-sakti.

Tamala Krsna: It must be Supersoul telling them…

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: …that there’s something here. Do they smell it? No.

Prabhupada: Anyway, they are also living entities like us. Whenever there is some sense of enjoyment, they flock together.

Tamala Krsna: They are (indistinct).

Prabhupada: They are expert more than us. You cannot go. Suppose there is one lakh of rupees downstairs. You can get it. You cannot go in one minute. They can do.

Tamala Krsna: So they’re better than us?

Prabhupada: They’re expert. Suppose if I, if somebody informs that “In the corner of the temple there is one lakh of rupees. Somebody has left,” you cannot go in one minute. It will take at least ten minutes. But here it is kept–immediately. So how much expert they are. Just imagine. So why you are so proud that you are scientist, you are expert? You nothing.

Tamala Krsna: Here they come again.

The Final Order–A Very Misleading Paper

Krishna Kant has completely misrepresented the teachings of Srila Prabhupada on one specific point. He has attempted to prove Srila Prabhupada did not intend any of his disciples to become initiating gurus, ever. This is his unique addition to the ritvik philosophy. He has attempted to prove this point by selectively quoting from Srila Prabhupada and using much word jugglery.


My intention in this article is not to enter into the politics of the guru issue or give my own opinions or the opinions of any group of followers of Srila Prabhupada. My interest is to simply present the actual teachings of Srila Prabhupada on a specific point. The reason for this presentation is in his paper, "The Final Order," Krishna Kant has completely misrepresented the teachings of Srila Prabhupada on one specific point.


Krishna Kant has attempted to prove that Srila Prabhupada did not intend any of his disciples to become diksa [initiating] gurus, ever. This is his unique addition to the ritvik philosophy. He has attempted to prove this point by selectively quoting from Srila Prabhupada and using much word jugglery. This rather bizarre philosophy is unique to Krishna Kant and his few followers. It is not shared by the general body of the followers of Srila Prabhupada.


We have on a number of occasions presented clear irrefutable evidence of Srila Prabhupada issuing specific orders to his disciples on become qualified diska gurus. However Krishna Kant is not prepared to even consider Srila Prabhupada’s direct instructions on the matter and accept that the conclusion of his paper, "There is no evidence of Srila Prabhupada issuing specific orders for his disciples to become diksa gurus," is completely false and a complete misrepresentation of the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.


761210DB.HYD Lectures
So we got this information from His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and that knowledge is still going on. You are receiving through his servant. And in future the same knowledge will go to your students. This is called parampara system. Evam parampara prap… It is not that you have become a student and you’ll remain student. No. One day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, not that perpetually… Yes, one should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru, I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our Guru Maharaja. That is the Vedic culture. I may be very big man, but still, I should remain a foolish student to my guru. That is the qualification. Guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana. We should be always prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. Ara na kariha mane asa. So we should become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the qualification. That is the spiritual qualification.

Please do not Kill Your Guru (October 1976 MP3 Audio Class)

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There is one Bengali proverb, guru-mara-vidya, Guru, you learn from him first of all, then kill him. Don’t care for guru. This is demonic. By the grace of guru you learn something. Then when you learn something, then you become greater than him, don’t care for guru. This is demonic. Even if you have learned something, you must feel always obliged. Don’t learn guru-mara-vidya. Even if you become more learned that

Pradyumna: “It was by Dronacarya’s mercy that you learned the military art of throwing arrows and the confidential art of controlling weapons.”

Prabhupada:

sarahasyo dhanur-vedahsavisargopasamyamahastra-gramas ca bhavatasiksito yad-anugrahat

This is also another Vedic civilization, that if you are benefited by somebody, you should always remain obliged to him. Siksito yad-anugrahat. There is one Bengali proverb, guru-mara-vidya. “Guru, you learn from him first of all, then kill him. Don’t care for guru.” This is demonic. By the grace of guru you learn something. Then when you learn something, then you become greater than him, don’t care for guru. This is demonic. Even if you have learned something, you must feel always obliged, atah padarsayat(?).

So this is Vedic civilization. Draupadi advising Arjuna that “You have learned. Feel always obliged,” atah padarsayat. So this is Vedic… “This military art, by his grace, by guru’s grace, now you are expert in the science of military art. And suppose his son has committed some sinful activity. You cannot punish him, retaliate, so that guru’s family will be aggrieved.” This is Vedic culture. Not only he is personally, but in his absence, his wife, his family, you should consider them. So there is nothing about… What is the purport? Read.

MP3 Audio Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.6 Vrndavana, 1975

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In the beginning, in that Second Avenue, 26, when our morning prayer was going on, at seven, not very early, and so many other tenants, half-naked… Mr. Judah was our landlord. Mr. Judah, what is this going on? What is going on? Stop it. Stop it. Stop. So Mr. Judah used to say, No, no, they’ll not stop. I cannot say. You go to the police. So sometimes police were coming

Harikesa: “Every human being’s duration of life is maximum one hundred years. Out of these one hundred years, persons who cannot control the senses misuse half of them. Therefore such persons’ duration of life is fifty years. The other balance, fifty years, is completely lost because at night he sleeps eight to twelve hours.”

Prabhupada:

pumso varsa-satam hy ayus
tad-ardham cajitatmanah
nisphalam yad asau ratryam
sete ‘ndham prapitas tamah

Now, ayur-vyayah. Prahlada Maharaja has already explained how these foolish persons are simply wasting time for economic development: “I shall get money, and with money, dharma, artha, kama, I shall satisfy my senses.” This is going on, dharmartha-kama. Nobody is trying for moksa. Dharma-artha… They come to the temple just to become a dharmi, but the real purpose is: “My dear Lord, I am very poor man. Please give me some money.” Dharma, artha.And what he will do with money? Kama: “I shall satisfy my senses.” This is going on.

So Krishna gives them. Ye yatha mam prapadyante. It is not that Krsna does not give… Krsna satisfies always. For this reason, it is recommended that even if you have got some lusty desires to fulfill, still, you go to Krsna and He will satisfy it. Don’t go to other demigods.Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajanty anya-devatah. Generally people go to other demigod for fulfilling their lusty desires: “Mother, Goddess Kali, I am very great devotee of you. Kindly allow me to eat meat.” That’s all. Mother says, “All right, bring one black goat and offer me and then take prasadam.” This is meant for the meat-eaters. The purpose is to restrain him. Instead of purchasing meat from the slaughterhouse, the sastra says, “All right, you meat eat in this way.” This is restriction. This is not indulgence. Loke vyavaya-amisa-madya-seva nityastu jantuh nahi tatra codanah. To eat meat, to have sex life, amisa-madya-seva, and to drink intoxication, these things are naturally there, so why sastra should encourage them? “Yes, you can eat meat by offering puja, worship to Goddess Kali.” “Yes, you may have sex life by marrying.” In this way, they’re sastras. They are mentioned. But this is not encouraging. This is restraining, that if he is not married, he will enjoy sex life like cats and dogs. Therefore sastra says, “All right, don’t become cats and dog. Become a human being and get married and have your sex life under restrain.” Similarly, “If you are raksasa–you want to eat meat–don’t eat like raksasa. Better offer a goat to be sacrificed before Goddess Kali.” This is sastra. Because the goat will be benefited. Because it is offering his life before Goddess Kali, he will immediately get the body of human being, immediately promotion. He is benefited, and he has the right to kill this man. These are the injunction in the sastras.

Creating Vrndavana [the Spiritual World] Anywhere

if you can create that central attachment for Krsna, then it is Vrndavana. Then you can create Vrndavana anywhere–any family, any society, any country. Just make the point of attachment Krsna, and it is Vrndavana. That is required. That is Krsna consciousness movement.

You have to convert or divert your attachment to Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Krsna consciousness movement means we have got attachment, but we have got attachment for false things, temporary things. And if we divert our attachment, that is bhakti. Bhakti does not mean that you give up your living conscience. Attachment is the function of the living being. The living being is attached to his family, wife, children, because he is living being. So living being cannot give up attachment. But if we continue our attachment for this false and temporary materialistic way of life, then we’ll never be free from this bondage of material condition. Therefore you have divert your attachment to Krsna. Mayy asakta manah.This is yoga: how to divert your attachment for Krsna. It is very easy. It is not difficult.

Therefore the training is, according to sastra and the instruction of the spiritual master, that: rise early in the morning. Just like there are thousands and millions of men at the present moment, because he has got attachment for the family he rises at four o’clock and prepares himself to catch the train at six o’clock to reach Calcutta, Bombay at ten o’clock and attend the office. So from four o’clock to ten o’clock, he has taken so much time changing trains. I have seen in New York also, they are coming in from the other island and waiting for the bus, waiting for the ferry steamer, and so many hours wasted to reach the office. And he works in the office for four or five hours, then again he takes this trouble of going so many miles away. Why he is taking so much trouble? Family attachment. Family attachment.

Not that he has no attachment. He has got attachment, but this attachment, the same four o’ clock, rising early in the morning, for Krsna’s mangala-arati. This is a diversion, better. But he’ll not agree. When he has got to go to office for earning his livelihood, he will automatically rise up and go to the office, because the attachment is strong. But in the temple, the rule is that you must get up before four and prepare yourself, and we have to ring the bells three hundred times, and still you are sleeping. Just see.

Finding out About Our Past Lives?

How does one find out what one was in their past life? I have been very curious about this. I sometimes have powerful feelings towards Napoleon. I sometimes wonder if it’s possible that I could have been him in another life. I also have visions of being a monk in greece, living in a monestary worshipping Jesus day and night.

Certainly we were something in our past lives, but that is not really very important.

Srila Prabhupada gives us an example in this regard. The example is that when one falls into a well his main concern is not how he fell in and what he was doing before he fell in. He is drowning in the bottom of the well, his main concern is how to get out of the well.

So we are in that position. We are drowning in this material world. Our main business is to get out. It doesn’t really matter how we got here or why. In any case the way out is the same:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Dreaming about our past lives will not help us to get out of this material world and get us back home, back to Godhead. For that we have to practice thinking of Krishna 24 hours a day. And to help us do that Srila Prabhupada has given us so many books describing the pastimes of Krishna and Krishna’s pure devotees. So we can chant that Hare Krishna mantra, that will force us to remember Krishna, and we can read the books Srila Prabhupada has given us about Krishna. And then we can talk to our friends, and tell them about the things we have heard about Krishna from Srila Prabhupada. That is preaching, and it will not only help our friends, but it will help us as well.

If I talk about Krishna to someone else, then he hears about Krishna, he thinks about Krishna, and so do I. So we are both benefiting.

Srila Prabhupada on Gurukul

The children should be trained in early rising, attending mangal arati, some elementary education: arithmetic, alphabet, some of our books, like that. They should go to bed by 8 p.m. and rise by 4 a.m. for mangal arati, getting 8 hours sleep. If they take 8 hours sleep, they will not fall asleep during arati.

Due the the current interest in the ISKCON Gurukul [boarding school] system we have presented an unbiased collection of Srila Prabhupada’s quotes on the Gurukul System. A few quotes are provided below.

70-10-28 Letter: Bhavananda
It is very encouraging that you have got license from the Board of Education to continue our children’s school. Kindly organize it nicely and it shall be a great achievement. We have to concentrate to give them some idea about God–that should be our first business. In art class they should be encouraged to draw pictures of Krsna, Kuruksetra, etc. There are so many subjects for drawing as it is stated in our book Krsna. If they are trained, they will come out nice devotees. It will depend on the process of training. Regarding some misbehavior, that we have to check by training peacefully. Your attitude of tolerance and kindness very nice, so train them in this way. It is Lord Caitanya’s order that we have got to discharge welfare activities on behalf of Lord Caitanya.

71-10-09 Letter: Satsvarupa
Regarding your teacher problem, I have advised Pradyumna to go there and teach students primary Sanskrit lessons at least to learn the alphabet, so that in the future when they go to India they may learn Sanskrit very easily. The students should be taught Sanskrit both in Devanagari and Bengali alphabets. Satyabhama in New Vrindaban has written a nice book for elementary lessons in English. I think this book may be printed immediately. If not the manuscript may be used to teach the students. The important matter is that the children are taken care of nicely. Bhavananda was talking with me that in New Vrindaban students were very much neglected. Therefore they were immediately transferred to New York. Every parent wants to see that their children are taken care of very nicely. That is the first duty. If they are not healthy then how they can prosecute their education? If they are undernourished it is not good for their future activities. They must have sufficient quantity of milk and then dhal, capatis, vegetables, and a little fruit will keep them always fit. There is no need of luxurious fatty foods but milk is essential. A big building is also very good for the children’s health. They can move freely and run and jump.

72-01-00 Letter: Svati
Regarding your other questions: Children may be recommended for initiation when they are twelve years old. We should avoid as far as possible any physical punishment to train children. It is better to use sweet words or if it is absolutely necessary to punish then you may bind with ropes in one place or show the cane, but do not use–like that. I have recently explained to Aniruddha in Dallas school and you may write to him for details. The most important thing however is to see that somehow or other the children are always engaged in some kind of Krsna conscious activity, then they will naturally develop a taste for it and think it great fun even to work very hard for Krsna’s pleasure.

Ideal Householder Life–Better than Many Sannyasis

I am so pleased upon you that you are showing the example of an ideal householder. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura was also a householder, but he lived in so perfect Krishna Consciousness that he is better than many Sannyasis like us.


Montreal, 30 August, 1968


My Dear Rupanuga,


Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated August 24, 1968, with 2 pictures, photographs of our temple in Buffalo. You have written to say that Buffalo is doing well, but I think Buffalo is doing well because you are doing well. Every place is expansion of Krishna’s material energy, and material energy being expansion of Krishna, in one sense there is no difference between Krishna and the material energy. The only defect of material energy is that it is something like the prison department of the government. But it is not that all the persons residing in prison are under prison rules and regulations. Similarly, all conditioned souls who are within this material energy, are supposed to be the prison walls of material nature, but those who are officering on behalf of Krishna, they are not members of the prison rules and regulations. So our members of Krishna Consciousness all over the world who are engaged in preaching Lord Krishna’s desire, that everyone should surrender unto Him, so one who has taken up seriously to preach this message in the world, he is considered as doing well. So my conclusion is that Buffalo is doing well because you are doing well. I am so glad to see that one of my sincere disciples has sacrificed everything for spreading Krishna Consciousness, and I am so pleased upon you that you are showing the example of an ideal householder. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura was also a householder, but he lived in so perfect Krishna Consciousness that he is better than many Sannyasis like us. So far I am concerned, I could not live like Bhaktivinode Thakura because I was disgusted with my family members and I was obliged to give up my family life. But Krishna is so kind that although I left my few children born out of this physical body, Krishna has sent many nice beautiful obedient children for propagating my mission. And you are one of them. So I am very much obliged to you.

ISKCON–Copyrighting and Trademarking HARE KRISHNA!!!

The Sankirtana Movement is not my invention. So how can it be copyrighted?

Letter to: Dinesh (by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami) New Vrindaban 10 June, 1969
69-06-10

My Dear Dinesh,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June, 6, 1969 and the copy of the agreement which you sent. The first thing is that I have already given you my word, so there is no need of an agreement with me. My word is final agreement, but if you want it for business reasons, I have no objections to sign it. But the wordings are not always clear. Another thing is although I have brought this Sankirtana Movement to the Western World we cannot make it copyrighted. The Sankirtana Movement is not my invention. So how can it be copyrighted? Besides that, as you will find in the album of my previous recording, the chanting of Hare Krishna is going on since time immemorial. So Hare Krishna cannot be copyrighted, although the tune in which I sing with my disciples, that may be made copyrighted. I have no objection to sign this agreement, but don’t be misled that the chanting of Hare Krishna or Lord Caitanya’s Movement can be made copyrighted.

There are some points in the contract which are not very clear, so you may explain them to me further by post. The points are as follows: ”ISKCON shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to collect preserve and distribute all tangible expressions of said sound vibrations.” ”Said sound vibrations shall be fixed in a tangible form solely by ISKCON” ”ISKCON shall have the exclusive right to any existing sound recordings contained in any medium of fixation that have been previously recorded by the SWAMI” ”ISKCON shall have the sole and exclusive right to use the name and likeness of the SWAMI for all purposes and activities encompassed by this agreement.”

So upon hearing from you on these points I shall send you back the agreement duly signed by me. I am very much encouraged by the statement of your letter, but I must let you know the pros and cons of this agreement.

Please convey my blessings to Krishna Devi. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

A Society Based On Literature Distribution

I was recently invited to visit the Australian headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s a large complex in Sydney with about 270 people living on the site. The center of the complex is a huge printing press printing their magazines: Watchtower and Awake!, twice a month in more than 25 languages. The magazines are available in Australia in 82 languages and world-wide they print in over 160 languages! They distribute well

I often distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books in Sydney’s Town Hall station and in recent years we share the spot with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It appears to me the general public are far more interested in purchasing and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books about Krishna than their “Watchtower.” However, although the public seem quite disinterested in their literature they distribute an enormous quantity of it world-wide. So when Shaun invited me to visit their Australian headquarters I was interested to see how they managed to print and distribute so much literature first-hand.

I discovered to be an “active” Jehovah’s Witness one has to distribute literature. They seem to value more the hours spent in distributing the literature and preaching then the actual quantity of magazines sold. Every member is called a “publisher” and the mission of the “publishers” is very clear. To distribute the magazines and preach to the general public. Most of this is done door-to-door…

They have more than 100 administration centers world-wide [mostly called "Bethel"] which print their literature in 160 different languages and administer the “Kingdom Halls” in their area, supplying them with literature and their other needs.

These administration centers have a live-in “staff” of dedicated witnesses who work for no salary. Here in Sydney there are 270 witnesses living in the center including all types of professional and skilled people. There is a fully staffed legal office, a very large design office which designs and builds new Kingdom Halls for Australia, the Pacific Islands and even India. They have all sorts of tradesmen, builders, carpenters, electricians, etc., etc… They have an automobile repair department which repairs and maintains the cars and a large gardening department that maintains the grounds complete with very nice flower and vegetable gardens. The entire complex was built by their own men… They regularly build entire Kingdom Halls in three days… They organize all the materials to be delivered to the site, arrange the volunteers and build the whole thing in three days…

As for the printing the main press can print 19,000 32 page full-color magazines per hour and they have another smaller press which is used for printing languages they don’t print in very large quantities. In Japan they have a press printing almost 100,000 magazines an hour…

The only cost is the paper and the ink… The press equipment is paid for long ago and is operated and maintained by volunteer witnesses who live on the site. So the magazines cost well under 10 cents each to produce…

Everything is clean and very well organized. They say “Jehovah is a God of order.” So they keep everything very nicely maintained and in order. The whole complex is very clean and perfectly maintained.

The management is quite centralized in Brooklyn NY. In Australia they receive all the magazines printed here electronically from Brooklyn and simply make the plates and print them. There is no layout or design work done here and although they have a “writing desk” in Australia [one of 12 in the world] all articles must be submitted to the Brooklyn office.

Their management system seems to be quite authoritarian with the members surrendered to “do the needful.” We were shown around the complex by Chris who started living at Bethel eighteen months ago. He was a carpenter building houses in Perth but now he works as a housekeeper cleaning passages and stairways in one of the residence buildings and as a tour guide. He would have preferred to work in the printing department, but he is happy to work in whatever position the management require him to work in… He says it is best to “go with the flow…”

Unfortunately the philosophy they preach is not very satisfying. Shaun and his wife were trying to understand why it was that good people suffer and why it is that sometimes babies suffer horrible deaths… Their only answer is it all happens by chance. They believe Jehovah does not cause it and they don’t believe in Karma… They don’t believe in Hell and can’t imagine how a “loving God” could create such a place. The most amazing thing for me is they don’t even accept the existence of an eternal soul. They think everyone “dies” and when Jesus comes back he will resurrect only the Jehovah’s Witnesses…

It is quite bewildering to me. In many ways they are preaching the same thing as the atheists. The atheists claim there is no life after death. They claim one simply dies. The witnesses agree. The atheists claim there is no eternal soul. The witnesses agree. The atheists claim there is no Hell, the witnesses agree. The atheists say everything happens by chance and there is no karma involved in any suffering we may experience. The witnesses agree…

So with such a faulty philosophy which is really not very interesting to the general public they are still able to distribute more than 40,000,000 magazines a month… I wonder what is the potential of Krishna consciousness, such a perfectly logical philosophy which I find the general public are truly very interested in… Surely we could distribute more than 40,000,000 of Srila Prabhupada’s books and magazines a month if we actually made that our main business? I am convinced we can do it… And it will change the world…

Prabhupada Enjoys the Govindam Record Album

The record is so nice that I am playing it at least once in a day and it is giving me transcendental pleasure with tears in my eyes. I am sure this record will be the first-class hit as already opined by the experts.

Los Angeles 8 March, 1970

My Dear Syamasundara.,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 March, 1970, along with the “Govindam” record. The record is so nice that I am playing it at least once in a day and it is giving me transcendental pleasure with tears in my eyes. I am sure this record will be the first-class “hit” as already opined by the experts.

Certainly this has has come out so successful because of George’s sincere effort in Krsna Consciousness. I am so pleased that he is advancing towards perfectional stage of Krsna Consciousness; and your association will greatly help. Try to convince him to avoid the four principles of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna mantra as much as possible, then he will find everything is successful in his life.

I think on account of this record, many people, at least from different parts of Europe, will come to see our Temple. Many tourists also may come there. So you do not take it as gloomy, but you should welcome them in our Temple. Regularly try to sell our books and magazines to them. So far taking away the shoes is concerned, you can make the following arrangement: just after the entrance door, arrange for a movable railing so that anyone willing to enter the Temple room, but who does not like to take of his shoes, may be allowed to enter th room, but who does not like to take of his shoes, may be allowed to enter the door but stand near the railing and see the Deity from that place. Anyone willing to go inside the railing boundary must have to get out of his shoes. And exactly by the side of the Altar another railing may be fixed up. This railing should stand between the Vyasasana and the Altar.

So anyone who may come must be well received, informed about our activities, and when we publish a little pamphlet which is in preparation, it may also be distributed to each and every one of the visitors.

I have not heard anything from you about the small leaflet to be prepared for putting along with the “Govindam” records. Are you preparing it or not? or do you think it is necessary or not?

The next song you may record isJaya Jagadisa Hare:

Kesava dhrta dasabidha rupa
Jaya Jagadisa Hare

And we shall make a children’s book with ten pictures of Krsna’s different appearances (Dasavatara.) and a short story or explanation for each. Now we have just received part of the manuscript of an abridged version of KRSNA especially meant for children.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Sevice.There is no question of inferior or superior

One who distinguishes a particular type of service as inferior or superior, he does not know the value of devotional service. It is all transcendental.


Bombay, 19 January, 1975.


Los Angeles


My dear Satsvarupa Maharaja,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 5th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for doing your work so nicely. I was very pleased to receive the review on the 1st volume of the third canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam written by professor Mehta from the University of Windsor. If you can send more similar reviews on my books, I would very much appreciate it. I am keeping a folder on such things and we can print a small book to distribute that will contain such reviews so that people will see what a great impression our books have on the intelligentsia of the world.


Regarding your question about the controversial talks going on, this kind of talk is not befitting my advanced students. This is childish. In Krishna’s service, there is no inferior and superior. Deity worship is just as important as book distribution. It is not material. As mentioned in the Bhagavatam.

sravanam kirtanam visno smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam

Sravanam kirtanam is the beginning–to chant and hear. Book distribution is under this category of sravanam kirtanam. The next item is smaranam. If somebody simply remembers the Supreme Lord, that is also as good as sravanam kirtanam. Then there is arcanam. That is also as good as the others, but one who simply becomes engaged in arcanam and does nothing of sravanam kirtanam, his position becomes in the material field. Any one of the nine processes is as good as the other. There is no question of inferior or superior. But out of all of them sravanam kirtanam is very important. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu while instructing Srila Rupa Gosvami, has said how the seed of devotional service sprouts and increases by watering the root by the process of sravanam kirtanam. So, these two items are very important in devotional service, but that does not mean that the other items are inferior. Srila Jiva Gosvami has stressed kirtanam especially in the age of Kali. Even if there is arcanam for sanctifying the contaminated mind, it must be accompanied by sravanam kirtanam.


So, you are all advanced students. You should understand the importance of each and every item of devotional service. Do not make any misunderstanding by devaluating any of the spiritual activities. You are one of the advanced students. One who distinguishes a particular type of service as inferior or superior, he does not know the value of devotional service. It is all transcendental. Whatever item is suitable, that is accepted as very elevated. Just like Maharaja Pariksit. He simply listened to Sukadeva Gosvami. That is sravanam. And Sukadeva Gosvami simply narrated Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is kirtanam. Prahlada Maharaja simply contemplated–smaranam. Prthu Maharaja simply did deity worship–arcanam. Arjuna only remained as friend of Krishna–sakhyam. Hanuman remained only engaged in carrying out the order of Lord Ramacandra–dasyam. And Bali Maharaja surrendered everything to Krishna–atma-nivedanam. So, any devotee executing any one of the nine is transcendentally glorious. One devotee may be proud that his process of service is the best. That is not inglorious. This is called transcendental competition. Everyone should feel proud of his particular type of devotional service, but that does not mean that other types of service are inferior. Everyone should feel proud of becoming sincere servant of Krishna, but the pure devotee never minimizes the importance of other devotees. Krishna is the enjoyer of varieties of service. It is not stuck up with any particular type of service. Krishna takes pleasure with devotees even by fighting service. When Grandfather Bhisma was trying to injure the body of Krishna by sharpened arrows, in full devotion in the mellow of chivalry, Krishna was feeling the piercing of the arrows as good as worshiping him with soft rose flowers. The conclusion is that everyone should be very very sincere. There is no more the question of inferior or superior.


I hope this meets you in good health.


Your ever well-wisher,


A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami


N.B. I have accepted Bhakta Seth for first initiation. His name can be Sesa das. You may chant his beads. Also, I have accepted Maha Buddhi das and Mahadyuti das as my duly initiated brahmanas. Let them hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from the tape of myself chanting it. Their threads and mantra sheets are enclosed herein.


[75-01-19]


His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada Writes to George Harrison

By the grace of Krsna, you have already realized to some extent about the necessity and importance of Hare Krsna movement in the world. Similarly, if John also does so, it will be a great event.


Los Angeles, 16 February, 1970


Sriman George Harrison
c.o Apple Record Co.
London
England


My Dear George,
Please accept my blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your valued cooperation in spreading my movement of Krsna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your contribution of $19,000 (nineteen thousand dollars) for publication of my book, Krsna, now going to the press within the week.


Please note that every farthing of this money will be employed in the service of the Lord, and the Lord is so kind and grateful that He will bestow upon you benediction at least ten times more than that you have done for Him. It does not, however, mean that Lord Krsna is like a business man, and He bestows benediction when He is profited by our service. The Lord is full in Himself; He does not require our service, but if we render service unto Him in love and devotion, such action enriches our very existence.


The example in this connection is given that when a man decorates his face, he does not feel much enjoyment because he cannot see his own face. But he enjoys his beautiful face when it is reflected on the mirror. In other words, when a living entity, by rendering service to the Lord, feels happy, the Lord enjoys the situation.
Under the pressure of illusory energy, especially in the age of “Kali,” all the people of the world are unhappy; but I am sure if they take to this simple chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord.


Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare


Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare


under the guidance of Lord Caitanya, certainly they will be happy.