better than temples

I just wanted to take the opportunity of expressing my heartfelt thanks for Your Divine Grace's kindness in allowing me to serve you these last sixteen months. I can honestly say that I have never been more satisfied at any time than when I had the opportunity to associate with you personally. Sri Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that a person who knows Him in truth is a very rare personality, and actually, as I have traveled all over India and the world with you I have seen these words substantiated. I am convinced beyond a doubt that only one person on this entire planet has really realized who the Supreme is and how to serve Him, and that person is you.

There may be so many panditas, big big scholars, but Krsna says that the real pandita is the 'sama darsi,' that one who sees the equality of all living entities as part and parcels of the one Supreme Whole (mamaivamso jiva loke jiva bhuta sanatana [Bg 15.7]). If anyone can be called 'pandita' it is you because you have practically demonstrated this equalness to all by engaging all persons from all parts of the world in service to Krsna, something which no one else, despite big words and much expellation of air, has been able to do.

Even amongst the Vaisnavas you are a rare jewel set in the purest gold. The brightness of your devotion to Krsna outshines all others, and while they stay at home with the Deity and their bhajan, you boldly set forth to preach the message of Lord Caitanya and your Guru Maharaja. In recognition of this the Supreme Lord has agreed to live amongst the mlecchas and accept their poor hearted offerings. Without your devotion He could never have agreed to do this. Once in 1971, after you had installed Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna in Sydney in a 'temple' that was actually a converted garage, you prayed to Krsna that "Now I am living you in the hands of these rascals, so You kindly look after Yourself and see they serve You nicely.'' The following year you told us that story and commented that now you could see that He has done this and you encouraged us to go on increasing our service to the Lord more and more.

Just recently also, you told us how, when the Bombay land dispute was going on and the demons tried to throw us off the land, you prayed to Krsna, "Sir, You kindly sit down tight and do not move from this place and I shall manage everything.'' Krsna did that; when the demons came to demolish the temporary temple you had constructed, they were stopped by 'outside' intervention just as they were about to remove the roof of the Deity room. Now, in fulfillment of your promise you have erected a most wonderful temple structure, certainly the best in Bombay, if not in India. These are proofs of your pure, unalloyed devotion and your determination to serve Him under any circumstance, 'ahaituki apratihata.'

Just now in the west, the demons are combining to try and stop this wonderful movement of yours, but that will never be. Because you desire the welfare of all living entities Krsna will spread this movement everywhere and the demons will be vanquished.

Now I am feeling very mixed emotions as I take leave of your lotus feet and venture off to try and enter the fire of preaching. I want very much to try to please you in all respects and I will do my best to spread whatever I have learned from you without envy or interpretation, and I beg of you your blessings in this regard. I also feel very much attached to your personal service, massaging your feet and doing whatever menial service I can, and if at any time in the future Your Divine Grace sees fit to have me back, I will immediately come. I know that my only business is to try and please you and that is all that makes me happy. Anything else is simply artificial and simply gives me suffering. Somehow or another I have become the most fortunate person to be your servant, so let that good fortune continue, forever, and wherever you go, kindly take this foolish person with you and engage him in your service in whatever way you see fit.

Jaya, all glories to you Srila Prabhupada, the full moon of devotion to Sri Krsna.

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I hope this meets you in good health.

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Please accept my blessings. I have seen your letter addressed to Brahmananda Swami dated November 29, 1974 and have noted the contents with care. I have sent you one cable on November 21 reading as follows: PLEASE STAY AT LEAST ONE MONTH DO NOT LEAVE IT SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED I AM GOING TO SEE THE SITUATION STOP BHURIJANA MAY ALSO BE PRESENT COPY MADHUDVISA-AC BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
So you have not acknowledged that you have received this cable. So you stay there in Hong Kong and struggle for Krishna. I received today also the Chinese literature On the Way to Krsna. One Chinese literature is 1000 times better preaching than worshiping in the temple. But we have to have a place and the worship must go on. Without having a sitting place, how will people come to see us and talk with us? So try to distribute and publish as much as possible. I am coming there very soon, so please arrange for it.    (More...)

Book distribution is bhagavata marga and temple worship is pancaratriki viddhi. Both are important for cultivating Vaisnavism but comparatively speaking bhagavata marga is more important than pancaratriki viddhi. As far as possible both should go on in parallel lines but still bhagavata marga is more important than the other.    (More...)

I hope this meets you in good health.

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I hope this meets you well.

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Please accept my blessings. Over the past ten years I have given the framework and now we have become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly. But I must now remind you that I have to complete the translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is the greatest contribution; our books have given us a respectable position. People have no faith in this church or temple worship. Those days are gone. Of course, we have to maintain the temples as it is necessary to keep our spirits high. Simply intellectualism will not do, there must be practical purification.    (More...)

The Rs. 32,000 should be spent for Gurukula in Vrindaban. Now the construction has begun and it must continue. Do not spend that Rs. 5,000 for alterations in the New Delhi Temple. Unless we have got our own land, where is the question of other projects in New Delhi. Let us continue in the rented house and see how things develop. If local people come and join and take initiation, then we can consider developing. Simply lip-sympathy will not do. They must be regular disciple, follow the regulative principles, and they will develop it themselves. Besides that book distribution and preaching is our most important activity. Opening temples is subordinate. We have to see how books are being distributed and how people are joining wholeheartedly. That is actual development.    (More...)

The report of the book printing is both encouraging and surprising. Every time I see this I remember the words of my Guru Maharaja when he told me that wherever there was money it should be used to print books, not that we shall have big big temples and then fight in the court. He asked me to do this and I am trying my little bit, that's all. It is all by his blessings for without his blessings this wonderful thing would not have happened. He said personally to me, "If I could sell this Gaudiya Matha building, that would have been better.'' He predicted that there would be fire within these walls. So I took it, "O, His Divine Grace wants some books.'' So I accepted it, "Yes, I shall do it.'' It is all by his blessings. Mukam karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim, by his mercy a dumb man can speak and a lame man can cross a mountain.    (More...)

I'm very glad to hear about the good response you are getting in Taiwan. Krsna is blessing you. You have taken a bold step. Krsna will help you. My blessings are with you. Do your best, surely you'll be successful. Print books and distribute. For now there is no need of opening temples.    (More...)

I hope this meets you in good health.

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