Letter to: Sivananda
Los Angeles 13 February, 1969 69-02-13
Hamburg
My Dear Sivananda,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 4, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to learn that you are again accepting work to improve the condition of the temple. This is very nice. Practically, it was you who took the initiative for starting the London and German centers. In London, the boys and girls are doing very nicely, and similarly, you are already three, and Jaya Govinda is coming soon. So you also try your best to startle Germany with the chanting of Hare Krishna.
Regarding the draft, I think if you place yourself as my student for becoming a future Ordained Minister of Religion, there will be no draft problem. We are printing so many books, already we have got four or five, so if the government is convinced that you are studying these theistic literatures under my guidance, because I am admitted as Ordained Minister of Religion, then you can be classified in the 4-D section, qualifying you to be a student of religious ministership, and there will be no problem from the draft board. So in the future, when your services are called for in New Vrndavana I think I will be able to give you all protection. But for the time being you have got great responsibility to organize the Hamburg center as far as possible. I think you should make the board of management for your center as follows: President; Sivananda das Brahmacari, Treasurer and Secretary; Krishna das Brahmacari, Editor of German BTG; Uttama Sloka, Superintendent of press; Jaya Govinda das Brahmacari.
Regarding utilizing intelligence in devotional service, intelligence should be confirmed by the Spiritual Master. Therefore we accept the Spiritual Master for guidance. You should not depend on your own intelligence. Just like a child requires a parent to tell him the correct thing to do, similarly, a strict disciple should always use his intelligence in conformity with the instructions of the Spiritual Master.
Regarding your dealings with impersonalists, any one who teaches of the impersonal nature should be avoided. If we hear them, it will hamper our progress. That will be the resultno progress. Therefore, rigidly we will try to avoid the impersonal teachings. Generally, it only produces bad effects.
Please convey my blessings to Uttama Sloka. I hope this will meet you all in very good health and cheerful mood.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/los_angeles/february/13/1969/sivananda Previous: Letter to: Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969 Next: Letter to: Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969
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