670804 - Letter to Brahmananda written from Vrndavana

4 August 1967

My dear Brahmananda,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8/3/67. Don't be afraid of my being attacked by maya. When there is fight between two belligerent parties, it is always expected that there will sometimes be reverses. Your country and the western world is mostly under the grip of Maya and the modes of nature in passion and ignorance, and my declaration of war against the maya is certainly a great battle. Maya saw me very successful within one year, so that I got so many sincere young flowers like yourself and others, so it was a great defeat to the activities of maya: western country youngsters giving up illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating and gambling is certainly a great reverse in the activities of maya. Therefore she took advantage of my old age weakness and gave me a death dash. But Krishna saved me; therefore we should thank more Krishna than eulogize maya. So far my present health is concerned I think I am improving; at least I am taking my lunch better than in N.Y. So as soon as I am a little fit to return to the field of battle I shall again be in your midst.
Regarding your question about Lord Chaitanya's thinking himself lower than the grass, it should be understood spiritually. The dimension of the spirit soul is 1/10,000 part of the hair tip; so the spirit soul is certainly smaller than the grass. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was teaching us as a teacher, so he represented himself as an ordinary living entity; but as the Supreme Brahman he is greater than anything.
I am glad that you had a demonstration of kirtan at the home of the Consul General. Whenever you meet you should strictly speak the Truth without any consideration of future material gains. If we are sincere servants of Krishna, our material necessities will never be hampered. But I was anxiously awaiting your reply about your meeting the Ambassador, Mr. B.K. Nehru, with my books. After your presentation of the books and personally seeing him and his reactions I shall begin correspondence with him. We need his help in so many ways.
I am glad that Sri Radha Krishna Murti etc. has arrived. For the present you can keep the murti packed. I am expecting to return within six months, as I told you; and maybe earlier, calculating on the present improvement.
I have already instructed you that Gargamuni should get married. They should get a marriage certificate as soon as is possible. In the temple the ceremony should be observed by chanting Hare Krishna before the fire, offering the clarified [handwritten] butter with the word Saha, and the bride and groom should exchange their garlands before the Lord Krishna deity and promise not to be separated in life. They should know it that bodily relation between the husband and wife is secondary; primary factor is that both should help one another in the matter of advancement of K.C.
I sang this mantra at the airport: K, K, K, K, K, K, K, HAY (twice) [handwritten]; K, K, K, K, K, K, Rakshaman; K, K, K, K, K, K, Pahimam; Rama Raghava, Rama Raghava, Rama Raghava Rakshamam; K. Kesava, K. Kesava, K. Kesava, K. Kesave Pahimam.
You have written nothing about MacMillan. Please let me know about this. Please send $30 from three centers, and also some stationery. I am sorry the old chariot broke down.
Your ever well-wisher,

Sriman Brahmananda Das Brahmachary
26 Second Ave c/o ISKCON
New York City, 10003
U.S.A.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Radha Damodar Temple
Seva Kunja
Vrindaban (Mathura)
U.P. INDIA