700302 - Letter to Bhagavan written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1970

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society For Krishna Consciousness Inc.
CENTER: 1975 So La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

DATE ....March..2..............19.70

My Dear Bhagavandas,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 February, 1970, together with the edited copies of KRSNA. I like your editing very much, you have done it very nicely. I have also received the tapes which you sent to Satsvarupa for re-recording, that is a good program. But we have experienced some difficulties in sending tapes to several centers, and therefore we have now agreed to make the process central by forwarding all tapes to Boston for complete processing there according to a regular schedule.
The personal form of Maya is Durga and her different extensions like Bhadra Kali, Chandica, etc. In the Brahma Samhita it is described that she is all powerful in this material world, but she acts as shadow of Govinda. In Bhagavad Gita also she is described as assistant in the material affairs. The direction is from the Lord, and she executes His will. As such, when a devotee is fully surrendered to Krsna, Maya does not disturb him anymore, under the direction of the Lord. So Krsna is always Supreme.
The pradhana is the ingredient part of material energy. Yes, the Maya is covering all the material energies. Therefore one who is materially advanced, covered with riches, covered with learning, covered with fame or covered with any material opulences, is understood to be covered with Maya. Srila Bhaktivinode says, jada vidya saba mayar baibhava "the material opulences are expansions of Maya's influence." As such, according to Vedic process, one voluntarily renounces the material opulences.
The Goswamis left their government service, and there are many other instances. Bharat Maharaj left his kingdom and Lord Buddha left his kingdom--these are all different attempts to get out of Maya's influence. But our philosophy is that things employed in Krsna's service have no more influence of Maya. Therefore it is called cinmoya or spiritual; spiritual means complete knowledge. One who can follow the instructions of Isopanisad can understand that nothing belongs to Maya, but everything belongs to Krsna. This knowledge is Krsna Consciousness.

Regarding the end of devotees of Lord Jesus Christ, they can go to heaven, that is all. That is a planet in the material world. A devotee of Lord Jesus Christ is one who is strictly following the ten commandments. Now just like in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" this is a moral instruction for the sinful man. Similarly Lord Buddha also emphasized ahimsa paramadharma "the highest religion is non-violence." So these instructions are for the sinful men. When one is pious, instead of being sinful, he is promoted to the higher planetary systems like Janaloka, Mahaloka, or Tapaloka and they are above the planet Svargaloka. So persons who are cleansed of sinful life become eligible for spiritual life. From the instructions of Lord Jesus Christ we find that the stress is given to make men free from sinful life-- such as "Thou shalt not kill" "Thou shalt not covet"--like that.
Therefore the conclusion is that the devotees of Lord Jesus Christ are promoted to the heavenly planets which are within this material world.
Thank you for the copies of the newspaper clipping of the court trial, and I think these several copies are sufficient. Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

Sriman Bhagavandas Adhikary
74 West Forest
Detroit, MI
48201