700309 - Letter to Rudra written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1970

1975 So. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

March 9 70

My Dear Rudradas,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27 February, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to learn that you are finding the atmosphere congenial in the new Toronto center. I think your valuable services will be put to good account there in the matter of pushing our Samkirtan movement. I have heard that there is very good potential for spreading Krishna Consciousness movement in Toronto especially among the large younger population. So I think this will be a good field for you to work enthusiastically in cooperation with other good devotees like Jayapataka, Raktaka, and Jagadisha.
When I learn that you are selling many BTGs and are receiving nice support from the community, I am very much encouraged. Now we have published our Isopanisad and you must try to sell it as far as possible. I have tried to explain in this book the preliminary knowledge of God-consciousness so any layman who reads it will be able to understand our Krsna Consciousness movement to their great benefit. If you simply present our program before them with great sincerity of purpose, they will be influenced by the seriousness of our Krishna Consciousness movement, and you can further impress them to join with us.
I am also glad to note that you are making practice of keeping in mind various important verses from our scriptures. This is the approved process: maha jano yena gatah sa panthah (CC Madhya 17.186) to "follow in the footsteps of the great authorities in Krishna Consciousness like Narada Muni and our other Acaryas." Now we are requiring our students to be very well familiar with all our literatures so that we may present our philosophy before even the most educated persons. This is very important as our movement is now growing and attracting greater notice.
Regarding sleeping, there is no need of confusion on this subject. At this stage, if we do not take sufficient rest, we shall fall ill. There is no need of forcing the matter. So one should take rest enough to keep in good health. Sleeping two hours out of 24 is a later natural development. For the present, take six hours sleep at night, that is enough; and if necessary, take another hour during the day. If chanting rounds at night is not a disturbance of your daily schedule, then it is alright. But by perseverance at rigid following of devotional service your demands for extra hours sleeping will automatically diminish.
Lord Nityananda is Guru. He can instruct us, but ultimately it depends on the disciple. A doctor may say "Do this, Do not do this," but if the patient does not follow the prescription, what is the result? Similarly, Nityananda Prabhu will hear the prayer of an insincere rascal, if that rascal actually wants to change his condition. One must agree not to be a rascal any more, then his rascaldom can be reformed. Jagai and Madhai begged the Lord for His mercy and they were prototype rascals, drunkards and debauchees. Lord Caitanya told them first you stop your nonsense activities, then I will accept you. So a rascal may be accepted provided he agrees to stop his nonsenses. Otherwise, how can one expect to be reformed if he does not agree or like to be reformed. To be reformed, he must agree to the reforming process.
In this connection, in order to remain fixed in spiritual strength, always be sure to chant the prescribed sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail. This is essential for insuring your spiritual progress.
I hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

Sriman Rudra Das Brahmacary
ISKCON Temple
40 Beverley Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada