720304 - Letter to Dasarha written from Calcutta

Letters by Date, 1972

Tridandi Goswami
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date: March 4, 1972,
Camp: ISKCON Bombay [handwritten]

My dear Dasarha,

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated February 4, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to see that everything is going very nicely there in Wilmington as per the enclosed newspaper clippings, and I am much pleased that you are wholeheartedly engaging yourself in this way, and in this way you will help to save the whole world from the most dangerous position and at the same time achieve yourself the topmost perfection of life.
Regarding your questions on Christianity, we are not very much keen to engage them in argument because for the most part they are sentimentalists and have no philosophy, therefore they become fanatics or dogmatists, and this type of person we cannot change. But if you find some Christian person who is intelligent to understand philosophy then you may argue that if God is unlimited, how He can be confined to having only one son? The son is the representative of the father, and in that sense he is the same as the father, but also he is different than the father. So Christ is speaking in this sense, that only through the representative of God can one come to God. Just like Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that one should surrender to a bonafide Spiritual master, and then He also says that one should "Surrender unto Me." So there is no difference between surrendering to God or surrendering to God's representative, therefore Christ is also saying just surrender to me, the son or representative or Spiritual Master, and that is the same as surrendering to my father. Accepting the Lord or His representative as one's saviour means to render loving devotional service to Him, and in return he will give you all protection. But the foolish Christians they think God is their order-supplier so that simply by performing some religious ceremonies they are entitled to receive all benedictions for enhancing their material life. First of all, to be saved by God means that one must obey what God orders or His laws of commandments. But in the Bible God says "Thou shall not kill," but where is the Christian who does not kill animals and eat? They have changed the meaning of kill to mean "murder," and for them, murder means only other humans. So unless you find out some Christian who is actually intelligent, it is useless to try for convincing them of these points, simply show them by example that we are finding great spiritual joy in serving Krishna, sell them some literature, give them prasadam, and invite to the temple, and if they cannot understand from the point of view of philosophy, at least they will be able to appreciate our wonderful and enlivening activities and that we have proved ourselves the most upright, moral persons and the best examples of enlightened souls for the general improvement of all the citizens.
Regarding your other question, you should not read such nonsense books, nor allow your mind to dwell on such subject matter. Instead utilize your time for advancing in Krishna consciousness by reading our books. We have got sufficient stock, and if you simple go on reading them, chanting regularly 16 rounds, engaging yourself 24 hours in Krishna's business, then all of your questions will be answered automatically, because Krishna promises to His sincere devotee that He will give him the intelligence to understand Him.
Hoping this meets you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Dasarha das Brahmacari
2307 Baynard Blvd.
Wilmington, Delaware
U.S.A. 19802

ACBS/sda

Dasarha das Brahmacari
ISKCON: 2307 Baynard Blvd.
Wilmington, Delaware
U.S.A. 19802 [handwritten]

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
89 Warden Road, 7th floor
Bombay - 36 [handwritten]