730102 - Letter to Hansadutta written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1973

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date: January 2, 1973
Camp: c/o Mahadevia
B-11 Sea Face Park
50-B Desai Road
Bombay-26, India

My dear Hansadutta,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter Dec. 19, 1972, and I have not yet received the sample copy of Bhagavad-gita in German language. But I think each book will cost you about $1.50, so that is not too much for such nicely printed and bound book with color plates. I know that the German printing and bookmaking is always the first class, so if you are satisfied then you may go ahead with printing as you have arranged. That is a very great step of progress in spreading this Krsna Consciousness to the German people. Krsna Consciousness movement rests upon the words of Krsna, so if people can read for themselves what Krsna is saying, then they shall understand our movement. Otherwise it will be very difficult to convince them. So you have done the right thing, printing Bhagavad-gita in German language, and I very much appreciate that you have done this great service.

Now you appear little restless, I know that is your nature, you like to do big things and you are very capable and intelligent young man for executing tremendous tasks on behalf of Krsna. But I think that you have got a huge field of endeavor in the German speaking countries and other countries of Scandanavia, Communist countries and other places like that. Now work very vigorously to develop these places, that is your great task at hand. You needn't look further to find some big challenge. The challenge is very near at hand. That means developing and expanding along the lines as you have begun. Of course we are not ever very much anxious to repeat the same activity many times, that is the nature of the living entity, that he seeks to enjoy varieties of flavors. But mature understanding of activity means to take it as our occupational duty. That is to say, suppose I am established as good carpenter, then it will be foolish if after some time I am thinking, "Oh, I have done this cutting of woods so many times, now it is becoming boring and uninteresting, therefore let me become a doctor," no. That is not recommended by Krsna, neither is it common sense. Occupational duty means to stick with one type of occupation which is just suitable for me, considering that it is my duty, therefore I am throughout my life obligated to perform it to the best of my ability. This is mature understanding of occupation. That means I must not leave it even for so-called good cause, just like Arjuna wanted to stop his fighting activity just to avoid killing so many of his kinsmen, cousin brothers, and other friends. So we are preachers on behalf of Lord Krsna, that is our occupational duty, we haven't got to search any further some new challenge or change our engagement. No, that has been already settled up. Now best thing will be to develop more and more what we have begun. I have built the skeleton of the building, but there is so much more work remaining before us. The GBC men are there, the world is divided into 12 zones for gradual development by these, my chosen right hand men. So however you manage it, that you know best, my only point is that I do not like to see you become discouraged as you are indicating, because there is no actual cause for such discouragement.* Rather there is all encouraging prospects ahead. Now you have started something tangible and solid in German-speaking countries, you are printing books, magazines, and distributing them widely, collecting huge funds, now the work is just beginning. So you have got a little facility now, utilize this opportunity to take advantage of Krsna's favoring you in this way. Consider that each day shall be a new challenge for you to push on Krsna Consciousness movement within your range of managing. But I think that you are developing things nicely already, you are one of my senior disciples, and you know these things already, only you are little humble so you have said like that. Yes, even the devotee doesn't care a pinch for even Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, like that, because devotees are the [handwritten] most exalted personalities as the servants of Krsna, still they think themselves lower than everyone, and that humble attitude is their credit. What credit is there for someone who is himself actually lower than everyone but claims that he is better than everyone, or even he may claim that he is lower than everyone, still what is his credit? But the devotee, being the topmost grade of living entity, when he gives all credit to others and takes nothing credit for himself, that is his credit. Thank you, along with your good wife Himavati, for helping me in this way.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Hansadutta das Adhikary
ISKCON Heidelberg

ACBS/sda

* Whenever you feel some discouragement, please immediately come to me and live with me for some time. [handwritten]