740907 - Letter to Guru-gauranga written from Vrndavana

Letters by Date, 1974

9/7/74
Krishna Balaram Mandir
Raman Reti Vrindaban
Mathura Dist U P India

Gurugauranga das brahmacari
ISKCON Cneminducredo 9

1213 Petit-lancey
Geneva, Switzerland

My dear Gurugauranga das;
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Sept, 1 1974 and have noted the contents. Regarding the marriage of Ramiya devi dasi; you can find out a suitable boy there, I think that Bhagavan das can arrange this. It is not necessary for Bilvamangala to marry this particular girl, another can be found out. Regarding the remarks of Prof. Jean Herbert, in Bhagavad-gita we find no instruction except devotional service or bhakti yoga. We have to prove this from the statements of the Bhagavad gita. We cannot accept the interpretation of an outsider. Regarding karma yoga the Lord says: yat karosi yad asnasi yaj juhosi dadasi yat/ yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam (BG 9.27). This mad-arpanam is bhakti yoga. Similarly the Lord says: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate/ vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah (BG 7.19). This means that jnana alone is not good unless the jnani surrenders to Krishna. Unless one does so his knowledge is not perfect. Similarly at the end of the Bhagavad gita the Lord says: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja/ aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah (BG 18.66). This is the ultimate goal to surrender to the Supreme Lord. This is the end of yoga.
He also says at the end of the (6th chapter): yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana/sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah. Of all yogas, karma yoga, hatha yoga, etc., one who always thinks of Krishna is the 1st class yogi. We are teaching people to become 1st class yogis in Krishna consciousness.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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