750509 - Letter to G.L. Nanda written from Perth

Letters by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

May 09, 1975

Sri G.L. Nanda
5, Tughlak Road
New Delhi 11, INDIA

9 Marimba Crescent,
City Beach 6015, Perth, West Australia

My dear Sri Nandaji,

With further reference to my last letter dated 7th May, 1975, I beg to submit herewith another verse from Srimad-bhagavatam in which it is said (vide Srimad-bhagavatam, 6th canto, 3rd chapter, verse number 19-22). It is said there:

dharmam tu saksad-bhagavat-pranitam
na vai viduh-rsayah napi devah
na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah
kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah

svayambhur-naradah sambhu kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo balir-vaiyasakir-vayam
dvadasaite vijanimor dharmam bhagavatam bhatah
guhyam visuddham durvodham yam jnatvamrtam-asnute

etavan-eva loke 'smin pumsam dharmah parah smrtah
bhakti-yogo bhagavati tannama-grahanadibhih

"Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna can enact the system of religiosity". This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, 4th chapter:

imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave 'bravit
(BG 4/1)

Forty-million years ago, before speaking the principles of Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, Krishna spoke to the sun-god, Vivasvan. Vivasvan spoke to Manu. Manu spoke to Iksvaku. In this way, the principle of religiosity was handed down by the parampara system, but in course of time, sa kaleneha mahata yogo nastah parantapa, on account of passing of time, the system was broken, therefore Krishna decided to speak to Arjuna about the principle of religion in the Bhagavad-gita. And the same Bhagavad-gita is still present, so why should we manufacture another type of religion which will never be successful. Religion means the acts and codes given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is clearly said, navai vidur-rsaye napi devah. Even great great saintly persons rsis and brahmanas do not know what is the principles of religion. Neither the demigods can understand the principles of religion and enact it. In this position, how men or inhabitants of other planets like the Vidyadhara, Caranas and similarly others can understand the principles of religion and introduce it as a new system. This is not possible. As such, it is recommended that we should learn from the real Mahajana, great personality as it is enjoined in the sastras, dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah. The mystery of religion is very very confidential, therefore, we should follow the great personalities like Svayambhu, Narada, Sambhu, Kapila, Kumara, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhisma, Bali, Vaiyasaki, and Vayam. We should follow the religion enacted or introduced by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Narada Muni, Sukadeva Goswami and Yamaraja, because it is completely [indistinct].

If we follow the mahajana, mahajano yena gatha sa panthah. It is clearly said in the Srimad-bhagavatam, dvadasaite vijanimo dharmam bhagavatam bhatah. Yamaraja says that we the 12 persons know the principles of religion and the system is guhyam-very confidential, visuddham-very pure, durvodham-and at the same time very difficult to understand, yam jnatvamrtam-asnute-but it is so nice and beautiful, if anyone can understand, he achieves the goal of life-amrtam-immortality. That is the principle of religion. This human life is the gift of nature to get rid of the material disease, namely,

janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam,
(BG 13/9).

Every living being is eternal, unborn and still he has accepted the path of birth, death, old age and disease, so the human being should be taught and trained up how to get out of this miserable condition of material life-janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. If we follow therefore, the real religious system, the result will be, yam jnatvamrtam-asnute; by knowing the real principles of religion, one can attain immortality. And to accept this system of religion is very very simple, easy even for a child. It is said clearly, etavan-sva-loke'smin pumsam dharmah parah smrtah. Here is the principle of transcendental religious system. What is that? bhakti-yogo - that yoga system which is called devotional service. And the devotional service is enunciated in nine ways, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam. This is also confirmed, bhakti-yogo bhagavati tannama-grahanadibhih, one can simply chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, tannama-grahanadibhih, ordinary mass of people, they can chant the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and those who are thinking themselves as becoming very learned scholars, philosophers, and scientists, they can read the vedic literature which we have translated into many languages. And they are accepting, big big scholars, professors, colleges, universities in the Western countries. And they are accepting our books. We have already translated about fifty books, and another set of fifty books are going on. They will be published within a very short time. Whatever we have published, we are selling these books in the Western countries-about forty lakhs worth every month. So, my request is that don't try to introduce any manufactured type of religious system and thus take the old, authorized, genuine system as it was spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavad-gita.

I have already appreciated the place Kurukshetra which you have tried to improve so diligently. Let us utilize it simply for this purpose, without any hodge-podge idea. Real dharma means bhagavat-dharma and it is recommended by Prahlada Maharaja who is also one of the Mahajanas. He says, kaumaram acaret prajna dharman bhagavatan iha, durlabham manusyam janma tad api adhruvam arthadam. Prahlad Maharaja says even when he was a child of five years old, he used to preach the Bhagavat-dharma amongst his class friends. And he advised them, my dear friends, from the beginning of life-kaumara, just after five years age, one should be taught about this bhagavat-dharma. Bhagavat-dharma is common dharma. Bhagavat means in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. When the Bhagavan says in the Bhagavad-Gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, this is the beginning of Bhagavat-dharma. When one man is convinced about the necessity of Bhagavat-dharma, he can read Srimad-bhagavatam in which it is further clearly stated, rejecting all types of cheating religious systems, or deceitful religious systems. dharmah projihita-kaitavo'tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam.

So, since I met you last, I am very seriously thinking about utilizing [indistinct] us preach the system of Bhagavad-gita purely without any adulteration, and the people of the world will come learn and adopt this religious system without any doubt. They are already accepting it. I have seen the evidence is that so many young men and women are so much attached to this Krishna Consciousness movement because it is nothing manufactured by me, but I am simply introducing the old system, Bhagavad-gita, as it is. So, my further request to you is that you take up this matter seriously and let us combinedly try to introduce the teachings of Bhagavad-gita all over the world, and let there be the headquarters at Kurukshetra-dharmakshetra. Kurukshetra is Dharmakshetra even before the battle of Kurukshetra took place. Therefore Dhrtarastra in the beginning he says, dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre. It is not that for 5,000 years this place was known as Kurukshetra, but before the battle of Kurukshetra, this place was known as Kurukshetra, and it is recommended in the Vedas thatoneshould perform religious, ritualistic ceremonies in Kurukshetra, kuru-ksetre dharmam acaret. So, let us combinedly revive the glories of Kurukshetra in a modern way, namely establishing university which is already there, inviting international students and teach them the principles of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavan Sri Krishna was not limited to a certain section of people or to a certain country. He says that He is the seed-giving father of all forms of living beings, sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita. He is the father of all living entities. So, there is no hinderance for anyone all over the world to learn the principles of Bhagavad-gita. When things deteriorated, then so many religious systems sprung out without any benefit to the human society. Now let us revive the original, real religious system and let us invite everyone to study it learn it and accept it. That will be the real purpose of Manava Dharma. And if we manufacture a system out of own brain, it will never be successful.

I shall be very glad to hear from you in this connection. My next address for replying will be better at Honolulu because from here I shall go to Fiji, and then I shall go to Honolulu. And I shall stay there at least for one month.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/ps