770814 - Letter to Hansadutta from Tamal Krsna

Vrndavana,

August 14, 1977

From: Tamal Krishna

My dear Hansadutta Prabhu,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your feet. I have been instructed by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada to reply your letter dated August 8th, 1977. Your letter was so nice and enthusing that I decided to read it to His Divine Grace early in the morning. Srila Prabhupada had just finished His bath and was sitting upstairs in His house in Vrndavana on the veranda, where He now sits every morning at this time before going to the temple for darshan at 9:30. His Divine Grace was sitting there very beautifully with a tulasi garland from Krishna-Balarama around His neck as well as a fresh flower garland made of Vrndavana flowers. He was reclining on a round bolster pillow, and wearing sunglasses, which He always does now because His eyes are giving Him some trouble. Prabhupada confirmed your visit to Vrndavana in your dream by saying, yes, and nodding His head. As soon as I began to read your letter Prabhupada wanted to hear Dr. Kovoor’s response. I thus began to read the news clipping but His Divine Grace became very fired up, more than I have seen in many weeks, and began to interrupt me every minute smashing the rascal scientists: “Rascals. They say it is like this, it is like that. Why can they not produce life? The sunshine is there, green plants are there. Rascals, why can’t they produce life? Simply suggesting. Unless they can produce life what is the point of talking? Empty sounds. The scientist himself is going to die. He is under the control of some energy. But he is puffed up. Educated rascals. Nothing more. They were rascals before education and now after spending so much money of the government, they are still rascals. This rascal questions my perception. It is practical perception. You talk nonsense, you cannot do anything. This is our practical experience. Jugglery of words. You can’t stop birth, old age, disease or death. What you can do–simply talk. We are practical scientists. Not talkative nonsense. If there is no God, then who is controlling you? You make a scheme and it is spoiled. You have got good scientists, medicine, can you guarantee life? Why men are dying? Your so-called knowledge has no value. Empty words. If you are a scientist, why don't you give this child who is born without senses new senses? We admit we cannot because we say God is all-powerful. But you say you are powerful. So you do it without God. The onus is on you. Rascal. You are simply producing empty sounds. Where is the chicken? The hen is better scientist than you are. Within a week they produce another chicken. Therefore you are less important than a chicken. God kicks on your mouth with shoes. Nobel prize–another rascal has given you. If the witness is a drunkard, then what is the use of his evidence? Just like there is some incidence in the liquor shop. The proprietor has brought witnesses but they are all drunkards. What is the value of such evidence? You talk of hired wombs. There are millions of wombs without hiring. Who needs to hire? There are uncivilized men but they have no scientific knowledge. Yet they are producing children. You have progressed in eating and sleeping. Nothing more. He eats by killing an animal in the jungle, and you eat by killing in an organized slaughterhouse. He can be allowed to do it because he is not civilized but you are not allowed to because you are supposed to be civilized. You are God-less and you do not know. What you have gained? Your mother and father have died. Why don't you save them? What is the value of your education? And you will also die. Have you invented something that man will not die? Then it would have value. You have given simply the faculty to die earlier with your atomic energy. That is atomic energy.” In this way Srila Prabhupada received the article of Dr. Kavoor and smashed him point by point.

The I read your reply and Srila Prabhupada was very pleased to see how many of the same points your good self had made. Srila Prabhupada stated, “Hansadutta has become famous now. He is putting very strong arguments. This is preaching!”

After hearing of your visa difficulties, Srila Prabhupada suggested that why not go outside of Lanka for a few days and get a new visa and then return immediately as we are doing in India? However if this is not possible then Srila Prabhupada says it is better to travel and preach in Malaysia as you have suggested, rather than coming here to Vrndavana. If you have to leave then Prabhupada says that you should let the local people there maintain the branch and you return there as soon as possible to continue its development. Srila Prabhupada after hearing your letter said, “All the blessings of Krishna upon you.”

The scientific conference of Dr. Svarupa Damodar is to be held on October 14th, 15th, and 16th, 1977 here in Vrndavana. Dr. Svarupa Damodar is also planning to hold a similar conference in Bombay, but the date is not yet fixed up. Srila Prabhupada is waiting in anticipation to hear the report of how the challenge to Dr. Kovoor was received at the big meeting which you plan to hold on the 20th August.

Hoping this meets you in the best of health and Krishna consciousness.

Your servant,

Tamal Krishna Gosvami

Secretary to Srila Prabhupada

His Holiness Hansadutta Swami

c/o ISKCON Ceylon

/tkg