731101 - Letter to Balavanta written from New Delhi

Letters by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

November 1, 1973

New Delhi, India

My dear Balavanta Dasa,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 22, 1973. Your report has given me boundless pleasure. I am very much pleased with you preaching in this way, and I want others to follow your example also. That you did not get many votes is not a setback; there is no question of setbacks in any Krsna conscious activity. Bhagavad-gétä states in this connection, nehabhi-krama-naso’ sti pratyavavyo na vidyate: “In this [Krsna conscious] endeavor there is no loss or diminution.” (Bg. 2.40) That Jesus Christ was killed, for example, does not mean that his preaching was unsuccessful. We have to act, like him, in such a way that our only aim is to please Krsna. Actually, in this material world we are living amongst fools and rascals. Even when Krsna came personally or when He came in His form as Lord Caitanya, these fools and rascals did not accept the Krsna conscious philosophy. Maya [illusion] is very strong; it forms a strong knot. Still, we have to act by the Lord’s superior order. There is no question of failure or success. Krsna will recognize what you have done to try to make people Krsna conscious.

We have to work diligently and sincerely, and not care for the result. You have done your best, and I am proud of you. Kindly continue to take the opportunity whenever possible to make the mass of people Krsna conscious.

Even Krsna Himself personally took part in the Battle of Kuruksetra so that Maharaja Yudhisthira, a Krsna conscious king, could sit on the throne of the empire. But now the foolish people are electing rascals like Nixon and then regretting it and trying to impeach them. They should know, however, that either Nixon or Dixon or anyone else, if the leader is not Krsna conscious he cannot do anything good for the people in general. You are therefore doing a great service by trying to make people Krsna conscious as you have done in the contest in Atlanta. Don’t worry about the result; go on trying. You should know that your activities are being noticed all over the world. Herein I am enclosing a clipping from an Indian newspaper reporting your activities. In India, the atheists and communists are somewhat afraid because our movement is spreading so rapidly. But I think Americans will take this movement very seriously and make it successful for the betterment of all people. Your picture in American dress with tilaka, sikha, and kunti [the symbols of a Krsna conscious devotee] is very encouraging to me. If you move in this dress with tilaka, sikha and kunti, it will be a good example. So do not compromise. Tell the people the truth, and Krsna will give you all strength. My spiritual master never compromised, and I have never compromised, so you and all my disciples should also not compromise. Yes, let all of our men run for election, regardless of the result, because it will be good publicity for our principles.

Even if you had been elected, at the present moment it would be very difficult to institute our philosophy. But at least we have had the opportunity to expose these politicians as rascals. People are fallen because they are not Krsna conscious, and therefore society is full of thieves, rascals and rogues. So whenever possible, take this opportunity. People should be informed that so long as they elect sinful men, they will never be happy. That is a fact. A man who is not a devotee of the Lord has no good qualifications, and if one has no good qualifications, how can he do good for others? I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami