680329 - Letter to Nandarani and Dayananda written from San Francisco

Letters by Date, 1968

March 29, 68

My Dear Nandaroni and Dyananda,
Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your nice letter of March 25, 1968, and the kind sentiments expressed therein. I am very happy to learn that you have a nice place in Florida, and you are feeling comfortable and your little Chandra is enjoying the sun and the atmosphere. Chandra's name is quite nice; you can simply add another word to make it become Chandramukhi, which means, face resembling the moon. So sometimes the associate Gopies are are also addressed like that because all of the Gopies are transcendentally beautiful. I am very glad that you have invited me to Florida prior to my going to Bahamas. So far we have not received any letter from Bahamas, so my Florida program for the time being, is suspended. If I go however, to the Bahamas, in the meantime certainly I shall go to your place, and I shall inform you beforehand. But shortly I am visiting New York, and from there I shall go to Boston, then I may go to Montreal; this is the present program. But at the same time, I am seeking a place which will be both conducive to my health and comfortable. I understand that Florida is just prototype of Indian climate, like Bombay or elsewhere there. And I shall go, once, just to see how does it suit me. And from New York, it is nearer than San Francisco.
I can understand your feeling the absence of devotees. The best thing will be that you practice chanting, both husband and wife together, and Krishna may send some friends, who may also take part in the chanting. We have to create the atmosphere of Krishna Consciousness, and thus create devotees also. I therefore advise you to begin classes as usual, morning and evening, sitting together, husband and wife, in the front of Krishna's picture, and chant Hare Krishna and read Srimad Bhagwatam. When I was in Los Angeles, I asked Dyananda to speak, and I was very glad that he speaks very nicely. So he can speak, also, in the class, and if there is none else there, he can speak to you. So don't feel lonely. Try to understand Krishna Consciousness mutually, and this will give you transcendental pleasure.
Regarding your manner of behavior with your parents who are not in Krishna Consciousness; I may inform you that you should treat four different classes of men in four different ways. A devotee should love God and God's devotees. A devotee should make friendship with devotees. A devotee should try to enlighten innocent persons, and a devotee should reject opposite elements. As father and Mother they should be offered proper respect according to social custom, but you cannot accept their non-Godly instructions. Best thing is, to avoid misunderstanding, to remain silent without any affirmation or negation of their instructions. We should try to keep our friendship with everyone in the world, but we cannot sacrifice the principles of Krishna Consciousness on being employed by some relative of this world. Don't let them know that you do not approve your parents instructions, but at the same time you should be very careful in dealing with them. If you object to their instruction and let them know it, then they will feel sorry, sad.
Please keep me informed of your activities there, as I am always very glad to hear from you both. Hope you are all three doing well.

Your ever wellwisher,
ACBS.