680807 - Letter to Nathan Baruch written from Montreal

Letters by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

August 07, 1968

My Dear Nathan Baruch,

Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter, without date. (In future, while corresponding, please try to put the date of writing.) I received your letter a couple of days ago, but could not reply you due to the mail strike. It is expected that the mail strike will end by tomorrow, as it is announced about their settlement, but still I am not certain. I am therefore replying your letter by posting at Boston. Hope you will receive it duly.

Your letter is very encouraging, and I think in future your enthusiasm and energy can very suitably be engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krishna. Everyone of us has got a certain amount of good energy derived from Krishna, and when that energy is employed under the expert direction of Spiritual Master, one's life becomes successful. That is the secret of Krishna Consciousness. The Spiritual Master must be bona fide representative of Krishna, by disciplic succession, receiving orders from the superior, and the disciple must agree to abide by the orders of the Spiritual Master. This is the simple method of spiritual advancement; if you remember this principle it will be very nice. If you can carve Radha Krishna Murti very nicely, it will be a great service to the society. There is a quality of wood, which is very hard and strong and black and heavy; in India we call it iron wood. I think it is called ebony here. If you can carve Krishna from this ebony wood, and Radharani from another wood, one which is very hard, and of golden color, and from this same golden wood, Lord Caitanya (all of Them 24" in height, and Radharani a little less) then you can begin this work immediately. I'm so glad to learn that you are eager to serve Krishna in every way possible. This mentality is very rare, and I guess that you must have been engaged in Krishna's service in your previous life. To begin eager to serve Krishna is the greatest achievement after many many duration of pious life. So I entrust you to begin this work immediately. And concentrate your energy making this art perfection. So far Radha Krishna Murtis are concerned, you have many pictures in San Francisco, and you can do accordingly, and so far Caitanya Mahaprabhu Murti is concerned, I am giving you a rough diagram herewith. (Murari has got one diagram drawn by Gaurasundara under my supervision which you can also see.)

So far Sankirtana is concerned, that should be continued in all circumstances. Chanting of Hare Krishna, Sankirtana is our life and soul. Side by side, if possible, then you can attempt for the ISKCON restaurant and Krishna Prasadam distribution, but this I think is secondary. I can understand from your letter that you have varied energies, and you want to employ all of them into the service of Krishna. Please try to do as above mentioned, and it will be a great pleasure for me and a delight for all others.

Hope you are well and I shall be glad to hear from you by return of post. Please convey my blessings to all the disciples and inform Krishna das that I have received one letter from his good mother, and I shall reply it within a day or two, and I am very much obliged to Krishna das's mother for her kind letter to me, and hope she is well and happy.

Your ever will-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami