680824 - Letter to Dayananda and Nandarani written from Montreal

Letters by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

August 24, 1968

My Dear Dayananda, and Nandarani,

Please accept my blessings. I received your letter dated July 18, after the mail strike as well as Nandarani's letter, along with it. And I thank you very much for them. Regarding immigration: I have already received immigration in Canada, so there is no difficulty for my going to USA, but still I am trying to get immigration of religious minister into the USA, and it is progressing well. I think there will be no difficulty in coming and going to USA, either from Canada or anywhere, so don't be worried about it. Krishna will help us. Now, regarding your question: "What is the difference between Jagannatha deities and Krishna Murti and why is the latter not fed and cared for as well as the former and why are Jagannathas more tolerant?" Krishna means Himself and all His expansions, different expansions. So sometimes, Krishna appears as Vasudeva, sometimes as Sankarsana, sometimes as Jagannatha, sometimes as Lord Caitanya, sometimes as Rama, so all such different incarnations includes the Name Krishna. So Jagannatha is another feature of Krishna, and He is especially favorable to the people who are not strictly advanced to the Brahminical culture of Vedic rituals. Lord Jagannatha is situated in India, at Puri; this place is one of the towns of Orissa province. And the people of Orissa and Bengal, they are sometimes fish-eaters, why sometimes—about 90% population they are fish-eaters. But Jagannatha Swami in Puri, He accepts service from these people although they are sometimes fish-eaters. So in the Kali yuga, the people are supposed to be not so clean, and therefore, service to Jagannatha Swami is preferred. So far service to Laksmi-Narayana, and Radha Krishna, it requires highly elevated position, transcendental to Brahmins. But still, either we serve Jagannatha or Radha Krishna, the effect is the same. But to facilitate the worship of the Lord in the Form of Jagannatha is more congenial than others. But when anything is offered to Jagannatha, it does not mean that it is not taken by Krishna. So in the temple, although we offer to Jagannatha, it is also accepted by Krishna. Be rest assured of this fact.

Regarding your question: "What is the correct sexual etiquette for a strict Grhastha; and what is spiritual family planning?" Unless one wants to beget a child, there should not be any sex life. The best thing is to forget sex, but it is not possible immediately or all of a sudden, especially in the Western countries where sex life is so liberal. So under the circumstances, one should try to have sex life only for children, not for any other purpose. Spiritual family planning is that one should be determined to train up children in Krishna Consciousness. According to Bhagavata, the spiritual family planning is that one should not become a father or one should not become a mother, unless he is able to maintain their children to the extent of liberation. It is the duty of the parents to see that the children are growing luxuriantly not only materially, but spiritually also. So spiritual training should be given from the very beginning. Kaumaram acaret prajna—In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Prahlada Maharaja has instructed that spiritual consciousness or Krishna Consciousness should be taught to the children from the very beginning as they are given education from early childhood.

The next question, "will you please explain about the 28th mahayuga of this Manu, in which the treta and Dvapara yugas are reversed?" The 28th mahayuga means that in Brahma's one day, there are 14 Manus. And each Manu's life is the duration of 71 mahayugas. And one mahayuga means 4 yugas combined. The duration of Sattva yuga is about 18 hundred thousands of years. And the duration of Treta yuga is about 12 hundred thousands of years. And the duration of Dvapara yuga is about 800 thousands of years, and the duration of Kali yuga is about 400 thousands of years. So all together, becomes a mahayuga, and such 71 mahayugas take place in the life of one Manu, and there are 14 Manus in the one day duration of Brahma. So in the 28th mahayuga, of the life of Vivasvata Manu, at the end of Dvapara yuga, Lord Krishna appears, and in the next Kali yuga, Lord Caitanya appeared. Previous to this Kali yuga, there was Dvapara yuga, when men used to live for 1000 years. In the Treta yuga, they used to live 10,000 of years and in the Satya yuga, they used to live for 100,000 years. Modern calculation of Satya yuga, Treta yuga, Dvapara yuga, Kali yuga, as golden age, bronze age, silver age, copper age, and other age, that is historical references. But the Vedic calculation is different from such calculation. But it can be accepted to a certain extent to understand that history is changing and repeating at the same time.

You are always welcome to put questions, and it is my duty to answer all the questions to my sincere devotees. You will be glad to know that our one of the Prabhus, Sriman Hayagriva Brahmacari, has leased out a 99 year lease on one great plot of land to construct New Vrindaban. So San Francisco is progressing as New Jagannatha Puri and West Virginia plot of land may be constructed as New Vrindaban, but I am still hoping that we can do something in Florida also. You suggested previously that you have got friend who has got some land and in Florida, and he wants to utilize it for some religious purpose. So I still draw your attention, if something can be done in the Florida.

Hope this will find you both in good health, along with your good child Candramukhi.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

• That the people of Orissa and Bengal eat fish in their private homes is a fact. But they do not offer anything like that to the Lord Jagannatha. The Lord is offered all nice foodstuffs as we are striving to do in our all our temples here.

The news of the Car festival of Lord Jagannatha of S.F. was published not only in the local papers but also in India as in the Yugavtar A.B. Patrik, Truth, and many others on 10th July 1968.