690501 - Letter to Dayananda written from Boston

Letters by Date, 1969

Tridandi Goswami

A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness

CENTER: 95 Glenville Avenue
Allston, Mass. 02134

DATE May 1, 1969

My Dear Dayananda,

Please accept my blessings. Just yesterday morning I was thinking of you that I did not hear from Dayananda for so many days, and immediately I got your nice letter dated April 25, 1969. You are such a nice soul that you are always thinking of Krishna and becoming more and more purified in Krishna Consciousness. As stated in the Srimad Bhagwatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, Twenty-Seventh Verse, Krishna is sitting in everyone's heart and He is purifying one who is Krishna Conscious. The symptoms of advancement in Krishna Consciousness is gradually feeling detached to materialistic way of life. Although you are young man, you have got your nice young wife and child, and by Krishna's Grace, everything is all right so far as your family is concerned, still you are feeling detached. That is very nice. But when your wife and child all are cooperating in your Krishna Consciousness, there is no hampering in your progress. So keep yourself always in Krishna Consciousness with your family members, raise your children to that standard, and employ your energy for serving Krishna. Then, even though you are in family life, you are as good as sannyasi.

You have not mentioned when you are returning to Los Angeles. The idea of New Dvaraka in Los Angeles is developing there, and Tamal Krishna has already informed Mr. Leo Brown, the real estate man, to find out a bigger place than the present one. So when you return you try to complete it. I thank you very much for your nice surrendering attitude by placing yourself at my disposal. Of course, I am using you already in the service of the Lord, and personally I cannot utilize your service. So whatever I demand from you, it is for Krishna's sake. Personally I am humble servant of Krishna as you are also, but I am deputed to accept your service just to transfer it to Krishna as via media. I shall try to do this service to you and Krishna throughout my life, and I am so proud to have such assistants as you are to help me in my mission to push on the Krishna Consciousness Movement. I do not know why I am attached to your country, but I strongly believe that if the American boys and girls would accept this philosophy, it would render the greatest service to the rest of the world. In Los Angeles, the situation is improving, and when you reach there it will be further accelerated.

One boy whom I have initiated last night, named Chandanacharya, is enthusiastic to go to Florida for opening a center there. For the time being he has come from Montreal along with Hamsaduta. He proposes to begin a temple in Palm Beach. He is a very enthusiastic musician and appears to be very nice boy.

Regarding your questions, the swami order is certainly introduced by Shankaracharya, because almost all sannyasis of impersonal philosophy take this name, Swami. But the Swami title offered to me is equivalent to Goswami. Swami and Goswami are actually the same, synonomous. Swami means the master, and master means the master of the senses. Goswami directly explains master of senses. Go means senses. So this name, Goswami, is not the Sankaracarya's order. So far as your second question, Thakur Bhaktivinode was not official Spiritual Master of Gour Krishore dasa Babaji Maharaja. Gour Krishore dasa Babaji Maharaj was already renounced order, Paramahamsa, but Thakur Bhaktivinode, while He was even playing the part of a householder, was treated by Gour Krishore dasa Babaji Maharaj as Preceptor, on account of His highly elevated spiritual understanding, and thus He was always treating Him as His Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master is divided into two parts; namely, siksa guru and diksa guru. So officially Bhaktivinode Thakur was like siksa guru of Gour Krishora das Babaji Maharaj.

I shall be glad to receive your letters at least once in a week. I hope this will find you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami