691123 - Letter to Madhusudana written from London

Letters by Date, 1969

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER: 7, Bury Place
London, WC 1
ENGLAND

DATE ......November..23,.............19.69

My Dear Madhusudan,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated November 18, 1969 and your maintenance check. I am so glad to learn about your Maha Samkirtan Party consisting of 60 devotees and your realization of the fact that the situation appeared to be Vaikuntha atmosphere. Actually it is so. Srila Narottama das Thakur in his prayer says he wants to be associated always with devotees. So our Krishna Consciousness Movement is to educate people to create such association. Even in the midst of a small family group, the whole world is missing this point. This is because they are creating societies of sense gratification. Therefore, in any group, either in societies, or communities, or nations, or at last in the United Nations, they are all unhappy. Because the real point is missing. So our movement is very genuine, scientific and benedictory. Only the first class intelligent class of men can understand the value of this movement. But Lord Chaitanya has given us the Hare Krishna Mantra which makes things very easy. So go on chanting this mantra, following the regulative principles and rules and regulations. Then it will be effective without any fail. I am so glad that you are gradually appreciating the luster and beauty of Krishna and the taste of Samkirtan Movement.

Regarding your question, it is welcome. It is not outrageous. Any honest question is welcome. The Spiritual Master is meant for answering any honest question. Krishna has genitals certainly. It is said that He has eternal, blissful Body, full of knowledge. So when He has got a body, He must have all the parts of a body. But we should not consider that His parts of the body are the same as ours. In the Brahma Samhita it is said that His parts of the body, or limbs, each of them has got potency of the others. For example, with our eyes we can see only, but we cannot eat. But Krishna's eyes can not only see, but also eat and beget children also. In the Vedas it is said that He put His glance over Maya and impregnated her with all the living entities. Therefore, although He has got genitals, necessarily He does not require to use it for the same purpose as we do. There is another instance that Garbodakshayee Visnu begot Lord Brahma from His abdomen, navel, and the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi, was nearby. She was just massaging the Lord's Lotus Feet, but He did not require the help of the Goddess of Fortune to beget Lord Brahma. That is His omnipotence. He is self sufficient. He has got all the limbs for all the purposes, but He can use all of them for any purposes. This is inconceivable by us. We should not therefore compare our bodily function with Krishna's. His conjugal relationship with the Gopies is not exactly in the same way as we have girlfriends, neither the Gopies made friendship with Krishna exactly in the same fashion as here in this material world a girl makes friendship with a boy. They are different spheres of activities. Therefore, I sometimes warn my students not to discuss much about the affairs of Krishna's dealing with the Gopis. In the Srimad Bhagavatam such dealings are described in the 10th Canto, and as it is already explained, 9 Cantoes have been devoted just to understand the philosophy of Krishna. In the 2nd Canto it is recommended that one should begin to see Krishna from the Lotus Feet, not from the genital. Gradually, as he advances in understanding Krishna, he should go up and up. In this way, one should try to see the face of Krishna; and His dealing with the Gopies is compared with His sweet smile. So for the present we should better stick our faith and observation to the Lotus Feet of Krishna and pray fervently that He may give us the strength and capacity to understand Him as He is. Because as soon as we are able to understand Him as He is, immediately we become liberated persons, eligible for entering into the Kingdom of God. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad Gita, 4th Chapter where the Lord says "Simply by understanding My transcendental position, appearance, disappearance and activities, one becomes eligible to enter into My Abode, just after giving up the present material body.

Regarding your second question about the rasas in Narayana's Abode, it does not go higher than servitude and reverential friendship.

I am very glad that Kanchanbala is performing the regulative principles and worshipping and helping you to become an ideal Vaishnava householder. Regarding sannyas, yes, according to Vedic principles, as a married man, you must give your wife at least one boy child. And when he is grown up, after you are 50 years of age, you can take sannyas. The grown up boy may take care of your old wife. That is the Vedic system.

Please offer my blessings to all of the others. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami