700603 - Letter to Makhanlal written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1970

3764 Watseka Avenue
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

3rd June 70

My Dear Makanlal,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21st May, 1970, and noted the contents.
Regarding your special worshipment of Lord Nityananda: Srila Narottam Dasa Thakur has sung, "Gouranga balite habe..etc." when that time will come when torrents of tears shall pour from my eyes simply by uttering the Name of Gouranga. It is not that one should worship one and neglect the others. So the symptoms of Lord Nityananda's mercy are exhibited according to the description of Srila Narottam Dasa Thakur by the detachment from material sense enjoyment, because without being freed from the attachment for material sense enjoyment, nobody can enter into the transcendental service [handwritten] of Radha and Krsna.
Radha and Krsna lila or pastime is perfectly understood by following the instructions of the six Goswamis. So all these favors and mercy of the Acarya's and Incarnations go together. It is not that if I receive favor of one section I shall be reluctant to receive favor of other sections. It is very good symptom to have received Lord Nityananda's favor, but if we are actually favored by Lord Nityananda our business will be to please Lord Caitanya. And if Lord Caitanya is pleased, then we easily understand the truth of Radha Krsna through the mercy of the Goswamis.
So the above verse means that as soon as one will chant the name of Lord Caitanya he will feel a transcendental ecstasy. All of us should wait for this stage of life. The transcendental ecstatic symptoms certainly become manifested in a devotee's body, but they should not be exhibited amongst common men. When Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Roy, both of them felt this ecstasy by embracing one another. But as soon as Lord Caitanya saw that Ramananda Roy was in the company of some outsider brahmins, He checked Himself. This is already described in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, but they are not for advertising to others. One should not advertise directly or indirectly that one is feeling like this. They should be checked. Otherwise one will gradually become sahajia or one who takes spiritual advancement as something materially manifest. Actual spiritual advancement means detachment for everything material. So our activities are nothing material. Detachment from material activities, means attachment for spiritual activities, devotional service. After all, our energy has to be utilized, so when it is materially detached it means with greater enthusiasm our spiritual activities increase.
So Lord Caitanya is combined [handwritten] form of Radha Krsna. If Caitanya is pleased, Radha and Krsna automatically become pleased. Now our mission, Krsna consciousness mission, is to execute the will of Lord Caitanya. In this old age whatever I am trying to do it is just to give a little service according to my capacity to Lord Caitanya's mission. I have not come here for some personal credit in this old age. I have also come here under the order of my Spiritual Master who is non-different from Lord Nityananda.
You are all helping me in the execution of my mission so please do not try to do anything beyond the jurisdiction of my instructions. My will I have already disclosed to you all that each and every one of you should chant the Mahamantra regularly in sixteen rounds, follow the four regulative principles, chant Hare Krsna mantra on the streets, try to distribute our books and literature, and specifically in San Francisco you should observe the annual Ratha Yatra festival very gorgeously. I can assure you that if you follow my instruction as above mentioned there is no doubt about it that through me my spiritual Master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur will be pleased, and through His mercy Lord Nityananda will be pleased. In this way Lord Caitanya and ultimately Radha Krsna will be pleased, and thus your life will be successful.
You are all intelligent boys. Please try to understand me and do the needful.
Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

Sriman Makanlal Das Brahmacary
ISKCON Temple
518 Frederick Street
San Francisco, Ca 94117