700929 - Letter to Aditi written from Calcutta

Letters by Date, 1970

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

September 29, 1970

My Dear Daughter Aditi Devi Dasi,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated from London. You are a very fortunate girl to have come in contact with our Krsna Consciousness Society and I am so happy that you are tasting a drop of the nectar of devotional service to Lord Krsna. If you simply continue seriously following this program of rendering loving service to the Lord your life is sure to become soon filled with happiness and joy in Krsna's service.

I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and I am glad to accept you as my initiated disciple on the recommendation of Sriman Gurudasa. Your initiated name is Aditi devi Dasi. Aditi is the name of the mother of the demigods. Please try to learn this Krsna science perfectly well and that will give ultimate meaning and perfection in your life.

Please follow very carefully the four restrictions of no eating of meat, fish or eggs; no gambling; no illicit sex; and no taking of any kinds of intoxicants. Chant at least sixteen rounds on your beads daily without fail and avoid the ten offenses in the matter of chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. They are: 1) Blaspheming the Lord's devotee; 2) Considering the Lord, Krsna, on the same level with the demi-gods or assuming that there are many Gods; 3) Neglecting the order of the Spiritual Master; 4) Minimizing the authority of the Scriptures; 5) Interpreting the Holy Name of God; 6) Committing sin on the strength of chanting; 7) Instructing the glories of the Lord's Name to the unfaithful; 8) Comparing the Holy Name with mundane piety; 9) Inattention while chanting the Holy Name; and 10) Attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting.

Study our literatures with the help of your senior God-brothers and sisters, go on Sankirtana when possible, take special care to remain always engaged in some Krsna conscious activity, chant Hare Krsna Mantra always and be happy.

I am very pleased that you are so sincerely and humbly trying to surrender to the instructions of Krsna and your Spiritual Master. This is the prime qualification of a devotee, so maintain fine attitude and advance in Krsna's loving service.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Your beads are returned by separate air post along with those of Srimati Lilasakti.