680303 - Letter to Hansadutta and Himavati written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1968

Letter to Hansadutta and Himavati devi

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Acharya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness

CAMP:   ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple
            5364 W. Pico Blvd.
            Los Angeles, Cal. 90019

DATED ....March..3,................1968..

My Dear Hansadutta and Himavati devi,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your nice letters, one dated the 23rd of Feb. and the other undated. I have noted the contents, and your attitude of service is so nice. I am pleased to hear that you have begun practicing for the Kirtana party; please keep me informed how you are progressing. Yes, if you like, you can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head. Responsive chanting is very nice; one good singer may lead, and the others may join in. That is the system in India. It is very good for two reasons especially: One, the chanter gets to rest, so he does not become tired, and two, you get to chant and hear, that is the process. You may also have melodious accompaniment instruments, and amplifiers. Blowing of the conch shell and horns is very nice.

Yes, to be determined that the child will have his last birth into ignorance is very good. It is true that one should become a parent only if he can deliver his ward from the clutches of death. And that is possible only with Krishna Consciousness. This is a very great service for Krishna, to give all opportunity for the child to be trained up in devotional service, and it is very good that you are thinking very seriously on this.

The more one feels imperfect in Krishna's service, the more he is advancing in Krishna Consciousness. Even the topmost devotees feel they are inadequate in their service to the Lord. So it is good to feel inadequate, and to try harder to please Krishna with better service. But one should never feel, oh, I have seen Krishna, and so I am reached perfection—this is not Krishna Consciousness.

Please continue your very good service, and do not feel any feeling of uselessness. It is true that Krishna has given some the opportunity to serve Him by nice writing, some by good business ability, some by nice cooking, and so on, but these various services are all accepted equally by Krishna. On the transcendental plane, one service is as good as another. There is no question of higher or lower. We are very tiny, and so we cannot really do very much. Simply we can engage our time and energy, and that is all Krishna sees. He sees this boy or girl is spending his time in My Service, and He is pleased. I hope you are both well.

Your ever well-wisher,

P.S. I am going to San Francisco on 8th March 1968 [handwritten]
     

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami