2014 Letters

My Gītā is Simple and Straightforward (04/29/14) Dear _______ Swami, Yes, maybe we meet and talk some day. I hope you will not be disappointed, but you will not find my edition of Bhagavad-gītā to be a demonstration of my scholarship.  It is in fact just a simple and straightforward preaching of Bhagavad-gītā, nothing more, nothing less. Your Servant, Read more...

The Sannyāsa Mantra (04/27/14) Daṇḍavats Śrīpāda ______ Swami, Thank you for your email. Although I certainly have my complaints and lack of appreciation for Iskcon leadership, it must also be said that there are many nice, sincere and non-offensive devotees in Iskcon. Although I stand by everything I said in my previous email I also feel that a blanket Read more...

Set a good example for the other devotees (04/23/14) Please continue your service and try to set a good example for the new devotees. If we can train and show a good example to new devotees, than Lord Kṛṣṇa will send new people to join and learn about Kṛṣṇa. So, please always try to be a good example for Read more...

Give up all nonsense and follow the guru’s instructions (03/30/14) Dear _____Dāsa, What I said was...in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, there is a commentary that says, “After accepting the spiritual master, within few days one should become a pure devotee." This means that one should give up all his nonsense and simply follow the instructions of the spiritual master. One who 100% Read more...

Vaiṣṇavism is a living thing, and not a static or dogmatic process (03/28/14) I received the question below from _____. Please send me the reference from Jīva Gosvāmī in Bhagavātam that he is asking about. "In your excellent book, ‘The Authorized Śrī Caitanya-Sārasvata Paramparā’, on page 60, you write: “Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī in his Śrīmad Bhāgavatam commentary on verses Read more...

Dīkṣā is required to worship the Deity (03/28/14) ____, Here is what i wrote to _____: ______ Prabhu, The verses quoted in the book should have been 7.5.23-24, and not 7.5.24-25. That was an editing error. Things like that happen. Jīva's Sanskrit commentary to those two verse (23-24) is several pages long. Here is the part in question: nanu, Read more...

I am NOT a scholar of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism (03/27/14) I'll have to wait to return to my library in India to give you any details or an extensive answer, but in brief the Lord sends His associates well in advance of His own appearance and they leave bits and pieces of the nectar here and there for the Lord Read more...

Sometimes the 'older' devotee is worse off (03/26/14) You took guidance from some older devotee/devotees, but not from a higher Vaiṣṇava. Be clear on that. Sometimes the 'older' are worse off than the younger because even after years of being around Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they have not made any real spiritual advancement. Happens all the time.

Your over-concern with eating is an obstacle to Kṛṣṇa consciousness (03/26/14) Dear ______, I have been thinking over numerous things and in brief it will not be good for you to come to India. I would much prefer if you just stay in _____ and try to cultivate a useful program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness there. There are numerous reasons Read more...

I want no more issues to pop up in our mission (03/26/14) At this point I have done about all that I can do personally for the ____ projects. Blessings is all I have left to give. Now everyone has to serve Kṛṣṇa together in harmony and everything can be successful. Just for the record…I want no more issues Read more...