My disciples must follow these principles living either in heaven or hell

“My disciples must follow these principles living either in heaven or hell”.

Oct 22 1968 letter

You write to say that you cannot feel any taste for temple life or Deity worship. This means you are keeping the same temperament you entertained before leaving our society. Our process is to accept both the lines of bhagavata marga and pancaratriki marga. Perhaps you might have seen the picture of the Gaudiya mission. On one side there is the bhagavata book and on the other side a picture of Laksmi Narayana for Deity worship. You cannot make any progress in devotional service unless simultaneously you follow both the lines. Just as the tracks of a railroad line; both must be there. Similarly temple worship is essential for purifying us from the material contamination and without being purified we cannot glorify the Lord. As it is stated in Bhagavad-gita that the Lord is completely pure and we cannot approach Krishna without being purified. So as you say that you do not feel very much encouraged in Deity worship and temple life, I see that your disease is still continuing. Under the circumstances simple academic career will not help you. If you want to live with us you must accept temple life, namely cleanly shaven head, observing the regulative principles, decorating the body with tilak, etc. You know all these things.

So far your editorial work is concerned, I welcome your good service but if you do not follow temple life and Deity worship, it will set a bad example. When I was there in N.Y. last time I saw that the tendency was there in the press members not to follow the principles. So I said better to stop the press. Since then Advaita and the others are attending temple worship. Similarly you must also do the same and chant at least 16 rounds, etc.

March 9 1970 letter

One must agree not to be a rascal any more, then his rascaldom can be reformed. Jagai and Madhai begged the Lord for His mercy and they were prototype rascals, drunkards and debauchees. Lord Caitanya told them first you stop your nonsense activities, then I will accept you. So a rascal may be accepted provided he agrees to stop his nonsenses. Otherwise, how can one expect to be reformed if he does not agree or like to be reformed. To be reformed, he must agree to the reforming process.

In this connection, in order to remain fixed in spiritual strength, always be sure to chant the prescribed sixteen rounds of beads daily without fail. This is essential for insuring your spiritual progress. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Jan 24 1970 letter

I reply each and every letter that I receive, but sometimes it may be a little late due to pressure of work. But they should write; there is no checking. But it is better if simple questions are solved amongst yourselves in the Istagosthi class. Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice—in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered.

July 7 1970 letter

I am very glad also to know that you are managing the schedule of your center very capably. Of course Sankirtana is our most important engagement, but all the temple activities must go on regularly without any pause. This following of the daily duties will carry us to the spiritual platform very rapidly. I have looked over the sample of test paper from Srimati Joanne and it is very nice. This question and answer practice should be encouraged amongst the devotees. Then they will become trained to reply questions from outsiders.

Yes, you are right to say that as our devotees become more devotional, the nondevotees also come to hear. To become advanced in spiritual life of devotional service to Krsna means to acquire spiritual strength, and this spiritual strength is for impressing devotional service into the hearts of the fallen souls. Also you must all become expert preachers and show the exemplary life of a devotee you must keep yourself spiritually fit by observing the regulative principles strictly.

Dec 22 1971 letter

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Dec. 9, 1971 & of your letters hand-delivered by Dravida das from Vrindaban. I am very glad to learn that you are both recovering your physical health & enjoying the transcendental atmosphere of Vrindaban city. I’ve now come to Bombay, so wherever you remain you don’t forget our routine work and hold kirtana at least twice daily, morning & evening. Kirtana is our life & soul, so we must be very concerned to have it no matter where we are and no matter what circumstances are there.

Dec 28 1971 letter

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge your letter of December 12, 1971, and it has given me much pleasure to hear from you after such long time. I can understand that you are feeling some separation, as I am also feeling some separation from both you and your good wife, Janaki. I am very pleased to see that you are all right and that you are advancing nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Why your naughty wife, Janaki, does not write me? She is angry upon me or what is that? You are both some of my first disciples, and because of you so many others came, so I am always remembering you fondly. Now please just remain very serious in pursuing your proper goal of life by sticking to the pure standard of routine work like chanting, reading, rising early, cleansing nicely, going on street Sankirtana whenever possible, like that. Then I promise you you will not fail to be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.

Jan 6 1972 letter

Japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally. Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the hearing. A devotee should always be grave and silent which means that he only discusses topics relating to Krishna Consciousness. Yes, spend your time chanting and reading and taking Krishna Prasadam and automatically your tongue will come under control. If you sincerely engage 24 hours daily in devotional service according to the instructions of the Spiritual Master, chant daily 16 rounds, attend the arati ceremony of Lord Krishna, associate with the devotees and adhere strictly to the regulative principles then Krishna will reveal Himself personally to you.

July 22 1972 letter

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 15, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am very much pleased to hear that everything is going on nicely in Canada, especially that your travelling party is having good success. Yes, that is the right idea, to strengthen whatever devotees we have got in spiritual life, fix them beyond any doubts. Then our potency will increase and we may recruit dozens of new devotees easily. Main thing is to make sure everyone is chanting minimum sixteen rounds daily of Hare Krishna Mantra. Otherwise they will not be able to perform the other practices of brahminical life, such as early rising, cleanliness, etc.

Dec 22 1972 letter

So my point is that the regulative principles must be followed by everyone. Otherwise their enthusiasm dwindles and they again think of sex and become restless, and so many problems are there. There is some symptom of missing the point. The point is to be engaged in doing something for Krishna, never mind what is that job, but being so engaged in doing something very much satisfying to the devotee that he remains always enthusiastic. He will automatically follow the regulative principles because they are part of his occupational duty—by applying them practically as his occupational duty, he realizes the happy result of regulative principles. So the future of this Krishna Consciousness movement is very bright, so long the managers remain vigilant that 16 rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four morning, attending mangal arati—our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles—Krishna Consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy. So you big managers now try to train up more and more some competent preachers and managers like yourselves. Forget this centralizing and bureaucracy. Hoping this meets you in good health.

Aug 28 1973 letter

Krishna is very kind upon you because he has given you so many responsible tasks. So always think of the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna and you will find no difficulties in executing the tasks allotted to you by Krishna. Bhaktivinode Thakura used to say all difficult tasks he had to execute for Krishna were considered as great pleasure for him.

Regarding the criticism from others, that may be there but we have to follow our own principles. Syamasundara. was too attached to his daughter and therefore he took her back, but it is not good.Kindly see that the principles are being followed, deity worship, sankirtana, chanting etc. If we maintain these principles rigidly there is no question of fall down and without any difficulty our progressive march will advance.

Aug 20 1974 letter

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 1974 hand delivered. You should understand that when you sat at the fire sacrifice upon your initiation, you made a vow to the Spiritual Master at that time. So, you should not break these vows. You say that you appreciate the association of devotees but how will you withstand the material attraction? If you are not chanting Hare Krishna offenselessly and regularly? Affection for the spiritual master and following the instructions of the Spiritual Master is the same. My instruction is that all of my disciples must attend the mangala arati and chant 16 rounds daily.

This life is very flickering. At any moment you may die so we must cling very close to the instruction of higher authorities, the spiritual master and Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-gita. So I think that you can follow the instructions. You are intelligent hard working boy. In the meantime until you get stronger, you should remain in the association of devotees. In this way you will get a taste for spiritual life. In Bhagavad gita it is stated: mac-citta mad-gata-prana/ bodhayantah parasparam/ kathayantas ca mam nityam/ tusyanti ca ramanti ca [Bg. 10.9].

Sept 19 1974 letter

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 30, 1974 and have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation I am initiating the following disciples. You must see that they strictly follow the regulative principles, the four prohibitions as well as the devotional practices of arising early, taking morning bath, putting on tilaka, attending mangal arati, chanting japa 16 rounds, and attending Srimmad Bhagavatam class. This is the duty of all my initiated disciples, whether they are big or they are small. Actually in our movement there is no such thing as big or small. Everyone is a devotee. So everyone is expected to follow the devotional practices. Here in Vrindaban I am enjoying my disciples how they are speaking. So two times daily everyone must attend the classes. During the morning and evening times there should be no business, simply kirtana, chant, dance, and be purified. Do not be paramahamsa that now I haven’t got to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Don’t be a better paramahamsa than your Guru Maharaja. I go and sit and I enjoy the lectures and how they are performing kirtana. So as I am doing, you must also do.

Everyone can become a first class speaker. Simply cram the purports of my books. The references are there, the philosophy is there. Everything is there. So if you do it, everyone will be pleased with your speaking.

Oct 31 1974 letter

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 26, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to note that you are seeing that the devotees are maintaining the devotional practices. This is the secret to success. Therefore I am stressing it. And, if you also stress it and show yourself as an ideal Vaisnava, then you are my representative in fullness. We are not after titles and designations. Lord Caitanya made it a principle that we must teach by personal example. This is what I have tried to do. So if all of you my disciples do this, then the future of our movement will be glorious.

Dec 16 1974 letter

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter date Nov. 1, 1974 and have noted the contents with care. My simple request is that you remain in association of devotees and continue to chant your 16 rounds daily and follow strictly the four regulative principles and read our books daily with great care. In this way your Krsna Conscious advancement will be assured success and at the end of this life you will go back to Godhead, back to home, and live with Krsna eternally. I hope this meets you in good health.

Feb 17 1976 letter

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9 February, 1976. My advise is always chant 16 rounds minimum and follow the four regulative principles. All of my disciples must agree on this point otherwise they are not my disciples. Let one live anywhere, but stick to the principles. Disagreements will continue in this material world. So one may live in a suitable place, but one must follow these five principles. My disciples must follow these principles living either in heaven or hell.

I hope this meets you well.