December 23, 1992

Dear Prahladananda Swami,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Jaya Narasimha Deva!

Thank you very much for sending a copy of your paper, I just got it yesterday. I read it and I must
say that I was very confused by what you say and the conclusions that you draw. Maybe that is
because I am not a very advanced devotee (I'm sure that is the reason), I am hoping therefore, that
out your kindness you will dissapte my confused state of darkenss and ignorance.

One of the root causes to my confusion is the following. In GBC resolution 91/74 it states. "The
paper shall carefully consider the issue of compatibility of astrological concerns with the concerns
of pure devotional service." What exactly are the concerns of 'Pure Devotional Service' (henceforth
PDS)? I have already admitted that I am not very advanced, my mind constantly attacks me, so I
am not very fit to understand these things. In my present condition I am so far from PDS, that I
really don't have much idea of what the concerns of PDS might be. If these concerns had been
clearly defined then I would have a measuring rod to which astrological concerns could be
compared. I have read Srila Prabhupada's book's several times, and repeatedly listened to his
recorded lectures and conversations in the last 17 years (insignificant I know when compared to
Lord Brahma, one of his seconds equals 100,000 of years.) and I have a developed some feeble,
nebulous concept of PDS, and what Srila Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to accomplish. I am not a
very great devotee nor have I accomplished much, this would not be the case if I really understood
what Srila Prabhupada meant and wanted. I simply filter what Srila Prabhupada says and writes
through my heavily contaminated and conditioned intelligence thus I screw out meanings that suit
my personal state of illusion. If I had known what the concerns of PDS were I might not have made
some of the obviously incorrect statements that I did. Therefore please tell me, what are the
concerns of PDS? Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to get the framers of the resolution to
define what they mean by PDS, lest you get accused of defining things according to your own
conceptions. This definition is very important, without it all the members of the committee
maintain in their minds their own concept of what PDS is, some broader, other's narrower. With
some PDS and astrology may be compatible and with others incompatible, hence the necessity of a
clear beginning concept. Then things will fall in place nicely.

For example recently I attended a seminar in San Diego on the subject of dealing with the media. I
was shown a video in which several devotees (Bhakti Caru Swami, Mrgendra, and Sudharma) were
guests on a talk show on channel 7 in New York (?), in 1989. On the show with them was a former
devotee, a Prabhupada disciple, I can't remember her name, contact Arcita at BTG for more
information. Obviously she was not going to be friendly. She was not deprogrammed she had left
of her own accord after being kicked out of her residence in Lake Huntington in 1983. The question
was asked about mind control. She responded by saying that an example of mind control was how
she was forced to marry a man she didn't love or who didn't love her back. She was told that love
was only for Krsna, her children were just entanglements of maya and that she shouldn't love them.
She became embittered because of her loveless marriage and abuse at the hands of authorities.
After the vidoe was over many of the devotees were upset by what she said about marriage,
because it was true and hit a very raw nerve, they were actually sympathetic to her. I have had to
counsel many devotees, men and women who have been scarred by similar experiences. We have
lost many a devotee to bitter marriages. So I humbly ask, because I don't know, might the concerns
of PDS have something to do with keeping devotees in the movement? After all if you treat your
people callusly and they leave what is the question of PDS for them. Do we just say in a cavelier
attitude, in their next life they can engage in PDS? Why not in this life by proper management. If I
am not mistaken, please correct and chastise me if I'm wrong, is it not the desire of Srila
Prabhupada to increase PDS in this world, and is not one of the ways to accomplish this by
increasing the number of devotees. Doesn't the loss of so many devotees because of bitter marriages
decrease PDS. (I don't know what the percentage is but I'm sure a significant cause for leaving the
movement is bad marriages. And the ones that don't leave and stay are scarred and dysfunctional.
Then there are the kids of these loveless marriages.) What to speak of it being broadcast on TV and
being true. What is the effect of so many dysfunctional marriages on the rest of the society? Does it
effect the morale? Does it boost PDS? Many of the people that I have counselled were surrendered
devotees and they just accepted what ever the authorities told them as "Krsna's mercy Prabhu." Is
that what is meant by "depending on Krsna?" Does such mindlessness increase our PDS?

Excuse me for broaching the following. But I'm sure you will reconcile all apparent contradictions.
If the concerns of PDS is "to increase our tendency to depend on Lord Krsna" (Hrdayananda's
letter). Then shouldn't the devotees simply "depend on Krsna", when they get sick, or old and
invalid. Why start an official health care program which you are the chairman of? Why have the
GBC stipulated that any married man considering sannyas make prior arrangement so that his wife
will be properly maintained? (You are aware of this stipulation I hope?) What was wrong with the
old system? The man takes sannyas, the wife can depend on Krsna. After all Krsna is more
dependable than any man anyway. We should stick to the old ways which makes us depend on Sri
Krsna.

Though not trying to be offensive to the idea of "just depend on Krsna" something seems wrong. It
actually is laudable to take care of our devotee's health and make sure that our widows are well
treated. This is in keeping with PDS. The kanishta just sees the deity in the temple, or in this case
just considers the deity period. But I have heard from Srila Prabhupada that on a higher level, with
advancement in devotional service the madyama adhikari wants to serve the devotees. And isn't
service to the devotees compatible with the concerns of PDS, indeed is not service to the devotees a
characteristic of PDS? I have heard from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in his song Suddha-bhakata:

suddha-bhakata- carana-renu
bhajana-anukula
bhakata-seva parama siddhi
prema-latikara mula

"Dust from the lotus feet of pure devotees is conducive to devotional service, while service to the
Vaisnavas is itself the supreme perfection and the root of the tender creeper of divine love."

I may be mistaken (I often am) but it seems to me that the more ISKCON is able to serve the
devotees, and takes care of them with love and affection, then the more ISKCON will be the
repository of PDS, the more inspired and powerful our movement will be, etc. Perhaps I'm just a
sentimental visionary, perhaps ISKCON is not ready for this yet and must wait till it gets out of its
Rahu period before such sentiments are valued.

If astrology could aid in strengthening our social structure, and in this way keep devotee families
together, would this not make ISKCON stronger. Is the weakening of ISKCON compatible with
PDS. (I know that ISKCON is doing big in Eastern Europe, but what will happen when they want
to get married?)

I know that we usually reserve the word love only for Krsna and pure devotees, and that to say you
love your spouse (not you of course) is not politically correct in ISKCON, but family affection is
natural as explained in Gita (13.8-12). It is only when it obstructs devotional service that it becomes
a problem. In a period when devotees are beginning to realize the importance of building strong
relationships among each other why is it that we can love everyone but if we say we love our own
family then we are strange? Surely Prabhupada's parents loved him dearly and out of love his father
sought so many blessings from Sri Radha for him. A married couples love for each other and their
children may not be pure but if they are devotees and see each as devotees they can certainly
advance. But when their is lack of love and affection, or even enmity then their is chaos, as we have
experienced.

Another point that I need clarification on. Some months ago I was counselling a devotee. As always
before I started the reading I prayed very hard to Krsna to put in my mouth the words that she
needed to hear. During the course of the reading I preached to her nicely and I could see that it was
favorable for her to have a spiritual come back, so in my office as an astrologer I strongly
encouraged her to again take up her vows and begin chanting etc. This woman had joined when she
was 17 in NYC, she hadn't chanted in 10 years or more, she never wore a sari, was engaged in so
many negative activities, never came to the temple and was very hostile to the devotees. Because of
my encouragement (by Krsna's mercy) she is chanting, wearing sari, going to morning program
etc., soon by my encouragement she will be going back on the altar to worship the deity. All this
was as a result of my reading and preaching to her (by Krsna's mercy). She would never have
approached me for anything what to speak of preach to her. She only came to me as an astrologer
because she was in trouble and needed advice about what to do with her life. I am confused,
I am guessing here, but might not the concerns of PDS have something to do with showing
compassion on our God Brothers and Sisters and helping them to make their spiritual life stronger.

Another recent case in which one of our dear God Brothers approached me via the phone. He said
he was confused about his life some things were good others bad, he needed advice etc. He gave no
details. I first prayed to Sri Krsna for guidance on what to say, then read his chart, I pin pointed that
he was having severe spiritual problems and needed to quickly establish relationships with devotees
etc. Yesterday his wife phoned me for her own reading. She was shaken, everything I had said
about her husband was true, he was in grave spiritual danger, stopped chanting, etc., but he had
taken what I had said seriously and with the help of some senior devotees he is attempting to get his
spiritual life back in shape. His own wife didn't know what was going on in his life what to speak
of other devotees, she was surprized when he confessed to her about his problems what to speak
when she heard the tape I had made. Anyway she feels that the problem has been identified and that
is half the problem solved. So here is where my confusion lies does not counselling our God
Brother, through the agency of astrology, to return to the spiritual path have even some very vague
and distant relationship to the concerns of pure devotional service? He was another case in which
he approached me because I was an astrologer. He didn't approach the GBC, or a sannyasi, or
another god brother, not even his own wife knew what was going on. If I had not been there who
would he have turned to? Not Krsna, he stopped chanting his rounds, and had begun to drink to
ease the tension. But I can say that I felt very discouraged to continue as an astrologer after reading
your paper. I see astrology as a preaching medium, a vehicle by which I can reach people others
can't. To me astrology is very much applicable to the concerns of PDS because through it I feel I
have been able to help many devotees who have been in grave spiritual trouble. Serving them
through astrology has at least helped my spiritual life and is my service to Srila Prabhupada,
ISKCON, and Sri Sri Radha Krsna. If I can get the heart felt thanks from devotees that I have
served then I feel the inspiration to continue living, without the service to the devotees and through
them service to Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement, then my life is useless and a waste.

One more case I recently met with one devotee who holds a very responsible post in our movement.
He is on various boards, holds serious posts etc. He was in serious mental anguish, depression etc.,
his service was flagging, he was not keeping up his responsibilities. He needed help. He came to
me. He said that if go to a sannyasi he will just say, "So you are feeling no enthusiam. How are
your rounds, are you going to the program, are you reading, etc. I know I should be doing that, but I
feel so disturbed, I feel no enthusiasm to do anything. Can you help me." We spent some time
together in which I preached to him on the basis of what I saw in his chart, you could say that this
is a variation of kala-desa-patra. He is now feeling much better and knows that there is light at the
end of the tunnel. And by the way his sadhana is better. Just as it is hard to concentrate if you are
hungry or diseased, it is also hard to concentrate if you are unsure of your future, got mental
anguish etc. Vedic astrology really helps devotees releave mental problems that block their spiritual
path, just as ayurveda can help remove health problems. Again I ask is it not in the interest of PDS
that important leaders in the movement be aided through times of their own spiritual difficulty,
especially when so many persons are dependent on them for their own spiritual life. In 1986 when
so many big leaders fell it created tremendous havoc in ISKCON. This, I would think, is against the
concerns of PDS.

I have a question. Over the years many people have fallen from devotional service for many
different reasons. How many have left the movement because of astrology? I have always tried to
help devotees strengthen their spiritual life when they ask for my guidance. To my knowledge I
have not weakened anybody's spiritual life by my astrological guidance, on the contrary I am
encouraged to continue because I experience that I have helped them stay in the movement and
increase their service. Is this not compatible with the concerns of PDS?

I could give many other cases of devotees. If you need their names to verify I could supply them
with their permission of course.

In your paper you also claim that my translations of Vedanta Sutra are inaccurate according to
Satyanaranaya Dasa and that Srila Prabhupada also disagrees with my statements. It is very
difficult, actually impossible to defend myself against such unspecified allegations. I didn't translate
the Vedanta Sutra, it is from an english translation easily available, and in the possession of many
devotees. Where did Satyanarayana disagree? Was it a serious flaw? Or just minor? Would other
devotees such as Hrdayananda, Gopiparanadana, Rohini Kumara Swami, Kusa Krata agree with
him? Have you asked them? How is it possible for anyone to defend themselves from such
criticisms as you have brought against me. You don't specify what is wrong, or how these
conclusions were reached. For the sake of fairness you should be more specific and also bring in
the expert judgement of our God brothers as mentioned above. For all I know Satyanarayana,
whom I have never met, may be in error.

When we met at Ratha Yatra you told me you didn't agree with my statements about Prarabdha
Karma etc. You had had the opportunity to read what I had written, everything was in black and
white before you to analyse and think over. If you had some disagreements, then I asked you to
please return the favor to me and also place your thoughts in words so that I could sort them out.
Possibly there may have been a simple misunderstanding that could easily be reconiled
philosophically. However you have not favored me by writing down your own philosophical
understandings of the intricate subject of karma. So I am still in the dark about what your
objections are. In my writings I was not able to anticipate and answer all objections or scenarios. It
just may be that if I knew exactly what your problem is I could give you an answer that satisfies
you, but unless you comunicate to me what your objection is what can I do. Actually I want to find
out what the real situation is and if you can explain it better, or add something please do, but do put
your ideas down in an organized way in writing.

In the section that constitutes your contribution you provide a very abreviated abstract of your
ideas. What happened to the full version? Was it not to be circulated to other devotees to read and
ask releavant questions? I saw most contributions of others? Why not from you?
In my presentation I tried to be unbiased as possible and presented both sides of the issue, but you
don't, you present only the negative, and reach a negative conclusion. You presented the purport of
SB 6.2.26

"Therefore the custom in Vedic society is to examine the horoscopes of a girl and boy being
considered for marriage to see whether their combination is suitable. Vedic astrology reveals
whether one has been born in the vipra-varna, kshatriya-varna, vaishya-varna or shudra-varna,
according to the three qualities of material nature. This must be examined because a marriage
between a boy of the vipra-varna and a girl of the shudra-varna is incompatible; married life would
be miserable for both husband and wife. Consequently a boy should marry a girl of the same
category. Of course, this is trai-gunya, a material calculation according to the Vedas, but if the boy
and girl are devotees there need be no such considerations. A devotee is transcendental, and
therefore in a marriage between devotees, the boy and girl form a very happy combination."

I also presented this purport but pointed out that there must be very few devotees because so few
marriages in ISKCON have worked out. Please give me your explanation, in light of this verse, as
to why so few marriages in ISKCON have worked out. Do you think the old ISKCON style of
arranging marriages was good for the devotees, good for ISKCON, good for preaching and good
for the concerns of PDS?

In another verse Prabhupada says:

SBpp 3.21.15
...The phrase ``like disposition'' is very significant. Formerly, boys and girls of similar dispositions
were married; the similar natures of the boy and girl were united in order to make them happy. Not
more than twenty-five years ago, and perhaps it is still current, parents in India used to consult the
horoscope of the boy and girl to see whether there would be factual union in their psychological
conditions. These considerations are very important. Nowadays marriage takes place without such
consultation, and therefore, soon after the marriage, there is divorce and separation...

Please resolve these apparent contradictions. Certainly I have experience that even uncompatible
couples are able to stay in the movement as long as they are strong devotees, but if one has a
spiritual low point, then the marriage dissolves. I can think of serveral cases where this has
happened. But in cases where there is compatibility if one has a problem then the other
compensates, is more tolerant, preaching is done, etc., so that the errant party gets back on their
spiritual feet. I can think of several cases where this has happened.

Now we get into the realm of letters and room conversations. In discussing shastra there is a rule
that if a smriti contradicts the sruti, then the sruti is to be followed. Srila Prabhupada's books are
meant as law books for everyone for the next 10,000 years, but his room conversations and letters
are generally addressed to particular individuals in particular situations, and may not be applicable
to everyone. I just wanted you to keep this in mind.

You present the letter to Devamaya & Sanatana but you fail to resolve the apparent contradiction
that ensues with the letter to Lilavati and other texts.

Bombay
9th January, 1975
London
My dear Devamaya devi dasi,
...Regarding astrology, you should not listen to any of these so-called astrologers--strictly avoid.
Don't even see them. What is the use of seeing them? Astrology is meant for the materialist, but a
spiritualist does not care for the future. Everything is dependant upon Krishna. So where is the
necessity of astrology? The devotees' principle is, let there happen anything as Krishna desires. Let
me remain sincere devotee, that's all. Pure devotee is never interested in this astrology...

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami
ACBS/ps

Calcutta
23rd October, 1967

My dear Lilavati,
Please accept my blessings. I'm just in receipt of your letter. Your child should be named
Subhadra, the name that you have already chosen, this is nice. Regarding the horoscope, it is a nice
idea and if I meet a good astrologer I shall try to get one for your little child. I'm glad that you have
sent me the exact time and date of birth, this will help...
ACB

This letter of course contradicts previous things said by Prabhupada. To resolve this contradiction
we should note that Prabhupada condemns "so-called" astrologers indicating a difference between
them and "good" astrologers (to Lilavati). I also agree with Srila Prabhupada that everything
depends on Krsna, I can't even do a good reading unless I get Krsna's blessings. But no attempt was
made by you to see the context of the letter. Who knows what kind of nonsense the bogus "so-
called" astrologer told Devamaya, he was a karmi and had even less inkling of the concerns of pure
devotional service than I have. As you well know India is full of charlatans in every field and
astrology has more than its fair share. It was because of such bogus astrologers in and outside of the
movement that the BI started the study of astrology and I was asked to do that study.

In this letter Srila Prabhupada says "Don't even see them." Since Prabhupada himself saw
astrologers during his life, you must resolve this contradiction. An acarya teaches by doing. Why in
this case Srila Prabhupada says one thing but does another? Because immature, inexperienced
devotees don't know good astrologers from bad. Those who have spiritual values from those
without them. Also Srila Prabhupada was not swayed by what astrologers say but remained fixed. I
know some devotees who become 'mental' when they hear about their horoscopes. TKG told me
that was why he stayed away from astrology because it made him 'mental.' Still I did his chart in
depth back in 1978 in Bombay.

In the letter to Devamaya Srila Prabhupada says "Astrology is meant for the materialist, but a
spiritualist does not care for the future." Please resolve this with what Prabhupada says in SB 6.1.49
where he says that we are in darkness unless we know our past, present, and future.

SB 6.1.49
As a sleeping person acts according to the body manifested in his dreams and accepts it to be
himself, so one identifies with his present body, which he acquired because of his past religious or
irreligious actions, and is unable to know his past or future lives.

...It should be understood that a person who does not have Vedic knowledge always acts in
ignorance of what he has done in the past, what he is doing at the present and how he will suffer in
the future. He is completely in darkness...
...One who is in complete darkness cannot know what his past life was or what his next life will be;
he is simply interested in his present body. Even though he has a human body, a person in the mode
of ignorance and interested only in his present body is like an animal, for an animal, being covered
by ignorance, thinks that the ultimate goal of life and happiness is to eat as much as possible. A
human being must be educated to understand his past life and how he can endeavor for a better life
in the future. There is even a book, called Bhrigu-samhita, which reveals information about one's
past, present and future lives according to astrological calculations. Somehow or other one must be
enlightened about his past, present and future.

It seems clear to me that Devamaya did something that she should not have done. She acted without
discrimination by taking advice from a non-vaisnava who probably gave her bad counsel. Certainly
a devotee is always surrendered to Krsna in all respects (letter to Devamaya). Prabhupada
emphasizes in SB 6.1.49 that 'Somehow or other one must be enlightened about his past, present
and future.' Why? 'A human being must be educated to understand his past life and how he can
endeavor for a better life in the future.' We see in the life of Maharaja Bharata that when he took
birth as a deer and as Jada Bharat he was blessed to remember his past life so that he could quickly
achieve spiritual perfection. This seems to indicate that knowing about your past, present, and
future have relevance to the concerns of PDS. It certainly did in the case of Jada Bharata.

In a similar vein we must ask what the context of Sanatana's letter was to elicit such a response
from Srila Prabhupada. No doubt astrology will not save me at the time of death, only
rememberance and service to Krsna. But since I have done a lot of service through astrology as I
have described here in this letter and in the other section that I am sending entitled "Why
Astrology" I am hoping that this service will help me to become free from birth, or at least a better
more spiritually advanced birth in my next life. And what about the devotees whose actual spiritual
lives I have been able to help through astrological counselling. Doesn't the fact that a person again
starts up their service, or is stopped from leaving devotional life have some bearing at the time of
their death? Of course I can't take any real credit, if there is any credit it belongs to Krsna, He used
me, a useless astrologer, to preach to devotees who would never in their wildest dreams reveal their
minds to a temple authority or sannyasi. They approached me specifically because I counselled
through astrology. What comment do you have on this? Might not this have some relevance to
PDS.

The last letter you quote is from my good friend Hrdayananda Dasa Goswami, in fact I asked you
to write to him to get his views which I knew were negative. (We actually are friends, by the way.)
You print this letter. But who were the astrologers in question? Rascals, who Srila Prabhupada
subsequently kicked out of the movement. Under such conditions I would also emphatically reject
astrology in ISKCON if it were in the hands of, as Srila Prabhupada said to Devamaya, "so-called
astrologers." It was because of such bogus astrologers that the GBC, encouraged the BI to take up
astrology. I mentioned this point in my paper but why did you ignor that? Is this unbiased, showing
both sides of the issue? Did you contact HH Bhakti Swarupa Damodara Swami to find out what
Srila Prabhupada had said to him in regards to astrology?

In my paper (I hope you still have a copy of it) I clearly point out how I joined the BI on the
grounds that they specifically wanted me to study astrology. After some time when I was about to
stop studying astrology Swarupa Damodara calls me into his room and tells me that Srila
Prabhupada told him that he wanted the BI to study Astrology. Is this not a significant point that
stands in contradistinction from the statement made by Hrdayananda. Do you not think that this
requires serious investigation? Why did Srila Prabhupada want the BI to study astrology? Only
Swarupa Damodara knows, don't you think that what he says might be relavant? How can this be a
research group unless we do real research. Of course I had a falling out with Swarupa Damodara in
1979, he said that he would make sure I would not be able to do astrology in ISKCON ever and has
at many times tried to block me in a vindictive spirit. I am telling you this so that if you were to
approach him about the subject of astrology be sure to leave my name out of it. Just ask what
Prabhupada said about the subject. If he denies it then he will have to explain what I was doing at
the BI for almost 2 years. He will have to explain why I studied astrology under the BI authority,
his authority, why so much money was spent, why a computer was purchased for my use, etc.
Sadaputa, Dravida, Ravindra Swarupa, Hari Sauri and others were there and know about these
things also. There are also the morning walk conversations where it is shown that Srila Prabhupada
convinced Swarupa Damodara, who was previously a skeptic, that astrology is a real science. So I
ask you, how do you resolve this apparent contradiction? Why is Hrdayananda's testimony so much
more relavant than Swarupa Damodara's that you didn't include it or investigate the implications of
what he said?

A few more points. From what you presented it seemed that the importance of varnasharama
dharma was minimized and that varnashrama dharma has nothing to do with the concerns of PDS. I
am aware of the conversation between Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya in which varnashrama
and even higher princples are considered external. But for us, the disciples and followers of his
Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada our devotional service and advancement in spiritual life depends on
fulfilling the order of our guru. It is well known that one of Srila Prabhupada's main concerns was
the establishment of daivi varnashrama. I am sure that if you searched Folio for what Prabhupada
had to say about varnashrama you would find piles of stuff such as the following.

"SB 10.8.5
O great saintly person, you have compiled the astrological knowledge by which one can
understand past and present unseen things. By the strength of this knowledge, any human being can
understand what he has done in his past life and how it affects his present life. This is known to
you.

...Therefore any gentleman, dhira, must be interested in jyotisa, astrology.

Nanda Maharaja was trying to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by Gargamuni's
presence, for Gargamuni was a great authority in this knowledge of astrology, by which one can see
the unseen events of past, present and future. It is the duty of a father to understand the astrological
position of his children and do what is needed for their happiness. Now, taking advantage of the
opportunity afforded by the presence of Gargamuni, Nanda Maharaja suggested that Gargamuni
prepare a horoscope for Nanda's two sons, Krishna and Balarama.

TX 6
My lord, you are the best of the brahmanas, especially because you are fully aware of the jyotih-
shastra, the astrological science. Therefore you are naturally the spiritual master of every human
being. This being so, since you have kindly come to my house, kindly execute the reformatory
activities for my two sons.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), catur-varnyam

maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagashah: the four varnas--brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and
shudra--must be present in society. The brahmanas are required for the guidance of the whole
society. If there is no such institution as varnashrama-dharma and if human society has no such
guide as the brahmana, human society will be hellish. In Kali-yuga, especially at the present
moment, there is no such thing as a real brahmana, and therefore society is in a chaotic condition.
Formerly there were qualified brahmanas, but at present, although there are certainly persons who
think themselves brahmanas, they actually have no ability to guide society. The Krishna
consciousness movement is therefore very much eager to reintroduce the varnashrama system into
human society so that those who are bewildered or less intelligent will be able to take guidance
from qualified brahmanas... "

The point that I am trying to make is that our own devotional service is dependent on fulfilling
Prabhupada's desire to establish varnashrama. Without fulfilling this desire how can we expect to
get his blessings. Without the blessings of the guru where is the scope for PDS. Therefore the
importance of varnashrama dharma should not be minimized, as if we are above such things. We
are not in the Gopi Bhava Club. Our families are breaking up, we are having severe manpower and
money shortages, at least here in North America, the children of devotees are growing up and we
don't know how to engage them. We don't even know how to properly engage the people we have
got. We are in big trouble in this country. It is not a joke. Srila Prabhupada stress's: "The Krishna
consciousness movement is therefore very much eager to reintroduce the varnashrama system ... "
Here is one area where astrological concerns and the concerns of PDS very much coincide, that is if
you think that pleasing Srila Prabhupada by fullfilling his desire is a concern of PDS, I may be
wrong about this. Please educate me on where I have gone wrong in my reasoning. What did
Prabhupada mean when he said that I have built the frame work now you just fill in the rest?

Two other points are raised by this quotation from the SB. First, Garga Muni is said to be especially
qualified as a brahmana because he was a great astrologer, this made him a natural spiritual master
to society.

"My lord, you are the best of the brahmanas, especially because you are fully aware of the jyotih-
shastra, the astrological science. Therefore you are naturally the spiritual master of every human
being."

This indicates that qualified brahmana astrologers (not just any old astrological hack) acted as
spiritual guides to society. Vysadeva indicates that a brahmana becomes even more qualified to act
as a spiritual guide if he knows astrology! This suggests to me that it might have relevance to the
concerns of PDS. Though I am a poor excuse of a devotee this has also been my experience. I have
given, in other places, examples of how I have used my astrological knowledge as spiritual
guidance for devotees who were in trouble. These devotees have ranged from Temple
President's/ISKCON Ministers/GBC's/Sannyasis to devotees in the community, and devotees who
have totally left and I have encouraged to come back. I have also preached to karmis, distributed
books and made devotees through astrology. Doesn't acting as a spiritual master (though I'm not at
all qualified) in this fashion have some remote connection with the concerns of PDS?

The other point is that personalities such as Nanda Maharaja and King Yudhisthira are pure
devotees and are eminently aware of the concerns of PDS, yet they consulted astrologers, albiet
qualified ones, not 'so-called' ones. Such devotees are totally dependent on Krsna, are more Krsna
Conscious than I can ever hope to be yet they consulted astrologers. Please explain to me why they
would do so. Would they do something that was against the principles of PDS? This is something
that I am puzzeled about. Whatever great personalities do other people follow. I have also read in
Mahaniddhi Swami's book Appreciating Sri Vrndavana Dhama (pg 65) that Citra-sakhi, one of the
eight principle gopis, is very learned in astrological literature. Surely such an extremely advanced
devotee knows the concerns of PDS, everything she does is PDS some how she uses this in the
service of Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

Astrology will not save me at the time of death. I do not doubt that. But devotional service will.
Cooking, eating, sweeping, singing, dancing, sewing, printing books, selling books, none of these
activities will save me at the time of death. But if these same activities are performed as service to
Krsna then surely I will be saved at the time of death. Just as both the cook and the one who eats
the prasadam are benefited, or the one who chants and the one who hears are both benefited as long
as it is in relationship to Krsna. In the same way both the astrologer and the seeker of guidance are
both benefited when it is used in Krsna's service. Astrology is just a tool, like so many that we use
in Krsna consciousness, if a microphone can be purified and spiritualized why not astrology?

Some detractors of astrology say that they will depend on Krsna to help them. Why not Krsna
helping them through astrology? For maintaining physical health Krsna came as Dhanvantari and
gave ayurveda. To releave our mental anxiety about the future and to give us knowledge of past,
present and future so that we can be progressive in life (as in purport to SB 6.1.49) Krsna gave us
astrology, this is also depending on Krsna.

Once a man was walking in the jungle. Unknown to him he was being stalked by a tiger. Another
man on seeing the tiger climbed a tree and shouted to the first man that he was being followed by a
tiger and that he should also climb a tree. The first man said, "I'm not worried, Krsna will save me,"
after which the tiger pounced on him and ate him. The moral of the story being that Krsna tried to
save him by warning him of his danger but he wouldn't listen. He wanted Krsna to come directly.

What does it mean that we 'just depend on Krsna prabhu?'

Now let us look at what you say in your report when you give a synopsis of my work. First I should
again repeat that it is difficult to respond to your accusations of mistranslation and general
inaccuracy because you have not shown where these took place, you just made a blanket statement
to the effect. You say in your paper:

"
6. Syamasundara das quotes from the Vedanta Sutra to make two points:
a. prarabdha karma is not completely removed even for a mahabhagavat devotee as long as
one remains within a material body.
b. devotional service does not even minimize the effects of prabdha karma.

7. Satya Narayana das from Vrindavan disagrees with Syamasundara's translation of the Sanskrit
verses from the Vedanta Sutra which he quotes to prove his points. The second point is refuted by
the fact that even gems and rituals can minimize material reactions, what to speak of devotional
service. Srila Prabhupada also states that all kinds of karma can be removed by devotional service."

Then you quote from Gita lecture 721128BG.HYD, and from SB 6.1.15 purport.

I shall first respond by reiterating that I did not translate anything from Vedanta Sutra. To my
knowledge there is only one translation of Govinda Bhasya and it is in the possession of many
devotees such as Hrdayananda, TKG, etc. If this translation of the sutras and Baladeva's
commentary is so defective then purhaps the BBT should commission a translation of this work.
Another point (which I hope is not true) is that Satyanarayan das is a disciple of HH Bhakti
Swarupa Damodara Swami who has a long standing grudge against me as mentioned before. I have
noted that other disciples of his (notable Rasaraja das) have acted strangely to me without any
provocation. I suspect as does Sadaputa (he has had similar experiences with Swarupa Damodara's
disciples) that Swarupa Damodara has black balled me with his disciples. He told me personally
that he would block me to the best of his ability. So even though I don't know Satyanarayan das I
do not feel comfortable that he is brought into this. If he read the paper I wrote (and he did because
you gave it to him) then I'm sure he noted my former connection with the BI and Swarupa
Damodara. In any case I feel uncomfortable about his nuetrality and ability to judge this matter no
matter how expert in Sanskrit he is. That is why I suggest you take the matter to several Sanskrit
Pandits and get a broader opinion from more than one source. Astrologers disagree, doctors
disagree, translators disagree, why put all your faith in Satyanarayan. If all agree that is another
thing and is all the more reason for our own translation. Even Prabhupada said that Radhakrsnan's
verse translations were alright, the purports were wrong.

Since you find fault with the translator's work let me then use a translator whom you can't find fault
with, Srila Prabhupada himself, as well as the panel of translators who did the 11th canto of SB.
The Srimad Bhagavatam is said to be the natural commentary to Vedanta Sutra so the same
conclusions should be found there by Srila Vyasadeva.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.28.34-38 we find:

" 'By following this course, the yogi gradually develops pure love for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Hari. In the course of his progress in devotional service, the hairs of his
body stand erect through excessive joy, and he is constantly bathed in a stream of tears occasioned
by intense love. Gradually, even the mind, which he used as a means to attract the Lord, as one
attracts a fish to a hook, withdraws from material activity.'

'When the mind is thus completely freed from all material contamination and detached from
material objectives, it is just like the flame of a lamp. At that time the mind is actually dovetailed
with that of the Supreme Lord and is experienced as one with Him because it is freed from the
interactive flow of the material qualities.'

'Thus situated in the highest transcendental stage, the mind ceases from all material reaction
and becomes situated in its own glory, transcendental to all material conceptions of happiness and
distress. At that time the yogi realizes the truth of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. He discovers that pleasure and pain as well as their interactions, which he attributed to
his own self, are actually due to the false ego, which is a product of ignorance.'

'Because he has achieved his real identity, the perfectly realized soul has no conception of
how the material body is moving or acting, just as an intoxicated person cannot understand whether
or not he has clothing on his body. The body of such a liberated yogi, along with the senses, is
taken charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it functions until its destined activities
are finished. The liberated devotee, being awake to his constitutional position and thus situated in
samadhi, the highest perfectional stage of yoga, does not accept the by-products of the material
body as his own. Thus he considers his bodily activities to be like the activities of a body in a
dream.'

Purport to 3.28.38

The following questions may be posed. As long as a the liberated soul is in contact with the body,
why don't the bodily activities affect him? Doesn't he actually become contaminated by the action
and reaction of material activities? In answer to such questions, this verse explains that the material
body of a liberated soul is taken charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not acting
due to the living force of the living entity; it is simply acting as a reaction to past activities. Even
after being switched off, an electic fan moves for some time. That movement is not due to the
electric current, but is a continuation of the last movement; similarly, although a liberated soul
appears to be acting just like an ordinary man, his actions are to be accepted as the continuation of
past activities. In a dream one may see himself expanded through many bodies, but when awake he
can understand that those bodies were all false. Similarly, although a liberated soul has the by-
products of the body--wife, children, house, etc.--he does not identify himself with those bodily
expansions. He knows that they are all products of the material dream. The gross body is made up
of the gross elements of matter, and the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence, ego and
contaminated consciousness. If one can accept the subtle body of a dream as false and not identify
oneself with that body, then certainly an awake person need not identify with the gross body. As
one who is awake has no connection with the activities of the body in a dream, an awakened,
liberated soul has no connection with the activities of the present body. In other words, because he
is aquainted with his constitutional position, he never accepts the bodily concept of life.'

This verse and purport by Srila Prabhupada clearly indicates that the karma (in this case prarabdha
karma) of the liberated soul (mahabhagavat) continues until it is finished and used up. How do you
reconcile this with the quotations you make from the Gita class and SB purport? Some effort must
be made to reconcile these important philosophical points lest we have a contradictory philosophy.
Don't you think it important to explain the apparant contradiction made by Srila Prabhupada? Can
you live with this apparent contradiction? A philosophy and research group should endeavor to
resolve contradictions not perpetuate them.

There are two similar verses in the 11th canto.

"Just as a drunken man does not notice if he is wearing his coat or shirt, similarly, one who is
perfect in self-realization and who has thus achieved his eternal identity does not notice whether the
temporary body is sitting or standing. Indeed, if by God's will the body is finished or if by God's
will he obtains a new body, a self-realized soul does not notice, just as a drunken man does not
notice the situation of his outward dress. The material body certainly moves under the control of
supreme destiny and therefore must continue to live along with the senses and vital air as long as
one's karma is in effect. A self-realized soul, however, who is awakened to the absolute reality and
who is thus highly situated in the perfect stage of yoga, will never again surrender to the material
body and its manifold manifestations, knowing it to be just like a body visualized in a dream." SB
11.13.36-37

These powerful verses from the 3rd and 11th cantos show that a mahabhagavat is totally oblivious
to his prarabdha karma though it exists and continues to function. He is totally oblivious to his p-
karma because he is oblivious to his gross and subtle body, and this arizes because he is no longer
identifying with his body, he is not on the bodily concept of life. Neither he cares if his p-karma is
minimized or not because he doesn't even know that he has p-karma what to speak that it should be
minimized. Reconciling this with your quote where Prabhupada says in the purport to SB 6.1.15
that: "When one takes to devotional service, however, all phases of sinful life, including prarabdha,
aprarabdha and bija are vanquished." In the case of a mahabhagavata even though his p-karma is
still existing it is as good as being vanquished because he is totally oblivious to its existence. He is
not on the bodily platform, his body is sort of on auto-pilot, except that it is Krsna who is the pilot,
Krsna-pilot we can say. The p-karma is not destroyed in the usual way that we would think because
the body is a product of the p-karma and if the p-karma is destroyed as usually concieved then the
body must also be vanquished. The body is not a function of the jiva it is a function of the p-karma.
"In answer to such questions, this verse explains that the material body of a liberated soul is taken
charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not acting due to the living force of the
living entity; it is simply acting as a reaction to past activities." (SB 3.28.38 purport)

[You might also consider SB 1.2.18 "nasta-prayesv abhadresu... all that is troublesome to the heart
is almost completely destroyed..." In a class in Dallas, Rohini-suta Prabhu pointed out that what
was not destroyed was the p-karma.]

What about somebody who takes to devotional service but then falls down and takes birth again as
is so often the case. Is his p-karma vanquished also? This can also be reconciled. We can say yes,
it is vanquished because he has started the process of devotional service and as is mentioned in BG
chapter 2 and 6 he will continue in future lives until liberation is achieved. So we can say that it is
vanquished just that it is separated by time only. Not that somebody does some little service and
gets immeadiate mukti, it is a gradual process. A green mango and a ripe mango are both mangos
the only difference is time.

In regard to the second point about minimizing p-karma, you say that even gems and rituals, (and I
can add, wise action) can minimize p-karma. First I would like to say that no classical astrological
text advocates the use of gems. Second why should a mahabhagavat be concerned about
minimizing p-karma? We have seen from the previous quotations from SB 3rd and 11th canto that
mahabhagavats are beyond the jurisdiction of their p-karma. This sense of not caring about good or
bad karma is also confirmed in the following verse.

"When a person realizes You, he no longer cares about his good and bad fortune arising from past
pious and sinful acts, since it is You alone who control this good and bad fortune..." SB 10.87.40

What to speak of minimizing bad karma advanced devotees like Queen Kunti Devi actually pray
for calamities to over take her so that she will be able to think of Krsna more!

Krsna is not anyone's order carrier such that, in a business sense, He is obligated to minimize
someone's karma because that person is performing devotional service. If someone has got good or
bad karma it was "You alone who control this good and bad fortune..." Krsna is alotting to that
person exactly what they need to experience, it is no accident that they are given those experiences.
Krsna doesn't make a mistake in assigning karmic lessons such that He needs to change them. Out
of humility the devotee thinks he is the most fallen soul who deserves great punishment and He
thinks that Krsna even in awarding bad karma to the devotee is actually blessing him, because
actually He is blessing the devotee. Everything that Krsna does to the devotee is for the benefit of
the devotee. We see that in Krsna Book, in the chapter Deliverance of Lord Shiva, Krsna tells
Maharaja Yudhistira that when He wants to bless someone He takes away their wealth and other
good fortune, what to speak of minimizing the bad karma, it seems that from this statement
devotional service may increase it in a manner of speaking, from a material view point.

In SB 11.23.5 Krsna says to Uddhava:

" Once a certain Sannyasi was insulted in many ways by impious men. However, with
determination he remembered that he was suffering the fruit of his own previous karma. I will
narrate to you his story and that which he spoke."

Purport
"Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments as follows.' Often those who give up the
materialistic path and devote themselves to renunciation are attacked by impious persons. This
analysis, however, is superficial, since the punishment is actually the cumulative result of one's past
karma. Some renunciates show lack of tolerance when presented with the remnants of their
previous sins and thus are forced to enter again onto the path of impious life. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu therefore instructs that one should become as tolerant as a tree. If a neophyte on the
path of devotional service to the Lord's pure devotees is attacked by envious persons, he must
accept it as a consequence of his previous fruitive activities. One should be intelligent and avoid
future unhappiness by rejecting the ethic of An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If one refuses to
enter into enmity with envious men, they will automatically leave him alone.'"

This verse doesn't saying anything about minimizing karma. Indeed the Avanti Brahmana says in
verse 23.
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, who contains with Himself all the demigods,
must be satisfied with me. Indeed, He has brought me to this suffering condition and forced me to
experience detachment, which is the boat to carry me over this ocean of material life."

The Brahmana then decides to undergo austerities to satify the Lord in pure devotional service. He
became a pure devotee of a very advanced type but not recognized by others. Did his karmas get
minimized? No. He was attacked by ruffians who would even pass urine on his food and pass foul
air upon him what to speak of other even greater atrocities.

SB 11.23.40
"The brahmana understood that all his suffering--from other living beings, from the higher forces of
nature and from his own body--was unavoidable, being allotted to him by providence."

Text 42
"The Brahmana said: These people are not the cause of my happiness and distress. Neither the
demigods, my own body, the planets, my past work, or time. Rather it is the mind alone that causes
happiness and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life."

He goes through many verses explaining how it is the mind which is the cause, in different ways of
material suffering and enjoyment. Finally he says:

Text 59

"No other force besides his own mental confusion makes the soul experience happiness and
distress. His perception of friends, neutral parties and enemies and the whole material life he builds
around this perception are simply created out of ignorance."

The whole idea of Krsna Consciousness is the purposeful changing of our psychological working
and complete control of the mind so that it is favorable for meditating on and serving Sri Krsna
exclusive of everything else.

By controling his mind the Avanti Brahmana was able to become a pure devotee, tolerate his
prarabdha Karma, and experience the ecstacy as mentioned in the previous verses in SB 3rd and
11th Cantos. He thus totally minimized his p-karma by subduing his mind. He is the perfect
example of a the devotee described in SB 10.14.8:

tat te'nukampam su-samiksamano

bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak

"My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the
while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances
with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful
claim."

The real minimization of p-karma is to come off the bodily concept of life. This is the real
protection that Krsna affords us, by meditating on Him we become detached from the body and
mind. And as is said in Gita 6.20-23 "The yogi is fixed and not disturbed, even in the midst of the
greatest calamity. This indeed is freedom from material existence."
Now if you have some other idea I will be glad to hear about it. Please write it down. There are
other ways of looking at things and I have not exhausted all possibilities but please refer to sastra
and please also be prepared to reconcile your position with the sastric statements I have presented.

One might say that in the case of Prahlada Maharaja, Krsna came Himself to protect him, but does
this have reference to Prahlada's karma? Or is this the lords pastime? I don't know.

Someone who is not so advanced and is still more or less on the bodily platform can still reduce the
effects of his p-karma by taking more shelter of Krsna. It is natural that this will have a minimizing
effect because by so doing the aspiring devotee will become more internalized and will get off the
mental platform. Every devotee has had the experience where some tragedy or ill luck has over
taken them but by merging into Krsna consciousness they forgot their troubles though the cause of
trouble was still there.

I remember once in 1987 when I was in severe distress, my problems seemed so great that I was
becoming very depressed and it affected my health. I reached a point where I said enough, I was
not meant to live like this, I went home and merged my mind in the pastimes of Caitanya
Caritamrta. After several hours of reading I felt totally better, in fact I couldn't remember why I had
been upset at all. I felt as if I had left this world and was looking down at myself and realized that
from a cosmic conception my troubles were totally irrelavant. Rather I was filled with happiness.
What was causing me trouble had not gone away, but rather my consciousness had changed so I
didn't care anymore. At other times I have been in great anxiety for various reasons, to deal with the
situation I would chant constantly after some time the anxiety would cease though the cause for it
was still there. I changed my consciousness instead.

As I mentioned in my essay and you quoted it, life is an interplay of both 'fate and free will.' Fate
being the reaction of our previous excercise of freewill. The horoscope presents two things: what
future scenarios we will have to deal with; and what our psychology is, that which exercises the
freewill and reacts with the former, the future scenarios which are our karma, our fate.

What to speak of a devotee, everybody must somehow deal with the situations that they have to
meet with. To minimize the bad effects and maximize the good effects this is the way of material
life. By performing devotional service and especially by chanting the holy name of the lord, the
mind becomes controlled, when that happens the supersoul is attained as stated in BG 6.7.

"jitatmanah prasantasya
paramatma samahitah
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu
tatha manapamanayoh

TRANSLATION

For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained
tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the
same."

When the supersoul is attained then Krsna will guide the struggling devotee through the maze of his
karma. Krsna will say "You should do such and such." He will provide instructions about what we
should do. He will give us answers, if it were not for this I would never have been able to write the
vaisnava calendar program. Devotees often experience Krsna supplying them the answer to their
problems. It is not that Krsna leaves us to our own devices, alone with a cold mechanical law of
karma.

Since our karma is the result of some previous action then it is totally reasonable that some action
in this life can act to nuetralize a past act, if we can figure out what to do and are able to perform
the atonement. Otherwise we must deal with the reaction in the normal way, we go through it. But
as Krsna said the inticacies of karma are very complex.

Suppose that a mahabhagavat is completely liberated and he is simply waiting for the effects of his
p-karma to be used up before the body falls off. Suppose that the p-karma requires that it will not
be used up until x number of experiences take place. It may take n lifetimes before x completes. As
we have seen the liberated devotee has all his p-karma minimized and vanquished by the simple
fact that he is not on the bodily concept of life.

Now suppose a karmi has to experience a package of p-karma, and that this requires y number of
experiences before it gets used up and it takes m lifetimes to go through y experiences. If they try to
neutralize something they sometimes make things worse. For example a client of mine got pregnant
out of wedlock which didn't bother her much. What did bother her was that she was taking strong
medicine to control her migraine headaches and she was worried that the child would be born
deformed. She wanted to abort. I explained to her about the law of karma, and that if she was
destined to have a deformed child by prarabdha karma then she was going to have one either now
or at some other time in a future life. If she had the baby it may or may not be deformed. But if she
had an abortion and it was her destiny to have a deformed child then all she had done was to delay
her destiny and compounded her bad karma by committing abortion. She agreed not to abort, but
later was convinced by other mothers of deformed children to abort.

I agree that Krsna takes an active part in the devotee's life and that there is reciprocation. How does
this affect the p-karma? What are your insights.

Suppose our karma puts us into a dangerous situation. By taking shelter of Krsna we are able to
escape the situation with negligible harm. Our p-karma put us into the situation. By our free will we
chose to take shelter of Krsna who directed us what to do, or Who acted on His own accord to
change the situation. The karma acted but by acting in widom we handled it successfully.

This is also a line of thought that could be developed but at this time my brain is dead so I can't
think straight. Anyway this is becoming excessively long. Mostly because I am trying to guess
what your real objection is, but which unfortunately you have not told me. I am sure that there are
many scenarios which I have not touched, I can't anticipate all your objections, but the philosophy
of Krsna consciousness can resolve all differences. So again I ask that you write down to me what
your ideas on karma, etc. are and why you disagree with what I say, and how what you say can be
reconciled with the verses that I quoted. I really am interested to hear what you have to say.

In conclusion I must say that after reading your report I was depressed and disheartened. If using
astrology for preaching and counselling devotees, preaching to karmis, strengthening the social
fabric of ISKCON, fulfilling Srila Prabhupada's desire for establishing Varnashrama, cultural
preaching, and scientific preaching, have nothing to do with the concerns of Pure Devotional
Service then I feel very discouraged from practicing astrology in ISKCON. Why should I want to
do anything that did not further PDS. In ISKCON I will do some pujari work and preach as time
permits. Astrology I will do for the karmis. To devotees who come to me I will just say "depend on
Krsna prabhu." Why should I care if a devotee is on the brink of blooping? Why should I care if a
temple president/GBC is feeling so depressed that he wants to leave his service? Why should I care
if our God Brothers and Sisters have fallen in maya and need help to come back to serving Srila
Prabhupada's mission of ISKCON? Why should I care if 4 out of 5 marriages in ISKCON fail, that
the devotees leave, that their kids are embittered and abused? Why should I care if Prabhupada's
desire to see Varnasharama is established or not, if ISKCON's leaders don't care or think it
irrellevant? To one and all I say that these are not the concerns of PDS, and that they can just 'chant
Hare Krsna, and depend on Krsna Prabhu.'

I hope that I have not offended you, it was not my intention, please get in contact with me soon. My
personal phone is 714-494-5451, you can write to me care of the Laguna Beach temple.

Your servant

Shyamasundara Dasa
181
81818
€181818¶181818ÿÿú181818y1
8/1818ÿÿ11818v18d1818ÿÿr1818s18w1818ÿÿÔ1818p18ÁI1818ÿÿéI1818m18–R1818ÿÿ
S1919j19<^1919ÿÿ–_1919g19 a1919ÿÿ!a1919d19-h-l191919 19 1919 19 19!
a1919œa1919ÿÿa1919x19Ö|1919ÿÿ»}1919u19è€1919ÿÿ÷€1919r19[Š1919ÿÿ{Š1919o19%
¥1919ÿÿ]¥1919l19ƒ§1919ÿÿ¨1919i19¨1919ÿÿÊ©1919f19ã±1919ÿÿ–²1919c19-h-19 19 19 19
19191919–
²1919¹1919ÿÿ'¹1919x19¤¹1919ÿÿÖ¹1919u19º1919ÿÿ+º1919r19¯Á1919ÿÿáÁ1919o19Ä1919ÿÿ5Ä1
919l19—Í1919ÿÿËÍ1919i19³Ò1919ÿÿ8Ó1919f19”Ó1919ÿÿØÓ1919c19-h-19 1919
1919191919ØÓ1919^æ1919ÿÿ_æ1919x19Žæ1919ÿÿæ1919u19¡æ1919ÿÿ
¢æ1919r19™ç1919ÿÿšç1919o19Õç1919ÿÿÖç1919l19ïç1919ÿÿðç1919i19|
ö1919ÿÿ8Ó1919f19”Ó1919ÿÿØÓ1919c19-h-19 19191919191919
€191919‚191919ÿÿ„191919ÿÿ—191919x19™191919ÿÿ´191919ÿÿ¶191919ÿÿ 1919ÿÿ
1919ÿÿ‹1919ÿÿ1919ÿÿ 
1919ÿÿ¢
1919ÿÿõ1919ÿÿŵ1919ÿÿÂ1919ÿÿÄ1919ÿÿu1919ÿÿw1919ÿÿ”1919u1919<
<”1919¥1919x19Á1919x19Ö1919x19Ø1919ÿÿœ1919ÿÿž1919ÿÿK1919ÿÿM1919ÿÿz-1919ÿÿ|-1
919ÿÿ"1919ÿÿ"1919ÿÿ‡&1919ÿÿC'1919ÿÿE'1919ÿÿc01919ÿÿe01919ÿÿE61919ÿÿG61919ÿÿe8191
9ÿÿ< µe81919g81919ÿÿê81919ÿÿì81919ÿÿÀ<1919ÿÿÂ<1919ÿÿ
A1919ÿÿ¤A1919ÿÿA1919ÿÿ'B1919ÿÿ)B1919ÿÿýB1919ÿÿÿB1919ÿÿTF1919ÿÿVF1919ÿÿçG1
919ÿÿéG1919ÿÿ
H2020ÿÿ
H2121ÿÿ!H2121v21e82121<21-€!H2121pJ2121v21rJ2121v21”L2121v21–
L2121v21^N2121v21`N2121v21ûN2121v21ýN2121v21
O2121ÿÿO2121ÿÿ&O2121ÿÿEO2121ÿÿNO2121ÿÿ<Q2121ÿÿDQ2121ÿÿrQ2121ÿÿ‘Q2121ÿÿ³Q2
121ÿÿ!
H2121v21e82121<21-€³Q2121¼Q2121v21¾Q2121v21ÊQ2121t21ßQ2121t21âQ2121t21÷Q2121t
21cS2121o21iS2121m21kS2121h21ÎV2121h21ÐV2121h21€Y2121h21‚Y2121h21Z2121h21ŸZ2
121h21«Z2121f21¹[2121f21 <<21-€ <<21-€
<<21-€¹[2121»[2121y21¬\2121y21®\2121y21˜_2121ÿÿš_2121ÿÿùb2121ÿÿüb2121ÿÿ“g2121ÿÿ•g2
121ÿÿÔj2121ÿÿÖj2121ÿÿ
r2121ÿÿ r2121ÿÿõt2121ÿÿ÷t2121ÿÿu2121w21+v2121w21-v2121w21|v2121w21-€ < < <|
v2121~v2121y21¤x2121y21¦x2121y21-
x2121y21ñy2121y21óy2121y21Á}2121ÿÿÃ}2121ÿÿ ‚2121ÿÿ¢‚2121ÿÿzƒ2121ÿÿ|
ƒ2121ÿÿO„2121ÿÿQ„2121ÿÿþ‡2121ÿÿ21ˆ2121ÿÿƒ‹2121ÿÿ…‹2121ÿÿ¢Ž2121ÿÿ¤Ž2121ÿÿ<
<µ¤Ž2121O2121ÿÿQ2121ÿÿ>’2121ÿÿ@’2121ÿÿz’2121ÿÿ|’2121ÿÿÅ“2121v21Ç“2121v21Ê“2
121v21”2121k21”2121`21Ü”2121`21Þ”2121`21f–2121U21þ
<21-€2121° Pþ
<21-€2121€€û
<21-€2121° Pþ<21-€
f–2222h–2222p22´–2222k22¶–
2222
k22J2222k22L2222k22¤ž2222k22¦ž2222k22¨ž2222k22מ2222k22Ùž2222k22“ 2222k22• 2222k
22ã¡2222k22å¡2222k22Æ£2222k22È£2222k22¦2222ÿÿ22€€û<22-€
<22-€2222° Pþ¦2222ƒ¦2222ÿÿ—¦2222ÿÿ™¦2222ÿÿ}2222ÿÿ-
222
2ÿÿö¯2222ÿÿø¯2222ÿÿ)°2222v22+°2222v22·³2222ÿÿ¹³2222ÿÿî¹2222ÿÿð¹2222ÿÿÛº2222ÿÿݺ2
222ÿÿM½2222ÿÿO½2222ÿÿb¿2222q22<22-€
<22-€<22-€b¿2222d¿2222v22*À2222ÿÿ,À2222ÿÿÚÀ2222ÿÿÜÀ2222ÿÿTÅ2222ÿÿVÅ2222ÿÿ|
Å2222ÿÿaÆ2222ÿÿcÆ2222ÿÿlÆ2222ÿÿ
Ê2222ÿÿ"Ê2222ÿÿ‹Ê2222ÿÿÊ2222ÿÿ¤Ë2222ÿÿ¦Ë2222ÿÿÍ2222ÿÿ
Í2222ÿÿ<22-€<22-€
Í2222µÍ2222ÿÿÏÍ2222ÿÿÑÍ2222ÿÿÚÍ2222ÿÿãÎ2222ÿÿåÎ2222ÿÿ|Ï2222ÿÿ~Ï2222ÿÿ‡Ï2222ÿÿ
‰Ï2222ÿÿ‡Ð2222ÿÿ
‰Ð2222ÿÿhÑ2222ÿÿjÑ2222ÿÿ±Ò2222v22³Ò2222v22ÓÒ2222q22òÒ2222q22
Í2222ÿ<
-€<22-€òÒ2222Ó2222v2
2:Ó2222v22<Ó2222q22kÔ2222q22mÔ2222ÿÿÏÕ2222ÿÿÑÕ2222ÿÿþÖ2222ÿÿ22×2222ÿÿ¸×2222ÿ
ÿº×2222ÿÿÃÙ2222ÿÿÅÙ2222ÿÿhÝ2222ÿÿjÝ2222ÿÿíÞ2222ÿÿïÞ2222ÿÿjà2222ÿÿ
Í2222ÿ<22-€<
-€jà2222là2222ÿÿœà2222ÿÿÌà2222ÿÿüà2222ÿÿ,á2222ÿÿ0á2222ÿÿ6á2222ÿÿaá2222ÿÿcá2222ÿÿ(â2
222ÿÿ*â2222ÿÿä2222ÿÿä2222ÿÿƒå2222ÿÿ…
å2222ÿÿDç2222ÿÿFç2222ÿÿSë2222ÿÿUë2222ÿÿðë2222ÿÿ
-€µðë2222òë2222ÿÿpí2222ÿÿrí2222ÿÿ-ð2222v22
ð2222ÿÿ’õ2222ÿÿ”õ2222ÿÿOö2222ÿÿQö2222ÿÿSö2222ÿÿaö2222ÿÿcö2222ÿÿwö2222ÿÿyö2
222ÿÿ{ö2222ÿÿ|ö2222ÿÿ}ö2222ÿÿSë2222ÿÿUë2222ÿÿðë2222<22-€Òà=@8ÿÿ  2
0*but the philosophy of Krsna consciousness can resolve alldifferences. So again I ask that you
write down to me 2222üõ2222222222 22ýõ222222ÿÿÿÿ etc. are and why you disagree with what I
say, and how what you saycan be reconciled with the verses thµ22µ22 222222222222h
232323%232323Å&232323Å5232323B2323
23‡N232323”Y2323 23‚f2323
23ut2323
23ó€2323
24$Ž2424
24ƒš2424
25¦2525¤25г252525\À252525”Ì252525~Ö252525ªá2525µ25Xî2525s de2525µ25§25252525
25(2525252525252512/25/9212/23/92üõ2525for preaching and counselling devotees,preaching to
karmis, strengthening the social