"Regarding your questions, the swami order is certainly introduced by Shankaracharya, because almost all sannyasis of impersonal philosophy take this name, Swami. But the Swami title offered to me is equivalent to Goswami. Swami and Goswami are actually the same, synonomous. Swami means the master, and master means the master of the senses. Goswami directly explains master of senses. Go means senses. So this name, Goswami, is not the Sankaracarya's order.
So far as your second question, Thakur Bhaktivinode was not official Spiritual Master of Gour Krishore dasa Babaji Maharaja. Gour Krishore dasa Babaji Maharaj was already renounced order, Paramahamsa, but Thakur Bhaktivinode, while He was even playing the part of a householder, was treated by Gour Krishore dasa Babaji Maharaj as Preceptor, on account of His highly elevated spiritual understanding, and thus He was always treating Him as His Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master is divided into two parts; namely, siksa guru and diksa guru. So officially Bhaktivinode Thakur was like siksa guru of Gour Krishora das Babaji Maharaj."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 1, 1969)
"Regarding your question about keeping daily income and expenditure records, I am enclosing a brief lesson in how to do this.
There are two things in accounting; one thing is I am receiving some amount, and the other thing is I am paying some amount. The paying or receiving will come under certain account. Whatever I receive is put under debtor column. Debtor means receiver, and the particular begins with the word 'to.' Whatever I am paying is entered into the creditor column. Creditor means payer. In this way, after the whole day's transactions, you make a total of the debtor column and creditor column, and if there is any balance, it is adjusted by the words 'balance carried forward.' This balance is entered in the creditor column. So we have to see that the amount in the debtor column and the amount in the creditor column is equal. This is called a correct account. Next day you begin with 'To Balance B.F.' That means whatever balance you had the day before you put in the debtor column with particulars To Balance B.F.. Then begin your transactions as in the previous day. This is the system of keeping an account in general. For the time being, keep your account in that way, and later on, as you inquire, I will let you know more about how to keep books."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 8, 1969)
"Regarding you first question, we observe Ekadasi from sunrise to sunrise. The 12 midnight is western astronomical calculation, but the Vedic astronomical calculation begins either from the sunrise or the moonrise. Generally it is sunrise. Our calculation is like this: when the sunrise is there, Ekadasi tithi (date) must be there. If Ekadasi tithi is not in the sunrise and the tithi begins, say after a few minutes after the sunrise, then we accept that day as previous to Ekadasi. All our ceremonies are calculated in that way. This means we must see the tithi during sunrise. Therefore, sometimes our dates of ceremonies do not exactly coincide like the western calculations. Just like Christmas Day they have fixed up on the 25th December, but our Janmastami tithi is not fixed up like that. My birthday is on the 1st September, 1896, but this year the tithi of my birthday was fixed for the 4th September. So it is very difficult to calculate, therefore we have to take help from the Indian expert almanac astronomers.
Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, yes you may begin reading it at kirtana lectures. On someday you should read Bhagavad gita As It Is also, however. There will be an examination on Srimad-Bhagavatam, the entire First Canto, on Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day in February, 1970. Regarding responsive chanting, that is the preferred method, but if you think it will be better to chant nonresponsively at certain times, there is no harm. If you think that people will chant more if you do it non-responsively, then do it that way. It is the chanting that is required. But if it is done responsively, it will sound symmetrical and will appeal to the people. Regarding your final question, once something is offered to the Deity, it may not be offered again."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, September 30, 1969)
"Regarding the disciplic succession coming from Arjuna, disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated officially. Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion. Arjuna was a disciple of Krishna and Brahma was also a disciple of Krishna. Thus there is no disagreement between the conclusions of Brahma and Arjuna. Vyasadev is in the disciplic succession of Brahma. The teachings to Arjuna was recorded by Vyasadev verbatim. So according to the axiomatic truth, things equal to one another are equal to each other. We are not exactly directly from Vyasadev, but our Gurudev is a representative of Vyasadev. Because Vyasadev and Arjuna are of equal status, being students of Krishna, therefore we are in the disciplic succession of Arjuna. Things equal to the same thing are equal to one another.
Regarding your second question about Sanjaya, he was a student of Vyasadev, and by the mercy of Vyasadev he was able to receive the message of the conversation of Krishna-Arjuna. Thus Sanjava was able to speak to Dhritarashtra about the conversation on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Regarding your final question, the marginal potency means internal potency. But because the marginal potency sometimes comes within the external position, therefore, in spite of its being internal potency it is turned to marginal potency. This is stated in Visnu Purana: Any potency of Krishna is spiritual energy, but due to varieties of actions a section is called marginal potency or external potency."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, October 31, 1969)
"Regarding your first question, the proof of Krishna Consciousness is that the Bhagavad Gita it is oldest transcendental literature about God-consciousness in the history of the world. It is estimated from authoritative sources of Vedic literature that Bhagavad Gita is eternal truth and was first revealed within our knowledge at least 120 millions of years ago. So what other literature can be compared with Bhagavad Gita throughout the whole world or universe? The second proof is that Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality, not only in the modern age, namely within two thousand years, by great acaryas like Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Lord Chaitanya, etc., but before this in all Vedic literatures given by Vyasadev, Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So whatever is spoken by the Supreme Lord Himself is certainly the most authoritative. So far as we are concerned, we do not make any alterations in the statements of Krishna. Therefore we are also authority. Just like 2 plus 2 equals four is mathematical truth. Anyone who accepts this axiomatic truth and works on this principle is also authority. To become authority is simply to follow the authority. If someone makes 2 plus 2 equal to 3 or 5, he is a rascal. That means he does not follow the authority and thus he fails to become himself an authority.
Regarding crying, when someone cries during kirtan, this crying is crying of the soul. But if anyone tries to imitate such crying to get some adoration, that is a bodily function. Regarding you final question, Krishna is the Cause of all causes. That is a fact. But we being subordinate to Krishna, sometimes we create our cause under Krishna's sanction only. Just like a child may persist in trying to do something, but unless the mother allows he cannot do it. Another example is that a criminal is put into jail by the trying judge; this is caused by the judgement of the court, but it is actually caused also by the criminal person."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 2, 1969)
"Regarding your first question about annamoya, this annamoya theory is for persons who are in the lowest grade of transcendental realization. When you take to Prasadam, it is directly on the spiritual platform. Annamoya concept of life is not on the spiritual platform. Our process is therefore very easy and effective in this age. So the prescribed methods which we have adopted under authoritative scriptural injunctions are sufficient for our progress. Regarding your second question, the 24 elements are the five gross elements, the three subtle elements, 10 senses, five sense objects, and the total material cause, (Mahat Tattva). Above these there is the situation of the spirit soul, which is the 25th category, and above this is the Supersoul, or Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind is a subtle element, therefore it is in the body. Generally, the brain is accepted as the location of the mind.
Regarding your final question, it is a fact that when one is contact with Krishna, His Name, His Qualities, His Form, His Pastimes, immediately he becomes purified. But because we are conscious living entities, the proportion depends on our conscious acceptance. It is stated in the Bhagavad Gita that Lord Krishna responds proportionately to the service of the devotee. Another example is that the sunlight is open for everyone and for every place, but to enjoy the sunlight or to take advantage of the sunlight depends on the proportionate arrangement by the receiver. Prosecution of devotional service means gradual purification and proportionate revelation of Krishna Consciousness."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 9, 1969)
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