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The elderly friends said, "My dear Bhadravardhana, there is no need to make these threatening motions"

2020-07-18T10:40:07Z

172.68.50.30: Moved from category 'The Nectar of Devotion Chapter 41 - Fraternal Devotion' to category 'The Nectar of Devotion Chapters 01 to 51'

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{{terms|"My dear Bhadravardhana, there is no need to make these threatening motions"}}
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{{compiler|MahaprabhuCaitanya}}
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[[Category:Elder]]
[[Category:Friend]]
[[Category:My Dear]]
[[Category:Bhadravardhana]]
[[Category:There Is No Need]]
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[[Category:These]]
[[Category:Threatening]]
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[[Category:The Nectar of Devotion Chapter 41 - Fraternal Devotion]]
[[Category:The Nectar of Devotion Chapters 01 to 51]]
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<h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
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<h3>Nectar of Devotion</h3>
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One of the elderly friends said, "My dear Maṇḍalībhadra, why are you wielding a shining sword as though you were running towards Ariṣṭāsura to kill him? My dear Baladeva, why are you unnecessarily bearing that heavy plow? My dear Vijaya, don't be unnecessarily agitated. My dear Bhadravardhana, there is no need to make these threatening motions.
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[[Vanisource:NOD 41 (1970)|Nectar of Devotion, 41]]
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In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, [[Vanisource:SB 10.12.7-11|Tenth Canto, 12th Chapter, 10th verse]], Śukadeva Gosvāmī tells King Parīkṣit: "My dear King, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the learned transcendentalist, He is the supreme happiness for the impersonalist, He is the supreme worshipable Deity for the devotee, and He is just like an ordinary boy to one who is under the spell of māyā. And just imagine—these cowherd boys are now playing with the Supreme Person as though they are on an equal level! By this anyone can understand that these boys must have accumulated heaps of the results of pious activities to enable them to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in such intimate friendship."

There is a description of Kṛṣṇa's feeling for his vayasyas in Vṛndāvana. He once said to Balarāma, "My dear brother, when My companions were being devoured by the Aghāsura, hot tears poured down from My eyes. And as they were washing My cheeks, My dear elder brother, for at least one moment I completely lost Myself."

Within Gokula, Kṛṣṇa's vayasyas are generally divided into four groups: 1) well-wishers, 2) friends, 3) confidential friends and 4) intimate friends. Kṛṣṇa's well-wisher friends are a little bit older than Kṛṣṇa, and they have some parental affection for Him. Because of their being older than Kṛṣṇa they always try to protect Him from any harm. As such, they sometimes bear weapons so that they can chastise any mischievous persons who want to do harm to Kṛṣṇa. Counted amongst the well-wisher friends are Subhadra,* Maṇḍalībhadra, Bhadravardhana, Gobhaṭa, Yakṣa, Indrabhaṭa, Bhadrāṅga, Vīrabhadra, Mahāguṇa, Vijaya, and Balabhadra. They are older than Kṛṣṇa and are always thinking of His welfare.

* Not to be confused with Kṛṣṇa's sister, Subhadrā.

One of the elderly friends said, "My dear Maṇḍalībhadra, why are you wielding a shining sword as though you were running towards Ariṣṭāsura to kill him? My dear Baladeva, why are you unnecessarily bearing that heavy plow? My dear Vijaya, don't be unnecessarily agitated. My dear Bhadravardhana, there is no need to make these threatening motions. If you will all look more closely you will see that it is only a thunder cloud upon Govardhana Hill; it is not the Ariṣṭāsura in the shape of a bull, as you have imagined." These older, well-wishing friends of Kṛṣṇa imagined a large cloud to be the Ariṣṭāsura, appearing in the shape of a huge bull. In the midst of their excitement one of them ascertained that it was actually only a cloud on Govardhan Hill. He therefore informed the others not to take the trouble of worrying about Kṛṣṇa, because there was no present danger from Ariṣṭāsura.

Amongst the well-wisher friends, Maṇḍalībhadra and Balabhadra are the chiefs. Maṇḍalībhadra is described as follows: his complexion is yellowish, and his dress is very attractive. He always carries a stick of various colors. He wears a peacock feather on his head and always looks very beautiful. Maṇḍalībhadra's attitude is revealed in his statement: "My dear friends, our beloved Kṛṣṇa is now very tired from working with the cows in the pasturing grounds and from traveling all over the forests. I can see that He is very fatigued. Let me massage His head silently while He is taking rest in His house. And you, Subala—you just massage His thighs."

One devotee described the personal beauty of Baladeva as follows: "Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarāma, whose beauty is enhanced by the earrings touching his cheeks. His face is decorated with tilaka made from kastūrī (musk), and His broad chest is decorated with a garland of guñja (small conchshells). His complexion is as white as an autumn cloud, He wears garments of blue color, and His voice is very grave. His arms are very long, touching His thighs, and He has shown His great strength by killing the Pralamba demon. Let me take shelter of this chivalrous Balarāma."*

* Balarāma and Baladeva are different names for the same expansion of Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa's elder brother.

Baladeva's affection for Kṛṣṇa is illustrated in this statement to Subala: "My dear friend, please inform Kṛṣṇa not to go to Kāliya's lake today. Today is His birthday, and so I wish to go along with Mother Yaśodā to bathe Him. Tell Him He should not leave the house today." This shows how Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa's elder brother, took care of Kṛṣṇa with parental love, within the scope of fraternal affection.

Friends who were younger than Kṛṣṇa, who were always attached to Him and who gave Him all kinds of service, are called ordinary friends, or, simply, friends. Such ordinary friends are called sakhās, and the names of some sakhās are Viśāla, Vṛṣabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha, Varūthapa, Maranda, Kusumāpīḍa, Maṇibandha, and Karandhama. All of these sakhā friends of Kṛṣṇa sought only to serve Him. Sometimes some of them would rise early in the morning and immediately go to Kṛṣṇa's place and wait at the door to see Kṛṣṇa and to accompany Him to the pasturing grounds. In the meantime, Kṛṣṇa would be dressed by Mother Yaśodā, and when she would see a boy standing at the door, she would call him: "Well, Viśāla, why are you standing there? Come here!" So with the permission of Mother Yaśodā, he would immediately enter the house. And while Mother Yaśodā was dressing Kṛṣṇa, he would try to help put on Kṛṣṇa's ankle bells, and Kṛṣṇa would jokingly strike him with His flute. Then Mother Yaśodā would call, "Kṛṣṇa, what is this? Why are You teasing Your friend?" And Kṛṣṇa would laugh, and the friend would also laugh. These are some of the activities of Kṛṣṇa's sakhās. Sometimes the sakhās would take care of the cows who were going hither and thither. They would tell Kṛṣṇa, "Your cows were going off here and there," and Kṛṣṇa would thank them.
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Sanatana-dharma (Letters)

2020-06-12T08:35:31Z

172.68.50.30: Moved from category 'Sanatana-dharma' to category 'Sanatana-dharma - Devotional Service to God'

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{{terms|"sanatana dharma"|"sanatana-dharma"}}
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[[Category:Sanatana-dharma - Devotional Service to God|1]]
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<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
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<div id="1947_to_1965_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Correspondence" text="1947 to 1965 Correspondence"><h3>1947 to 1965 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoJawaharlalNehruAllahabad20January1952_0" class="quote" parent="1947_to_1965_Correspondence" book="Let" index="13" link="Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952" link_text="Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952">
<div class="heading">This Absolute Truth is described in the Vedic literatures as Sanatana or Eternal. And the philosophy or science which deals in such eternal subjects is described as Sanatana Dharma.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952|Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Truth means Absolute Truth. Relative truth is conditional and when the conditions fail, the relative truth disappears. But Absolute Truth does not exist on conditions it is above all conditions. So when we speak of truth, we may take it for the Absolute Truth. And when we speak of approaching the Truth by new ways, we may take it for granted what we want to approach the Truth by the inductive way.</p>
<p>Absolute Truth is described in the Vedas as Satyam Param Dhimahi—the summum bonum. And from this Absolute Truth everything emanates. "Janmadyasya yatah". This Absolute Truth is described in the Vedic literatures as Sanatana or Eternal. And the philosophy or science which deals in such eternal subjects is described as Sanatana Dharma.</p>
<p>Therefore, we have first to find out the Eternal Absolute Truth by some new ways(?) and then we have to find out the new aspects of Absolute Truth in harmony with our present environment.</p>
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<div id="LettertoJugalkishoreBirlaBombay26August1958_1" class="quote" parent="1947_to_1965_Correspondence" book="Let" index="42" link="Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958" link_text="Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958">
<div class="heading">You should not allow anymore the gross misuse of the cult of Sanatana Dharma at the risk of world peace and prosperity but come forward forward to co-operate with us in this noble mission and help us with all your strength.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958|Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The cult of Hinduism or the system of Varnasrama are not being utilized in the spirit of the Bhagavad-gita and as such the abovementioned cult is waning day by day. We should take serious note of this kind of deterioration of the Arya Hindu Dharma and shall request you to come forward to help this institution determined to preach the pure cult of the Bhagavad-gita. You should not allow anymore the gross misuse of the cult of Sanatana Dharma at the risk of world peace and prosperity but come forward forward to co-operate with us in this noble mission and help us with all your strength.</p>
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<div id="LettertoJugalkishoreBirlaBombay26August1958_2" class="quote" parent="1947_to_1965_Correspondence" book="Let" index="42" link="Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958" link_text="Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958">
<div class="heading">The whole thing has been disturbed in the set of Sanatana Dharma only by violating this principle of following the Acarya.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958|Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I hope you will not misunderstand the position of the Acarya who is so important a figure in the matter of learning the transcendental science. The Acarya is the direct representative of the Personality of Godhead. And no body can claim to become a bona fide Acarya if he has not strictly followed the footprints of the previous Acaryas authorized in the matter. The whole thing has been disturbed in the set of Sanatana Dharma only by violating this principle of following the Acarya. So far the Bhagavad-gita is concerned every one, let him be a very great scholar in the mundane sense, must be in confirmed position along with the mode of understanding of Sri Arjuna. That is the crucial point of testing an Acarya false or real Sri Arjuna is the first man to understand Geeta and the mode of his understanding is clearly defined in the Bhagavad-gita. So there is no difficulty in testing an Acarya whether he is false or bona fide.</p>
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<div id="1967_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Correspondence" text="1967 Correspondence"><h3>1967 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSriKrishnajiSanFrancisco25March1967_0" class="quote" parent="1967_Correspondence" book="Let" index="51" link="Letter to Sri Krishnaji -- San Francisco 25 March, 1967" link_text="Letter to Sri Krishnaji -- San Francisco 25 March, 1967">
<div class="heading">There are so many Sanatana Dharma establishment in India but no body has tried to preach the principles of Bhagavad-gita in the Western countries although Bhagavad-gita is widely read all over the world.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sri Krishnaji -- San Francisco 25 March, 1967|Letter to Sri Krishnaji -- San Francisco 25 March, 1967]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Regarding cooperation in the matter of preaching work in the western countries it is the duty of every Indian and Hindu to cooperate in this task. There are so many Sanatana Dharma establishment in India but no body has tried to preach the principles of Bhagavad-gita in the Western countries although Bhagavad-gita is widely read all over the world. Swamis like Vivekananda or others who came here before me, manufactured their own ideological religion and that is not in conformity of the Bhagavad-gita. The straight way of Bhagavad-gita is that Lord Sri Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead and He is the only worshipable object for all humanity. "Mattah nanyat parataram kimchid asti dhananjaya". There is nothing superior Truth than Sri Krishna is the Gospel of all Vedic instruction. I am trying to implement this truth in this part of the world and it is the duty of the Hindus and Indians to help me in all respects.</p>
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<div id="1970_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Correspondence" text="1970 Correspondence"><h3>1970 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSrimanBankajiLosAngeles13March1970_0" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="165" link="Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970" link_text="Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970">
<div class="heading">Vedic culture is also known as Sanatana Dharma which means "eternal function of the eternal living entities."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970|Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Actually there is no such word as "Hindu" in the Vedic literatures. The "Hindu" name was given by the Mohammedans with reference to the river Indus or Hindus, from Sindhu. So the Vedic culture is not for any sect of country, it is meant for the whole human society. In other words, Vedic culture is also known as Sanatana Dharma which means "eternal function of the eternal living entities." Krishna is eternal, and we all living entities, being parts and parcels of Krishna, are also eternal. And the reciprocal exchange of love between the two eternals is called "eternal occupational duty" or Sanatana Dharma.</p>
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<div id="1972_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Correspondence" text="1972 Correspondence"><h3>1972 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSriGovindaBombay25December1972_0" class="quote" parent="1972_Correspondence" book="Let" index="636" link="Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972" link_text="Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972">
<div class="heading">Sanatana dharma means the strong will utilize the energy of the weak, the weak must serve the strong, that we see everywhere, is it not? Who can deny? So that competitive spirit makes us strong, otherwise it is a society of weak men only, and what is the good of such society?
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972|Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Sanatana dharma means the strong will utilize the energy of the weak, the weak must serve the strong, that we see everywhere, is it not? Who can deny? So that competitive spirit makes us strong, otherwise it is a society of weak men only, and what is the good of such society? But if you ask anyone are you weak or strong, he must answer that he is weak—he cannot control even his toothache, what to speak of his death. Therefore, in fact, it is a society of weak men—everyone is weak before Durga Devi or the material energy. If you see sometimes her picture, the foolish materialist is being held by the claws of her tiger-carrier, while she pierces him to death with her trident weapon. She has got ten arms, each with weapon, she is so strong, but we are so weak that simply by piercing with her trident, the three-fold miseries, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, and adhyatmika, the foolish materialists are all defeated! And before Krishna, Durga devi is very weak—Krishna is the controller of Durga. So Krishna is the strongest: sattyam sattvavatam aham, "I am the strength of the strong." Therefore, being weak, it is the eternal occupational duty of the living entity to surrender to Krishna, that's all. In the surrendering to Krishna, if everyone does it, still, the brahmanas will be served by the lower castes, the kings will be served by vaisyas and sudras, the vaisyas will be served by the sudras, and the sudras will serve all higher castes—there is still utilizing the weak by the strong—but feeling themselves always very much weak in comparison to Krishna, the whole society services the Strongest, therefore there will be no envy of the stronger by the weaker class of men. So perfect society, or Vedic society, does not eliminate competition—competition, stronger and weaker, must be there—but it eliminates envy, because everyone is weak before Krishna. Is that clear?</p>
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<div id="1973_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Correspondence" text="1973 Correspondence"><h3>1973 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSubrataLahiriBombay4January1973_0" class="quote" parent="1973_Correspondence" book="Let" index="6" link="Letter to Subrata Lahiri -- Bombay 4 January, 1973" link_text="Letter to Subrata Lahiri -- Bombay 4 January, 1973">
<div class="heading">The whole purpose of Bhagavad-gita is to revive our sanatana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity. Sanatana-dharma does not refer to any sectarian process or religion.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Subrata Lahiri -- Bombay 4 January, 1973|Letter to Subrata Lahiri -- Bombay 4 January, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I have received your letter and I very much appreciate your kind sentiments. It appears that you are an intelligent man because you approach submissively and not to argue. In your letter you mention Bhagavad-gita. Actually the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gita is to revive our sanatana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity. Sanatana-dharma does not refer to any sectarian process or religion. It is the eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the eternal Supreme Lord. The English word "religion" is a little different from sanatana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith and adopt another, but sanatana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed. Man professes to be a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or any other sect. Such designations are not sanatana-dharma. A Hindu may change his faith to become a Muslim, or a Muslim may change his faith to become a Hindu, or a Christian may change his faith and so on. But in all circumstances the change of religious faith does not effect the eternal occupation of rendering service to others. Thus, to profess a particular type of sect is not to profess one's sanatana-dharma. The rendering of service is sanatana-dharma.</p>
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<div id="1974_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Correspondence" text="1974 Correspondence"><h3>1974 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoDrGhoshBombay23December1974_1" class="quote" parent="1974_Correspondence" book="Let" index="701" link="Letter to Dr. Ghosh -- Bombay 23 December, 1974" link_text="Letter to Dr. Ghosh -- Bombay 23 December, 1974">
<div class="heading">Our centers are developing so nicely even in the Muslim countries and countries where Buddhism is the major religion. That proves that this Vaisnava, Sanatana Dharma is not some sectarian philosophy.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Dr. Ghosh -- Bombay 23 December, 1974|Letter to Dr. Ghosh -- Bombay 23 December, 1974]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Our movement actually has been predicted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He said that in every town and village all over the world His name would be heard and it is actually happening. Our centers are developing so nicely even in the Muslim countries and countries where Buddhism is the major religion. That proves that this Vaisnava, Sanatana Dharma is not some sectarian philosophy. It proves that what Krsna speaks in the Bhagavad-gita is universal and is applicable to anyone and everyone throughout the world. Therefore they are actually accepting and they are taking to our restrictions. They are chanting Hare Krsna and learning Srimad-Bhagavatam and therefore their lives are becoming happy. I am simply trying to repeat the words of Sri Krsna without any adulteration or twisting and I have full faith that by doing so His message will become well-known throughout the world. Now our books are being so much accepted throughout the universities and colleges as well as amongst the general mass of people. It is really astounding. We are selling literally thousands and thousands of full sized volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam everyday, in different parts of the world. I am glad that you enjoyed our article in the Bhavan's Journal.</p>
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<div id="1976_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Correspondence" text="1976 Correspondence"><h3>1976 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoSriVisweshaTirthaSwamiVrindaban10April1976_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Correspondence" book="Let" index="224" link="Letter to Sri Viswesha Tirtha Swami -- Vrindaban 10 April, 1976" link_text="Letter to Sri Viswesha Tirtha Swami -- Vrindaban 10 April, 1976">
<div class="heading">This Sanatana Dharma pracara is the real path followed by all pure acaryas such as Madhva, Ramanuja, Sri Caitanya and others.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sri Viswesha Tirtha Swami -- Vrindaban 10 April, 1976|Letter to Sri Viswesha Tirtha Swami -- Vrindaban 10 April, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">This Sanatana Dharma pracara is the real path followed by all pure acaryas such as Madhva, Ramanuja, Sri Caitanya and others. Kindly help us to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement all over the land of Bharata Bhumi.</p>
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