Letters from Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja

21/9/1970

• Writing can be a form of bhakti
• One can associate with saintly personalities through their words
• Chanting a fixed number of rounds   daily is crucial
• The teachings of the Gītā are to help us chant
• One must combine every aspect of one’s life with bhakti

22/10/1970

• A Vaiṣṇava’s affection is constant
• Whatever we experience is the result of our own doing
• What it means to truly seek forgiveness
• The real purpose of education

11/11/1970

• Descriptions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are the perfection of literature
• The effects of kīrtana
• The importance of acting according to one’s adhikāra
• The power of chanting a lakh
• The contribution of Vai ṣṇavī saints
• The meaning of the name Umā
• The power of association with Vaiṣṇavas

21/9/1970

• Perfection is attained by a combination of effort and mercy
• A genuine guru  does not make anyone his disciple
• Devotion is the essential component of any offering
• Knowledge and good fortune arise by the mercy of Śrī Hari, guru , and Vaiṣṇavas

12/8/1971

• It is imperative to beg for mercy
• For a servant, there is no break from service
• Service is better rendered internally
• Śrī Hari, guru , and Vaiṣṇavas surely accept our offerings

4/1/1972

• The glories of guru and Vaiṣṇavas are indescribable
• If one can give up ego and deceit, one can attain the mercy of Vaiṣṇavas
• Anthropomorphism and apotheosis
• The transcendent nature of Bhagavān’s devotees
• Service of vāṇī , the divine word
• How to be clever about bhajana

7/4/1972

• Desiring to visit the dhāma
• Chanting without offences
• Guru has more love and affection for his daughters because he is śakti
• Our guardians favour their youngest and most foolish
• The characteristics of the genuine guru and disciple
• The scriptures are always uniquely accessible

6/6/1972

• Śrī guru and Bhagavān’s incomparable mercy
• The power of humility
• The detriment of pride
• Giving up bad association and offences
• Deliberations on guru-tattva
• The speciality of madhura-rasa

26/7/1972

• The real purpose of fasting
• The superiority of bhakti
• The difference between Hinduism and Vaiṣṇavism
• The power of sādhu-saṅga
• How to recognize true sādhus

4/10/1972

• Nothing is possible without Bhagavān’s will
• Direct and indirect service are the same
• The special power of Bhagavān and His devotees
• Bhakti cannot be attained by artificial means
• The importance of taking care of one’s body

25/12/1972

• Etiquette between Vaiṣṇavas
• Devotees are not afflicted by fear or suffering
• Śrī guru and Bhagavān are our only shelter
• Their mercy rids of offences and grants us the necessary qualification

4/1/1974

• The eternal connection between guru and disciple
• The speciality of the Śrī Rūpānuga Gauḍīyas’ process of bhajana
• Our only resort is to pray for mercy
• The transcendent nature of śrī guru and Vaiṣṇavas
• The speciality of inner mood and service
• The mercy and punishment of Vaiṣṇavas are equally beneficial
• The meaning of pāda-sevana

28/8/1974

• Appreciating śrī guru and Vaiṣṇavas
• Proving oneself through sādhana-bhajana
• Developing humility and freedom from envy
• The transcendent existence of the Vaiṣṇavas
• The power of steady practice
• Without tolerance, there is no auspiciousness
• The importance of yukta-vairāgya

23/6/1976

• Dedication to śrī guru and Vaiṣṇavas is essential
• Bhagavān fulfils the desires of His devotees, but one must make an effort
• The teachings of sādhu , guru , and śāstra exist to ensure the quality of one’s surrender to Bhagavān
• Devotees are focused only on service
• The teachings of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī
• Pampering the body interrupts the search for Śrī Kṛṣṇa

9/9/1975

• The ability to offer prayers comes from Bhagavān
• The means of transcending saṁsāra
• Instructions on daily sādhana
• Bhagavān is more merciful to the fallen

21/11/1975

• The interconnected mercy of Bhagavān and His devotees
• Insights on yukta-vairāgya
• The purpose of the maṭha and mandira

11/7/1976

• Cautionary words about various dogmas and corrupt practices
• Calamity affords us the opportunity to take full shelter of Kṛṣṇa
• Special instructions for a sādhikā of madhura-rasa

30/8/1976

• Rest is as necessary as service, but should not detract from it
• Śrīpāda Trivikrama Mahārāja
• The transcendent love and compassion of the Vaiṣṇavas
• Heartfelt endeavour and simplicity vanquish aparādha

24/9/1976

• The corruptive power of ulterior motives
• Two types of donors: one motivated, the other sincere and selfless
• The worst fate for the sādhaka is to be cheated of guru and Vaiṣṇavas’ mercy
• Wholehearted service versus the logic of Padmā

12/2/1977

• Taking advantage of the opportunity for dhāma-parikramā
• The power of guru and Vaiṣṇavas’ mercy
• The grace of guru is everything
• The power of guru and Vaiṣṇavas’ appearance days
• Repentance is the best atonement
• The heart must melt when performing spiritual practices
• A bona fide guru ’ s potency can help us forget our worldly endeavours

30/10/1970

• Establishing Śrī Nīlācala Gauḍīya Maṭha
• If one is not impartial, one cannot defend the principles of true religion
• Different types of charity
• Instructions from Bhāgavatam on building temples
• Kṣīracorā Gopīnātha
• Realizing Bhagavān’s mercy requires the strength of sādhana

21/11/1977

• The service-ethic of a true servant
• Better to live at a distance from the dhāma than risk making offences
• The joy of service is the devotee’s sole motive
• The beauty of yukta-vairāgya is lost on impersonalists
• Thinking one is unworthy to serve grants one the qualification to serve
• Parokṣa (indirect) darśana versus pratyakṣa (direct) darśana
• Worrying about the well-being of one’s soul is appropriate selfishness

15/5/1978

• The most valuable treasure for a sādhaka
• Śrī guru and the Vaiṣṇavas are our only true kin
• A glimpse into the inner natures of the devotees and Bhagavān
• Śaraṇāgati is not possible without sambandha-jñāna
• Those who are constantly criticizing others fall down very quickly
• Avoiding worship of himself on his vyāsa-pūjā
• How to become free from the fatal flaw of aparādha

11/7/1978

• A true inclination to serve is the real fortune of the living entity

13/12/1979

• The power of living in the dhāma
• Being embarrassed about receiving worship
• Real pratiṣṭhā is being a devoted disciple

1/12/1982

• The eternal service of Śrīmān Sundarānanda Prabhu
• Like Bhagavān, the bhaktas are controlled by love
• The true servant conquers the heart of his master with love
• The servant is honoured and cherished
• Awareness of one’s true relationship with another enables an eternal connection with them
• Glorifying the sacrifice of motherhood to mediate between a mother and daughter

25/8/84

• We require the blessing of Śrī Hari, guru , and Vaiṣṇavas at all times and in all circumstances
• Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
• The development of prema
• The glories of Śrīmatī Rādhikā

19/7/1986

• Ultimate well-being lies in transcendental love and attachment
• Real simplicity is being able to introspect
• Glorification and encouragement of a disciple’s motherly love and service

14/1/1987

• A respectable person never injures another person’s dignity
• Being doubtful of others is the cause of distress
• The necessity of selfless renunciation
• Only if we can relinquish our individual selfishness and be tolerant of suffering can we find auspiciousness
• One should never test guru and Vaiṣṇavas