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The editors of Back to Godhead welcome correspondence pertaining to the subject matter of Krsna consciousness. All letters will be personally replied, and correspondence of special interest will be published regularly.
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Dist. 315
Service Above Self- He Profits Most Who Serves Best
Revered Svamiji,
Hare Krsna.
On behalf of the members of the Rotary Club of Hyderabad and on my own personal behalf, I convey to Your Divine Grace, as well as to your international devotees who accompanied your good self, our thanks for having been so kind as to visit our club at the Ritz Hotel, when you graciously gave us all the benefit of listening to your highly spiritual program, including sankirtana and discourses.
We were all deeply moved and impressed by the melodious and devotional kirtanas sung by your disciples, with ecstasy clearly written on their faces and with complete dedication to the movement and to their guru. This was a source of real inspiration to the distinguished audience, and we thank you for giving us an opportunity to listen to such soul-stirring kirtanas on Lord Krsna and Lord Rama and also participate while they were sung in chorus.
From the brilliant analysis of your address, delivered with masterly erudition, we have learned a great deal about the present-day problem of whether man, who is increasingly becoming skeptical of religion and all that it implies, will ever succeed in making this world a better place in which to live in peace and harmony and thus give full expression to the noble and spiritual side of his nature.
I need mention that our members heard your thought-provoking discourse with rapt attention and keen interest. We were all impressed by your simple and convincing answers to the complex problems faced by the modern world: “Just develop Krsna consciousness, God consciousness. It changes one’s outlook, it suggests a refreshingly spiritual perspective on the world, and the result of this new spiritual change is that all the problems that divide mankind will dwindle into insignificance and disappear, paving the way for enduring peace and harmony in the world of today.”
We have noted your observation that although India is the birthplace of Vedic culture, we have not done anything to propagate this culture, and that Indians should have been trained to spread the true Vedic culture, which will accelerate the spiritual progress of mankind. The propagation of Vedic culture and development of God consciousness will enable humanity to organize everything in its right order.
It was very enlightening to listen to your analysis, quoting extensively from Bhagavad-gita and the Bhagavatam, that human society loses its meaning the moment it abandons religion and that it cannot exist without religion. To practice religion means to abide by the orders of God. This is religion, and this is explained in the Gita.
I once again thank Your Divine Grace and the devotees for the trouble taken for us and hope that you will be kind enough to visit our club in the future whenever you happen to visit this historic city, so that we may be benefited by your divine teachings on Krsna consciousness and also receive your blessings.
With respectful reverence,
Yours sincerely,
Ramesh Chandra Lahoti
Chairman, Program Committee
Rotary Club of Hyderabad (India)
My Dear Mr. Lahoti,
Please accept my greetings and the blessings of Lord Caitanya. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter, and I am very much encouraged by your appreciation of our humble activities.
In Bhagavad-gita it is said:
yad yad acarati sresthas
tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
“Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (Bg. 3.21)
Therefore our only hope is that if leading personalities like you and the members of your society try to understand this important movement, then others will follow. There is a great need to spread this movement all over the world because without God consciousness no one can be happy. That is a fact. You already have our publications. Kindly read them carefully and try to implement the philosophy among your co-workers. I thank you once more for your kind words.
Yours sincerely,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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