6 January, 1972
Bombay
My Dear Radhaballabah das,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your first
and second copies of your letter dated December 18th, 1971 which were
sent to Bombay and Madras respectively.
I am very glad to know
that you are seriously taking to Srimati Tulasi Devi worship. Tulasi
Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna and she should be treated with the
same respect given to all Krishna’s pure devotees. Simply by worshipping
her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free of from all material
miseries.
In the Nectar of Devotion I have given two verses
from the Skanda Purana, one of which is: “Tulasi is auspicious in all
respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering,
simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about,
or simply by sowing the tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who
comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives
eternally in the Vaikuntha world.”
So from this verse we can
understand how pure is the service which Tulasi offers to Sri Krishna.
So we should always endeavor after becoming servant of Tulasi Devi.
I do not know who has taught you that part of a Tulasi plant may be cut
off and then replanted? From the Tulasi plant you can cut off only
leaves for offering them to Krishna, never for cutting and planting.
That is an offense. The manjaris (seeds) can be offered in water and it
makes the water fragrant and tasteful. And the manjaris can be planted
for growing new Tulasi plants.
Yes, the prayer you have
enclosed is bona fide. Tulasi Devi never goes back to Godhead, she is
always with Godhead. She is a pure devotee and thus she has appeared on
this planet to render service to Krishna by being offered in all temples
throughout the world by being offered up to the lotus feet of Krishna.
Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full
concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate
fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name
distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally.
Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the
hearing. A devotee should always be grave and silent which means that he
only discusses topics relating to Krishna Consciousness.
Yes,
spend your time chanting and reading and taking Krishna Prasadam and
automatically your tongue will come under control. If you sincerely
engage 24 hours daily in devotional service according to the
instructions of the Spiritual Master, chant daily 16 rounds, attend the
arati ceremony of Lord Krishna, associate with the devotees and adhere
strictly to the regulative principles then Krishna will reveal Himself
personally to you.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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