Letter No. 9

To, Anu:

     The only means of making Krishna your own is the ardent desire to do so. He cannot be had in exchange for any valuables. Religious austerities, vows, penances or studies are not at all efficacious in winning Him over. Therefore remain strong in earnestness. To Krishna, all things are alike. Consider the world your own because since Krishna is dear to you, things belonging to Him should necessarily be also dear to you. Do not be attracted to the world for its own sake; like it as belonging to Krishna, then malice and hatred will have no place in your heart. When you have realized that a thing belongs to another, you will never consider it your own. When cowboys congregate in pastures with their herds, each calls the particular herd in his care as his own. One says, “Bring my cow back,” another says, “My cow has fallen ill,” and another says, “My cow has given a calf,” but they feel no pleasure or pain in all this as they are conscious that the cows in their herds are not actually theirs although they call them their own for the time being. Similarly, when one realizes in his heart that every object belongs to Krishna, he will have no attraction for anything although he may call everything his own. This is Sannyas or perfect control of the self. Thoughts of this kind work out liberation and the thinker is a liberated man. Strive to live in this way and engage yourself in doing good to others, then pride will never enter your mind and you will be free from longing for self-esteem. Once bereft of pride, you will find selfless Nityananda’s mercy and grace of Krishna Chaitanya. You will not only enjoy the bliss yourself, but make others float in joy and drown others in joy too.

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