The poem sent by Acyutananda is nice. It is enclosed herewith and you may publish it in BTG. Acyutananda should be encouraged to do this translating work. He is translating poems of Bhaktivinode Thakura, and that is very nice.
Letter to Brahmananda, 27 October, 1969
If SubalaVilasa wants to marry that African girl, I have no objection but whether she wants to marry him? Also, take the consent of her parents and elder brothers. Such marriage may be good propaganda for our movement in Africa, but if there is any disturbance caused by it, that will be disaster, just like we saw with the Sarna girls. So you must judge whether the match will be favorable on the point that it must not cause any disturbance either in the girl's family or in the local community.
Letter to Cyavana, 26 October, 1972
In Tokyo airport Prabhupada tells how one Japanese youth approached Srila Prabhupada and asked if he could speak with Srila Prabhupada. When Prabhupada said yes, the boy asked, "Where do you get all the knowledge that is in your books?" So by comparative study book selling is more important.
Your servant, Brahmananda Swami, Personal Secretary
Seen: ACBS (initialed by hand)
Letter to Ramesvara Prabhu, 25 October, 1974
Everyone must have perfection, but people are not interested what is the perfection of life. Neither they know what is the position of perfection. The perfection is hari-tosanam, to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It doesn't matter what you are.
Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13, Vrndavana, 24 October, 1972
This is necessary for you to become this Kеслa conscious, to adopt this life of Krsna consciousness. Why? Because jarд-maraлa-mokсдya: "In order to get out of the miseries of jarд." Jarд means old age, invalidity. And jarд-maraлa. Maraлa means death. Due to ignorance, we forget the miseries of death, the miseries of invalidity, or old age. We think, "Now we are young, young man, young woman. Oh, we don't care for what is old age or what is death. Let us enjoy." We forget. But a man who is not in ignorance, he has always in his view that this material life is full of miseries because there is birth, there is death, there is old age and there is disease. So we materialists, we don't take into consideration that birth, death, disease and old age are the greatest miseries of our life due to our ignorance.
Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.28-8.6, New York, October 23, 1966
As you say that you do not feel very much encouraged in Deity worship and temple life, I see that your disease is still continuing. Under the circumstances simple academic career will not help you. If you want to live with us you must accept temple life, namely cleanly shaven head, observing the regulative principles, decorating the body with tilak, etc. You know all these things.
Letter to Rayarama, 22 October, 1971
Concerning our use of analogy. We do not bring in imperfect analogy, but we follow the instructions of the Sastras strictly. Our authority is on the basis of Sastra, not analogy. So, Vyasadeva while giving the history of creation says "Janmadyasya . . . adhikavaye'' . . . so He impregnated the heart of Brahma with all the designs of creation. So what is wrong there? If I instruct someone you do like this, and he does it, then what is the difficulty? This is the system. Our authority is sastra.
Letter to Satsvarupa das Maharaja, 21 October, 1975
What is the field of these enjoying activities? This body. That we have discussed. Ksetra-ksetra-jna. Idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate: "This body is the field of activities." So purusa, the living entities, has been entrapped by this material energy. That is called purusah prakrti-sthah. He is not required to stay in this material world, but he has decided to enjoy this material world. Therefore he is here. But he can give up. That is called liberty. That is called salvation. He can give up. Mukti. Mukti means... That is also described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Hitva anyatha-rupam svarupena vyavasthitih [SB 2.10.6]. That is called mukti. Muktir hitva anyatha-rupam. Here every living entity is situated anyatha-rupam. Anyatha-rupam means otherwise, which is not his nature. His nature is to serve, but he is staying here not as servant but as master.
Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 13.22, Bombay, 20 October, 1973
Always remember that varnasrama life is a good program for material life, and it helps one in spiritual life; but spiritual life is not dependent upon it. After all the system of varnasrama has to be realized before accepting spiritual life; and the renounced order of sannyasa is the last stage of varnasrama.
Letter to Hamsaduta das, 19 October, 1974
Now feeling this obligation to Krishna, you should be more enthusiastic to serve Krishna and I am very pleased to learn that you have got a nice beautiful Krishna Conscious child, so raise her to full Krishna Consciousness, and engage yourself, your husband, then the family will be very beautiful happy family. You will enjoy in this world, and in the next world. So it is all very nice by the Grace of Krishna.
Letter to Krishna devi, 18 October, 1968