September 20, 1968 : San Francisco
Satsvarupa: Before Prabhupada's arrival in Seattle, Upendra had written George E. Taylor, the head of the Asian department at the University of Washington, requesting a speaking engagement. The professor wrote back entirely in Sanskrit, knowing well that the boys would not be able to read his letter. Upendra gave the letter to Prabhupada, who immediately translated it and answered the professor with a letter written in English, but quoting many Sanskrit verses. Prabhupada concluded his letter, "I am sorry that we cannot reply in Sanskrit. Our process is not academic, but purely spiritual." Prabhupada had Upendra sign the letter as if he had written it himself.
Dear Mr. Taylor,
Dear Mr. Taylor,
While thanking you for your letter dated 20th September 1968, I beg to inform you that our spiritual master Om Visnupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja is not preaching a type of faith which you have described as yasya kasyapi dharmasya protsahanam. He is preaching svarupa dharma. He is preaching the svarupa dharma of all living entities. As a great Sanskrit scholar you must have come across the following famous Sanskrit passages like sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, dharman tu saksat bhagavat pranitam dharmena hina pasubhih samanah [SB 1.2.6]. We practice and preach svabhava dharma but not that dharma which is taken as a matter of faith. The svabhava dharma of every living creature is to become a servant. Even a great scholar like yourself is also a servant of Washingtondesiya rajya. As you are teacher in a great visvavidyalaya, you may introduce the study of Srimad Bhagavatam in your department because it is said in the Bhagavatam koumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavataniha durlabham manusam janma tadapyadhruvamarthadam. I am sorry I cannot reply in Sanskrit because our process of study is not academic but by sruti.
Reference: Prabhupada Lila - Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
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