96 THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
process for regaining one’s original spiritual status of eternal life, full
with bliss and knowledge, is not abstract, dry theorizing. Spiritual life is
not described in the Vedas as theoretical, dry, or impersonal. The Vedas
aim at the inculcation of pure love of God only, and this harmonious con-
clusion is practically realized by the Krsna consciousness movement, or
by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra.

As the goal of spiritual realization is only one, love of God, so the
Vedas stand as a single comprehensive whole in the matter of transcen-
dental understanding. Only the incomplete views of various parties apart
from the bona fide Vedic lines of teaching give a rupturous appearance to
the Bhagavad-gita. The reconciliative factor adjusting all apparently
diverse propositions of the Vedas is the essense of the Veda, or Krsna
consciousness (love of God).

Thanking you once again,

Yours sincerely,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
February 8, 1970
Swami A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Dear Swamiji:

Thank you very much for your kindness in sending me your long and
interesting letter of January 30, together with the last issue of Back to
Godhead. So far I have had a few discussions with members of your
society here, but they were not entirely satisfactory from my point of
view. But now I have your much more authoritative letter, whereby the
discussion moves to a higher level.

And yet, I am afraid, you have not convinced me that all the scriptures
you quote prescribe only chanting of the name of Krsna. Let me refer
only to the most important ones.

In the Bhagavad-gita [9.14], kirtayantah need not mean chanting of the
name of Krsna. It may mean glorifying, chanting, reciting, talking, and
refer to songs, hymns, descriptions, or conversations. The commentators
take it that way. Sankara in his commentary merely repeats the word, but
Anandagiri in his vydkhyd classes kirtanam as veddnta-Sravanam pranava-
japas ca, ‘‘listening to the Vedanta and muttering om’’ (that the Vedic om
is Krsna is said in the Bhagavad-gita, where Krsna is also identified with
