Prabhupada Appreciation by Mrs. Perlmutter: (Mother of Shravanananda Prabhu)
(Back to Godhead magazine, Jan-Feb 1978)
"Hare Krsna. I have just returned from a visit to the Krsna center in New York. I went to attend the memorial service for His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
"I was very emotionally overcome as I listened to each devotee express his love, devotion and extreme gratitude to Srila Prabhupada. Even in their sadness, there was such a strong expression of joy and thankfulness for having been blessed with Krsna consciousness.
"I am writing at this time to express my sincere sympathy and deep understanding to you, to my son, and to all the devotees who have been so dear to His Divine Grace since the start of the Hare Krsna movement. I know that his physical presence will be greatly missed by all of you, but he has left behind a legacy of great wisdom and much love for all of you, his devoted disciples.
Most sincerely,
Polly C. Perlmutter
Bloomfield, Connecticut"
Letter to Sravanananda Prabhu's Mother (from Srila Prabhupada):
Dear Mrs. Perlmutter,
Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 7th, and have noted the contents with pleasure. Yes, our Society is depending on love and respect; we are bound by love. You have thought exactly like an affectionate mother. Every mother should think like you for the benefit of her son. Our endeavor is to save human society from the danger of animalism. In our scripture it is said that one should not become a father or a mother unless one is able to give protection to one's children from the imminent danger of death. People do not know, especially in the western countries, that anyone, if he likes, can be saved from the cycle of birth and death. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvtah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My (Krsna, God) appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." (Gita, Ch. 4, Text 9)
So you have given this chance to your beloved son to be saved from the repetition of birth and death, and your good example must be followed by all mothers in America. Thank you very much for your kind appreciation. Your son is doing very well here in India. I am very much pleased upon him.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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Do I Think My Son Is Brainwashed? (by Sravanananda's mother):
(Mrs. Polly Perlmutter—mother of Sravanananda dasa)
"My son Daniel (Sravanananda dasa) entered the Hare Krishna movement almost five years ago… I would say that the movement has given a discipline and deep meaning to my son's life. I do not forget that this movement is not all things to all people, but to my son it is fulfilling and beautiful. In our minds (my husband's and mine) we compare our son’s life to the life of a Catholic, monk or a religious Jew in a Hassidic sect.
"Do I think that my son is brainwashed? I can best answer this by asking the question, 'Is our very society not being brainwashed daily by the advertising media (liquor and cigarette ads) and pornographic movies and literature?'. And what about the children who are being 'educated' by the violence and killing on television? I prefer that my son is devoting his life to the love of God and the service of humanity—a rare endeavor in this age. And since I know that my son has voluntarily chosen the Hare Krishna movement to exercise these rights, and that he can leave it whenever he wishes, I cannot see how the term 'brainwashing' can be applicable to this movement. I sincerely believe from my contacts with many devotees that they are happy and have found fulfillment by loving and serving Lord Krishna (God). This may not be my wish for my life, but my son has chosen it for his, and I wholeheartedly respect it."
(Mrs. Polly Perlmutter, Back to Godhead magazine, February 1977)