All over the world (Letters 1970 - 1971)

Expressions researched:
"all over the world"

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Sethji -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1970:

I beg to thank you for your New Year's greeting card which I have received here in L.A. after returning from London via Boston. I am so glad to see your quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam about the socialistic view of Sri Narada Muni. It is very nice and I have also mentioned it in the preface of my first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krishna Consciousness Movement is so nice that it can adjust the disagreement between socialism and capitalism. At the present moment, neither of these isms is perfect from the philosophical point of view, but if both parties take this common formula of Krishna Consciousness each one will supplement the other. I think, therefore, that this Krishna Consciousness Movement should be pushed thoroughly all over the world and I am seeing practically that it has got powerful effect.

There are many millionaire Vaisnava business magnates in India, like your good self, and if they like, they can cooperate with this movement tremendously. When I was in London your second son with his wife and friends came to see me when I was staying as guest in the house of Mr. John Lennon. This was before the completion of our Temple house at 7 Bury Place.

When I was staying in London I received one letter from Hitsaranji that the Dalmia-Jayan Trust as well as the Birla Trust have agreed to give us five pairs of Radha-Krishna Murtis for being installed in different Temples and I gave immediately instructions where to send them. But until now I have no information about the dispatch of the Deities. All the centers are reminding me. So if you will kindly ask Hitsaranji to do it without delay that will be very kind of you. Things are going on here nicely. In every center Sankirtana parties are going around the town. Sometimes the authorities are checking us from doing so but we have not yet stopped, neither we have in our mind anything to stop this Sankirtana Movement. On the whole things are improving daily and I hope it will continue to be so on and on.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1970:

Now the MS of Krishna book as well as the pictures, it is not yet settled up where it is to be printed either in Japan or in our own press, but I have acknowledged the letter of Dai Nippon and the copy is enclosed.

I understand that you are now preparing for going to Australia, and I am so much glad that you are so enthusiastic in preaching the transcendental cult of Krishna Consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be very much pleased upon you. Lord Caitanya desired that this cult of love for Krishna, which is the highest benefit for the living entity, shall be preached all over the world. As an intelligent boy you can understand how much this Krishna Consciousness Movement is necessary for the upliftment of the human society.

Due to their extraordinary materialistic way of life, the so called "civilized" human society has degraded to the position of the animals. They are now dancing naked on the public stage and so called "respectable" persons are going to enjoy such performances. The animals wander here and there naked, the monkeys walk naked; even the aborigines in the jungles they also cover their private parts by some skin or tree or leaf. I do not know how the so called "civilized" men are gliding to the stage of animal life and still they are proud of their advancement of education and civilization.

Letter to Yeager -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1970:

Lord Nityananda, when passing on the street, saw a crowd of people howling at some incident, and on inquiry it was found that there were two rascals of the then name Jagai and Madhai. They were always disturbing people in drunken condition. Nityananda Prabhu thought it wise that these two brothers may be delivered so that Lord Caitanya's mercy could be well known all over the world. When Lord Nityananda approached them He was immediately hurt by violent attack. On this incident Lord Caitanya became very angry and He called for His Sudarsana cakra to kill these debauchees. Lord Nityananda then implored Lord Caitanya not to kill Jagai and Madhai but to save them. By this time Jagai and Madhai came to their senses and immediately they surrendered unto both the Lords and were delivered by the mercy of Lord Nityananda. So Lord Nityananda or Baladeva. is the original Spiritual Master, and such pure devotee sometimes takes the risk of life in order to reclaim a person who might have otherwise been rejected by the Lord. The devotee knows that the Lord wants all the fallen souls to come back to Home, and therefore the devotees always try to induce the conditioned souls to take to Krishna Consciousness by various ways and means. Therefore the conclusion is that a devotee is more kind than the Lord Himself.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Los Angeles 29 January, 1970:

Everyone comes to the Temple for some spiritual enlightenment, so why should a section of the audience be denied the benediction? The same thing applies for Hindi songs also. Hare Krishna Mantra is understood both by Hindi knowing and English knowing persons; other Hindi songs may not be understood by the Europeans. I have no objection for Mirabai's songs, but I think Hare Krishna is the greatest common factor understandable by all people all over the world. The chanting is transcendental and quickly effective.

I am so glad to learn that you are feeling in the Temple that Radha Krishna is dancing and you are being inspired by His Lordship to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement to everyone. Now you have got a very good chance, Sri Sri Radha Krishna is very pleased upon you.

You have been for the last fifteen years in London, and you were sincerely working for advancement of your spiritual life. Now Krishna has given you a good chance, a good opportunity for preaching Krishna Consciousness to all classes of men without any discrimination.

In our Temple all Europeans, Indians, Mohammedans, Christians, everyone is welcome. And our presentation is so nice that everyone will be attracted to accept it because we are preaching love of God. Love of God is the prime function of all living entities, without any sectarian understanding.

Letter to Bapi -- Los Angeles 15 February, 1970:

You will be glad to learn that our Sankirtana Movement in the Western world is going on very successfully. Your fathers Spiritual Teacher, Mother Anandamayee, is very much fond of Sankirtana. So I wish that your father may send us mrdanga (Khol) and karatalas for this great Sankirtana Yajna. Mother Anandamayee has got many rich followers, if some of them send us this khol and karatalas for our different centers all over the world—Europe, American, Canada, Japan, Australia then it will be a great cooperation. I hope you will ask you father to do this service for Lord Krsna or Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Who foretold that in every city, town, and village of the world His Holy Name would be celebrated, and we are trying in our humble way to spread this message.

Letter to George Harrison -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1970:

Everyone is hankering after loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none of them has the right information. By Krsna Consciousness movement we want to broadcast this information that if anyone reposes his loving propensity upon Krsna, he will immediately feel full satisfaction, as much as he feels full satisfaction by supplying food in the stomach. Otherwise, everyone will be frustrated.

Please try to understand this simple philosophy by critical analysis, and I hope by the grace of Krsna you will be a great servant of His in fulfilling His desire that He may be known by His Holy Name in every village and every city all over the world, and thus the people will become happy.

Letter to Sudama -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3 February, 1970, and I have also received the copy of the article printed in the Japan Times Weekly. I am so glad to learn of your successful activities in spreading our Krsna Consciousness movement in Tokyo.

The potency of spreading Krsna Consciousness is everywhere the same. That was experimented by me in your country, where I came alone without any support; and Krsna is so kind that He has sent me so many boys and girls like you. Lord Caitanya said that every village and town on the surface of the world will know the message of the Sankirtana movement. This very statement affirms that in every village and town all over the world there are many candidates who are awaiting this message.

Please therefore work very seriously. Chant your daily beads regularly. You have got a very nice devotee wife, she will help you in all respects. So try to follow the footsteps of the disciplic succession, and everything will come out successful.

In London there is some clashing between the police and our men, but the reaction is in our factor. Probably there will be a great agitation in this connection, and the whole world will know automatically the importance of this movement.

Gaurasundara has intended to call me at Hawaii during Lord Caitanya's birthday, somewhere by the end of March 1970. Similarly, whenever you are also nicely established, you may also call me and I shall be very glad to visit your center.

By the by, I may request you that you may take quotation of our BTG for printing 100,000 (one hundred thousand) copies per month from some of the leading printers in Tokyo.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1970:

In case he likes to do so, then you and your wife, Malati, will have to take care of the Deities as nicely as possible. I do not know in which way George wants to conduct this asrama, and on hearing from you further on this subject, I can give you nice plans. Our general plan is always the same—chanting, dancing and distributing Prasadam. This program can be reduced or enhanced according to one's financial equipment. If George is actually prepared to spend 50% of his income, and thus become a typical example to other European householders, then I shall be able to give him a plan for organizing this asrama so much so that it will be very, very attractive to everyone.

As you say that George wants to invite famous people from all over the world to come there and get Krsna Consciousness, in that case, we shall cooperate with him with full vigor. And if George believes in my potency to spread God-consciousness, then it will be a full program of cooperation.

So I am glad that you are going to Paris, and just try to find out a suitable place for our temple there. Regarding Krsna book, our printing cost will be $2.00 per book, so we have no objection if you can sell at $6.00 per copy. But here the opinion is that such a nice book with so many pictures, priced at $10.00 is very cheap. So I think if we keep the price $8.00 that will be nice. And so far selling in Europe by yourself, we can discount the price up to 40% and you can sell in your own way. But how it will be possible that the price is printed $8.00 here and $6.00 in Europe? That will be very much contradictory. Another process is to paste a small label for the European equivalent of $6.00 over the printed price of $8.00.

Regarding Mayapur center, when the building will be constructed there, probably your valuable service will be required. Let us hope for that auspicious moment.

Letter to Candanacarya -- Los Angeles 12 March, 1970:

This is the way of Krsna transaction; so let us, with great enthusiasm, preach this cult all over the world and make the people happy. They are missing the central point, Krsna, and our duty is to remind them—then everything will be alright. So follow the path chalked out by our predecessors, and success is sure.

I am very much pleased to learn that the Columbus center has been nicely organized since you have gone there and things are going on nicely. In the meantime, I have received news from Boston that Aravinda alone cannot make the layout business very quickly. I think, therefore, if you sometimes go there, help him in this connection, and again come back, that will be very nice. If you so desire, you can remain in Boston and take up the charge of layout business. And sometimes you may go with Kirtanananda Maharaja. That will be nice.

Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

Here we have got the biggest center for training preachers, and the climate here is quite suitable for us (Indian).

I exactly remember you that you kindly took care of me when I was guest of Sri Hanuman Prasad Poddarji sometime in the years 1961 or 1962. I shall remember those days. I beg to convey my thanks again that you have remembered me even after so many years.

I thank you very much also for your kind appreciation of my humble service in the cause of Krishna Consciousness movement. I think every Indian is responsible for spreading this movement all over the world. That is the order of Lord Caitanya in pursuance of the dictum of Lord Krishna. Lord Caitanya says that anyone who has taken birth as a human being in the land of Bharatavarsa should sanctify his life, taking advantage of the Vedic culture, and then distribute the knowledge for welfare activities of the rest of the world.

Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

And that is practically experienced during the last three or four years. There are thousands of my disciples, European and American; their background is not Hindu culture, and still they are accepting this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Some of my students are from the Mohammedan sect also; but all of them conjointly are chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, dancing in ecstasy, honoring Krishna Prasadam, and happily living on Vedic principles; namely as Brahmacari, Grhastha, Vanaprastha, or Sannyasa, not to mention their personal dealings in the matter of four kinds of prohibitive regulations; namely no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating, and no gambling.

So we have to train the whole younger generation at the present moment by the simple method recommended by Lord Caitanya, and then this movement, Krishna Consciousness will spread all over the world.

Letter to Sudama -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

We should therefore try to fix up our mind to remain in our spiritual position by chanting and following the regulative principles. Both in our American and European centers things are improving, and I hope you shall also do the needful.

I am very glad to learn that you have engaged one older Japanese lady for translating our lectures. This is a great opportunity that you have got a good translator. Give her sufficient work for translating, and certainly she will turn to be Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your projected study of all aspects of Japanese language—writing, reading, and speaking—for spreading Krishna Consciousness to all the Japanese speaking people all over the world, that is just our program, and you should do this without fail. As you have written that Tokyo is the largest city in the world and there is no limit to the scope of our preaching work there, your work there is very important to spread our mission.

I am so pleased to learn that you have held several successful kirtanas and also you were on the T.V. program. So now we are in the news and people will be inquiring more about our movement, so your progress in preaching Lord Caitanya's message in Tokyo is very much encouraging to me, and I am so happy to note your sincere determination in this matter. When you are able to find out a house for inviting interested persons to live in our Krishna Consciousness community, that will be very much helpful.

Letter to Turya Shramy Maharaja -- Los Angeles 8 April, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your kind letter dated 23rd March, 1970, addressed to our New York center and now forwarded to me here.

You will be pleased to know that we have got twenty-six centers all over the world, namely; Europe, America, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Of all the centers this Los Angeles center is my headquarters. The temple house is recently purchased by us at a price of $225,000 corresponding to our Indian exchange of 22 lakhs and 50,000 rupees. Out of the 26 centers, in three centers we have got our own premises. In Boston we have got our own press in our own house which was started last October, 1969 at a cost of 9 lakhs of rupees. I am sending herewith one picture of our present headquarters in Los Angeles at the above address.

By the grace of Srila Prabhupada the preaching work is going on nicely and the most important factor is that I have got a number of youthful American and European disciples who are helping me very seriously. As you know the western boys and girls are educated and trained up in practical life.. They are spreading this movement better that any Indian could do. So whatever success is there, it is due to them; I am simply instrumental in giving them direction. They are very kind upon me and offer me the best facilities of comfort. So things are very satisfactory here.

Letter to Turya Shramy Maharaja -- Los Angeles 8 April, 1970:

I have advised my assistant who is in charge of the magazine in New York to send sample copies to Srimati Hemanta Kumari Chowdhurani, as advised by you.

In the beginning we had to accept some advertisements in our magazine to meet the expenditure, but at present we do not accept any advertisements. The whole magazine is full with transcendental message, even on both sides of the cover page.

I understand that when the first mrdangas were sent, you very kindly helped my former sister. So if you have got time, you can help us by sending as many mrdangas as you can because we require them for our Sankirtana movement all over the world. If you can help us by supplying mrdangas and Navadvipa made karatalas it will be a great service to the cause.

In our various centers (26) everywhere there are at least 30 to 40 devotees. Some of them are householders and some of them are Brahmacaris. I don't encourage very strictly increasing the number of Brahmacaris and Sannyasis because in this country men and women are very freely intermingling. Therefore I am encouraging householder's life strictly restraining them from sinful activities principally based on the following four points: 1) no eating of meat, fish, or eggs 2) no illicit sex-life 3) no taking of any kind of intoxicants including coffee, tea, and tobacco 4) no gambling. So this scheme appears to be successful, and in most cases the Grhasthas are preaching very satisfactorily.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 April, 1970:

I was getting in return. Practically the whole money was spent without any return. But ten years after, from 1954 to 1959, the struggle was very hard because at that time I had no money and alone I was editing, publishing, and securing money for publication. So it was a great struggle. My ambition was that I would publish BTG in huge quantity so that people may understand transcendental blessings of Lord Caitanya.

Now, since I have come to your country, I have entrusted the matter to my beloved American boys and girls, and I wish to see that this magazine is published and distributed in the American way like "Readers Digest", "Life" etc., published in millions and distributed all over the world. Actually the position of BTG should be more important than any mundane magazine because it contains the quintessence of human necessities.

You can immediately transfer my maintenance fund to Pico-La Cienega Branch (308), Bank of America, 8501 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90035; account No. 3081-61625 (Checking).

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1970:

Your informative letter dated "nil" is encouraging. For the service of Krsna you are already in the jail for a few hours, so if possible try to put this movement as cultural instead of religion.

Actually we are presenting the culture of Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita is well known all over the world and it is widely read by scholars and philosophers especially. The religionists never read Bhagavad-gita. I have never seen a priest of other religion reading this book, but there are many scholars and philosophers all over the world who read Bhagavad-gita regularly. Even politicians and professional men read Bhagavad-gita, just like one Dr. Rele in Bombay. He also presented commentary on Bhagavad-gita on the basis of medical science. I heard that Professor Einstein, the greatest scientist, was regularly reading Bhagavad-gita, and later on he became practically God-conscious. By scientific research he appreciated the wonderful cosmic manifestation and as a scientist he admitted that behind this there is a very great brain and that is God.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 20 April, 1970:

I am very glad that you are appreciating the transcendental benefit out of Krishna Consciousness Movement. Actually this is the prime benediction for human society. My Guru Maharaja used to say that there is no scarcity of anything within this world, the only scarcity is people are not aware of Krishna Consciousness. The whole world is suffering for want of this great benediction. Therefore by the grace of Lord Caitanya if we have understood the value of this movement it will mean a great lot as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that even a little performance of Krishna Consciousness activity will save the human society from the greatest danger of life.

I am very glad to know that you are trying to understand this philosophy, now combinedly, husband and wife, preach it all over the world, at least in your great country.

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 23 May, 1970:

As you have asked for my suggestion, I would request you to formulate a scheme so that our Indian brothers interested in Krsna Consciousness may join this Movement and send many preachers all over the world. There is a great necessity of qualified preachers. So far Krsna Consciousness philosophy is concerned, it is now tested by my last three years' experiment that this philosophy will be accepted in any part of the world irrespective of caste, creed, color, and language.

Besides that, many of my students are eager to go to India, but I have no place of my own in India to accommodate them. If suitable place can be obtained, at least 40 American and European students may immediately go to India and preach this cult in colleges, schools and universities, and other public meeting places. I will be glad to know if you can help me in this matter.

By separate air mail I am sending several news articles, out of which my talks with Dr. J.F. Staal, Professor of Philosophy and of South Asian Languages, University of California, Berkeley, will be very much interesting to you. So we are gradually being appreciated by all classes of men. The above picture is our newly purchased building as I informed you before.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1970:

The boy in charge of the center, Sriman Tulsidas Brahmacari, is very, very nice boy, and he has been given three assistants, and by the grace of Krsna within a month he is already stabilized. I am just sending you a copy of his letter received yesterday. How this boy has very shortly understood the whole philosophy and has taken the risk of opening a branch.

Similarly I am initiating just now one student from Armenia. Most probably I shall send him either to the Soviet countries or to Egypt. Our preaching in Japan is going on nicely. Similarly in Sydney it is going on nicely. So by the Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura we are expanding all over the world and we are getting good response. Now for India I am counting upon you. So far you have done it is very satisfactory to me, but we should always be careful about our responsibilities. It is said in the scriptures that spiritual life is just like handling a sharpened razor. If we handle it nicely we become cleanly shaved, but a little inattention causes bloodstain. So you will always remember these maxims and depend on Krsna and the Acaryas, and make your life progressive.

Regarding your inquiry about returning the stipend to Dalmia, I do not think there is necessity. The Brahmacaris and Sannyasis can take help from the society at large, and the Grhasthas are meant for treating the Brahmacaris and Sannyasis as their children.

Letter to Radharamana Sharanji -- Los Angeles 25 June, 1970:

So far I have calculated the price of 100 pieces of japa mala will not be more than Rs. 50, and for dispatching by surface post parcel maybe almost the same amount. So kindly let me know if this is correct. I have got my account with Punjab National Bank of Vrndavana, and as such, whenever you supply some goods you will be able to take payment from the bank without any difficulty. Similarly, if your friend supplies Benaras dhoti and sari that will be very nice arrangement.

I wish that if our Vrndavana center is opened you may take charge of this center and thus help advancing this Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world. There is a great necessity for this movement from all angles of vision. I am experiencing practically that through this movement the entire human society will be happy. And as you write to say that, "the Lord has very, very kindly given me human form in the sacred soil of India—simply to serve the humanity and through that Him alone," so this is the opportunity offered to you by the Lord—take advantage of it and set exemplary activities so that our countrymen may know what is the duty of a bona fide Indian.

Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter dated 24th June, 1970, and I am very glad to learn that your last responsibilities in family affairs are now discharged, your two daughters are now married. Now in this ripe old age you can devote yourself for spreading Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world.

Your son is here, so I think with your daughter-in-law you can also come in this country. So far I understand there is some difficulty in getting visa for your daughter-in-law, but as far as I know the immigration laws, if your son is an immigrant he can bring in his wife immediately and without any difficulty. Anyway, whenever your son will meet me I will be so much pleased to take care of him.

Letter to Nirmal Babu -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

Then why the Indian Government will not give its full support for this great movement? The Gandhi Memorial Fund has got immense amount of money, the Cultural Department of the Education Ministry of the Indian Government is spending so much money and why not for the real Indian cultural movement, Krsna Consciousness?

So kindly try to convince the Prime Minister and take up this matter very seriously because by the spread of this cultural movement India's prestige will be glorified. Bhagavad-gita although accepted as Hindu gospel is not limited with the Hindu community. All over the world this book is studied. There are hundreds of foreign editions of this book and actually I am seeing how they are anxious to receive this culture. If you want more information I shall be very glad to supply you, and you please try to help this movement for the remaining days of your life. Both of us are now old enough. I shall complete my 74th year by the next month and you are of the same age, so let us do something combinedly for the remaining days of our life so that our mother India may be glorified all over the world.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

I was convinced by my Guru Maharaja that in the present status of civilization there is not scarcity of anything except Krsna consciousness. So distribution of Krsna consciousness in the best service to the human society, so I tried first of all to start this movement in India, but friends were not very much sympathetic. Therefore, with great difficulty I came here in 1965. In 1966 I registered the Society with the help of some friends and disciples, and the movement was started regularly in 1966, July, from New York.

Gradually it developed and at the present moment we have got 32 branches all over the world. We have got very huge expenditure for maintaining these establishments for example in Los Angeles, we are spending near about $3000 per month, which is in Indian exchange Rs. 24,000 per month. Similarly we have got expenditure in London, New York, Hamburg, Sydney, Tokyo, etc. The source of income is generous contribution by the public and a little profit out of selling our magazines and books. We do not get any lump out of sum contribution from any of various foundations, but our boys and girls work very hard and we maintain our establishment. The main source of income is Hare Krsna.

I think very confidently that this Krsna Consciousness Movement will solve all the problems of the world—political, social, economic, etc. I am writing books and articles on this subject strictly on the line of Acarya Parampara and I have a already published some books, a list of which is enclosed herewith.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

That is the position of the Western countries. But they have no information what is that better. Therefore, the younger generation especially they are turning to be confused and frustrated and they are generally known as "hippies." Here in this Krsna consciousness movement, because the actual solace and remedy is there, they are finding it very nice and gradually they are being attracted. Some of them actually experience that before coming to this movement they did not know what is spiritual life. So there is a great potency of spreading this movement all over the world. The India Government has a Department for Cultural Affairs; if they would have taken this cultural movement as the background of Vedic civilization, then the whole world would have been happy, and India's glories would have been magnified many thousands of times than by simply imitating the Western technology which is on the verge of failure.

7. Regarding Swamis and "Swaminies," you have been misinformed. Among my disciples there is only one Swami or Sannyasi, but there is no "Swaminie." Woman is never offered Sannyasa in the Vedic culture. Up to Vanaprastha stage the woman may remain with her husband as assistant or friend without any sex relation, and when a man takes Sannyasa the woman has no connection with him. I am very sorry to inform you that there are some Indian "Swamis" in this country who are living with so-called "Swaminies," but so far we are concerned we follow strictly the Vedic principles. All our students are following the regulative principles as mentioned in Section 3, paragraph 2.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Tokyo August 21, 1970:

Your spiritual strength will depend only on the basis of unflinching faith in Krsna and the Spiritual Master, chanting sixteen rounds on beads and following the restrictive items.

I understand that you have been in Fiji Islands and there is good prospect for opening a center. Try to open a center in Fiji without delay and consult your colleagues in New Vrindaban, but on the whole if a center is opened there immediately that will give me great pleasure.

In our movements all over the world certainly we require huge amounts of money. When I came to your country first my primary strength was chanting the Maha-mantra and maintaining myself on public contributions and distribution of my Srimad-Bhagavatam. The same principles can be followed still namely collecting some funds by distributing our books and literatures. I thank you very much for appreciating my two recent books, Nectar of Devotion and KRSNA. If we distribute these two wonderful books by meeting respectable gentlemen everywhere, I think we can collect $100 at least by presenting these two books. So it is my suggestion immediately you should try and collect some money and I am sure Krsna will supply it and keep it for opening different centers. Please consult with the GBC regarding this program and make a practical schedule.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tokyo August 23, 1970:

Sriman Brahmananda Swami Maharaja joined me in my apartment in New York sometimes in 1966 and since then he is working so hard for upliftment of our activities and later on you also joined to help the Movement so strenuously. So your service to Krsna in this connection will never go in vain even though accidentally something contrary has been done. So far I am concerned, I am the same Spiritual Father and Guide of both of you and I have prayed all along to Krsna for bringing you back to your good conscience. I hope Krsna is already helping you sitting in your heart and thus you are executing the regulative principles.

We have a great task before us to preach this Krsna Consciousness all over the world. I have given you all the Sannyasa order with a great hope that in future you will all work for me. I came to your country to execute the mission of my Spiritual Master at a very old age and by the Grace of my Spiritual Master within four or five years with your cooperation we have expanded beyond expectation. Now if all you Sannyasis work with the same zeal and enthusiasm and if each of you establish another set of 30 to 40 branches with necessary influx of devotees, then I am sure our Krsna Consciousness Movement will prove a solid fact throughout the whole world and for this purpose you have to gather sufficiently spiritual strength.

There is a statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta that without being empowered by Krsna nobody can preach the glories of His Holy Name and the only means for acquiring this spiritual strength is to abide by the orders of the Spiritual Master. That is the verdict of all Scriptures.

I hope in the New Vrindaban meeting you will all formulate a solid program for advancing this Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world. Please offer my blessings to Sriman Brahmananda Swami Maharaja as well as all devotees present at New Vrindaban.

Letter to Himavati -- Tokyo 23 August, 1970:

I have already acknowledged your letter dated August 13rd, 1970, along with my last reply. I am very glad to learn that you will be walking very soon, but walking or no walking you are always engaged in Krsna's service. That is my confidence.

I am very glad that Hamsaduta has gone to New Vrndavana and I have requested everyone of the Governing Board Commission members to formulate a solid program for advancing Krsna Consciousness Movement all over the world.

I am feeling well here, better than Los Angeles and on the 29th August we are starting for Calcutta. The address is as follows:

Letter to Jananivasa -- Bombay November, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 23rd November as well as the encouraging newspaper article enclosed. Please forgive this late replay, but due to my traveling much of my mail has been neglected.

Presently I am touring many cities in India and the response here has been very good. Actually everyone in India is a devotee; they have simply been misled by politicians and so many things. By Lord Chaitanya's mercy we are again reviving their original Krishna Consciousness, just as we are doing in all our centers all over the world.

I am very glad to learn that your college program is doing so nicely there. Please continue in this way and also introduce our books into the classes and libraries. We want to reach the intelligent class of men and so this college program is of first rate importance. In your country they are very scientifically minded and so if Krishna Consciousness is presented to them nicely, surely they will take to this, the greatest of sciences. You can approach the professors in that way and try to arrange for accredited classes in Krishna Consciousness also.

So far as getting yourself married is concerned, I have no objection. Be sure that you can meet the obligations of Grihasta order of life and then when you find a nice girl you may marry with my blessings.

Thank you for your invitation to Columbus temple and I will be very glad to visit there when I return to the U.S. I will be going to New Vrindaban, so perhaps from there I can visit Columbus.

Letter to Dr. Chakravarti -- Bombay 3 November, 1970:

Although I've had no chance to study these books thoroughly, still I can understand the spirit of the writings.

Your tendency to give Srila Jiva Goswami the proper position a philosopher is very much appreciated. Some years back I attended a meeting in Calcutta wherein Pramathanath Trakvhusna, the learned Sanskrit scholar, was present. He said about Jiva Goswami very highly that there was no comparison with Jiva Goswami and any other philosophers of the world. Gaudiya Vaisnavism is very much proud of having such a great acarya as Jiva Goswami. Your tendency to present Bengal Gaudiya Vaisnavism in its proper perspective is very much welcome. We are trying to present Krishna Consciousness all over the world in a very scientific and philosophical way, and as such your help in this connection will be of great value. I do not know whether it will be possible for you to join us whole-heartedly, but if you can so do, it will be of great value and we can immediately start a Bengali edition of BACK TO GODHEAD magazine under your good editorship.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

I have formed this GBC for that purpose, to keep the devotional standards at the highest level and at the same time to manage a world-wide organization.

I have just now received a letter from Brahmananda Maharaja, one from Gargamuni Maharaja, and one from Visnujana Maharaja. From his letter I think that Brahmananda is feeling discouraged and not very enthusiastic. So I am asking him to come to India and live with me. In the meantime Gargamuni and Visnujana can work together for establishing a nice temple in Coconut Grove, near Miami, Florida, and that will please me very much. Please go on opening thousands of centers all over the world.

I have received reports from my European centers that there has been some disturbance. I think that London is the most important center in Europe and the leadership must be very strong there, so I am asking Gurudasa and his wife Yamuna to return there. They are now in Delhi with some brahmacaris and, since they have come so far, they may remain in India for some time, but in time they will return to the London Temple. I have received one letter from Bali Mardan Das Brahmacari and he has expressed enthusiasm for his GBC post, so he shall continue in that capacity.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

I have received your letter of 23 September, 1970, along with the note from your good wife, and have read them with attention. The sentiments which you have expressed are very much encouraging to me, that I have got such disciples as yourself who are more anxious to serve me than my own children. You are one of my oldest and best-qualified students, so now you may, along with the other men of GBC, take over from me management of ISKCON affairs and work combinedly to open as many centers as possible all over the world. If you simply carry out the instructions which I have given you Krsna will reward you with all success.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that this chanting of the Hare Krsna Mantra will be heard in every nook and cranny of this globe. He is God, so there is no doubt about it. So if we are intelligent we will take advantage of this opportunity and get the credit. If we do not, someone else will.

So far your management of Southern USA centers as Zonal secretary, I have instructed Brahmananda Maharaja, Gargamuni Maharaja and Visnujana Maharaja to open one center in Coconut Grove, near Miami, Florida. Now you must open correspondence with them in this regard and encourage them.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd October, 1970 and I have noted the contents carefully. I'm glad that you and Bali Mardan Prabhu have had a chance to be together and have planned jointly one center in Hong Kong. That is what I wish to see from the GBC members; that they work combinedly to open as many centers as possible all over the world. I am very hopeful for this GBC that you will work in such a way that I may be completely relieved from all management of this society. Now I want to simply begin translating. Here I am situated in a temple of Sita-Ram in a nearby suburb of Bombay. The atmosphere is very relaxing, such as I have not found anywhere else in India thus far. So in every way it is very conducive to my translating work and beginning today I will spend all my time translating. Tamala Krsna and Syamasundara are here with me as my liaison officers and the rest of the GBC members are spread all over the world. So please work closely together and do everything in cooperation.

Please send immediately ten copies of Japanese BTG as soon as they are printed by Dai Nippon. You can send them to the Marine Drive address. Thank you very much for your check for 45 dollars for my maintenance fund. Please offer my blessings to your good wife Cintamani and to all the other good Tokyo Prabhus. I hope you are well and jolly.

Letter to Tirthapada -- Bombay 13 November, 1970:

The school college and university students are very receptive to this Movement, so we must present them with an excellent example. They are very intelligent and bad experience has taught them to be cautious, so if you keep all your programs to the standard as I have already instructed in so many ways, then they will easily become satisfied that this is the real way of life for any intelligent person—Krsna Consciousness.

I have heard from Upendra and he seems enthusiastic about opening the Fiji center. Our Krsna Consciousness Movement is flourishing all over the world by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and I am receiving favorable reports and full invitations from all over the world for our Movement. Now it is up to you to keep on working vigorously in the service of the Lord and because He is seated within your heart, He will reveal from within all necessary intelligence for you to further extend your loving devotional service to Him.

Letter to Puri Maharaj -- Bombay 19 November, 1970:

Kindly accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I thank you very much for your kind letter dated November 10th, 1970, received through our elder God-brother, His Grace Y. Jagannatham.

I am so pleased to receive your letter inviting me and my disciples and asking me to perform the opening ceremony there. Certainly it is a great privilege for a humble servant of Krsna.

In my next letter I shall inform you how far it will be possible in the month of March, because at that time it will be too warm in India. So I shall consult this matter with my immediate assistants and let you know my decision within a week.

I hope you are getting my magazines regularly. But recently the publication has been delayed due to my travelling now all over the world and some of my important assistants, members of the Governing Body Commission, accompanying me. Certainly you will get my magazines regularly as I was sending as well as my books which are coming very shortly. Some of them have already reached Calcutta port and we have to undergo some formalities regarding this import of books.

Letter to Ben -- Bombay November 22, 1970:

I beg to thank you very much for your humble letter dated September 20th, 1970. I am presently staying in Bombay. Since arriving in India I have been extensively travelling and preaching our Sankirtana Movement to all parts of the country. There is good reception also for our Society here. From other countries all over the world I am receiving daily reports and thanks how everything is going on in Krsna Consciousness nicely. Our Movement has now become truly international Society.

I am very glad that you are so much appreciative of our program and philosophy. Actually it is the only factual presentation of our true relationship with God, Krsna. And it is our earnest endeavor to preach this philosophy very vigorously to clear out the diseased condition of impersonal and voidist philosophy which are so much misleading the innocent persons. So you are very fortunate. Krsna has saved you from the impersonal calamity.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 28 November, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th November, 1970 and I am so much enthused to understand how nicely you are distributing our books. Actually these two books, KRSNA book and Nectar of Devotion, are revolutionary to your country. Not only your country, but all over the world. Nobody has any clear idea of God. In hopelessness they declare that God is dead. So these books will supply clear idea of God, not only that but anyone who will read this KRSNA book in two parts, Nectar of Devotion, and if possible Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I'm sure he cannot go away from becoming a devotee of Krishna. So try to push our books, especially Bhagavad-gita As It Is, TLC, KRSNA, NOD, backed by a regular supply of our magazines and regular performance of sankirtana. Then I'm sure Krishna Consciousness Movement will go forward without any hindrance. You have a strong governing body, all determined to push forward this movement and I'm sure of success in the future.

As you are a member of the governing body, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that 10,000 KRSNA books and 5,000 NODs were recently published. So the price of these books alone come to the point of about $100,000. If 50% even were collected, then it would have been $50,000. The present arrangement is that all book collection goes to Dai Nippon firm in Japan but so far money transferred there is only $21,000. That is 1/4 of the gross value. I think $50,000. at least should have been deposited there by this time. If I'm not wrong in my calculation, you can talk this matter amongst yourselves, especially Karandhara, and do the needful. I'm sure KRSNA will be accepted all over the world.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 28 November, 1970:

I will see how to get it from here. (You can print and fold there and send here for collating and binding.)

So far as minimizing the use of Sanskrit words in BTG, that is very nice. There is no need for so much Sanskrit. Therefore I object to the Brahma-Samhita edition. I use Sanskrit, but the purport I give immediately.

I just want to see that these books be printed, whether it be on our own press or by Dai Nippon; that is my ambition. I have become slackened in my dictaphone work because the manuscripts already there are not being pushed ahead. So far as books like KRSNA, NOD, TLC, I am sure that they'll be accepted everywhere—all over the world, so we should keep sufficient stock of them, and Bhagavad-gita also. So you should arrange for reprinting and folding of 5,000 NODs and send them here as soon as possible. Also please arrange for reprinting of TLC.

Pradyumna has to create another assistant locally. It is not possible at the present time to send a man from here, at least for the present moment. So he has to work a little hard. He should have created by now another assistant. I think his wife can become the best assistant.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 30 November, 1970:

If we have to repair our house and Mr. Raj Anand is willing to give us the loan and you think there will be no problem in repaying him, then it is all right and you may do it.

I am glad to hear new devotees are coming and do not be worried about some of our members leaving; they will come back. Krishna never forgets the service rendered to him by the devotee and once tasting the nectar of devotional service to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is not possible to forget Him.

I have received the report of Pittsburgh GBC meeting. I am happy to see you all so active and serious about carrying on the work which I have started. Now I want that all administration may be done by all of you 12 GBC members all over the world. Always keep in touch and consult matters all together for practical execution.

Yes, continue to send money to my book fund so that we shall be able to go on producing literatures of Krishna Consciousness. Thank you for the check of $227.00 for my maintenance fund. You may collect all the payments and send once monthly from L.A. the total amount. That will be better. I have also received the receipts of temple payment for Sept. and Oct. Also the pictures of the sanctuary appear very nice.

Letter to Unknown -- Indore 14 December, 1970:

Wanted qualified Brahmins to preach Bhagavad-gita all over the world. Educated candidates accepted without any discrimination of Caste and Creed.

Apply ISKCON

Life Member can send any member of his family for being trained up as qualified Brahmin who can preach Bhagavad-gita as it is all over the world

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Surat 18 December, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1st December, 1970 and I thank you very much for your kind sentiments for me. Actually I cannot claim any credit for myself, but I say if any credit is due, it is due to the fact that I have not deviated from the original instructions. Whatever I have learned from my spiritual master I have presented before you and similarly whatever success you are having only it is due to the purity of the message which you are carrying. So continue to see to the management of ISKCON and keep up the standards of devotional service and this Krishna Consciousness movement will be accepted all over the world.

I am very encouraged to see your enthusiasm for preaching this message to the Russian people, and your idea to send letters with the help of Dr. Bernhart is very good. He is a big scholar and he also appreciates our movement. So if you arrange a tour of Russia for me, I am prepared to accept. Let us see what Krishna desires. Why not Dr. Bernhart join this great movement.

Amsterdam sounds like a good place for our movement. The hippies are not bad souls, because soul is part and parcel of Krishna. So in fact everyone is good, because everyone is spirit soul. But by demoniac association they have been mislead. Try to save these boys and girls. That is our duty. If you can arrange for a Dutch BTG it will be very nice.

Letter to Tulsi -- Surat 28 December, 1970:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26th November, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully. I was not able to reply sooner, but have been travelling and so much of my mail has been neglected.

Presently I am touring many cities in India and the response to our Sankirtana Movement has been tremendous with thousands upon thousands actively participating. In India, actually, everyone is a devotee. They have simply been mislead by the politicians and so many things. By Lord Caitanya's mercy we are again reviving their dormant Krishna Consciousness, just as we are doing in our centers all over the world.

I am very pleased to hear how nicely the activities are gong on there in our San Diego center under your expert guidance. Also your program for "Maha Sankirtana" in conjunction with Laguna Beach temple is very nice. Such engagements should be held whenever possible as it is very enlivening to all those involved.

Simply by keeping a nicely regulated temple schedule with many integrated devotional activities and our preaching program is sure to be a success. Following the regulative principles strictly is our strength in spiritual life. If they are neglected, then all our efforts simply become spoiled. So go on in the way you have described and Krishna will surely bless you.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Damodara -- Allahabad, India 10 January, 1971:

I beg to thank you for your encouraging letter dated 12th December, 1970. I have carefully noted the enclosed photographs as well, and I am so glad to see how you are nicely conducting Sankirtana activities in important places in your nation's capital city.

It is my firm conviction that this Krsna Consciousness Movement of Lord Caitanya's will be successful in all parts of the world if our students kindly continue in their enthusiastic endeavors to distribute this message freely to all persons. Our Movement is now appreciated all over the world and it is gradually coming to the attention of the important leaders of the present society, so it is incumbent upon us to keep our spiritual strength by rigidly following the regulative principles; then we can deal adequately with all facilities offered by the Lord for expediting His Holy Mission. I am confident that all our sincere intelligent young devotees like your good self will carry this program to fruitful conclusion namely the delivery of the Holy Name to all the fallen souls suffering in varieties of conditional misery and material happiness. Please execute your program for distribution of literatures and Sankirtana, therefore, with increased vogor and may Krsna bless your sincere efforts to serve Him faithfully.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Allahabad 18 January, 1971:

I hope everything is going on well with your preaching activities in Florida state. I have not heard from you in a few weeks, but through Brahmananda Maharaja I learn that you are moving to different cities and preaching our Krsna consciousness in each place.

I have just written one letter to Brahmananda Maharaja informing him of our very good reception here in India and how our devotees and Sankirtana are being appreciated by all communities here because of the high standard of their pure devotional service. Many persons are simply surprised that this Sankirtana Movement of Lord Caitanya has been so nicely accepted all over the world with such good results. It is actually revolutionary. I am very eager to see that Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire is fulfilled as far as possible to make this Movement international even to the towns and villages. People sometimes inquire if we have gone to Pakistan. And I am thinking—why not? Both India and Pakistan are in great distress because of this false partition and I am sure the whole matter can be put to rights by proper application of our principles of Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Allahabad 18 January, 1971:

I know there is already good acceptance of our Krsna consciousness philosophy because there is one preacher already in East Pakistan for some years and the Muslims are giving him all help. But we want to present the pure thing as we are taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu and that will bring in a real change. If this program in Pakistan is successful, the whole world will have to see the transcendental potency of pure Sankirtana Movement and it will be to your credit. I have made Sannyasis for this purpose to spread up Krsna consciousness all over the world and I am confident of your ability to do it. You have now learned the life of a Sannyasi by practical touring and preaching, now it is my desire that you apply for some concrete results in this new field. If you do it, it will be a very great service to the Movement and humanity at large and I will be very pleased with this work. You can immediately make arrangements to go there to East Pakistan and Brahmananda Maharaja to West Pakistan, each assisted by one brahmacari. It will be easier for you to go direct from U.S.A. because your country is on friendly terms with Pakistan. I think you will have no difficulty in introducing Krsna consciousness as a cultural movement. Further hints I can give later on. Now you will have to ply your good intelligence for serving Krsna very diligently and soberly in foreign land.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Allahabad 27 January, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear that you have now opened a center in Tucson, Arizona. It has been my desire to open 108 branches of our society all over the world and due to the sincere efforts of devotees such as your good self, it is actually happening. If you simply follow the regulative principles strictly, always chant Hare Krishna and just depend on Krishna, then all facility will be given to you to make Tucson temple a grand success by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

So far as Deity worship is concerned, for the present you can have a Guru-Gauranga altar and later on when there are more devotees there and you have facility, Lord Jagannatha or Radha Krishna Deity may be installed. Only initiated devotees may tend the Deity or cook for Him, so for the present you can set up a very attractive Guru-Gauranga altar and that will be very nice.

Letter to Upendra -- Allahabad 27 January, 1971:

I am a little concerned, however, that you are being somewhat harassed in your activities by these so-called swamis. But do not be discouraged by their foolish talkings, we have got more important business. We do not judge the man by his dress, so we are not concerned with the color of our cloth as much as we are concerned to keep our conduct on the plane of pure spiritual life. Our Krsna consciousness is practically being accepted by all kinds of persons all over the world and there is no discrimination of types of dress. Generally Grhasthas wear white for the men and colorful saris for the women. While performing sacrifices, etc. they may wear yellow cloth which is considered auspicious. But you are always engaged in such religious activity in direct service of the transcendental Lord, so yellow garments are not inappropriate. In India our householder devotee men are all wearing white cloths and they all look very, very nice. You can do also if you like.

I am so glad to hear that the people are eager to have more opportunity for Krsna Consciousness. I would also very much like to travel there. But I do not know what arrangements you can make to bring us there.

Letter to Edith -- Bombay, INDIA January 28th, 1971:

Please accept my blessings, presently I am touring India and so have just now received your letter dated 3d August, 1970 and am replying it herewith.

We are presently in the age; called Kali yuga, or the age of quarrel and dissention where man is very shortlived and not so very intelligent. But the most regrettable characteristic of this age, is that man has forgotten God. He is claiming God is dead or I am god, etc. Just try to understand how much degraded this age is. One of the anomalies, of this Kali yuga is that our foodstuffs have been grown with so many chemicals, etc. Actually nothing in this Kali yuga is pure. The soil is polluted, the air, so many things as well as man's motives, but by firmly establishing our Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world, such unfavorable conditions can be terminated.

That is our program. So for the present we must tolerate such conditions. Actually, these are material considerations only. By offering our foodstuffs to Krishna with love and devotion, Krishna says he wiil accept and it becomes spiritually purified because he is the supreme pure. So love and devotion to Krishna is the purifying agent and nullifies all the bad effects of this age of Kali yuga. Simply let as offer to Krishna with love and devotion and chant the Hare Krishna Mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare and our very existence will become purified.

Letter to Murari -- Allahabad 4 February, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated 1st and 6th January, 1971, and I thank you for the copies of Krsna Book payments made to Dai Nippon. I have been doing extensive touring recently and my mailing is not always received or dispatched timely, so this late reply. I think by now your good wife is with you in London once more. I am confident that if you simply take our principles very seriously and follow them rigidly, everything will come out successfully. Our Movement is being carried by spiritual strength from chanting of the Hare Krsna Mahamantra from the lips of pure devotees. Our disciples are pure and therefore the effect is that this movement is gaining in scope all over the world. Now people are highly appreciating our endeavors and they are asking us to open centers in their respective cities and towns. So this is practically the fulfillment of Lord Caitanya's desire and it will come about for certain if you kindly keep the standard set by me and see that others are similarly enthused to follow.

I am very glad that Mukunda will continue to work with you and he will be President of our London Yatra. Both he and Janaki and you and your good wife are our elder students and you try to cooperate with one another for keeping our London center as prominent. If you can expand that will be very nice. I am glad that the center in Birmingham is going on nicely.

Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Lilavati. Try to increase the sales of our literatures and particularly KRSNA book and that will be a great service.

Letter to Dayananda -- Calcutta 8 February, 1971:

Also I am very pleased to know that the Deity thrones are now in hand. I have already dispatched big Deities like the ones in London, given by Mr. Birla. I hope by this time you might have received shipping documents and on receipt of this you do the needful. As soon as the Deities are received, you should prepare very nice gorgeous sets of clothes for the Deity.

Now the most important point is to recruit life members as many as possible. Please let me know how many you have made. The money received of the life membership fees should be divided into two: 50% for building fund and 50% for my book fund. By distributing of our books and literatures through this program of life membership, our institution can become greater and greater all over the world.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Gorakhpur 16 February, 1971:

So both yourself and Brahmananda Maharaja may thoroughly consider this point also, before going there. On the whole, I am not insisting you to go there, but if it is possible for you to go there four to five men and preach this Krsna cult there, that will be a great achievement.

Our point is that Krsna is neither Hindu, nor Mohammedan nor Christian—He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Proprietor of everything, the Supreme Enjoyer and the most well-wishing friend of everyone. We want to impress these three points everywhere and by such understanding surely there will be peace and prosperity all over the world. So there is no hurry. Think twice before going there. But if you think the circumstances are not favorable, then forget this idea.

I am very glad to see the photographs and news articles sent by you. I am receiving similar photographs from Subala Maharaja in Europe and it is very encouraging. I have not heard from Brahmananda Maharaja and Visnujana Maharaja* since a long time. I hope I shall hear from them very soon.

Letter to Gerald -- ISKCON Akash Ganga Bldg; 89 Bhulabhai Desai Road; Bombay-26 India 19th February, 1971:

Lord Jesus explains that he kept his disciples faithful to the Lord in His Holy Name. And the process of Lord Caitanya is the same—to keep one always in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by constantly chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, the Holy Names of the Lord. Please go on with your chanting regularly and attend the Temple classes as far as possible and be happy in Krsna Consciousness. This is the practical way to revive our dormant love of God. No other way is so effective in this age as the chanting of Hare Krsna Mahamantra. That is now proven by the spread of this Movement all over the world in such short time. Do not be disappointed if sometimes your mind gives some agitation. Such agitation is only temporary and will be driven away by chanting. So chant loudly whenever there is some disturbance and hear the transcendental sound attentively. Study our literatures with the help of other devotees and render some devotional service in the Temple or on Samkirtan Party. As your heart becomes more and more purified by the chanting process you will feel constant happiness in Krsna's service and at that time Krsna takes all the sinful reactions from the devotee thus protecting him from all distresses of life.

Letter to Dr. Baltwant Singh -- Gorakhpur 22 February, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter No. 2/2/3 dated 22nd January, 1971. I thank you very much for your kind invitation to our organization for visiting your place. Since a very long time I was thinking of going to your place but there was no opportunity to do so. Now as our movement is spreading all over the world and I am working at present in India, two of my disciples, husband and wife, have already gone to Trinidad. They are somewhere in Frederick Street in Trinidad. The couple's names are Vaikunthanatha Das Adhikari and Saradia Devi Dasi and they are now at present in the Port-of-Spain. I'm enclosing herein one picture of the couple. If possible you can open correspondence with them. If you find difficulty then you can refer this matter to Hayagriva Das Adhikari; c/o New Vrindaban; R.D. 3; Moundsville, W. Virginia; U.S.A. He will help you with their address. You can arrange to call this couple, Vaikunthanatha and Saradia, and after their arrival it may be possible if so requested, to send more men by suitable arrangement. I am interested to open many centers all over the world and if you help us in this matter for opening a center in Guyana, it will be a great service to the society.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Gorakhpur 23 February, 1971:

So far as cooperating with my Godbrothers is concerned, that is not very urgent business. So far until now my Godbrothers have regularly not cooperated with me and by the grace of my Spiritual Master, things are still going ahead. So cooperation or non-cooperation, it is the desire of Bhaktivinode Thakura to preach the Caitanya cult all over the world and in 1875 he predicted that someone would come very soon who would individually preach this cult all over the world. So if his benediction is there and my Guru Maharaja's blessings are there, we can go ahead without any impediment but all of us must be very sincere and serious. We have been a little inflicted by public criticism that we Godbrothers do not work together. My Guru Maharaja wanted also us to work together but some how or other it hasn't happened up until now. So your program of cooperating with Madhava Maharaja is not so important. Best thing is that all we Godbrothers work together. Then the criticism will stop, otherwise even we join together, criticism will go on. So this has been going on for the last 24 years, but everyone of us is doing his best keeping Lord Caitanya in the center. We should be satisfied so much.

Regarding Hamilton House, they will take up the decision on the 26th February, 1971 as I understand from your letter. So immediately you will send me the decision by express telegram because on this decision it will depend my going to Calcutta or to Bombay. So kindly take this as very urgent and do the needful. I am very glad you have nice commodious quarters and you have got it free of charge. Thank Krishna.

Letter to Tulsi -- Bombay 24 February, 1971:

Presently we are in Gorakhpur, one of the important cities in Northern India, and we are guests of the Gita Press authorities. Here we are negotiating for a plot of land on the University of Gorakhpur campus for establishing a center. If we are successful in our attempt, it will be unique in all the world and soon more and more college campuses will follow. We want to influence these misguided college students so that they might take to this Krishna Consciousness Movement very seriously. And if we can establish a seat of Krishna Consciousness these students may take their doctorate degree in Krishna Consciousness and go out and preach all over the world. From here I shall be going to Mayapur and then to Bombay, and should be returning to U.S.A. by the first week of April. Please offer my blessings to Sandy, Pat, Bill and Jeff Prabhus, and all the others there.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Bombay 25 March, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3d March, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am so glad to hear that you are now in L.A. discussing final plans for opening one center in Mexico City. That is very encouraging news. I am anxious that we establish centers in major cities all over the globe and Mexico City is certainly an important landmark. Both you and your good wife Candrabali can speak Spanish language nicely, so you are certainly qualified for such a mission.

I am also glad to note that you have begun working on BTG Spanish edition. Actually we want that BTG be printed in every major language and distributed all over the world so that there is no language barrier in taking to our movement. So go there, husband and wife, and make our Mexico City branch a grand success, and Krishna will certainly bestow upon you all blessings.

Letter to Deputy Commissioner of Police -- Bombay 19 April, 1971:

With reference to your two above-mentioned letters. I beg to inform you that Mr. Kary Hans and Mrs. Kary Helena, American nationals, are still with me for extension of their stay in India. They have already applied to Delhi authorities and for expediting the transaction, I am sending my representative to Delhi the day after tomorrow.

The thing is that this Sankirtana Movement which I am propagating all over the world was also exhibited in the Cross Maidan for eleven days which I think you must have seen. So in India I am especially present here to popularize this movement for awakening God Consciousness of people in general and they are appreciating it very much. In that connection I request the helping hand of these foreigners. As far as possible, I have guaranteed their staying in India in the matter of their maintenance and security and still you want them to go. I cannot understand what are the local intricacies in this connection. If you will kindly give me direction how they can stay, it will be very kind of you. I require their help very much in connection with the Hare Krishna Movement.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 21 April, 1971:

So far as distribution of our pictures is concerned, that is another branch of propaganda work but they must be printed at least as nicely as Brijbasis; then people will purchase.

Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is so nice that we not only solve the problem of white and black tension, but all kinds of other tensions as well—social, political, religious, racial, and all other departmental activities of human society. The fact is there but we require the time and energy to put it into effect. And now more devotees are coming also. That is the sign of our progress. In each and every center we must get new devotees more and more and train them up. As soon as they are nicely trained up, they should open a branch—in every village and town all over the world.

Organization of book selling is more important than incense distribution. Incense sales is clearly business only. But when we sell books that means we push forward our movement. So unless it is absolutely necessary, we should not become ordinary businessmen. Try to understand this point.

Letter to Professor G. G. Kotovsky -- Bombay 23 April, 1971:

I beg to inform you that a copy of your letter dated 16th March, 1971 was forwarded to me by Sriman Krsna das Adhikari, Governing Body Commission member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness; c/o Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple; 2 Hamburg 6; Bartelstrasse 65; and it was understood that you and your university are interested in hearing about Krishna culture and philosophy. This ancient Krishna culture and philosophy is the oldest in the world or in the universe. At least from a historical point of view it is not less than 5,000 years old.

Perhaps you may know that I have started this cultural movement since 1966 and it is already spreading all over the world. Krishna culture is so popular in India that even the government attracts many foreigners by Air India timetable to visit Vrindaban, the land of Krishna culture. Enclosed please find one page from the latest Air India timetable (April, 1971) wherein the Krishna culture is depicted for general attraction.

My life is dedicated to spreading this Krishna culture all over the world. I think if you give me a chance to speak about the great Krishna culture and philosophy in your country, you will very much appreciate the simple programme with great profit. This culture is so well planned that it would be acceptable by any thoughtful man throughout the whole world.

Letter to Karandhara -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971:

Now it has gone to another building. So I shall require the GBC members to inform me what is the actual benefit by such removal and keeping the press in a different building. The policy of maintaining a white elephant is not good.

That is the immediate important business—how to distribute these books all over the world. So far as the per cent of discount, that will depend on your discretion. But quickly distribute all the books as soon as they are received.

Yes, the record insert is very nice. Where was it printed? So far as the names of those accompanying me, for the tickets, that I shall let you know when I go back to Bombay, which will be sometime after the 24th instant.

Letter to Sri Ravelji -- Bombay 17 June, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your three letters dated 30th May, 8th and 9th June, 1971 respectively and have noted the contents. It appears from your writings that you are a true devotee of the Lord and you have respect for other devotees. That is a very good sign of a devotee. I am very much obliged to you for your appreciation. I want your blessings also for the task taken up by me to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world.

On the 20th instant I will be going to Moscow for five days, and then on to Paris and London. From there I will go directly to U.S.A. and hope to be back in Calcutta by the middle of August for opening our Mayapur temple. In the mean time you can visit our temple there at 3, Albert Road, talk with the devotees, read all our books and when I return to Calcutta, we shall talk of further enlightenment.

Letter to Aditya Sarkar -- Brooklyn 30 July, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16th July, 1971 and have noted the contents. I was in India until 20th June, 1971. Why did you not come and see me then? If you want to come here to USA, then please contact either Calcutta center (3, Albert Road; Calcutta-17) or our Bombay center (89 Warden Road, 7th floor; Bombay-26 (Akash-Ganga Building)). You can become a life member of our society and then you can come to any one of our centers all over the world.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 7 August, 1971:

Whatever done is done. You organize there nicely, and stick to that place. Krishna Das has been advised to go to Russia. Presently he can be reached care of San Francisco temple. So be in correspondence with him and help him to get to Moscow. He is very enthusiastic to go there. So stay in Europe and help others—Germany, France, Holland, and organize things nicely.

The Kabul proposal sounds very nice and hippies are already there. If you begin your movement with hippies, then gradually the local inhabitants will take interest. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that in every town and village this cult would be spread and the hippies are already spread all over the world and they are our best customer. These hippies are simply frustrated and want something sublime. So we are delivering this sublime movement all over the world and if we do it cautiously and carefully surely we will be successful.

Letter to Acyutananda -- London 14 August, 1971:

I am glad to hear that you are harvesting rice. The crop may be saved to utilize for our members nicely. Regarding the bricks, it is a very good idea that you have ordered 10,000 bricks but as soon as the rainy season is stopped we will build our temple. So we require many lakhs of bricks. So if possible, why not purchase them now and soak them in the water. Here in London we are planning a very nice temple and compound and two or three men will go to supervise the construction. In the meantime you can talk with local masons for the bricks and in my opinion you should stock more bricks. Yes, we were saved by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Road. We shall always expect to be saved by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada. Always pray to His Lotus Feet. Whatever success we have had in preaching Lord Caitanya's mission all over the world it is only due to his mercy.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Gurudasa -- London 23 August, 1971:

We are making a very gorgeous plan at Mayapur and if you altogether can give shape to this plan, it will be unique if not in the whole world then at least in all of India. I am giving instruction to all the workers here and they are doing nicely, I think when Bhavananda and Nara Narayana go to India they will carry the plans with them.

This membership program is so nice that you can make members all over the world. So this temple should be subscribed by money raised all over the world and it must be very unique. The aim is to make it an international institute for taking perfect spiritual order of life; we shall give titles like bachelor of divinity, master of divinity, doctor of divinity. Besides that as I have already told you all several times in India, respectable gentlemen want to educate their children through the English medium. If we can organize such an institution such as St. Xavier's college in Calcutta and Bombay and we can give them instruction through the English medium and raise them in a Krishna Conscious culture we shall get unlimited number of students from respectable families of India. Such institution will be very much welcome especially in Bombay and Delhi. So think over this matter how best to organize such an institution as St. Xavier's college. Our mission is solid. Our philosophy is not utopian. Our men are being trained for exemplary character. So we shall have a unique position all over the world provided we stick to the principles, namely unflinching faith in Spiritual Master and Krishna, chanting not less than 16 rounds regularly and following the regulative principles. Then our men will conquer all over the world.

Letter to Amogha, Hanuman -- London 25 August, 1971:

The response is so good. I am also glad to note that you have received $1000.00 for magazines. If you want you can keep it for your touring program expenses but if possible you can send it to Karandhara in L.A. or to me for Dai Nippon. We just paid them $20,000. for back BTG debts and we still owe them $27,000. more. So if you can send it for that purpose it will be nice unless you require it for your travelling expenses.

Yes, even the Buddhists will come forward gradually and inquire into this Krishna Consciousness. Everyone is sophisticated by their so called religion but chanting Hare Krishna Mantra will attract everyone all over the world.

The temple plan enclosed is approved by me, but we must have full control over the temple, otherwise we are not going to take charge. We cannot make any compromise on this point. Unless we have full charge we are not interested. It must be a branch of our ISKCON and run by us. We cannot take responsibility if others are controlling the temple, otherwise we are not going to take charge. That is not possible. We have got our own principles and they must be followed as they are in all our branches all over the world. We cannot make any change in Kuala Lumpur.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- London 25 August, 1971:

They are called kamini. Unless there is sufficient engagement their only thoughts will be concentrated on sex. As men are engaged in devotional service, similarly women are engaged in ritualistic engagements so that household life becomes very auspicious. These things are at the present moment impossible to perform regularly. Lord Caitanya therefore recommended Harer nama iva kevalam. Practically also we see our students being engaged in chanting Hare Krishna Mantra keeping free of all contamination. The vedic system takes especially care of women from illicit sex life. Illicit sex life is so dangerous that it produces unwanted children who create hellish life as described in Bhagavad-gita. In this age, all over the world, the sex indulgence is being unrestricted and religious principles are not being followed. The population is increasing with unwanted children like hippies.

Letter to Sri Sharmaji -- London 25 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your Hindi letter dated 12th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. You will be interested to know that we have got 62 branches all over the world and can open one branch there in your place but you have to invite us, a party of ten men, and arrange for tickets there and back as well as accommodations for at least one month. Then we can go in a party.

And we can defy any opposing elements, not to mention the arya samaj. The arya samaj movement started in India but now it is dead and gone. A few people are there only. Similarly if we open our temple at Paramatibo, Surinam certainly any opposing elements will be driven away. We are preaching on the basis of Bhagavad-gita, the most exalted vedic literature. The atheistic arya samaj does not believe in Bhagavad-gita. Therefore they are not strictly speaking followers of the Vedic varnasrama dharma.

So if you are serious you have to arrange to receive us in a ten man party and pay all expenditures and travelling expenses, etc. for one month.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 1 September, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am glad that you have admitted about the GBC members not very appropriately discharging their duty. I do not mind this discrepancy but you should be alert; you and all GBC members. We are now growing in volume all over the world dealing with public money. People have respect for our movement. Now it is time for GBC members to be very very careful so that people may not point out any black spot in the behavior of our society. I have issued a letter to all the GBC members only for this purpose that each one of you should always think how to improve the cause and advance our society and as soon as there is some good point you can communicate with your colleagues and give some decision and put it before me so that I can give my final approval. So you should not remain for a moment without thought of improving ISKCON activity. So far you are concerned, being the zonal secretary of that quarter of the world, your duty is to see that all our different centers within your jurisdiction must be going very accurately. The accounts are not being kept very scientifically and if there is extravagant spending that should be changed. We should simply accept the bare necessities of life. The balance money and energy should be employed for pushing forward Krishna's mission.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 1 September, 1971:

Regarding collections, all this collection must go to the building fund. Now we have got good beginning. R.D. Birla has given Rs 25,000/; B.M. Birla another Rs 25,000/ and Bajoria will contribute also. In this way if you simply catch 100 contributors each paying Rs 25,000/ then immediately our Mayapur scheme is successful. To find out such 100 men will not be at all difficult because it is headed by Birla and others will follow. So we have to pick them out throughout India—Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi and Madras. If we spend 25 to 30 lakhs Rupees then our Mayapur program will be a great success. So we have to do it. It will be a world center for teaching spiritual life. Students from all over the world will come and we shall revolutionize the atheistic and communistic tendency of rascal philosophers. So we must be responsible for this great task. Not for a single moment shall we be without ISKCON thought. That is my request to you all.

So far maintenance, we should make some monthly subscribers of cash or goods. Just like Goenka is giving foodstuffs, so many others can do the same. A little pocket expenditure can be collected by holding meetings. All the Gaudiya math people collect rice from house to house. Actually the temple should be provided by the local contribution of cash and kind.

So far Mr. Jayan, I met him in Calcutta and he appears to be bona fide and we shall get money exchanged through him.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Kenya 15 September, 1971:

Our only strength is chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. So if we stick to the principle of chanting Hare Krishna Mantra, following the rules and regulations, that will give us strength to work on both sides—namely to enlighten people in Krishna Consciousness and cut down the bad government full of atheistic people. Our only hope is to chant Hare Krishna and rectify the whole situation. I think this is possible. It has been proved in Calcutta that the Naxalites were very much against us holding our Hare Krishna Festival, but still later on they became sympathetic and did not cause any harm for us. If we follow the same principles everywhere, I think the bad government all over the world will come forward sympathetically for advancing this movement.

Eating is the basic principle for keeping one's health. Eating too much or too little causes disease. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says yuktahara vihara. Simply eat to keep fit. That is one important business of those in Krishna consciousness. Generally hepatitis is a disease on account of eating too much fatty and spicy foods. So we must use always simple food stuff and a little milk. Not very much puris and halava and sweet balls and sweet rice, like that.

Yes, this program is very nice to try to attract the attention of the students seriously. That will be a great success. They should put intelligent questions and they should be answered properly with reference to modern science and philosophy. That will be very much convincing. I think if you read our books thoroughly you will get a supply of material to answer all the questions. Now I am preparing one book answering all types of philosophical arguments. Syamasundara every morning is putting questions from different angles of vision beginning from Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, etc. and we are trying to answer. We shall discuss also Marx philosophy of communism. It will require some time but I wish that all our preachers should be well versed with all philosophical ideas and after studying all philosophical points of view we will put Krishna Conscious philosophy on the top.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7th September, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far taking collections of Rs. 25,000/ each from 100 men if you can make this program successful, then you will fulfill the desire of Krishna very brilliantly. We must have a nice center at Mayapur because we are expecting there students from all over the world. Plans of the temple have already been made and you should have received them by now. The buildings should be exactly in the same pattern. The size may be changed according to the engineering technology. I have shown in London the Westminster Abbey to Syamasundara, Bhavananda and Nara Narayana. Perhaps you have also seen it. I want the inside just like the Westminster Abbey. You will understand from the plans what is my desire in this connection.

Our policy should be for maintenance to take from many persons. Big donations should go to the building and book funds. Our policy is "madhukari" or the profession of the bumblebee. The bumblebee does not eat all the honey in one flower. It goes from flower to flower and takes little. The purpose is that saintly persons, Vaisnavas, if they take something from many men, everyone is benefited. We should not follow the policy that one man gives us everything and we become idle. This is a material policy. Whatever Mr. Jayan is contributing should go directly to the building fund and for maintenance we should collect from many persons as monthly subscription and big donations should go to the book and building funds. And so far your idea for giving the bank instructions to deposit 50% in each account, the bank will not take so much trouble. Better you do it. Already there is book and building fund accounts. As soon as the money is there, you should deposit 50% in each.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Nairobi 5 October, 1971:

I am glad to know that you are contacting some of the leading men in Delhi. So deal with them very cautiously because these men are not Krishna Conscious and are very much brittle like china clay dishes. Once broken it cannot be joined together. That means spoiled. So as we handle the china clay dishes with little care, similarly try to handle them carefully and try to induce them gradually to the platform of Krishna Consciousness. You are all very intelligent boys and girls and I have full faith in you for pushing on this movement all over the world.

Regarding money matters I am very glad to know that you are not using book funds and building funds any more. It is very encouraging. The bumblebee project is very nice and I am so engladdened to note your encouraging writing "I will take responsibility to make sure this centre, Mayapur Project and all of ISKCON as a whole becomes purified, and it is my wish that you are relieved of any management burdens."

So please keep me informed regularly but one thing I note is that formerly I was informed that the Calcutta function will take place from 21st October, but I have received one letter from Jayapataka Maharaja in which it is said that the function will take place from 28th October. So which one is correct? I am puzzled. Let me know definitely and the different programs.

Along with the other names I see Nanda Kumar. Does it mean that he has left Bombay? Then who is taking care of the Deity? And why he has left Bombay?

Letter to Jayapataka -- Nairobi 5 October, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th September, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far purchasing adjacent land is concerned, that is also my opinion that if they are available at reasonable price we should purchase. So with the consultation of the lawyer and Mr. Sarkar do the needful. We have got a very heavy task before us. Together we have to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement for a revolutionary change all over the world. It is not our manufactured movement but it was ordered by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and we are simply carriers of his shoes. So let us do this duty carefully so that our life may be successful, although our attempts are not as great as they should have been.

I am glad to learn that the jute crop is saved and I do not know why there was damage on the roof of the cottage. Also formerly I was informed that the Calcutta function would take place on the 21st October but now I learned from your letter that it will take place on the 28th instant. So I am making my program of returning to India on the understanding that Calcutta program begins on the 28th. From here of course I will go to Bombay as soon as our business here is settled up. Here in Nairobi our program is going on very nicely. There are TV engagements and a very large meeting is scheduled at the University of Nairobi for tomorrow. Many respectful Hindus are inviting us and I am staying in everyone's house for four to five days. Most probably our center here in Nairobi will be a strong one, as strong as any of our other centers. Two black devotees have come here today from N.Y. and Dinanatha should come here from there as soon as possible.

Letter to Tulsi -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Denver dated 3d October, 1971 and have noted the contents. It is very much encouraging that your center is improving daily and doing so nicely. There is good field there. So combinedly work very hard to make our new Denver center a grand success. We have all taken on a great responsibility for spreading Krishna Consciousness all over the world. Actually people are suffering on account of being enamored by the external energy. Krishna wants to deliver them. He comes personally, he comes as a devotee, and he sends His authorized devotee. So some way or other we have been entrusted to serve Krishna in this connection. Do it nicely. Follow the regulative principles and teach others to do likewise and we shall remain strong and it will not be difficult for us to push on this movement. I am so much obliged to you for your helping the cause. Please stick to this principle and Krishna will bless you with all benediction.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Calcutta 1 November, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26th October, 1971 with enclosures. I am sorry that your dealing with the draft board has been mishandled and therefore you are in difficulty. Anyway if need be you can go back and face trial as advised by your father's lawyer. I am enclosing herewith a certificate as founder-acarya of ISKCON movement. That is already recognized all over the world. So when you stand for trial you can show them all our books, newspaper cuttings, my certificate and you can plea freely that you are no longer interested in material activities, but you are completely engaged in Krsna's service. Many of our students have been accepted as ordained ministers of religion and in NY the draft board has recognized our institution as a religious establishment. I hope if the things are presented rightly by your lawyer, everything will be all right by Krsna's grace. There was a similar case with Vamanadeva and he was given the right to remain as ordained minister.

Letter to R. V. Ramdas -- Calcutta 4 November, 1971:

I have been in extensive tour all over the world, in Europe, America, Africa and very recently I have come back to India, so I have just now received your letter of 20th August, 1971 and so this late reply.

Yes, I have all good wishes for your philanthropic activities. As we are preaching Hare Krishna Movement all over the world, we should request you also to spread this movement along with your other activities.

Letter to Nityananda -- Delhi 12 November, 1971:

It is a basic principle that one must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to achieve the highest perfection of life, love of God. I thank all of you very much for accepting me as your spiritual master, and I promise that I will take you back to home, back to Godhead. I ask you all to promise me to always chant at least 16 rounds, follow the regulative principles, read our books and try to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world. So far my qualifications are concerned, I am simply trying to carry out the order of my Guru Maharaja.

Letter to Sridama -- Delhi 17 November, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4th November, 1971, and I am very much encouraged to hear that things are improving nicely in Miami center, under your expert supervision. I think it is a good plan that you have bought that house, with negotiations going to buy the church behind. You state that you will be the largest distributer of BTG in the world. This statement is very pleasing to me, because more than anything I want that my students should distribute my books and literatures profusely all over the world, and this should be our formost concern, how to do it properly. But one thing, now you must try very hard to live up to your promise of becoming largest distributer!

Regarding Prayag Devi Dasi, yes, a woman requires protection. But normally we regard that any unmarried woman with children should take security of the temple—that is more secure than the protection of Krishna—and be satisfied with her children. Marriage is simply a license for having sex, so we are not very fond of sanctioning unnecessary sense gratification. However in this case, if you think the match is favorable for their advancing nicely in Krishna Consciousness, then I shall agree with your judgement. One thing is, there should be a formal contract signed by both parties at each marriage, voting that there will be no separation and that man and wife will work cooperatively in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Govinda -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

Only Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda wear crowns and nosepins. Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda can be decorated with all kinds of jewelry. For Krishna Tulasi and Rama Tulasi the the worship is the same. There is no difference between Rama and Krishna. Both are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply they are expansions of the same Absolute Truth.

This is very good that these leaders of this local yoga group have joined with us. This is great credit. All the hippie groups can be transformed into Krishna Consciousness by your regular preaching. You have already experienced that our transcendental mantra of Hare Krishna and distribution of prasadam will make us successful all over the world. Those who are intelligent can read our books very seriously and their lives will become perfect. Our method is very simple. The preacher should also be ideal, sincere, serious and strictly adhering to our principles, chanting 16 rounds and following the restrictive rules.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Vrindaban 27 November, 1971:

I especially want that my books and literatures should be distributed profusely, but so far I understand this is not being done very perfectly. So I want that you all my students shall very vigorously try for this book distribution. Do not hesitate to use your American and European brains to increase, that is Krishna's special gift to you, now use it. Any activity which will please Krishna should be accepted favorably, this is our guiding principle. Now apply it in this way, by doing everything and anything for spreading this Krishna Conscious literature, and this is really pleasing to Krishna, know it for certain. Especially you must always be eager to supply all our branches all over the world with whatever literature they require, not that they must pay and then get books like ordinary mundane business. It is not that they shall not pay for books, but that payment must come gradually and in regular installments. We have to be prompt and gracious in this business of mail-order books, and I am very encouraged that you are enthusiastic to do everything required for increasing in this way.

Letter to Chairman of Municipal Committee of Vindavan -- Delhi 30 November, 1971:

We are establishing various centres all over the world to propagate Krishna Consciousness, which means recognizing that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead;

2) Krishna's instructions in the Bhagavad-gita is the scriptural evidence of this fact;

3) The chanting of the Holy Name (the Hare Krishna Mahamantra) is the Vedic hymn;

4) Activities in the loving service of the Lord is the occupational duty of every man;

5) In other words we are preaching all over the world the principle of one God, one community, one scripture, and one occupation. This principle has been accepted practically all over the world.

We have got an international body of students trying to preach this cult of Krishna Consciousness, and we are so pleased the people of Vrindaban (Brijbasis), as well as the Fathers of Vrindaban Town—all of them have appreciated our attempt. I am so much obliged to the devotee-residents of Vrindaban for their giving me the civic reception.

Letter to Locanananda -- Delhi, India 8 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 29, 1971, and I am very pleased upon you that you have opened Geneva, Switzerland, center for pushing on the revolutionary Movement of Lord Caitanya. Our Movement is now growing like anything all over the world, and practically it is being recognized as the best solution for the general world crisis. One Japanese speaker speaking in Gujarat State, India, predicted that in 5 years time this Krishna Consciousness Movement would be the world religion, as was reported in the newspaper here. So now your responsibility has become very great. Practically, it is in your hands now to manage things, so I can translate and write books. So Krishna has given you good brain, good body, good education—everything—so you may use it in the best way for spreading knowledge about Him. He shows His special favor by making you a big officer because now you must become very responsible and serious to organize and administrate things, and as leader you must set the highest KC example, so in this way Krishna is forcing you to advance in spiritual life. Now just do all our routine work nicely. This routine program is the backbone of our Movement, and we stand solid on such program such as chanting, speaking, arati, reading scriptures, prasadam, like that. These things are sufficient for us. Any sane man will be attracted to such program. And if we perform everything nicely and always seize every opportunity to preach about Krishna, that is our formula for success. Of course management must be there, but if preaching work is strong, management will automatically be strong. So in all cases, become a very good preacher, and this will please me very much.

Letter to Vamanadeva, Indira -- Delhi 8 December, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated 11/20/71, and I have noted the contents. I am very pleased that you have opened another Center for spreading Lord Caitanya's sublime Krishna Conscious Movement all over the world. I know you are very expert in this business of opening temples, because you have done very nicely in St. Louis temple. Now you simply carry out our routine program very nicely there in Oklahoma City, and you will meet with the same success. I am encouraged especially that my householder disciples are carrying out this task of opening centers all over the world. Such position of leadership and organization is regarded as Krishna's special favor upon you, because you are forced in this way to become very responsible and set the ideal KC example, and in this way you will make very nice advancement in spiritual life.

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Delhi 9 December, 1971:

Factually we saw in Russia that by removing competition and profit calculation from society the people were not at all happy, and still these things are going on. So we shall not expect that we are any different. Only difference is, that our profit is for Krishna's pleasure, and our competition is how to please Krishna more than someone else. Even amongst the Gopis there is competition to please Krishna, and there is envy also. But this envy is not material, it is transcendental. They are thinking, Oh, she has done something more wonderful than me, that is very nice, but now let me do something even more wonderful, like that. So I am pleased that you desire for competition with your godbrothers to spread Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world by printing our books there. Why not use the poster profits to print books in L.A.? When I shall come there, perhaps by late Spring, my translation work will be greatly accelerated if you provide me such facilities. I want that our literatures be profusely distributed, so if you can assist me in this way by your Spiritual Sky business, I am greatly satisfied.

Karandhara and you are sincere workers, so Krishna will give you intelligence. So go on with your program nicely. In every case always remember Krishna so intelligence will come from within. I am very glad the deity worship is going so nicely. They look very glowing, and that is very satisfying to me. When I shall go to Los Angeles very soon, I shall take transcendental pleasure in offering my obeisances to Them.

Letter to Danavir -- Delhi 12 December, 1971:

These are the best customers for our philosophy. Give them nice philosophy, let them challenge us with any mundane philosophy and we shall very scholarly defeat them. The difference is that we have got absolute authority from the Source of Knowledge, Krishna, while your western mundane philosophers are simply speculating on the mental platform, which is always changing. Therefore, a philosopher is not a philosopher unless he refutes his predecessor and produces something new. This kind of knowledge is useless. Actually, no one has got any philosophy nowadays, everyone is acting according to his own whims. Therefore there is no security, no peace, everything is unpredictable and dangerous. Therefore all the young boys and girls in your country—and all over the world—are fed up with this lack of philosophy and they have taken to the philosophy of hopelessness: Everything is empty, therefore let me enjoy, it doesn't matter. But this philosophy is also useless. Because if you want to enjoy and I also want to enjoy, there will be clash, fighting. And we have seen in Moscow that Marx and Lenin philosophy is no better. God is dead, the State is God: this philosophy has killed the spirit, and the Russian people are very morose and unhappy. They want to join us, that is a fact. So now you defeat all sorts of philosophies, become very convinced yourself and learn our Krishna philosophy perfectly. In this way, any sane man will listen to you and become convinced. Our philosophy is practical. Actually, philosophy means practical application—if it is mere theory then it has no value. But our Krishna philosophy is working now in modern society to solve all kinds of problems, all over the world, never mind white man, black man, Christian or Hindu, Russian or American. Everyone is feeling the nice result of our philosophy. And it has worked in the same way for the last 5,000 years at least, taking historical calculation. So which philosophy is better, 50- or 100-year old Darwin philosophy, or eternal Krishna philosophy? Just try to understand. Approach Krishna way of life from every angle—it is perfect. So try to impress this intelligent class of men, give them nice debate, answer all questions nicely, distribute profuse prasadam, chant and dance nicely, and invite them to join us to get the perfection of their education, the Supreme knowledge.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:

I am encouraged to see your report of books sold, because it proves that you consider it your responsibility to see that more and more people are reading our literature. Actually, this is the solid basis for our preaching work—no other movement has got such profuse authority for preaching, and if someone reads our Krishna philosophy he becomes convinced. So try to increase the effect of preaching by distributing many books and magazines, and this is the basis of your all success.

Our travelling Sankirtana parties are having good success all over the world. I think you initiated this travelling Sankirtana in Canada, so now you go on introducing it in other places and perform that program very nicely. I am very very pleased to see our Sankirtana travelling parties are having good results.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 18 December, 1971:

I had expected some news of this plan you have proposed, but til now I have not received from you any word. I am very pleased that you are progressing nicely in spreading Krishna Consciousness there in Trinidad. I shall be especially glad to hear that you are distributing our books in good numbers, as this is the proof of the strength of our preaching. Until we can build that place, go on preaching very strongly in that Hindu temple, take engagements in various places, teach in schools, like that. In this way, keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's preaching work 24 hours and you will become really happy.

Now the war is nearly settled here, our programs are resuming, and I think that I shall also build a very nice temple in Vrindaban and Mayapur, so that our students and friends all over the world may come there and enjoy real spiritual life.

As for my coming there, that we can settle up when I return to your country by late Spring. Now I want to stop touring and begin full-time my translating work. But if there is good opportunity, then I shall certainly come there.

Letter to Sridama -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 10, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am especially very very pleased that you are getting that large church for our Miami center. All over the world we are getting more respectable and we are getting big big houses for our Radha Krishna Temples, but if yours is the biggest, then I must certainly come there and see it. If the weather is good, then why I should come there and spend some time for my translating work? I think this will be my last tour—now let me go on translating, that is my real work. I am so much encouraged by reports everywhere that our Movement is getting good results, especially that MacMillan Co. has agreed to print our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, so I think my work is now finished, let me write. I have built the skyscraper skeleton, now you all intelligent American and European boys and girls fill in the spaces nicely in good taste. Do not deviate from our high standard. That will mean great dishonor to me. Push on in your preaching work as I have shown you, remain pure, enthusiastic, and optimistic, and Krishna will favor you with all good results and benedictions.

I am very much encouraged by your considerable efforts in Miami center, especially that you have even converted the lawyer who is helping you! This is a good sign. If everything goes nicely, then I can come there by late Spring to see your wonderful new place.

Letter to Amogha -- Bombay 25 December, 1971:

So just to accommodate such public you can get a house whenever it is possible, and decorate it very nicely for attracting the citizens.

We are presently trying for a very nice house here in Bombay, to make our India headquarters in a very rich quarter of Bombay. In February we shall go with full party to Mayapur for holding festival for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.

If Bali Mardan is not very much present in his zone of South East Asia, then how will things be managed? Do you know if he is planning to return to his zone responsibilities? Another thing, how are our books being distributed? I want that our books and magazines be profusely distributed all over the world, and I am very pleased to hear that you have sold so many in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other places in Asia. So go on in this way distributing books in Djakarta, that is solid work. If we simply sell many books, then our all success is guaranteed. You may inform me your progress there regularly and I shall always be pleased to hear from you. Somehow or other, Krishna has given me such good assistants like your good self, so there has been a little success. Thank you very much for helping me in this way.

Letter to Himavati -- Bombay 26 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge your letter undated, and I am very glad to hear that you are finding such great pleasure in serving Radha and Krishna. Both you and your good husband are very sincere and hard-working, and practically you together have saved our European centers from collapse. Krishna has given you very nice ability to serve Him, better than most, therefore I have relied on you completely to save centers in Germany which had fallen into neglected condition, and because you have done so nicely, I am very very pleased with your both service. So there is no question of dissatisfaction. Because you are serving Krishna, that is my satisfaction enough. But because you are also preaching so nicely, and helping to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world by being big leaders, then I am more than satisfied with you, so never think dissatisfaction. There is no question of dissatisfaction. Rather I am very much pleased with your activities there and before that, as much as also with your attitude of humble and determined desire to reach the Supreme destination by becoming Krishna Conscious. You are more dear to me than my own sons and daughters.

Regarding your questions, there is no question of using paper plastic fruits and flowers for worshiping the deities. If no fresh fruits or flowers are available, then you can decorate with some fresh leaves. You have seen our temples; nowhere do we use such things. You are experienced devotee, why you propose like that? We are not after decoration, we are after devotional service for pleasing Krishna's senses. Decoration must be there of course, to make the temple as opulent as possible for pleasing Krishna. Outside the temple, you can use the plastic ornaments. But not for worship. For daily worship there must be fresh fruit, flowers, and leaves.

Letter to Sivanivas -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge your letter of December 3, 1971, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very pleased that you are making nice progress in Krishna Consciousness. Because we are now getting little respect around the world, therefore we must always be strong in Krishna Consciousness so that our standard will not deteriorate. If we keep our pure standard and maintain our routine regulative work very sincerely, then we shall have certain victory all over the world, know it for certain. Therefore I am urging all my disciples like your good self to go on improving your lives in Krishna's service, and always remain to the high standard of regulative devotional principles, then everything will be successful, and you will be really happy in this life and you are sure to reach the Supreme destination.

Regarding your question, Lord Caitanya is simply making a comparison between the moon and Lord Krishna's Sankirtana movement, because both are radiating benediction on all the living entities. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita: "I become the moon, and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables," and in another place "among the stars I am the moon." So, directly or indirectly, Krishna is supplying all benediction to everything and everyone, just like the moon gives life to vegetables, without which nothing can exist, and also that moon keeps the great oceans from overcoming the land and destroying everything. Similarly, Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement gives spiritual life to all living entities by dint of its transcendental radiation, and also it prevents the demonic class of men from overwhelming the pious class of men, and thus in every way it bestows all benediction, just like at night the moon illuminates everything.