Expressions researched:
"apartment"
|"apartments"
|"flat"
|"flats"
By the by by I may inform you that, as you know I am passing my days in Bombay in great inconvenience for want of a suitable residential place. I may remind you in this connection that your goodness promised me some place in your flats as soon as one of them is vacant. I understand that some are going to be vacated soon and I shall request you to help me by giving me a flat and thus mitigate my difficulties. A flat with minimal
So I have seen the property and the whole space is twice as much as your Research Institute building on the road which is just in the central part of the city with all good facilities. Now if you decide to purchase the property, I can assure you that the building is just suitable for our purpose and it is almost on the same style as your Research institute. The basement can be used as cooking and dining department, the store as the lecture hall and mezzanine for installing the Sri Vigraha and personal apartment. The building is quite suitable and once started it will be possible to raise fund by lectures and membership fees etc by suitable arrangement.
I shall try my best to get the sanction for the temple Exchange and if I am unable then I shall open the Radha Krishna worship and Sankirtana in the rented house as I am now doing. The present flat is about 100' X 25' and there is ample place even to have a room for the deities of Radha and Krishna. When returning from India I shall bring with me the deities either from Jaipur or from Vrindaban along with other things required and I shall start the temple in rented building
I thank you for your letter of the 8th instant and have noted the contents. Please note my change of address as above mentioned. I have further risked in the matter of rent of the house. I was paying Mr. Murray $100.00 but I was not independent there. Here the rent is $200.00 per month but I am completely independent and that I have taken a telephonic connection. My lecture hall is on the ground floor and my apartment is on the first floor. This Second Avenue is one of the ten longest roads of the New York city.
You have already got the news of our safe arrival and good reception by the devotees here. Mr. Allen Ginsberg and about fifty or sixty others received us on the air port and when I arrived in my apartment there were some press reporters also who took note of my mission. Two three papers like the Examiner and the Chronicle etc. have already published the report. One of the reports is sent herewith please find. I wish that 1000 copies of this report may be offset printed at once and 100 copies of the same may be sent here as soon as possible.
Ranchor has come with me from New York. Yes, he has your goods in his apartment. Herewith you may find his note in this connection.
I am also enclosing a press cutting which will speak for itself. Hope you are well, and with best wishes for Mrs. Dumbergs. The girl is very intelligent, and you should peacefully teach her about our great mission in the world.
I have already informed you that the Dictaphone is clogging at the last stage from point 25. Is it due to the tape or the machine? Please let me know what to do. Also please pay the rent of Ranchor's apartment since he is here. I hope you are well.
Bob is prepared to go there also but I shall send him to assist you there on hearing from you from Montreal. The address of Janardana Das Adhikari (Janis Dumbergs) is as follows:
311 St. Louis Square
Apartment # 2
Montreal Quebec, Canada.
I am enclosing herewith a letter you may present to the authority and as a Divinity Student you must not be sent to the field. Chant Hare Krishna. Krishna will save you. Present our prospectus and all newspaper cuttings. Some new cuttings I am enclosing herewith. Also I would request you to pay the rent on room in which I was staying. The Society is short of __ and therefore you can assure Haridasa, Mukunda and Syamasundara, that hence forward you should take responsibility for the rent of my apartment.
I am very glad to receive your first letter to me in India. So far Gita is concerned, please get it completed as soon as possible; it must be published now, either by a publisher or by ourselves. There is a bag in my apartment in which all the old mss. are there, and besides that there is in my closet (the key is with Brahmananda) a cloth bundle in which you will find carbon copies; and I think also there are some carbon copies with Rayarama. Please find the missing verses there, and if not, I shall do it again.
In my last letter to Brahmananda, Hayagriva I've already requested that Rayarama take the introductory letter from Kirtanananda & as previously settled Rayarama may go to London in Nov. In London there is one Miss. D.C. Bowtell, 27 Cranhurst Rd., Crickle cod, London. NW. 2. This old lady was given Hari Nama while my Guru Maharaja was on earth. Since then she is maintaining one apartment & may be doing some preaching work. So Rayarama may open some correspondence with her before going there. This will help in the matter of opening center in London. This function was intended for Kirtanananda while returning to N.Y. He was to stop there & see her but he was so much frenzied to see & meet his old friends that he forgot the order of Krishna & indulged in a sort of sense gratification. It is certainly a shocking incident which I never expected from a disciple like Kirtanananda. Besides that I shall be glad to hear whether my book, Lord Caitanya's Teachings is now complete. I am afraid if there is no contract for publication with MacMillan Co. I have already asked Brahmananda to send Manuscript of Gita Upanisad to following address: to Hitsaran Sharma
Regarding Ambassador Nehru I am especially interested in him because he wanted to help me in getting my permanent visa. Please try to utilize him in some way or other to get this visa otherwise I am quite fit to return to your place. I am always anxious to be with you for the remaining days of my life, preaching Krishna Consciousness in the Western World. This time I shall go with the determination for my mission in the Western World & try & get me a permanent visa or immigration papers—whichever is easiest. I think you have my certificates in my apartment & you can utilize them. Two very important things are resting with you. First arrangement with MacMillan and second to get my permanent visa. You are very sincere and Krishna will certainly help you in this attempt. I have duly received the bank receipt along with the letter.
I may inform you in this connection that photo offset copies of the following testimonials are lying in my apartment in New York. Namely
1. Certificate from Sri Caitanya Matha Mayapur,
2. Certificate Institute of Oriental Philosophy Vrindaban
3. Certificate Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, Mathura.
4. Certificate Gaudiya Samghasram, Calcutta.
5. Certificate New York University
I am so glad to learn that now you have nice apartment of 4 rooms, and also a nice job for meeting your all necessary expenses. Take them as benediction from Krishna and utilize them for Krishna Consciousness business. If you can provide yourself by independent handwork then you can give up your present job, otherwise you continue with your job, even it is nonsense.
Please follow the regulations and chant 16 rounds daily at least without any offense. The list of offenses, 10 kinds, are in my apartment in N.Y., and you ask your God-brother, Brahmananda, and he will supply you. Similarly, there is another list of the qualifications, as well as prayer for Spiritual Master, are also there. Try to secure them, and follow the regulations, and Krishna will help you in being elevated to higher and higher platforms of Krishna Consciousness.
Regarding apartments: we are Indians, especially mendicant, we can adjust things in any kind of place. But I shall stay in any place hell or heaven, if it is approved by you. Of course, on behalf of Krishna I am accepting your sincere service, but on the whole, I am servant of the servant of Krishna (CC Madhya 13.80). Therefore I may be in designation your Spiritual Master, but actually I am servant of the servant of Krishna, and because you are all sincere servants of Krishna, I am your servant. I shall be glad to stay wherever yourself, Rayarama, and others like me to stay.
P.S. I am enclosing herewith some of the certificates of Godbrothers in Gaudiya math institutions. I think in my apartment there are photostat copies of them. If they are there please submit those photostat copies them, the typed ones. Also please let me know if Brahmananda has received shipping documents from the United Shipping Corporation of Calcutta. Also from S. S. Brijbasi Co.
You will be pleased to know that Hare Krishna Mantra is being chanted not only in America, but also in Europe by my record albums, and followers. I have got already invitations from many parts of Europe and they are appreciating my movement. Nobody feels reluctance in joining the chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra. Your good self also believes in the Mantra and certainly in Krishna as God. I have seen it that Swami Akhandananda worships Krishna in his apartment in Bombay. So we request everyone to worship Krishna and chant the Mantra, irrespectively, never mind whether one is a devotee, a fruitive worker, or a salvationist at the ultimate goal. We don't disagree with anyone, namely the Karmis, Jnanis, Yogis, etc, although we are devotees. We simply request everyone to worship Krishna as the Supreme Lord and join with us in this great movement of Krishna Consciousness!
This Tower is situated in the Chatham Square, just on the junction of Chamber Street and Park Road. It is just after finishing the China town. Sometimes back, when I was searching a house, and I didn't yet open any center at 26 Second Avenue, I liked this Chatham Tower very much. But at that time, I had no means; neither I have means just now. So if you like to keep me in a nicer place, then please try for it. Otherwise I shall be satisfied to remain in my present place under your care. If my apartment is very noisy, presently, then of course, you will have to find out some place, but it must be nearer to the Temple so that I may attend Temple meetings without delay.
I do not know how far we shall be successful, but we must find out a source of our income. At the present moment, some of the boys are working and practically it is going on under their working strength. Anyway, please think over what is to be done with Pradyumna. I have written also to Hamsaduta about the Sankirtana party, and I think our books, paintings, and the Sankirtana party can give us enormous help if we can organize it very nicely. I want therefore a permanent residential quarter at New York, so that my personal supervision of these things may go on. For the present, I would like to stay in my apartment at 26 Second Avenue, if cooking for the Temple can be arranged elsewhere. If it is silent and solitary, I feel pleasure to live there, better than elsewhere. I shall prepare to start for N.Y. sometimes by the 10th-15th of April. I think by that time the atmosphere in N.Y. will be warm, and I will feel comfortable.
Whenever there is need of my lecture, I am always prepared to serve; it doesn't matter whether big or small. Probably as you are making fine arrangements, many will come to the Temple to hear me, so in that case, I must come. Best thing will be to see people in the class, not in my private apartment. Lecturing or meeting must be done in the classroom, that's all.
You will be pleased to learn that I have got now immigration permission and identification card in Canada. So there will be no difficulty to go to USA anytime. I have not heard anything from Gargamuni, whether he is already gone to Vancouver. By the end of this month we will have to vacate this apartment, and I do not know whether I am going to London or Vancouver.
As he has invited me to live with him, since immediately we have no apartment of our own, you must see personally whether my living with Mr. Renovich will be suitable. Because you know that wherever I live, I live separately and my cooking and everything is done by my devotees. And under the circumstances, if the apartment of Mr. Renovich is too crowded, for Gaurasundara and his wife and myself all,* still you will have to do everything for me. That is, I cannot eat with Mr. Renovich, my food must be prepared separately, etc. So whether such facilities are available at Mr. Renovich's apartment, you must see personally all these points, and then let me know, whether or not I shall start.
*If so desired Gaurasundara and his wife may wait till we have our own apartment and I can go alone for the time being. So let us know what to do.
I am as much anxious to go to San Francisco as you are always anxious get me to San Francisco, and receive me there. But immediately I never said to Pradyumna that I can go to San Francisco, so immediately do not arrange for renting any apartment, because I am contemplating on going to Vancouver. It is not yet settled, but there is chance of my going there and I wish to go to San Francisco from there. Yes I have inquired from Govinda dasi that she and her husband can utilize the half ticket facility, so when I settle to go, certainly I shall ask you to send me the necessary money and I am so pleased that you are always ready to send us the required money and return back to San Francisco. In the meantime, please go on as usual, and I am so pleased to learn that the Patels are taking great interest in our temple affairs. Please convey by blessings to all the boys and girls there.
I shall give you one engagement and if you secure one dictaphone then I shall send you regular tapes for transcribing it into English version, and you will make two copies. One copy shall be sent to me, another copy shall be sent to Hayagriva Brahmacari. As Govinda dasi and her husband, is trying to help me in compiling essays and texts of Caitanya Caritamrta, similarly, I shall give you a task for the Science of Devotion. So that will be nice duty for you, because both of you are well versed in typewriting, so you can do that. At the same time, if you organize a center in Vancouver, simply by chanting. It is not very difficult to open a center for our activities. You can remain in any apartment as husband and wife, and invite persons there to hear your chanting and topics, that is our center, and let it be gradually improved. I think this program will be very much suitable for you at the present moment.
I request you not to leave Berlin. I request that you please try to establish a center there at any cost. In your last letter you informed me that there is good chance of your getting work on a salary of $600.00. So if you can get such job, or any job, somehow or other, you can simply maintain an apartment and sit down there and chant Hare Krishna. I do not want immediately a very large storefront or anything like that. I simply want that a center may immediately be started in Berlin and gradually we will try to develop it. In my last letter I have already informed you that some of the San Francisco boys are ready to go and join you. If required I shall ask Acyutananda to join you from India. So that way you can have several assistants to perform kirtana, and that will be our success.
Regarding the lease making: I think you are right when you wish to take the apartment at least for 3 years. This is all good. I can understand from your description as it was made formerly, and in this letter also, that it is clear that the place is destined for our temple, and you can immediately take it on lease. In your center, there will be at least 5 members of our society: your good self, Krishna das, Uttama Sloka, and I am asking Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda to come there, to return from India, and to join you. Uttama Sloka is a good German scholar, and if you all learn German and French, which will be easier for you than to learn any Indian language, and Berlin will be the center of our preaching work in central Europe. You are a sincere devotee and Krishna will give you timely all good intelligence in this connection. Now please try to organize as quickly as possible.
I hope that New Vrindaban will give shelter to so many unhappy men of this country and they will be happy by working there, and living there in good association of devotees. Pradyumna and Vamanadeva are very good boys; keep them very nicely, and they will be very much helpful. I have come here to Seattle, last evening, and things are hopeful here also. Yesterday, before coming here I was talking with one hippy boy. He came to see me in my apartment in San Francisco, and was talking that hippies are in search after such peaceful place, like you have got in New Vrindaban. And they do not like to live in the cities anymore.
N.B. While in Montreal, there was one small gold plated bowl kept in a gray flannel drawstring bag, kept in the bookcase in the apartment. In packing it is somehow missing. We do not know if perhaps it was left there in that apartment, and if so, could you ask Himavati if she found it in her cleaning of the apartment after we left? It has somehow or other been lost; please check about it as far as possible.
Today there was a television station interview in my apartment. They came with big cameras and microphones, and I played harmonium and one lady interviewed with a few questions. They took also pictures of my altar with Radha Krishna Deities, and Lord Jagannatha, and the cover pictures of my Bhagavad-gita and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. So it will be on the newscast at 5:00 this evening, in color, and we will go and see how they have done it. They also came to our class last night, and took pictures of our students dancing in ecstasy. So this should help our movement here in Seattle, as so many people will see, and come to our temple. You can try for television appearances there also if possible.
So let us see how Krishna helps us, but I think by getting this office, we have opened a new door to our Krishna Consciousness movement. So you should learn in the meantime typewriting very nicely because you have to write so many letters till we get some other assistant. Another proposal is if it is possible to get a nice apartment nearby, then it will be great facility, because if I live there, with you, we can attend the office and live in the apartment. I do not insist this proposal immediately, but I am thinking in that way. Anyway, we have to utilize this office very nicely for pushing forward the cause of Krishna Consciousness. I am enclosing herewith also one letter for Brahmananda, which please deliver to him.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 2, 1968, and I am very much pleased to learn that you have secured a very good apartment of 5 rooms, and it is very near to your office. I have received one letter from Pradyumna as well as Kirtanananda Maharaja, from New Vrindaban, and I am enclosing herewith the replies of Pradyumna's letter; I hope he has be this time come to you.
Gaurasundara is doing there some work, but that is not sufficient even for maintaining an apartment. He is of course searching for a better job, but I do not think alone he can start a center there. He writes to say that the rents there are very expensive. So I shall be glad to hear from you.
The first thing I may inform you that I am going to Montreal by the 23 or the 24 of October, because I have got an appointment engagement with the Consulate General of United States in the matter of my permanent visa on the 25 of Oct. in Montreal. I tried to transfer my file to Vancouver, but that will take another month, so instead of waiting another month, I am going there to make the matter easier. So if some of you come to Montreal, to see me there, then we can talk in detail about the constitutional proposal as well as other things, because from Montreal I may go to Santa Fe. That is the program. And while coming, somebody may bring my overcoat which is hanging in my closet in the apartment.
You will be pleased to know that I have now immigration visa for your country and if I get the church-centre room in U.N. I am going to make my H.Q. in N. York. If your parents don't treat very well & want to make your life miserable, then you shall live with me. At least I shall not make your life miserable even though I am not as rich as your parents. If your father does not give you facilities for a car and good apartment. I don't advise you to live in that blazing fire. Hope this will meet you in good health. I am going tomorrow to Santa Fe and then to Los Angeles.
There is some difficulty of our temple here, therefore my return address is given to my residential apartment, as above. So you can write me letters to this address. I hope the enclosed statement of certificate of your being an ordained Brahmin will help you.
I have not heard anything from you in about a fortnight, and I am anxious to hear how you are doing there. It may be there is some mail delay due to my leaving Seattle, for Santa Fe, and then coming here to Los Angeles. You can write me at the above address, my residential apartment. And you will be pleased to know that I am now accepted with the USA Immigration Department as Permanent Resident, with option to apply for citizenship. And yesterday's report of the activities of Sankirtana party is that they sold 175 copies of Back To Godhead, and collected 130 dollars in donations.
It may be there is some mail delay due to my leaving Seattle for Santa Fe, and then coming here to Los Angeles, California. You can write to me at the above address, my residential apartment. And you will be pleased to know that I am now accepted by the USA immigration department as permanent resident, with option to apply for citizenship.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Nov. 1, 1968, and I am glad to inform you that as directed by you I have sent the 3 letters to the following personalities: Minister in charge of cultural and religious affairs, Mr. Michael Weyl, and Dr. Irvin. The body of the letter is the same as you drafted. Now you can do the needful and inquire whether they have received the letters. I hope very soon you will find out a suitable place in Hamburg and start the temple and if required you can take assistance from Syamasundara, for the Deities. I am glad to learn that Krishna das has got a job in a jewelry shop, similarly both you and Uttama Sloka may also find out some job and immediately take a nice apartment. If storefront is too costly then you can start the center in some apartment and try to invite people there and live together.
Regarding book commission, if you think 30% to the temple is suitable you can allow such 30% instead of 40%, keeping aside 20% for the book fund. I have received a letter from Gargamuni. It is very much depressing. I thought that your father and mother will receive him as beloved child, but instead they are ill treating, or at least not treating as beloved child. I am very much sorry for this behavior, and I do not think Gargamuni will be able to do anything good in that situation. When he comes next in the temple, you can inform him about my opinion in this connection. As he is not very comfortable in that position there, I think he may come back and join you again. He has got his own independent talents, and he can very easily become a big businessman himself. We shall try to help him in that way, instead of pushing him into the blazing fire of karmis' activities. I was induced to send him there because your father was so anxious to get him as his assistant. But he is not prepared even to give him a good apartment and what to speak of a good car. So I don't think the situation is very favorable.
The landlord in Hollywood Blvd. did not like our devotees to stay there, and he returned $450 so that we would move our articles there from the storefront. So the Deities are here in my apartment, so I do not know how we shall find out a suitable place. And when there is a nice suitable place for our temple, then I shall consider whether you are to come back. For the mean time, you work in San Francisco, and try to organize sales of our Back To Godhead as many as possible. I have not heard anything from Cidananda since a long time, and I hope he along with the other devotees are all well. I understand that on the average you are collecting $22 a day, so this is nice, just go on trying to increase.
Later on I heard from Tamala Krishna that Purusottama has decided to come here and I also heard that Gargamuni has got a nice apartment by his father. So I am little relieved that Gargamuni has now a good apartment. But about him I have already written to you in my letter dated Nov. 12, 1968, and you should inform him about my opinion when he comes to New York. If he feels too much inconvenience at the care of his father, he may come back to you and help you there in New York.
So by Krishna's Grace, I learned from Tamala Krishna that your father has already given you a nice apartment. So it is a sort of tug-of-war between your material father and spiritual father. And you are the rope in between. So in the first test I think I have come out successful. But this is a sporting. I have already told you that your father and mother are very good souls. They might be under the illusion of maya but still I must say that they are good souls, otherwise they could not have produced such nice children like Brahmananda and Gargamuni. We are trying to educate our disciples to produce Krishna Conscious children, but your father and mother, without being Krishna Conscious, have produced such nice Krishna Conscious boys, so I am very much obliged to them.
Regarding my apartment, if it is possible to keep it with no strain on your financial condition it is alright. Otherwise I am not very serious about retaining the apartment. Everything should be performed with no strain because too much financial strain will hamper our progress in Krishna Consciousness.
Here in Los Angeles we have a very nice place. The rent is very high, but if we can maintain this establishment it will surely have great future prospects. I am glad to know that you now have a nice apartment. Live comfortable there and try to improve the temple conditions to your best capacity. If there will be an opportunity to purchase the new house you have found, try your best for this.
Regarding keeping my apartment, if you win the court case then keep this apartment until April when I shall arrive in New York, and then we shall decide whether or not to give it up.
So far as placing the Radha-Krishna and Lord Jagannatha deities in special order to one another, there is no set ruling. Simply make the altar look very attractive. As for the address in India which I would like one copy of Teachings of Lord Caitanya to be sent, I shall send it after confirmation that the books are completed.
Without any license you will have to stop kirtanas immediately if this should happen. In my apartment on the same street as the new house I had the experience that one day there was playing of the mrdanga and immediately there was objection. So these things must be carefully considered before making a final decision. Also, because there are several new people coming to kirtanas there, you must be sure that there is ample room for them to be comfortable. Anyway, before there is a final settlement of this house affair, please hold a meeting amongst yourselves to discuss this matter further. The meeting should include Janardana, Dayala Nitai, Jayapataka, etc. Already you have a very nice temple on Park Avenue so before you make any plans to change this you must make sure that this move is very carefully thought out.
You have both expressed a sincere desire to leave San Francisco immediately and come to Los Angeles where you can share an apartment for both of you and your children. This idea seems to be a good solution to both of your problems, and as soon as you are able you may do it. If neither of you are very peaceful staying in San Francisco then it is not very good for Krishna Consciousness, and I think the conditions will be improved if you come to Los Angeles. So as you are able, I shall look forward to seeing you again with your children in Los Angeles.
Pending your searching out a suitable temple-house, immediately rent a suitable apartment for me from the 1st of March, 1969, and on hearing from you, I shall start for London by the end of this month. When I go there I am sure I shall find out a suitable temple-house. Please let me know your decision on this matter so that I may prepare for my London-Yatra.
Regarding my apartment, if you are feeling botheration then you can vacate. Do not take unnecessary botherations. Try to become free from all this material anxiety. Of course, sometimes we have to accept anxiety for Krishna, but we should do everything comfortably. So you will kindly send me at least two letters in a week because I am always anxious to hear from you. May Krishna's blessings be bestowed upon you for your long life and service.
As for someone to help you distribute books on the West Coast, I understand that Jayananda has volunteered for this assignment, and you can decide who you will like. So far as the list of distributers you have sent to Purusottama, they have been contacted, and they are waiting to see the first printed copies before any decision is discussed. But Purusottama will travel with me. That is certain. For the time being, I am going to Hawaii, and there is no sufficient place for him there. Therefore I am going alone. If there is a separate apartment available, then I shall call him there also. Otherwise, I shall come back within one month to Los Angeles, and then I shall go to New York, so you can make arrangements accordingly. This is my present program.
Your seventh question, "How is it that there is so much material "advancement" in the USA even though there is no formal demigod worship? Is a man after economic development automatically worshiping Lord Siva whether he is making Yajna or not?" Actually there is no material advancement in the USA. Material advancement means there is amply opportunity for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Superficially, it appears that in the USA there is sufficient provision of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, but actually nobody is safe even in his good apartment. I have got practical experience in New York.
Mahapurusa Brahmacari is prepared to go with me on the 31st instant, if you can send his passage fare of $75, and he will do the cooking and upkeep of my apartment while I am in San Francisco. So you can find his enclosed note to you in this connection.
I can understand that things are improving all around, and that is very satisfactory. So depend upon Krishna, work very sincerely, and everything will be complete without any doubt. On the kirtana nights you should all assemble together in the temple and if this is not possible then you can chant in your apartment. I am pleased that you are working for our activities in Japan, and in three months you should be able to gather at least $1,500.00 together. Don't spend money needlessly. Try to save as much as possible, because you have very important work to do for the service of Lord Caitanya.
Regarding the IBM Composer, I think Krishna desires to have this machine because printing of our books in Japan is gradually fading due to the Japanese people's changing their words. I understand from Brahmananda that negotiations were going on between $5,000 and $6,000, and now they want to increase the price to $8,000. I do not therefore wish to deal with them. We must find out some other source for printing our books. But one thing, if we can present our composed pages, why not print them in New York? Behind my apartment, 26 Second Avenue, there is one press, Glen Press.
P.S. In your previous letters, I was informed that in London I will have many engagements including interview with Archbishop of Canterbury. But in your letter under reply I understand that I will have to meet people in my apartment. This means that my presence is not very much needed. If you think so then why this invitation? Please clear the matter.
Your proposal to keep my apartment by arrangement with Mr. Chudy by the residence of Vaikunthanatha there is very nice. If this is done, I shall be pleased. So far as my goods are concerned, they must be packed in trunks with inventory taken of where each item is being kept. For the time being, you may send me immediately from my book-shelf #6 (SB, Cantos 4, 5, and 6—a red book), #48 (Websters Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary), and the black bound typewritten manuscripts of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrta. I hope by now you have received the key from Purusottama, which I think is for the closet door. There are some important files in the closet. One of them is for the Radha-Damodara temple. That file contains many important documents. That should be kept very carefully. Immediately I don't require it, but I shall send for it when it is needed. When Gargamuni comes, or if Rayarama is coming, then the tape recorder, as well as the suitcase with my clothings may be sent.
I think it is Krishna's desire that you would vacate the former building and go to the hippy quarters. Actually, the hippies are our best customers. Almost all of our important disciples are recruited from that group, and you are also from that group. So actually we should try to serve the hippy group more than others because there is great potency of recruiting Krishna Consciousness devotees from them. You will be pleased to know that one hippy girl named Chris who came to see me in your apartment is now living in our Los Angeles temple and doing very nicely. So if you make propaganda amongst the hippy group simply by our standard method; Sankirtana, reading some portion of Bhagavad-gita, and distributing prasadam, then I am sure the quarters in which you have now shifted will be very much prospective.
From these letters it appears that things are not yet settled up, and under the circumstances, there is no use of rushing the matter. Settle things up nicely, and when you get the money from Mukunda and the apartment, then arrange for the tickets, and we shall start. So far as I am concerned, I am free to start at any moment on your arrangement. But if you are financially pressed, there is no need to arrange things haphazardly. From your two letters it appears you may be a little bit confused. Do everything coolheadedly. When you send the tickets I shall go.
Another thing is that the flight on Icelandic Airlines is for 12 hours, and such a long flight is not possible. There is another airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, and their flight from New York to Hamburg is 7 1/2 hours. The fare on this airlines is $252, but I think this will be much better. Anyway, I am awaiting your telegram or your Special Delivery letter saying that you have found an apartment, and myself and Purusottama may go there to Hamburg. Regarding the ticket, I think it will be a better plan to have the New York or the Los Angeles temple put forward the money, and as soon as it is purchased here, you and Mukunda may reimburse them immediately. I understand that you have asked from San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York temples for a loan of $100. That is all right.
So far as my travel plans are concerned, it is not yet settled. When Krishna Das informs me that they have have found an apartment there, then I shall leave for Europe immediately, via the New York or Boston temple.
Please offer my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you in good health.
I hope you will do the needful, and as you are anxious to see me, similarly, I am also very much anxious to see you all. By the Grace of Krishna now the arrangement is complete to meet each other on the 25th of August. I am glad that you have arranged for a nice apartment on daily payment arrangement, and if by Krishna's Grace you find out a cheaper place in the meantime, we can transfer there. There will be no difficulty. You can also inform this message to Dr. Bernhard, and he can meet me sometime next week. I shall be glad to see him and talk with him.
I am pleased to inform you that our journey from New York to Hamburg was very comfortable, and we safely arrived at the scheduled time. The boys were present to receive us, and the apartment they have selected is very nice. I am sending herewith a letter addressed to Hayagriva. The second part of the Ginsberg conversation article should not be published, and our policy should be to only publish our Krishna Consciousness articles in various forms. We are not concerned with any other movement save and except Krishna Consciousness in its pure form. In India it is said that a little bit of a pure thing is much better than huge volumes of impure, adulterated things. So please try to follow this policy and publish in BTG only pure Krishna Conscious articles.
I am very much concerned why ____ is not complying to the principles of the temple. The first thing is that nobody should enter my room for any other purpose except cleansing. Nobody can stay there or sleep there or anything. If she wants to worship Krishna in her own way, she must find an apartment outside the temple. She does not belong to the Vaisnava principles, therefore we cannot approve her Deity worship within the temple.
The news which you have read in the Gujarati newspaper that some young English boys are chanting Hare Krishna Mantra in a garden house near London is this place. Here also we have got a nice temple given to us by Mr. Lennon, and sufficient land is here also so we are collecting young, enthusiastic devotees to come and live here and make another colony of Vaisnavas like our New Vrindaban in West Virginia. So there was a nice reception here when I arrived, and I am enclosing herewith one of the newspaper clippings and my London lecture list also. Last Monday I lectured on "Teachings of the Vedas", and it was very much appreciated by the audience. I spoke for about one hour and after that they continued clapping, which confirms their appreciation. Our temple at 7, Bury Place is being nicely decorated, and as soon as my apartment is fixed up nicely I shall move there.
If you can open a center with Indira Dasi, that will be a great pleasure for me. I want that all married couples should open new centers and carry on by dint of hard labor. Every householder, husband and wife together, they require to live in an apartment, so if they have got an extra room, they can immediately start a center. You have seen in Hawaii how Gaurasundara and Govinda are gradually developing from this beginning to a nice center in Hawaii. Wherever we sit down and chant Hare Krishna people will gather and gradually become our devotees and thus the center is developed. So if you want to open a center, that is very good.
So when convenient you also transfer in the same way so there will be no difficulty of exchanging money. Regarding the Franklin and Marshall College, as you have desired that it is a wonderful opportunity for me, so that I may be able to write in seclusion while my elderly students may manage the society affairs, that is a very welcome suggestion. So you can accept the proposal immediately. Besides that, I see that Professor Thomas J. Hopkins and the students of the college are very much eager to hear from me, so I must fulfill their eager desire, even there is some inconvenience. But I hope if I get a nice apartment with heating arrangement, there will be no inconvenience. I am also pleased to note that they are going to purchase my books, 30-35 sets. That is a great boon for us. If we can introduce our books in these colleges and universities, it will be great prestige for the society and myself also personally. So let us do this business as an experiment.
I am so glad to learn that you have contacted a very good devotee, Mr. Jashapara. By Krishna's Grace you have met such a nice friend, and if he is prepared to spare his apartment in Bombay immediately we can start a Bombay center and send Jayananda along with his wife and begin work in Bombay. Acyutananda may be called to cooperate with him. In Bombay there are many Vaisnava devotees and they are great industrialists and business magnates, so if we can draw their sympathy there will be no difficulty in expanding our activities. So you can talk with him seriously and if you get this opportunity, then if need be, I can also go there for some time to collect the money.
In Krishna book we want solid 400 pages text matter and 52 pictures. If you have got 40 paintings complete, then still you require 12 pictures more. There are 14 pictures hanging in my apartment here. Whether the 40 pictures includes these 14? On the whole, for the first part of Krishna we want 52 pictures and 400 text pages—so whether they are complete? If not, you have to finish them as quickly as possible for sending them to Japan.
At that time, I was sponsored by a friend's son, Gopala Agarwal, who is settled up in this country by marrying an American girl, Sally. I was their guest, and I feel very much obliged to Gopala and his wife Sally for their nice treatment and reception. I was with them for three weeks in Butler, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then I came to New York. I was getting some money by selling my Srimad-Bhagavatam, thus I was maintaining myself in New York. After some time, I rented one apartment at number 100 71st Street West, but after a few months, all my things—typewriter, tape recorder, books—were stolen. Then for some time one of my students gave me shelter at Bowery Street.
I then rented one store-front and an apartment at 26 Second Avenue for $200 per month, but without any source of income. I started my classes and sometimes, on Sundays, I used to chant Hare Krishna Mantra in Tomkins Square Park from three to 5 P.M. During this time, all the young boys and girls used to gather around me, sometimes poet Ginsberg would come to see me, and sometimes a reporter from the New York Times came to see me. In this way, the Hare Krishna Mantra chanting became very popular on the Lower East Side.
So far your son is concerned, last year when I was in Los Angeles I invited your son to come and see me; and if he comes to me, surely I shall try my best to bring him into our line of devotional service. I am sure if he sees me it will not be difficult to convince him about this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all he is your son. I do not know his present address, otherwise I would have called him here directly. But if you ask him immediately to see me, it will be very nice. He can live with me in my personal apartment or in the Temple for as many days as he likes. There will be no difficulty. Surely he will be very much influenced by seeing our Temple activities and street Sankirtana movement in the city. So please ask him to see me immediately.
I am so much pleased with your wife and yourself and I can simply praise you how wonderful you are. Both you and your wife are setting good examples how Krsna Conscious Grhasthas or householders should live for Krsna. You are practically experiencing that there is no difficulty in household life if people are in Krsna Consciousness. So please stick to your principles very nicely and the program which you are following is already very nice—lecturing in the university, having classes in your apartment, distributing Prasadam—all of them are very, very nice. Please offer my blessings to Indira, and go on with your program, and Krsna will give you all opportunities.
Acyutananda has written me that he will arrange for your visa for two years at least, but I learn that you have not heard anything from him til now. So unless you are assured that your visa has been made for at least two years, and he has got his own apartment, don't start. It is not required to take permission from Madhava Maharaja to stay at his place. It is not our business to become anymore burden to him.
I have already sent Acyutananda money for our own land, so first we must have our own land or apartment, then our devotees can go there. On the whole, he must first of all arrange for staying somewhere in our own place, otherwise it will be very difficult because India is very overpopulated, especially Calcutta.
Are you taking with you a tape recorder? If so let me know and I will send you some tapes. or you may already have got it.
Acyutananda has already taken a nice apartment, so you will have no difficulty. And as soon a I receive good report from you after your arrival, I shall send other ten Brahmacaris.
I hope by this time you have occupied the apartment and now conjointly you can work nicer. Jayapataka is a very sincere devotee and intelligent also. Both of you combined together can do some real service to the cause of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya.
So I will be glad to know what is the measurement of the land and what is the price. If Sridhara Maharaja and others' lands are on the agricultural plot and they are permitted to construct building why we shall be refused for doing so? I think you shall purchase the land of Jabed Ali Sekh and at the same time apply for permission. That will be nice. Please immediately let me know if you have removed to the Ballygunge apartment as informed to me previously—this is essential.
I hope your Rathayatra preparation was completed and the procession very grand and gorgeous. Previously Syamasundara wrote me to participate in the Rathayatra festival, but since then I have not heard anything from him. Where is he now? At George's place or in a different apartment? I have received a letter from Mukunda recently, but I have not received any letter from Syamasundara.
In you letter dated 29th June you wrote to say, "We shall move into our apartment the next day after or tomorrow, Acyutananda Says," but in you letter dated 2nd July it appears that you have not gone there, so I am surprised why the delay. It is not possible to stay at the Gaudiya Math because we want to organize our preaching work in our own way which we are following here. So in the Gaudiya Math we will not get any facility except for staying, neither they will be able to accommodate more men who are intending to go to India.
I am very glad to hear about the apartment of the American boy, Lou, which you are utilizing as a base in Paris. That is nice. Anywhere we may live, our chanting process must go on.
Yes, the police and Government men will gradually understand us and naturally their harassment will diminish. The same thing is happening everywhere. So prepare excellent literatures, that will enhance our prestige.
P.S. If you have already arranged for my apartment then you can send me telegram immediately & I shall cancel Hawaii program.
ACB
Wherever a Sankirtana temple will be established, I shall require at least three pictures, namely your Spiritual Master, my Spiritual Master and the Pancatattva as they are being worshiped in the first apartment of the Temple here in L.A. These pictures may be painted on a canvas oil painting and when it is dried up they may be rolled all together and dispatched by Post Air Mail. The frame work may be done locally. Paraffin paper may be placed between paintings so they will not stick.
Wherever a Sankirtana Temple will be established, I shall require at least three pictures, namely your Spiritual Master, my Spiritual Master and Pancatattva as they are being worshiped in the first apartment of the Temple here in L.A. I shall have some color pictures of this first apartment of the L.A. Temple sent to you for reference. These pictures may be painted on a canvas with oil painting and when it is dried up they may be rolled all together and dispatched by Post Air Mail. The framework may be done locally. Paraffin paper may be placed between the paintings so they will not stick.
I am so glad to learn that the management of the Temple is going nicely and the devotees are feeling transcendental pleasure. I understand from Tamala that the number of weekly guests has almost doubled. This is very good news. Who is taking care of my apartments? It should be cleansed at least twice a week and on the Altar of the Deity at least one incense may be offered daily.
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.
New York is very much attractive for me because New York is the starting place of my activities in your country and when I had no place of preaching, one Armenian gentleman offered me a two storied building in Brooklyn with a nice hall downstairs for only $125 per month, but at the time I was paying only $70 for my apartment and I could not bear at that time to pay 125 dollars. That situation continued for at least one year and then I was bold enough to accept an apartment for $200. In this way the Society extended with so many branches and now you are paying $1,450 per month, so it is very encouraging. I thank you very much that you have already allotted a nice apartment for me, an entire first floor, so if I had the wings of a dove I could fly immediately to Brooklyn and enter my apartment. Anyway, in future I wish to go there. For the time being keep it nicely. By the grace of Krsna, wherever I go you all my disciples give me a very nice place for residing and in Calcutta also Sriman Acyutananda and Sriman Jayapataka, who are going to be Sannyasis tomorrow, they have given me a very nice apartment. So I am now 75 years old. I never thought how far I shall be able to travel such a long distance. But as people say I am still younger, then maybe sooner or later I shall come back to New York again.
The article in the Hindi paper appears to be nice. It is very good that you have renovated one flat for a Temple. Now you can begin your program properly and invite some boys to stay and learn Krsna Consciousness under your instruction. The young boy of 14 years is a very prospective candidate if you train him properly. So do it nicely.
So far as heart transplant is concerned, there is no question of success unless the soul is there in the heart. So it has to be accepted. Just like in sexual intercourse, if there is no soul there is no conception, no pregnancy. Contraception means to make the womb deteriorated so that it no longer is a good place for the soul. That is against the order of God. By the order of God a soul is sent to a particular womb and by this contraceptive, he is denied that womb and has to be placed in another. That is disobedience of the Supreme. Just as a man who is supposed to live in a particular apartment. If the situation there is so disturbed that he cannot enter the apartment then he is put at a great disadvantage. That is illegal interference and is punishable.
Another thing is that I requested Mr. Singh Roy's son to give us the whole first floor on long lease and at reduced rent. If they do so, then we shall give up the idea of purchasing a house in Calcutta. Two big apartments will be sufficient for our preaching work. We can occupy both the flats if they agree to accept Rs. 1,500 per month.
So these improvements in my apartment are attracting me more and more to go there immediately. So sooner or later I am going there to engage fully in translation work and thus enjoy all your good company. Sriman Gargamuni Maharaja went to Pakistan but due to serious civil war trouble there, he has come to Bombay and he is staying with me for the present.
I beg to thank you for your kindly improving our mission in Western world by the hard work of all my students there, and for keeping my apartments and gardens nicely. Just as you are all feeling separation grief for me, similarly I am feeling for you.
Please offer my blessings to all the devotees and I hope this will meet you in very good health.
I have already informed you that if Mohta's house is available completely vacated, then immediately we can purchase, paying cash down. If it is not available, completely vacated, then let us occupy the first and second floors as tenants. If that also is not possible, then you can enter into agreement with the son of Lila Mohan Sing Roy for leasing the flat for one year from the month of May. So far Mohta's house is concerned, we shall try to purchase it when it is completely vacated. In the mean time if they want to sell, we can make agreement and make a reasonable advance.
So for the time being, you can stay in your apartment, have discourses and hold kirtana and whoever voluntarily may join, no one can object. Whoever comes, give him nice prasadam. For the time being this can be done. There is no need of outside engagements if they are not possible to get. If you can, that's all right. But inside activities should go on. So live peacefully and whatever service you can render is all right.
I am so glad to hear that you have acquired the flat on the other side of the upper floor at 3, Albert Road and that now there are ample facilities. We are arranging to send 60 devotees from different centers to India and I have written one letter to Sumati Morarji. Madhudvisa Maharaja is taking care of that. So I am very glad that you have accommodations for all the devotees in Calcutta.
The arrangement you have made in Boston for me was very nice. There is no need of nice apartment. A sannyasi shouldn't live in a very nice place but because your country is so much opulent, even a poor man is offered a nice place. So whatever is offered in devotion and love is all right. It is our duty to offer the very best to Krishna and the Spiritual Master. That is reciprocal love.
So far Mrs. Amersey is concerned, let her come down to 15 lacs and then we shall talk over the matter. Mr. Vakil, if he doesn't take the responsibility of vacating the tenants, we are not at all interested. So then you can close transactions. Regarding the corner palace, we cannot afford to pay 25 lacs. That is not possible. So far the apartment on Nepean Sea Rd. if the hall is twice as big as our present temple then we will prefer it. But what is the rent? That you have not said. Bhattiwala (?) creates troubles sometimes, so if there is a written agreement that we can hold kirtana, we can go there. So far Akash Ganga, we shall pay rent month to month because we don't know when Bhattiwala will give another turmoil. But unless we get a better place, we are not leaving there. That is a fact!
I am so glad to hear that you are all feeling separation for me and similarly I am also feeling. Since I have seen the cottage it has attracted me to go there immediately and live with you for some time. Actually cottage life for chanting Hare Krishna Mantra is very nice but because we are dealing with the Western people, Americans and Europeans, they require some nice apartment. Therefore we have to construct a nice house for them. My Guru Maharaja's policy was to give nice facility to devotees so that they may chant Hare Krishna Mantra peacefully and make advancement. But we cannot be luxurious. As far as possible minimize the needs of our life but we shall not curtail the bare necessities.
Why don't you take the opinion of our life members whether we should go outside Bombay like Chembur or Santa Cruz? In Santa Cruz there is a nice house for sale. Similarly we can get a place in Chembur for a nominal price only. But I do not think that outside Bombay city will be acceptable by you all. I also think in that way, that outside Bombay it will be not so gorgeous. The Nepeansy Road apartment is also good, so if possible why not send me a descriptive chart of the apartment.
The Peddar Road property sounds very nice, so negotiate seriously for it, taking help from Mr. Chambria. In the meantime, if possible you can send me a little description of the house. We require a big hall. That is essential. What is the use of taking the Neapensy Road apartment if kirtana is not allowed? Better forget this place. So far Akash-Ganga, the month to month payment is very nice arrangement, so go on with it.
*(Gwalior Tank Branch) Gwalior Tank Bombay, Central Bank of India
P.S. One devotee Dharmavira is offering one apartment in his possession in Patel Nagar. Gurudasa is returning soon to occupy the place. I think you can live there and work cooperatively.
ACBS/sda
Today I have __ agreement for a large 20,000 __ in Juhu, a very wealthy and beautiful suburb of Bombay, and I have paid check Rs. 50,000/- as earnest money. I shall have to pay another Rs. 1 1/2 lakhs 30 days after completion of the conveyance deed. That I have got. The total balance due will be 12 lakhs, to be paid in 4 years time, at 3 lakhs per annum. Your big brother, Brahmananda, has assured me he will come here and take full charge to make this the first ISKCON City, and immediately we shall raise up a grand Temple and form a cooperative housing society of devotees of Krishna, and many respectable men will purchase flats in our skyscraper building. I want that you will assist your brother in this great project, along with Madhudvisa and others, but we shall plan everything out nicely when we meet in Mayapur later this month, at least by the 22nd. So in that case I think you should work with Ksirodakasayi in this court-case matter, so in your absence he may take charge of it nicely.
A few days back we have purchased a large 20,000 sq. yd. plot of land in the wealthy and most beautiful neighborhood of Bombay, and I have called Brahmananda here from Africa to work with the others to raise up our first Hare Krishna City, with very nice temple and skyscraper apartments. In March, upon returning from Mayapur, I shall lay the cornerstone and the work will begin. We have collected sufficient funds to begin the work, and the rest will not be difficult to get. Part of the space will be used for a school and college of this Krishna Consciousness, especially to attract the bright young Indian boys and girls, so I think that you shall have to come here in future to take charge of such institution of learning, either in Bombay or in Mayapur.
Regarding your question whether husband and wife should live together in the temple, according to temple rules they should not live together in the temple. It does not give a good impression for brahmacaris and sannyasis. It is better if the grhasthas have a separate asrama, just like in Los Angeles the married disciples rent rooms together in one apartment house near the temple and live there separately, and in this way no one is disturbed, neither the brahmacaris are disturbed by householder life, nor the grhasthas are disturbed by brahmacaris. This is the best system, and if you and your good husband require to live together to advance nicely in Krishna Consciousness, that is very good proposal, but you should try to model the arrangement after the Los Angeles temple, and you should live separately, men and women, if you live in the temple itself.
Later on, if we get many devotees and friends, we may develop there like we are presently doing in Bombay, where we have just purchased a large 20,000 sq. yd. plot for putting up the first "Hare Krishna City," which will be a cooperative housing society wherein businessmen and professional people, or other substantial people, who are also devotees of Krishna, may purchase flats or apartments in a multi-story apartment house and may live there whenever they like. Below we are having in Bombay a very, very nice temple, with continuous bhoga being offered throughout the day so that dwellers in the apartments can take prasada whenever they want and they will be offered all varieties to please everyone. I have heard that Americans like to go to the Caribbean islands in the winter where it is very warm, so if they are devotees also, as we may gradually recruit them, they may want to have their apartments there to take advantage of the climate and the pure devotional atmosphere at the same time. So let us see what develops.
Another thing, your selling at Rs. 100/- 120/- is too high. At most we should ask about Rs. 80/-. Our project is to receive guests and sell flats to devotees. Indira said many there are men devotees in Bombay who are anxious for such association, so she will be very much expert in seeking out customers for the flats, so you should take all help from her, she is very important lady and also very much convinced by our philosophy. Tea-drinking may be allowed a little, but no meat, drinking, gambling, like that. So on these considerations we are prepared to give some concessional rate to devotees for living with us there.
I am very much encouraged that you are offering your considerable services for helping me to advance this bhakti-yoga system or Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world. So I shall be very pleased to meet you personally here in Los Angeles at my apartment, as I shall not be going to San Francisco in the near future because I am attending the Rathayatra Festival in London this year instead. So if you are free to meet me here in Los Angeles, I shall be very pleased to see you at that time.
There is no question of selling the flats, as you had proposed this idea before of our own men owning the flats and leasing or renting them to devotees. Somehow or other, all of our tenants should be our devotees, and we can give them concession rents, but they should be devotees and at least in our colony there should be no violations of our rules and regulations. Actually make it a Hare Krishna land or a pilgrimage for Vaisnavas and the Indian people in general. I am very much especially pleased that you have had such a nice meeting with Sumati Morarji.
Just now I have purchased one apartment house with seven apartments just adjacent to the L.A. temple and very soon we shall invest in similar properties. So practically there is no question of my neglecting the financial matters of the society, and similarly, you shall do as I am doing. That is your real business. So far your question, Yes, it is good to be prepared with a well-thought lecture in advance. However, we must be able to preach effectively at a moment's notice or under any conditions or circumstances also. As you begin to study the Sanskrit words, in each word you will find a treasure house of different understanding.
So far the flats, yes, Rs. 80/- per sq. ft. should be the price. Rs. 100/- is the standard rate for that neighborhood, so our price is not too high. So far Lalita Krishna is concerned, I have received one letter from Purusottama das Brahmacari requesting to travel to Malaysia with Lalita Krishna for opening some centers there. So best thing is to open centers in Malaysia and Singapore, recruit many Chinese-speaking devotees, translate our books into Malaysian and Singapore language, then with a party go to China later on. Regarding the boys you have recommended, their letter of initiation is enclosed and beads are sent under separate post.
I do not understand all of the points about purchasing the apartment house, whether I shall be required to sign anything or what. So you may explain in detail what is to be done. As for the payment, we shall not need to cash the bonds, we can manage in other ways to pay the $63,500. I understand that we must pay the full amount cash by August 25, 1972.
With this idea the Air India Company is enticing tourists to come to India simply to experience the spiritual life around Krsna. So in future I expect that our Bombay project will be one of the most important show-pieces in the world for foreign tourists to actually come and get actual experience of Krsna Consciousness or the real Vedic culture. So with this idea in mind work very vigorously and with renewed spirit to do the work very gorgeously and raise up first our temple and later on the apartment houses as you have planned.
So far starting a trust fund, yes, that is very good idea, so that the deities may never be neglected. The thing is, there must be continuous income, so if there is income from land that is all right. In Los Angeles we are getting income from rents from two apartment houses because there is always certain income.
Regarding your question whether some small lies may be said in order to sell our books, I have already replied to Bai Mardan on that point and a copy of his letter is enclosed herewith. But that kind of lie, as you have given example of the apartment manager, telling him that "Yes, we have gotten permission to distribute here," that kind of lie is not harmful. The highest development of Krsna consciousness understanding will be when you are able to give anyone the truth but in such a manner that they will respond in a positive way. If people like to contribute by hearing such things, there is no harm, that is just to induce him to purchase. Some of my godbrothers, I can remember, when we used to go out for begging some contribution from some big man, they used to say that my Guru Maharaja had lived for 12 years in the forest in solitary place, living only on the tulasi leaves.
I have had Bali Mardan Maharaja send you one telegram approving your scheme to purchase the apartment building for the M-V Trust.
Your question in regard to marriage, we must impress upon the parties involved that Krishna Conscious marriage is not some cheap thing that may be embraced whimsically and at any time thrown off. The boy and girl must be willing to accept each other for life and be prepared to get a job if need be and live in an outside apartment and raise children. These points should be emphasized.
As far as staying in some boys apartment, this is permissable if everyone in the house agrees to follow the principles while you are there. That is no smoking, no drinking, etc. You may also install a small altar there with a picture of Guru and Gauranga and the Spiritual Masters there and perform mangala arati every morning and hold classes etc. Under these circumstances you can live in others apartments. The point is we must not lower our position but we must educate others to come up to our standards. Regarding your writing, you must know that it is the duty of sannyasa to write always to save the cripple minded man and women. In fact sannyasa must do everything. I hope this meets you in good health.
We have reached Zurich yesterday morning and have come to the health resort of St. Morritz. The apartment is very nice but it is so cold that we cannot go outside. Probably we shall go to L.A. via N.Y. on the 5th of April.
I think no need asking specific action on our behalf, on the other hand please try and get the land at Grand Paridi through the help of Karatikeya Mahadevia or Mr. Ramchand Chabria. They told me about this land for Temple and I think both of them can secure it, either freehold or cost price. The gentleman Mr. Thirani was met 2-3 times on planes or in airports and is eager to construct a temple for us immediately. So this is an opportunity given by Krishna and if possible we can construct both a city Temple as well as one at Juhu. If possible to construct in the city location then that should be given more priority. You may reply this letter to L.A. I hope you have taken possession of the new apartment at Juhu and are doing the needful. May this find you all well.
Regarding purchasing apartment house, M-V Trust will immediately purchase and monthly rent may be paid into the Trust. Now you immediately send me scheme and description of a suitable building, and I will send Karandhara Prabhu there with the down-payment to finish the transaction.
I am pleased to accept the two boys Sandipani Muni Das (Chris) and Madhavendra Puri Das (Michael) as my initiated disciples. You can send their beads with a copy of this letter to Satsvarupa Das Goswami for being chanted upon.
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest regarding the apartment house.
You have not written anything about purchasing apartment in Juhu for Rs. 30,000/-. If there is no possibility for purchasing, then immediately deposit the money in the bank.
Regarding apartment, Karatieya says that we can purchase in the name of Society. But, if individual name is required, then my name can be given as Founder-Acarya. If there is some complication, then don't purchase. Keep the money in the bank, and try your best to get Grand Paradi land. If nobody can purchase
I think we have occupied the land sometime in January 1971 so does it mean that we have occupied the land for more than two years? You have to do your best to same the land with heart and soul and you are an innocent devotee completely dedicated. I wish that you may be blessed with all success in this connection. I am expecting your cable in the matter of purchasing the flat.
I am very pleased that you and Hrdayananda Swami are traveling and preaching and that everyone was singing and dancing at the kirtana at the U. of Iowa. It is a sign of great success. Your plan to spend up to one month in each big university city sometimes taking an apartment for conducting regular evening meetings is approved by me. But do not open any permanent centers, just take the apartment for a month and then move onto another city. For the time being new centers may not be opened. Whatever centers we have got already, let us organize them very soundly. If more men are available, let them come to India. I have already written to Karandhara that fifty more men are required in India, so if possible, you may arrange for some men to come from your zone.
I have received all your previous letters and have replied to each of them. Regarding the rents collected from the apartments at our Juhu Beach property, this money must be kept and spent only for Deity worship and Temple maintenance. It must not be used for any other purpose.
Your recommendations for second initiation, Taru das, Radhanath das and Parambrahma das are accepted by me and their sacred threads and gayatri mantras are enclosed. See that they hear the mantra from the tape I have made, and have them hear it in their right ear. Give them further instructions on standards of a Brahman. Thank you for the daksina check for one hundred dollars.
Go on developing New Vrindaban: next month I am coming there. Is my apartment completed?
I am very engladdened to hear you have secured one flat on our Hare Krsna Land. I am planning to arrive in India on or before February 1st. I am first going to New Delhi and then to Vrindaban in order to see how the construction of the temple is going on. Then I can go to Bombay, say about the second week in February, and together we can go to Mayapur in March. Now by your arrangement it will be very pleasing for me to stay in our own land at Juhu. In the past I was a guest while staying in Bombay but now we have our own place, and this is very engladdening to me. So I will come. We are four men and we will arrive in India by February 1st; we already have our tickets for around the world.
Actually my program is to stay here a month, and I arrived on March 20, so I think you will be able to recover from your eye operation and come and see me. I am lecturing every night at the temple between 7 to 9 P.M. and I am staying at my apartment on Hare Krishna Land and you can visit me there any day after 5:00 P.M.
Regarding the apartments, how is the rent being collected and where is it being deposited?
Locana das may deposit his contributions with the Mayapur Vrindaban fund for going to the Krsna Balarama temple. Kindly advise the Union Bank to send the monthly interest to ISKCON Mayapur Vrindaban Trust Fund. I still don't know how many installments they have sent or how quickly they are getting the money to the Punjab National Bank in Vrindaban.
I will be going to Bombay, and I am just waiting for my new apartment to be finished and the construction to be completed. I think it will be ready within one or two weeks time. It is at Hare Krishna Land, Gandhi Gram Road, Juhu, Bombay-54.
As soon as I reach Bombay it will be my duty to inform you and my great pleasure to meet you again.
Regarding the road, you must immediately install at the front of the road a permanent iron gate, like the one on the opposite property, with one dharwan or guard. This is very important and must be done immediately. No tenant will be allowed for any reason to park his car on any part of the road. You can make one parking place for their cars on the portion of land opposite the well next to the block where my old flat was where the during the pandal there was the kitchen. But, no trees should be torn down. The tenants can pay something for the parking facilities. You should also make a formal request for increasing the rent of all tenants for the cost of the internal road, otherwise where will the cost of the road come from? I think we can enhance the rent for road improvement. If necessary, you can engage one lawyer for doing all these things, if Mr. Asanani is not helping.
Regarding the construction, you should immediately begin work on all four of the remaining flats. The work must begin whether you have got sufficient cement or bricks. If you have to lay only one brick, then do that. I may be coming there next week, so you can prepare for that.
On October 30 Prabhupada will start for Bombay. There on Hare Krishna Land he will stay in a flat that has been newly constructed for him. There is one report that the land there is now worth one crore, whereas we paid only 14 1/2 lakhs for it.
More in my next. I hope this meets you in good health.
Pushing on this movement, I had to face so many difficulties throughout since I left my home. I lived in Delhi at Sakur Basti because the rent was cheaper there, and I could not even take an apartment in Delhi. Then I was provided with a room at Chippi Walla, Radha Krishna temple, wherein I was able to keep my publication office.
I may inform you that the Governor of U.P. has accepted the invitation to become Chief Guest at our temple opening. Now many big men will come. So we have to arrange very nicely for their accommodation. The Governor will require a special apartment for his staying.
Regarding your question about the jiva soul in the heart and the jiva soul within the cells, they are separate. Both are jiva atmas, but a particular jiva belongs to a particular body. There is the jiva in this body, but there are also jivas within the cells. Just like I am living within this apartment, but does it mean that no other living entity can live here. There are so many ants, flies, bugs, they are also living within the apartment. Even in my stool there are thousands of living entities.
N.B. Round about our temple there are many apartment houses constructed. Will you enquire about an apartment not less than three rooms and up to four rooms and find out what is the price and what are the terms.
ACBS/bs
The Chand Society flat may not be sold. It can used as office and residence of Vaikunthanatha and Yasomatinandana. Two rooms used as residence and one room office and stock. The BBT should provide facilities for offices and stock go down. BBT should pay for the rooftop go down. By my calculation you should be able to sell in India at least four lakhs of Rupees worth of books per month. You simply have to organize it.
You now have to make a program for building on all the vacant land. Every inch of available land will be built up. In the back side of my apartment the single story tenants should be induced to occupy temporarily the rooftop flats, and we shall construct a three or four story building where their houses are on their plot and shall then give them the same area to live in the new building. Now make this plan. Every drop of land must be filled with buildings. We cannot spare any land for any other purpose. Take sanction and make plans for these buildings. If the tenants become devotees and follow our principles, arising early like the others, then we can forgo their rent, but no nonsense concessions of sitting room. This is all rubbish things. So make plans for all vacant lands for buildings. We actually do not want anyone to live there who is not a devotee. Note this policy and do the needful.
So a temple may not be wanted there now. But, someone must stay there and print literature. Keep Guru Gauranga altar. But there is no good preacher. Even Pancadravida fails. Trivikrama failed. You should simply print literature and distribute. Get the smallest rental place. Let Yasomatisuta do it. Give up the present flat if necessary.
By the by we had some talks when you were in Vrindaban about some flat apartment. I require a flat of four rooms. If you kindly negotiate and let me know the terms, it will be very kind of you. The flats can be taken either on rent or maybe purchased.
This means that the consciousness is not clear, brahma-bhutah prasannatma, na socati na kanksati (BG 18.54), the clear stage of consciousness is free from hankering and lamentation. As long as we are on the material platform, bodily conception of life we will hanker for so many things required for material supremacy. Therefore to clear this cloudy consciousness Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended that one should simply chant the Holy name of God sincerely and hear it with attention. To chant dance, take prasadam and be happy. Marriage is not recommended. Are you prepared to get a job, live outside the temple in apartment, provide the wife with bangles saris and sex? Better you concentrate on this chanting and hearing process, teach others and give them prasadam. So you and Bhumadeva are doing this already, now be steady and increase it more and more. Hamsaduta will guide you in this engagement, he is
You say my apartment will be ready by mid-March but without an elevator, how can I use it? Here in Mayapur we have begun construction on a 67 room Residential Quarters along the Northern boundary of the land to be ready for use by Gaura Purnima. I have asked Tamala Krishna to send his Radha Damodara party's collections to pay for it. Caitya-guru is engaged to help oversee the construction.
They are getting a flat-bed truck, then no blocking. They can sit comfortably and chant and people will hear. He (Madhava das) is giving a class at MIT, that is very good. I challenged them where is the technology to understand the distinction between a dead man and a live man.
Regarding relocating New Kuruksetra and beginning the Bhaktivedanta Institute there, first of all decide among the scientists, Svarupa Damodara and party, and if they agree then I have no objection.
*There are so many flats available in the vicinity. Why do they not take? Why they should create inconvenience to our workers? This is not at all good.
Concerning the Bhetnama, you can follow the plan of Tirupathi, that guests cannot stay more than 2 months, 60 days, like that. But, there must be space left vacant for receiving foreign guests. Guests must register like dharmasala, where they come and can spend 3 days, otherwise they create trouble. So for ordinary guests, they can stay for 3 days, the ordinary life members. And for those who have paid for constructing one room, they can stay for up to 2 months per year. In Bombay, apartments are very expensive, 2 lakhs, so everyone would purchase an apartment for Rs. 50,000/ if they knew that they could remain permanently. So we cannot have them as permanent residents, only 2 months per year. Precaution must be taken that people don't take advantage like Mr. Badruka who is occupying 3 rooms, it has caused us so much inconvenience. Be careful. Make it clearly understood when they give the donations towards the rooms that they cannot stay more than 2 months per year, otherwise they may cause trouble.
Regarding details of the universe, be satisfied by reading only Bhagavatam. What is the use of reading other books—you are not going there. Some portion of the earth is flat. When you stand in any place you see flat, so for us to some extent it appears flat, but it is round.
About our tenants; most of them are employed. So, there is good chance of their vacating when they are transferred. You should be very vigilant to see that they do not transfer occupancy to someone else and cause unnecessary harassment. Similarly, when someone purchases an apartment he is liable to vacate. So whenever possible we should take possession of the apartment so we may utilize them for our purposes.
We shall not exchange our top floor flat because we have the advantage of the roof. I also approve the suggestion to hold the pandal in Bombay the weekend after returning from Vardha.
I may inform you that the Governor of U.P. has accepted the invitation to become Chief Guest at our temple opening. Now many big men will come. So we have to arrange very nicely for their accommodation. The Governor will require a special apartment for his staying.
| Page Title: | Apartment (Letters) |
| Compiler: | SunitaS |
| Created: | 24 of Jul, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=152 |
| No. of Quotes: | 152 |