Expressions researched:
"arrangement"
|"arrangements"
In the meantime, our program in Surat is going on very well. I have just finalized the arrangements for my coming to Calcutta and you may revise the information sent in my previous letter dated December 30th, as follows:
We shall fly by IA flight Number IC-175, departing Bombay on the Fifth January at 5:30 PM (17.30) reaching Calcutta by 7:45 PM (19.45). Please arrange for our reception.
I am so glad to know that our San Francisco Temple is improving at the new location. Regarding the arrangement for an altar, you may follow the arrangements made in L.A.—that is just suitable—and when the Radha Krsna Murtis arrive from India everything will be complete.
Please continue your program in the universities. They are the best places for propagation of our philosophy and the students are very eager for this crucial information. They are not unaware of the futility of material education which gives a paper degree only, because it is common observation that the graduates are unable to find good employment and the students are becoming hippies, etc. So they are wanting something good and that best thing is Krsna consciousness.
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.
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.
Please keep me informed of your progressive activities and may Krsna bless you more and more with increased intelligence for spreading His movement.
I am so glad to have received your letter dated 23d January, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far as opening a center in Israel, I have all approval. Immediately you can open correspondence with one boy from Israel who has written me twice to come there and open a center. He is very eager to help. His name and address are as follows: Yacov Shames; c/o Dr. Ritchie; 79 Rehov Bait Vegan; Bait Vegan; Jerusalem, Israel. So make arrangements with the government and go there immediately. I have all blessings for this enterprise. Try and preach Krishna Consciousness in this part of the world. So you go there husband and wife with child and start a center. If you are successful in your effort, then I may stay with you a few days there before going to London.
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.
So far as Citsukhananda going to replace Brahmananda Maharaja (whose last report was from London, where he is raising funds for going to Karachi), I have just received one letter from him dated 3rd March, 1971 saying that he is in L.A. making final arrangements for opening Mexico City branch. So who shall go to Tallahassee?
So we are now in Bombay and you can reply these points immediately and if you so desire, we can start immediately or as you direct. Amongst us, Syamasundara knows German language. So if you think that his presence will facilitate, then he can also go. So on the whole, you make all arrangements for going there as it is convenient. Arrange for visas and on hearing from you I shall start.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letters dated 1st March, 1971 requesting that I visit San Diego temple upon my return to U.S.A. Thank you for your invitation. When I go to L.A. next time, I will be sure to visit San Diego temple as well. But when that will be I can't say. My program is not yet fixed. Presently arrangements are being made for me to go to Australia, Malaysia and Russia also. So my return to U.S.A. may be somewhat delayed.
Yes, you are certainly welcome to come and live with us and try to understand our philosophy. If a personality like you will join this institution, it will be a great asset. So for the present I am here in Bombay at the following address: Akash-Ganga Bldg. 7th floor; 89 Warden Road; Bombay-26. If you will kindly see me any day between 9-10 a.m. or 4-5 p.m. and we shall discuss on this matter further.
Presently arrangements are being made for me to go to Moscow, Russia. We have one invitation to speak in the university there. If I see that you are understanding our philosophy, then I shall be glad to take you with me to Russia for preaching work.
My program here is not yet fixed up so it is uncertain when I shall be returning to U.S.A. Presently arrangements are being made for me to go to Australia, Malaysia and Moscow, Russia as well. I have received one invitation to speak at the university there. So we shall see what Krishna desires.
If they are nice, then we can immediately register in Mathura and begin our printing as well as establish our center in Vrndavana. In this connection, you may introduce yourself to one Babaji, Kripa Sindhu Babaji of Bhagavat Ashram, Raman Reti, who sometimes back was very much enthusiastic to help me if I started one press in Vrndavana. Now we are starting a press, so let him help. He also promised that many other Babajis would help me in this matter. So that arrangement should be made. While in Vrndavana, you may also see my rooms at Radha-Damodara Temple and they should be repaired and made very nice. They are my rooms and I want that they should be made ready.
So far as your going to Pakistan to join up with Brahmananda Maharaja, I have not heard from Brahmananda in some time. So whether or not he has arrived in Pakistan I cannot say. Neither does his good brother Gargamuni Maharaja knows for certain where he is. But if you can contact him and he agrees, then arrangements can be made.
I have already consented to attend Calcutta ceremony. I am not going to Russia immediately, but to Kuala Lumpur by the 30th April instead and I shall be going to Calcutta from Sydney by the 14th May. In the Sankirtana festival pandal if a very big kitchen arrangement can be made, then we shall distribute prasadam daily. Try to make this arrangement. Puri, halava, kitri—whatever can be arranged as much as possible. Tamala Krishna and Giriraja have all the ideas. Some professional men should be engaged 24 hours preparing prasadam. There are many volunteer organizations in Calcutta. They should come forward and help us distribute prasadam.
I am in due receipt of your two letters dated nil and 24th April, 1971 respectively. Yes, so far as the visas are concerned, from Delhi arrangements must be made that at least 400 of my foreign disciples must remain in India to propagate the Krishna Consciousness Movement. They are my good assistants and they are missionaries also. So many Christian missionaries are working in this country. Why not Krishna Conscious missionaries? They should be given special consideration. As a missionary I was given special consideration in your country, similarly you all should be given special consideration here.
So far as your going to Russia, you should not take interest in this Russian program. Your presence in Delhi is absolutely required. If the Russian invitation comes, then I shall go alone with an assistant. But your service is very much needed in Delhi. All the proper arrangements are being made for the Russian tour and we are expecting the invitation very soon.
I am glad to note that you would like to see one center opened in Minneapolis. Minneapolis is a large city and certainly a temple should be started there soon. That particular area of the country is under the supervision of Bhagavan dasa Prabhu, Detroit center. If you will correspond with him there in this connection, then I am sure that arrangements can be made for starting one temple in Minneapolis in the very near future.
It is very much encouraging to note that you have made final arrangements for going to Jerusalem on 2nd June, 1971, accompanied by one brahmacari. You all have my full blessings and may Krishna help you all in this noble venture. Just as soon as you arrive there, you can let me know. Most probably I will be starting for U.S.A. via Bombay, by the beginning of June. First I shall go to London and then on to USA.
Presently in Calcutta we are holding a huge "Hare Krishna Festival" in which 35,000 to 40,000 people are attending daily for hearing discourses on Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. We are distributing prasadam also. It is so much enlivening to see how the people are being so receptive to this message. It is all Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy.
So far I know, the press is not competent to take outside work, as I know it by their past dealings. 10% per printing costs for maintenance needs, that was the arrangement, but if the maintenance costs have to be taken up by the book fund, that will be a white elephant problem.
So far I have got two tickets to return to L.A. and if more men are to return with me, I shall let you know.
Just now I have received one telegram from Brahmananda. He is in Karachi and I have advised him to come here immediately. So all the important men have come here already to India. So for Dayananda and family coming here, that is all right, but the incense department may not suffer in his absence. Actually we have need of many men in India, at least another 50 or 60. But they need not be important men. Assistant men will do nicely. So if you can arrange to send 50 or 60 men here for propaganda work in Calcutta and Bombay, that will be very nice. We require at least 100 of our American boys to make propaganda all over India. So Dayananda may come as the leader of another 50 or 60 men.
Also, I am wanting many men to go to India. At a recent meeting of the temple presidents from the West coast, I asked that each of our nearly 60 centers send at least one man to India. So if you can make arrangements like that, it will be very nice. Many men are required there; they don't have to be very important members. We are arranging for a big temple in Mayapur, the birthsite of Lord Caitanya. So we shall discuss further on this matter when I go there.
Presently I am in L.A. and very soon will be making my way back to Calcutta, and Mayapur, via Europe. First I will go to N.Y. by the middle of this month and then go London. From there I will go to Bombay and Calcutta.
So I am very much anxious to know about the arrangements being made for laying the corner stone in Mayapur. My desire is that it be done on the 15th August, 1971 or round about that day. If Indira Gandhi cannot come on the 15th August, then some other day will be all right. But the ceremony must take place. So please let me know the latest development. I am anxious for your reply.
I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 27th June, 1971 and have noted the contents. Yes, it will be a great event if you can arrange a meeting with President Nixon. If Mr. Nixon keeps a cool head and tries to understand our movement, it will be good for us and the whole world also. Actually the whole world is suffering for want of Krishna Consciousness, that is a fact. So there is great turmoil everywhere. If Nixon will help us a little, we can do the work with great enthusiasm and facility. Unfortunately the politicians do not want to see people in higher consciousness. They want to keep the people in darkness and exploit their sentiment for personal aggrandizement. They pose to be the friend of the people, but they are actually not. The real friend is Krishna. Still, if you can make arrangements to meet with Nixon, it will be a great event, so try for it very seriously.
I am so glad to hear that you will be going with Brahmananda Maharaja to Africa and that Harold Prabhu will be going also. When I was in Bombay, Brahmananda Maharaja told me about you and I agreed that it would be nice if you came to assist him in his mission. So make arrangements immediately for going.
Yes, I will be very glad to initiate you both before you embark. Depending on whether or not there will be a function in Mayapur in mid-August, I will be going to N.Y. If the Mayapur program is fixed up then I will leave for N.Y. by the 15th of this month. Otherwise, I will be staying in L.A. for some time. So if I go, then you can meet me there, or if not you can come here. Actually it is better to take initiation personally and receive instructions before leaving for Africa. So you can make arrangements accordingly.
You will be glad to know that I have received your mangos just yesterday and they were so first class. Thank you very much. Now they are all finished. So I am thinking why you don't send one carton full of unripe mangoes here? That would be very nice. Whatever arrangements have to be made to ship mangos here, that is all right.
One point though is that Jayadvaita writes that the synonyms for the last 18 chapters of 3d canto and the first seven chapters of fourth canto are not there. Where have they gone? I do not understand. Anyway, I have begun dictating the synonyms, and tape no. 6 was sent directly to Pradyumna. To finish these synonyms will take at least one month.
Arrangements are being made for us to leave for Detroit on the 16th morning. We will stay there for two days and then come to Boston for a few days also. Then we will go to N.Y. so I don't think there will be time for going to New Vrindaban just now. So Kirtanananda Maharaja needn't send tickets.
I have handed your letter over to Syamasundara for a point by point reply, but one thing is that if it is not possible to get Indira Gandhi or the Governor or the American Ambassador for the festival at Mayapur, then what is the use? In that case, the program should be cancelled until some later date. My going there depends on whether such meeting can be arranged; otherwise there is no need in my going. I have got so much engagement here and have resumed my translating work also. So do your best to see that one of these big officials comes to Mayapur for the cornerstone ceremony and let me know as soon as possible what arrangements have been made.
You will be glad to know that this time while coming to U.S.A. from Bombay I went to Moscow also, and arrangement is being made to start a center there very soon with the help of some young Muscovites.
I hope that Sriman Madhudvisa Maharaja saw you in connection with dispatching some of my disciples to India. By the three Hare Krishna festivals perfomed in Allahabad, Calcutta and Bombay, it has been examined that people of India have not lost their Krishna Consciousness. During the festivals, especially in Calcutta and Bombay, daily 30,000 people were gathering and standing for three hours to appreciate our sankirtana movement. I have therefore decided to send more men from America to India to preach this cult all over the country. We require about 100 men minimum, out of whom there are about 40 men in Calcutta and Bombay and other places. I am therefore requesting you to carry these 60 men by your ships from N.Y. to Bombay or Calcutta.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 25th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. 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.
Enclosed herewith, some poems and articles for publication in BTG upon your approval. So far my writing is concerned, yes I want to settle down somewhere and write my books. That is my aim. So most probably it will be done by Krishna's grace.
If there are sufficient men in Calcutta, then why not send some and try to develop Delhi? Subala Maharaja sometimes says that he will conduct the Vrindaban press and sometimes he says that there is no need. He is not fixed up. It was the program in Delhi that BTG in Hindi would be published. There was so much enthusiasm for this Hindi work in Delhi and now nothing is done. We are making members on the condition that there will be a Hindi BTG but no arrangement has been made to date; simply words. Ksirodakasayi left India all of a sudden. Dr. Rao is competent to translate but I do not know why he is silent. I first went to India some time last year at the end of August. So you are all in India for at least one year but still you cannot publish a second issue of Hindi BTG. So immediately arrangement should be made. We have to publish from India BTG in different languages. Whatever prestige we have got is due to our magazines and books. So in this connection, no attention is being drawn and, as Tamala is in charge of Indian affairs, I wish to draw his serious attention in this matter. What arrangements are there for printing our magazine in different Indian languages? Some Bengali man, Mr. Chaterjee's son-in-law, wanted to translate. What happened to that?
So far naming your child is concerned, you as her parents should give her a suitable name and you can add the prefix bhakta dasi, or servant of the devotee, as are we all. Then when she grows up and takes initiation from a bona fide spiritual master, she may be given a new name at that time.
I am so glad to note that both you, husband and wife, are qualified to teach and are anxious to do so in one of our community situations. That will be very nice. So if you like, you can make suitable arrangements for going either to Texas or to New Vrindaban, where they may have need for such qualified teachers. So correspond with those centers and find out if it is possible.
So my request to you now is that yourself and Tamala Krishna go to Delhi to organize a center there and make arrangements for printing our books and magazine in Hindi and recruit life members there also.
I understand that you have been invited by Syama Dasi in Africa. I don't advise that you associate with her because she is sahajiya. To associate with her will hamper pure devotional service. Besides that you are going there for only one month after taking so much labor. What will be the profit? Will they contribute money for our Mayapur project? Unless our Mayapur project is finalized, I don't think any one of you can go outside of India. My advise is that Tamala and yourself immediately make arrangements for going to Delhi and organize that center nicely.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear that Krishna has provided you with a new temple very suitable for our purposes. So why not purchase immediately? If Karandhara is satisfied, then we can lend you part of the money for down payment and you can return it later on. So make arrangements in that way.
Yes, if there are enough qualified devotees on hand to care for Lord Jagannatha, then certainly He should come there. So make nice arrangements for Him. If your facilities are as nice as those in L.A. then you can ask Babhrubahan to make big Jagannatha Deities like those in the L.A. temple. He carves very nicely and his wife Vikramini paints Them nicely also. When I was in L.A. last time, they carved one small set for me and the set is there in my room. If someone needs to receive Gayatri mantra, which is necessary for caring for Lord Jagannatha, then at your recommendation they can be initiated by mail. I will send you one tape made by me of Gayatri mantra. They should simply listen one at a time, privately, through the right ear and at the same time repeat each mantra, while reading it from one paper. You can also explain beforehand how to count on the fingers. Then, if the devotee is male, give the sacred thread. Then hold a fire yajna as you have seen done before. Send the thread here to me before the ceremony is to be held and I will chant Gayatri mantra on the thread(s) personally.
And who has been appointed treasurer and secretary? The president, secretary and treasurer elected by the members of the center cannot be changed at least for one year; better to continue it for three years. All combined together should be responsible for keeping correct accounts. Giriraja is reponsible and he should be made the treasurer. You should remain as president and Acyutananda Swami as secretary. So make arrangements in that way.
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.
Yes, make the arrangement for attracting the younger section. They will like to hear logical philosophy. But generally the younger section in India are spoiled. They still hope to improve their economic condition.
If there is the possibility of regular worship then you can install Jagannatha Deity. Otherwise don't do it. Not that there should be a repeat of the situation in Hamburg that the Deities were taken away. Unless there is solid temple arrangement I don't advise you to install the Deity. Deity installation means regular worship without fail and for good. Just like in Jagannatha Puri. That temple was established over thousand of years ago and it is still going on. Always they have prasadam ready for at least a thousand people and bhoga is offered 56 times in a day.
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.
So far your idea to invest money, the first consideration is whether the investment will be insured or not. If it is, then you can establish what is your expenditure for one month and then calculate it for one year and then invest that amount so that the interest received will cover your expenditure. But this is not such a good proposal. Better that you maintain yourself by monthly subscription of cash and kind from so many persons. Then preaching will go on and so many persons will be benefited.
Yesterday we had a very successful meeting in the University of Nairobi; the exact words used in the newspaper report as as follows: " ISKCON SWAMI EXPLAINS PHILOSOPHY . . . Impeccable showmanship was matched with unimpeachable philosophy of Gita at a jampacked Taifla Hall in the University of Nairobi yesterday evening when about 2000 people and undergraduates listened to Acarya Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his disciples who presented the 'Hare Krishna Revolution' " So the African boys are coming to us and appreciating our philosophy. Two Afro-American devotees from N.Y. have come also and joined us. So until now our program is going nicely. We have collected 30,000 shillings. One shs = 1 Rs. Syamasundara is also enthusiastic to hold a similar function like Bombay and Calcutta and arrangement is being made for that.
So far the roofless church, it is lying unused for so many years. Why not approach the authorities to give it to us as donation for this great cause, or else for a nominal lease-rent for 99 years? Then we can repair this church very nicely. I have seen it but still if you will kindly send me specifics of the land area, the inside area of the church and other particulars, then I can give you some suggestions. I think there is some spare land also surrounding the church. So all details may be supplied. But I think if we replace the roof and make necessary arrangements for living quarters it will be very nice. But so far the neighborhood is concerned, I am not very much optimistic. So you have to study the neighborhood also whether people will come to our church.
So far your points for improvement of BTG, they are very nice in general. Our policy is to satisfy Krishna and keeping this point in view you should consult the GBC members and discuss these points and do the needful.
Yes, certainly Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krishna will grace your temple. Just now arrangements are being made. One pair exactly like those in Boston will soon be on their way to Detroit. I will let you know when final shipping arrangements have been made.
Without offering to the Deity nobody can be supplied, but after the offering if there are so many men and more is required then how can it be stopped?; In Vrindaban dhupa is offered without a flower sometimes, but either way is all right. If a flower can be offered, then that is nice; generally sandalwood paste is offered on the forehead, but on other parts of the body is all right; Kumkum powder should be offered on the feet.
My sanction is there for Prisni dasi receiving Gayatri mantra. It should be done by the tape method; Karandhara has a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra and he knows the proper procedure also. Arrangements can be made.
I am very pleased that you are making arrangements for the 1st ANNUAL PUSPABHISHEKA YATRA PARADE AND FESTIVAL, 1971, and if he is free to come, Visnujana Swami may come to lead the kirtana and preaching. That is a good proposal. Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis decided that we shall decorate Him. Pusyabhisheka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely with flowers, ornaments, cloths. After there should be lavish feasting and a procession through the streets, so that all the citizens should see how beautiful Krishna appears.
I shall be happy to come there and give instructions for training children. But when I shall come is not yet settled up. Perhaps from Los Angeles I can come there. I am returning to Los Angeles from India, perhaps by late Spring next year.
I have no objection if you install marble Radha-Krishna deities. They may be ordered from Yamuna devi in Delhi, she has got some arrangement for very nice murtis from Jaipur. If they are packed very tightly in cotton, they will not break. One thing: Our standard of deity worship must be kept very high. Los Angeles is the standard, so you must make arrangements like that as far as possible.
I am very, very glad that you are planning your three-day festival in Central Park next summer. That will be especially triumphant celebration for me, because only five years back I was sitting alone under a tree in your park thinking that perhaps no one will join me, but let me try. Now I have got so many wonderful sons and daughters, that we require huge arrangement for chanting in the park, with many tents, kitchens, etc. Your plan is very nice. Our Delhi pandal was also very much well-received by everyone. From early morning, 6 am, to late at night, sometimes past midnight, thousands of persons came there to see and listen. One very popular feature was our "Question and Answer booth," wherein one of our elderly devotees would sit on a very high vyasasana and answer questions put by the visitors. This item became so controversial and popular that it was open at least until midnight daily to accommodate all the curious public. Everyone delights in lively debates and discussions of philosophy. Also there were many booths showing photo-displays of our worldwide activities and one exhibit of a large model of our Mayapur scheme. These things may also be included in your New York festival.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 12, 1971, and I am pleased to hear from you. I have received yesterday one phone call from Mohanananda in Sydney, inviting me to come there when I leave from here in March. I shall be very glad to come there, via Hong Kong. You should make arrangements for two tickets from Hong Kong to Australia and then to Tokyo.
I am encouraged to hear from you that Melbourne Temple is even better than Sydney Temple, so I must surely come there to see it. Go on like this, transcendental rivalry, just like San Francisco and Los Angeles, this pleases me very much. But it is not that we are envious! No, material envy is not like that. Even the gopis, they were envious of one another, in a transcendental sense. They were thinking, Oh, she has attracted Krishna more than me, that is very nice, she has given Him more pleasure than me, now let me try more to please Him. That is the process, how to improve in Krishna Consciousness.
Your trial balance is very nice. I am pleased to see that you are making many Life Members also. I think that if you send a list of our Africa members to Tamala Krishna in Bombay, that will be impressive for making more Life Members here also. We are now trying to get one very suitable house here for our India headquarters. The cost is rupees 10 lakhs, and it is located in a very rich quarter of the city, with many aristocratic houses nearby. I have told my students here that if they simply make two Life Members in India daily, then I shall do all the rest so far other arrangements and plans. Similarly, if you go on like this making members regularly, as many as possible, then all good results are guaranteed in Africa also.
Regarding your inquiry about deities, I have just this minute finished a letter to Kausalya dasi who is presently in Jaipur to purchase many sets of deities for our centers around the world. I have instructed her to remain there and fill all the orders for all our centers which may request such murtis, including dresses, ornaments, jewels, flutes, etc. In Jaipur they make the very best white and black marble deities anywhere, along with all paraphernalia such as dresses and ornaments. So I think this is good opportunity to write to her immediately and place your order. The deities are usually from 40" to 48" in height, including base. I have instructed her to collect money from the many local rich men for purchasing deities, so she will do that. But you may also send some money towards this buying of many pairs of deities. They will be packed in heavy crates, tightly packed in cotton, and will be shipped by ship from Bombay harbor. The shipping will be free by a special arrangement. Everything considered, it will probably take at least 2 to 3 months to receive the deities in Toronto, or maybe little sooner. It appears it is Krishna's desire to come to Toronto at this time!
Yes, I have very much appreciated the new covers to Easy Journey and Topmost Yoga. As much as possible go on reprinting all the books and distributing them profusely. Your idea for issuing a series of Transcendental Teachings is good. We want to flood the market with Krishna consciousness publications. Here in Bombay I have resumed my translating of Bhagavatam. Every day I am translating and Syamasundara is transcribing them from the dictaphone tapes. But the best place where I can do my translation work is in Los Angeles and New York. If in both places there is facility that as soon as I translate, the matter can be composed and if ISKCON PRESS can actually run efficiently so that they can print Bhagavatam chapter by chapter as it is composed, then this arrangement will be very favorable. Try and arrange for this. It will be a great credit to you if you can organize everything so nicely that my Bhagavatam can be published very regularly chapter by chapter.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 16, 1973, with list of programs. They are very nice. But one thing is, all of these arrangements, whether they are going to receive us at each place or if we are just taking the place to put on our own program? From their side we should be received, not just that we simply canvass to take their place for our own program. The Gaudiya Math invitation should not be accepted.
Rohininandana was ready to go to you, but you have sent news through Gurudasa that because he was not too much anxious that he is not needed. But if Rohininandan's assistance is required he can join you, I have no objection. For financing this publication department of Hindi language, side by side recruiting Life Members must be done. I have written a letter in this connection to Ramananda, and a copy is enclosed herewith. His proposal is that Hindi publishing department should be done by you and Ramananda without any interference by other Foreign members. So I quite agree with this, but at the same time financial arrangements must be done as the others are doing to maintain different departments. As you know our only financial strength is recruiting Life Member, so this also must be done by you. I think both you and Ramananda will come to Mayapur to fix up the programme so that no interference will be done by the foreign members as suggested by Ramananda. I have no objection to this point.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 15, 1972, and I have noted the contents. 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.
Henceforward, anyone proposing to marry must produce some outside income and live outside the temple, they must know this in advance and be prepared to carry such burden. Let them be married, but at their own risk. I cannot sanction anymore. My Guru Maharaja never allowed, but when I came to your country it was a special circumstance so I gave concession, but I am not so much inclined anymore, so I shall not sanction, but they may marry on their own risk of knowing that such arrangement is always troublesome.
Second thing is, it appears that Madan Mohan Goswami has changed his heart and become favorable to give us the downstairs veranda and some rooms upstairs above my rooms in the Radha-Damodara Temple, so for that I expect to come to Vrindaban from Calcutta as soon as I am informed by Subala Maharaja and your good self, on my way to Bombay for our pandal program there in Juhu. So kindly go to Vrindaban immediately and make all arrangements for the legal documents and cornerstone laying-down, and if Subala needs assistance you may help him also, but one thing is I want to come there immediately, so go immediately to Vrindaban and send me cable when I shall come there. I must leave Calcutta no later than the 8th latest.
By now you must have completed nice clothes, ornaments, and all gorgeous arrangements for installing the deity, so you may place Jagannatha just as with Caitanya Mahaprabhu's picture without any ceremony required. In general we do not allow anyone without sacred thread to attend to the deity, but if there is lack of qualified brahmanas, men without sacred thread may be employed to cleanse the floor and other things which do not require their touching or gazing upon the deity at close quarter.
So far Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that is already signed, so we must continue as we have agreed. But practically we have increased our book distribution now to exceed what they are able to do, and still we shall have to purchase our books from them at 50%, and because we shall account for most of the sales, plus do most of the advertising ourselves, then they are making huge profit while we do the work! This arrangement is not good. But one thing is, because they have published our book, therefore there is some prestige in that. Now if you can induce them to distribute very profusely our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by giving it big big publicity at their expense, then it is only fair and the agreement is all right. Another thing is that they must pay us for all the lay-out and pre-press work that we have done on the Gita, otherwise we are simply handing them everything while they take all the profits and we get nothing. So on the whole I am not very hopeful for dealing with this Macmillan Company, or any other big publishing house. I have seen in New York many many big big publishing houses, very rich, but I do not find any rich writers of books. Even Jawaharlal Nehru wrote some book on politics which became very widely known, but he remarked that their books are selling like anything but I'm not getting anything.
One thing more, if we are successful in this program then my dreamt mission of life to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world will be fulfilled. I wish to speak on the great philosophy of Bhagavata Dharma at least once in a week on Television, so if arrangement is made by you for this, then you will be doing the highest service for Krishna.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 16, 1972 and I am so much pleased to read the contents. The newspaper clipping sent by you is very much encouraging. I am starting for Australia on the morning of March 31, and I wanted to see Giriraja before my starting. So kindly send him upon receipt of this letter if he has not already started. The report that Hindus and Muslims are taking prasadam together is very encouraging. Please continue this program. All the Muslims in Mayapur have now become very friendly towards us. For the last 50 years our Godbrothers were there but they could not make arrangements for the Hindus and Muslims to take prasadam together. The picture is very attractive, and is fitting ___ devotees. I am so pleased that Tamala Krishna Goswami is working so ___ hard, so combinedly you do the project together quite successfully. That will please my Guru Maharaja and me also.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your joint letter dated 19th March, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much encouraged by your progress in reporting the stockpiling of materials. It appears that things are progressing at a good rate, and if you are determined enough to make a very perfect scheme there in Mayapur, Krishna will give you all encouragement to make all necessary arrangements. So continue in this way, but try to persuade these men for giving us more donations of money and goods. The newspaper report of Hindus and Moslems eating together which has been printed in Amrita Bazar Patrika will persuade many rich men to help us. I am very glad that Amrita Bazar Patrika is helping us in this way by printing these articles. So if you can show this handbill you have printed and these articles, so many men will give for human welfare basis. I am enclosing one card given to me by one man in the Calcutta airport just as I was leaving there last time, and this man has got a brother in the steel business in Calcutta and he has promised me to help us secure free steel from him. So try for it.*
Now out of one lakh, 13,700, I paid you Rs. 10,000, and I kept out Rs. 3,700 which I deposited in the Building Account. Now for further transactions the suppliers of goods should be paid for by check from the Building Fund, so if you want bricks let them supply and send us bill which should be checked by you both and also by one of our consulting engineers or experts, and then a check will be issued from me. So far I know Karandhara had only $13,600 in the Mayapur Fund, $10,000 of which was transferred back to my account, so for the time being you cannot expect more money from there. But your work will not suffer as all supplies will be paid for by the Building Fund. So let them supply bricks, they will bill and we shall pay by check. One thing: we have just completed a similar arrangement, as with Mr. Jayan, in Bombay, and the rate was much more favorable, so if in future we shall require, you may consult with Giriraja and Mahamsa what is to be done.
Ask Radha Raman Goswami and Ksirodakasayi and Ramananda that it is my desire to simply engage themselves in translation work. Why Ramananda is now in a slack for translation work? You can ask him on my behalf what it his intention. So for the time being all three should only translate so we can publish many literatures in local language. All Hindi and Bengali literatures should be composed in India and sent for printing by Dai Nippon in Japan. That will be nice progress. I am going to Japan to make further arrangements with Dai Nippon to get these things done very nicely.
So if you like I can come there after leaving Hawaii, before coming to Los Angeles, where I shall end my touring. So we are going to Honolulu from Tokyo on May 6th, 1972, and I think we shall remain about two to three weeks in Hawaii, then we can come to Mexico City direct from there, say, near end of May. Is that all right? You may correspond with my secretary, Syamasundara, in this regard, and make all arrangements with him. I think we can stay in Mexico City about one week or ten days before we must return to Los Angeles.
I am sending one of our new sannyasis, Hanuman das Goswami, to South America. He is here with me now, but he shall leave by ship very soon, so if you have got any Spanish-speaking devotees there who can assist him in preaching throughout South America, you can tell them to write him here at the above address, and they can make arrangements to meet for performing this great task of pioneer preachers on South American continent.
"Read KRSNA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead" Available in all bookstores 3 Volumes - Rs. 15 So far funds from USA, if need be we shall help. The program should be that you take from the USA as much money as you want in the shape of books, and the whole amount can be engaged in building and construction work. For example, Krsna books cost 75 cents for 3 copies, so if USA has sent you the books at cost price, you can make profit by selling at $2. That is $1.25 profit per set, and you haven't got to pay back even the cost. This arrangement will be nice, otherwise in case of emergency, the other arrangement can also be adopted. If we get our plans sanctioned, automatically we will get customers for our flats. But we must get all these occupants as devotees, and you can consult with Indira regarding this matter. There are many devotees who are prepared to accept. The two Parsi sisters should be allowed to come and go as they like, and they should try to understand our procedure, follow the principles, and they are welcome. There are many Parsis in Bombay who are willing to come, and it only takes some organizing in the matter. Mahamsa can help you in this way. Regarding money from USA you can correspond with Karandhara. I cannot understand why our magazines were lying at the docks for three months. Is it that nobody took the time to clear them or what?
You may take money from Mr. Jayan in Calcutta if you require. Either in books or in cash, you will be supplied. I have just heard from Karandhara that he has dispatched several thousand paperback editions of Krishna Book to Bombay, so you may make arrangement how to sell these immediately, and for CCP permission you correspond with Gurudasa in Vrindaban. If you get from Mr. Jayan, simply hold in safe deposit box, and, as required, withdraw in smaller amounts and enter in the books as "Chit Collection," or "Misc. Contributions," or like that. One thing, how much you have deposited since I left India? I want to see a copy of each months' Building Fund Account statement for my records also, so Mahamsa may send regularly. I think that you are both doing very nicely in all respects there, along with Mahamsa and Saurabha, and I am putting all trust and confidence in you all nice boys to perfect this Juhu scheme for Krishna's pleasure. Thank you all very very much.
The idea is that all the devotees must attend arati, prasada, and other temple services. If they miss they will be deviated. So if they are living far away, like in Laurel Canyon, then another temple should be started. Unless there is arrangement for another temple, it will be not a nice proposal. Temple worship and prasada must be partaken, otherwise it will be ordinary residential quarters like karmis.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your special delivery letter dated May 9, 1972, and I have noted the contents. You may borrow the $15,000 from me, I have no objection. But now you have agreed to give Hayagriva $4000 per month, that was a great mistake. Now you have to rectify it. Now Hayagriva writes me that he is coming to Los Angeles, so we can discuss. Abruptly if we stop, that will not be good. So we have to rectify by arrangement and agreement. I am simply surprised how you all GBC men agreed to give him $4000 per month. So the mistake has been made, now it has to be corrected by other ways.
We shall arrive in LA on the 18th, as per your arrangement.
I have read the letter from Turya ___, so he is anxious to get our papers, so arrange to send him our English and Bengali literature and advise he should regularly get all our papers. When you go there, on cooperation with him you can establish a center in Bangladesh by mutual arrangement, and that will be very suitable for your preaching. If the Americans can take up this movement seriously, why not the Bangladesh people? Try to meet with this educated public, and if you can convince them, it will be a great service. We are trying to unify the whole population of this globe by this cultural movement. There are blessings of Lord Caitanya in this connection, and if we try sincerely it will be successful.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 5, 1972, and I have noted the contents. Yes, we shall personally supervise everything there at Mayapur, instead of giving everything to contractor. The engineer may simply see that things are being done properly and we shall see that the labor is working properly. Purchase first-class building materials, then there will be first-class building. So far your recommendation for getting money, this arrangement is approved. Accounts and money should be in one place. You have already got Rs. 1,10,000 from me, so if you submit account of this expenditure, you will receive more. All collections and Life Membership money should go to Bombay for deposit in the Building Fund. It is understood that Giriraja has asked Bhavananda for the Life Membership collections, but Bhavananda has not replied. What is the reason? Please do the needful. This fund shall never be used for maintenance. If there is shortage of maintenance, that fund will be also supplied from Bombay.
So far your description of events in the Seattle temple, I have informed Makhanlal what is your opinion, so do not worry. I am going to Portland on 8 June and I understand that the devotees from Seattle are coming down there to meet me so you may also come at that time. One thing, we can never expect to find any kind of utopia, even in the spiritual world. Where ever there are persons there are bound to be differences, so we should not expect any kind of perfect arrangement, especially here in the material world. Even sometimes amongst the gopis there is envy, but that enviousness is transcendental and should not be accepted in the mundane sense. Anyway one quality of a devotee is that he is always very much tolerant of other people, so I request you simply to tolerate the faults of others and always think that I am myself the most f
If you want to devote fully time for this political campaign, I have no objection if you turn over your office of president to someone else. Your plan for bringing Lord Jagannatha to Atlanta is also approved by me, provided there are sufficient Brahmans and other suitable arrangements.
Upon your recommendation I am enclosing one sacred thread and two copies of Gayatri Mantra for Surendra and his wife Kali, duly chanted by me. Now you hold a fire yajna and give second initiation to them. I think by now you are familiar with the process of playing the tape through earphones through the right ear, etc.
Now I understand that Ksirodakasayi is going to London soon, so in his absence you shall be the president and I think if Tejiyas is there, that he can be treasurer, or I have heard that Vaikunthanatha is there, so if it is better arrangement, then he can be treasurer and your wife Yamuna devi, may act as secretary.
I understand from Yamuna that our Gauracand Goswami feels still that we are unfit to render service to the Deity, so let him think like that, we don't care. We are worshiping Deity in 100 places and we become unfit in Radha Damodara? Why we are unfit. If you are beautiful Americans with good education and very pious and pure, and if you have got all qualities of Vaisnava, why you are not fit? We think we are quite fit.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 9, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. My money is already invested in a Mayapur Trust Fund, so there is no possibility of lending you any money. Furthermore, in your absence I don't think there is need of very big house. If you make arrangements for purchasing two big, big houses and then go away, then that is not very good proposal. To purchase our own house in Los Angeles, London, these headquarters are required as permanent but we should not be very much anxious after purchasing many houses and properties. In future through out the society, it is better so far as possible that we should rent. Big house means big responsibility. So unless there are many men, and very big propaganda, buying house is risky and unnecessary.
I have appointed Giriraja to be the GBC zonal secretary for India zone, and I am sure that he meets your requirements of being equipoised and considerate of all the needs of all the branches under his control or jurisdiction. Simply all you leaders there in India must cooperate with him nicely and give him confidence and advice how to manage the things in the best manner. So I suggest you address your ideas for managing to Giriraja and cooperatively make arrangements. Bombay should be the headquarters for India. You send all money there and when you require you take and they sould keep all accounts nicely. Whatever you need, they will supply.
I am in due receipt of your letter from Amsterdam dated June 21, 1972, and I look forward with pleasure to attending some of your meetings there in Holland near end of July. Yes, the two engagements for July 28 and July 29 sound all right, and as you have kindly invited me, if you make all nice arrangements, then I shall be very glad to attend them. One thing, you have mentioned a "band" for playing in the park.* If we hold public meetings, we can only hold kirtan, with our usual program of preaching being the main feature of attention. We shall stick only to the Vaisnava standard set for us by the great acaryas and saintly persons, namely, the Hare Krishna Mantra and other mantras which I have taught to you, but we shall not produce something artificial by writing and playing our own songs as we like.
Because they heard of our program in Bombay along with the Zavery sisters Manipuri Dancers, here in London they had arranged one program of lecturing by me along with a recital by one man playing on the vina just to attract attention to my speaking. I am not in approval of such arrangements, and it will be dangerous thing in future if we begin this type of program just to attract the masses. Already I see this happening practically all over the Society, so better we stop it now and get ourselves firmly on the track chalked out for us by Lord Caitanya. We are simply Sankirtana men, our program is chanting, dancing, distributing prasadam, and speaking high philosophy, that's all.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 9, 1972, along with letters to temple presidents, which I have signed and duly posted. I am glad to hear that the owner has accepted our bid of $63,500 cash, and I shall be returning to U.S.A. before the end of 50 days to settle the matter. I have promised Brahmananda to be in Nairobi up to August 27th. If the deadline for payment is August 30th, that leaves very little time. Shall my presence be required to sell the FNMA bonds and make other arrangements? What do you suggest?
I am in due receipt of your letter dated nil, and I have noted the contents. Regarding your question, what is the position of the women in Krishna Consciousness Movement, we are not responsible for marriages. If you want to get married at your own risk, that is all right, you can get married by the state service and the husband must take full responsibility for living outside the temple and earning money for supporting wife and children. If you have a child and you are not married, still, having child is the same as being married, so there is no more marriage. Marriage is not for sense gratification, not that we get married twice, thrice in a year. No, if you have got a child there is no need for more marriages. But if you cannot stay in Krishna Consciousness unless you have got a husband, that is all right, but the responsibility is not ours for your maintenance or other things, so if want to get married both you and your husband must make your own arrangements.
I am glad to inform you that a party of my disciples will be coming to Bangladesh soon for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya there. They will be stationed at Jessore, but will travel wherever they are invited and hold Sankirtana. So if you are very much eager to receive them, about six or eight of my foreign American and European disciples, you can invite them to Chittagong and they shall be happy to stay with you there and hold programs of kirtana and preaching.
Kindly do the needful and make all arrangements among the prominent Vaisnava citizens in Chittagong for programs and for the board and keep for the Hare Krishna party, and meanwhile I am forwarding a copy of your letter to the leader, Sriman Tamala Krishna das Goswami, and you may write to him also, c/o ISKCON World Headquarters, P.O. Sridhama Mayapur, Nadia district, West Bengal, India.
I have received your joint letter dated 6th August, from Vrindaban and I am very glad to hear that everything is going nicely there. Regarding the questions by Tejiyas, unless there are local men in Delhi who are interested and who will do the work, then it is all right to attempt to expand there by renting building, etc. But on our own attempt that is not good. And this also applies to the pandal program. It will be expensive, so local persons must come forward to cooperate. Last time Dalmia and others were there, and they gave us all assistance. Therefore the program was very successful. So if such men are willing to come forward again to help us and organize everything, then we should try for it, otherwise, it is too much endeavor. My plan is to come to Vrindaban sometimes near the 12th or 15th of October for the Karati Varta and I want to sit down there in the Sri Radha Damodara Temple until some time near the end of November. I will lecture daily in the courtyard on the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, especially for the benefit of the devotees. So you can make arrangements in that way.
In the conveyance deed, there is a clause on page 7 that states that the purchaser shall not be required to pay either of the last two installments, namely E and D, aforesaid, until the suit filed against the vendor in the Bombay High-Court (suit #94 of 1968, Messrs. Chhaganlal and Co. vs Mrs. Candrabai A.B. Nair) is disposed of and the amount, if any, in the said suit is paid to the plaintiff. Therefore, out of 14 lakhs, we have paid 2 lakhs. The bank may pay further 8 lakhs, and 4 lakhs should be held up until the above-mentioned suit #94 of 1968 is disposed of. In this way arrangements should be made. Regarding construction material, I see that 64 lakhs will be spent for the whole construction, and you have to pay 5% on the amount to the architect. I think it will be a huge amount. In Delhi, one architect asked for 2%, but I thought that somebody may contribute his service for this great cause. If not, the charges may not go more that 2-2 1/2%. In this connection, you may consult Gurudasa.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 12, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, Karandhara said that Sriman Siddha Svarupa Ananda is not up to the point of our preaching work, especially when the "Sai Speaks" booklet was distributed there was some discrepancy from our standard. So when this complaint was lodged I called him here and I asked him to stay with me for some time. When I went to London I made arrangement that Siddha Svarupa Ananda Maharaja would speak in the sanctuary of Los Angeles Temple and this was settled up and he remained here in Los Angeles when I went to London. After coming back I understood that he left immediately when I left for London. I have received no letter from him. So there is no misunderstanding, but I want to keep him with me for some time, so if you have got his address you can ask him to come to me and live with me again for some time. It is better not to draw any wrong conclusions from so little evidence, actually he is very sincere soul and everyone knows it and I like him very much and so does Karandhara, so you need not worry in this connection.
Thank you very much for your letter dated August 26, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully, along with your check for $50, which has been duly deposited in my Book Fund. Thank you very much. As for your questions, Lalitananda means one who takes his pleasure from Lalita, who is one of the chief Gopis around Krishna. So you are the servant of one who takes his bliss from Lalita. Yes, if there is arrangement for swinging the deities sometimes, that is all right. Anything may be done which will be pleasing to the Lord, and He is often fond of swinging motions. You may place cows and peacocks on the altar at Montreal, that will be nice. So far I am concerned, I have no objection if there is carved form of guru on the Guru-Gauranga altar, but one thing, is unless that sculptor is very excellent, it should not be attempted. How will you get photos from all angles of vision for the carving process? Unless it can be done very nicely, just perfectly realistic, he should not do it. Yes, God is always there in His Arca Vigraha form, either as Krishna or Rama or Caitanya, whatever. So He must be offered all respects as if He is there personally present, and if you are always sincerely chanting and following our Krishna Consciousness programme of chanting and other things you will very quickly develop the eyes to see Krishna there.
Another thing is, I have got one letter recently from Mahamsa requesting to change his position, but you can tell him to kindly wait until I come there. Then we shall see. Also I have heard from Karandhara that Giriraja wants to give up his position as president at Bombay and that you will take charge of Bombay center. Similarly, I have sent him one telegram requesting to wait until I come there, then we shall make all arrangements.
I shall be coming to Vrndavana by 15 October so let me know what are the arrangements in Vrndavana and also at Delhi festival. I have written to Tejiyas one letter, and you may see it, regarding the proposal for Delhi Pandal. Many other of my disciples from U.S.A. will be coming to Vrndavana also, so you may expect to accommodate many devotees there in Radha-Damodara Temple and if there is not sufficient room then you should find other accommodations also. Kindly keep me informed regularly.
Prabhupada just spoke with me regarding the distribution of foreign (other than English) language literature. His direction is that 10% of the gross income on the sales of all of our literatures, books, and magazines, should be sent to The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. The BBT is financing many world-wide projects for the society, and therefore all income from literature distribution should contribute and support it. Please therefore make the necessary arrangements. A simple way to accomplish this would be to figure at the end of each month what your gross (total; before subtracting production costs and overhead) income from the sale of literature was for that month, calculate 10% of this figure , and send this to BBT in care of myself in Los Angeles. I know that you will understand that this subsidy will greatly facilitate the growth of Society-wide programs and everyone will benefit. From your local view it may appear to be an imposition, but I assure you that overall it is in the interest of Lord Caitanya's Movement. Regarding your regular remittance, it will be left solely to your integrity and "for the overall benefit" conscientiousness. I am sure you will do the needful.
I beg to inform you of one matter which may be of interest to you, namely that we have now got thousands of disciples and well-wishers in the Western countries and out of them many are desiring to travel to India in the near future, at least 200 persons at a time, to see all the temples, especially the Vaisnava temples. So Air India has got a cheap round-trip fare to India and we want to take advantage and bring hundreds of members of our society and others to see all of the temples, so what will be the arrangements?
You are the Minister for India of Civil Aviation and Tourism, so I think this news should be of special interest to your department. Now we are prepared to bring thousands of visitors to your country, but we need also your help and cooperation to do this in proper manner. Now we have created interest all over the world in Krsna and Vrndavana, for instance the Air India is using the Krsna theme in their advertising campaign, so we have created this atmosphere of interest in Krsna in the Western countries, and I think that cooperatively we may work together to increase the foreign tourism in our country of India. What will be the arrangement for foreigners to see the temples, will they be allowed or what is the situation for government sanction for foreigners to see the temples?
I am leaving Los Angeles around 6th October and we have a few days program in San Francisco. From there we shall fly to India, stopping three days in Manila, and we should land in Delhi by the 16th October. I shall inform you details. One thing, I want to know how the preparations are being done for the second annual hare Krsna Festival and Bhagavata-dharma Discourses at Delhi starting around the 6th of November. If you can get that LIC grounds again that will be first class. Now we have got many many books in India and I want to raise the funds for our building projects at Bombay, Vrndavana and Mayapur by selling these books widely all over India, so these pandal programs are a golden opportunity to sell many many books, so make arrangements like that.
I have received one letter from Giriraja, copy enclosed, and I am very much distressed why this conveyance business is not yet settled up. I sent Bhavananda there to Bombay to do the needful, and he was silent and went away. Enclosed also find my reply to Giriraja's letter. Now I want that both of you shall go to Bombay immediately for finishing up this conveyance matter immediately. Try to get bank loan, and if you cannot, make arrangements for taking five lakhs from Mr. Jayan and we shall transfer from here as per his order, duly signed by both of you, double signature.
If the money is still not available, what is the use of this big sound? Although by law Mr. Nair must give us the conveyance, and we are not legally bound to pay the 5 lakhs conveyance tax, still, we shall pay it and subtract form the purchase price, as he suggests. But one thing is, you must secure document in proper legal from which will insure that the five lakhs will be subtracted from the fourteen lakhs purchase price, not that again we shall have to pay according to Mr. Nair's whims. Try to get that bank loan of five lakhs, and Sumati-ben will stand as guarantor, try for that and somehow or other get the bank to loan us. But if you are unable to get the bank loan, we shall pay. If it is not possible to get the bank loan, you send telegram to Los Angeles and we shall make necessary arrangements from this side. But somehow or other this business must be settled up immediately, so complete the conveyance on this understanding.
Enclosed please find the copy of my letter to that Swami in Haridwar, who has invited our party in April. Kindly contact him and make all arrangements. His address is Sri Swami Mahesawardev Shastri Gopala Dham, Jessa Ram Road, Haridwar (U.P.), phone 114.
So best thing is to consult Mulla and Mulla and proceed accordingly. If there is need to pay off the twelve lakhs, we can do it by giving him four lakhs immediately and the balance eight lakhs we shall arrange with Mr. Jayan very soon. But Mulla and Mulla have said it is suicidal unless there is settlement of the Chhaganlal business first. So we shall not be willing to pay the twelve lakhs unless this matter of Chhaganlal's lawsuit and the registration of the conveyance deed and payment of capital gains tax by Mr. Nair are peacefully settled without any risk to us. Try to fix up some arrangement acceptable to Mr. Nair for paying him, but we shall not risk that we may lose everything to Chhaganlal or some other of Mr. Nair's cheating dealings. So best thing is to follow the advise of Mulla and Mulla and stick to our position very securely. If there is no possibility of settling with Mr. Nair without any risk to ourselves, then we shall stick to the terms of the original agreement and take the matter to court. How he can say we have defaulted? He has purposefully delayed, so if we take the matter to court he must reply to these charges. One thing is, that the whole trouble is due to Deewanji's misdealings. He should be brought before the Bar Association and exposed. We shall deal with him later.
Regarding your questions, in the spiritual sky everything is spiritual, so Krsna has no need for living in the heart. They are seeing Krsna face to face always, so what is the use of being in heart? Outside, inside, they are the same, even their heart that is also sat-cid-ananda. There is no mechanical arrangement like this material body for anyone in the spiritual sky, what to speak of Krsna.
What have you done regarding the permission from Charity Commissioner? That is essential, take that permission immediately.
What is the programme for Hyderabad? Bhavananda has not yet sent the tickets for train or plane-fare, neither anything definite has been informed us. Whether there will be nice arrangement for deities there, and which deities they are putting there? Please inform.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1972, and I can very much understand your concern. After all, she is your beloved daughter, and you have sacrificed everything just to bring her to the point of proper education, training, and so many things are there between you. But what can I say? In your country the girls are independent, and from very young age they are accustomed to mix with young boys, so naturally there will be attraction, sex desire and marriage. Actually this whole material world is running on this attraction between man and woman. It is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam that once the boy and girl unite intimately the hard knot is formed, and the girl is thinking Oh, without him I am lost, and the boy is thinking Oh, without her I am lost, that is Maya's arrangement for keeping us bound-up tightly in the material atmosphere. If wife is there, then some money must be coming, that means work, land or factory, children, home, friends, community, nation—like that there is increasing complication of illusion of thinking: This is mine, that is mine. But they do not know that one day death will kick them out, mercilessly, and neither home, nor wife, nor children, nothing can prevent that. All along he is thinking these things are like soldiers of security to safeguard his happy life, but they are described as "fallible soldiers" because they will not help us at all.
So I think because Hanuman is always sending me successful reports of preaching meetings, so many newspaper articles and photos, that this Krishna Consciousness movement will be very famous there and you will find many interested persons to become devotees, just like at Mexico. Now you go there, along with your good wife and family. But one nice thing is, before you had told me you thought it was best if first you had got one nice place and made all arrangements before your wife and child joined you, then they will not have to suffer unduly nor shall you be hampered in the beginning to work very hard without good facilities at first. Later they may come when there is sufficient place.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 14, 1972, and I am very, very happy to hear from you that you have started one new ISKCON center at Brisbane, Australia. I do not know if Madhudvisa has made any arrangement for me to come there, I have not heard from him in that connection, but he has invited me to come there, so if I get the opportunity I shall be glad to visit you at Brisbane as well. As for your taking sannyas, that we shall see when I shall come there. For the time being do not disturb yourself or your wife in this matter, there is sufficient time.
As for your opening still another center, if you are only few men there it will be better to stick there for some time and develop everything first. If we open so many centers and then later there is difficulty to maintain them because insufficient men, or if we have to close them, then what is the use. We are not after so many centers, but we want to make devotees, pure devotees of Krishna, that is all. Better one temple with sufficient strong men than many temples with few strong men. Do not open temples simply for the sake of adding some numbers. Let us see the success of one temple, then we shall discuss opening other center.
You have named your child Bhakta Saumya Abhay Charan Dasa, so that's all right. But if you leave your wife with such new-born child, to open other center or take sannyas, what will be the result or benefit of mother alone with child? There must be some proper arrangement, that is not our policy to get married an go away without any responsibility for these things. Husband-wife means he must accept responsibility for her his life-long, it is not such light matter we can reject and do as we like, no. Better I think you stick there for some time more, live peacefully husband and wife, and develop the temple to your full capacity. Later on we shall see to other things.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1972, along with letters of requesting for initiation by me. I have accepted all of them as my duly initiated students, and their letter along with beads are enclosed herewith. I am also very happy to receive the copies of your booklets in French language, and I am surprised that the price is so cheap. So why not make arrangement that all our books should be printed there? At least we may print the books in German and French and other European languages. Consult with the others, and if it is good opportunity in their all estimation, then why not combine and print there? That is the first business, make books and distribute. So I am always encouraged to hear that you are increasing in this respect of making books in foreign languages. Your title "anti-matter and Eternity—A study on immortality through Bhakti-yoga" is liked by me, it is a good translation of "Easy Journey."
If you have taken wife, you must be completely responsible for her throughout your life. She shall always serve and obey you without fail, and you shall instruct her in Krishna Consciousness and act as her spiritual master. Otherwise, without husband, women have great difficulty to make spiritual advancement. So if we have to develop a perfect society of scientific arrangement for making spiritual progress, then so many women will be there, so what shall they do? They have also come to Krishna, we cannot reject them. Therefore I have advised my students to get themselves married. I was householder, my Guru Maharaja was life-long brahmacari. But we are doing the same work of preaching Krishna Consciousness, so what is the difference, grhastha and brahmacari? Actual sannyasa means that he has given everything to Krishna, so practically you are already sannyasa.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1972, and due to my wandering here and there for preaching work in India I have not yet had opportunity to reply you til now. Your question is whether you can utilize your inclination to play the guitar and write songs about Krishna in devotional manner of activity. Several times I have replied this question, I do not know why you are not learning these things. There should be arrangement for distribution of such information to all the devotees if there is some important question, not that I shall have to continue answering over and over the same thing.
I think that if no one is there to help you at present moment, and no one can be spared from Bombay due to Cross Maidan pandal work, then you may come Bombay along with Puranjana and work here, then after the program is finished in Bombay, say about January 22nd, you may return to Delhi with a full party of strong men selected by you from the men in Bombay. But if there is urgent business, you may remain there and we shall make other arrangement as you suggest.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of you letters dated December 6 and 13, 1972, and I have noted that you have sent two airline tickets for my coming there along with my one assistant. If that is so, where are those tickets sent, with which airline, where to pick them up? I am prepared to come there, as you have made such enthusiastic arrangements, but I shall be holding our Hare Krishna Festival again in Cross Maidan from January 12th to 21st, and after that there are a few programmes in Calcutta, so I may leave from Calcutta round about January 25th or so, go first to Djakarta, then as you suggest me. But one thing is, I must travel at least with two secretaries, Srutakirti and Syamasundara. So you may send three tickets to Bombay, informing us name of airline, etc. But I think your programme is bit strenuous. We should not work strenuously.
Try to keep the whole situation in unified condition, but if Siddha Svarupa and his disciples are living there separately and peacefully, I have no objection, so long there is no controversy or ill feelings between their camp and yours. You may initiate some program to integrate the two camps by sending some of our own strong men there to assist. And if they get that land as gift, it should be in the name of International Society for Krsna Consciousness. Now I am so much looking forward to seeing all of you, my beloved disciples, there again in near future, so kindly make all arrangements as you know best. I think you wanted me to stop in Djakarta first, so that is all right, but if there is too much strenuous traveling program, that will not be favorable. Better stop in fewer places and have first class programs there, but I am simply at your mercy and I have only the protection of Krsna in all circumstances; therefore, whatever you make me to do, that I am prepared.
Regarding the deity at Vrndavana, Malati has just now returned from Jaipur and she has found out one very nice murti of Radha and Krsna more than five feet tall. I want these deities shall be installed in Vrndaban, so Yamuna may make arrangement to go there and see if they are available, what is the cost, and make all program how they shall be transported to Vrndaban, like that. I think these will be just suitable for our Vrndaban temple, and they will save us time also. You may order the Balarama deity to be made also by this Murtiwalla. I think Malati has written you one letter in this connection. And if she gets time, then Yamuna may come also for few days to Bombay pandal, being on this side.
| Page Title: | Arrangement (Letters 1971 - 1972) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 18 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=101 |
| No. of Quotes: | 101 |