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At the cost of... (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952:

5. And above all, people in this age are always distressed by famine, scarcity, grieves and diseases in an increasing ratio.

In the old days life was not so much conditional and encumbered. The simple problems were then the problems of bread, clothing and shelter which were solved by the simplest process. By agriculture they used to solve the bread, clothing and shelter problems and industrialization was unknown to them. Thus they had no idea of living in big palatial buildings at the cost of sacrificing the boon of humanity. They were satisfied to live in the cottages and yet they were perfectly intelligent. Even the famous Canakya Pandit who was the Prime Minister of India during the reign of Candragupta, used to live in a cottage and draw no salary from the State. Such simple habits did not deteriorate his high intelligence and dignity and as such he had compiled many useful literatures which are still read by millions for social and political guidance. Thus the simplicity of Brahmanical culture was an ideal to the subordinate others of the society and in the Deductive way the subordinate orders, namely the the Ksatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Sudras would follow the instruction of the cultured Brahmin. Such ways of approaching the Truth is always simple, plain and perhaps the most perfect.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Sripada Nripen Babu -- New York 27 April, 1967:

The substance of the letter is that Gauracandra has sufficiently exploited his temporary position with power of Attorney and this process is going on since very long time even prior to the arrival of Gauracandra at the cost of the temple property. Amalgamation of all the deities namely the deity of Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami, Deity of Bhugarbha Goswami, the Deity of Jayadeva Goswami and the Deity of Jiva Goswami Prabhupada at one place by your maternal uncle is the beginning of this mismanagement culminating at last by selling the properties of the respective deities by Gauracandra for his personal sense gratification—is clear case of misappropriation and it is clear case of criminal breach of trust.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 3 July, 1968:

Question, para. 2, answer: Sukracarya as spiritual master of Bali taught him that everything should be offered to Visnu. But when Visnu actually appeared before Bali, he was afraid of Bali Maharaja's charitable disposition. He warned Bali Maharaja that this Vamanadeva had come there to take everything from him in the shape of charity, therefore he should not promise Him to give anything. This advice revolted Bali Maharaja because he was formerly instructed that everything should be offered to Visnu, now, why Sukaracharya was asking him not to act by his previous instructions? Sukaracharya was afraid of his own position. He was living at the cost of Bali Maharaja, so if Vamanadeva would take away everything from Bali Maharaja, he was thinking how he would live. That is a materialistic temperament. The materialist does not want to serve or to give to Visnu, because he thinks that by giving away to Visnu he will be put into poverty-stricken condition. This is materialistic estimation. But actually that is not the fact, as it will be evidenced by the dealing of Bali Maharaja and Vamanadeva.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

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. Several times my typewriter and tape recorders were stolen and the police could not take any action. There are many persons in the Bowery street, they have no shelter to live. So if a certain fraction of the people are supposed to be very materially happy at the cost of others, that is not material advancement. Had it been so, then why there are so many persons confused and frustrated? So actually there is no material advancement here. Here, I am seeing practically that Gaurasundara, such a nice intelligent and qualified boy, he has to work hard 12 hours simply for his subsistence. I think there are many instances like that, so this is not material advancement.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hawaii 27 March, 1969:

Then if necessary I may come back to New York from New Vrindaban, or we shall talk when we meet. In the meantime I have received one letter from Subala, in which it is stated that on receipt of the final press proof of BTG from Dai Nippon we shall have to arrange for a letter of credit. But this arrangement is not very palatable to me, because in the last transaction, TLC, we arranged for the credit note at the cost of about $200. In this way they charged $25, for transferring the money to Japan, and they might have charged again such $25, I do not know. And on $6000, with 5% interest for 4 months, it comes to $100. So in total we have lost nearly $200. So this letter of credit is not possible. But one thing can be done, that on receipt of the press proof, you can pay your share, nearly $750, and the balance that is $1350 will be paid on delivery of shipping documents. That I shall arrange.

Letter to Rayarama -- Columbus, Ohio 17 May, 1969:

My advice to you under the circumstances is that at least for one hour you must all go to have Sankirtana outside on the streets or in the park. That is your life and soul, first business. The next business is completing the chanting of 16 rounds every day. The next business is your editing, and if you find extra time, then you can attend the temple ceremonies. Otherwise you can stop these activities, but outdoor kirtana, your editing work and chanting of 16 rounds must be done. Outdoor kirtana must be done, even at the cost of suspending all editorial work.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- New Vrindaban 13 June, 1969:

Regarding Sivananda's plan to go to Paris, it may be suspended till I request him to do so. In the meantime I have received information from London that they have secured a nice house at the cost of $400 per month, so they want me to go there by the end of July. In the meantime, if you think my presence in Hamburg will help your organization, I can go there for a few days. But I do not know what is your financial condition. So if you are serious to call me, you can let me know by return of post. I have received a letter from Mandali Bhadra that they are positively going there on the 27th of June. Regarding the conch shell that was donated, it is welcome. You can use it in the temple.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 7 December, 1969:

Now I am so pleased to learn that your Berkeley center is improving day by day under the good care of yourself and your good wife, Himavati. Please go on improving the condition of this important center until you have made it as good as Los Angeles center. Regarding the building, how much money do you have for a down payment? If you have at least $3,000, then I can ask some other centers to give you a loan for the balance so you can attempt to purchase the house. You say that it is a nice house, so if it is ours, we can decorate it very nicely for a good temple. Otherwise, we do not mind to stay in a rented house. When Krishna will give us opportunity, we shall purchase. Here in London temple we are going to install very big Deities on December 14th. The Deities are 42" high, made of first class marble imported from Jaipur, India by some devotee at the cost of about $400. He has donated it to our temple.

1970 Correspondence

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

Regarding your question that "the devotees are more kind than the Lord because they understand the purpose of the Lord," I may inform you that the Lord's advice to His devotee (pointing out to Arjuna) is that one should not speak about God-consciousness to a person who is neither a devotee nor has undergone any disciplinary methods. But a devotee sometimes takes the risk of approaching nondevotee rascals even at the cost of life. The best example is your Christian religion's Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ risked his life for speaking God-consciousness amongst a people who were fanatics. A similar incident is there in the action of Lord Nityananda.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 27 January, 1970:

I think at that time we will make our program in such a way that in the month of March we shall lay down the foundation stone of our center at the birthsite of Lord Caitanya. So along with your other activities, you should prepare yourself for that purpose.

In the meantime, I am trying to purchase a plot of land there at the cost of somewhere near $3000. We have got about 22 branches and on the average everyone should contribute $150 for this purpose immediately. Big branches should contribute at least $200.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1970:

There are four experienced workers here, out of whom Visnujana is one, and three have already gone outside. Under the circumstances, he can't go to London immediately, but I have advised Hamsaduta to go there and if his service can be utilized in London, because in sankirtana he is as good as Visnujana, then it is alright. Otherwise he will go to Germany. I can follow that Visnujana's service is very much needed in London but he is as much needed in Los Angeles also. So how he can be spared for London at the cost of Los Angeles business? So far brahmacaris are concerned, majorities of advanced students are in London, so why they should be lacking in training to enthuse these new brahmacaris?

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 4 March, 1970:

On the first of April we are going to our new church property which is being purchased at the cost of $225,000, payable in twelve years, and $50,000 down payment. Please keep me informed about your progressive march in Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 24 March, 1970:

t is a good addition to my missionary activities, and I thank you very much. In the London streets, introduction of Rathayatra procession, as well as Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony procession, and in the most important part of the city, a Radha Krsna Temple—all these things are great achievement of your London Yatra party, and personally I feel a great credit for me because by such activities my Guru Maharaja is certainly very pleased upon us. So whatever progress we are making by the grace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, we must stick to them and make further progress. I am enclosing herewith two pictures of our new church buildings, which we are going to purchase at the cost of $225,000; down payment, $50,000. The whole debt has to be cleared off by twelve years. So the management here has taken a great burden upon themselves, and similarly I am awaiting the days when London Yatra party, headed by you, will have a similar achievement in London.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Vamanadeva -- London 24 August, 1971:

If you leave, who will look after St. Louis? You are a householder with wife and children. You can't move very often. Better you stick to one place and develop it nicely. Whenever you move you have to take so much trouble to move your whole family. I do not know what is the situation there in St. Louis but in every center there is potential to improve more and more. My opinion is that you stick to St. Louis and develop it more opulently. Of course I am in favor of opening new centers but not at the cost of taking from our already established centers.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Mayapur 5 June, 1973:

So, what is the meaning of the recommendation of the standing committee that we should immediately be able to reconstruct at the cost of the municipality. Is it useless? I thought that the standing committee's resolution was final but from your letter it appears there is no meaning. What has happened to the new act of February 1973 declaring the tenant of the land to be considered proprietor or owner. Anyway, I have already written to Giriraja my opinion of what should be done.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to All ISKCON Centers -- Vrindaban 14 March, 1974:

If temples print independently it will be at the cost of the books I am myself printing, and could eventually cause the financial ruin of the BBT, meaning I could not order new books from the printer or have sufficient funds for construction of temple projects.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 18 December, 1974:

Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don't like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide. Your farm in Pennsylvania sounds very nice. As far as Bali Mardan being involved with the management he will have nothing to do with that. The two men you have appointed, Paramananda and Devakinandana Prabhus, are both capable and experienced men from New Vrndavana and I am sure they will manage everything very nicely there.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Paramahamsa -- Vrindaban 4 September, 1975:

Regarding the restaurant, that is the defect, that if we divert our attention more on business. Therefore it is very difficult. Things should be adjusted so that temple programs are not hampered. The brahmacaris and sannyasis must stick to the temple activities. Only the grhasthas can take part in the restaurant. Our aim should not be to work for profit. You American boys and girls can make very large profit, but why you have taken to Krishna consciousness? You are not meant for profit making but for advancing in spiritual life. So we should not take to the restaurant for profit making at the cost of slackening of spiritual life. This is dangerous.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to B.R. Sridhara Maharaja -- Los Angeles 6 June, 1976:

This will be the first temple on that island. There are many Indians on that island but there was no systematic temple worship so we are constructing a temple at the cost of $200,000. In the meantime, I have received one letter from Jayapataka Maharaja in which it informs that Madhava Maharaja and also possibly Damodara Maharaja are making propaganda against our attempt to construct a township in Mayapur, with the centre of attraction being the "Vedic Planetarium." In this connection we have applied to the government for 350 acres of land and the matter is in the process. However, Damodara Maharaja and Madhava Maharaja are trying to frustrate our attempt.

Page Title:At the cost of... (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mihir
Created:17 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=19
No. of Quotes:19