You have asked for some men so immediately another batch of two men, Revatinandana and Durlabh Das Adhikari are going today carrying this letter. Durlabh Das has got camera films and machine and so he will be very good for your work there, and Revatinandana is very well known Sankirtana leader. Next on the 28th February, 1971 all of us are going to Calcutta, reaching on the 1st March by the 82 Down Express reaching Howrah at about 4:30 P.M. My desire is that all of you should visit Mayapur at least for one or two days during Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's birthday. If the Hamilton House is available, then I shall also go and finish the business of paying them in full as they want. When I shall go, I shall go with full, money for paying them, but in case the transaction does not mature, then I shall not go to Calcutta but go to Bombay and you all my disciples may visit Mayapur and chant Kirtana as many times as possible and return to Calcutta. Most probably Hamsaduta and his party will go to Calcutta by the 10th March.
Available (Letters 1971 - 1977)
Correspondence
1971 Correspondence
Enclosed please find one set of japa mala, as a sample. I want to purchase similar style beads, as good, if not better, quality and in large numbers. These beads are available in Calcutta and especially in Navadvipa they have got the best quality beads. So please send cost quotation, at lowest price, for 100 sets first quality beads and I will let you know how many I want ordered. Please take care of this matter as soon as possible since I will be leaving Bombay after 5th April.
It is so much encouraging that you have got a very nice temple and that already there are six students living there and following the regulative principles. Anyone who you recommend, I shall immediately initiate him. So take advantage and enchant those who are coming by your chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra. You will be victorious. And try to introduce our books there and it will be a great missionary success. One Krishna book sold means we go forward one step in our Krishna Consciousness. We should always remember this. Now the second part of KRSNA book is available, so take them from Karandhara.
Your report of temple activities in your zone is very much encouraging. In all those centers you should especially emphasize the book distribution program in schools, colleges, libraries, etc. That is most important program, so tax your brain how to increase it more and more and Krishna will surely help you. You write to say that the life membership program is going slowly there but that you are making many common members. That is all right. If no other members are available, then increase the number of common members. Any kind of member, as many as possible.
We were invited to many places to perform the drama. Lord Caitanya inaugurated these Vaisnava dramas, it is true, but where to obtain such copies of these plays I do not know.* While performing such dramas, always the actors must be Vaisnavas. Outsiders may help but devotees should have all the major roles. So you may perform such plays conveniently. It is a very nice program, but do not sacrifice other programs on account of it.
No, there is no need for worshiping Ganapati, and the facility for such worship is not available in your country. Worshiping Krishna is sufficient.
I was expecting you to join Sri Jariwalaji who was so kind to come here for a few days during the festival. So far as the Rs 5000- was concerned, it was transferred by mail to my account. It was received and credited in my bank account. I thank you very much.
The back issues of Back to Godhead magazine are not available here but I shall try to get them from USA and shall send you them in due course.
One of our life members here in India, and our good patron as well, has requested some back issues of BTG. So please send him as many back issues as are available, and if there are none there, then you may instruct Karandhara to do the same. Otherwise just you send some; not that both send. His name and address is as follows:
Sri Mulchand Deomal
Dedi Bathena Bldg,
Palia Street, Nanpura
Surat, INDIA
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.
I have already informed you that if Mohta's house is available completely vacated, then immediately we can purchase, paying cash down. If it is not available, completely vacated, then let us occupy the first and second floors as tenants. If that also is not possible, then you can enter into agreement with the son of Lila Mohan Sing Roy for leasing the flat for one year from the month of May. So far Mohta's house is concerned, we shall try to purchase it when it is completely vacated. In the mean time if they want to sell, we can make agreement and make a reasonable advance.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th June, 1971 addressed to Bombay as well as a copy of the letter addressed 3d June, 1971. Still I am here in Bombay and have not yet gone to London. My program is that on the 20th instant I will go to Moscow for five days and from there I will be going to Paris and London. I have inquired, but it doesn't seem that there are any direct flights available from Moscow to Los Angeles, so it may not be possible for me to reach San Francisco in time for Rathayatra festival. Still, if it is at all possible, I shall try my best. Otherwise I shall participate in the festival in London.
From Calcutta I went to Bombay and then to Moscow. We stayed there for five days. There are many younger Muscovites who are very much anxious to join our movement. Unfortunately the government is so strict that it is difficult to take their cooperation for starting a center there. Every thing is strictly under government control. Still we are trying to open a center with the help of local men. The city is very big and there are many nice buildings, roads, etc., but life is not very happy. One cannot live according to his own choice. Fruits and vegetables are very scantily supplied, but milk, butter and yogurt are amply available. From Moscow I went to Paris. Paris is a very nice city, better than London. All historical buildings are here and they are very gorgeous and panoramic. So we have got a very nice center there. The address is as follows: 26 Rue Etienne d'Orves; Fontenay aux Roses; Paris 92. I stayed only one day on my way to L.A. but still they arranged some nice meetings and a press conference and the people are favorably impressed. They admitted in different papers that our movement is genuine, along with other information.
I hope things are going well there and Mayapur development is going on and that the fencing is being done also, as I instructed you in my last letter. So far my travels, from Bombay you may have heard, I went to Moscow. We stayed there for five days. There are many younger Muscovites who are very anxious for joining our movement. Unfortunately the government is so strict that it is difficult to take their cooperation for starting a center there. Everything is strictly under government control. Still we are trying to open a center with the help of local men. The city is very big and there are many nice buildings, roads, etc., but life is not very happy. One cannot live according to his own choice. Fruits and vegetables are very scantily supplied, but milk, butter and yogurt are readily available.
Still we are trying to open a center with the help of local men. The city is very big and there are many nice buildings, roads, etc. but life is not very happy. One cannot live according to his own choice. Fruits and vegetables are very scantily supplied. Milk, butter and yogurts are amply available, though.
From Moscow, I went to Paris. Paris is a very nice city, better than London. All historical buildings are there and they are very gorgeous and panoramic. So we have got a very nice center there. The address is as follows: 26 Rue Etienne d'Orves; Fontenay aux Roses; Paris 92. I stayed only one day on my way to L.A. but still they arranged some nice meeting and a press conference and the people were favorably impressed. They admitted in different papers that our movement is genuine along with other information.
The restaurant proposal is very nice. It should be very neat and clean and in the center column there should be Guru Gauranga altar. Everything prepared should be offered and kept on a table and the customer or guest should come and take prasadam on a plate to his full satisfaction. He can sit at table with chair. The items of prasadam you already know; kachori, Luglu, Samosa, sweet balls, simply wonderful, vegetables, chutneys, puspana, halava, etc; The ingredients are easily available. As other things are available, you can increase your menu. And any party who pays more than $5.00 can be presented with a small book like Easy Journey, or Krishna, the Reservoir of Pleasure, and a copy of our magazine. And if possible, continually tapes should be played of kirtanas and songs and record albums also.
I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 21st June, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far Moscow is concerned, there was only one substantial meeting, with one Professor Kotovsky and the tape of that conversation is being transcribed. Also I have written an introduction to the three lectures I had proposed to deliver in Moscow: 1) Vedic conception of Socialism and Communism, 2) Scientific values of a classless society; and 3) Knowledge by Authoritative Tradition. These are yet to be written. Photographs have been taken also. So I will collect all the material available and send it all to you in the very near future for publication in BTG.
I have seen the newsletter and it is nicely written, but the idea itself is not so good. If you post such newsletter to big businessmen and politicians, etc., their secretaries will throw it away. It is not so easy to approach such big people by letter. An attempt to see them personally is better. Otherwise it is a waste of time. Thousands of advertisements are going in the mail. Who cares for them?
In answer to Krishna Devi's questions: I have not received your cook book as of yet; mustard seed, etc.—these are exciting spices and should be avoided; Vegetable ghee is all right if real ghee is not available or easily acquired.
So far my coming to Israel, I will be glad to come but I do not know yet if it is possible. But when my program is fixed up I will let you know, probably by the first week in August.
So far the chief guest is concerned, I have written Tamala that if Indira Gandhi or some nice donor is not available, then forget this function. I was in Calcutta when there was an attempt to post one literature in which it was falsely declared that Indira Gandhi was to perform the corner stone ceremony, and I objected. Everything should be done very carefully. We are increasing in volume and we have got some prestige. Nothing should be done irresponsibly.
Regarding our cornerstone ceremony, if Indira Gandhi is not available at any time, then forget this ceremony. But if she is so kind to you as you said in your letter then she can come at her convenience. Otherwise we don't require to have such elaborate ceremony. Because it appears that nobody is going to give us any big donations, at least for the time being it appears that there is no such prospect.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far the Mayapur program is concerned, if Indira Gandhi is not available, then forget this program. I have tried from here to induce the high commissioner for India to write Indira Gandhi, so we should do our best. If it is not possible, then there should be no ceremony. She has not flatly denied us. She said if she is on the Bengal side she would come. So find out the date when she will be on that side. So far as getting signatures of some big men in Bengal, Tarun Kanti Ghosh is a big congress leader so why he can't help in this connection? He must know Indira Gandhi very well personally.
I hope you are doing well. I learned from other members of our society that you kindly sometimes visit our Mayapur center where we have already got one cottage. When I was in Calcutta we talked of purchasing more land. I am still prepared to purchase if we get bargain price or at least at the current local price but I have heard that people are asking more than the expectation. So conveniently you may go sometime at Mayapur and stay with our men and negotiate with persons. If they are prepared to sell the land at the right price, then I can purchase all the available land. My idea is to purchase land for agriculture so inmates may not depend on outsiders but grow food there and things may go on nicely.
Students from all parts of the world will go there to take education in this important subject. Modern civilization is running on the bodily concept of life. Such a civilization is nothing but polished animalistic civilization. They can never bring the right knowledge to the human society. So our Krishna Consciousness Movement is especially meant for enlivening men in this novel educational system. We have published about 10 big big books of 400 to 1000 pages each. Further books are being published. You can show them the books so that they can understand the importance of this movement and if sufficient cooperation is available we can increase our branch opening activity and surely we can contribute the best knowledge to the human society. So with our books, workers, and sincere activities we must come out successful in this attempt.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th September, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far purchasing adjacent land is concerned, that is also my opinion that if they are available at reasonable price we should purchase. So with the consultation of the lawyer and Mr. Sarkar do the needful. We have got a very heavy task before us. Together we have to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement for a revolutionary change all over the world. It is not our manufactured movement but it was ordered by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and we are simply carriers of his shoes. So let us do this duty carefully so that our life may be successful, although our attempts are not as great as they should have been.
And Krishna has made himself available in the form of very nice brass Murtis from Washington D.C. It is not necessary also that Lord Jagannatha come along. Sometimes He is misunderstood also. The Deities can be installed in a temple and then taken for travelling. That will be best. So far Silavati's other questions: The large brass Deities can be bathed the same as the small ones if they can be handled easily; Cooking can go on after the Deities' plate is 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.
I'm especially pleased to hear that your distribution of our books and magazines has increased. Go on in this way, increasing more and more. Each time someone reads some solid information about Krishna his life becomes changed in some way. These literatures are the solid ground upon which our preaching stands, so I want that they should be available to everyone, as many as possible. So please try for this.
I am especially pleased that MacMillan Co. is now very interested to print Bhagavad-gita As It Is. I am also pleased to know that in one bookstore there were 1 doz. of our present Gita. This is very encouraging news. It means that ours is becoming the biggest-selling Gita in U.S.A., because there is not 1 doz. of any other translation stocked anywhere. I very much approve of the $4.95 price, or if you think it is better, $3.95 may also be charged. How many pictures will you include in the paperback edition? Hardback? What about India, will MacMillan versions of my books be available here, and for what price? So far I know, there is a MacMillan Co. office in India, I think in Bombay. If they will print an edition here, that will also be nice.
I was thinking that you could send that Cadillac car to India, but I understand there are no spare parts available here, so what is the use? So use it for equipping your travelling party as you see fit.
I am very glad to consent to accept the nice boys and girls you have recommended as my duly initiated disciples. I have replied them under separate cover, and have also sent five sets of beads duly chanted, along with five copies of Gayatri mantra and five sacred threads, also duly chanted on, by separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give sacred threads and Gayatri mantra to Karnamrta, Srutakirti, Kuladri, Harikesa, and Devaprastha. I think you can obtain a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Rupanuga. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all ten devotees.
Regarding your questions, there is no question of using paper plastic fruits and flowers for worshiping the deities. If no fresh fruits or flowers are available, then you can decorate with some fresh leaves. You have seen our temples; nowhere do we use such things. You are experienced devotee, why you propose like that? We are not after decoration, we are after devotional service for pleasing Krishna's senses. Decoration must be there of course, to make the temple as opulent as possible for pleasing Krishna. Outside the temple, you can use the plastic ornaments. But not for worship. For daily worship there must be fresh fruit, flowers, and leaves.
I am very encouraged by the reports of the tremendous success of your TV and radio programs. As much as possible try to increase our preaching programs by using all the mass media which are available. We are modern day Vaisnavas and we must preach vigorously using all the means available.
1972 Correspondence
Your proposal for establishing a Krishna Consciousness community on the land which you have is very good. Whenever we get some land available we should take the opportunity to develop it into an ideal community as envisioned for New Vrindaban. We can have a great many such communities all over the world so that people everywhere can see how by leading a pure and simple life of Krishna consciousness, all one's needs in life can be satisfied. Actually, the so-called civilization of the Kali yuga with its over industrialization, has not been able to give to man the happiness he is seeking. So as you say that your land is very suitable for cow protection and for Tulsi to grow, then Krishna is giving you the opportunity to develop this program. Protect some cows, grow crops, and if possible provide fresh milk and butter for the Temples nearby. And the rest of the time chant Hare Krishna and read my books. In this way you can live very peacefully without any disturbances from anyone.
I have read the translation of the pamphlet published for distribution in Djakarta. It is very nicely done. And I have also appreciated the photos showing you distributing Prasadam and performing Kirtana. Southeast Asia is a very good field for our activities, so you should continue vigorously in the same way you have been. So far your request for a couple to come and teach school in Djakarta, from here in India there are no available men as we have got the very big tasks of developing Mayapur and Vrindaban. Best thing will be that you write to Bali Mardan in New York and ask him that he should arrange for a mature householder couple to come from the U.S. Since the principal is offering kindly this chance to us, we must take it, so please inform Bali Mardan that someone should go.
Distributing literatures in German language is the most important task ahead, and it is very good your proposal to print locally—but why it was not done before? Anything local available is better, if the supply is regular. If you can arrange for that, then do it. I do not know why in Europe nothing has been done to print books. So many years you have been there, and still there is no literature in European languages. Why is it that you cannot find out some formula for printing nicely, I think there is no shortage of translators. Better if you turn your attention to this project immediately.
So far Acyutananda's book is concerned, I have already written that you should try to collect at least 50% of the printing costs there, and all of the costs if you can, but the Book Fund, if absolutely necessary, will pay up to 50%. So far the other books in English which you mention, if you find a good printer you may order the plates to be sent here from Karandhara and they must be printed immediately. If such books are inexpensively available to all Indian people, that will give our preaching work a great boost, so try for it very seriously.
Sentiments are temporary and they always dry up. But what the people really want is a philosophy to give their life meaning and guide it under all changing circumstances—and the only philosophy available nowadays is profit, where is profit for sense gratification, or Marxism, or this -ism or that -ism. But none of these so-called philosophies have proven very successful in satisfying the people. Therefore, there is trouble all over the world, dissatisfaction, and people are taking to the only philosophy left or hopelessness philosophy. But our Krishna philosophy is bringing real meaning and hope to the modern people, we are opening up the dead churches and temples, so we may be certain that because our philosophy offers the substantial basis for everyone's life and the solution to all kinds of problems of miserable material life, that very soon the prediction of Lord Caitanya will come true and all men of the world will find shelter at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.
A woman's real business is to look after household affairs, keep everything neat and clean, and if there is sufficient milk supply available, she should always be engaged in churning butter, making yogurt, curd, so many nice varieties, simply from milk. The woman should be cleaning, sewing, like that. So if you simply practice these things yourselves and show examples, they will learn automatically, one doesn't have to give formal instruction in these matters.
I am in due receipt of your letter of February 2, 1972, and I shall answer your questions as follows: (1) "Panjika" is a calendar. (2) As for your question about Santa Rasa and the opinions of Rupa Goswami and Sridhara Swami, I don't remember. You can send me the appropriate passages. There is no reason why Acaryas cannot differ on certain points. (3) Dhoop arati may be performed in the morning if there is unusually great complaining, but it is better to hold full arati, but quietly, as in Bombay they play a tape-recording of myself singing arati softly and hold full arati. We should not try to diminish our standard of deity worship once it has reached a certain program, and it is especially nice to wake up Radha and Krishna with full arati with everyone dancing, but quietly. (4) You may wait until I arrive there before installing deities. (5) So far foodstuffs offered do the needful. Whatever is available and also very nice, that is offerable, as long as no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onions, or other very objectionable foodstuffs are there. Salads are all right, and there is no condition on which type of rice, the best available under the circumstances, that's all. What matters is that everything is very nicely prepared and offered with great loving devotion, that is wanted.
In the meantime I am very much pleased to inform you that there is very good demand in India for the small edition of my Bhagavad-gita published by you. Unfortunately, stocks are not available here in India. I understand that you have got your appointed agents here in india, namely "India Book House." They have got their office in Warden Road, a few blocks from our Temple in Bombay on the same road. I went there personally to inquire whether they have got the book in stock, but they had no stock. So I shall request you to immediately send stock of my Bhagavad-gita already published in sufficient numbers so that we can inform our thousands of devotees and Indian customers to take supply from your agents here.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 3, 1972, and I have noted with pleasure that you are pushing on with this Krishna Consciousness movement there with full enthusiasm. As for your shortage of literature, that seems to be the general story throughout the Society, but just recently Karandhara as gone to Japan and ordered nearly $200,000 worth of our books to be delivered by April 1st, so you may place your order now with New York or with Miami or whoever supplies you with books, and soon you shall have plenty. Meanwhile, you may send to ISKCON Press for any small literatures which are available, such as "Easy Journey" and "Topmost Yoga." I am told that ISKCON Press has recently printed a large stock of these two books. Why these have not been sent to you? Or at least why you have not heard about them being available? I think if you are suffering for a shortage of literature you may write to Karandhara and he will take action. At least I think he has a large stock of small brochures which I like very much and which are very interesting. If the big centers on the east coast of your country are not cooperating by sending books, then you may deal directly with Karandhara as he is very reliable boy.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 20, 1972, and I am very much pleased by the latest books from ISKCON Press. Many, many such small booklets may be produced by you, make them very attractive, and they will sell like anything. There is no other literatures like ours in the world, and this information like "Here is God, just see Him, can you give any clear picture of God," this clear understanding of God is not available anywhere else but from our books, so if you are convinced on this point, then produce books voluminously. But one thing is you must also increase facilities in your New York and that side for distributing also, because I have heard that this program is being very much neglected in the eastern part.
In Bombay there are many charitable institutions and Trusts, so if you approach them and they are convinced about our activities, enough money can be collected intelligently. I never suggested for a round building. Every inch of the available land should be utilized for a skyscraper. I do not know if Saurabha has made any designs. If so, let him send them to me, along with site plan, so I may make suggestions and give him direction how to do it.
In every college and university all over the world, there are so many different courses available to help the student become more entangled in the material world and to forget his real occupation. But none of them offer any instruction on the nature of the spirit soul and his relation with the Supreme Soul. So our program at these colleges is so important, because we are giving all these young people an opportunity to develop real knowledge and make their lives successful. I am so pleased to know that all of you are very enthusiastic for pushing on this program. Always keep this enthusiasm, and increase it more and more, and Krishna will give you all help and guidance.
"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.
I have appointed this GBC to maintain the standards. I don't do these things. I am always careful about the mail and the money. This is very serious business, if we go to so much effort to make these books available to the human society, and then no one takes care and portions are lost, and no money is paid by the temples to Book Fund, then what is the use? We must have a very efficient office at each temple, with facilities for prompt distribution of mail to the proper persons, not that the mail is simply left in a corner for everyone to pick through and find out for themselves. No, it should be delivered to the proper persons. And strict accounts must be kept. Atreya Rsi is there and he is always wanting some such engagement, why you do not engage him in being temple treasurer, keeping the accounts and records, answering the telephone? We must be very careful not to slide back into whimsically doing everything. You are GBC, and I see by the results of your being there that you are able to do these things, why you do not help Rupanuga and do them?
There is one saying that one should cut the coat according to the pocket. So even we cannot afford the proposed temple project as we have got the plans drawn by Saurabha and that architect, Mr. Suri, still, if we have not got sufficient funds and if there is long delay to get them, better to go ahead and build something little cheaper and very simple. The temple can be made with ordinary bricks if there is no money available, as I have drawn the plan before in the beginning. Unless someone comes forward with money, this structure as you have drawn it will be too much expensive. According to our means and strength we can construct a simple temple of bricks only. But one thing is, you must have somebody who can look after the work who has got some experience or you will be cheated. Jayapataka has got good experience in Mayapur, so he can sometimes go to Vrndavana, give instructions, and go back, like that. So you may write him in this connection and make the proposal. Singhania will not give anything, rest assured. Don't go after him, he is like that, very difficult to deal with. Regarding the revised plans that you have sent me, the side-supports or slabs vertical can be made of stone slabs which are easily available.
I am in due receipt of your letter from Delhi dated 2 August, 1972 and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am very glad to hear that we shall be holding another Hare Krishna Festival in Delhi this year, and I am hoping that I shall also be able to attend as before. That LIC grounds is no longer available, but we must find another suitable location within the city center of New Delhi,* as close to Connaught Circus as possible. That will be very nice. So you and your good wife kindly give Gurudasa all assistance for organizing the festival, and I shall also come if I am able.
Srutakirti is doing very nicely as my servant, he is a very good boy and I thank you for recommending him to me. So far purchasing the Allen farm is concerned, that you must decide in conjunction with Rupanuga, Hayagriva, and the others. But one thing is, we have not yet developed what we have got, so what is the point of expanding further? However if there is a good bargain and you think it is wise, I have no objection if you purchase the Allen farm, provided everyone agrees and there is sufficient money available.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 25, 1972, and I am very much distressed that this conveyance business is still going on and it cannot be settled. You have formed a big committee with Sumati Morarji, so what use is such committee? Why they cannot help you finish this business? 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.
A copy of Giriraja's letter is already sent to you and I have requested you to go there along with Bhavananda if possible or you go alone and save the situation. If money is required from here it can be arranged in the same way as with Mayapur. But it is better to arrange for the money locally through the bank, as Sumati Morarji-Ben has promised. If money is not available in that way, then arrange money from Mr. Jayan and we shall arrange for the necessary action as it is done. But in any case we must not deviate from the terms of the purchase agreement. But as a matter of concession we can pay further 5 lacs of rupees, to be deducted from the total price of 14 lacs. We have already paid 2 lacs, and if we pay further 5 lacs, taking loan from others, then it is to be understood that we have paid 7 lacs on the total, and the further 7 lacs will be paid, either taking loan from the bank, failing which, in terms of the original purchase agreement as already devised there, we shall take the remaining 7 lacs as mortgage from Mr. Nair.
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.
1973 Correspondence
So if many devotees are going out daily on the streets and public places for distributing our literature, that is also sankirtana, even if there is no one chanting. Hearing and chanting are essential processes for sankirtana. So if someone is hearing us singing on the street, or if he is purchasing one book and if he reads sincerely, these two activities are the same. So if there is any occasion of necessity, if there are not very many men available or if there is prohibition by the municipal authorities, something like that, we may assign everyone for distributing our literatures, there is no loss for that. But it is always better if there are also some devotees chanting loudly on the street. If there is even one man to two men or a small party who are chanting Hare Krishna, that will increase also the book sales. So if there are sufficient men, and if we have got sanction by the authorities, it is always better to have at least a small party chanting along with as many distributers of books as possible.
Gaura Nitai Deities may be approved and ordered by the local Temple presidents with consultation of the GBC. There should be at least three or four brahmanas available. So there is no need to delay any shipments if these qualifications are met.
I have seen the little booklet of the lecture by your good husband, but I have not been able to read it yet, but especially I like the comparison between nirvisesavad and savisesavad, the difference is shocking.
You have suggested that if property is purchased in New York, we can be free from the taxes. So M-V Trust can immediately purchase property in New York and can make down payment of $70,000. So if there is any suitable property available, please send me the particulars, what is the description, the price, the income. Please do this at your earliest.
Now we are going to install nice Radha-Krsna Deities here in our new Letchmore Heath Temple on Janmastami Day, August 22nd 1973. The thing is there are no nice paintings immediately available for the Temple room here. So I want you to remove all of the paintings that are presently hanging in my rooms at Brooklyn Temple and dispatch them to Letchmore Heath or London immediately by air mail. The temple room is very large, I think about 70 feet by 30 feet, so many paintings are required to decorate it nicely. Therefore all of those paintings in my rooms are required and if you can send me besides additional of the newer paintings that will be your great contribution.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your report for Central USA dated September 25th and I have noted the contents with great satisfaction. Your reports are coming more regularly than any other GBC and from them I can understand that things are developing very steadily under your supervision.
Karandhara's plan to eventually purchase the entire block of land for Gurukula at the low price it is available is good. Yes, Dayananda is correct. When the boys and girls become ten or twelve years and above, then should be separated. At that time special care should be taken, because once they become a victim of sex their whole life becomes spoiled.
I am very pleased that you and Hrdayananda Swami are traveling and preaching and that everyone was singing and dancing at the kirtana at the U. of Iowa. It is a sign of great success. Your plan to spend up to one month in each big university city sometimes taking an apartment for conducting regular evening meetings is approved by me. But do not open any permanent centers, just take the apartment for a month and then move onto another city. For the time being new centers may not be opened. Whatever centers we have got already, let us organize them very soundly. If more men are available, let them come to India. I have already written to Karandhara that fifty more men are required in India, so if possible, you may arrange for some men to come from your zone.
Now print books. Don't use this money for any other purpose than publishing. Some percentage may be kept by you for getting your own house, either purchasing or constructing our own temple. If the present house is available, then purchase.
I am glad to hear about Geneva. It is a very important place to establish a center. Now in Bombay after much difficulty we have purchased the property spending about 18 lakhs, having to pay so many claimants, but now it is ours, although still there remains one item. Arrangements are being made for the temple construction is going on locally. Our Delhi festival is now finished, and it was nice. Now I am in Vrindaban staying in my house on our Raman Reti land. Wednesday the 21st I shall proceed to Bombay.
1974 Correspondence
Regarding starting a school in Vrindaban, we don't want any school for studying philosophy. Simply a school for teaching our members sanskrit and Hindi. Dr. Kapoor has expressed his inability to teach language, that's all right, for the time being we don't require any philosophical teacher. Start with Hari Goswami for teaching Hindi and Sanskrit. Regularly he can teach 2 hours in the morning and 2 in the evening. He can be paid a reasonable renumeration, maybe at least Rs 200 per month. He can be assisted by another teacher available in Vrindaban. I have noted down the Punjab National Bank Account number, 6112, and I thank you very much.
Regarding grains, if rice and mung dahl is available from Formosa please try to secure as much as possible as donation or by purchase. India is now practically without food grains on account of, partially, nature's punishment, and partially, the hoarding plan of the rogues. We wish to distribute cooked food such as rice, dahl and capatis to as many hungry men as possible. I think both you and Bali Mardan along with the help of other friends can help our society in this connection. I am so pleased to learn our New York temple is going so nicely under your direction.
Now I am especially concerned to distribute grains, rice, wheat in the form of dahl and rice prasadam to hungry people all over India. The people here are very disturbed because, partly due to the punishment of Nature, and partly due to the mismanagement of the demon class of men, food is not available. If the people do not even have sufficient food they will not even be able to receive spiritual instructions. So I am hopeful that if we can widely distribute free foodstuffs to the people of India, by giving it out at our centers as well as by travelling parties to villages, we will win over the whole country and the whole world by this activity on Krsna's behalf.
I have read in your letter how the brahmacaris find it very difficult to plough. It will be very difficult if we do not work the land ourselves. The difficulty can be overcome provided we are sincere. I think we can use modern machines, to drive a tractor, for example, is as easy as driving a car. Suppose we hire a tractor for the time being. I heard they are available from Krishnanagar. In America they take to agriculture; they are farmers although they are not Indians. So why can't the Americans work and farm in India? We just have to adjust in order to raise as much crops as possible for the animals and men. I have seen many farmers near New Vrindaban working nicely with tractors and growing food. One day Kirtanananda Swami hired one and within two hours he tilled many acres of land very nicely, although it was not even land. So in Mayapur it is even land; in a few hours we can till all the land we possess. My point is if somehow we cannot utilize the land then why purchase it at such expenditure? Self help doesn't mean Rs 10,000 spent monthly.
I wish to express my heart-felt gratitude for the kind treatment given me and my disciples, members of the Hare Krishna Movement on our recent two day visit in Tirumala. The special excess we were given for darsana before Balaji is something we will always remember favorably, and for my American and European followers it was a rarely given privilege for which they are fully appreciative. We all left Tirupati feeling very much inspired by the darsana and by your excellent management, and we hope to return when we are able again.
If there is any land available, either for purchase or donation, we would be interested in constructing a cottage for the exclusive use of members of our society when they make pilgrimage to Tirupati. Please advise us on the availability of such land.
Up to 5,000 to 10,000 rupees for purchasing land there is always available from the Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust fund. You write that you now have Rs. 9000/ so another 10,000/ will be made available to you for this purpose.
As for the hand-tiller from Japan that you are using on a trial basis, you should ask Bali Mardan to supply you this Japanese machine. He has good connections in Japan. He can provide you that same Japanese motor hand-tiller much cheaper or even free.
Another thing, is that we have received a serious criticism that one of our very important Indian life members, Mr. Brij Mohon, M.P. visited Bhaktivedanta Manor, and was refused entry. He even had a letter from Tejyas das introducing him. This has caused much concern and Gargamuni Swami is postponing his scheme to take life members on a tour of many of our centers, thinking the centers are not ready to receive guests. Please investigate this report of the turning away of a life member at the Manor and let me know. There should always be one or two rooms available for a life member. In your report you say 450 Indians visited on Sunday, so how could one Indian be turned away? Who turned him away?
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram in which you inquire about making available $130,000 for use by the Spiritual Sky Touring program bringing life members on a tour around the world. This touring program has been postponed. So for now do not bother about this capital.
We have a temple located in Paris at the following address: 4 reu Le Sueur, 75016 Paris, France. You are welcome to go and stay there for some time to learn Krishna Consciousness. You can write to them and they can give you information on obtaining many of our other books. We have a book on the story of Krishna. It is called Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I think you will like this book very much. These books are in disciplic succession. They are authorized and they are giving the real process of Krishna Consciousness never before made available to the English speaking world.
Regarding taking the Deities out on sankirtana as advised by Tamala Krsna Goswami, occasionally the Deities may come and go, however you can let Tamala Krsna Goswami guide you in this connection. Regarding having your wife do the management, if there are no men available then what can be done? But now there is some difficulty in the management there is no question of opening up any restaurant. Do not open any restaurant.
"One who considers the arca murti or worshipable Deity of Lord Visnu to be stone, the spiritual master to be an ordinary human being, and a Vaisnava to belong to a particular caste or creed, is possessed of hellish intelligence."
If the Edinburgh house is still available, it must be re-opened.
I have seen the BBT Memo to all centers dated October 16, 1974 together with the inventory of book stock prepared by Bhugarbha das. Now henceforward you make the following arrangement for getting payment from the temples for BBT. For all book orders the BBT will present the invoice and shipping documents to your bank a/c BBT for collection. The orders may be shipped by rail, so the temples will pay the invoice amount in order to receive the shipping documents from the Bank, and then collect the goods. Now that the inventory has been sent to all centers, there should be no complaint that there are no books being made available. Let them pay for what they order, and you fill the orders promptly, so there should be no difficulty.
The reason book distribution is greater than chanting is because the effect is wider. A purchased book goes into a person's home and will be read by others, whereas street kirtana only benefits those in the vicinity who hear. Two cases are cited. In Portugal one boy, who is only 11 years old, has become a devotee. He offers prasadam and is translating Bhagavad-gita As It Is into Portuguese with the help of his mother. He got several of our books at a bookstore in Lisbon and has asked his father who is just now coming to USA to get him all available Srimad-Bhagavatams. Prabhupada remarks that our books went there to Portugal but we did not, but still he has become a devotee. Then in Tokyo airport Prabhupada tells how one Japanese youth approached Srila Prabhupada and asked if he could speak with Srila Prabhupada. When Prabhupada said yes, the boy asked, "Where do you get all the knowledge that is in your books?" So by comparative study book selling is more important.
Regarding Gurukula, they are in financial difficulty, so introduce book distribution. Sankirtana and Book Distribution should be pushed side by side, and there will be no difficulties. That is our experience.
If men are available, yes, you can open a center in Kansas City,; that will be nice. Regarding moving the older boys to New Orleans, that is to be decided by the GBC.
It is expected that in the near future the tax shelter that was offered to Spiritual Sky by ISKCON will not be available when the U.S. tax laws are changed. It is also understood that the Spiritual Sky management intends to separate itself from ISKCON in the near future.
Further, in a memo dated October 16, 1974 written by Ramesvara it is stated: "For a number of reasons the temples around the Society in general have been completely dropping Spiritual Sky over the past three months as a permanent business function." Jayatirtha has also indicated that the future Spiritual Sky personnel policy is to phase out devotee participation as fas as possible.
It is very good that you are still trying for a new building. It is long overdue. Why not the same Park Avenue building if it is available? I think that if you all try, it will not be difficult to obtain the required money to obtain it.
You have marked that she bought a Toyota car with temple funds, so how could she be a Toyota. You have used your common sense. She wanted to hide herself in so many ways, just like this picture, but she could not.
Bali Mardan says that taking milk is also the same as eating meat, therefore you can eat meat. Therefore does it mean that because what I eat all turns to stool, then I should eat stool? If everything I eat turns to stool, does it mean I should eat stool? Is this sound logic? He was a sincere boy, but he has fallen down by bad association. Still I can rectify both of them, provided they agree.
I think that you should immediately try and get the church in Toronto. Take it immediately. Church is always cheaper as there are not many other purchasers. This way we can bargain with them and bring the price down. The psychology behind it is that the Christians will hesitate to tear down a church. They would rather see it still standing. Gradually you should buy all the churches and make them into temples. There are so many churches actually they should give us these churches free, if they were actually God-conscious. But they are sectarian. Anyway purchase this church immediately. It is not very costly. $200,000 you can arrange. If it is available from BBT at this time then I have no objection. You can make the $150,000 loan from BBT. I do not know though if that much is available.
1975 Correspondence
Herewith please find the corrected copy of Gita Gana. Do the needful immediately. The bearer of this letter, Krishnagraja das, is going to Delhi on a mission to see the Home Member. So, give him all help in this connection. If you have got the Hare Krishna film, please make it available for his use.
A similar letter was addressed to Sripada Sridhara Maharaja inviting him, but he has not objected to the temple being open on the Srim Rama Navami day. Sridhara Maharaja on account of his uncertain health condition will not be able to take any active part in celebrating the ceremony, but he has promised to come provided his health permits. I have therefore entrusted the matter to a learned pandita, brahmana, Bhimasena Vedacarya, a great astrologer and learned brahmana. He has agreed to conduct the ceremony. Details may be discussed as soon as I return to India by the 16th of March in Bombay, then we will have a detailed program. Another thing is that I have invited the Governor of U.P., Mr. Channa Reddy and he has also agreed to join the ceremony. Under the circumstances, I don't think it will be possible to change the scheduled date. If we change the date, the Governor may not be available because he has his program fixed up.
Now, plans should be made how to utilize all the lands available. Sumati Morarji wanted some land for her school on lease. I think we shall negotiate with her on favorable terms. Things in the past were done very irregularly. Now, everything must be done very carefully and cautiously.
I am in due receipt of your telegram which read as follows: MISSED YOUR GRACE BY HOURS AGREEMENT DRAFT FOR FARM LAND SENT TO YOU PLEASE SANCTION RS 30,000 URGENT TRANSFER TO PREPARE FOR UTILIZING THIS MONSOON -MAHAMSA SWAMI. But, I have not received the draft copy as informed by you. Regarding the money, rs. 30,000, of course, if need be, it must be paid, but one thing is that you must be very careful that our temple portion must be completed by Janmastami so that the Deity can be moved there. This is very important that the temple portion be completed by Janmastami. Whatever money was available, I have given 1-1/2 lakhs to Jayapataka Swami and 2 lakhs to Giriraja. So, you have to take this money from Giriraja. Please arrange like that and let me know what is the progress of Hyderabad activities at my Honolulu address: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
What is the form of Deity being worshiped there? How the management is going on? Who is the chief Birla under whose direction the temple is being managed? My idea is that if this temple can be used for our movement, then we do not need to construct a separate temple. If it is not possible to utilize this temple, then we can construct our own temple and for constructing temple and varnasrama college, we shall require a big plot of land—at least 10-15 acres or more. Whether this plot of land is available through the government acquirement. So, these are the immediate questions which I place before you. Kindly let me know the answers as soon as possible.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 6, 1975 and have noted the contents. The idea of the Bhetnama system is that the man pays the cost of the room and we make a plate with his name on it saying, "the cost was payed by such and such person." Whenever he may come, he can use the room. And when he is gone we will use the room for other guests, but if he may come the room will immediately be made available. After his death, his heirs cannot make any claim on the room. While staying with us, they must follow the principles and there should be a certain limit to how long they can stay. For the details, I think Giriraja can find out how it is done at Tirupati and other temples in India and let you know. I will ask him to do so and inform you.
Also One of the rooftop blocks may be dedicated for stocking books as go down. You may select the largest one available. If you fit it with book shelves that are away from the wall and not touching one another; i.e. the shelves should be wide enough to accommodate only one row of books and each shelf should be separated by a space wide enough for a man to pass; then you will not have the rat problem.
You now have to make a program for building on all the vacant land. Every inch of available land will be built up. In the back side of my apartment the single story tenants should be induced to occupy temporarily the rooftop flats, and we shall construct a three or four story building where their houses are on their plot and shall then give them the same area to live in the new building. Now make this plan. Every drop of land must be filled with buildings. We cannot spare any land for any other purpose. Take sanction and make plans for these buildings. If the tenants become devotees and follow our principles, arising early like the others, then we can forgo their rent, but no nonsense concessions of sitting room. This is all rubbish things. So make plans for all vacant lands for buildings. We actually do not want anyone to live there who is not a devotee. Note this policy and do the needful.
The paper sample you have sent is not at all good. It is third class. If good paper is not available then we shall not print. If the printer is getting import license to import books for selling, why we are not getting? What have we done that we are not getting this license? Why are we prohibited from selling our books, and the others can do it? How are they paying for the books? Are they sending out foreign exchange as payment? The best thing will be for them to get import license to import paper. We shall supply them the paper. But this paper you have sent is not approved. It is not even half as good as the paper supplied from Japan.
Regarding getting a different house in the City, that's nice. In the City purchase a first class house, and the Indians will pay for it. Now the Indians are interested to come to the temple, and in the City they will take more interest. Yes, utilize the land at the Manor, and purchase a first class building in the City. There are many churches that are vacant. Find out one. I saw many nice churches when I was there with Dayananda. He has much information about them, but he does not remember. If required he can go there for one month and find out some church and negotiate. There is one Paddington Church. Also there is one I saw with a weak roof, but we can repair it. There was also a YMCA building available near our temple. So you find out some nice building or church.
Regarding Bombay, yes the tenants have no right for recreation area. They are paying for the rooms at much less price, so they can remain in their rooms. They cannot have playing ground. This is not in the Rent Act. We cannot spare any land. We will construct land on all available space. They can go to the public park for playing. All vacant land should be developed with buildings. We want sufficient income.
I hope you may enquire into the availability of lands for such a complete development scheme which will benefit the people at large.
Generally it is very difficult to understand Krishna tattvatah, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, manusyanam saharasresu/ kascid yatati siddhaye/ yatatam api siddhanam/ kascin mam vetti tattvatah. "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." (BG 7.3) But, Krishna is available through the process of devotional service, bhakti yoga, bhaktya mam abhijanati (BG 18.55), and anyone who actually understands about Krishna, about His appearance and disappearance, he goes back to home, Back to Godhead, janma karma ca me divyam/ evam yo vetti tattvatah/ tyaktva deham punar janma/ naiti mam eti so 'rjuna (BG 4.9). Therefore in the Brahma Samhita we learn: vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). It is further stated in the Padma Purāṇa: atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih/ sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah (Brs. 1.2.234). "No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality, and pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." Krishna cannot be known by the materially blunt senses. When you utilize your tongue in the service of the Lord then Krishna reveals Himself. You cannot order Krishna please come and I will see you.
The land at Kuruksetra is now available to us. So you can come and join me. If you meet me in Nairobi at about the third week of October, then we can come to India together.
I am in due receipt of your two letters dated September 10th & 16th, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. Regarding the propaganda for Russia, it is a very good idea to include the interview and the Marx discussion in the same book. After publishing the book, there is no question of distributing it underground by smuggling it into Russia. Sell it openly outside of Russia. It will be for people coming to visit our temples who come from there. You can advertise that ISKCON Books in Russian language are available in such and such place. That they cannot stop.
So your book distribution is very good. I think our books will never keep us in a poverty-stricken condition. This is the blessings of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada. He is very pleased that you are distributing so many books. The American program for distributing books is very successful in this connection. So you collected $20,000 in one week. Now you are a rich man. We are also constructing the Bombay temple and the work has begun and if you so desire, you can send some contribution. Also we now have got Hindi and Gujarati publications. Do you require any for the Indians there? Now you are going to print the small Bhagavad-gita. One thing is if the people will get the small Bhagavad-gita at the cheap price, then will they want to purchase the bigger one? Will that be good? How will you distribute the bigger ones at the more expensive price when there is the cheaper one also available?
Regarding my head for the statue, that will appear in the museum, all of them, they are perfectly done. Locana has done very, very well. Yes, it is good if you prepare a mold so that these life-sized murtis can be available. I am sending these photographs with Saurabha to Jaipur for their making the murtis here for the Bombay temple.
Regarding the fruit decorations, it is not proper for them to be on the head of the throne. This should not be done.
I am in due reciept of your letter of November 9, 1975 and also your telegram to Brahmananda Swami reading as follows: "ASK SRILA PRABHUPADA IF WE SHOULD BUY SMALL CHURCH IN PHOENIX TWO BLOCKS FROM UNIVERSITY WITH $15,000 to $20,000 LOAN FROM BBT. WIRE BACK IMMEDIATELY AS MAY BE SOLD SOON. NALINIKANTA." So this matter I cannot say because I do not know what money is available. You have to consult this with Ramesvara. Regarding taking sannyasa, this mentality that either I will have sex life or I will take sannyasa, this is not proper. Sannyasa means that one is finished with material life. So you have gotten married and you are in family life. So you should remain there. So you thought that by getting married you would expand your service. So you should do that. Actually all my disciples are sannyasis because they have surrendered everything in the service of Krsna.
Regarding the Gaura Nitai deities, I think 100 dollars is too much to pay for one pair of deities. Better you carve them from wood. In India the carvers have always used a wood bitter in taste, this keeps the worms from eating it, best is nim wood if such wood (bitter in taste) is available there then why not make Gaura Nitai from wood.
In New Vrindaban we have so much woodland, it is not that deities have to be made in Hawaii, why not in New Vrindaban and supply all our centers? let me know.
1976 Correspondence
Regarding the "dust" supposedly brought from the moon, that dust can be gotten anywhere. It has already been openly admitted that the same dust is available on this earth planet. These astronauts and scientists are all bluffing. But Srila Vyasadeva is the correct authority. Just study Srimad-Bhagavatam carefully with full faith in Krishna and Guru and all knowledge will be revealed.
Srila Prabhupada has requested me to write you in regard to the above examinations which he wishes to institute. Here in India many persons often criticize our sannyasis and brahmanas as being unqualified due to insufficient knowledge of the scriptures. Factually, there are numerous instances when our sannyasis and brahmanas have fallen down often due to insufficient understanding of the philosophy. This should not be a point of criticism nor a reason for falldown, since Srila Prabhupada has mercifully made the most essential scriptures available to us in his books. The problem is that not all the devotees are carefully studying the books, the result being a fall down or at least unsteadiness.
I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 20th, 1975. Your letter must have been forwarded a number of times and I have also been travelling, so I have just now received it.
It is your great fortune to be chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. This is the special purpose of human life. In the other forms of life like the animals, this opportunity is not available. So make your life perfect by becoming Krishna Conscious.
We are preaching on the basis of the Vedic literatures, which are considered to be the most authentic knowledge by Indian scholars, religionists, and people in general. This authenticity is being appreciated now by all scholarly sections throughout the whole world. Our books are being received by all libraries, universities, and scholarly persons, and I wish also that your institution may also order for all these books so that you can understand our point of view. Enclosed is one catalog which vividly describes some of these books. They are available to your institution through our Bombay branch where address is: Hare Krishna Land, Juhu Road, Juhu, Bombay 400-054.
So far the new towers are concerned, not a single space should be allotted without my permission. When completed it will be a wonderful building and we want to keep it open for people to visit from all over the world. We are expecting guests like hotel so the rooms must be available. I also want to know what terms you have arranged with persons who gave substantial contributions for building the rooms in the towers. Please relay this information to me immediately.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 8, 1976, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. Continue with this program of standing orders. It is very important preaching work. At least if they read our books they will not speak nonsense that kirtana is nuisance. I have asked Gopala Krsna and Tejyas das to keep sufficient stock of all of our books so that we can supply the standing orders immediately. They very much appreciate the fine printing and color illustrations which are not available in other Indian publications. So somehow or other introduce these books into the universities and libraries like that.
You mentioned that the chief minister of Haryana promised to give me land in Kuruksetra for constructing our project there, but where is his letter? We must have this in writing. You mentioned that there is not much land available next to the Bengali temple. That will not suit us. In any case send me a site sketch of the available land, giving length and breadth. However, we do not want some land on one side of the canal and some land on the other side of the canal. All the land must be in one piece, together, not separately. If the government gives us 30 acres of land then we shall attempt, otherwise, let it be postponed. We are not anxious to construct next to the Bengali temple, but send the dimensions of the available land in any case.
The daily Gurukula can also be held at the Taparia house. When the Gurukula construction is completed, then the grhasthas can live on the third floor of the new building, but for now they can utilize the Taparia house for women and children, and the brahmacaris can remain in the guesthouse. The mukhut business should be given one room for working in the guesthouse. Do not move all the valuable stock to Taparia house, as it is risky. For protection of the Taparia house, why use barbed wire. Better to build a wall around it of bricks. Barbed wire can be destroyed very easily. Also, send me a plan of the Taparia house, and do not construct any more rooms there at present. When the Gurukula is completed the third floor will be available. So it is not necessary to spend the proposed Rs. 25,000, and neither the Rs. 10,000 for the extra room there.
Which devotee is giving the Hindi lecture in the Vrindaban temple?
*There are so many flats available in the vicinity. Why do they not take? Why they should create inconvenience to our workers? This is not at all good.
You were there in Kuruksetra when Mr. Gupta, the Chief Minister verbally agreed to grant us land and support. You should personally negotiate with Mr. Gupta as Caitya Guru is not so important to deal with him. I wrote one letter to Gopala Krishna dated May 20, 1976, wherein I mentioned that we must have the land all in one piece, not some on this side of the canal, and some on the other side. If the government gives us 30 acres (which was proposed to me by Gopala Krishna) in one piece, then we can attempt. If the land next to the Bengali temple is too small, we are not particularly anxious to construct next to the Bengali temple. But we must have the land in one piece sufficient for our purposes. Also, I will require a sketch of the available land, giving length and breadth. But you should personally do the transaction with the Chief Minister, don't depend on Caitya Guru.
I have already written about the house in Mayapur. No further plan should be done until I see the original London plan and the master city plan of Mayapur City. Then I can select the spot where I want my house to be. There is no hurry, we can wait until the master plan is available.
Concerning the food relief funds, I am not holding them. The food relief funds go directly from Los Angeles to Calcutta. I have already informed Ramesvara Maharaja to transfer the funds to Calcutta that are available. He has agreed to send Rs. 25,000 already and you should be receiving that soon.
In Miami there are so many mangos and coconuts. I am enjoying the dobs from Florida. The orange ones especially are very nice. I am taking one each day. From the green mangos you can make pickles. Cut them into pieces with skin intact, and sprinkle with salt and turmeric. Dry them well in the sunshine and put into mustard oil. They will keep for years, and you can enjoy with eating. They are nice and soft and good for digestion. If no vegetable is available, you can eat them with puris, similarly with pickled chilis. When mango pickles and chili pickles are combined, it is very tasteful. The Miami temple sounds to be very nice with bathing place and peacocks, just like Vrindaban. Krishna will supply you everything, don't worry. Just work sincerely.
It is a great pleasure for me that Dr. S.R. Chakravarti has sung some important verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam, now made into a record album. I have heard these songs and am confident that anyone who will listen to these nice songs will be inclined to read my complete translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, now available in English (60 volumes), which has been published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in Los Angeles, U.S.A.
Sriman Sri Krishna Badruka, son of Hariprasada Badruka, who is staying in our temple there, may stay for one month more. By the end of January he will leave his room. So, there is no cause for agitation.
Regarding going to Wardha, we could not get reservations till now. We shall try again tomorrow. If reservations are not available we shall have to fly to Bombay and then go to Wardha from Bombay, as it will be suitable.
Your proposal to purchase a new temple in Sydney is good. I remember the bay side, it is the best side. It's a very nice bay. It will certainly increase the preaching to have a center there.
I'm pleased to know the restaurant is again doing nicely. If palatable dishes are available people will certainly come. Srutakirti is a good boy. You can trust him. Cooperation must be there. It is a nice idea to sell prasadam at the beaches from a vehicle.
1977 Correspondence
I have received your letter dated January 4th and have noted the contents. My instruction is that whatever food they serve, you should not eat meat, only bread, some butter, milk, vegetables and fruit if available. And always chant Hare Krishna. Then, it doesn't matter whether you are in heaven or hell. Yes, it will be a great service, even in prison, if you can preach there. You should inform the authorities for protection if other prisoners attack you. We have no business there except chanting Hare Krishna.
Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has traveled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana, village to village. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world.
Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has traveled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world.
IF NO MEN AVAILABLE FOR HONG KONG WHATEVER YOU DECIDE IS ALL RIGHT ... A C BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
| Page Title: | Available (Letters 1971 - 1977) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 04 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=112 |
| No. of Quotes: | 112 |