I hear from all our centers that they have instituted regular classes for writing articles and still you say they do not contribute sufficiently to Back to Godhead. How is that? I want all our students to write articles for our transcendental magazine. That is practical. Karandhara has also written that my long desired scheme of a Krsna Conscious daily newspaper is being implemented. Please do this work very nicely. It will be a very great step in the history of ISKCON movement.
Daily (Letters 1971 - 1973)
Correspondence
1971 Correspondence
Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Allahabad 12 January, 1971:
The secret of preaching work is that one must keep himself fit in spiritual strength by maintaining always the highest standard of purity in Krsna consciousness. Our process is simple and practically experimented everywhere. Simply by vibrating the Hare Krsna Mahamantra sixteen rounds daily one advances to the stage of sadacara or good habits and when he is pure in consciousness by devotional service, he advances to the stage of ecstatic love of Krsna. We should always pray to Lord Caitanya simply to be engaged in His confidential service by chanting Hare Krsna mantra always. That will purify us and give the strength needed to infuse others with Krsna consciousness.
Letter to John H. Morgan -- Allahabad 16 January, 1971:
A living entity cannot remain steady in one or the other because changes are going on. That is the nature of the material world. Just like the businessman who works so hard the whole week long and then on the weekend takes rest and tries to forget his business. But bhakti, or devotional service, does not change. It does not even finish with the end of the body, but it continues eternally. And it is joyfully performed. At first, though, there may be some inconveniences, but we must tolerate them and we shall realize the goal. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that such rules and regulations in the beginning may be just like poison but at the end are like nectar and they awaken one to self-realization. (B.G. 18/37). So strictly follow all the regulative principles, chant Hare Krishna Mantra regularly, 16 rounds daily, and your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
Letter to Sri D----ji -- Allahabad:
We are having daily artik ceremony many times with kirtan, and there is prasadam distribution, Sankirtan, and so many activities. And our pandel is very big, so if you come there is accommodation for staying. We invite you to come here with your family.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Allahabad 21 January, 1971:
I am glad to see how you are so much enthusiastic for making our plan of a daily world newspaper a success. It is a very large task. To publish a daily newspaper requires a huge establishment and the editor must be very well versed so that he can comment on all fields. So far as advertising is concerned, you should not approach people for ads, rather they should approach you. Do not spend for advertising. Let them spend to advertise us. For example the Times of India is giving us very spacious opportunity to publish our letters. One copy written by Giriraja Das Brahmacari is enclosed. In these letters our books are also mentioned. So in this way you can make advertising.
Letter to Sri Govinda -- Allahabad 21 January, 1971:
I am so glad to hear how you are strictly following the regulative principles of devotional service and chanting regularly 16 rounds daily, mostly before Lord Jagannatha. That is our strength in spiritual life and will make for your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness. There are three stages of chanting: offensively; free of offense, or in the liberated stage; and in full love of Godhead. Simply continue chanting and any offenses you may be committing, because they are not intentional, will soon vanish by the grace of Lord Jagannatha.
Letter to Tradhis, Nagapatni -- Gorakhpur 11 February, 1971:
Your spiritual names are Tradhis Das Adhikari and Srimati Nagapatni Devi Dasi. Your daughter may remain called as Janmastami devi and when she is initiated she shall receive a new name. I am just requesting you to become ideal example of Krsna consciousness in householder life and thus you will encourage so many others who come in your contact to adjust their lives to this sublime process. That in itself will be the greatest service. So please stay strong and stronger in devotional service to Krsna by chanting daily sixteen rounds of beads, following the regulative principles strictly and avoiding the ten offenses in the matter of chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. If you follow this simple process faithfully under the direction of your Spiritual Master and try to understand our philosophy by regular study, you will continue to progress your lives in Krsna Consciousness and Krsna will simultaneously protect you from the attacks of Maya and provide you with all necessary facilities for rendering service unto Him. Please take encouragement and guidance from your elder Godbrothers and sisters and happy in Krsna Consciousness.
Letter to Gunagrahi -- Gorakhpur 12 February, 1971:
I have duly chanted your beads and they are returned to you herewith. Please fulfill your all requirements of advancement in Krsna consciousness by rigidly following the rules and regulations, chanting the sixteen rounds of beads daily, studying our literatures carefully and thoughtfully in the company of other devotees and try always to keep yourself engaged progressively in some kind of service of the Lord. I am sure that you are already well familiar with the requirements of devotional service and in any case they are fully elaborated in our various literatures like Nectar of Devotion. So you kindly become conversant with these transcendental scientific principles try to teach them to others while practicing them yourself. When you chant, avoid very carefully the ten offenses to the Holy Name. If you have any doubts or questions be sure to clear them by inquiry from either Rupanuga Prabhu, your other Godbrothers or if need be by writing to me. Be blessed and happy chanting Hare Krsna.
Letter to Devi -- Gorakhpur 15 February, 1971:
I am very glad that a sincere soul like you has become attracted with this Movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is your very good fortune. Now please take care of your advancement in Krsna consciousness by following strictly the prescribed methods for reviving your dormant love of Krsna. I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Srimati Devi Dasi. I am returning your beads duly chanted herewith to you. Please continue to faithfully serve the Lord by chanting His Holy Names sixteen rounds daily on the beads, going on Sankirtana, following the regulative principles and avoiding the ten offenses, working in cooperation to spread this Sankirtana Movement, studying our philosophy carefully and keeping always happy in Krsna Consciousness. You can take good advantage of the association of devotees and be guided progressively by your elder Godbrothers and sisters in the matter of executing your Krsna consciousness without difficulty.
Letter to Jagadisa -- Gorakhpur 15 February, 1971:
It is very encouraging that we are being so favorably presented everywhere by the media. Just today two editors of Indian newspapers have informed me of their intention to print special issues devoted to our Movement as well as give daily one article on our philosophy. The article from the Toronto newspaper was very good report and our Sriman Rasananda has presented the facts very well. Please give him my thanks for this appropriate presentation. He is a very good boy. All our students, boys and girls become first class good by this nice process.
Letter to Yugalakisora -- Gorakhpur 15 February, 1971:
I am glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Yugalakisora Das Brahmacari. The transcendental young couple of Radha and Krsna are known as Yugal Kisora. Please strictly follow the regulative principles of no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication. Chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra daily at least sixteen rounds and be happy in devotional service to the Lord. If you have any difficulties of doubt or question, you may put them to your elder Godbrothers or if need be to me. I shall be glad to help you advance in Krsna's service as far as possible. Try to learn the philosophy thoughtfully and teach others how to understand this transcendental science for the benefit of all.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Gorakhpur 16 February, 1971:
You have written one note to Hamsaduta that you have received a very nice offset press and you are contemplating printing a daily newspaper. About this I've already written to you in my last letter, that to start a daily newspaper involves a proficient staff to manage this affair as well as a good source of regular news. So the governing body may consider these points and do the needful. But if it is done, it will be a great achievement.
Letter to Niranjana -- Gorakhpur 22 February, 1971:
I am so glad that you are performing devotional service seriously by chanting 16 rounds daily. Do not be agitated with the criticism of your friends because Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that one should be humbler that a blade of grass and should be more tolerant than a tree for chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. So stick to the principle of chanting 16 rounds daily and reading our books regularly, and one day you will be a great preacher of this cult.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 26 February, 1971:
So far as my translating of the rest of Srimad-Bhagavatam is concerned, that is my next program. After returning from India I shall be seriously engaged in translating work. I shall continue as before and shall record two tapes daily. Time is short and I am aging but I want to publish all of Srimad-Bhagavatam and as you are doing now. Publishing Srimad-Bhagavatam chapter-wise is very nice and it should be continued and as soon as all the chapters of a canto are finished, we make it into a book, either in Japan or U.S.A. as is suitable. But my only request to you all is that the two tapes, regularly sent every day must be finished being transcribed, edited, composed, layed out and printed all in one week. In this way two tapes daily must be ready for printing. Then it will be nice. So far I am concerned, although I am getting old, I guarantee I shall give you two tapes daily provided you guarantee to finish printing two tapes daily. That will encourage me more and more.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 24 March, 1971:
There is a Vedic injunction that one has to realize Krishna nicely and then he becomes perfectly wise. Here is a good opportunity to get cooperation from the government in the matter of our Hare Krishna Movement. Our process of helping the misguided youth should remain the same. Namely, they should join the different services in the temple; chanting, dancing in ecstasy with Hare Krishna Mantra. They must be cleanly shaved, with tilak, have saffron robes, take prasadam, attend classes, chant 16 rounds of beads daily, etc. We are sure anyone who joins us will be free of all material disease including craziness and madness. Actually everyone in this material world is a crazy fellow; he doesn't know the aim of life. Even the erudite scholar doesn't know what is God or how the material world was created; so many things they do not know. So if the government officials want to take our help they must arrange for giving a nice place so we can accommodate the students concerned, according to our method.
Letter to Sukadeva -- Bombay 25 March, 1971:
It is very encouraging to note that you have been distributing 150 BTGs daily there in our newly established Tucson center. Actually we want that every American have a copy of BTG in his hand.
Letter to Anandini (Karen Anderson) -- Bombay 30 March, 1971:
I am so glad to hear how nicely you are engaged in devotional service there in our Philadelphia temple, under the expert guidance of Nayana Bhirama. I have received so many favorable reports about the activities there in Philadelphia and am so glad that you are there also and helping out. As the temple is growing more and more, so can your service expend also. So stay strong in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds daily, without fail, reading all our literatures, and engaging whole-heartedly in devotional service, 24 hours. Then you will be happy and Krishna will be pleased.
Letter to Gurukrpa (Gregg Gottfried) -- Bombay 30 March, 1971:
Actually the mercy of the bona fide spiritual master is there equally for everyone. Just like the sun is shining equally everywhere, yet there are those who refuse to come out completely into the light. Simply if you will rigidly follow the regulative principles and chant 16 rounds of beads daily without fail and engage whole-heartedly in devotional service, your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
Letter to Satadhanya (Stan Federoff) -- Bombay 30 March, 1971:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter date 15th January, 1971. I am very glad to know that you are feeling happy in Krsna's service and you are chanting His holy Names regularly according to the Vaisnava prescription. I am very glad that you have requested initiation and I have duly chanted your beads and they are enclosed herewith. So, I have accepted you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Satadhanya das Brahmacari. Please follow the regulative principles very strictly, chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra sixteen times daily round the beads and be happy.
Letter to Kanya Kumari (Carol Bouchier) -- Bombay 1 April, 1971:
Your husband, Nityananda Das, is now president of our newly formed New Orleans center and as his wife, it is your duty to help him in every way possible. So work cooperatively, husband and wife, and make our New Orleans branch a grand success. And remain unflinching in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds of beads daily, without fail, and reading all our books. Then Krishna will surely help you.
Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Bombay 4 April, 1971:
Here we are having a very large festival at Cross Maiden in Bombay where 20,000 to 30,000 people are attending daily for chanting, lecturing, arati and prasada distribution. You will be glad to know that both your mother and father came to visit me there. Your mother is always asking that you come with your wife and get a job in India. But I told her that you cannot get a better job here. But she is mother, and so naturally wants to see you. So I have told her that after your examinations you might conveniently come to India to visit her at her home.
Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Saradia -- Bombay 4 April, 1971:
I remember the days when Saradia expressed to marry you and I immediately reserved you for marriage to Saradia. Later on in Boston you were married and since then you are working so nicely. I am very pleased upon you. Simply use this marital life for spreading the glories of Lord Krishna and in this very lifetime you will be promoted to associate with Krishna in Goloka Vrindaban. So please stay on the purity platform; chant 16 rounds daily and without fail, follow all the regulative principles, and read all our books and your life is sure to be successful. Unless one is sufficiently empowered, one cannot preach Krishna Consciousness. So the fact that you are preaching so nicely is proof that you are already benedicted by Krishna. So preach Krishna Consciousness and be happy.
Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Saradia -- Bombay 4 April, 1971:
Here in India we are having one massive Sankirtana Festival called "Bhagavata Dharma Discourses, a Hare Krishna Festival" where 20,000 to 30,000 people are attending daily for chanting, lecture kirtana and prasadam distribution. So here in Bombay preaching work is also very successful. Many important men are becoming interested. Most probably we will have our permanent center here soon.
Letter to Visnujana -- Bombay 4 April, 1971:
You will be glad to know that Subala Maharaja is now in Bombay and he is going to Delhi for preaching work. Here in Bombay we are having a huge Sankiran Yajna, called "Bhagavata Dharma Discourses, a Hare Krishna Festival" where 20,000 to 30,000 people are attending daily for chanting, lecture, arati and prasadam distribution. So here in Bombay preaching work is very successful. Many important men are becoming interested. Most probably we will have our permanent center here soon.
Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 11 April, 1971:
Yes, Washington D.C. is very good location for the site of East coast Rathayatra festival. So go ahead as planned and do it nicely. I do not know whether I shall be present at that time, but if Lord Jagannatha desires, then I shall be there without a doubt. The point is that recently there is contemplation going on for me to go to Australia and then Russia, so my return to U.S.A. may be somewhat delayed. Here in India things are going on very nicely also. We just completed one grand Sankirtana festival entitled "Bhagavata Dharma Discourses, a Hare Krishna Festival" in which 25,000 to 30,000 people were attending daily for eleven days for lecture, arati, kirtana and prasadam distribution. It was a grand success and we should be establishing our permanent center here in Bombay very soon.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 11 April, 1971:
Regarding our newly acquired press, whether it is possible to dispatch it to India. We are trying to start a press here, and one man has donated a press in Vrindaban. Since we want a center there also, I am willing to accept his offer. Or, how you want to utilize this press? At the present a daily newspaper is not a very practical idea. Rather I want to see my books being printed. I am very much anxious to see all my books published in my lifetime. Bhagavad-gita As It Is is long overdue. First Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam in one volume is also long overdue. Please try to expedite these publications.
Letter to Mukunda -- Bombay 13 April, 1971:
Please offer my blessings to Jeffrey, Tribhuvanatha, Mary, Ally, Milan, Nicholas, Josh, Richard (Rancor), Jim (Pratejas) Geoff, Philip, Terry, Adeti Devi, Martha, Adeline and Mandakini Devi Prabhus. I have received their very kind letters of appreciation and I am very much grateful. Take care of them and see to it that they all become pure devotees. That is your duty. They should follow the regulative principles strictly, regularly chant 16 rounds daily without fail, read all our literatures and attend classes, etc. and be happy in Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Ranadhira -- Bombay 21 April, 1971:
The incense and oil samples enclosed are very nice, and I am burning the incense in my room daily. These scents are so nice. But one thing is that you needn't spend $10,000 for machinery to package the incense. That is not required. Do not depend on machines. We are not going to be large-scale businessmen. Incense distribution is proving to be very important asset for raising funds for temple upkeep, etc., but we are more interested still in distributing our books. Incense sales are clearly business only, but when we sell our books that means we push forward our movement. Of course they can both be done together. That is nice program and has proven successful in many centers.
Letter to Jaya Jagadisa -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:
Please regularly chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra sixteen rounds daily and follow the regulative principles faithfully. By observing the four restrictions and avoiding the ten offenses to the Holy Name (i.e. blaspheming the Lord's devotee, considering the Lord and the demigods as being on the same level, neglecting the orders of the Spiritual Master, minimizing the authority of the sastras, interpreting the Holy Name of God, committing sins on the strength of chanting, instructing the glories of the Lord to the unfaithful, equating the chanting of the Holy Names with material piety, inattention while chanting of the Holy Name and maintaining attachment to material things while engaged in chanting the Holy Names) you will become qualified to receive the mercy of the Lord and thus advance yourself in His transcendental loving service, which is the perfect stage of transcendental life of bhaktirasa life.
Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:
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.
Letter to Shekhar Prasad Shrestha -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:
I am so glad that you are appreciating our Back To Godhead magazine. The article mentioned by you, "The Vedanta: Its Morphology and Ontology" is a very difficult article for a new man who is just trying to grasp this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. But continue studying our literatures and Krishna will give you intelligence to understand more and more. And you are chanting Hare Krishna Mantra regularly. Very good. Please chant 16 rounds of japa mala daily and try to observe the regulative principles of no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex life. These four are the pillars of sinful life, especially in this age of Kali Yuga. Whenever you have any inquiries, please write to me.
Letter to Lance Nally -- Bombay 1 May, 1971:
I am in due receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents. I am so glad to hear that you are now becoming serious about engaging in devotional service. Maya is always there like a shadow, presenting reasons for refraining from devotional service but if we simply keep ourselves engaged in Krsna Consciousness, then Maya cannot touch. We become strong in Krsna's service by following the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds of beads daily. If we do so then everything will be all right. If we neglect chanting 16 rounds then all these irregularities will spring up.
Letter to Laksmimoni -- Bombay 1 May, 1971:
Yes, at least once daily the Deity's clothes must be changed, in the morning. If the Deities are small, as they appear to be from the photograph, then they can be laid down in a bed at night. And they can be given nightgowns to wear before taking rest. That is nice. If there is time and facility then these things can be implemented. So far as bathing is concerned, it requires two hands and one tongue. In your left hand be ringing a bell and simultaneously with your right hand pour water. Chant Hare Krishna, Cintamani, Govinda Jaya Jaya, etc., like that.
Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971:
I am to understand that you have professional managerial experience and are presently engaging your talents to strengthen the managerial position of our N.Y. center. That is very valuable service and I thank you very much. We learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam that a person may be situated in any occupational duty but the perfection of such activity is tested by the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. And because you are engaging your talents in His service, surely Krishna will be pleased upon you and give you all facility for advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Simply if you will regularly chant Hare Krishna Mantra, 16 rounds daily and without fail and rigidly follow the regulative principles of devotional life, read all our books and engage in Krishna's business 24 hours, your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
Letter to Karandhara -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971:
P.S. Our Calcutta Festival (14th to 23rd May) is going on successfully. Daily 20-30 thousands of people attending & prasada distribution.
Letter to Dinesh Candra -- Calcutta 18 May, 1971:
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.
Letter to Kirtika (Judith Cornell) -- Calcutta 21 May, 1971:
The gopis are so much engaged in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krishna that they are condemning the creator, Lord Brahma for not knowing how to make perfect eyes. They were disturbed that when blinking their eyes, they could not see Krishna. So that is perfection in Krishna Consciousness; to be so much engaged in Krishna's loving service that you cannot bear separation from that service, not even for a moment. So somehow or other always be engaged. And if there is nothing else, you can always sit down and chant Hare Krishna Mantra. 16 rounds daily is the minimal requirement, but you should chant Hare Krishna as much as possible. And follow all the regulative principles strictly. Read all our books, attend classes and go for street Sankirtana. In this way be engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be happy and in the end you will go back home, back to Godhead.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Calcutta 26 May, 1971:
We have just now concluded our "Hare Krishna Festival" here in Calcutta and it was very successful, even more so that in Bombay; daily 35,000 people were attending. Now we are wanting to make twelve such programs in the greater Calcutta area; one each month. In that way we will win over the city. From here I shall be going to London via Bombay or else to Russia. Then I shall return to U.S.A.
Letter to Sons and Daughters -- Calcutta 26 May, 1971:
So far as your joint application for my returning to U.S.A., you will be glad to know that by the middle of June I shall be returning and I am surely going to see you all then. Presently I am in Calcutta where we just held a very successful "Hare Krishna Festival" and we were drawing 35,000 people daily for hearing discourses on Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, for seeing Aratik and taking prasadam also. I will be staying here until the 31st instant and then will go to London via Bombay. From there I shall return to U.S.A.
Letter to Govinda -- Calcutta 28 May, 1971:
Perhaps you know that we held a very big "Hare Krishna Festival" in Bombay and a similar one in Calcutta also. Daily both in Bombay and Calcutta there was attendance of 30,000 to 40,000 people daily. Everyone appreciated this festival and are still hankering after it. I think that similar festivals may be held in Hawaii. So consult with Gaurasundara and Sai because this attempt has become very successful.
Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 8 June, 1971:
The two men sitting up on Lord Jagannatha's altar are pujaris. They are just sitting there and anyone coming to make offering to the Deity, they are accepting and returning tulasi and caranamrta. So they are very busy. And when there is bhoga offering, no visitors are allowed in the temple. The floor is immediately washed and pots and trays of foodstuffs are placed in the room. And each time Jagannatha is offered prasadam, there is enough for one thousand men. Similarly he is offered 56 times in a day. And they don't purchase any ingredients from the market. They have got their own agricultural field and big management. Another temple in South India is called Tirupati where daily they collect Rs 100,000/-. The floor of Jagannatha temple is made of stone and the room is dark behind Lord Jagannatha. Generally in India the Deity room is very dark; no electricity and only two lamps.
Letter to Caitanya -- Bombay, India 11 June, 1971:
So you should see to it that the trinidad center becomes a grand success. So you must give your good husband all assistance so that he can do things nicely. that is you duty. As his wife, you are his better half and it is your duty to help him in every way possible. So first of all you must keep yourself fit in Krishna Consciousness. the means are simple. Strictly follow the regulative principles, regularly chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, and without fail; read all our books and discuss them with your husband; go out for preaching regularly. In this way always keep engaged in Krishna's service with enthusiasm and faith in Krishna, and He will give you all facility for developing Trinidad center very nicely.
Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 11 June, 1971:
Bombay life membership program is very encouraging. Just yesterday they made eight life members and are averaging three daily. So if we make all over India the example that the leading persons in Bombay are becoming our life members, then all the influential and important people will become our life members, all over the country. Millions of life members can be made. And they are liking our books. So it is a good program. Besides that, these festivals are also very good programs. So if we do so in every city and distribute our books also, this movement will be top in India. So consider the fact and do the needful.
Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Moscow 25 June, 1971:
The city is well-planned. There are big big houses and roads and at day time the streets are busy with buses, cars, and underground trains which are far better than American or English. The underground streets are very neat and clean. The surface streets are also daily washed. But there is some difficulty in collecting vegetarian foodstuffs; still we are cooking our meals by the cooker, which has saved our lives. We talked with one big professor Mr. Kotovsky and Syamasundara talked with many great writers and musicians. Two boys are working with us; one Indian and one Russian. So there is good prospect for opening a center, although the atmosphere is not very good. The Embassy was no help. So our visit to Moscow was not so successful, but for the future, it is hopeful. Tomorrow I go to Paris for one day, then to S.F. Rathayatra and then I shall come back to London. So you can reply me this letter in London address.
Letter to Bill -- London 29 June, 1971:
So far your questions are concerned: Number one engagement is that you must chant at least 16 rounds Hare Krishna Mantra daily; The four regulative principles are most important and must be observed rigidly in temple life; You should speak according to the sastras and be compassionate to all conditioned souls and try to convince them about the real truth.; The more you increase your Krishna Consciousness, the more these things such as lust, anger and greed, will automatically decrease; You can surrender by doing your best to preach this Krishna Consciousness in Florida. That will make you perfect. My Guru Maharaja wanted me to preach this cult in the Western world, so I have tried my best.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1971:
Formerly, in 1966, I was dictating two tapes daily, but after becoming ill, I reduced. But very soon I will be sending you so many tapes that you will be over-burdened with work.
Letter to Anangamanjari (Elaine) -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1971:
I am so glad to hear how you are strictly following the regulative principles, chanting at least 16 rounds of beads daily, and associating with devotees exclusively for the past year. That is our very strength in spiritual life, and if you continue to do so, then your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness is certain. Read our books, attend classes and go for street Sankirtana and in this way engage yourself in Krishna's business 24 hours. That is my request. Then you will be happy and your life will be a success. And you have got such an intelligent and enthusiastic husband. He is a good boy, I know. So give him all encouragement and assistance to execute Krishna Consciousness nicely there in Gainesville, Florida. That is your duty as wife, the better half of the husband. So do it nicely.
Letter to Radhavallabha (Bill Schoenbart) -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1971:
I am so glad to hear that you are working cooperatively with Hrdayananda Prabhu in our Gainesville center to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement. It is surely Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy that such sincere boys as you are helping me to fulfill the order of my Spiritual Master. I am doing the work of my Spiritual Master and similarly you also help me and we will all be benefited in Krishna Consciousness. So stay strong in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles of devotional life, chant at least 16 rounds daily, read all our books, and if there are any questions you can refer them to Hrdayananda Prabhu. He is very intelligent boy. So together you work cooperatively to make our Gainesville center a grand success and I will be very pleased.
Letter to Tilaka (Evalyn) -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1971:
And at the same time you must keep yourself fit in Krishna Consciousness. The process is very simple: Chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily; follow all the regulative principles strictly; read our books; attend aratis and classes, as well as street Sankirtana. In this way engage yourself in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will become a pillar of spiritual strength for your husband.
Letter to Batu Gopala (Ed Englehart) -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1971:
I am so glad to note that you are planning a Hare Krishna festival in Detroit, on the order of the ones we held in India (Bombay and Calcutta). We had a very large tent, displayed our literatures, had kirtanas and arati ceremony for Radha and Krishna, spoke some on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and distributed prasadam sumptuously, and not less than 20,000 and as many as 40,000 came daily to participate; it was so successful. And our magic was simply this chanting and dancing; that's all. So you can do likewise in Detroit as far as possible and it will be a great event. Perhaps soon we can such big festivals in all the big cities in your country also.
Letter to Laksmi Narayana -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1971:
A brahmana's name is suci, or one who is clean. In the toilet room wash with water and wash your hands with soap. Then wash feet, face and mouth. Your cloth must be washed daily, especially any cloth used to sleep in. In the kitchen also, things should be kept spotless and cooking should only be done by brahmanas; others may assist. That is the same procedure followed with Deity worship. So these are some of the points to note in Brahminical life. Keep yourself clean outside by bathing, etc. and clean inside by chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. Go on in this way and your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
Letter to Sukhasagari (Candice Kellepoury) -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1971:
I am so glad to note that you are strictly following the regulative principles of devotional life and regularly chanting 16 rounds of beads daily. Continue faithfully, because such chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is our very strength in spiritual life and will keep you always in touch with Krishna. And soon you will be getting yourself married with Batua Gopala Prabhu (Ed), so it is your duty as his wife to help him advance in Krishna Consciousness in every respect. So if you will keep yourself 24 hours engaged in Krishna's service, then surely he will follow suit. Make Krishna the very center of your household life and work cooperatively to serve Him to the very best of your capacity. Then you will be happy and your lives will know perfection.
Letter to Narayani -- Bombay, India 11 June, 1971:
Yes, now that you have come to Krishna Consciousness, your spiritual life, the real life, has begun. First birth is from your parents but real birth, real life, begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master and renders service onto him. Then the path is open for going back to home, back to Godhead, to live eternally in full knowledge and full bliss and in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Lord Krishna. That is the goal, and the means to attain it are simple. You should strictly follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read and study all our books, attend aratis and go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way be engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
Letter to Eugene L. Baum -- Brooklyn 20 July, 1971:
I am so glad to hear that you have been staying at our St. Louis center under the expert guidance of Sriman Vamanadeva Prabhu and have been chanting 16 rounds of beads daily. Continue to do so faithfully and follow all the regulative principles of devotional life. If there are any questions, refer them to your god-brothers and sisters. And just as soon as you are recommended for initiation by Vamanadeva, I will be glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciple.
Letter to Krpasindhu (Rick Holtzman) -- Brooklyn 20 July, 1971:
I am so glad to note how you have been following the regulative principles strictly for the past six months and chanting at least 16 rounds of beads daily, as well as going in Sankirtana regularly. Thank you very much. That is our very strength in spiritual life and if you continue to do so, along with reading all our literatures and attending classes and aratis, then your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain. So my request to you is that you work very enthusiastically and in cooperation with Jagadisa Prabhu and make our Toronto center a grand success.
Letter to Yamuna -- Brooklyn 21 July, 1971:
Yes, it is encouraging news that J. Dalmia is favorably inclined toward giving us land in Raman Reti. So let me know when things are finalized. Also two sets brass Deities were promised by the trust. What has happened to them? Another nice news is that all of you women are going out daily for preaching. Very good. Continue it whole heartedly.
Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- London 25 July, 1971:
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.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- New York 28 July, 1971:
I am so glad to hear that the gloomy situation mentioned with Tamala has now dissipated. If we keep to our principle of following the regulative principles and chanting of 16 rounds of beads daily, then it is a fact that Krishna will help us in every respect.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- New York 28 July, 1971:
There is no objection to your program for book distribution. You should be able to make three or four members daily like that. Anyone can pay Rs. 100 immediately. So distribute as many books as possible by this method.
Letter to Sukhada -- London 4 August, 1971:
The process is simple. Follow the regulative principles of devotional life undeviatingly, regularly chant 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail, read all our literatures, attend classes and aratis, go for street Sankirtana. If there are any questions, always refer them to your elder godbrothers and sisters. So our method is not so difficult. Rather it is joyful. So engage yourself enthusiastically in this way and you will be happy and in the end go back to home, back to Godhead.
Letter to David R. Schomaker -- London 9 August, 1971:
I am so glad to hear that you have taken to devotional service and are finding it more and more enlivening. Simply if you will go on, following the prohibitive rules of: no meat eating; no intoxication, no illicit sex life and no gamblings and if you will regularly chant 16 rounds of beads daily and try to understand this philosophy by reading our books and referring any questions to the devotees there, then surely you will make rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Of that you can be sure. And as far as possible try and associate exclusively with the devotees there. That is strongly recommended for one who is serious to make advancement in spiritual life.
Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971:
Visnujana Maharaja tells me that in his absence, while he is opening one center in San Antonio, you three boys are maintaining nicely there in Austin. So you are all very qualified and you have been trained up under the expert guidance of Visnujana Swami. So you should all work cooperatively to push on this movement there in Texas and make our Austin center a grand success. That is my request to you all. Always be engaged in Krishna's business and stay fit in spiritual life by strictly following the regulative principle, by chanting at least 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail, by studying all our books and by regularly going for street Sankirtana. These make for our very strength in spiritual life and if you will follow them faithfully then your going back to home back to Godhead will be certain.
Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:
You should encourage Tarun Kanti Ghosh as much as possible. Give him daily a little prasadam and give him opportunity to hear Hare Krishna Mantra. That will induce him more and more to this movement. He has got an inclination to spread this movement but has not associated with good devotees. So if you give him a chance to associate with you then he may turn out to be a great help to our movement. Similarly Mr. Bajoria.
Letter to Rajamohan (Kelly Cristoph), Gauramohan (Rodney Purcell), Kumkum (Kathy) -- Nairobi 28 September, 1971:
I am so glad to learn that you all have been such a great help to Mohanananda Prabhu there in our Dallas center. I can understand that you are all very sincere boys and girls and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Karandhara -- Nairobi 9 October, 1971:
Our program here in Nairobi is going on very successfully. Just the other day we had a most successful engagement at the University of Nairobi and preaching and Sankirtana is going on daily. The Africans are eagerly taking part and very anxious to join us also.
Letter to Sriballavah (Vin Fiocco), Pranaballavah (Bruce Webster), Kamalavati (Elicia Heller) -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971:
I can understand that you are all very sincere and very much qualified devotees and now by Krishna's grace you are engaged whole-heartedly in His service. So take full advantage of this opportunity and perfect your lives; that is my request. Our process is simple. Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra daily, read all our books, go for street Sankirtana and in this way be engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours. Then you will be always thinking of Krishna and in the end go back to Krishna, back to home, back to Godhead.
Letter to Tulsi -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971:
It is very much encouraging that your center is improving daily and doing so nicely. There is good field there. So combinedly work very hard to make our new Denver center a grand success. We have all taken on a great responsibility for spreading Krishna Consciousness all over the world. Actually people are suffering on account of being enamored by the external energy. Krishna wants to deliver them. He comes personally, he comes as a devotee, and he sends His authorized devotee. So some way or other we have been entrusted to serve Krishna in this connection. Do it nicely. Follow the regulative principles and teach others to do likewise and we shall remain strong and it will not be difficult for us to push on this movement. I am so much obliged to you for your helping the cause. Please stick to this principle and Krishna will bless you with all benediction.
Letter to Karandhara -- Nairobi 16 October, 1971:
Another point is that I have advised Nairobi center and so we have already registered the society in the companies act and we have got a post box number also, as given above and we have our bank account also. We are getting membership fees very encouragingly. If they work hard then at least they can get one member daily, and besides that they are collecting nicely on the street Sankirtana. So I have proposed that 50% of the membership fee may be sent directly to Dai Nippon and 75% of the direct sales collection may also be directly sent, and that they get the books on consignment, or without paying on delivery. The idea is that 50% of the membership collection as it is already settled up should go to the book fund, so they will directly remit, whereas direct sales of books, 75% to the book fund and 25% they keep for expenditure. So how do you like this idea? Besides that whether you would like them to send money directly to Dai Nippon or to you. I think if they send directly to Dai Nippon and send you a copy for your information, then you can keep accounts properly and the matter becomes simplified. So consider over these points and let me know your decision.
Letter to Karandhara -- Nairobi 16 October, 1971:
Please try to distribute our books very very widely in all languages. That will push our movement very rapidly. We are now preparing a book on philosophical discussions. Syamasundara is daily discussing with me the views of the different Western philosophers and we are studying them from the ISKCON point of view. This work is going on regularly and Aravinda is typing them regularly. So very soon a book will come out. When I go back to India I shall review all the Indian systems of philosophy also, from this angle of vision, so that this book will be very much interesting to the student class in the schools and the colleges. Try to encourage all our centers to go to the schools and colleges and introduce our philosophy, books and literatures. As soon as I see that you GBC members are managing everything very nicely I shall completely retire for writing my books only and I am thinking of staying in Mayapur for six months and in your camp, L.A., for six months. I hope in L.A. the Deity worship is going on very nicely; dress, flowers, ornaments, arati, cleanliness, foodstuffs, all of them must be regular, accompanied by kirtana, street sankirtana, distribution of literature, etc.
Letter to Ksama (Lynn Edwards) -- Calcutta 6 November, 1971:
I can understand that you are a very sincere girl and that is the first qualification for developing love for Krishna. Now increase that sincerity more and more by engaging yourself whole-heartedly and with great enthusiasm for serving Krishna and very soon love of Godhead will fructify. You will become more and more happy in this life and in the end go back to home, back to Krishna, to enjoy eternal life, full of bliss and knowledge and in association with the supreme lovable object, Krishna. And our process for obtaining to such a wonderful existence is not at all difficult. Following the regulative principles strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily and always think of Krishna. In this way mold your life and your future will be very bright.
Letter to Badarinarayana -- Delhi 18 November, 1971:
Follow the regulative principles very strictly, and be ready to tolerate all kind of setbacks and disappointments. The difference between a devotee and a nondevotee is this, just like the bee and the fly: the bee always is attracted by the honey and flies go to the open sores. So the devotee is only attracted by the good qualities in other people and does not see their faults. He is friend to everyone and in this way he finds his life sublime. Of course we are not ourselves perfect, so sometimes there may be something, and we may lose our enthusiasm to do something—but these things come and go and you should not bother very much with them. Just be attached to Krishna and try always to think how to please Him, and He will personally rescue His devotee from all kinds of unfavorable situations. Even we may not like to do the work, if we work very hard for Krishna soon we lose our attachment and become satisfied just to be serving Krishna, and as long as at least 16 offenseless rounds daily are being chanted, know it for certain that our anxieties will disappear very soon.
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:
I am in due receipt of your letter of November 3, 1971, and I am very pleased to note that things are improving nicely in Europe in general. I am glad to hear that Vasudeva has returned and is working cooperatively. He is a good boy, but sometimes in a weak instant Maya can capture us and we cannot resist. That is why I am always urging my students to follow the regulative principles without fail and to resist the onslaught of Maya by chanting Hare Krishna at least 16 offenseless rounds daily. In this way Krishna protects us.
Letter to Mathuresh (Andrew Day), Raghavendu (Martin Lewis), Vijay Laksmi (Jill Lewis) -- Delhi 21 November, 1971:
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Satsvarupa there in our Boston centre. I can understand that all of you are very sincere and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you all will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Ratnesvari (Joan Cerando), Lokanatha (Larry Batcheldor), Vrajasundari ( Barbara Batcheldor), Yogescandra (John Warren), Varahadeva (Beverly Warren), Nalinikanta (Tom Hopke) -- Delhi 25 November, 1971:
I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Locana there in our Berkeley centre. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and girls and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 30 November, 1971:
I am in due receipt of your letter of November 10, 1971, and have noted the contents carefully. I am currently in Vrindaban with a party of 40 devotees, and we are having daily parikrama of the holy places. We shall return to Delhi tomorrow by coach. The officials and residents of Vrindaban have greeted us very nicely, and they are simply astounded to see our SKP chanting with great jubilation through the city streets. The Mayor has publicly proclaimed that I have done something wonderful, and practically speaking, they realize that before I went to the western countries no one there knew about Vrindaban. Now hundreds of visitors and hippies from your country come here to see Krishna's place. The Vrindaban devotees have understood that Vrindaban is now world-famous due to my preaching work, so they are all very much appreciating their hometown Swamiji.
Letter to Guru-gauranga -- Delhi, India 10 December, 1971:
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Locanananda there in our Geneva Center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are very eligible for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Sousilya (Stuart Rose), Gadagraja (Eugene Baum), Dayala Candra (David Peterson) -- Delhi 10 December, 1971:
I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Brihaspati there in our St. Louis Center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Delhi 10 December, 1971:
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.
Letter to Sivananda -- Delhi 12 December, 1971:
You have from the very beginning been a very determined and nice servant of Krishna, and just now as I am taking my daily massage, I remember that you also used to massage me. You are a very good boy, thank you very much for helping me.
Letter to Murti (Bill Walsh), Mahati (Sue Walsh), Adhideva (Hayden Larsen) -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:
I am so glad to learn that all of you are such a great help to Sri Galim there in our Austin center, and I have especially appreciated the murtis you are making of Pancatattva. I can understand that you are very sincere boys and girl and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way, keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Gauracandra Goswami, others -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:
I can arrange for Radha Damodara Temple worship very nicely, namely at least 50 devotees will be offered prasadam daily, including two times refreshment and two meals. The disciples will remain with me. They will have daily chanting and reciting scriptures very nicely, which will attract hundreds of persons during the performances.
Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:
I want that our temples in India supply me with two life-members daily, that's all. Then I shall take care of all other programs, you needn't worry about that. Just get me two life-members a day in all of India, the rest I shall decide.
Letter to Yamuna, Palika -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:
I am very glad to learn that you are both recovering your physical health & enjoying the transcendental atmosphere of Vrindaban city. I've now come to Bombay, so wherever you remain you don't forget our routine work and hold kirtana at least twice daily, morning & evening. Kirtana is our life & soul, so we must be very concerned to have it no matter where we are and no matter what circumstances are there.
Letter to Yamuna, Palika -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:
Here in Bombay we have got good prospects to purchase very large land in Juhu for even, cheap price, just in the middle of a neighborhood. We shall build our camp there & begin constructing temple immediately, & later on we shall develop large hotel & school. There is also chance for getting a nice bungalow in Bombay city also. So in general we shall make our headquarters in Bombay, & build up Vrindaban and Mayapur, that's all. I will take care of everything, you just give me two life-members daily in India, & I shall do the rest.
Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 26 December, 1971:
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.
Letter to Himavati -- Bombay 26 December, 1971:
Regarding your questions, there is no question of using paper plastic fruits and flowers for worshiping the deities. If no fresh fruits or flowers are available, then you can decorate with some fresh leaves. You have seen our temples; nowhere do we use such things. You are experienced devotee, why you propose like that? We are not after decoration, we are after devotional service for pleasing Krishna's senses. Decoration must be there of course, to make the temple as opulent as possible for pleasing Krishna. Outside the temple, you can use the plastic ornaments. But not for worship. For daily worship there must be fresh fruit, flowers, and leaves.
Letter to Giriraja -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:
I am very encouraged by your thoughtful plan to organize very nicely all our men in India. I can understand that you are very eligible to be among the biggest leaders, so I have all confidence in your Madras programs. There appears to be some feeling of dissatisfaction with the way things are being managed in India, so I have simply said that if you all get me at least two life-members daily in India, then I shall do the rest. So I am pleased to hear from you that you are making many life-members there: that is the proof of our preaching strength. Wherever there is preaching strength there is also success, no matter it may be pandal-show, or making members, travelling Sankirtana party, whatever it may be—just maintain our strong position of purity of routine work and preach and distribute literature, that's all.
Letter to Niranjana -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:
In Delhi our program was very successful and at least 25,000 people attended each evening. The Governor, the Mayor, the Canadian High Commissioner and many other important persons were amongst our chief guests. And at the end of the program the Government has agreed to give us free land in Delhi on the Yamuna Rive bank for constructing a Temple. Then after the Delhi program our whole party went to Vrindaban for seeing all the important places. We were greeted very warmly by the citizens and they very much appreciated the purity and high standards which all our devotees maintain. I have always stressed this point; that if we simply follow the regulative principles, avoiding the four sinful activities, chant regularly daily 16 rounds, and maintain firm faith equally in Krishna and Spiritual Master, that your life will become sublime. So please come to Bombay and then we will talk further.
1972 Correspondence
Letter to Kesava -- Bombay 1 January, 1972:
I have been receiving so many reports about how my disciples of the San Francisco Temple cannot be surpassed by anyone in distributing my books. Sometimes they are selling as many as 70 Krishna Books daily. So if this is true then certainly when I return to the U.S. I must come and stay in your Temple. By distributing my books profusely you are giving me great encouragement to translate. And you are all helping me to fulfill the order which Guru Maharaja gave me. So I am so much grateful to you, and I am sure Krishna will bless you a million times over, for doing this work.
Letter to Sucandra -- Bombay 1 January, 1972:
Krishna has been very kind to you that as soon as you have gone to Munich to open a new center, He has helped you with a very suitable accommodation. Now develop everything very nicely there and build a fine, strong Krishna Consciousness center. Be very enthusiastic and determined to teach everyone the message of Lord Caitanya. We must follow strictly the four regulative principles and always chant at least 16 rounds daily and this will keep us pure. Lord Caitanya wants that this movement be spread to every nook and corner of the earth, so we require so many hundreds of thousands of sincere young men like yourself to take it up. I wish that it will be noted down in history that this Krishna Consciousness Movement is responsible for saving the world. Practically, our Movement is the only hope for saving the world from complete disaster. So you have got all good opportunity now, do everything very nicely. Krishna will soon bless you with a nice child and as soon as it is born you may inform me and I will be pleased to give it a name.
Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:
You have got a very important duty to see that all the branches are kept with a full stock of all my books. And I know that we are getting many mail-orders daily, so you must see that these orders are all filled promptly. If we take the public's money, and then delay too long in filling the orders, this will give us a bad reputation. So be very conscientious and hard-working and Krishna will give you the ability to do everything nicely. There is no difference between chanting Hare Krishna or Sankirtana and doing one's assigned work in Krishna Consciousness. Sometimes we have to do so much managerial or office work, but Lord Caitanya promises us that because in the Kali yuga this is required for carrying on our preaching mission. He gives assurance that we will not become entangled by such work. When the work has to be done, do it first, then chant. But you must fulfill at least 16 rounds daily. So if necessary sleep less but you have to finish your minimum number of rounds.
Letter to Yajnesvara -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:
You will find mentioned in many Vedic scriptures that maha-mantra is especially recommended for understanding God in this age of Kali Yuga, such as Agni Purana, Kali-Santaram Upanisad, Brhan Naradiya Puranam, and many others. Haridasa Thakura chanted 3 lakhs of names each day, that means 16 names in the mantra, 108x16 or 1,728 names in each round of mala, dividing 300,000 by 1,728 comes to roundabout 175 rounds on beads daily. And for us it is even difficult to chant 16 rounds! That is why Haridasa Thakura is "namacarya." We find in Caitanya Caritamrta information that both Lord Caitanya and Haridasa Thakura were constantly absorbed in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Letter to Bhavananda -- Bombay 4 January, 1972:
In Madras Giriraja reports that there is good field. He is expecting to make at least one life member daily and distribute many books to bookstores. Two men have already joined him from Delhi. So as long as there is good field he should remain there. Thereafter he may return to Calcutta.
Letter to Giriraja -- Bombay 4 January, 1972:
From your letter it appears that you are doing nicely distributing books and if you say that with help you could make at least one life member daily, then why not continue on in Madras for a month as you suggest or until there is no more field. But now we have received a telegram from you saying you are going to Calcutta. Now that two men have gone to join you and books have just been sent today what is the need to leave so soon? It is not good that every time there is need of a collector that you are the only one who can go. The best thing will be that you remain in Madras as long as there is a good field for distributing books and making members. When the field is dry then you can go to Calcutta. So I have sent you a telegram reading:
Letter to Vamanadeva, Indira -- Bombay 4 January, 1972:
I am very glad to hear that our Krishna Consciousness Movement is meeting with good success already in Oklahoma City. That is predicted by Lord Caitanya, that in every town and village Hare Nama Sankirtana will be well received. It is now an established fact that wherever we go, we will be well received. People are appreciating how pure are our devotees that they are able to abide by the regulative restrictions. Even in your country where sinful activities are the common practice, never the less people are respecting the fact that we are able to follow these principles, while they themselves cannot. So stick very strictly to these principles and chant regularly daily sixteen rounds and you will always remain the topmost position. Have nice Deity program, always have lots of Kirtana, serve ample Prasadam very sumptuously and speak something from my books. If this is done in every center our movement will very soon become the world religion as has now been predicted by one prominent Japanese philosopher in a newspaper here. I have been very encouraged by reports of how the books are being sold so how is the book distribution going on in Oklahoma City?
Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 5 January, 1972:
Krishna Consciousness has got scope to be preached everywhere. Just now two boys are leaving to go to Red China and three other students are leaving for New Zealand to open a center there. Brahmananda is doing very well in Africa and most likely Rsi Kumar will join him and be deputed to open a center in South Africa. So we have got a great mission, we should be very vigilant that the strong foundation remain solid. Encourage all the boys and girls to adhere to the regulative principles and chant daily at least sixteen rounds. And as much as possible all of my students should become very well versed in all the philosophy presented in our books.
Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 5 January, 1972:
We have received the 50 sets of tapes you have sent and are recording on them daily. I have written Bhanu instructing him to go immediately to Japan, so very soon he will be coming. Is it true that Karatieya Swami has returned to Japan?
Letter to Radhavallabha -- Bombay 6 January, 1972:
Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally. Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the hearing. A devotee should always be grave and silent which means that he only discusses topics relating to Krishna Consciousness. Yes, spend your time chanting and reading and taking Krishna Prasadam and automatically your tongue will come under control. If you sincerely engage 24 hours daily in devotional service according to the instructions of the Spiritual Master, chant daily 16 rounds, attend the arati ceremony of Lord Krishna, associate with the devotees and adhere strictly to the regulative principles then Krishna will reveal Himself personally to you.
Letter to Kulasekhara -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:
One thing: You must be attentive that our routine work—such as rising early, cleansing, chanting, temple worship, reading, sankirtana, etc.—should always maintained at the highest level of Krishna Conscious standard, as the smallest neglect or inattention to these matters of routine practices will cause all our other programs to fail. These things are the backbone of spiritual life. So it is natural that in these things like chanting regularly 16 rounds and holding daily arati and kirtana are observed faithfully, then people will be attracted and our preaching will have effect and the management of temple affairs will become very easy matter.
Letter to Kulasekhara -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:
I am glad to hear that you are distributing nicely books and magazines. The more we sell books, the more we advance in KC, and the more we help others to have solid information how they may take advantage of their human form of life and achieve the supreme perfection. So I want that you should now increase very greatly this selling of books and literatures. I have heard that in San Francisco they are selling daily not less than 75 Krsna Books. So I am very much encouraged to hear this. Now take this spirit of transcendental rivalry and consult with Dayananda and the others there in England to be the first-rate book-sellers.
Letter to Smaranananda (Von Paul Read), Samsara-mocana (Barbara Read), Bhubhrta (Bob Quirk), Pavana (Jeffrey Spicher), Devadeva (Royal Frank Affrisco), Daivata (Anthony Burt Alves), Parayana (Laurel Alves) -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Makhanlal there in our Seattle center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and girls and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Georges Imbert, Kritanga, Gilles Minot, Kriti -- Bombay 16 January, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that both of you have been such a great help to Dhananjaya there in our Amsterdam center. I can understand that both of you are very sincere boys and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Pratyaya (Harry Pettee), Duradharsa (Dennis Weatherman), Saranam (Sharon Robinson), Aja (Marnie Watson), Atmavana (Elaine Carnerie), Ahah (Norah Haas) -- Bombay 16 January, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Bhakta das there in our San Diego center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and girls and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Annuttama das Brahmachary -- ISKCON Bombay January 17, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Damodar there in our Washington, D.C. center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are a very eligible candidate for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtan, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Chaturbhus -- Bombay 21 January, 1972:
Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood. Your father is serving nicely in Delhi by printing our books and magazines in Hindi language, and I am very much pleased with him also. Now you protect your good mother and brothers and sisters, help them to advance more and more in Krishna Consciousness by holding chanting in your house regularly daily and by having altar. If you become very serious to have the ultimate satisfaction of life, then I think that you will practice this KC process very enthusiastically and be successful in all respects.
Letter to Ekendra -- Nairobi 3 February, 1972:
I am very pleased that you are keeping to a very strict schedule and are reading my literature daily. If you continue in this manner you will grow up to be a first class preacher of Krsna consciousness. And this is the highest service that you can perform. I am looking forward to visiting Gurukula in Dallas when I return to the U.S. in the spring.
Letter to Kisora -- Bombay 5 February, 1972:
Simply if the standard of our routine work is maintained very highly, that is, if we steadfastly perform our daily program of rising early, cleansing, chanting 16 rounds, holding kirtana wherever we are at least twice daily, reading, worshiping the deity, going on Sankirtana, like that—if this routine work is always done nicely and never neglected, then our all success is guaranteed in whatever we do. But if this our regular KC program is allowed to slacken, then everything else we try will fail. That is the simple formula for success.
Letter to Gargamuni -- Madras 15 February, 1972:
Now there is one very good boy, Mahamsa ____ who is now in charge of things in Bombay, and he has ____ experience and is perfectly qualified to manage every ____ he is there now. But since he has not got opportunity ___ bay for more than one year, because he has always ____ behind to look after things, therefore Madhudvisa ____ he can come to Mayapur. It will be good if he can ____ So you please go there and take instruction from him ____ regard to levelling the vacant plot and constructing ___ see what progress he has made. He was supposed to have ___ use of hiring coolies to level by hand, but it is doubt ___ can be done very nicely, so if you think it is better, you ___ one machine for levelling the whole thing in one day, and ___ have several Life Members in Bombay who are having such machine ___ building business. Now do everything nicely, also hold our regular ___ kirtana and arati programs daily in the temple, and I shall completely trust this important business to you. I think Madri dasi and Tungabhadra dasi are also there for attending the deities. You write that you have no money, so I have instructed Mahamsa to send you the fare money, and as soon as you receive that you may go there immediately.
Letter to Rudra, Radhika -- Calcutta 20 February, 1972:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters of January 7, 1972, and I am very much pleased that you have opened a very nice center in Madison, Wisconsin. Thank you very much. Now develop it very nicely, and especially make certain that the daily routine program is held nicely and to the regular highest ISKCON standard, that is, you should see that our rising early, holding mangala arati, chanting 16 rounds, reading books, having classes, street sankirtana, etc., go on just to the highest standard and are never for any reason neglected. In this way your success is assured, but if we neglect even for a moment our routine, work, if we allow the regular program to become slack then everything else we may try will fail. I think you have understood these things and you are doing things very nicely, and because your "number one concern" is distributing my books and preaching, I think Krishna will give you all facility to increase more and more and make advancement in Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Harsarani -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:
You have mentioned that your father of your two children has left you and you are forced to live outside the temple. but I cannot understand what is the trouble. If you are getting government welfare help, then you can live separately, take the children to the temple every day and bring them up in Krishna Consciousness, and when they are old enough you may send them to our new school in Dallas. There is no question of losing father, now they shall have dozens of fathers and mothers, simply engage them in our regular KC program of routine rising early, cleansing, chanting, eating Krishna prasada, looking at books, street Sankirtana, like that, and let them associate nicely with other devotees in such program daily, and automatically they will be trained up nicely in Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:
Our thoughts are always changing, that is the nature of the mind, so you cannot expect that even the great saintly persons are free from thoughts coming and going. But after thinking there is feeling and willing, willing being the stage of putting the thoughts into action. So if we are able to employ our intelligence, then we kill the thoughts before they become manifest in activity, but because we are so much inclined to enjoy something unintelligently, we have to therefore daily sharpen our intelligence faculty by reading and discussing and preaching to others. In this way we are able very easily to defeat all challengers to our philosophy and everything becomes very clear as it is revealed from different angles of vision. Krishna makes promise to one who is striving to serve Him sincerely that He will give such devotee the intelligence by which he may come to Him. Therefore we should always pray that Krishna may kindly provide me the intelligence to kill all demons of doubt, and because He understands the heart of His sincere devotee, immediately He gives assistance. For my part, for example, I am absolutely certain that anyone who challenges me I can defeat you. Why is that? Because Krishna gives me the intelligence.
Letter to Gadi (Joseph Magyar), Bhudara (Marc Malcomb), Sridhara (Richard Whitenhurst) -- Calcutta 4 March, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Amarendra there in our Gainesville center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys and are very eligible candidates for going back to Home, Back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme.
Letter to Giriraja -- Bombay 23 March, 1972:
I am very much glad that you are doing so nicely in Calcutta by making many Life Members daily, so now I think you should join me in Bombay immediately as you are free, after training up a competent replacement there. We have also a few days back laid the cornerstone for our Vrindaban Temple, and besides they have given me many more rooms at Radha-Damodara Temple for our use. So the program now in India is immense task, so I am very much encouraged that you feel yourself enthusiastic to help me in this way, by taking a bold lead for pushing on this Movement here.
Letter to Giriraja -- Bombay 23 March, 1972:
Now Brahmananda is in charge here, and there is a huge land and we are occupying it in tents and small cottages like Mayapur cottage and the work is immense. So Gargamuni is collecting also not less than two Life Members daily, but his collection goes toward our Vrindaban construction work. So now things are not going very nicely in Nairobi because Brahmananda has left, so I shall have to send him back there tomorrow, therefore I wanted that you should come here to assist Madhudvisa and __ by collecting profusely, and I think there will be no difficulty here because there is such rich population. Madhavananda can go from Mayapur to Calcutta to help Bhavananda collect there, and you shall come here at the soonest.
Letter to Tarkikchuramoni -- Sydney 8 April, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Bibhu there in our Pittsburgh center. I can understand that you are a very sincere student and are an eligible candidate for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana, etc. In this way you keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours a day and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 11 April, 1972:
Our spiritual way should strictly observe the following points especially: (1). Neatness and cleanliness of all personal bodies. (I still see those who are initiated as Brahmins, they do not wash their hand after eating even; of course, there may be so many defects due to your births in non-Brahmin families, but how long it shall go on? It is very easy thing.); (2). Chanting 16 rounds daily. (I don't think everyone is following these principles.); (3) Temple worship, which should be performed rigidly between four and ten a.m.)
Letter to Ujjal -- Auckland 15 April, 1972:
Upon the recommendation of Citsukhananda, I am very glad to consent to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and I am sending your beads, duly chanted by me, under separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of UJJAL DAS. I am very pleased to hear that you have been such a great help to Citsukhananda there in our Mexico City center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are a very eligible candidate for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles very strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours, and in this lifetime you will become perfectly happy and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Radha-Damodara -- Tokyo 21 April, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Paramesvari there in our Edmonton center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are very eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Lalitananda -- Japan 22 April, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Gunagrahi there in our Buffalo centre. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and are very eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Giriraja -- Tokyo 23 April, 1972:
The temple foundation should be done first. There are many engineers in Calcutta who can give us free service, and if some of them can be brought at our expense to see to the supervision, that will be nice. Everything must be done very cautiously. For clearing the debt of Mr. Nair, he has to be paid three lakhs per year. That means if you make one member daily, that will be 360,000 per year. So you should make one member for clearing his debt, and one member for construction. This should be the calculation. Our latest edition of Krsna book is very handy and just like an ordinary story book. It can be distributed to every student and gentleman, and to all the English-speaking public. Our men can be engaged for this purpose. You can make one advertisement that can read like this:
Letter to Rupanuga -- Tokyo 3 May, 1972:
Your idea to recruit many brahmacaris is nice. We need a class of men purely brahmanas. The whole world is full of sudras. The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for re-establishing the system of four varnas and asramas, then there will be progress of civilization. We have got such a nice process that even from the base sudras we can create brahmanas of highest calibre. All the presidents of our centers should see that all the members are strictly observing the brahminical standards, such as rising early, cleansing at least twice daily, reading profusely, attending arati, like that. You begin immediately this process. That is the main work of GBC. Sometimes we see that even they do not wash hands after eating. Even after drinking water we should wash hands. That is suci. Suchi means purest. Everyone should join the mangal arati. Gradually, we should become more regulated and strict for following the rules and regulations. Otherwise we shall fall down.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Honolulu 9 May, 1972:
There seem to be vast discrepancies between your figures and those of Karandhara. For instance, he reports that since first of January, 1972, New York has remitted only $1243 to BTG Fund and $1538.20 to Book Fund, leaving balances due to BTG and Book Funds of $4571.05 and $5235.90 respectively. But you say your BTG debt is only $1,620 and BKF debt is only $3,897. If you are selling daily average of 2,000 literatures, why so little money is being paid by you on these debts? 60,000 pieces of literature per month means you should send the entire amount collected until this debt is completely eliminated. It is not good if such big temples who are setting the example for the whole Society do not pay their bills. This is most irregular. I am trying to retire from the administrative affairs, but if the presidents and GBC men make such disturbances then how I can be peaceful? Things should be maintained automatically, then it will be peaceful for me.
Letter to Rupa Manohara (Michael McCloughlin), Vipina Purandara (Paul League), Brajera Pakhala (Richard Roland), Gopavrndapala (Eddie Dougherty), Kadambakanana (David Hardin) -- Honolulu 10 May, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that all of you have been such a great help to Karandhara there in our Los Angeles center. I can understand that all of you are very sincere boys, and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana and book distribution, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end you will reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Anandavardhana (Axel Anderson), Jogindra Vandana (John Berg) -- Honolulu 10 May, 1972:
I am so glad to learn that both of you have been such a great help to Nityananda there in our new Orleans center. I can understand that both of you are very sincere boys, and are very eligible candidates for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtana and book distribution, etc. In this way keep yourselves engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end you will reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Honolulu 12 May, 1972:
I am glad to see that you are trying for some cars for India. We need immediately some cars and vans. I was just talking with Gaurasundara how this can be done. I think Scindia has got ships to Detroit, so if you can find this out I can arrange for some shipping to India. You can contact Tamala Krishna in Mayapur for getting photos and information from him about our food-distribution program there and how we are feeding the needy persons in that area daily not less than 2000 persons. The USA government is giving us free foodstuffs and grains for distribution, so why such big motorcar companies should not also help if your government is agreeable? Even they cannot donate, we can purchase at cost price or for some token price, but immediately I want that some cars and vans be sent to India, there is so much need for them there.
Letter to Radha Mohan -- ISKCON Los Angeles (after the 18th) 3764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 May 14, 1972:
Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent under separate post. Your spiritual name is Radha Mohan das Brahmacary. I am so glad to learn that you have been such a great help to Balavanta there in our Atlanta center. I can understand that you are a very sincere boy and that you are a very eligible candidate for going back to home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street sankirtan, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours and you will be really happy in this life and in the end you will reach the Supreme destination.
Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 15 May, 1972:
I am pleased you are selling many Krishna Books daily. All our men should go with books. There is sufficient engagement. If Indira devi has approved Rs. 4700/- for that job, that's all right, pay it. One thing: Don't rent tarpaulin, that is money lost. Better to purchase and get for cheaper price. What is the Rs. 7,500/- paid to Mr. Nair. On what account that is paid? So far the building plans, they are nice. I have already sent telegram to Cyavana reading as follows "Fully approve your plans. Go forward immediately," and I have sent you the copy of plan with sketch of domes on the temple roof. So do the needful. So far our investing, where is our money to invest? We have no money to invest. Our process is to collect and spend, from left hand to right hand, or from right hand to left hand. So far you are revising your plan to fit the Los Angeles skyscraper, I do not say that is necessary, it is only a suggestion.
Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 15 May, 1972:
We want to pick up some devotees who will be satisfied with regulated life, daily having darsana of the deity, chanting—we want some selected men to live with us, either as cooperative housing society or however. So far prasada distribution, it is not a question of rich or poor. That will be Karma Kanda. Our program therefore is that we offer prasada to everyone. Make our temple so nice that everyone who comes is offered some prasada. Not that we are after poor men. It is nice that we are feeding 200 daily, but gradually try to increase. But do not advertise, we shall be self-advertising. And do not go to poor areas, this is not our philosophy. Our philosophy is prasada distribution, without discrimination rich or poor. I am writing to Bhavananda, he cannot spend membership money. Regarding books, posters, and stamps, I am writing to Karandhara that he should send you all of these things at cost price, and the cost can be deducted from the Mayapur Fund in U.S.A. I think if you get these stamps, every businessman in Bombay will take.
Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Honolulu 16 May, 1972:
n.b. Immediately install one strong letterbox for ISKCON outside the Radha Damodara Temple. Syamasundara has heard from Devananda that 50% of mail coming there is opened by someone else. So advise the postmaster that all mail for us be dropped in our box. Or, better, one man can go daily to the post-office mornings between 8 and 8:30 and he may be introduced to the postmaster to be authorized for taking delivery of all our mail. Bon Maharaja does like that.
Letter to Friends -- Los Angeles 23 May, 1972:
Actually outside of our bona fide Krishna Consciousness centers, there is no possibility of finding out what Krishna does or does not want. We say "We feel that Krishna wills this for us." But I feel Krishna does not. So whose feelings will be all right? You say that you are following the regulative principles, so if you are following the regulative principles, why you will not cooperate? If by following the regulative principles you do not become devotees, and you can not appreciate other devotees, then what is the use of these regulative principles? If you are actually chanting regularly 16 rounds, holding sankirtana daily, reading our books as much as possible, like that, then I think you will feel that such program of living separately, away from our Krishna consciousness program is a great mistake.
Letter to Sudama -- Los Angeles 23 May, 1972:
I am very glad to hear that there is an increase in classes and that the mantra class is being held daily twice. In this way if we always concentrate on reading our literature then there will be no difficulty to preach. Nor will the mind wander to other subjects. By reading these books regularly we become more and more convinced in Krishna Consciousness. And if we become more convinced, that will spread the potency of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement with great strength.
Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles June 12, 1972:
Now I am feeling inclination for philosophy, and I want to retire into the background for translating my Srimad-Bhagavatam more and more. I am always glad to hear from my beloved disciples, but I am finding difficulty to reply so many letters daily, so I want to encourage the disciples to refer their questions as much as possible to the GBC men and other senior students. So if you will encourage them in that way, I shall get some relief, but if anyone has got any important or personal questions I do not mind if they write to me, I shall be always glad to hear from them.
Letter to Bhargava -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1972:
Our advancement in Krishna Consciousness is made possible in two ways, by Knowledge and renunciation, jnana and tyaga or tapasya. The more we become renounced from this material world, the more we advance in Krishna Consciousness. But we are only able to make such sacrifices and perform tapasya if we have got knowledge. So first thing is to become knowledgeable in Krishna Consciousness, then the tapasya or voluntary life of austerity will result automatically. So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Krishna Consciousness. It is not a matter of changing our engagement, adjusting this or that material condition, in order to find our real happiness. Krishna Consciousness is not like that. It is able to be performed under any variety of material conditions or with any type of engagement. Therefore if your duty as a photographer is very much helpful to our propanganda work and for improving our BTG then there is very much need for your remaining in that occupation and doing it to your best capacity. It is a fallacy to say that my present engagement with the press is not the best for my spiritual advancement, and if we think in this way we may go on trying out one engagement after another and always say the same excuse. This restlessness or agitation of the mind cannot be rectified by altering the material circumstances. If we are Krishna Conscious, any type of occupation will suit me and we shall always be satisfied. Therefore, I recommend you to read books more and more and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision and be always discussing it with your godbrothers even while you are working at the press, and when you are working and you cannot read, then listen to the tapes of my lectures and hear in that way. And never neglect to chant your 16 rounds of beads daily, rise early without fail, attend mangal arati, take bath, and follow the other regulative principles, and everything will come out very successfully, you can rest assured of that.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:
I am very much stressing at this point that all of my students shall be very much conversant with the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, and that they should read our books very diligently at least one or two hours daily and try to understand the subject matter from varieties of angles. We are holding our morning class here in Los Angeles in the temple and I am speaking from 7 to 8 am, and the process is that we are going through some chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam by taking one sloka each day, and reading the Sanskrit aloud, each word is pronounced by me and repeated by the students and then altogether we chant the sloka several times until we have learned it. And then we discuss the subject matter very minutely and inspect it from all angles of approach and savor the new understandings. So you introduce this system in all of the centers in your zone, and you will discover that everyone becomes very much enlivened by these daily classes. Read one sloka and discuss and then go on to the next sloka on the next day, and so on, and even you discuss one verse each day it will take you 50 years to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam in this way. So we have got ample stock for acquiring knowledge. And if the students get knowledge more and more, they will automatically become convinced and very easily perform their duties for tapasya or renunciation of the material bondage, and that will be their successful advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So I want that advancement amongst all of my students, so your are responsible that the standard will be maintained.
Letter to Bob -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:
I am very much glad to hear that you are associating with us, and I know that you are a very good boy, very intelligent and your behavior is gentle, so I have all confidence that very quickly Krishna will bestow all His blessings upon you and you will feel yourself becoming perfectly happy in Krishna Consciousness. One makes his advancement in Krishna Consciousness by giving up voluntarily his attachment to material nature or maya and such renunciation is called tapasya. But we are not very willing to perform austerities without good reason, therefore any man with scientific and philosophical good brain such as your good self, must appreciate first what is the transcendental knowledge. If you get knowledge, automatically tapasya will follow, and then you make your advancement in spiritual life. So to get knowledge is the first item for anyone who is hoping to find his perfection of life. Therefore, I advise you to daily read our books as far as possible and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision by discussing frequently with the devotees at New York Temple. In this way you will become gradually convinced, and by your sincere attitude and devotional service you will make progress.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:
If they are fully educated in our philosophy and if they can get all of the knowledge and study it from every viewpoint, then very easily they will perform tapasya or renunciation and that will be their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So first thing is to instruct all of your temple presidents and the other devotees to read daily, just as we have done in our morning class in Los Angeles. You may remember that we were reading one sloka each morning in Sanskrit and reciting it altogether and then discussing it thoroughly by seeing different new things. So you introduce this system and train the devotees first. Don't be too much concerned for the time being with nondevotees, now we must fix-up what devotees we have got in the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness, then we will succeed. What good are many, many devotees if none of them are knowledgeable?
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:
As for the GBC members, if we study one sloka daily in our classes it will take you more than 50 years to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam alone, so at least 50 years matter is already there minimum. So we can finish Bhagavatam once in our lifetime and the next generation can begin again, like that. From a practical point of view, as I have not yet finished Srimad-Bhagavatam and we have got now 100 branches, so by the time I am finished with Bhagavatam there must be at least 1000 branches. I have worked alone, now you are so many. Our scope is unlimited, resources unlimited, so we must be exceptionally enthusiastic and sober-minded and responsible for working in that spirit.
Letter to Stokakrsna -- Los Angeles 20 June, 1972:
If there is obedience then there will be discipline, and without any discipline the management is very difficult. So first obedience by the children. That is not always by punishing or by force, but sometimes by showing the stick, without necessarily hitting and sometimes it is learning how to trick them or even cheat them into obeying you voluntarily and enjoying by their obedience. If there is difficulty for taking the smaller children on public sankirtana, there is no need. Unless tey are behaving, what is the use of taking them into public? The smaller children can have their sankirtana party within the school grounds daily and they will enjoy as much. The main point is that these children may be given the two-fold program of education in Krsna Consciousness, namely, chanting and performing devotional activities on the one hand, and some knowledge of our philosophy and other subjects of knowledge on the other hand.
Letter to Rupa Vilasa (Robert McNaughton), Candrika (Carol McNaughton), Bhavatarini (Debbie Watt), Bhanutanya (Debra Wolin) -- Los Angeles 20 June, 1972:
Our process is very simple. Simply follow the regulative principles of devotional service, and if you stick to these principles with determination, then you will become free from all attachment to maya, by Krishna's Grace. The example is that when the sun is in the sky, there is no question of darkness. Similarly when Hare Krishna Mantra is vibrating on your tongue and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear or Krishna consciousness and there is no question of maya or hazy consciousness. Just as when the light and darkness come together, the darkness cannot stand before the light, so maya cannot remain in the presence of Krishna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krishna, at least 16 rounds daily, and that will save you in all circumstances without any doubt.
Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1972:
I am happy to hear that the men are engaged nicely, especially in the matter of distributing our books. Take any number of books without paying any price, and engage the whole amount for our building work there in Bombay, but the building work must be very superb. Now I have sent you one letter yesterday which I hope by now has cured the situation amongst you all leaders there in Bombay. So if there is neglect or slackening in the building work you may please give all good direction how it may be improved to the topmost standard in all of India. One thing, if our men are making daily between Rs. 30/- and Rs. 120/-, let us say average of Rs. 50/-, so that is Rs. 400-500/- per day, or Rs. 15,000 per month so that is very nice. So in this way you may order increasingly as many books as you can distribute and they will be immediately dispatched to Bombay without any cost to you.
Letter to Haripuja -- Los Angeles 25 June, 1972:
Now please continue to strictly follow the regulative principles and rigidly observing the four principal restrictions, namely: no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no taking of any kinds of intoxicants including coffee, tea and tobacco, no illicit sex life, and no gambling, and always without fail chant 16 rounds of the Holy Names daily, and be happy.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1970:
We, on the other hand, are rescuing the most fallen members of society among the young people and giving them new life of spiritual or highly desirable qualities, such as honesty, cleanliness, truthfulness, morality, like that. Now you approach the government leaders and convince them in this way, and that will be the greatest achievement. They have got so much money for spending for human welfare activities, and practically we are demonstrating that they have given us foodstuffs in India and we are distributing them daily to not less than 500 men, and if they would give us more we could also increase more and more. Your government has got inclination to assist the unfortunate people of the world, and that is very nice idea, now they should understand also that we are very much anxious and capable to assist them in their great and noble endeavor by rendering our services amongst the unfortunate citizens.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1970:
In San Diego, I spoke at one such seminar on "Hinduism" which attracted many scholarly persons from all over the United States. So I am thinking that if we arrange similar seminar programs in the future, wherever I am speaking at the time, that will be a great success. So I am coming to New Vrindaban for the Janmastami celebration by end of August from Europe, so if you can arrange and advertise widely for such Bhagavata Dharma seminar or festival, I shall speak for minimum 7 days on the subject matter of Bhagavata Dharma. You may invite all the intelligent class of men, like students, professors, philosophers, scientists, educationists, like that, and they can pay some fee and we shall give them all facilities for living, and they shall attend our classes daily for some set period and take away immense benefit. I am enclosing the copy of one sample advertisement for the seminar in San Diego. Similarly, we can arrange such seminar at New Vrindaban. What do you think?
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1972:
You mention that you are no longer much occupied with seeing that the rent and mortgage is paid and that the incense is sold, but GBC means to be occupied with everything in the zone. It is not that now we are preachers we can neglect all other points. No, the GBC member is supposed to know everything and anything about the condition and situation of all matters within his jurisdiction. That is the meaning of secretary. So because we are engaged in many fields of activity I am especially relying upon that knowledge of my GBC assistants and secretaries to manage everything properly. But if we do not take time to understand how the financial matters are going on, then at any moment we may experience some calamity due to our inattention to these matters. Therefore, you should try to keep yourself always informed how the financial matters are improving and keep your watchful eye on every feature of our Krishna Consciousness activity. That is also part of preaching work. I am also preaching daily. But I am at the same time managing everything, seeing the statements of accounts, going to the bank, giving advice on every topic, like that. Just now I have purchased one apartment house with seven apartments just adjacent to the L.A. temple and very soon we shall invest in similar properties. So practically there is no question of my neglecting the financial matters of the society, and similarly, you shall do as I am doing. That is your real business. So far your question, Yes, it is good to be prepared with a well-thought lecture in advance. However, we must be able to preach effectively at a moment's notice or under any conditions or circumstances also. As you begin to study the Sanskrit words, in each word you will find a treasure house of different understanding.
Letter to Hrdayananda -- New York 9 July, 1972:
Now you must all three, along with the other sannyasis, GBC members, and other leaders become very serious to actually give the human kind the greatest welfare, namely, this Krishna Consciousness movement. Your task ahead is very huge, but it will be quite simple and easy if you simply do as I am doing. You must become conversant in every feature wherever it is needed throughout the society. Out first business is to preach to the devotees and to maintain the highest standard of Vaisnava education. Management must be there as well, just as I am preaching daily from S. Bhagavatam, B.G., but I am also going to the bank, making investments, seeing the trial balance making letters, seeing how things are going on, like that. So you must become expert in all these matters, just as I am giving you example . . . Syamasundara has passed on your telephone message that you wish to open a Vedic college or school of higher Krishna Consciousness education there at Houston. That is not very much desirable. Actually, every center should be a college, and this is our training, singing dancing, working, temple worship, like that . . .
Letter to Bhavananda -- London 14 July, 1972:
One thing, on the invitation card you have written All Glories to Our Guru Maharaja. This is impersonalism. As soon as we offer obeisances to guru, the name should be there. We are strictly personalists. The sahajiya's, they write Glories to Guru. Why you are learning this impersonalism, who has taught you? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, otherwise it is impersonal.
Formerly, I told that Calcutta should support Mayapur. So whoever can take charge of both, he should be President. You should discuss these things amongst yourselves. Simply taking title of President will not help. Why there are no letters from Tamala Krishna, why he is not taking active part in Mayapur? I originally entrusted him with responsibility for Mayapur, but he does not even write what is the situation there, nor does he co-sign for money to be sent.
Whether you can deal with so many problems? I am receiving so many letters daily from Calcutta. The temple officers are appointed to minimize my time, not increase it with so many letters. Best to stop expanding, or if you cannot raise funds there, close up the Calcutta center. It is not that the officers should be expert in one field only, they should be expert in everything.
Letter to Giriraja -- Paris 22 July, 1972:
So far my writings, avoid publishing them in hodge-podge journals. These so-called Hindus are generally impersonalists, and we do not want to have anything to do with them. Better we stick to our own standard, and eventually they will all come to us for learning what is God. You can try the daily newspapers. If Times of India, Navbharat, if some of these daily papers agree, I can send regularly one sloka from Bhagavad-gita, whatever is in the book plus further elaboration.
Letter to Jagadisa -- Paris 22 July, 1972:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 15, 1972, and I have noted the contents. I am very much pleased to hear that everything is going on nicely in Canada, especially that your travelling party is having good success. Yes, that is the right idea, to strengthen whatever devotees we have got in spiritual life, fix them beyond any doubts. Then our potency will increase and we may recruit dozens of new devotees easily. Main thing is to make sure everyone is chanting minimum sixteen rounds daily of Hare Krishna Mantra. Otherwise they will not be able to perform the other practices of brahminical life, such as early rising, cleanliness, etc.
Letter to Jayadeva -- Paris 23 July, 1972:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 1, 1972, and I have noted the contents. Krishna's plan becomes very easy for us when we follow Krishna's orders, otherwise, we are following Maya's plan and become frustrated at every step. Following Krishna's orders means chanting daily 16 rounds, following the four rules and regulations, rising early, associating with devotees, like that. Unless these principles are followed, we cannot expect Krishna's protection.
Letter to Bhavananda -- London 1 August, 1972:
One thing is, I have just now heard from Gurudasa that the American Government agency which is providing us the foodstuffs for Mayapur is prepared to give us much, much more provided we fully utilize what they have already given. And I am informed by Gurudasa that the distribution program in Mayapur is not very widespread. Why you have neglected this very important program? I want that you shall distribute prasadam at least to hundreds of persons daily, and advertise very widely all over Nadia Province for people to come there and take prasadam daily without charge. Otherwise the whole thing is a farce. We have worked so hard for so long to get this foodstuff donated by your government and now we are neglecting? And if you expand this program to their satisfaction, they will give so much more of different varieties of foodstuffs and we can expand this program widely throughout India and become very much popular with the people as a whole. So try to expand this program as much as possible at Mayapur and let me know.
Letter to Anuradha (Jan), Bhaktilata (Becky), Rama Tulasi (Tina) -- London 2 August, 1972:
Now you please continue to strictly follow the regulative principles and rigidly observe the four principle restrictions, namely: no eating of meat, fish or eggs; no illicit sex life; no gambling; and no intoxication. And always without fail chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- London 3 August, 1972:
So you may not be disturbed that Ksirodakasayi is coming back there, I shall ask him to remain here for developing London center. Today we are looking at a very nice place of 75 acres near London with Mr. George Harrison, who has found the place and wants to have our asrama there. He is coming to see me daily and he is a very nice boy and I like him very much. If we get this place, I shall make London my permanent world headquarters. Practically I am British by training, so I am also trying for dual Indian-British citizenship. I still remember that you both helped me very much by opening this London center, and it is the most important center in the world, so I am very much thankful always. Now go on and develop the Vrindaban centre with full enthusiasm and do not be discouraged by anything temporary setbacks but always work in the spirit of being completely dependent upon Krishna for everything. I shall be returning to India by October.
Letter to Bali-mardana -- London August 5, 1972:
I am very happy to understand from you that the printing work is going on prolifically, that is our first business, to print and distribute this Krsna knowledge very widely. I am expecting very soon the delivery of Bhagavad-gita As it Is* and you may dispatch many copies to England also. I am very happy to hear of your daily walk through that Brooklyn neighborhood with the deities. That is customary in India, and all of the neighbors come out and offer incense, garlands and other gifts for Radha and Krsna, so you may encourage your neighbors there to also make offerings and chant with us, and their lives will be very much improved.
Letter to Acyutananda -- London 5 August, 1972:
Now you please remain there and jointly help Gurudasa and the other two Indian boys and hold as much as you can kirtana and discourses widely all over the Vrindaban village. Take help from Visvambhara Goswami and the other good Godbrothers and make our presence in Vrindaban very impressive and prestigious, and that will by the greatest service. That is my advice. Keep your prestige very nicely there in Vrindaban. Follow the principle of leading sankirtana party every day from Radha Damodara Mandir to our new place in Raman Reti. And wherever possible hold kirtana and speak in Bengali and English. If you are able to have such engagement from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. daily, do that.
Letter to Acyutananda -- London 5 August, 1972:
So far the program with Cox and Kings Travel Agency, take the help of Visvambhara Goswami and others and create this program very enthusiastically, I am very much in favor of it. One thing is, there has not been very much substantial concrete work done in the last few months in Vrindaban in the matter of our new building there. So I have asked Tamala Krishna Goswami to come there with one engineer and begin the work vigorously. Now you give him all assistance and help me get started on this great project immediately. I shall be coming to India sometimes in October and I expect to see some tangible progress there in Vrindaban. That is our real business. If we are there so many months and we cannot do anything, simply eat and sleep and fight amongst ourselves, then where is our credit? Our credit will be when the people see our nice building rising daily, just like in Mayapur, with 100 men working day and night. That is the American style. If you want to honor me, you will do like this and then I can truly be called the guru of the Americans. Otherwise, it is simply a dishonor to me.
Letter to Tejiyas -- London 9 August, 1972:
Your program for preaching in Delhi is very much approved by me, preaching Krsna is the same as remembering Krsna. I can understand if one of my students is making spiritual advancement if he is also making many life members and devotees. So you have not to minimize the preaching program in order to study independently, no, continue as you are doing, preach as much as possible, collect, make life members, and whenever you have time read and study and never neglect to chant your sixteen rounds daily, and this will be the perfect program.
Letter to Gangadevi -- London 11 August, 1972:
Your husband is doing the highest service. You may assist your husband very nicely by concentrating all your time and efforts in raising your child in full Krsna consciousness. That will require all of your attention, and in that way you will be giving your husband the best assistance. This spot life is merely a platform for us to make progress toward going back to home, back to Godhead, therefore we should not be too much concerned with family matters. We are never alone in Krsna consciousness; you have got so many wonderful brothers and sisters who are really your family, and besides that the spiritual master is always in his instructions, and Krsna is there within your heart, so you need not feel you are ever alone. Make Krsna your husband and always think of Him, raise your child up very nicely, chant without fail sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna mantra daily, read Srimad-Bhagavatam at least one hour daily, and in this way without any doubt you will very soon become very happy, and your life will be sublime.
Letter to Suresh Candra -- London 11 August, 1972:
Thank you very much for the sentiments expressed therein. A disciple means one who is always following the orders of the spiritual master. So I instruct my disciples to refrain from four prohibitions, namely no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex life, no taking of intoxication, including tea, coffee, cigarettes, etc., and no gambling. Besides that my students must chant sixteen rounds of japa-mala of Hare Krsna mantra daily. So if you are able to follow these principles without fail, then you are as good as my disciple. And after you have practiced these things for a few months' time, then we can see to your formal initiation. This chanting of sixteen rounds of japa-mala daily, chanting the full Hare Krsna mantra, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, on each bead 108 times in each round, this process will very quickly purify your existence, and you will come to your rightful spiritual understanding in very short order. Since you have asked me, this is my advice to you. You and your family sit down and chant daily some japa and have some kirtana (or chanting Hare Krsna mantra in full __ with kartas and mrdanga.) Besides that you may order our books from the Los Angeles world headquarters, 3764 Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles, 90034, California, __ when you have got our books, then you may hold class all together daily at least one hour and read the Bhagavad-gita, Isopanisad, and other scriptures. You may address your inquiries about the literature in Los Angeles to Sriman Karandhara das Adhikari.
Letter to Tejiyas, Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1972:
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.
Letter to Sukadeva -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1972:
I have received your letter dated August 7, 1972 and I am very happy to note that things are improving more and more there in our Seattle Center. Yes, the program of increasing book distribution is very much appreciated by me, and especially if you can preach very widely to the university students nearby to your place, that is the best program. Try to get a course of instruction in the college and preach daily in a scholastic way. If we can attract this student class of men by our preaching work, that will enhance everything and we are very much in need of intelligent preachers for expanding this movement all over the world. I want that you all my advanced disciples become very bold preachers and take up this task of saving the fallen humanity from its worst condition of sinfulness. If you simply convert the leaders of your country to our philosophy, then the whole world will follow and be saved from ruin. Otherwise, they are all doomed to become animals like hogs and dogs. So you preach like that, very strongly, to especially the hippie class of men and the student class of men and convince them to give up their sinful activities and find out their real perfection of life in this Krishna Consciousness movement.
Letter to Gaura Sakti -- Los Angeles 22 August, 1972:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 22, 1972 requesting initiation, and upon the recommendation of Madhudvisa Swami, I have gladly consented to give you Gayatri mantra. This second initiation is very, very serious business, and you must become very strong and firmly situated in devotional service, and stick rigidly to chanting at least 16 rounds daily, without fail, and following the regulative principles without any deviation. This things will insure that you will be protected from Maya, and that your life will be successful and in the end you will go back to home, back to Godhead. I was very pleased with the Deities when I was there. So I request you to continue, along with Dipak, to render sincere, regular, loving service to Their Lordships, and They will give you all blessings. I have given you the spiritual name Gaura Sakti das Brahmacari. Now you continue, as you have been, to give Madhudvisa and the others all help, and spread this great movement all over Australia.
Letter to Lalitananda -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:
So far installing deity in your home is concerned, better to wait until you move into the temple when you are little older. Meanwhile try and attend to the temple as often as you are able, and always without fail daily chant 16 rounds and follow the four prohibitive restrictions, and in due course of time you will feel yourself becoming happier more and more in Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Radha-Damodara -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:
I thank you very much for your letter dated August 25, 1972, and I appreciate very much for your kind sentiments. Yes, the Bhagavata Dharma discourses here in New Vrindaban are going on very nicely and daily several hundred devotees and guests are coming to hear, and it is truly a wonderful time.
Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Los Angeles 13 September, 1972:
I have received your letter dated September 5, 1972, duly delivered to me by hand of Syamasundara, and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your questions, Seva Puja* means only for daily worship of deities. The building fund will construct, the book fund will maintain, and this fund is for daily expenditure of Seva Puja or worship of the deities only. So far your administrative duties as secretary of Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust Fund are concerned, that will be informed by you. For the time being, rents should be collected by Karandhara and sent to India. How it will be done I shall think over and let you know. As for the responsibility for proper spending, the man in charge or the president will be responsible in Mayapur and Vrndavana.
Letter to Bali-mardana, Pusta Krsna -- Los Angeles 18 September, 1972:
I have been informed by Sriman Syamasundara of your question via telephone from New York Temple, and my reply is that this sankirtana or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program. Lord Caitanya's movement means the sankirtana movement. You may simply take two hours for chanting sixteen rounds daily, two hours for reading congregationally, and balance of time go out for sankirtana. We must do both, reading books and distributing books, but distributing books is the main propaganda. Reading in class for two hours is sufficient and other reading can be done in spare time if one has got it, it is not that one has to be always reading. One hour a morning for Bhagavata class and one hour evening, either Bhagavad-gita or Nectar of Devotion, that is sufficient.
Letter to Bhaktijana -- Los Angeles 21 September, 1972:
You do not require to worry as I shall never leave you, you are my disciple and I am your spiritual master, so there is no question, as long as you follow my instructions, that I shall ever leave you. Just remember under all circumstances to chant sixteen rounds of japa daily, offer your prasadam to Krsna, and do all of the things which you already know, as you are senior disciple. These things will protect you under all conditions, without any doubt.
Letter to Tamala Krsna, Bhavananda -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:
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.
Keep me informed daily in this connection.
Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:
We shall be leaving Los Angeles by the 6th October for San Francisco, thereafter we shall leave for India, arriving in Delhi by 16th October. Kindly keep me informed daily what is the progress in this connection. Karandhara is in Germany and London on some business, so if it is required he can come there immediately to assist you. I want that this conveyance business be finished up immediately. I am sending also Tamala Krishna and Bhavananda there to help you do the needful. You may inform me by cable if you have got the bank loan or not, or if you require Karandhara to come.
Letter to Mahendranath -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:
Now please continue to follow strictly the regulative principles, and observe especially rigidly the four principle restrictions, and without fail always chant at least sixteen rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
Letter to My dear daughters, -- Los Angeles September 29, 1972:
Now please continue to follow strictly the regulative principles, and observe especially rigidly the four principle restrictions, and without fail always chant at least sixteen rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
Letter to Susan Beckman -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:
The difficulties of this material world will shrink to no more than the size of a hoofprint left by the calf. Actually there is no difference between devotees living inside the temple and devotees living outside the temple. You are right that the important thing is to remember Krsna, whatever is your activity. So try to remember Krsna always by following the principles as you know them, namely, rising early, taking bath, cleansing, attending aratrika, reading scriptures at least one hour or two hours daily, chanting sixteen rounds on beads of Hare Krsna mantra, going for street sankirtana, offering all your foodstuffs to Krsna, like that. In this way very quickly you will make progress in Krsna Consciousness and become very very happy in your life.
Letter to Narottamananda -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972:
Your programme for the university students is very very nice, try to do it seriously and with scholarly approach. Yes, your chief weapon will be prasadam, because everyone likes to eat nice foodstuffs and philosophy and other things will come gradually. In this way try to make many devotees, just like so many of you may top-grade disciples came from Buffalo university under direction of Rupanuga. Keep our standard Krishna Consciousness programme to the highest level by always without fail rising early, chanting 16 rounds, holding arati, going out for street sankirtana, reading books daily, distributing as many books as possible, like that, and in this way Krishna will give you all intelligence and facility for doing His work just to perfection. Thank you very much for helping me in this way.
Letter to Saucarya -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972:
Now you have got the formula how to achieve very quickly the supreme perfectional stage, and it is up to you if you will practice it seriously or not. If you chant daily 16 rounds and read at least one hour daily Srimad-Bhagavatam, plus your other prescribed duties, never mind this or that, you will feel yourself becoming happy more and more and these practices will protect you from maya or hazy consciousness without any doubt. Of course, it is very much favorable to our advancement in spiritual life if we are engaged in some service for Krishna which is also pleasing to us to perform. So if you have got some special talent or experience you may discuss with Jagadisa how to engage yourself in that way. That is his duty as leader, to give you good engagement.
Letter to Dinatarini dasi -- Vrindaban October 26, 1972:
I am glad to hear that the worship of deities is improving daily and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna are appearing happier in their new Dallas home. Why don't you send me some photos, how they are looking now?
Letter to Mukunda -- Vrindaban 2 November, 1972:
Now we are in Vrindaban, and the programme for speaking daily morning and evening in the courtyard samadhi-place at Radha-Damodara temple is very much being appreciated by the devotees. Next we shall go to Hyderabad for some weeks. You have mentioned nothing of your wife, so what is her position?
Letter to Puri Maharajji -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:
Thank you for your letter dated October 26, 1972, which has reached me here at Vrindaban. Yes, the programme is going on very nicely, and all the devotees are enlivened by our discourses daily in morning and evening in the Samadhi courtyard at Radha-Damodar temple. I can understand that due to so many celebrations at this Urja time you are unable to join me here.
Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Vrindaban 8 November, 1972:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 1, 1972, and I am very much engladdened to hear that you have arrived to Europe and that you have enthusiastically begun your work there, opening one centre in France. Yes, such opening of temples, holding daily street sankirtana, distributing books, preaching in the schools and colleges, this is our standard programme for injecting Krishna Consciousness in the world. And if we simply stick to this programme we shall be successful, without any doubt. Now you are sannyasi, sannyasi means responsible, you must be responsible for the spiritual progress of the devotees, to see that the right standard is being observed in all departments. Just as I am doing. Sometimes I go to the bank, sometimes keep accounts, sometimes preach, hold the class, write books, sometimes cook—sannyasi should be expert in all departments, and he should distribute his experience to others, that's all. So I think you are the right man for assisting me in this way in European continent, and Krishna has brought you to the right place, so with great enthusiasm go forward. Thank you very much.
Letter to Yadubara -- Vrindaban 11 November, 1972:
So I think there is plan to have each night one outside engagement for preaching and holding kirtana. That is very good proposal. But do not neglect also our own programme at Juhu. That should be improved progressively, not decreased. Now only a few men come. But when I was there thousands were coming daily. Why the standard has fallen down? If you become lazy in your spiritual life, everything else will deteriorate. We are not interested in big, big buildings, no. That was not my plan for Juhu. I simply want to engage everyone in the service of Krishna, that's all. And that means preaching. So if the preaching work has stopped, what can I do? In that case you must expect there will be so many troubles. So try to improve your preaching work, distribute all the books, and print more, and in this way, Krishna is the husband of the Goddess of Fortune, you will get as much money and as many big buildings as you need for spreading Krishna Consciousness movement, without any doubt.
Letter to Ravanantakara (Rick Knickerbocker), Makhana Taskara (Martin Framson), Rasalubhda (Lynn MacDonald), Sudarsani (Cynthia Greene), Madhuryalilananda (Elizabeth Hanks) -- Bombay 25 November, 1972:
Now please continue to follow strictly the regulative principles and rigidly observe the four principle restrictions and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily and be happy.
Letter to Rasada (Rick Joaquim), Dvijavara (David), Annada (Anita) -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:
Now please continue to strictly follow the regulative principles and rigidly observe the four principles restrictions as Bhagavan has taught you, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds daily on your beads, and be happy.
Letter to Tejiyas -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:
If only one person daily, if we sincerely preach to such one person in a day, that is sufficient, never mind big, big programmes. So my request to you is that you do not be bothered by these things, and I have instructed Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara to send you men, so they will do it, rest assured. Krishna does not like to see His sincere devotee suffer or become frustrated or depressed. He will not stand idly by in any such case, so do not fear on that account. Krishna has got some plan for you, always think in that way, and very soon He will provide everything to your heart's desire.
Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 22 December, 1972:
Regarding the work of Pradyumna, now he is working very hard to finish those missing portions, and he will send you very soon. Actually, whatever else he may be doing, I very much appreciate Pradyumna's work. Everyday he gives me some solid work, at least something every day, so I am very much appreciating. I was in Ahmedabad preaching daily in the morning and evening for last two weeks, and at least ten thousand were coming to hear. From January 12th our second Hare Krishna Festival will go on in the Cross Maidan in Bombay, and Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara are planning something very gorgeous just to push on the preaching work. Meanwhile I am little resting behind the scenes for few days, and one Karatieya Mahadevia has been very kind to give us his place all to ourselves just by the seaside on Warden Road. Many big men of Bombay are coming to see me daily for confidential talks, and they are beginning to very much become inclined to our philosophy. I think in this place, it is very restful and there is no interruption, so I think I shall be able to increase my translations work.
Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:
Another thing is, if we get our headquarters in the very important business quarter of New York, just like I saw those photos, big, big skyscrapers surrounding, millions of people passing daily, oh, that will be very wonderful thing. But that quarter of 77th Street, that is costly also, but it is not very important. So I think if you get one place, one skyscraper building, just by the 5th Avenue, say, around 40th Street, 45th Street, Times Square, like that, that will be the beacon-light for our world-wide propaganda of Krishna Consciousness Movement.
Letter to Atendriya (Andy Wiernsz), Bahusira (Bill Oliverson), Jitamitra (Judy Jones), Maharha (Mary St. John), Omkara (Oksana Olenczuk), Vajasana (Vicky Burt) -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:
Now my request to you all is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, observing strictly the four basic restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 23 December, 1972:
So I am very much pleased upon you for your kindly guiding and training the new devotees in so many ways. Yes, if you simply instruct them as I have taught also you, being yourself always the perfect example and above suspicion, that will act with great force. I am doing that. And I wanted to make some sannyasis to do what I am doing, and if you keep the standard, always chanting Hare Krishna, then it will go on continuously without impediment. That is your duty as sannyasa, to keep yourself always above suspicion in Krishna Consciousness programme, and to teach others to become like you, that's all. That is our perfect programme. And you have pointed out that you want to train others to be leaders, because you have observed there is at present not very many qualified leaders. That is good proposal. Find out some intelligent men from schools, colleges, and being always very tolerant try to convince them gradually to utilize their intelligence and education in the service of Krishna. And if you simply keep to our standard programme—don't try to invent anything "Road Show" or "Yoga Village"—that means chanting daily 16 rounds, rising early, attending mangal arati, like that, if this programme is strictly maintained amongst all the devotees, they will remain pure, and if preaching is pure, automatically leaders, managers, funds, everything will be given profusely by Krishna, without any doubt.
Letter to Kisora -- Bombay 25 December, 1972:
I am very glad to note that you are so much sincere and enthusiastic devotee of Krishna. That is wanted. If I do not do anything else, at least let me produce one such sincere devotee that's all. You are leader, so if you are enthusiastic then all of the others will remain always enthusiastic, that is your greatest qualification. And it is easy thing to maintain your enthusiastic behavior if you yourself and the rest devotees under your protection always without fail chant minimum 16 rounds daily, rise early in the morning for mangal arati, take bath, cleanse everything nicely, go out for preaching work, like that. In this way, if you stick tightly to the basic principles of devotional life as chalked out for us by our great predecessors, then always you will be feeling transcendental ecstasy of enthusiasm—that is Krishna Consciousness. It is very simple.
Letter to Amogha -- Bombay 26 December, 1972:
It is very much pleasing to me to hear that you are making such steady advancement in Krishna Consciousness. If you continue in this way, and strictly follow the four regulative principles, making sure to chant at least sixteen rounds on the beads, daily, it is without a doubt that at the end of this lifetime, you can go back home, back to Godhead.
Letter to Janajanmadhih (Jeffrey Balawajder), Anadi (Alann Hayes), Araudra (Auda Gen) -- Bombay 27 December, 1972:
Now my request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service, following especially the four principle restrictions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
Letter to Brhatbanu (Brian Peverill), Jagadadija (Jean Luc Norroy) -- Bombay 28 December, 1972:
Now my request to both of you is that you very seriously stick to the regulative principles of devotional service, and especially observe rigidly the four restrictions, and without fail always chant 16 rounds on your beads daily, and be happy.
Letter to Dhananjaya -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:
Therefore Rupa Gosvami has introduced this system of regulative principles which I have taught to you also. These regulative principles, such as rising before 4 a.m. for mangala aratrika, chanting 16 rounds minimum on beads daily, reading books, going for the street sankirtana, preaching to anyone and everyone, offering the prasadam, like that, these principles of devotional service are there to safeguard us from maya's attack by keeping us always enthusiastic. If we strictly observe these principles, we shall remain always enthusiastic. These are the sources and the maintainers of our enthusiasm to serve Krsna. As soon as someone is not following them regularly, it may be certain that his enthusiasm will gradually disappear. Therefore, my request to you is that under any and all circumstances that you yourself shall without fail stick to these principles and make certain that all of the devotees in your charge are also following them strictly.
1973 Correspondence
Letter to Bhavananda -- Bombay 3 January, 1973:
Your letter dated December 29, 1972, is in hand, and I am especially pleased to hear that our Tarun Babu is now little more inclined and coming daily to the Calcutta temple. That will be a great occasion, as he has suggested us, to lead the sankirtana party of two lacs of men through Calcutta on Lord Caitanya's appearance day. So on the 18th March, Lord Caitanya's appearance date, everyone shall rest and chant in the temple. So Tarun Babu can arrange to take us early morning from Mayapur to Calcutta, then on that day, 18th March, we shall have our big Calcutta sankirtana procession, and on that same evening or the following morning the bus may return to Mayapur and we shall conduct big Utsava. Tarun Babu and C. L. Bajoria and all big life members can come and stay with us at Mayapur for Utsava.
Letter to Dhruvananda -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:
Why you are pouring water over the head of Radha and Krsna deities? Big deities should not be bathed in this way, using water or other things. Rather they are bathed daily by mantra, do you not know these things? Under no circumstances shall we bathe the Jagannatha deities with anything water or liquid, they should be bathed with mantra also. Now you are asking if Lord Jagannatha carries flute? Why this nonsense question? You are asking me so many concoctions and manufactured nonsense. Don't bother my head in this way any more. From now on unless I order you do something change or in addition, go on with the usual standard way. You manufacture ideas and then I have to waste my time. I have given you everything already, there is no need for you to add anything or change anything. Why you are asking these things? Who has given you such freedom? Pujari should operate entirely under the supervision of temple president and GBC, not independently. The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. So don't ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that's all.
Letter to Krsna Gopala -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:
I am very happy to learn from you all of the valuable assistance that you are giving to our Tejyas there at Delhi. He is very sincere boy, along with his good wife, and there is excellent field for our preaching work in Delhi city. So as much as possible you may give him your attention and energy for helping me to push on this Krsna Consciousness movement there. You are householder, and you are teaching your family Krsna consciousness, that is the best example of grhastha model life. So go on in this way, and become the perfect example of grhastha devotee family. I think that you may also assist Tejyas by approaching the big men and professional men like members of Parliament, doctors, lawyers, like that, in your city, and enroll them as our life members. This activity of preaching, along with your daily program as you have given me, that will be sufficient to bring you to the platform of perfection in spiritual life in very short time. Thank you for helping me in this way.
Letter to Krsnakatha (Kris Carlson), Anala (Anna Carlson) Riddha (Roger May), Maharddhi (Morley Walkowski), Rohita (Randy Hyndeman), Kala (Carl Mulder) -- Bombay 5 January, 1973:
Now my request to all of you is that you very seriously and sincerely stick to the principles of devotional service, and especially observe strictly the four prohibitions, and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily. In this way you will be always happy.
Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 5 January, 1973:
Yes, that is correct, the deities should never be bathed with water or something like that. Always bathe them with the mantra process. Of course the big deities should be bathed daily! Should not the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if He is recommending to us as brahmanas to bathe so many times, should he not also take bath? There is no objection either to applying the jewels to Their bodies with beeswax or to swinging them in the public functions in the temple on Sunday, so long there is very nice jhulan or swing being profusely decorated. Radha and Krsna may be swung in this way, but you may avoid swinging Lord Jagannatha like that. Yes, that will be very nice if your men go to South America for opening some new centers. They may write to me in that connection.
Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Bombay 5 January, 1973:
Regarding your question is it all right to assign the entire sankirtana party for distributing books so that no one will be free for street chanting? Of course we should not understanding the meaning of sankirtana very narrowly, that only chanting and dancing and playing instruments, no, sankirtana means to glorify the Lord in a congregational manner. 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.
Letter to Hasyakari (Howard Bernd), Rathangapani (Randy Buchert), Varuthapa (Warren Havens), Laksmivan (Lawson Knight), Bhaktavatsala (Barry Butler), Bhaktilila (Linda Butler) -- Bombay, India 9 January, 1973:
My request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service as you have learned them, and especially observe strictly the four prohibitions and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily. In this way you will be always happy.
Letter to Hariprasada -- Bombay 9 January, 1973:
Now your brother is here with me and I am talking with him daily what we shall do in Hyderabad. So you needn't worry for anything, I shall satisfy you on all points. The plan is being made and Sriniwas has also seen it, and we have been jointly consulting. So some of our best men are coming there by 15th of this month to take up the matters seriously, and they shall bring with them many many books. As soon as they come there, Kesava may immediately return to Bombay for taking charge of some other very important work here in India. I have a big plan for him, so as soon as he can be spared from his work there, if you think it is all right, he may leave immediately before the others arrive.
Letter to Satsvarupa, Hrdayananda -- Bombay 9 January, 1973:
Try to present everything very logically and always quoting our Sanskrit authorities in connection with the main points, and that will impress them greatly. Yes, and if you also yourselves write something daily, that will sharpen your use of language and you will be able to make your points very clear. And if you dress neatly and conduct yourselves properly, that will help further.
Letter to Hillel Ben-Ami -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter, undated, and I have noted the contents very carefully. Thank you very much for your kind sentiments. Now try and understand our philosophy very carefully by reading all of our books, such as Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and there are so many others. In addition, please follow the regulative principles very rigidly, such as chanting daily 16 rounds on the beads, attending classes, getting up for mangala aratrika. These regulative principles will make us very strong in Krsna Consciousness and very rapidly we can advance in this way. So under the direction of the senior devotees there try and become fixed in your devotional service to the Lord, Sri Krsna, and this will certainly bring complete satisfaction to you and make you eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead, in this very lifetime.
Letter to Hladini -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 1, 1973, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. It is so nice to see how enthusiastic you are in executing this process of devotional service and how much you like your engagement there in New Vrindaban. So you continue in this way, always thinking of Krsna, chanting 16 rounds, reading the books, and doing your daily chores all on behalf of Krsna. As your devotional service becomes mature you shall see Krsna more and more, and more and more you shall realize the qualities of the holy land of Vraja. This modern civilization is always artificial. You are actually learning in New Vrindaban the self-sufficient mode of living, simple living, high thinking, that is our policy, and as long as Krsna remains in the center of all these activities, then you are actually in Vrindaban. And the more you please the Deities there with your service, the more they shall reciprocate by bestowing upon you love for Sri Sri Radha Krsna. So I am always looking forward to coming back to New Vrindaban, and I remember very fondly the sandesh, milk, and other nice products that the devotees are preparing there. Thank you very much.
Letter to Krsnanandini -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973:
I be to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9/25/72, which has just now been forwarded to me from Vrindaban. So there has been some delay. Please do not be disturbed. So for the time being you may call the baby Bhakta Gaura, and then initiated can take place when she is grown more, not now. So you are my initiated disciple, and I must instruct you to be sure to always follow the regulative principles like chanting 16 rounds on the beads daily, reading my books, eating only prasadam, and in every way trying to serve Krsna. This will keep you purified and help you to advance more and more in spiritual life. So try as much as possible to associate with our devotees and to bring up your baby firmly in Krsna Consciousness. This will be the success of your life.
Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1/1/73 and have noted the contents with great pleasure. It is so nice to hear how your wife Daivisakti Devi Dasi is distributing so many books and collecting big big donations for the Lord. This is very very pleasing to me, as our book distribution and collecting of funds is so much important for pushing on this movement. So if all of the devotees in New York can collect like that, at least $100 daily, then very shortly you will have enough funds for getting that big skyscraper for use as the world headquarters of our Krsna Consciousness movement.
Letter to Kurusrestha -- Melbourne 10 February, 1973:
In all your real estate dealings you may please take all guidance from Karandhara and proceed very cautiously. Always chanting sixteen rounds daily and following the principles, and in this way maya will never touch you. I hope that this meets you in good health.
Letter to Tamala Krsna, Jayapataka, Bhavananda, Gargamuni -- Melbourne 10 February, 1973:
While travelling here to Melbourne I was thinking how wonderful our Mayapur project is and how it can be developed in the future. I want that Mayapur be self-sufficient by having its own production of grains, vegetables, fruits and milk products etc., to the extent that you will be able to feed at least 500 men daily. This will be better than trying to arrange for maintenance funds to come from outside. So we can make some scheme for purchasing sufficient quantity of land. The land there is very fertile and if our men can manage the program then we can go ahead. The low land we can purchase at 600 rs./bigha and the high land at 800 rs./bigha. So now you all make inquiries for purchasing as much land as we shall require and immediately inform me how much money shall be required.
Letter to Guru-gauranga -- Melbourne 11 February, 1973:
I am in due receipt of you letter dated January 24th, and have noted the contents carefully. I am very much encouraged to hear of your increased Sankirtana movement and your return to Geneva to open up still another chapter in Lord Caitanya's conquest of the world. You may consult closely with Bhagavan das on all matters and he will give you good advice in this regard. As far as police problems are concerned, this is going on all over the world, especially here in Melbourne, they are being persecuted by the police. Even they are going to jail daily, but still they will not stop their chanting and distributing. When they go to jail, they refuse to eat the food, and in this way so much public sympathy is there. So eventually the police will accept us and our Sankirtana activities will go on unchecked. Simply we must have the determination to continue our preaching work under all circumstances.
Letter to Ghanasyama -- Sydney 16 February, 1973:
On the recommendation of Satsvarupa I am herein accepting you as my initiated disciple. Henceforth your name will be GHANASYAMA DASA. Now you must agree to very rigidly follow the rules and regulations, i.e. chanting sixteen rounds of beads daily, rising early and attending Mangala Arati, observing the four principles, attending the classes, eating only bhagavata prasadam as well as working under the instruction of my representatives, such as your GBC representative and Temple President, and if you follow this procedure very strictly then your life will be glorious and you will go back to Home, back to Godhead, this I can guarantee. I hope this meets you in good health.
Letter to Govinda -- Sydney 17 February, 1973:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 31st. and I have noted the contents carefully. I thank you very much for sending me the nice monogrammed shirts and I am wearing them daily. I am thinking of you and your husband and of the nice devotional service you are performing and I pray that Krishna will give you more and more intelligence to continue in this way.
Letter to Karandhara -- Calcutta 15 March, 1973:
I have received some first-class publications of our Isopanisad from Hamsaduta and he is also ready to print Bhagavad-gita. And now you tell me that Macmillan, such a big big company, cannot keep up with our men. This is very encouraging news. I have just finished Gita Gan, a verse by verse translation of the Gita into Bengali, and now I am working daily on the Caitanya-caritamrta. Now I am more and more wanting to work on my books and diminish all this travelling. So I am more and more depending upon you GBC. Of course you GBC are in training, but you are all the hope for the future of our movement.
Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Hyderabad 23 March, 1973:
We can avoid idle conversation and utilize our time in the spare moments for studying slokas from the Gita and Bhagavatam. Practically I have given you more than enough for 50 years at one sloka daily. If we can simply read one sloka daily, that is step by step progress.
Letter to Spiritual Sons -- New York April 10, 1973:
As you have been recommended by Chakravarty Das for initiation, I beg to accept you both as my disciples. Now I have named you Nikhilananda Das for Niko, and Vaidyanath Das for Erland. So you now chant Hare Krishna mantra on your beads at least 16 rounds daily and try to commit any offence against the holy name. In this way you will get spiritual strength for preaching the glories of the holy name to the people. Another thing is that you should follow our the four rules of no intoxication, no illicit sex life, no meat fish, or eggs, and no gambling. This will keep you fit.
Letter to Doug Russell -- Los Angeles 18 April, 1973:
So you send a copy of this letter to Kirtanananda Swami and he will chant on your beads. . And you be sure to chant 16 rounds minimum as a daily practice, and this will keep you most fitted Sankirtana leader.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1973:
Regarding dancing, our dancing is ecstatic. We need not waste time 5 hours daily instead of chanting, for practicing. We are not professional dancers, neither we require it. These things should not be encouraged. In New York they have such activities, but they should not be going on in Gurukula.
Letter to Mahajan 2 -- Los Angeles 25 April, 1973:
I am in due receipt of your note along with the $60.00 daksina, and I thank you very much. Now you have taken this initiation, and it is a very serious matter. You must always keep very strongly to the principles of Krishna consciousness; rising early, taking bath, attending mongol aratrik, chanting at least 16 rounds on the beads daily, reading our books, going for sankirtan as much as possible. These things, if strictly followed, will keep you always in a purified condition and will give you spiritual strength to defeat maya, and when this body is finished, no more material bodies, but back to home, back to Godhead. This Krishna consciousness is so nice, so sublime. Take it and be happy.
Letter to Dinatarini -- Los Angeles April 25, 1973:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 29, 1973 and I have noted the contents. I have received also the photograph of Radha-Kalachandji and they are looking transcendentally beautiful. Always keep to this high standard of Deity worship, never become neglectful. Everything must be done very timely, and the temple must be immaculately cleansed daily. These things, cleanliness and promptness, are the most important points for Deity worship, so be very vigilant in this way.
Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 27 April, 1973:
I know you are sincere devotee and hard working also, so Krishna will help you. Here in Los Angeles they are selling average over 2,000 pieces of literature daily.
Letter to Sons and daughters -- Los Angeles 8 May, 1973:
Now you must all carefully follow these four regulative principles (1) No meat eating, (2) No illicit sex life, (3) No intoxication, (4) No gambling. Always be sure to chant minimum sixteen rounds daily. Study my books carefully, go for sankirtana and engage in Deity worship in the temple. You are all very sincere boys and girls and now I request you to make your life successful for going back to home, back to Godhead.
Letter to Jayapataka, Bhavananda -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1973:
I know there are many weavers who daily go from this side of the river to Navadvipa side for working in handweaving enterprise. So if we can employ some of them along with our own men for manufacturing first class saris we can purchase all these saris produced by you. Such small scale industries are also supported by the Bengal Government. Tarundada is in charge of such industry. I have consulted with Karandhara that we can purchase the saris and the government will be glad to cooperate with us for exporting Indian goods to outside of India. Similarly we can import nice dolls here. Gradually as our men become expert they can manufacture the same thing here. So Mayapur inhabitants can be engaged in such a small manufacturing enterprise as well as farming to become self sufficient.
Letter to Mr. Suresh Candra -- Mayapur 18 June, 1973:
I am pleased to note that as of January 1st you have given up eating of meat, fish or eggs, as well as intoxicants and gambling. You have asked what is meant by illicit sex. . Sex should be used only in marriage for begetting nice children to raise in Krsna Consciousness. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that I am sex life performed according to religious principles. Sex life for any other purpose means illicit sex. The use of contraceptive method for sex enjoyment is very sinful. Restraint in the matter of these four sinful activities is achieved by tasting the superior mellows of Krsna Consciousness. You say that you are chanting 15 minutes daily from 8:15-8:30. Please go on and increase this chanting as much as you can and that will help you very much in advancing in Krsna Consciousness.
Letter to Makhanlal -- Mayapur 22 June, 1973:
They may send their beads for chanting along with a copy of this letter to Kirtanananda Maharaja. Now you instruct them carefully that they must chant 16 rounds daily without fail and always follow the four regulative principles as well as engage in daily duties of temple attendance, classes and street sankirtana. The word initiation means "to begin" not that when he is initiated a disciple becomes slack; rather upon initiation he begins spiritual life in earnest. Regarding second initiation, enclosed is one sacred thread chanted on by me, and the gayatri mantra. This should be instructed to Maha Muni in private, have him hear a tape recording of the mantra in the right ear. Hold a fire yajna for the first initiates.
Letter to Karandhara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 10 July, 1973:
You will be glad to know the Rathayatra in London was very successful. The Daily Guardian had a picture on the front page of our cart and stated that we were competition to the monument in memory of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square. My health is good and I am taking daily walk and speaking at the class in the morning.
Letter to Tamala Krsna , Giriraja -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 14 July, 1973:
Since I have come here to Letchmore Heath, I am improved in my health more than in India. The place is very calm and quiet. It is sufficiently spacious also. I walk within the village daily in the morning along with devotees and it is very pleasant. I am holding morning class from 7-8 A.M. So things are going on nicely. . There are about 40 devotees living with me, similarly there are 30 devotees in 7 Bury Place. Sometimes I go there. Things are being managed there nicely. So I shall be glad to hear about Bombay affairs and as you send me every month statements of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, kindly send me that also. Hope this meets you in good health.
Letter to Isvara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 17 July, 1973:
For the present go on with your decision to live as householders apart, but concentrate on chanting and reading our books and always offering foodstuff to Krsna by prayers. Live blissfully and peacefully as husband and wife, and if you go on chanting 16 rounds daily, Krishna Who is within our hearts, will direct your further as to best way to advance more and more in progressive Krsna Consciousness. We must never forget that this present life is temporary and may end at any moment. So the purpose of our existence should be to become fully Krsna Conscious and go back to Home, back to Godhead at the end of this present lifetime. I will be glad to hear of your further progress.
Letter to Karandhara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 19 July, 1973:
Here at Bhaktivedanta Manor the place is the nicest possible. It is calm and quiet and the village is neat and clean. I am daily walking in the morning with all devotees and I am taking the usual class from 7-8 A.M. Very respectable gentlemen are coming in the evening. Last night George Harrison came. He has become a great supporter of our movement. He may spend more for expanding our activities. He told me smilingly yesterday, "I shall try to help you for expanding many temples." So arrangement is going on here for installing the deity on Janmastami: Many Indians are also coming and we are proposing to start a Gurukula here in London so that Indian children may be admitted. Indian gentlemen are perplexed because there is no institution to admit children to keep intact the Indian cult. So our idea of teaching sanskrit and English and our books they appreciate very much. If we start another Gurukula here I think it will be not an unprofitable activity.
Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 20 July, 1973:
Yes, Mayapur construction must be completely finished before I return. The next time I come there must be no more workers or carpenters with their "tack-tack" sound. I would have continued to stay in Mayapur but the hammering sounds drove me away. When you are completely finished I will go there, otherwise not. You will be glad to hear that I am eating and working nicely here. The village is neat and clean and I am walking daily in the morning with the devotees and taking the class from 7-8 A.M. It is calm and quiet here and people are coming to talk with me in the evenings. George came to meet with me and he is very enthusiastic to cooperate. Rathayatra was very successful here, as 10,000 people attended and prasadam was distributed. See enclosed newspaper.
Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:
We see practically if we throw one bag of grain in the street many birds will come, they may eat two three four or ten grains, but they do not stock away for the future. But if we put a bag of rice into the street and allow people to take there will be regular fight, because every human being will want to take more than his immediate need. So this is also due to lack of God consciousness. If one can understand that the father is there, and he is supplying daily bread then why shall I stock more than I need. the present scarcity of food stuffs is due to hoarding by the capitalist. There is enough food stuff in the world, but at the same time there is a scarcity. If you pay more money on the black market then you will get enough. So from God's side there is enough food, but from our side we are mismanaging everything simply to make more money. Unless there is God Consciousness, understanding that everything is the property of the supreme father, there are so many children so he will supply, why should I hoard food, the problems will not be solved.
Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:
We see practically if we throw one bag of grain in the street many birds will come, they may eat two three four or ten grains, but they do not stock away for the future. But if we put a bag of rice into the street and allow people to take there will be regular fight, because every human being will want to take more than his immediate need. So this is also due to lack of God consciousness. If one can understand that the father is there, and he is supplying daily bread then why shall I stock more than I need. the present scarcity of food stuffs is due to hoarding by the capitalist. There is enough food stuff in the world, but at the same time there is a scarcity. If you pay more money on the black market then you will get enough. So from God's side there is enough food, but from our side we are mismanaging everything simply to make more money. Unless there is God Consciousness, understanding that everything is the property of the supreme father, there are so many children so he will supply, why should I hoard food, the problems will not be solved.
Letter to Jayadvaita -- Bombay 22 September, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 8, 1973 and have noted the contents. With regard to this problem I recommend that in your diet you take no spices. Furthermore you should see that the bowels are cleared daily.
Letter to Sukadeva 5 -- Seattle September, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 10, 1973. I am accepting Rasala Das (Walter Mason Woods) as my initiated disciple. Please see that he chants Hare Krishna minimum 16 rounds daily on the beads and follows our regulative principles without fail.
Letter to Hanuman -- Bombay 4 October, 1973:
Now just as all my other disciples are doing, you take care that they follow very faithfully chanting of 16 rounds daily, and following all of the rules and principles of Krishna conscious very strictly. You should immediately send their beads for chanting on to Karandhara das Adhikari in Los Angeles who is one of the senior disciples I have authorized to chant on beads. Then, after receiving the beads back from Karandhara you can hold a fire ceremony and perform the sacrifice as you have seen me doing so many times. At that time you may give my new disciples their beads and instruct them on the principles of Krishna consciousness. You can advertise this initiation ceremony very widely in Buenos Aires so that as many people as possible may attend the ceremony, including the newspaper, Television, etc. Then at the end of the ceremony, at the end of the fire ceremony have big Kirtana and distribute as much Prasadam as possible. We want the people of Argentina to see how it is possible to live a perfect happy life in this world and in the end go back to home, back to Godhead.
Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 10 December, 1973:
Enclosed is the sanctified sacred thread for Krsna Caitanya dasa. Now hold a fire sacrifice amongst the devotees and let him hear the gayatri mantra from the tape through the right ear and teach him how to chant it three times daily.
| Page Title: | Daily (Letters 1971 - 1973) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 22 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=234 |
| No. of Quotes: | 234 |