Regarding your reminder for my good cooking, I am very much thankful to you and next time when I shall go to your home, I must serve you with good lunches without fail. Now I am far away from you otherwise I would have at once gone to you and entertained you with such lunches. I am anxious to learn about the health of you all specially of your little children. How is your naughty daughter Kamla. Please offer them my love and blessings and so also accept both of you. Please write to me occasionally and as Gopala is not accustomed to reply promptly I shall henceforward write to you. Did you meet your good father and mother in the meantime? If you meet them please offer them my respectful regards. Both your father and mother are good souls and therefore you are a good daughter of your parents. I remember all of you always.
Henceforward (Letters)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
1966 Correspondence
There is enough money in this country and for temple we may not require to get exchange from India. The only thing is the people of this country must know that this is very important work and by such conviction enough money could be raised from the local people. I hope when you will come I shall get your full cooperation in this connection. Henceforward write in English language. Here English language is very much essential so try to have it practiced fluently. You are educated and it will not be difficult for you.
I am so glad to hear that you are now married. I pray Krishna that you may live henceforward happily as a householder, without thinking of a separation from your wife. According to Vedic wisdom, a good wife is a great assistant for material and spiritual prosperity. Even if there is some deficiency, you should try to correct it without thinking in the Westernized way. I hope your wife may be taking interest in your chanting Sankirtana and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. As she has become your life's companion, it is your duty to induce her, peacefully, in the matter of spiritual advancement of life.
1967 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter of May 4, 1967 and I am concerned about your __ for army mobilization. I am enclosing herewith a letter you may present to the authority and as a Divinity Student you must not be sent to the field. Chant Hare Krishna. Krishna will save you. Present our prospectus and all newspaper cuttings. Some new cuttings I am enclosing herewith. Also I would request you to pay the rent on room in which I was staying. The Society is short of __ and therefore you can assure Haridasa, Mukunda and Syamasundara. that hence forward you should take responsibility for the rent of my apartment.
N.B. I have purchased one Tambura for you costing Rs 106/- from Dwarkin & Sons. They have allowed me 20% discount (special) on the price. This Tambura is going to be booked by air cargo tomorrow by Ramanuja. The charges will be too much. But hence forward you can order directly to M/S Dwarkin & son, 8/2 Esplanade East, Calcutta-1. The price is Rs 125/- Less 20% and there will be no sale tax charges if you send the amount by Bank draft in dollar direct to the firm. The will pack & ship the instruments by surface which will be very cheap. Always order in the ISKCON Stationery which are printed with my name.
1968 Correspondence
Have you sent the cable to Dwarkin? We want Mrdangas very urgently because very soon we shall be going to London. Six devotees from the West coast and six devotees from the East coast, 12 for Kirtana besides my humble self, and one or two Brahmacaris. Henceforward our plan should be to push Sankirtana and sell our publications. For books, Brahmananda, for magazine, Rayarama, for Sankirtana, Hamsaduta and Mukunda, and for suggestion, my humble self. Please let us concentrate this integration and I am sure our movement will be successful.
The plan already made by you is agreed by me. So you can go ahead with the plan. Our only plan should be henceforward to spread the Sankirtana activities and sell our publications. Publication of Back To Godhead is entrusted to Rayarama, and for publication of books, Brahmananda is entrusted. For business Gargamuni is entrusted. So let us combinedly execute the Krishna Consciousness movement in full swing.
As mentioned in the letter, you will be pleased to know that I am now admitted as ordained minister of religion in the USA. Now there is no difficulty of my staying in your country and if the students in different universities and colleges want to hear from me about the teachings of Lord Caitanya, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Srimad-Bhagavatam, I shall be glad to accept such invitation, provided such students pay reasonable contributions. I am getting gradually older, therefore even if I remain in your country, I shall restrain my moving and my main business will be henceforward to train you all my disciples for preaching work. I think you will approve of my program.
Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, please send me the chapters which you have already revised. I want to see it, how it is being done. I am glad that you are not omitting anything, but just making grammatical correction, and phrasing for force and clarity, and adding Pradyumna's transliteration, that is very nice.
Yes, henceforward, as I have already told you, that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be ultimately seen by you, before being printed. That will keep consistency, I quite agree with you. My present plan is to stay in Los Angeles, perhaps at least for more than a month, which will cover Christmas holidays. And so, during that time, if you come here, it will be very nice.
1969 Correspondence
Regarding printing 20,000 copies of Back To Godhead, I have appealed to 4 centers, namely New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and London to contribute $750 monthly. I have got confirmation from Los Angeles, so I shall be glad to hear from New York also whether this center is going to hand over to me $750 per month. I have no objection if this $750 is collected in the way of advertisements from New York, but charges will be increased because we are going to print 20,000 copies henceforward. So we shall charge $100 per page and we shall not accept any advertisements from the hippies. So who is going to pay me this $750? If I get $750 from the 4 centers, then I shall take charge of distribution; because Brahmananda has already taken responsibility for distributing the books. I simply want this contribution continually at least for 6 months against delivery of 5,000 copies of Back To Godhead. If I am able to print 20,000 copies continually for 6 months, perhaps I will no longer require the contribution from the different centers. Therefore, please ask Subala or any one else in New York center who is going to collect this $750 and pay me.
So far BTG advertisement is concerned, we can accept advertisement in this way—that only two lines shall be mentioned of the name and address of the advertiser, as follows: This space donated by such and such. That means we can add their name and address only, and the nature of their business. The charges for this sort of advertisement should be inside $100 and when on the cover page, $200. In other words, if they are prepared to pay $200 per month, then we can publish one Krishna picture with these lines only (two lines), that this space is donated by such and such. Henceforward, we shall very much be cautious to accept bona fide advertisement, if we do accept it at all.
I thank you for sending me the second copy of BTG French edition. So now my only request to you, and especially both to you and Janardana, that you kindly regularly publish one issue every month of this French BTG. That will make you very much happy and will make me always very much happy. And Krishna will bestow all blessings to you in this endeavor. In this connection, if you think that by printing the yogi literature you will get some monetary help, then I give you permission that you can print it. But my standing request is this: Amongst yourselves there should not be any disagreement. Whatever you do, you do it by joint consultation. Because our center of activities is Krishna, for Krishna's sake we can sacrifice our life, wealth, words, intelligence, everything. Of course, as individuals, we have sometimes disagreements, but that should be adjusted keeping our central attention to Krishna. So what is done is done; hence forward, you do everything jointly and we shall put out at least one issue of BTG French edition every month—even it may consist of one printed page only, still it must be published once monthly. That is my desire. It is better undoubtedly to have a full magazine as our English edition BTG, but if you have no time, or you are doing this or that, then do not neglect it completely—it is better to publish and distribute a one page BTG issue than no issue at all each month. Now this work is specially entrusted to you and Janardana; so please execute it.
I do not know why you are so much worried about your son's accepting brahmanahood. Anyway, rest assured that your son will not be initiated in brahmanahood at least for one year henceforward, unless he is so prepared with your sanction. Brahmanahood is not so easy job that one can be turned into a brahmana all of a sudden. We initiate our students into brahmanahood only after seeing their behavior for at least one year, especially with reference to the following principles: 1) one must not indulge in illicit sex, 2) one must not eat anything nonvegetarian, 3) one must not take any intoxicants, including coffee, tea or cigarettes, and 4) one must not take part in gambling.
Besides this, even if one is initiated into brahmanahood it does not mean that he shall stop his general work and helping his family. I do not know why you are so upset that he will not help you anymore. Anyway, I am forwarding your letter to your son to negotiate with you further in this matter. But rest assured that he will not be accepted into brahmanahood at least for one year henceforward.
Regarding your stocks, you can keep it for yourself for the time being, and if need be I may ask you to deliver this in the future. Your engagements there are nice, so continue to follow rigidly. You may inform Satsvarupa that I have sent the Krishna tape, #13, so he may transcribe it and send me a copy. I will be sending further tapes henceforward, because my Nectar of Devotion is now finished, and I shall concentrate on the Krishna tapes.
In the BTG henceforward, the pictures of our Sankirtana Movement should be inserted as many as possible. The whole idea is now in BTG complete ventilation of our ideas should be exchanged from devotees to devotees by writing bona fide articles along with the other articles. This paper should now be completely a foreword of our movement. So combinedly make it successful.
Regarding BTG no. 27, it is nicely done, but there is no mention of the words "Back To Godhead" on each page. Why this mistake has been done? Besides that, some of the headings, like "Parts and Parcels," are not very prominent, while at the same time there are many places where empty space is found. If some space is available, the heading should be broader. Henceforward, we shall try to avoid the Beatles or hippy's articles, because they have no spiritual importance.
Regarding our books, the scholarly way should be followed. That means as Dr. Radhakrishnan and Bon Maharaja do it, and as Dr. Singh recommends. In all our books and magazines henceforward the whole process should be changed. Whatever is done in the past forget. Now everything should be revised and presented in the scholarly way. That means throughout Krishna should be spelled Krsna, Visnu should be spelled Visnu and Caitanya should be spelled Caitanya, etc. I think this will clear the whole thing and there will be no more Maya impediment.
In another place he says in discussing the Ten Commandents of the Bible about the sanctity of (human life). Instead of exactly quoting the commandment "Thou shalt not kill," he replaces by his own words "Thou shalt do no murder". But he does not know how his own words reflect to the then society wherein Lord Jesus Christ was preaching. To say to his audience, "Thou shalt do no murder" means they were very much accustomed to commit murder. So what is the position of that society where the members are accustomed to commit murder, and what class of preaching can be made to such persons? As we see in another religious principle there is instruction that henceforward you shall not co-habit with your mother. So we have to judge such societies where there are murderers and those having sex life with their mothers, what kind of men they are. In the Bhagavad-gita the religious principles are divided into three categories: in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.
The dummy BTG #30 Special Rathayatra Issue is very, very nice. Regarding the printing order, I think henceforward you should publish 50,000 at least and they may be distributed as follows: 20,000 to the East Coast, 10,000 to the West Coast, and 20,000 to the others (Middle States and other countries). The idea is that BTG is our backbone of Krishna Consciousness propaganda, and since you have taken charge from Rayarama's hand, certainly it has improved in so many ways. Recently I have received one letter from Rayarama which he has signed his name to as "Raymond". That means he has drifted from our society completely and his letter is very discouraging. He has accused everyone save himself.
Another thing, I have received a great complaint against the United Shipping Corporation regarding supplying goods to our Hawaii branch. So pending inquiry, you should not forward any order to them, and if you have got any money due from them, you should try to adjust by taking goods from them immediately. Regarding BTG, I am so glad that you are printing 50,000 copies henceforward. I have received also your press management report, so the only thing to be amended there is that all books especially must be twiced edited, once by Satsvarupa and once by Hayagriva. In every publication house all printing matters are edited at least three times. So we should be very much careful about grammatical and printing mistakes. That will mar the prestige of the press and the institution.
1970 Correspondence
There was another letter from India, the World Fellowship of Religions; that I have replied duly. I am so glad that henceforward BTG will be published 50,000 per month and very soon, 100,000 per month. It is engladdening. I am so glad to know that ISKCON Press is going to make some profit, about $4,000, by doing some outside work. But one thing is still the boys require to improve. The printing must be professional, and BTG copy #31 is not to the Japanese standard. Of course, this is the first attempt by the boys. As far as technical work is concerned, that can be excused; but the quality of the paper is also not to the Japanese standard. So side by side we must keep ourself alive not to come down below the standard printers.
Please convey my thanks to Labangalatika dasi for her contribution. Henceforward you send the checks direct to me, because most probably I am going to close the account in Montreal. The reason is that they have deducted $10.08 as income tax because I am not residing there (non-resident). So I would like to keep that account for a little convenience, but if they charge such tax then what is the use of it?
In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that nobody should be neglectful of the siddhanta because by siddhantic conclusion one becomes firm in Krsna Consciousness. So these siddhantic conclusions are being mentioned in all my books, and the boys and girls in our Krsna Society should now give more attention for studying the books very attentively. And to get the strength, one should chant the beads sixteen rounds without fail. In this way, when the devotee is constantly engaged in Krsna Consciousness, at that time, Krsna will give all intelligence from within how to make steady progress in Krsna Consciousness.
I hope in Washington center you will ask all the boys and girls to follow this method, because henceforward we will have to face many scholars and philosophers to stabilize our Krsna Consciousness movement.
Upendra said that the Australian public does a great deal of reading and there is good chance for selling our magazines and books. Immediately after publication, in L.A. they are selling Isopanisad up to 40 copies per day. Perhaps because it is only paperback. Henceforth we shall issue many such books with pictures on the covers. Upendra has seen it, and if you like, send orders to Brahmananda immediately for dispatch from Boston.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5 March, 1970, and please let me know in which bank you have deposited the money and on what date. I advised in my previous letter that I have closed my account for the time being in Montreal, so all money should be sent to me here. Anyway, if you let me know the name of the bank and the date, I will recover it. Henceforth, all money sent to me should be sent directly to me.
1971 Correspondence
Now to make a solution to the problem the following formula should be followed: Print 200,000 BTGs without fail. The cost of this printing will be $14,000. Each center must collect at least 25 cents for each copy as donation, if not more. Any man will be able to pay 25 cents; it is not difficult. So by collecting 25 cents per copy is $50,000, expenditure is $14,000, and so there is a clear profit of $36,000. Out of that $5,000 per month may be paid towards the old debt. So still there is $31,000, so if this is divided proportionately for each temple, where is the question of poverty? This means that the management has not been done properly. Henceforward this policy should be followed. Collect $50,000, pay $14,000, leaving $36,000 profit. Pay the old debt of $5,000 and divide the remaining $31,000 amongst the temples
Please forgive this late reply but due to my travelling, much of my mail has been delayed. I have received the enclosed copies of BTG, numbers 36-38 and they are very nice. The layout made by you and the others are completely satisfactory. Thank you very much. I have again begun speaking on the tapes and very soon you will get transcribed copies of my dictaphoning for being edited and laid out for printing, chapter-wise, the fourth canto. Let the second and third cantos be finished quickly so that the fourth canto can be started. Henceforward I shall be supplying material for all cantos and you must do the rest; editing, layout, printing, etc.
There is so little money in the building account. This means it has been spent for eating and sleeping. If there are no funds in the building account, how you can expect to purchase a building? I understand that there are so many members there. If there is no money in the building fund, where has the money gone? Whenever any money is there, transfer it to the building fund and henceforward all collections should be sent.
P.S. So far as sending money to my book fund for the Dai Nippon debt as advised in my previous letter, henceforward $3000.00 should be sent only. The next installment of paying my book fund should be paid to my Bank of America checking account #3081-61625 until further instruction to you. Your reply to Dai Nippon was very correct. I do not like their policy of intermingling Bhaktivedanta Book Fund deposit with BTG account. I am awaiting their further reply in this connection. Then I shall advise you to send directly to the book fund.
I think you have deposited the $5000 installment to my account as was previously informed. If so, please let me know. I shall issue a check to Advaita Prabhu, Iskcon Press. He wants $19,000 for printing Bhagavad-gita As It Is in large edition. So if you have not as yet deposited the money in the bank, then directly give it to Iskcon Press and instead of sending money to Dai Nippon, Bhaktivedanta Book Fund, for the time being go on sending all money to Iskcon Press for printing Bhagavad gita As It Is. When it is printed, say about 2000 copies should be sent to India and the balance should be distributed by you to USA and Europe. Henceforward the books and magazines should be distributed properly and money collected and spent for again reprinting the books. If Iskcon Press can print our books nicely, we have no business with going to Dai Nippon. I think because they have moved to a better place, the press work will go on nicely.
Enclosed please find a copy of a letter sent to the Manager, Central Bank of India, Camac Street Branch. Henceforward, you can send all book fund a/c collections to Bombay for credit in International Society for Krishna Consciousness Book Fund Account no. 14876, Gowalia Tank Branch, Bombay-26.
We are making a very nice design for the Mayapur temple here and some expert men who know building well will go there to supervise. Henceforward all who go to India will have missionary visas. The high commissioner will help us in this connection. As soon as the plan is made, somebody will take it to India. At least four or five men will go there this month.
So far the debt of Rs 23,000 if you adjust it in that way then the same problem remains. The fact is that we require at least 25 lakhs for Mayapur. Before beginning our construction work there we must be confident that the amount will be easily collected. Better to realize the Rs 23,000/ by another source. The fact is not that how it should be realized but some plan how this extravagancy may be stopped. That is the real problem. Hence forward all expenditure, proper debit voucher must be maintained. If we do not place audited accounts to the Registrar of Societies they may cancel us. That is the law.
So let Mandali Bhadra be seriously engaged in translating work and recruit some German devotees to help him so that we can print all our books in German language and you can develop the Hamburg center very nicely. You know very well that I went to India this time empty handed but we spent there not less than five lakhs Rupees during my 10 month stay and all the money was collected simply on the strength of our books and literatures. So when you have got literature and books, there is no question of poverty in our society. Simply we have to organize things nicely and manage carefully. I hope henceforward you will not feel at all discouraged. All of you there push on this movement in Germany which is the best country in Europe. The most intelligent class of men are there. Try to convince them about our philosophy. The German scholars are especially inclined toward Indian philosophy.
You will be interested to know that here Giriraja with the help of one Bengali professor and John Greisser the photographer have published a very nice edition of Bengali BTG. The price also is not very high; almost on the level of Dai Nippon. Ordinarily Dai Nippon charges 10 cents, so it is almost on the same level. It will be published regularly henceforward, so if they require any help from you, you should give them all assistance.
In reply to Jayadvaita's questions, henceforward the policy for using diacritic markings is that I want them used everywhere, on large books, small books and also BTG. If there is any difficulty with the pronunciation, then after the correct diacritic spelling, in brackets the words "pronounced as _", may be written. So even on covers the diacritic markings should be used. We should not have to reduce our standard on account of the ignorant masses. Diacritic spelling is accepted internationally, and no learned person will even care to read our books unless this system is maintained.
1972 Correspondence
When he has booked the flight, Syamasundara. will inform you when we are arriving. So far the marriage proposal between Madhavananda and Kausalya, enclosed please find a copy of one letter I have sent to GBC men in that connection. Henceforward these matters of marriage between the devotees must be decided upon by the GBC men and other senior members by their mutual consultation. So in this case you consider with other GBC and senior men. These things should be decided by our elderly members, not I should be involved so much with matters of husband and wife. You may send the report what programs you have arranged for me in Calcutta.
Henceforward, anyone proposing to marry must produce some outside income and live outside the temple, they must know this in advance and be prepared to carry such burden. Let them be married, but at their own risk. I cannot sanction anymore. My Guru Maharaja never allowed, but when I came to your country it was a special circumstance so I gave concession, but I am not so much inclined anymore, so I shall not sanction, but they may marry on their own risk of knowing that such arrangement is always troublesome.
Even Lord Caitanya Himself said that sometimes when I see a wooden form of a woman, my mind becomes agitated but that does not mean that we should give it practical shape, that is intelligence. One must be convinced that sex-life without exception means trouble, therefore he is able to stop it at the thinking stage by not allowing it to be felt, much less willed and acted. I am so much disgusted by this troublesome business of marriage, because nearly every day I receive some complaint from husband or wife, and practically this is not my business as sannyasi to be marriage counsellor, so henceforward I am not sanctioning any more marriages, and those who want to marry must know in advance and be prepared to make outside income to support wife and home separately from the temple, and in the temple husband and wife shall live separately, that must be or what is the meaning of spiritual society like ours? I made a concession, but how can I encourage something which has proven to be so much trouble?
I have duly received your reports of Istagosti. They are very much interesting. Smt. Jadurani's replies are very appropriate also(?). I am glad to learn that both in N.Y. and Boston the propaganda work is going on nicely. Similar reports are from Montreal. In San Francisco the kirtan is very nicely going on. I am leaving S. F. today. The tapes should be returned there hence forward. Hope you are well.
Regarding householder life, I have no objection, this is not my responsibility. Henceforth my students must take the responsibility for their own householder life, get married outside the temple, take all risk for supporting wife and home, live outside the temple, like that. But they should live nearby and take part as much as possible in temple activities, such as mangala aratrik, sankirtana, etc. Living separately does not mean that we have nothing more to do with the devotees, no. You should associate with them as much as possible, and donate something regularly, 50% is the standard set by Sanatana Goswami. Keep your position, that's all right, but utilize it to make spiritual progress, that is the real think, not for satisfying my hankerings and desires.
Enclosed please find three sacred threads duly chanted by me, along with three copies of gayatri mantra. Now hold the fire yagna and give gayatri mantra to Vipina Purandhara, Sundhararupa and Jaya das. You may teach them to count on the finger divisions and play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into their right ear. Instruct them fully in the qualifications for becoming brahmana, and henceforth they must be very, very careful not to commit any sinful acts or otherwise I shall have to suffer as their spiritual master. The ceremony should be held in the company of devotees only.
1973 Correspondence
Now I am getting so many requests to take first initiation from temples in your country, and once before I had empowered you to chant the beads on my behalf, so henceforth, as long as I am away from America and Canada, I am requesting all of the temple presidents in that zone of North America and South America to send the beads of the new devotees to you at New Vrndaban. The candidates for new devotees will send me their letters as usual, and I will give them names myself and enter in our records, simply you must chant on their beads and then return to them. Is that clear? Or, if you think it is better arrangement, I think that Bali Mardan has got many many beads in New York which we have sent him from Mayapur, so if you like you may get from him many sets of beads and you may chant them and, whenever requested by my letter only, you may send the new beads directly to the new devotees. Henceforth, then, I shall send copies of my letters of reply to the new devotees, wherever I am in the world, to you, and besides that the new devotees themselves will write to you and send you their beads. Similarly, I have appointed Revatinandana Maharaja in England to chant the beads of the new devotees on European Continent. Otherwise, in other parts of the world, I shall chant them as always.
Yes, when I used to live in Delhi the Americans purchased many copies of my Bhagavatams and they left standing order for any further books which I might publish in future. So you may approach them and they will take minimum 18 copies per volume, as per our former agreement. When you come here you can discuss further with Yadubara all these things, such as the Thompson Press work and other things regarding the books. I have made order from Dai Nippon for 5,000 of each of our big books and 10,000 of each smaller book for distributing in India. We shall henceforward concentrate our full energy in this program of distributing books in India. We shall not be very much concerned any more with properties and big big temples, now we have got our place at Vrndabana and our place at Mayapur, that is sufficient, now let us spend our hard-earned money for printing Krsna's books and distributing widely all over India. If someone steps forward to donate us land or building, that is another thing, but we shall not be very much interested to spend for that.
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.
Whether or not the Rs. 30,000 has been repaid to my fixed deposit account from the money I advanced for purchasing our Juhu Beach property? It was supposed to be repaid before my coming back but I do not know if it has been done. Yes you keep the Rs. 2 lakhs reserved for purchasing the Mahatma Gandhi building. One thing is the Rs. 65,000 from the BBT savings account actually belongs to the Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust. This I have discussed fully with Giriraja and Karandhara and Giriraja will explain what is to be done in this connection henceforward. Whatever has been done in the past we shall not try to make up for but I want that now this Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust money to be very carefully managed and deposited into a separate bank account and not be spent under any circumstances without my direct order. Giriraja will explain the details to you in full. Regarding the Mahatma Gandhi building, the price is fixed up at 3 lakhs to be shared into 5 divisions. 3 parties may be paid Rs. 60,000 apiece on the condition that they will take the money and immediately vacate. Then we shall make a trust over the property. When I was last there I discussed this matter with Mr. Chowdry the lawyer so keep ready the 2 lakhs for this transaction and when I return this will be squared up.
1974 Correspondence
Yes, I agree the construction of a temple in Calcutta should wait until we finish our present projects which we have undertaken. We should not accept projects which will strain us. Bombay was a great strain, but Krsna has now given it to us. Henceforth we should not accept too much strain. It was a very bitter experience for me in Bombay. As Nair's party was determined not to let us have the land I was more determined to take it at any cost. Krsna has helped us, but we should not strain Krsna by such action.
N.B. Henceforward all collections for Vrindaban Temple Construction should be deposited in this newly opened fund account, number 230, Punjab National Bank, Moti Bagh, New Delhi
I have accepted the devotees you have recommended for first initiation and their spiritual names are as follows:*
John Jean-Guy Bouchre de Belle—Jayantakrt dasa
John, Jean Keraval—Jayakula dasa
Kathy de Poo—Kanti-dasi
Claude Landemaine—Kausi dasa
I will be glad to see you at our meeting in Mayapur.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sdg
*You can chant their beads henceforward. Hope to meet you at Mayapur.
Your father came to see me recently in Bombay. He talked with me for hours and took prasadam and enjoyed. He looks strong and healthy and I think he is now cured. Henceforward you can send all contribution to the above trust fund. I know you are doing your work for Krishna, so continue it, and send me information on how you are doing.
Please be informed that it has hereby been resolved by myself, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, the Settlor, and the Trustees of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, that the following persons shall henceforth be empowered to act as signatories and executors of the above mentioned account at your bank:
1) A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
2) Giriraja das Brahmacari
3) Karandhara das Adhikari
I, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, the Settlor of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, shall have full power and authority to act alone on all matters pertaining to the above mentioned account; whereas Giriraja das Brahmacari and Karandhara das Adhikari, Trustees of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, shall have the same powers by acting conjointly on all account matters.
MEMO TO ALL CENTERS
To all GBC and Presidents:
Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Srila Prabhupada has especially requested that henceforth there should be no approaches made to Alfred Ford or his family members for donations for temples. Prabhupada will personally handle these types of communications between Alfred Ford and our Society.
Also all devotees when writing a letter to Srila Prabhupada should include the return address on the letter and not only the envelope. Sometimes the envelope gets lost, and if there is no return address on the letter it is difficult to address the reply. All temples should be sure to print their full temple address on their letterhead, and not just have the name of the society with a blank space for the camp address which is sometimes omitted by the writer of the letter.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your servant,
Brahmananda Swami
Approved:
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
With regard to the collections of Gurukrpa Swami that he pays to DNP henceforth, the equivalent amount should be transferred to India as follows: 50% to Mayapur Project in care of American Express Calcutta ISKCON a/c # 090031; and 50% to Vrindaban Project direct.
I am glad to hear about the Gita sales and the publishing of the new books. Therefore I have appointed you as BBT Trustee to publish the German editions of our books as much as possible. I quite appreciate that one main center may remain there and from there the preaching may go on, but no attempt may be made to open a new center without being confident that it will go on. Strictly this principle should be followed. Before opening a temple it has to be carefully considered, and once opened it cannot be closed. Henceforward completely forget the idea that any present temple can be closed. That you should forget. Don't do it again. At least you should re-open Hamburg and Edinburgh and the Deity should be transferred there again.
I have seen the BBT Memo to all centers dated October 16, 1974 together with the inventory of book stock prepared by Bhugarbha das. Now henceforward you make the following arrangement for getting payment from the temples for BBT. For all book orders the BBT will present the invoice and shipping documents to your bank a/c BBT for collection. The orders may be shipped by rail, so the temples will pay the invoice amount in order to receive the shipping documents from the Bank, and then collect the goods. Now that the inventory has been sent to all centers, there should be no complaint that there are no books being made available. Let them pay for what they order, and you fill the orders promptly, so there should be no difficulty.
1975 Correspondence
Concerning the synonyms, henceforward I am adding the synonyms myself. From yesterday night I have begun adding the synonyms as it doesn't save very much time to have the synonyms. The Upadesamrta can be composed in the Bhagavatam format in the size of the pocket NOD.
1977 Correspondence
To All G.B.C., and Temple Presidents
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as "ritvik
- representative of the acarya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. His Divine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity:
His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami
His Holiness Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami
His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
His Holiness Tamala Krsna Gosvami
His Holiness Hrdayananda Gosvami
His Holiness Bhavananda Gosvami
His Holiness Hamsaduta Swami
His Holiness Ramesvara Swami
His Holiness Harikesa Swami
His Grace Bhagavan dasa Adhikari
His Grace Jayatirtha dasa Adhikari
In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.
Hoping this finds you all well.
Your servant,
Tamala Krsna Gosvami
Secretary to Srila Prabhupada
Approved:
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
| Page Title: | Henceforward (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 27 of Jun, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=57 |
| No. of Quotes: | 57 |