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Kirtana party

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 10.64, Translation:

Govindānanda and Govinda Datta, the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth branches of the tree, were performers of kīrtana in the company of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Govinda Datta was the principal singer in Lord Caitanya's kīrtana party.

CC Adi 10.115, Purport:

According to the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (188), the three brothers were formerly Kalāvatī, Rasollāsā and Guṇatuṅgā, who recited the songs composed by Śrī Viśākhā-gopī. The three brothers were among one of the seven parties that performed kīrtana when Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu attended the Ratha-yātrā festival at Jagannātha Purī. Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was the chief dancer in their party.

CC Adi 17.70, Purport:

After the mass nagara-saṅkīrtana in protest against the magistrate Chand Kazi, the Kazi was converted to a devotee. Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned with His saṅkīrtana party to the house of Śrīdhara, and Chand Kazi followed Him. All the devotees rested there for some time and drank water from Śrīdhara's damaged iron pot. The Lord accepted the water because the pot belonged to a devotee. Chand Kazi then returned home. The place where they rested is still situated on the northeastern side of Māyāpur, and it is known as kīrtana-viśrāma-sthāna, "the resting place of the kīrtana party."

CC Adi 17.135, Translation:

In the evening Lord Gaurasundara went out and formed three parties to perform kīrtana.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 11.221, Translation:

As the circumambulation was performed, the four kīrtana parties sang in front and in the rear. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell down to the ground, Śrī Nityānanda Rāya Prabhu lifted Him up.

CC Madhya 13.33, Translation:

There were altogether four parties of kīrtana performers, comprising twenty-four chanters. In each party there were also two mṛdaṅga players, making an additional eight persons.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

So if you take care of Kṛṣṇa then you do the best service to all others. Automatically. These boys, they are going with kīrtana party. Because they are Kṛṣṇa conscious, it is not that they are sitting idly in this temple. They are going outside, preaching this philosophy so that others may take advantage of it. So a Kṛṣṇa conscious person cannot sit idly. He thinks that such a nice philosophy of life, why it should not be distributed. That is his mission. A yogi may be satisfied with his own elevation. He is sitting in a secluded place, practicing yoga, elevating himself to transcendental life. That is his personal concern. But a devotee is not satisfied simply elevating himself, his personal.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

The peace formula is that one should understand that Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer. Just like in this temple, our central point is Kṛṣṇa. If we are cooking, it is for Kṛṣṇa, not that we are cooking for our purpose. Ultimately, although we shall eat the prasādam, but when we cook, we don't think that we are cooking for ourself. We are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. When you go outside to collect some funds, it is not that the persons who are in the kīrtana party, they have got any personal interest. No. They are collecting, or they are distributing the literature, for Kṛṣṇa's sake, for making people Kṛṣṇa conscious. And whatever collection is there, that is being spent for Kṛṣṇa. So in this way, when we are practiced to this system of life, everything for Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

Especially I request my students that you push on this movement. Your country is very good. Let them become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then everything will be bhadrāṇi, all auspicious, bhadrāṇi. Otherwise your so-called big, big motorcars will create abhadrāṇi, viparītāni. We don't discourage you to construct big, big cars, but it should be used for the kīrtana party to go to village to village, not to go to the brothels and liquor shop. Then you are ruined. You can use it, all the facilities. The microphone should be used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not talking nonsense. This should be this... Everything is good, provided it is used for good purpose. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta vairāgyam ucyate. We are not such foolish person that "This is material, this microphone. We shall not touch it." No, we are not so fool. We are intelligent enough how to use it. That's all.

Initiation Lectures

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

...worship prevents snake biting. That is a village worship. So in every demigod worship there are drum beaters. So a party of drum beaters were engaged, and when the fees, bill, of the drum beaters was to be paid, the demigod Mansa(?) was sold. They could not pay the bills. Similarly, we may print our books, but the binding charges are so high, then it will cost more than getting it from Japan. (chuckles) Jayānanda looks like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (laughter) Yes. He was tall and stout and strong, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (laughing) Yes. Very good. And in Vṛndāvana, when Kīrtanānanda was given sannyāsa, he was looking so nice with this dress and daṇḍa, oh, practically all the devotees of Vṛndāvana came to offer him respect. Yes. On Janmāṣṭamī day I offered him sannyāsa. So many devotees came to see in the temple. So there was a big crowd. He was looking very nice. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also very fair-complexioned. So with this dress, persons with fair complexion looks very nice, very attractive. People are not attracted with this dress in kīrtana party? (laughs) This bare head with tilaka and this dress, they will know that they are coming from, directly from the kingdom of God. (laughs) Actually it is so. They have forgotten God; otherwise they would have received these brahmacārīs so nicely. In India, oh, you'll be received just like gods with this dress. Hundreds and thousands of people will come to receive you. Yes. That is sufficient. (kīrtana)

General Lectures

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

This bhāgavata-dharma means śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). They have manufactured many other kīrtana parties, but the śāstra says śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. That is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata comes from the word bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses. That is bhagavān. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is realized in three features—Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. Bhagavān understanding is the last word in the understanding of the Absolute Truth, because bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences—wealth, strength, reputation, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. If somebody is very rich, he is attractive. Everyone goes to this man. Sometimes we also go to rich man, "Sir, give us some money," because a rich man is attractive. But in this material world, nobody can claim that he has got all the riches. Nobody can claim.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk Before Class -- November 29, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Who has taken your Deity?

Vīrabhadra: Who has taken Him? I don't know. Somebody, they broke in the house, they took one typewriter and the sewing machine and I think it's...

Prabhupāda: Typewriter? When?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night. Yesterday we just got a new sewing machine. A very expensive sewing machine and they stole it.

Prabhupāda: Sewing machine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And a typewriter. It was taken from the house.

Revatīnandana: While we were at Griffith Park with kīrtana party they broke into our house and took it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So that quarter is not nice?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's not a nice quarter. So we'll take more precautions now.

Prabhupāda: Somebody must remain always. That is the only precaution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: O.K. Yes, that's what I was thinking.

Prabhupāda: I think in our apartment also somebody must remain. Here this is... In New York also I lost my typewriter, tape recorder. In 72nd St. at daytime, at nine o'clock. I went to take my meals in Dr. Miṣra's place at about nine, and when I came back I saw the door is broken. That superintendent, he was a Negro. He has done, I know that. This is very common case here. You purchased new machine and new...?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversations with Sannyasis -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Our preaching means that people are useless, we have to train them in such a way they may take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our management. But if he is completely incorrigible, then he will be asked to leave. Otherwise it is not our business that as soon as we see something he is doing wrong..., that he must be trained, by our example, by our teaching, by our word, śānta yaṁ cinvanti kutiḥ (?). By word, by example, he should be corrected. If I cannot correct him by my words and example, that is also my (indistinct). Because they are, they are, you cannot expect that everyone has come here, sādhu. It is not that. We collect from ordinary men, but we have to make him sādhu. That is preaching. That is preaching. That you have to do tactfully. Not that because one is incorrigible... After trying all our ways, if he is still incorrigible, then you can ask. Not that for paltry reason he cannot be..., "Get out." That "get out," if you make, then everything has to be "get out." That is not the policy. Policy is first of all to correct him. That is preaching. As far as possible by example, by teaching, by everything.

Devotee: Engagement.

Prabhupāda: By engaging. That is our school. It is a school. If a student does not learn nicely, you cannot say, "Get out." As far as possible. But when it is absolutely impossible to correct him, then you have to ask. And if there is money, equal you have to manage some money, what can be done? But I don't think if we try our best to correct him, this ultimate punishment will be required. Human being, after all human being, and our business is to teach and become ideal ourself. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya. We have to teach by our personal behavior. If you rise early in the morning, if you take your bath, if you sit down regularly and keep them (indistinct), how he can deny? How one can deny? It is not possible. But if I smoke, I ask others not to smoke, that will never be possible. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere, first of all you have to be. If one is not cleansing, you shall tell me (indistinct) this way. We have to do like that. Not that I (order), "Come on, you do this. Oh, you cannot do, get out." Not that. We show him. After all, our life is sacrificed for preaching and that preaching means one should behave himself, nicely. He cannot say that "You do not do this." Just like one day in London there was some talks with Nanda Kumāra, you. He was accusing you, you were accusing him. I heard from (indistinct). So you should do in such a way that he cannot accuse you. If you ask him to rise early in the morning, take your bath, and if you do not take. Supposing some special case. I was taking early bath. Now I do not take, because due to my health. That is because... Otherwise regularly I was taking. Not even hot water. Regularly. This hot water bath I have begun in your country, otherwise I have never taken. Even in severest cold. Here also I am trying to avoid. I am keeping tub of water sunshine. Whatever little warm may become, that's all. So, of course, for special health reason one cannot rise, he is sick and cannot attend, otherwise everyone should rise early in the morning, take bath and be ready for performing our service by six o'clock or five o'clock. And the kīrtana party, you should know everyone go. It may be small distance, but all our men should go. That will be real (indistinct), early in the morning. So many parties come.

Morning Walk -- May 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: We are not afraid of meeting any philosopher or scientist, but they are afraid. That is our credit. All scientists know that they are on the wrong basis, but because they are scientists, they say like that. That is their position. They do not believe in their own statement. Therefore he said, "I do not know."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because there is no solid background.

Prabhupāda: No. (pause, japa) You and Dr. Rao just make a combination, world-touring. I shall give you all expenditure. And go to the universities, scientists, and talk with them. Our kīrtana party also will go. We challenge all scientists, "Come on." We shall pay all expenditure. Ask Dr. Rao to come and join. Just like in Calcutta University, all the students... No, one leader student, he came. He talked about economic development, and he said that "Our students did not derive any faith by your theological statement." So I told them that "Because you are all rascals, therefore you could not." I told them freely. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā... Because they are student of Sanskrit. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). "So you are amongst these. You are duṣkṛtinas, sinful, lowest of the mankind, and the university is responsible for creating such rascals." So professors clapped and later on they said, "Swamiji, you have rightly said." All the professors said. And so far economic question is concerned, the birds, beasts, animals, they have no economic concern. Why you have got? You are less than bird and beast, you have created this economic problem. Harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Where is the economic question? The small birds, tiny birds, they are solving their economic question, coming (makes sound:) "bup, bup," finished. They are not stocking, they are not thinking of tomorrow, but are satisfied. They have got eating, sufficient eating, sufficient sex, sufficient intelligence to defend. As soon as we go, immediately they fly away. That is defense. They know how to defend them. They immediately understand, "They are human beings, stronger. They may do some harm. Let us fly away." So these things are everywhere, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. There is no scarcity. Only scarcity is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That we have to preach.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 6, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Where is our... (break) (kīrtana-party in background) ...that "Europeans and Americans will come, and they will dance here with the chanting, "Jaya Śacīnandana, Jaya Śacīnandana!" So that is being done.

Devotee: That is being done. By the mercy of Prabhupāda Mahārāja, everything has become possible.

Prabhupāda: Oh... So when they chant and dance, I simply remember Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. That's all. I pray to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, "Now they have come to your shelter. Give them protection." That's all. What can I do more? I cannot do anything more. (break)

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...money, but not your prasāda.

Guru dāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Money's pure. (laughter) And prasāda, because it is offered to Kṛṣṇa, it is impure. Just see their argument. Money is pure. Even you can give me with your hand as much as you like. Because it is pure, I'll take it. And so far prasāda is concerned, because it is offered to Kṛṣṇa, therefore I cannot take it. (break) Oh yes. She has got the power. Śakti-mati Sar. Some... The police commissioner has remarked, "This bhajana is nuisance." So we have to agitate. There are so many Vaiṣṇavas. Bhajana is nuisance? Eh?

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So there must be some big agitation to drive away this man. The demand should be that "This man should be immediately removed. He has focused a sarcastic remark on a very pure religious system." This movement should be started. He must be removed immediately.

Balavanta: We can hold protest marches downtown.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Guru dāsa: Large. Large scale protest marches.

Balavanta: All the Vaiṣṇavas will come with us.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You have to organize all... There are many Vaiṣṇavas. Eh? In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). One has to chant "Kṛṣṇa" always. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). And this rascal is saying "nuisance." So it is not possible to invoke an agitation against this? What right he has got to say nuisance? He could have spoken in a sweet language that "The bhajana may be very good for the devotees, but it creates disturbance to the others. Therefore we cannot allow." I say like that. But they cannot still stop bhajana. But he has remarked the bhajana: "Nuisance." This very word will kill him if you make proper agitation.

Guru dāsa: That means the whole government is feeling that way. Otherwise he would not feel strong in saying it.

Prabhupāda: That is a fact, but we have to become strong.

Guru dāsa: Yes. We must defeat them all.

Balavanta: We can mainly single out him.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Balavanta: We can mainly single him out for now and protest against him, make him the example.

Guru dāsa: Make an example of him.

Balavanta: The man in Bombay, government leader.

Prabhupāda: There are many parties in Bombay, kīrtana parties. You have to organize them and bring them. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Create this nuisance. And Maharashtra is the country of Tukārāma. He organized kīrtana. Still the Tukārāma kīrtana parties are there. Viṭṭhala. Viṭṭhala means Kṛṣṇa. And ideal gosvāmī should remain here to challenge these false gosvāmīs. But if you also become false, then you cannot challenge. (break)

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Satsvarūpa: They say that this is, the body is made by God. Why cover it up? Nakedness is the work of God.

Prabhupāda: No. God said that you should cover. (Some French boys in background are making mocking sounds, yelling, etc.) And they are becoming naked now. (yelling increases) What is that? They are laughing.

Satsvarūpa: Crazy.

Bhagavān: Do we go left, Harināma?

Harināma: To the right. (more yelling, Prabhupāda chuckles)

Bhagavān: When there is big kīrtana party, then they stop laughing very quickly.

Prabhupāda: What are these buildings?

Bhagavān: This is a big museum.

Prabhupāda: Museum?

Bhagavān: Yes. (break)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Madhudviṣa: Anybody who comes, they will see how authorized your books are.

Rāmeśvara: That's our idea, that we can mass produce these, and any temple can order the quotes from any school of their choice.

Rādhāvallabha: We can make an announcement to temple presidents...

Rāmeśvara: Every temple can have a room for receiving guests with all the prominent quotes on the wall. (sound of approaching kīrtana party)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All they have to do is hear the party. (?)

Devotee (3): Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Come on.

Devotee (3): Jaya.

Guru-krpa: This boy leads kīrtana for two or three hours nonstop by himself, playing the drum.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So parikrāma party has not come back?

Madhudviṣa: No, they didn't show up yet.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is not good. The class must be attended.

Madhudviṣa: They'll be back by the time class starts, I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Then they should not go in the morning. They must attend class. That is very important.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You once gave the example of your spiritual master also, how people were invited on parikrama and you stayed back to hear.

Prabhupāda: I never went. (break) Otherwise they should not go in the morning. (end)

Talk at Radha-Govinda Mandir -- March 24, 1976, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: So gradually this whole quarters belonged to this Mullik family. Still in front of this temple there is Gangara(?) building. That is also the property of Rādhā-Govinda. And as I have shown in coming, our house was just behind the present Govinda Bhavana. And we had the opportunity of seeing this Rādhā-Govinda from very childhood. When I was three or four years old I used to visit this Rādhā-Govinda daily.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Rādhā-Govinda! Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: And that is the inspiration of my devotional life. Then I asked my father that "Give me Rādhā-Govinda Deity; I shall worship." So my father was also Vaiṣṇava. He gave me small Rādhā-Govinda Deity. I was worshiping in my house. Whatever I was eating, I was offering, and I was following the ceremonies of this Rādhā-Govinda with my small Deity. That Deity is still existing. I have given to my sister. So then I introduced Ratha-yātrā. So I.... My Ratha-yātrā was being performed very gloriously. My father used to spend money. In those days ten rupees, twenty rupees was sufficient. I hired one kīrtana party and a small friends, they..., I think the brother of the present generation, and there was another De family here, so we performed this Ratha-yātrā ceremony. According to our children's imagination, it was very gorgeous. So I think our present Manmohan.... His name is? Gabhur Bhavana? (Bengali) Gopishvara Mullik. That Gopishvara Mullik was my father's friend. So he was criticizing my father that "You are performing Ratha-yātrā ceremony and you are not inviting us." So my father said, "That is children's play. What shall I invite you? You are very big man." "Oh, so you are avoiding. In the name of children you are avoiding us." On the whole, this Ratha-yātrā festival was very gorgeously.... Then imitating me, the other, my brother like, Kangalu(?), he also introduced Ratha-yātrā.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They're feeling threatened by our kīrtana parties.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He said that some of the town councils are trying to pass laws against our chanting in the streets.

Devotee (2): The Christians are behind it in Whangarei.

Prabhupāda: So, can they pass such law?

Devotee (2): I don't think so. We're having.... Some of our men are going to meet with the council the day after tomorrow at the meeting. They're open to our side. The reason is that the businessmen have complained, some of the businessmen have complained.

Prabhupāda: Not all of them. You take some signature from other businessmen.

Devotee (2): Yes, all right.

Prabhupāda: You present that.

Devotee (2): Yes. The men who are going to speak are businessmen, devotees. One is an architect.

Prabhupāda: Then he can organize so many signatures.

Devotee (2): One is a restaurant owner, and one has a hairdressing salon. And they're going to speak...

Prabhupāda: Everyone likes; that's a fact.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Prabhupāda: So there is agitation against chanting. That is also good. Yes, "Hare Kṛṣṇa is bad." (laughs)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They don't want to be bothered with Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They don't want to be bothered with Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on with their hellish life.

Prabhupāda: So we want that. Let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa somehow or other. (devotees laugh) "We don't want to be bothered by Hare Kṛṣṇa." That means chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee (2): Because our kīrtana party now, we have, we go on kīrtana, eighty men. We go two nights a week with eighty men. Huge kīrtana with five mṛdaṅgas and guitars, and we get huge crowd from the whole street.

Prabhupāda: That will make you triumphant. Go on kīrtana. That is very nice. Kīrtana, and book distribution. This is also kīrtana.

Guru-kṛpā: This is bṛhad mṛdaṅga.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So do it enthusiastically. Keep yourself pure. Nobody will be able to do any harm to you. Kṛṣṇa will give you protection. So? (break)

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) Yes, I'll inform them: "If cart is not possible to be made or (indistinct), then they can do it on the back of a flat truck with a canopy with a nice cloth."

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana party and truck, all Indians will come.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: One thing though is, July is, like in Melbourne, it's wintertime there. So is it okay if they have the festival in summer months?

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: As they do in Melbourne, in the summertime?

Hari-śauri: They have it in January down there, because they get a better attendance and everything. It's a lot nicer.

Prabhupāda: It is now winter there?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, wintertime now. Middle of the winter now. Very cold.

Prabhupāda: So better summer is all right. Then they can make ratha regular.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (end)

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: But San Francisco we haven't got our temple. We haven't got any temple?

Devotee (1): No. We used the photograph. We made a publicity notice, a news release, and they printed it directly. It was easier for them. The picture is of San Francisco, but the festival was in Cleveland.

Prabhupāda: There is no date? Hmm?

Devotee (1): Maybe not in that one article. Other articles, there are dates.

Prabhupāda: Is this Cleveland?

Devotee (1): Yes. There are many skyscrapers, tall buildings, there are many tall buildings, and people were looking out at the Ratha-yātrā cart and at Lord Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: Here, the daytime is...

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: We have found, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when the buses are going to many of these cities, they have never seen our devotees, because when we go, we are dressed like they are for distributing the books. So now the boys are going again in the streets with a kīrtana party once a week downtown, and they have all done front-page newspaper articles, because although they have been reading the books, they have never seen the devotees in many years. I think festivals like this...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: ...in all these cities would be very advantageous, and all the book distribution...

Prabhupāda: And therefore I said that introduce Ratha-yātrā every city. At least wherever we have got our centers. Bring Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa. They have received some testimonial from Indian...

Hari-śauri: Oh, yes, Indian reviews?

Prabhupāda: You can open this file. I don't want, but...

Devotee (1): Prabhupāda, how should we have these Ratha-yātrā festivals. Should they be big? Should they be big festivals? Should I plan on having three carts next year, just one, or a small cart?

Prabhupāda: As you can afford. Minimum one cart. Otherwise, three carts. In India the Ratha-yātrā festival is going on, according to rough estimate, for the last two thousand years, and the crowd never diminishes. One secretary of Parliament or something like that.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Gurudāsa: Anyway, I have three men cooking now and... So that will be all right. Now, the officials are cooperating with us nicely, of the Mela. The other day Kamalapati Tripati was there, and we saw him, and all the officials were there, and he said, "Oh, hello! How are you? Everything all right?" And we said, "Yes." And it was a very nice conversation. And all the other officials saw that we were on friendly basis with the minister, so they were also more friendly. One unfortunate thing happened, a small unfortunate thing, a sukhi-duḥkhi. We went to the saṅgam with our kīrtana party during the time of the big..., the fifth bath. It's not the biggest one, but many pilgrims came. And we said we should chant and also bathe. So first we chanted. Then we went in for bath at four o'clock in the morning. Very refreshing, very nice. We went in, and we had our bath. Then we put our clothes on. We chanted, and we were very happy chanting. The police came, many police on horses, and said, "Get out!" And they were demons, like "Get out!" And I got a press pass. I said, "Why should we get out? We're only here to chant the holy names of God. This is a Mela." "Well, then," he said, "get out!" He's a demon, and he's taking his horse and pushing it on me and the other devotees. So he forced us out. So Bhāgavata dāsa went to the Mela officials who we had some..., and complained. And the policeman was suspended and made a public apology. And now we have a letter that says we can chant any place we want in the Mela with police cooperation.

Prabhupāda: Then it is fortunate, fortunate.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: They should speak their mind to you about this.

Prabhupāda: No, you talk amongst yourselves everything. And you are all GBC. Tell, "This is not good." They should have kīrtana here. They should go to the city, kīrtana party. People should know that there is... Something is going to be done. Actually they want to enjoy that sea bathing. They're going here and there. That is their business. That is not preaching. That is sense enjoyment. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. That is the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Why there should be discrimination, "Not here, not there"? He wants in every village and every town. How you can discriminate? Wherever possible, you should start.

Satsvarūpa: How is all the money for construction for this temple supposed to come? By the local preaching by Gaura-Govinda or...

Prabhupāda: Somehow or other, it must come. He has promised that he will collect half.

Satsvarūpa: That's right. And whatever he collects, you said you would...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Satsvarūpa: I heard that he was told whatever he collects you would match that or match half of it.

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm, hm. Gargamuni may go and organize in Dacca. That will be a great service. He was speaking of going to Dacca. That will be greater service.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: I thought they were going mostly for the library work.

Prabhupāda: Whatever... No, he says there is possible, that Gauḍīya Maṭha. If in Pakistan, in Bangladesh, if he can organize one center, it will be great triumph.

Satsvarūpa: Dacca.

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana and prasādam distribution. This is our preaching mainly. And if they hear little philosophy, that is very good. Otherwise simply kīrtana and prasādam distribution is sufficient. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do that. He was not speaking philosophy to everyone. Kīrtana and prasāda distribution. So our men can perform very nice kīrtana, and if they come to take little prasādam, that is preaching. You have to maintain this standard, that kīrtana must go on and prasādam should be distributed.

Satsvarūpa: And take collection for that, to continue that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By selling books, by contribution, somehow or other maintain. Everywhere.

Satsvarūpa: Our movement has changed in America in the past six years or so. Now devotees are not much seen on the streets chanting. So there's different feelings. Some say it is all right, because everyone is now distributing books more.

Prabhupāda: That is also nice.

Satsvarūpa: That's also a kind of kīrtana. But then the public, they hardly ever see us anymore. They used to say, "Oh, the saffron-robed people chanting on the streets."

Prabhupāda: But they come to the love feast.

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. It's not necessary to emphasize that street chanting.

Prabhupāda: No. Sell books and invite them to come to temple for love feast.

Satsvarūpa: And there is all these men. It's still five more days before the ceremony. If they can do this..., programs locally.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They should go to the... Yes, locally. Kīrtana party. They should go in their bus and have in the city kīrtana party. Try to collect something. (end)

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Make arrangement for prasāda distribution, any center. For that, we have to work hard, we have to collect, we have to beg, borrow, steal, everything. Prasāda distribution. And kīrtana. Here your distribution propa..., having kīrtana or not?

Bhavānanda: I'm sorry, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Brahmānanda: When you distribute prasāda do you have kīrtana also?

Bhavānanda: Yes, up and down the aisle. When we're distributing the big prasāda, then we have a kīrtana party.

Prabhupāda: They must hear kīrtana.

Bhavānanda: Always.

Prabhupāda: That must be done.

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, tomorrow's program...

Prabhupāda: Hm. So Acyutānanda has come. You all sannyāsīs may, one or two, remain here. And kīrtana party-Acyutānanda, he has got minibus.

Bhavānanda: Yes, I was going to fill the bus and Your Divine Grace's car and one, Abhirāma's car. Jayapatākā Mahārāja is in Calcutta, and he's returning tomorrow morning, so he thought that he would stop in Chakdaha.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Bhavānanda: But we're very, very busy, Jayapatākā and I, because the festival is coming up. Would it be all right if I stayed back? I make all the arrangements, but stay behind to supervise it?

Prabhupāda: Yes, as you think best. (break)

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayatīrtha: London's a fantastic city for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Jayatīrtha: Very good.

Prabhupāda: On whole, they like it?

Jayatīrtha: Yes, especially our kīrtana parties on Oxford Street and Picadilly Circus. They like that very much. Sometimes we get a thousand people standing around our kīrtana party, Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square, places like that.

Prabhupāda: So what about that house?

Jayatīrtha: That house? We've purchased now and we're fixing it up.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Jayatīrtha: We're fixing it up just now for using. We should be using it within about two months.

Prabhupāda: What is the name of that place?

Jayatīrtha: Soho Square.

Prabhupāda: The same house which you showed me?

Jayatīrtha: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So you have taken money from my account? No.

Jayatīrtha: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We didn't need to.

Prabhupāda: So there we shall have restaurant?

Jayatīrtha: Yes. It should be very successful. Restaurants in that area... Vegetarian restaurants... There's one that sells about ten thousand pounds (sterling) a week of food. So ours may not be quite that big.

Prabhupāda: So we have already started restaurant? No.

Jayatīrtha: Not yet. It takes some time. We just got permission finally from the planning commission from the city. That was a technicality. But we just got that. There was no problem. Now we're starting to do the refurbishing. We have to do a lot of painting and...

Prabhupāda: So we shall move from Bury Place there? No.

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And Raja Sheik Abdullah has taken our Bhagavad-gītā, so we can invite him to talk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who?

Prabhupāda: Sheik Abdullah, the prime minister there, Kashmir.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is he a chief minister or prime minister?

Prabhupāda: Chief minister.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kashmir is part of India, a province. (pause) Then if you get your health back in May, that will be very nice. Regarding that tīrtha yatra, this going in the monsoon, it doesn't seem like a good time. June and July, those are not good months for touring India.

Prabhupāda: No, if we get good response, we can spend little more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe we should go with some kīrtana party. If we see there is a response, then we should...

Prabhupāda: If we, you get one kīrtana party if you like.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems like it.

Prabhupāda: Not immediately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First we'll see.

Prabhupāda: But you can take if you like as many books as possible. As many books, our books.

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a kīrtana party waiting to come in.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Come on.

Jayapatākā: And I think your prasāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, there's some prasādam for you.

Prabhupāda: Prasādam? I am not just now very much willing. And if I require, I shall call for it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. Kīrtana party should be called?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. (break)

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Everything is spirit. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Therefore I say there is no matter. Only matter means when the spirit is not discovered. When people are rascals, then there is matter. When people are intelligent, there is no matter. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Therefore Māyāvādī philosophy, that "You are thinking you are not God," that is māyā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like a kīrtana party now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: This is kīrtana, going on. You do not understand what is kīrtana. Any topics on Kṛṣṇa, that is kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsakī kīrtane. Vaiyāsakī, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he became perfect by kīrtana. What kind of kīrtana did he do? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhāgavata discussion.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are thinking simply by lungs and karatala, kīrtana will go on. Anything we do here, there is no material connection. It is spiritual. We are not talking for how to increase our business and enjoy women and wine. That is not our business. Yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam (SB 1.5.22). We are trying to establish Kṛṣṇa. Uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam. And that is kīrtana. (pause) Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Hm? You know this?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just explain this.

Room Conversations -- July 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should... Some devotees are writing you now for second initiation, and I'm writing them to wait a while because you're not well. So can I continue to tell them that?

Prabhupāda: They can do second initiation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By writing you.

Prabhupāda: No. These men.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These men, they can also do second initiation. So there's no need for devotees to write to you for first and second initiation. They can write to the man nearest them. But all these persons are still your disciples. Anybody who gives initiation is doing so on your behalf.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You know that book I'm maintaining of all of your disciples' names? Should I continue that?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So if someone gives initiation, like Harikeśa Mahārāja, he should send the person's name to us here and I'll enter it in the book. Okay. Is there someone else in India that you want to do this?

Prabhupāda: India, I am here. We shall see. In India, Jayapatākā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatākā Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: You are also in India.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You can note down these names.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I have them.

Prabhupāda: Who are they?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, Satsvarūpa Mahārāja, Jayatīrtha Prabhu, Bhagavān Prabhu, Harikeśa Mahārāja, Jayapatākā Mahārāja and Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Now you distribute.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Seven. There's seven names.

Prabhupāda: For the time being, seven names, sufficient. You can make Rāmeśvara.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rāmeśvara Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: And Hṛdayānanda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah. South America.

Prabhupāda: So without waiting for me, wherever you consider it is right... That will depend on discretion.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On discretion.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's for first and second initiations.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Shall I send a kīrtana party, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So they can go to the temple now, this saṅkīrtana?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let us go to the temple? You want to go to the temple now?

Prabhupāda: Myself?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You mean the devotees here?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want them to go into the temple and perform kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. And you'll hear it from here.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. Temple without kīrtana doesn't have full life. Bhavānanda Mahārāja was just saying that this evening. The kīrtana party from Māyāpura, they went back today. Otherwise, every night they've been doing kīrtana for about five hours. Today they're not here because they're returning to Māyāpura. I was thinking today how you've always taken care of us so much and served us so much all of these years that now Kṛṣṇa is giving us a small little opportunity to just do a little service to you.

Prabhupāda: How many men, they have come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I heard that somewhere between a hundred and 150. They reserved all of the rooms of the guesthouse. I told Bhakti-prema Swami to speak there on the subject of Fifteenth Chapter, fifteenth verse,

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham
(BG 15.15)

Prabhupāda: They are looking after the book?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Are they looking after the book table?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll have to find out from Viśāla how his book sales are doing.

Prabhupāda: Hundred fifty men?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've been told between a hundred and a hundred-fifty. There's a lecture in the temple now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The kīrtana can't be done in the temple just now because there's a lecture there.

Prabhupāda: Lecture?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Every evening there's lecture.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhagavad-gītā lecture every evening in the temple.

Prabhupāda: That is also kīrtana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. So I'll inform the organizer that when Rāma-Kṛṣṇajī and Śrīmān Nārāyaṇa come, to inform them that they can come and see you. (end)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 18 February, 1967:

Now next proposal is that why don't you arrange for Kirtana and lectures by me in every school, college, clubs, association, etc in New York. Now we have "Mrdangas" and cymbals. Let us organize a Kirtana party both at New York and at San Francisco and on our off days at least twice in a week let us have our Kirtana outside. Here the students are arranging another dance meeting like the one they did on the 29th January and they are expecting good collection. Even there is no good collection, by outdoor Kirtana and lectures we shall at least be popular to everyone and automatically we shall be successful in raising fund. The other day we had a very nice meeting in the California State College it was grand successful. They are going to arrange again like that in Berkeley college where they are expecting three thousand audience. I am enclosing herewith a copy of the letter received from Himalayan Academy. See how they are appreciating our method of peace movement. So in this way we have to forward our cause. No business man will come forward to help us on utopian schemes as contemplated by Mr. Payne. We have to try for ourselves. So the summary is to obtain a hire purchase sale-contract from Mr. Taylor and popularize our movement by outdoor engagements as many as possible.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 4 February, 1968:

Regarding Kirtana Party: My idea is that at least one dozen persons should form a Kirtana Party. Two persons play mrdangas, eight persons play karatalas, one person playing tamboura, and one person playing melodious harmonium. The person who will play on tamboura will be leader singer. You have just calculated what I want, when you suggest that the leader should sing as I do, and the others will respond. That will be very nice. But all the members of the party will be pure devotees. None of them should be outsiders. We do not want any outsiders as far as possible. Mrdanga playing as you are doing at present will make you more and more expert as you go on playing. Here also I see Gaurasundara simply by playing is improving. If all the members keep their faith in Krishna and tries to please Him, certainly everyone will be pleased by hearing our Kirtana. It is sure and certain. When such Kirtana will be demonstrated, only the harmonium player may sit, and all the others may stand up and join the Kirtana and dancing properly dressed. This is actual idea and I hope if such Kirtanas are performed even on public stage, we can sell tickets. That will be a source of earning to maintain our activities.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1968:

Please note that the other side of this page was appearing in the very popular magazine New Yorker, and even they are chanting Hare Krishna in mockery, still, it doesn't matter. Just so long they are chanting Hare Krishna, that is the success of our mission. The Kazi's men were breaking up the Kirtana parties of the Lord, and in mockery some of them chanted Hare Krishna, and thereafter, their tongues would not stop singing Hare Krishna. Our tongues should be like that, unable to ever stop singing the Glories of the Lord. We practice, and someday it will be like that.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you for your letter dated Feb. 5, 1968. Rayarama has already left for N.Y. on Monday night, so you can contact him there. Regarding your proposal for opening a center in London: I am prepared to go there at any moment. Even I do not mind the severe cold there. I have asked Hamsaduta to organize a Kirtana party of 12 heads, so I wish to go there with a strong party for Kirtana and lecture. As you will be free by April 8, you may come to N.Y. just after discharging your reponsibilities, and by that time I shall also reach there. So we shall consult together with Brahmananda, Rayarama, yourself, and myself, how to move all over the world with a Kirtana party. I am very much hopeful of being successful if only selected persons of my followers will form a Kirtana party and have an extensive tour all over the world. In the meantime we are trying to get membership (non-government organization) in the U.N., and if we are fortunate enough to get this membership, then we shall be able to attract the heads of all nations in this important movement. Our program for Krishna Consciousness is solid, and backed by most authoritative literature—Bhagavad-gita, and Srimad-Bhagavatam; there is no question of our not being popular to the world. Simply we have to present ourselves in true perspective. We can challenge any rascals of the world but the difficulty is that it is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1968:

I am very happy to hear you are making nice arrangements for the Kirtana Party; I am anxious to see the idea take shape. Yes, the more you develop the attitude for service sincerely, the more opportunities Krishna will give you to serve Him, in so many varieties of ways. And I am so happy to hear that you are finding strength to be determined to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world; my Guru Maharaja wanted like that, especially the Western world, and my only request is that you all sincere boys and girls, to spread this Krishna Consciousness to every home, to every village and town, and to take this mission very seriously.

Please convey my blessings to your good wife. Hope you are both well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. organization of the Kirtana party for world tour should now be given our first consideration.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 24, along with two copies of letters, one from Purusottama das Brahmacari at Vrindaban, another from Teen Activity Center of Kings. This letter from the Activity Center is very hopeful for our Kirtana propaganda. I am very much ambitious for leading a Kirtana party, especially all over your state, and Europe. Hamsaduta is trying to organize this party. If you can move with this Kirtana party, say a batch of 12 to 15 heads, all over the States, as well as Europe, I am sure we will be more popular than the so-called yogi Maharishi Mahesa.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1968:

N.B. You have asked about the printing of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The printing of the next 3 volumes has already begun in India. But if it is possible to print it here, then, as you know, we have got 50 or so more volumes, and they can be printed here if it can be arranged. But the next 3 volumes have already begun being printed in India, and I have sent you the specimen copy of printing. If printing of Bhagavatam is done here and a Kirtana party is organized then I shall never go back to India. I shall stay here in your good care till my death. Hamsaduta will help me in establishing a New Vrindaban in the West. Please inform Hamsaduta that I have received his encouraging letter: I am glad to learn that Sriman Umapati is coming to see me. He is heartily welcome. Kindly care of the shipping affairs from India.

Letter to Sri Krishnaji -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

I received your letter dated February 2, 1968 duly but I am delayed to reply because I was consulting my colleagues about you and the kirtana parties coming here at our expense. To call a man from India and to arrange for his stay here at best for six months in different branches of our city means rupees 20,000/—or $2,000 per head, If we call for you and a party of nice kirtana singers, five men altogether, it means rupees 100,000/—the Society is not in a position to spend such an amount at present period. I am therefore training local boys and girls for kirtana and very soon we shall be out on world tour with this kirtana party. In India, however, many rich business men maybe ready to spend this amount to spread the kirtana movement. But the Govt. will not allow us to spend Indian money in such fashion without special sanction. I have written to authorities at the Govt. of India for sanction, but I have received no reply til now. You assured me that you would be able to get such sanction from Dr. Zakir Hussein but you are now silent on this format. Why not take sanction from him for this purpose and I will arrange money from India.

Letter to Hamsaduta, Himavati -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

I thank you very much for your nice letters, one dated the 23rd of Feb. and the other undated. I have noted the contents, and your attitude of service is so nice. I am pleased to hear that you have begun practicing for the Kirtana party; please keep me informed how you are progressing. Yes, if you like, you can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head. Responsive chanting is very nice; one good singer may lead, and the others may join in. That is the system in India. It is very good for two reasons especially: One, the chanter gets to rest, so he does not become tired, and two, you get to chant and hear, that is the process. You may also have melodious accompaniment instruments, and amplifiers. Blowing of the conch shell and horns is very nice.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 4 March, 1968:

I offer the same to my daughter, Himavati, and I hope she is doing well. I am very glad that Krishna is already dictating you how to make perfect the SANKIRTANA party. I completely agree with you about the program of our traveling across the country, being booked in several places. And I am glad that our friend, Allen Ginsberg, is helping you. There is no doubt about our success if we can make this Kirtana party successful. The most important point in this connection is that we shall never be professional; that is to say, we shall try to make the Kirtana party perfect from the point of view of Krishna Consciousness. The idea of introducing Panca-tattva in the kirtana party was also contemplated by me. Not only that, we have to prepare different dresses for Radha and Krishna, and Their eight confidential Associates, Sakhis. Sometimes you have to dress somebody as Nrsimhadeva and Prahlada; in this way, we shall have varieties of show along with the kirtana, and all the varieties will be picked up from Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. We have to teach the Brahmacaris and the Brahmacarinis to speak in Sanskrit some of the verses in this connection, and we explain the verses by singing, chanting, and speaking also. Sometimes in the middle of chanting and singing, we shall speak also. So, all these varieties show will be so attractive with melodious musical sounds, and above all our good behavior and advanced Krishna Consciousness, will make this show very successful. In the meantime, you train the Kirtana party as you are doing, and the responsive method is all perfect. I have already written you in my last letter in this connection, and again I say that the responsive method should be practiced. There may be more than one singer, just like you may take the leader's seat, sometimes Jaya Govinda may take the leader's seat, sometimes others may take the leader's seat, but the method of chanting and responding, then chanting, should always be followed. When I come to New York certainly we shall devise plans on this touring program, not only traveling within the States, but also traveling all over the world. And when we go to India in course of our travel, we shall collect some Indian devotees also to join us. Not only Indian, we shall gradually collect devotees from all over the world without any discrimination. Our Krishna Consciousness movement must be all-pervading, as Krishna is all-pervading.

You will be glad to know that in San Francisco they are trying to purchase one house. I have already suggested Rayarama for a regular printing press for printing our books. And some of the Brahmacaris may be engaged in the publication work, some of them may be engaged in the Kirtana party preaching work, and some of them in distributing our literature. That will make our mission perfect.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968:

If you have no sufficient men to form the Kirtana party at the present moment, you can go on chanting as usual in the temple. There is no need of becoming hasty. One or two boys from S.F. can join you at any moment, that is not a problem. But you must have some men locally. The process should be at least 4 to 6 men must be competent to begin the chanting with instruments and the members of the audience should be requested to join them. If you can make this practice successful, you can go anywhere. Four to six men, and the members of the audience will join together, and then it will be very successful Kirtana performance. Just try to practice like this. I am going to Montreal next week and after reaching there I shall consider when and how to go to London, or any other part of Europe. At present it is not yet fixed up.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Montreal 7 June, 1968:

So far I remember that you know German language as well as Dutch language, so after we have started our London branch, you shall have to go to Germany and I think Hamsaduta can help you there, because he also knows some broken German. The whole idea is that if we can organize a nice Kirtana party which Mukunda can do, because he is music master, and if we travel in the European countries with this Kirtana party, supported by our books and literature, I am sure it will be a great successful missionary work. I know both you and your wife are very sincere servitors of the Lord, and if Malati delivers her baby during the Rathayatra festival, then she can take one month's rest in July, and may be able to accompany you with her newly born Krishna Consciousness baby. For the time being, finish your work in the hands, and side by side try to chalk out a program how we shall propagate Krishna Consciousness in the European countries. Your letter under reply has very much encouraged me and I thank you once more for this nice sentiments. Hope you are both well, and offer my blessings to Srimati Malati and others.

Letter to Yamuna -- Montreal 7 June, 1968:

The report of the Brahmacari classes is very good; I do not mind that it is only two boys; if you work combinedly and very nicely, that is the program. We can not expect that everyone shall become Krishna Consciousness, because only the most pious and fortunate living entities can join this movement. But we are giving chance for everyone and it is up to him, to take advantage or not. You will be glad to know that our the super most contribution to the world, namely, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, is coming out very soon. The letter composition is already complete, and I am seeing the final proof, and the book will be ready by the month of September. So, if you can organize a nice Kirtana party backed by this book, our program will be a grand success. Let us hope for the best by the Grace of Lord Krishna. I hope this will find you in good health.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

Yes, in New York they are organizing very nice Kirtana party and getting good response from the public. They are collecting $30-$40 in each Kirtana performance, and selling Back To Godhead. So you try to execute this program and Krishna will give you necessary intelligence be assured.

Letter to Mukunda -- Montreal 11 June, 1968:

Your presence in the London center with other assistants will be great helpful, considering the fact that I wish to form a nice Kirtana party consisting of 12 heads—2 mrdanga players, 1 harmonium player in melody, 1 tambura player, and at least 6 cymbal players. In this way 12 heads shall perform Kirtana very rhythmically and melodiously. The harmonium should be practiced just to follow the song; not simply for tuning. I think you can very well organize this Sankirtana party, and if we have a successful Sankirtana party, with me, backed by our books and literature, we can make a nice propaganda of this sublime movement in all the European cities. And if we are successful in Europe then we may go to other countries also in Asia. In India also if we go with this Sankirtana party we shall be very much welcome and there is great possibility of cooperation of the richer section of India. So I am thinking of organizing this nice Sankirtana party very seriously and you may also think in that way.

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

Regarding Kirtana party, I find that the Montreal temple is very suitable for training. So I am trying in Canada for visa, and if it is successful then I shall call you both, husband and wife, for beginning a training class of Kirtana. In the meantime ask your husband to accumulate some money on this account because my next program is to proceed to London with a Kirtana party. It is my duty to help you always in the matter of understanding Krishna Consciousness and whatever I am trying to bestow upon you all is the gift of Lord Krishna directly—I am just doing the work of a bearer. There is nothing of my personal contribution and I ask all your mercy so that I may be able to distribute Krishna's message as it is without any deviation. That will make Krishna, myself, and all others eternally happy. It is so nice, sublime and easy to perform.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Montreal 16 July, 1968:

You write to say that there was one article in the San Francisco Examiner on July 1, 1968, but I have received none till now. Please try to send one copy as soon as possible. you will know about my plan about London-yatra from the letter which I am addressing today of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtana party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtana in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtana. for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.

Letter to Yamuna devi -- Montreal, Quebec Canada July 16, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated July 9, 1968, giving a vivid description of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtan party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtan in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtan for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

Chanting in the park and on the street is our new movement and it is successful. It has become successful in San Francisco, in New York, as well as in Montreal. So if we adopt this means in Los Angeles, I am sure it will also become successful. In San Francisco, I understand the Kirtana party collects sometimes up to $40.00 daily, and Montreal, the other day, Hamsaduta collected $24.00, similarly I hear from Boston, they are also making good collection. So if you can organize this Sankirtana party chanting in the parks and in the street, with permit from the authorities, there will be no scarcity of money, and people will be very glad to contribute.

Letter to Janardana -- San Francisco 9 September, 1968:

You will be pleased to know that I had no difficulty entering USA, with the Canadian immigration card. First of all, they wanted from me to see my visa, I told that I am Canadian immigrant. Then he said, oh yes, that's all right. So what for you are going; to visit there. How many months you want to remain there? I said about 4 or 5 months. So they did not make any etch in my passport. So I think even if I am not able to get the American visa, there will be no difficulty for my coming and going. Anyway, let us depend on Krishna. So Hamsaduta is there, the Kirtana party is there; please try to organize your center nicely. And I am also enclosing herewith one letter for Hamsaduta. Hope this will find you in good health and cheerfulness.

Letter to Hansadutta -- Seattle, Wash. 98105 1 October, 1968:

So I am anxious to know all these informations as well as general information of the temple affairs. Offer my blessings to Himavati and all other devotees. Here the Kirtan party is doing very well. They are selling Back To Godhead nicely and making collection of $30 to $50 daily. Awaiting your early reply, and thanking you.

Letter to Sivananda -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:

Here in Seattle, things are going very nicely. Last night, there was one radio program for two hours, and the Kirtana party sang so many songs and prayers very nicely. As I have no indication from European side for my going there at present, I am thinking of going to Los Angeles. But I am very much anxious to go to your newly opened center in Germany.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Seattle 10 October, 1968:

Here the Kirtana party headed by Tamala Krishna and others are doing very nicely. They are selling Back To Godhead, sometimes more than a 100 copies, minimum 50 copies, and collecting donations, 30 to 50 dollars everyday. So are you getting some collection by holding Kirtana in different places of London? There must be some source of income, otherwise, how you can maintain yourself there.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:

So far Seattle is concerned, we have opened here a branch about one month past, and it is well established. People have known it and students are coming from the university community, and taking interest. I've gone to the university and delivered lecture. And last Sunday we initiated 3 devotees, and 2 or 3 are still waiting. So this branch is going nicely. And the kirtana party led by Tamala and Jayananda, they are also selling Back to Godhead daily, at least 50 to 75 copies, and collecting money also, average of 40 or 50 dollars daily. So this branch is very nice. I hope I shall hear soon that you are doing the same thing in Hamburg.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:

So my request to you is that even though you are unable to find out a suitable place, you can go on with performance of Kirtana and other Kirtana parties are doing. They are doing like this in Seattle, San Francisco, even in Montreal.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

You will be glad to know that I have got now 8 branches, in USA, and Canada. Next, I am going to Europe and shall open branches in London, in Amsterdam, Munich, and Sweden, and that is my program. Some of my students have already gone with Kirtana party; and about my activities, you might have heard from different papers, especially in January 21, 1968, there was a nice article in the "Illustrated Weekly of Bombay." I hope you have seen it.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Nara-narayana -- Los Angeles 1 February, 1969:

So far as kirtana party is concerned, you have well suggested to conduct the party under the good guidance of Rsi Kumar. He is a very expert devotee, and the kirtana party can be well managed under his guidance, and under the cooperation of Brahmananda.

You should always read also, besides attending class, whenever you have time, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Then I can surely recommend to the draft board that you are a very serious student of Bhagavad-gita under my supervision.

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1969:

Regarding Karatieya, I am sorry to inform you that all of a sudden he has been captivated by maya, and since yesterday, he has left my company. The day before yesterday afternoon, he was absent for more than three hours and when he came back, he explained that he was out walking in the street. Later on, it was found that he went to see a Christian priest who had impressed upon his mind that one can drink wine after offering it to Lord Christ on the first Friday of every month. I had been informed by Karatieya that before his coming to our Krishna Consciousness camp he was drinking too much. So now he wanted to give me evidence that drinking was good when it is offered to Lord Christ. I tried to convince him that drinking is not at all good. The very fact that one should drink on the first Friday of each month means it is rigidly restricted; one can drink only once every month, but in the case of bread, it is said that one should pray daily for bread from the Lord. In this way there was some remonstration, but he was silently hearing from me while being not at all satisfied. I understood from Purusottama that the whole night he was not satisfied. The next morning, that was yesterday, Tamala was talking with me and I asked him to keep Karatieya for some time in his Kirtana Party. But Karatieya got immediately upset, and just within 15 minutes, he took away his bags and baggage and phoned his sister and went to her place. This morning, Sudama phoned him that if you do not like to live in the temple, you can come back and live with Swamiji. But he has not come back. Therefore, for the time being, it is to be understood that he is victimized by the stroke of maya. I do not know what is awaiting his future lot, but I am sure that his service to Krishna and to his Spiritual Master will not go in vain. But individual independence and maya are so strong that they can stop progress at any moment. So long as he was here, he was taking care of me very nicely, and I am very much obliged to him. I simply said that he may live for some time with the Sankirtana Party, and he became upset. So I do not know what to do.

Letter to Brahmananda -- New Vrindaban 26 May, 1969:

Regarding your request for a kirtana musician, we don't require anyone who is very musically talented. Here in New Vrindaban Hayagriva has organized very nice kirtana party, and they are singing and chanting thrice daily very, very nicely. So I think you are the best mrdanga player, and similarly you have Rsi Kumar, Madhusudana, Uddhava, as well as others, so if you think all of you are deficient, I can send you a tape recording teaching playing techniques, and you will learn from this. You have got another devotee, Mohini Mohan, Purusottama's friend, and Purusottama says he is a musical master, so utilize the talent you have got and surely your propaganda will be successful and more men will come. It is in the same way that I came here with only one pair of cymbals, and now there are hundreds of cymbals going on. So Krishna will send us men; gradually as we qualify ourselves everything will come.

Letter to Gajendra -- Los Angeles 20 July, 1969:

Regarding your proposal for distributing BTG through the agency you have contacted, I do not think this is very good idea at this time. Tamala Krishna has arranged so that there will be six devotees there in Seattle very soon, so there will be no need for such distribution arrangement. This agency is offering you only 25 cents per issue sold, and by Kirtana Party you will receive 50 cents per copy. Another thing is that we have found that our sales are much better through our personal endeavors on Kirtana Party, so this agency will simply be holding so many copies for one month, and what they do not sell will again be given back to you to sell on Sankirtana Party. They have asked you to advance $50 for their "Paperwork", but in Los Angeles there was one distributer who was taking 400 copies monthly and he did not request such fee. So as you will be having several new men there to help you after the Rathayatra Festival, Sankirtana Party will be the better way of distributing BTG. Regarding your question about offering camphor in aratrik, I do not know why you should be having trouble with smoke and soot by this offering. If you use smaller pieces of camphor this may alleviate the problem, or perhaps you are not using the right kind of camphor. Here we are using camphor for aratrik twice daily and there is no such problem. Of course, if it is too inconvenient, there does not have to be a camphor offering, but I do not know why this should be so. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 13 August, 1969:

I am also very glad to learn that this record is being played on some first class radio station all day, and wherever you go people congratulate you by chanting Hare Krishna. This is very encouraging. Similarly, I am encouraged that Kirtana Party led by Trivikrama is collecting $25-50 daily.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1970:

Regarding Temple management, I may inform you that Tamala Krishna may help you how to organize, but if you make him stay in one place and he cannot move to other places then the idea on which he was left in London—that he should see the development of the centers in France and Germany—will be jeopardized. As our branches are increasing it is necessary that somebody shall move from one place to another for improving the particular center's activities. Besides that, you have also requested to send Visnujana to London, but you know that whatever improvement has been made in Los Angeles is due to the Sankirtana Party going outside the Temple. Madhudvisa and Jayananda have gone to San Francisco, and Tamala has gone to London. So out of the four leading boys of the Sankirtana Party, three are already out. So the remaining one's, Visnujana's, presence is needed here. Gargamuni and Stoka Krishna are engaged otherwise, so Visnujana is taking care of the new devotees as well as Kirtana Party. If, therefore, he also goes away, I think that the management here will suffer.

Letter to Himavati, Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1970:

Please accept my blessings. Regarding the Rathayatra procession in London, the procession should be made like this:

The arrangement is for seven kirtana parties, or if you do not have enough men, four parties. Each party must consist of seven men as follows: two mrdanga, four karatala, and one dancer. One of the karatala players is lead singer, and the dancer dances freely up and down between the two lines of players three on each side as in the drawing. If there are only four parties, the arrangement should be that one party is on each side, and in back and front of the Ratha:

So the dancer should dance very freely, you may distribute Prasadam and especially distribute our literatures from a table on wheels for the purpose.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

Your idea for printing books with Dai Nippon and concentrating on distributing is very good idea, so I very much approve of your techniques for selling our literatures, and this have very much relieved me to know that this program is progressing rapidly under your control. Also, you ideas for travelling SKP are very much liked by me. Here in Australia they have got one double-decker bus, like you have seen in London streets, and they have painted it very brightly, and as it moves there is kirtana party chanting very loudly inside, and on top floor there is sleeping space and kitchen. On the whole, it is so nice that I am suggesting Dayananda that he supply you and Krishna das with information, how you may purchase such busses in London and drive them all over European continent, and these "Hare Krishna Movement" busses will make us famous all over the world. I am enclosing one photo of their Australia bus in Sydney.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Honolulu 16 May, 1972:

Now many devotees have come from U.S.A. You wanted 100 men and so now there are about 100 men, and many have come to Bombay, so engage all of them in book distribution specifically, and take with you some kirtana party, as many as you like.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 13 April, 1974:

P.S. I want to organize a women kirtana party singing the Gita Gan. Can you help me?

Page Title:Kirtana party
Compiler:Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas, Alakananda
Created:19 of Aug, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=6, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=23, Let=36
No. of Quotes:70