Not very much... (Letters 1970 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"not very much"

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 10, 1970. I asked you to work four hours just to give you not very much strain because I found you weaker than I saw you before. On the whole you can work conscientiously so that you may not feel tired due to your weakness. So sometimes if you go with Sankirtana Party that will be a nice relaxation. So for each and every time you do not write to me but use your best discretion and do everything easily and without strain. That is my advice.

Being in the disciplic succession of Prahlada Maharaja certainly we are not interested for our personal liberation as much as we want to work for the liberation of the conditioned souls because Krishna desires it. So you are an intelligent girl, I need not talk much, and be happy in Krishna Consciousness business.

I am very glad to learn that Muralidhara, Devahuti and Bharadraja are working together. You simply supervise them. I know Bharadraja is a very fast working painter and if he sticks to his work, certainly he will do wonderfully.

Letter to Ranadhira -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 January, 1970. I am so glad to learn that your New Vrndavana is now expanding with all good prospects. I also thank you very much for sending me a check on my maintenance account for $50.

The most encouraging news is that the school is being very nicely organized. Another encouraging thing is that Kirtanananda Maharaja has now taken up actually the work of a Sannyasi and is preaching outside our Krishna Consciousness cult with great enthusiasm.

Now you can remember your last year's crying for $300. I did not very much encourage that attitude because I thought it was that necessity is the mother of invention. Now you must be realizing how it was good for you that within one year you are purchasing two adjoining lands and everything is in advancing position. Now you have got a nice truck and the road is open directly from the main road on account of the side properties being purchased.

I thank you for sending me back the small book in Bengali which I was missing. Now you have this truck, and your activities will surely improve the expansion of our Vrndavana scheme. We shall hold our Janmastami ceremony in great pomp, and if by Krishna's Grace it is possible, I shall also go there. The cancelled check has no use for me, it was returned by the bank. Please do the preaching work more vigorously as Krishna has given you all facility.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 3 February, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27 January, 1970. When you write to say that things are going well, it gives me immense pleasure. I am opening so many branches depending on you all my sincere students. I am also glad to learn that you are moving to the Temple, dedicating all your time to Temple activities and translation work.

I understand that your wife is not very much interested in our movement and I understand the cause you have written to say. Anyway, we will pray to Krishna to save her; that is our duty.

Yes. The boy, Mayurdhvaj, is a very nice Krishna Conscious child. Why his mother is checking him? Although in the beginning she was so enthusiastic? This is called in Vedic language sva karma bhuk, one is destined to undergo reaction of one's past life. This reaction can only be checked by Krishna Consciousness. So our duty is heavy, to induce persons to come to this platform of consciousness; and if we can save even a single soul from the clutches of Maya, the value of such act is millions of times better than fruitive actions or any kind of altruistic and philanthropic activities.

Trivikrama is a very nice boy, sincere to Krishna Consciousness activities. In a previous letter, Krishna das asked me if Hamsaduta and Himavati can go there. So I think this pair will be very much helpful in our German centers. Hamsaduta is born in Germany but he came here in childhood, and Himavati is born in Germany although she is Russian originally. She knows how to speak in Russian language. So I have asked them to go there to help you in Sankirtana Movement and other Temple activities. Both of them are experienced in the Sankirtana Movement especially.

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

In most of the centers our activities are in rented houses, only in Boston and Buffalo we have our own houses. In Boston we have got our own press, ISKCON Press, where our books and magazines are published partially. The major portion is printed outside our press especially in Japan.

The government is neither encouraging or discouraging. sometimes the police department prohibits our Sankirtana Party when they go out in the street. In the United States this hindrance by the police is not very much, but in London they have practically stopped us. In Hamburg and Tokyo they are also not very strict. In the beginning we have difficulty everywhere. By now, as people in general are appreciating our movement—that we are devotees of the Lord, boys and girls of nice behavior and character—they give us as far as possible all concessions. The government draft board has accepted our Society as religious, so they are kind upon us. But, we do not get any direct financial help either from the government or big foundations. Neither have we been able to contact the richer section of the people.

Letter to Kancanbala -- Los Angeles 20 April, 1970:

Yamuna and also Silavati. I wish that all our girl devotees be expert in the matter of Arcana and cooking. The temple and altar should always be very clean and decorated with flowers and incense. We shall touch the Deity altar and Deity in very clean condition, after taking bath and washing mouth nicely. Practice washing hands after eating and wash with soap and water after toilet. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, so this point should be very carefully observed, then you will advance very quickly to the perfectional stage of Krishna Consciousness.

Regarding you preaching work in the schools, colleges, and universities, try to attract the students, they are our great future hope and they will take up this matter very quickly because the students are not very much contaminated.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 22 April, 1970:

I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 20th April, 1970, with newspaper clippings enclosures, and they are all every encouraging.

Don't worry about your wife, she is trying to get immigration visa and Madhudvisa is helping her. In the meantime, I am enclosing herewith a copy of the police officer's letter to me and I hope this will help you to get police permission for Sankirtana.

We are the best peaceful group in the world and we are trying to bestow upon the people the supermost knowledge for the humanity. Everyone should cooperate with us, but unfortunately this is the age of Kali and people are not very much eager to accept genuine things, so don't be disappointed. Do as you are doing now and Krsna will help you without fail. To face difficulty in the course of preaching work is a kind of austerity. These difficulties do not go in vain. The more we face difficulties, the more we draw the attention of Krsna. So in that way we shall be prepared to meet all kinds of difficulties in our preaching work. Such attempt gives us a lift on our progressive march in Krishna Consciousness.

In my last letter to Bali Mardan I have already written that I was very much anxious to hear from you. Now this letter has given me much relief. Thank you very much that you are working so hard for this movement, and surely Krsna will reward sufficiently for your transcendental labor. Be blessed and preach.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 27 May, 1970:

So it is very encouraging that London Temple is being managed by one pair of husband and wife very nicely. Similarly each pair should take care of a center; and if you love me at all, then all of you try your best to open at least 108 centers during my lifetime—that is my special request. At the same time, we must be very careful to see that every center is going properly. Our possessing own building is not so important as it is important to see that everything is going on nicely in order.

Yesterday I received one very important magazine "Kalyana" from India in which the editor has described about our activities so nicely, but at the end it has been remarked whether in future the standard shall continue. Of course we are not very much concerned with the future; at least in our presence who are the floating members of this Society we should like to see things going on properly.

You have described Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna at London Temple as wonderful. Yes, that is the test of standard service. If we see the Deities in very pleasing mood, that will certify our service unto the Lord. So everywhere we shall see the Deities in such pleasing mood. As soon as we see the Deities in a different mood we must immediately understand our discrepancies.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 27 May, 1970:

Regarding the members comprising the World Sankirtana Party, on the whole I wish that 40 members will go, one half from Europe and one half from America or as it may be suitable, there is no definite restriction.

So far the proposal of the Karachi Gujarat Hindu Union and the Brahma Samaj to take our devotees to Africa, if they give return fare we will go to Africa, but I am not very much hopeful of the Indians there. They may be of the same type as they are in England. The difficulty with the Indians is that they are under the impression that they know everything and they have not got to learn anything from us, but factually most of them have lost their original culture and they have to learn so many things from this Krsna Consciousness Movement.

Regarding decreasing the number of copies of KRSNA book ordered by Syamasundara, no, Syamasundara must sell at least 2,500 KRSNA books, that is already decided. He can sell them at the best price, it does not matter whether it is the price mentioned on the book cover.

So if you want to see a Spanish edition of BTG, then you go to Spain and open a branch, then we get Spanish edition also—it is not difficult. It is very good news that several new boys and girls have joined the Paris Temple, so utilize all these newcomers—whatever capacity they have got try to utilize it for Krsna's service—that will be good for them and good for us.

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Los Angeles 10 June, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very interesting letter dated 5th June, 1970, and noted the contents.

It is by the grace of Lord Krsna on account of your sincere service unto Him that you have got a very nice place for our propaganda center. I understand that the house is purchased by you, but you have mentioned nothing about it. So I am not very much anxious whether it is purchased or not, but from your description I understand it is a nice place.

You are personally a good carpenter, and certainly you can make good additions and alterations for our purpose.

In the meantime, if you could make some time to come here you could see personally how the Los Angeles temple is constructed by the devotees here. Everyone who comes to see this temple is very much pleased to see the arrangement.

I was expecting your newsletter which is very interesting since its beginning, and I wish that you may continue the practice.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 4 July, 1970:

If Sridhara Maharaja and others' lands are on the agricultural plot and they are permitted to construct building why we shall be refused for doing so? I think you shall purchase the land of Jabed Ali Sekh and at the same time apply for permission. That will be nice. Please immediately let me know if you have removed to the Ballygunge apartment as informed to me previously—this is essential.

You are preaching in Calcutta in educated circles, that is alright, but there is no use of your going to the interior villages. My principle is that where my other Godbrothers cannot preach I shall go there. On my behalf you should follow this principle, also. Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja did not very much like preaching amongst women, so you should also avoid such meetings. Now Jayapataka and yourself combined together shall preach in English this Krsna consciousness philosophy amongst the educated circle and perform Kirtana.

So first of all let me know if you have changed your address, then I shall let you know the program of work and if required I shall send some more American and English boys. As soon as we get our own place many Indian boys from other camps will join us. So immediately let me know if you have removed to your new address.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

My Spiritual Master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, advised me to preach the Krsna consciousness movement in the Western world on my first meeting with him and I was preparing to come here in the Western world since a long time. I met late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Radhakrishnan and the late Lal Bahadar Shastri for this purpose. I was convinced by my Guru Maharaja that in the present status of civilization there is not scarcity of anything except Krsna consciousness. So distribution of Krsna consciousness in the best service to the human society, so I tried first of all to start this movement in India, but friends were not very much sympathetic. Therefore, with great difficulty I came here in 1965. In 1966 I registered the Society with the help of some friends and disciples, and the movement was started regularly in 1966, July, from New York.

Gradually it developed and at the present moment we have got 32 branches all over the world. We have got very huge expenditure for maintaining these establishments for example in Los Angeles, we are spending near about $3000 per month, which is in Indian exchange Rs. 24,000 per month. Similarly we have got expenditure in London, New York, Hamburg, Sydney, Tokyo, etc. The source of income is generous contribution by the public and a little profit out of selling our magazines and books. We do not get any lump out of sum contribution from any of various foundations, but our boys and girls work very hard and we maintain our establishment. The main source of income is Hare Krsna.

Letter to Satsvarupa, Uddhava -- Los Angeles 27 July, 1970:

I thank you for your express letters and have noted the contents carefully.

You are all my children and I love my American boys and girls who are sent to me by my spiritual master and I have accepted them as my disciples. Before coming to your country I took sannyasa in 1959. I was publishing BTG since 1944. After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my other Godbrothers in India. I was not very much interested in these matters because my Guru Maharaja liked very much publication of books than constructing big, big temples and creating some neophyte disciples. As soon as he saw that His neophyte disciples were increasing in number, He immediately decided to leave this world. To accept disciples means to take up the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of life of the disciple.

At the present moment in our ISKCON campus politics and diplomacy has entered. Some of my beloved students on whom I counted very, very much have been involved in this matter influenced by Maya. As such there has been some activity which I consider as disrespectful. So I have decided to retire and divert attention to book writing and nothing more.

The ISKCON Press was specifically established exclusively for printing my books. Please therefore give me an idea how you can help me in getting all my manuscripts printed as soon a possible. Whenever Advaita is submitting an estimate for printing my books, I am supplying the money immediately. So far the finance is concerned, Krsna is supplying. Therefore if you simply print my books in the Press incessantly, that will give me great delight.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 15 November, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 29, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. I beg to thank you for your complete report of the situation in Calcutta and I am replying the points one by one.

Here in Bombay we are getting good response to our membership program and I am sure in Calcutta you can also get good response. Now the holiday is done, so you can begin work on this immediately. This membership program cannot be neglected. Do not rely on anyone else for such matters, but go out and do your own work.

I can judge from your letter that Mr. Jaju is not very much interested and the others have brought in many different points of contention, so stop all controversial points. Try first of all for the Hamilton house. Jhajharia is going to help in this connection. Hamilton house can be transacted with the help of Jhajharia and when there is solid proposal, we shall immediately finish the transaction. Regarding Jhajharia, whenever he talks such nonsense as you have noted, don't accept it. When he speaks such foolish words, just ask him to refer to Prabhupada and you set it aside. Work cooperatively with him on transacting the Hamilton house, that's all.

Regarding Dhandharia's fear of his or someone else's incurring great expense from the devotees stay at their place, because he is afraid there is no question of joining his Sankirtana Party because they are unable to maintain our men. So in this connection of our large expense, I have asked them to live independently without depending on any -rias.

Letter to Bhaktajana -- Bombay 17 November, 1970:

Melt the two paraffins and the crushed resin in a small pot, stir constantly. Then all melted and mixed up, add the oil of eucalyptus and stir it in. Let the mixture cool somewhat, but keep stirring or the resin will separate and harden on the bottom. Just before the mixture begins to solidify, add enough dry chlorophyll to make the ointment slightly dark green—not very much required. Stir the mixture thoroughly until it is completely cooled into an ointment—this keeps the ingredients together properly—the mixture should not be reheated after adding the chlorophyll.

Regarding the internal sulphur preparation, I do not think that is necessary for you. It is very difficult to prepare and if made incorrectly can become harmful rather than beneficial.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 30 November, 1970:

My Guru Maharaja used to say "don't worry about money, Do something nice for Krishna and money will come." So we should always be thinking how to distribute the message of Krishna and surely He will give us facility. Even an ordinary man if he wants publicity then he gives so much money for the propaganda work. Similarly Krishna is not poor. He can supply any amount for the devotees who are engaged in broadcasting His glories. I see that you are moving in the schools and universities for preaching. That is very good. Krishna says that this knowledge is the king of education. So it will be appreciated.

Your program to visit nearby cities and towns with a travelling party is nice. Krishna Das has also started this program in Germany and the success has been good.

Regarding worship of Tulasi, it is not very much important. Simply all the devotees may offer a little water every morning and in the evening offer obeisances and ghee lamp (one wick) and circumambulating three times repeating the mantras that I have given you. The plant may remain in the garden.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Indore 13 December, 1970:

I went to America and some of the souls were accepted by Lord Caitanya and today the Bengal being Lord Caitanya's place they are in such pitiable condition, so I wish that some of you among my American disciples may try to reclaim these fallen souls to the order of Lord Caitanya's Vaisnavite platform.

When I was in Calcutta, many Naxalite and Communist youths used to see me. They were arguing with me, but I defeated them smilingly. They left after offering me their respects. I think they can also be reformed provided we diagnose and administer the proper medicine for them. I am not very much hopeless about Calcutta situation or even if there is some risk we should try to reform them and if we are successful, the people of India will hail us to great estimation and adoration and that will give us good impetus for pushing on our Movement, Krsna Consciousness.

Although there are many places in Calcutta we can have at cheap price, my advice is that you try to raise this one lakh of rupees for advancing to the Hamilton people and keep it ready. I have already sent you a telegram reading like the following: "If they accept 6.2 lakhs, I will immediately go there to complete transaction." So, if the Hamilton people accept the offer of Rs 620,000/, I shall immediately go and finish the transaction. I hope you have received the telegram and I am expecting your reply at any moment. The location of the Hamilton House is very nice and absolutely suitable for our purposes. In the meantime, I am also addressing one letter to the Hamilton Co. and the copy of which is enclosed herewith. Please do the needful. Keep yourself brave and fit to face the situation with faith in Krsna and Spiritual Master. Let us do something tangible in Calcutta.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Locana -- London 17 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12th August, 1971 along with the check for $10.00 as daksina. Thank you very much. Your ideas for toys are nice, but I don't think that is a very sound proposal. You have to engage your time in that way where you could better be selling magazines and books. That is better utility of your valuable time. Our Krishna Conscious children are not very much after toys and playthings. They are given from the very beginning beads and they are happy chanting in that way. So I don't advise you to do this since it will take up too much of your time. Anyway, do you think they would be saleable on the market? I don't think there would be demand on the general market for them.

Just this morning I received your charcoal portrait of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and it is done very expertly. This means you have got special talent for this. So you should go on painting pictures of the acaryas. There are so many centers that they can be sent to. I think ___ you will find more facility because there you can have your own room for painting whereas in N.Y. already it is so much congested. Painting requires some solitary place. Anyway, if you think that you will want the association of the N.Y. artists then I have no objection if you go.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Kenya 15 September, 1971:

If we follow the same principles everywhere, I think the bad government all over the world will come forward sympathetically for advancing this movement.

Eating is the basic principle for keeping one's health. Eating too much or too little causes disease. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says yuktahara vihara. Simply eat to keep fit. That is one important business of those in Krishna consciousness. Generally hepatitis is a disease on account of eating too much fatty and spicy foods. So we must use always simple food stuff and a little milk. Not very much puris and halava and sweet balls and sweet rice, like that.

Yes, this program is very nice to try to attract the attention of the students seriously. That will be a great success. They should put intelligent questions and they should be answered properly with reference to modern science and philosophy. That will be very much convincing. I think if you read our books thoroughly you will get a supply of material to answer all the questions. Now I am preparing one book answering all types of philosophical arguments. Syamasundara every morning is putting questions from different angles of vision beginning from Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, etc. and we are trying to answer. We shall discuss also Marx philosophy of communism. It will require some time but I wish that all our preachers should be well versed with all philosophical ideas and after studying all philosophical points of view we will put Krishna Conscious philosophy on the top.

You should see Mr. Dvnva, R.D. Birla promised four sets of Deities. What happened to them? We require pairs in Mombassa and Nairobi also as well as Paris, Berlin, Birmingham, etc.

Letter to Dayananda, Nandarani -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971:

So far the roofless church, it is lying unused for so many years. Why not approach the authorities to give it to us as donation for this great cause, or else for a nominal lease-rent for 99 years? Then we can repair this church very nicely. I have seen it but still if you will kindly send me specifics of the land area, the inside area of the church and other particulars, then I can give you some suggestions. I think there is some spare land also surrounding the church. So all details may be supplied. But I think if we replace the roof and make necessary arrangements for living quarters it will be very nice. But so far the neighborhood is concerned, I am not very much optimistic. So you have to study the neighborhood also whether people will come to our church.

Out of all the churches that I saw during my stay in London, I found the old Paddington church very nice. Why not negotiate with this property? What is the difficulty? I like that church very much. It is quite suitable for London temple. But as soon as we get a nice church it will not be difficult to raise the money for that purpose. When George came to our L.A. temple he remarked—why not a nice temple in London like this one?

Letter to Amogha -- Bombay 25 December, 1971:

Never mind we have to wait some time for a house. We are Vaisnavas means we can live under a tree. Main thing is preaching, so if preaching is going on, that is enough. But because people want a comfortable place to sit down and chant, therefore we have got our centers around the world. So just to accommodate such public you can get a house whenever it is possible, and decorate it very nicely for attracting the citizens.

We are presently trying for a very nice house here in Bombay, to make our India headquarters in a very rich quarter of Bombay. In February we shall go with full party to Mayapur for holding festival for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.

If Bali Mardan is not very much present in his zone of South East Asia, then how will things be managed? Do you know if he is planning to return to his zone responsibilities? Another thing, how are our books being distributed? I want that our books and magazines be profusely distributed all over the world, and I am very pleased to hear that you have sold so many in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other places in Asia. So go on in this way distributing books in Djakarta, that is solid work. If we simply sell many books, then our all success is guaranteed. You may inform me your progress there regularly and I shall always be pleased to hear from you. Somehow or other, Krishna has given me such good assistants like your good self, so there has been a little success. Thank you very much for helping me in this way.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:

Regarding the list of my Godbrothers, you do not any longer need to send them issues of BTG or other books. That we will do from here in India. Similarly whenever you get requests for BTG subscriptions or other literature, you can forward these requests to Bombay ISKCON to the Secretary and he will deal with the requests.

You do not need to approach Gaudiya Math for films or photos of my Guru Maharaja. I do not think they have such films. Whatever photos we now have already of Guru Maharaja can be used.

Neither is it necessary to send the Indian life members circulars, since this will be very costly and they are not very much interested in our circulars.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

If you can find some boys who speak English, and if you can engage them for translating and teach them our philosophy by holding classes, then that is better. We cannot become very good preachers in such difficult language, even if we spend years to learn, but if we take a few weeks to train some local men in Krishna Consciousness philosophy, then they can preach like anything, leaving us free time to organize and manage everything properly. In this way, we shall expand very rapidly.

If you can arrange for me to meet with the Emperor of Japan, I shall be most happy to meet with him. If it is difficult, there is no need for a pandal program. Simply some very nice speaking engagements with intelligent people, that is nice. I am not very much anxious to speak only to Hindu community, but I want to speak to Japanese people and students, just like in Africa we have recently held one festival, and, although there is very large Hindu community, I was encouraged that so many black Africans came as well, and that they listened carefully and grew very fond of our deities. So I think the Japanese people, too, can all become Krishna-ized very easily, as they have become now very opulent like Americans and they are very intelligent, clean, quiet, and respectful on the whole. I shall inform you when I am coming there.

Letter to Dasarha -- Bombay 4 March, 1972:

I have received your letter dated February 4, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very glad to see that everything is going very nicely there in Wilmington as per the enclosed newspaper clippings, and I am much pleased that you are wholeheartedly engaging yourself in this way, and in this way you will help to save the whole world from the most dangerous position and at the same time achieve yourself the topmost perfection of life.

Regarding your questions on Christianity, we are not very much keen to engage them in argument because for the most part they are sentimentalists and have no philosophy, therefore they become fanatics or dogmatists, and this type of person we cannot change. But if you find some Christian person who is intelligent to understand philosophy then you may argue that if God is unlimited, how He can be confined to having only one son? The son is the representative of the father, and in that sense he is the same as the father, but also he is different than the father. So Christ is speaking in this sense, that only through the representative of God can one come to God. Just like Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that one should surrender to a bona fide spiritual master, and then He also says that one should "Surrender unto Me." So there is no difference between surrendering to God or surrendering to God's representative, therefore Christ is also saying just surrender to me, the son or representative or spiritual master, and that is the same as surrendering to my father. Accepting the Lord or His representative as one's savior means to render loving devotional service to Him, and in return he will give you all protection. But the foolish Christians they think God is their order-supplier so that simply by performing some religious ceremonies they are entitled to receive all benedictions for enhancing their material life. First of all, to be saved by God means that one must obey what God orders or His laws of commandments. But in the Bible God says "Thou shall not kill," but where is the Christian who does not kill animals and eat? They have changed the meaning of kill to mean "murder," and for them, murder means only other humans.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated March 22, 28, and 29, 1972, and I have carefully noted the contents. We are now in Australia and I am very glad to report to you that everything is going extremely well here, and I am much satisfied with the progress being made in western countries like Australia. Now in India you must develop things also very nicely, especially for attracting overseas visitors to come there and enjoy Indian special atmosphere of spiritual life. Our Indian boys and girls are not very much interested to become devotees, but I am seeing that these fair-skinned Americans and Europeans are like angels by coming to Krishna Consciousness increasingly more and more, and that very soon the whole world will become filled with such angels, and so I am very optimistic that if we continue in this way by sticking very tightly to our pure standards that the Lord Caitanya's prediction will very soon be realized all over the world. So I am very much encouraged by our program in Vrindaban, especially the plan to cooperate with Cox and King's and have guided tours for foreigners, to be led by you. The main point is to acquaint by explaining them about Krishna and trying to sell them Krishna Book. So receive them nicely, and do same work as the pandas do. We have got our panda there, so you can take help from him. you can take help from Purusottama Brahmacari also. Whenever you go out with the tourists, take one known panda with you. but sight-seeing is secondary. We may advertise sightseeing to attract them, but main thing is to give them nice prasadam and instruction, then try to sell them our Krishna book. Then you will be successful with this program. We are now propagandising Krishna consciousness, so that many here will be interested to come to Vrindaban. So just like there is Dalmia dharmasala for foreigners, so we shall now have also such place, and we may eventually get bus and offer all facilities to them.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 11 April, 1972:

Recently I have received from one Sannyasi complaint about another Sannyasi who is not chanting regularly. So our view is that we shall be strictly following the rules and regulations. Monetary matters are secondary. On principle, we should better starve than neglect our rules and regulations. We are trying to present an ideal Society to the world, so although we are very rigidly following these principles, still, we are very liberal to everyone. For this reason we are being appreciated everywhere. So anyway, I am not at all dissatisfied with you, but it is my duty to point out the mistakes. You are in charge of the Germany organization. Please do it nicely there, not very much on the material side, more on the spiritual side. Example is better than precept. Every one of you must be the perfect examples, then everyone will follow.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 26 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Sydney dated May 16, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great encouragement. Your plan for traveling in Australia and New Zealand is very good. Sydney is naturally the center for that zone and if you have constantly traveling sankirtana parties roving in Australia and New Zealand, that will be first class proposal. Your letter to Tusta Krsna is very nice and just to the point. I had just written to Amogha in this connection. I had told him that purchasing another press in Melbourne was not very much required at the present moment. So if you think New Zealand can be fully reliant upon Sydney for printing work and that Sydney temple can become very responsible in this matter, then they should not purchase any press. New Zealand is first class dairy and farming country in the world, so if you can establish some nice asrama there for raising and protecting cows, that will be a great service.

I had written you one letter to Bombay requesting that you shall be the GBC man for the South Pacific, South West Asia, and Australia-New Zealand zone. It was the idea of Karandhara, and Syamasundara and the others to redivide the world into twelve zones and reappoint new GBC members to fill those positions. So we have been meeting for the past several days, and we have decided that you will be the best man to manage Australia, New Zealand, and all of the South West Asia zone, including Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia, etc. Now I want that my GBC representatives shall travel extensively throughout their zone, without stopping in any one place for very long. Their job will be to see how things are going on, that the spiritual standard is maintained very high, to give encouragement to the devotees, like that. So you organize one traveling party and yourself lead them and go all over that zone, opening new centers wherever possible. Trivikrama has written me one letter and he is requesting to change from Japan. So if you like he can come to Manila or Sydney or wherever you prefer. He is awaiting your instructions in Tokyo.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 25 June, 1972:

So far your road-show is concerned, we are not meant for giving performances, we are simple kirtana men. There must always be kirtana going on wherever we travel, and nothing else. In this connection refer to the GBC letter which will be sent to you shortly by Karandhara and Syamasundara.

So far your naming of the new initiates, Syamasundara tells me that there are several duplications, and this is not very much desirable. So in future, better to telephone or somehow contact my secretaries and get the names from them, and in that way there will be no duplication in the future.

I have duly received the check for $200 and I thank you very much for it. Enclosed also please find one copy of Gayatri Mantra for Varanasi devi dasi.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 28 June, 1972:

Why you are not mentioning? I received sometime back two telegrams requesting money to be transferred in the usual manner, and I have duly replied the telegrams by informing you to first receive the money from Mr. Jayan, as before, and then send us requisition order with minimum joint signature of two numbers. But as yet you have not sent any requisition notice, neither have we made any transfer, so how these things will go on like this? So before going to Bangladesh you should receive the money from Mr. Jayan then send the requisition order with joint signatures. You must jointly take responsibility in this matter or I shall be always in anxiety how the things are going on. I consider this Mayapur Project to be our most important work practically, so when I do not get any information I can naturally assume the worst.

Your touring party has done a very excellent job of spreading Krishna Consciousness in Bihar state as I have seen from the newsclippings and other enclosures which you have sent. One thing, our Subala Maharaja is preaching alone in Kanpur and I do not very much approve of alone preaching, so if you like you can request him to join with your party.* Also, Gargamuni Maharaja has left Bombay with his party for touring in Gujarat state and other places. Your touring and the publicity is a tremendous service. Krsna will be very much pleased. This touring and preaching, along with sankirtana party, this is our actual mission. And if you go to Bangladesh and do the same work there, it will be a great achievement for you and all of the world if you are successful. So I will pleased to learn if you have got the visas in Delhi, and if you go to Bangladesh make certain first to get the money from Mr. Jayan and sent the requisition order with signatures duly.

Letter to Bhagavatananda -- New York 8 July, 1972:

That is wanting. If I only think I know something, that is mental platform of accept/reject, and any knowledge gathered from the mental platform is like that, tottering and precarious, and it can be immediately rejected at any time.

Krishna Consciousness has great potency to deliver us to the highest platform of perfection, but only if it is understood by the intelligence. Something understood by the intelligence is fixed forever and cannot waver, and that is almost spiritual. From your letter, I can understand you are confused in your mind, because you do not want this, you do not want that, you might like another, like that. That position of confusion is not very much desirable, so you are a Vaisnava, now rid yourself of such misunderstanding of things. Vaisnava means one who is able to sit down anywhere, under any conditions, and be happy. He wants only a place to lay down, a little prasadam, and if there's a little service he can do, gladly let me do it for Krishna, that's all. As long as we are thinking I want this, that is not to my liking, or if I adjust things a certain way everything will be better, these thoughts are material. Devotional service is not conditional. So stop this dreaming state. Try to understand things with the light of your intelligence, and if your are sincere in this way, without a doubt Krishna will give you full facility to understand Him and become freed of the bondage of ignorance.

Nowadays it seems many of the older disciples like yourself are having difficulty. If you do not set the example for the younger students and take the responsibility for instructing them in the right line, how will things go on? Try to always study our books and see our philosophy from different lights of directions, become convinced yourself of this knowledge and without a doubt all of your difficulties of mind will disappear forever and you will see Krishna face-to-face.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- New York 9 July, 1972:

Now you must all three, along with the other sannyasis, GBC members, and other leaders become very serious to actually give the human kind the greatest welfare, namely, this Krishna Consciousness movement. Your task ahead is very huge, but it will be quite simple and easy if you simply do as I am doing. You must become conversant in every feature wherever it is needed throughout the society. Out first business is to preach to the devotees and to maintain the highest standard of Vaisnava education. Management must be there as well, just as I am preaching daily from S. Bhagavatam, B.G., but I am also going to the bank, making investments, seeing the trial balance making letters, seeing how things are going on, like that. So you must become expert in all these matters, just as I am giving you example . . . Syamasundara has passed on your telephone message that you wish to open a Vedic college or school of higher Krishna Consciousness education there at Houston. That is not very much desirable. Actually, every center should be a college, and this is our training, singing dancing, working, temple worship, like that . . .

Try to understand the subject matter from different varieties or approaches. For example, we know from Bhagavad-gita that Krishna says He is the taste in water. Now try to understand just how Krishna is that taste in water, that is the high-class education.

Letter to Damodara -- London 6 August, 1972:

I am enclosing several documents relating to our food distribution program in India, and I have advised Rupanuga Goswami and Atreya Rsi to consult with you and the three of you shall approach important leaders there in Washington D.C. for getting foodstuffs and other substantial aid from your government. As I will be in that vicinity in September, if you arrange some meetings with some big government leaders there in Washington, I shall be happy to come down there from New Vrindaban.

So far your purchasing that building is concerned, if it is a great endeavor, how can you manage? If you have so many debts to the book fun and Spiritual Sky business, how can you take more debts to the book fund? We are not very much for owning buildings, our real business is to preach and propagate Krishna Consciousness widely. Washington D.C. is the capital of your country, and therefore it is a very strategic location for preaching amongst the nations leaders. Concentrate on this work, and the sankirtana and book distribution activities, and if you wait until there is solid financial basis before purchasing, what is the harm? But if we spend our whole time simply to earn money to pay for big, big buildings and decorations, what is the value? I am more interested in preachers than builders and decorators. But if you think you are able, and there is good opportunity, you may purchase, I have no objection. When I come there in September I can install the Jagannatha Deities if you invite me. If you can find eucalyptus twigs, you can send them to me wherever I am in the world, and I shall always have nice toothbrushes thanks to you. Eucalyptus is the best.

Letter to Gargamuni -- London 7 August, 1972:

I have received your letter from Vrindaban dated July 29, 1972, and I am not very much pleased to note that you are leaving our ISKCON Society forever. I have not received report from Dinanath or anyone else in this matter, so I do not know what is the real position, but such kinds of disturbances are not at all desirable. So you can come here and live with me immediately. You have nothing to do, simply chant and take prasadam. Do not be disturbed by the other devotees. Or, I am coming to India very soon, at least by October, so you please wait for me either in Bombay or Vrindaban or Mayapur, until I come back. Or if you cannot wait, you can come and live with me.

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1972:

I am very pleased to hear that all of the programs there in New Orleans center are improving more and more under your capable supervision. Especially I am glad to note the judges decision in your recent court case and the nice words that he has used to describe our movement. Yes, that is the case, he has said rightly. So you may distribute a copy of the judges statement and the testimony of the child to all of our centers around the world. I am very glad to hear that you are training the devotees nicely in our philosophy and I also fully approve of your system for management. It appears in all respects that everything is going well at New Orleans center and I am so much pleased upon you for helping me in this way.

So far the repayment of loan, we are not very much for big, big houses, especially if they become burdensome. Our first program is for preaching, and if we have to simply work for paying money for a house, that is not very much desirable. So you pay the loan at your convenience, better to concentrate on preaching and not so much for making money for repaying the loan quickly. Even if it takes some years to pay, at least you will not be always in anxiety where to get money in that way. But if you can repay the loan in two or three years time, and save so much interest money, that is a very good plan, provided it is easily done.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:

That idea has become prominent for all of you, it is bigger than maya's idea, therefore maya cannot interfere to make you quarrel or other things. But you especially are to take the credit. From the very beginning you wanted that place, and you got the land, got money from me, and now you have built the place by your concentration of energy. That is wanted. If there is some discrepancy anywhere, some non-cooperation, fighting, or if the work is slow or not to the standard, it is to be supposed that the person or persons in charge are not very much attached to Krishna. That means they will discriminate: my engagement is not good, other's engagement is good, like that. They do not know the secret of surrendering to Krishna. Such surrendered devotee sees that everything is part of Krishna's plan, that whatever is meant to be, I am doing that, so let me do it with my full attention to every detail, let me become absorbed in such service, never mind what it is, but let all other considerations be forgotten and only my desire to do the thing best for Krishna's alone pleasure be my motive. That is advanced stage of understanding devotional service or Krishna Consciousness. Thank you very much for your kindly coming to the point.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972:

When one becomes Krishna conscious actually, he does not even hate material things because he becomes expert how to utilize everything for Krishna. Krishna Consciousness is so nice. We do not hate anything material because we have learned from our disciplic succession how to utilize material things for Krishna's service. Actually, bhakti means realization of the Supreme, and this means increasing attachment for Him and reforming of detachment or hating of material name and fame.

So far this making some false story for collecting money or selling book, of course we may do anything for Krishna, but that is supposed to be reserved for very advanced experts in Krishna Consciousness—they know how to catch the big fish without themselves getting wet. So it is not very much advisable to make lies just to sell book. If we simply stick to describing how wonderful is Krishna, then whatever we may lie or exaggerate, that will not be lie! But other things, lies, they will not help us to train ourselves in truthfulness. Lie to some, not to others, that is not a good philosophy. Rather the brahmanas are always truthful, even to their enemies. There is sufficient merit in our books that if you simply describe them sincerely to anyone, they will buy. That art you must develop, not art of lying. Convince them to give by your preaching the Absolute Truth, not by tricking, that is more mature stage of development of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

Of course that is a great art and not everyone can do it, but gradually by practice of preaching in this way, striving to so much present a wonderful picture of our books to the people, gradually you will master the trick how to do it. Being the senior devotee there, you may give the younger students all good instruction and advice how to do this, but not for any reason shall we decrease the book sales and collection monthly over some small lying about Bangladesh or other things.

Regarding that building in Manhattan, of course we are not very much mad after big buildings, so long there is enough space for our devotees so they may be able to carry on their preaching work, but if you can get such building as you are describing in the midtown area costing between $1-1.6 million, oh, that will be your greatest achievement in Krsna consciousness. Such building being our world headquarters of ISKCON, would facilitate our preaching expansion work all over the world. So far money is concerned, you are saving roundabout $30,000 per month, so go on saving like this, and even it takes a few more months to raise the down payment for such expensive building, never mind, a few months' delay is not much. But the point is that Krsna is now giving freely so much money, why He can't increase that amount more and more? I don't think there will be any difficulty to raise the money for down payment, you will be successful under any circumstance, of that I am certain. But I want to keep my bond of $80,000 to be spent for books for India, that is my final decision.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Lynne Ludwig -- Los Angeles 30 April, 1973:

This verse is spoken by Krishna, or God, Himself in Bhagavad-gita so who can be more final authority? That means that anyone who has understood that the material worlds are places of misery and temporaryness, duhkhalayam asasvatam, they never return here again, and because they are mahatmanah, the great souls, Krishna keeps them with Him, having qualified themselves to escape this nasty place by becoming His pure devotees. So the point is that to make advancement in spiritual life, everything material, unless it is utilized to serve and please Krishna, must be viewed with a pessimistic eye. We are not very much hopeful for any lasting pleasure or satisfaction for our deepest cravings within this realm of gross matter.

You refer to the word "love" several times in your letter, but actual fact is there is no love in this material world. That is false propaganda. What they call "love" here is lust only, desire for personal sense-gratification;

kama esa krodha esa, rajoguna samudbhavah,

maha-sano maha-papma, viddhy enam iha vairinam

Krishna tells Arjuna, His disciple, that "It is lust only . . . which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world." In the Vedic language, their word for materialistic "love" as we call it at present day; "kama" lust for material desire, not love. The word for love, actually love we find in Vedas is "prema", meaning one's love of God, only. Outside God, there is no possibility of loving. Rather it is lusty desire the whole range of human activities, whatever and whenever, so long with this atmosphere of matter, the every activity of the human being—or any living entity—is based upon or given impetus, and thus polluted, by the attraction between male and female, sex-desire. For that sex-life, the whole universe is spinning round—and suffering!

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Gurudasa -- Hyderabad 24 April, 1974:

Your idea to have Hari Goswami conduct a deity worship class starting July 1st is a good, welcome idea. One defect in Hari Goswami is that although he wants to cooperate he wants to keep himself a little aloof as a goswami. I wish that he should mix with us with open mind, without reservation. Sometimes he hesitates to accept prasadam from us and he likes to cook for himself. If he desires to cook that means he keeps aloof. If he kindly teaches our men how to cook and worship the deity and he also takes prasadam along with us it will be a great achievement. Of course it depends on his discretion, but if he keeps aloof from us that is not very much desirable. As least he should come forward on the sastric injunction, arcya visnau siladhir gurusu naramatir vaisnave jati-buddhir. I do not think there is any difference in the method of deity worship he is teaching but you can also consult me.

You ask me how to recruit strong devotees to come there. You have to prepare strong devotees, not import them. You yourself become strong devotees and teach others by your example. Importation is not a good plan; everyone should be strong by behavior and action.

Letter to Mahatma -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

I was preaching and writing for eight or nine years as Vanaprastha and then in 1959 I took sannyasa. So if after a few years as Vanaprastha your behavior is ideal sannyasa can be considered. If you actually are serious about taking out a travelling party your main activity should be to distribute books. By this most powerful preaching we are becoming very influential in your country and people are seriously reading the books and considering the importance of Krsna Consciousness. It does not require that you be sannyasi to take a travelling sankirtana party, nor do you have to be vanaprastha for that matter. There are travelling parties led by all orders of life going out in your country. Lord Caitanya taught that we do not very much care whether one is sannyasa, grhastha or whatever, so long he is fully serving Krsna. So do not act independently, but if there is facility, you can stay out and distribute books and travel with the sankirtana party, as you already have experience.

Letter to Acarya Prabhakar Mishra -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

Human life is especially meant for spiritual education or Krsna Conscious education. For eating, sleeping, sex life and defense it is not very much necessary for the human being to receive education, because naturally every living being has natural education for these demands of the body. Therefore for the human being spiritual education is essential: atatho brahmajijnasa. You are a competent scholar and very intelligent personality so if you understand this philosophy of life then immediately I shall be able to cooperate with you.

Our Krsna Consciousness movement is specifically based on Bhagavad gita as it is. We accept Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead with full opulences of wealth, power, potency, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. If we want perfect education then we must follow the principle of Bhagavad gita. Such education will help the whole human society. In all different fields of activity, social, political, religious, cultural, economic and so on. If you take up this principle then the educational department should be divided into four divisional departments for advancement of knowledge. There are many departmental institutions for giving education just like medical, engineering, legal, administrative etc. But there is no educational institution where real ideal Brahmanas are educated according to Srimad-Bhagavatam brahminical culture, or to educate a certain section as ideal, perfect persons is essential in human society. At the present moment all over the world, hardly you will find such ideal men on top of society. So this class of men is essentially required if we want to keep peace and harmony with one another. I am trying to do this work and now we have got a very nice place in Bombay.

Letter to Acarya Prabhakar Mishra -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

At the present moment all over the world, hardly you will find such ideal men on top of society. So this class of men is essentially required if we want to keep peace and harmony with one another. I am trying to do this work and now we have got a very nice place in Bombay. I invite you immediately to come and see the place and I am prepared to amalgamate or affiliate your institution with ours. I think when I was in Delhi I went to this place Kirti Nagar and stayed two or three days with you.

You are paying Rs 1,250 rent—that is not very much considering present circumstances. Please let me know the area of the place and under what terms you are in possession of the land. If possible, you can immediately go to my secretary at the following address: G 12 Ananda Niketan Extension, new Delhi 110023. My secretary's name is Tejyas das Adhikari.

We have a temple there and the quarter is very nice. But if some suitable arrangement is made we can take up your place at Kirti Nagar on the approval of my secretary there. So the best thing is you may come immediately at Bombay at the above address and probably I may go back to New Delhi along with you because I have to go to Vrindaban before I go to Europe. I am expected in Rome on the 23rd of May and then Geneva, Paris, Stockholm and London and then I will return to India. In Vrindaban I am constructing the big temple you have seen. I hope you will approve my scheme in Vrindaban.

Letter to Dr. Ghosh -- Bombay 17 November, 1974:

I saw the verses formally also. If anyone reads these verses regularly certainly he will make progress in his spiritual life. I have now advised my secretary to send you immediately one copy of my Caitanya Caritamrta. by registered post.

Since you left Bombay, I had been to many places in Europe such as Rome, Frankfurt, Paris, Sydney, Fiji, Honolulu, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, New Vrindaban, New York, London, and then here to India. I was thinking of you, but was missing your address.

Regarding the charitable dispensary, I am not very much enthusiastic for this enterprise because nowadays to keep a proper dispensary pushing on requires much attention and money also. I have heard from the authorities of the Rama Krishna Mission that their charitable dispensaries of hospitals are mostly run by paid men, as formally no intelligent medical practitioner was joining them to run it on.

Therefore I may suggest that if you are really inclined to retire, you are welcome to live with us. We have got three very nice places in India in Bombay, Vrindaban, and Mayapur. We have spent many lakhs of rupees for constructing these centers, and if you live with us in any one of them, you are welcome. You can live with your good wife as vanaprastha, and when you decide to do so, we may maintain a small dispensary for taking care of our own men. But for the general public opening a charitable dispensary is not in our program at least for the time being.

Letter to Saurabha -- Bombay 23 November, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 15/11/74 and the account. I had wanted an account of the last Rs. 5,10,000/- that was sent to you. Please give me that account, how it was spent for the construction. Now we have sent you Rs. 1,25,000/- and I am sending another Rs. 1,75,000/-.

Now Bhugarbha reports that you say the asrama will not be completed for the opening festival. The program was already postponed because the asrama was not finished. Therefore everything must be cent per cent completed by the end of March. Is the contractor cheating? That means it will never be finished. Simply we have to put money. From the photos I have seen, there is not very much progress. What to do?

Letter to Mahamsa -- Bombay 25 November, 1974:

This time we wish to go to the Jagannatha temple again, and let us see what they do. The Hindu Vishva Parishad approves us as rigid Hindus as it it will be clear from the letter of Swami Cinmayananda.

So immediately write a letter and send me a copy of your letter as well as Swami Cinmayananda's letter. We shall request them to publish the letter of Swami Cinmayananda in this connection as well.

Last night your mother came to the temple and talked with me. Sometimes you can send her some news of your health, but not very much correspondence, after all she is mother. Lord Caitanya used to also please His mother by sending prasada and men with news.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bombay 28 December, 1974:

So organize hundreds of such parties. This is fulfilling the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am very glad to hear that not only you are maintaining such program but that you want to expand it. Yes, this is our philosophy; anandambuddhi vardhanam. It means to expand or to increase. Therefore I strongly encourage you to double your program by getting three more buses if you can do it. There is no difficulty. BBT will help. I have written Hamsaduta one letter to give you the loan of $30,000. BBT means fifty percent is for printing books and fifty percent for construction of temples. So your buses are all moving temples. Don't worry. There will be no scarcity of money. Go on with your program and increase and increase more and more. In the end of your letter you mention that people are not very much eager to go to Temples but with your program you are bringing the temples to the people. Yes, this is a very important point. You have picked up this idea very nicely, of bringing the temples to the people. In this way you will give everyone the opportunity to step in the direction of back to Godhead, back to home. So you and Visnujana Maharaja and all of your nice brahmacaris continue strongly with great enthusiasm and determination to spread this Krsna Consciousness movement all over your country and Lord Caitanya will certainly be pleased with you.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Michael Jon King -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 1, 1975 and have noted the contents. I am glad that you enjoyed our chanting. You are welcome to come again and again if you like. You should understand though that we are not very much concerned with the principles of Hatha-yoga. We practice Bhakti-yoga strictly and since Bhakti includes all other results obtained from practicing other yogas as it is declared in the Bhagavad-gita to be the culmination of all yogas it becomes unnecessary for us to apply any other techniques besides simply chanting and hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna who is called Yogesvara or the master of all yoga. Of course, it is certain that if one sits with straight spine it may be of some help in his ability to concentrate, but it cannot be considered as essential by any means. That thing which is really essential in Bhakti is to develop one's eternal dormant love for Krishna.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Krishna Mahesavari -- New York 11 July, 1976:

In India the difference is that no enthusiastic young men with education are joining this movement wholeheartedly whereas in the foreign countries hundreds and thousands of qualified respectable men are joining us. I hope that you are a young man and along with other young friends you should also join us wholeheartedly, then we can do the same work in India. It is the duty of the Vaisyas to take to agriculture and cow protection. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita: Krsi goraksya vanijyam, vaisya karma svabhava jam (18.44). Unfortunately in India, the Vaisyas are not very much interested in agriculture and cow protection. They are more interested in opening factories. So how things can be done if the Vaisyas give us free advice for cow protection and then they themselves are more interested in opening factories, then how can cow protection be properly done? If you see me personally in this connection I shall talk to you in detail. I am returning to India on August 14, 1976 and you can reply this letter to my Bombay Office which address is below.

Letter to Sri Paramanand Patel -- Hyderabad 23 August, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 16 August 1976 and have noted the contents with care. I have already left Bombay and I presently am at my Hyderabad center, leaving for Delhi on the 25th of August. I shall remain there up to September 2nd or 3rd and then we shall go to Vrndavana. The distance from Delhi to Vrndavana is not very much. By car it is two and a half hours and by bus it is four hours.

Letter to Harikesa -- Vrindaban 28 October, 1976:

Gradually try to convince them that this movement is the perfection of Communism. Go on singing Krsna kirtana. That is our program. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to go out chanting. He never spoke philosophy in public, only among higher circles. The chanting is very effective. Along with tampura and mrdanga played very rhythmically let them chant. Perform this musical demonstration and sell books as far as possible, and feasting. Then everything will be successful. It is good that they do not like these bogus yogis and they like Hare Krsna mantra. Give them the chance to chant the Hare Krsna maha mantra somehow or other, then very soon good results will be visible.

I am not very much in favor of Gurudasa coming here. Let him know that his former wife, Yamuna, is here, therefore he should not come. Why is he so adamant to come here. He can come later during the Mayapur festival. Why doesn't he join with you until Mayapur at least?

1977 Correspondence

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

So why you doubt Vedas and not scientists. I cannot even see into the next room, how I can see anything very surely so many millions of miles distant? But if someone who has been there tells me, then I can know everything about that place. So we must have to take the authority of experienced persons to get the truth, and what experience our so-called scientists have got? Can they deliver even an ant from the miserable conditions of this spot-life, from birth, death, disease, and old age? No. They have spent simply millions of dollars to make a show of their so-called learning and the resul is a handful of dust, that's all. So we are not very much impressed by them, neither we take their version as perfect. They will say that millions of years ago the human beings were primitive hunters. But if we see Vedic language, we can understand that their thought and language and intelligence was not that of primitive men, no. If you are looking for some excuse to doubt, then maya will always provide you. So this or that you may find out something flaw if you want. But Krsna says surrender unto Me and I will give you all protection, perfect knowledge of everything. You should not go to modern scientists for perfect knowledge. They cannot supply that. Krsna will supply you. Of course, sometimes there is allegorical reference in the Vedas, just like the body is called the city of nine gates, like that, so we may sometimes misunderstand due to our imperfect reading. Even it is true that they have landed on the moon, so what is their accomplishment? If I come to Earth planet and land in the Sahara desert, then I say, "Oh, this planet is a barren desert, no one lives here?" The moon may be like that or like this, so what does that help to our Krsna consciousness movement. We have nothing to do with moon planet or this planet and that planet in Krsna consciousness. We simply want to serve to Krsna, that's all. Do not be disturbed by these things.

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

It will not accomplish much to go to them from time to time and preach something and then go away, no. Rather here must be place for them to come and see how this Krsna Consciousness way of life is practically applied, such as deity worship, cooking, rising early, cleansing, study, like that. Otherwise they are reserved people, they will not be easily convinced, and only if there is place where they may attend for many years even will they gradually accept. So I think there should be center there at Hong Kong, and emphasis should be to preach and sell books to the Chinese persons. Just like we have done it in Nairobi, Africa. There are also many Indians living at that place, and they are also wealthy businessmen, and the African black people are poor, neglected, not very much educated. So at the beginning Brahmananda was mixing only with those Indians, and they were giving profusely money, and there were so many plans for temple and deities. In this way he was neglecting to do the real work which was preaching to the black Africans. No one Hindu who is rich and living in foreign place is very much interested to become devotee, it is show only, sentiment or custom. So I wanted that he should preach to the Africans and convert them to become devotees, that should be his real business, nevermind wasting time with so many nonsense Indians. And as soon as he did as I instructed, immediately he has got some black devotees, and he has removed himself from the entanglement of the Hindus, and he is making good progress spreading Krsna Consciousness amongst the native citizens. And there black devotees are making advancement and they are also going out to preach themselves to other places in Africa. So that should be the program in Hong Kong. I read(?) to the Chinese residents, do not bother with the Hindu businessmen except to collect for the preaching work. Actually, the Indians will be glad to donate if they see you are converting Chinese to their religion. They will provide immense funds for this purpose, because they have got interest for improving Indian and Chinese relations for their business. So preach widely and enthusiasically to Chinese population, especially to the young people, and they may not respond quickly, but they are very sober-minded, when they decide to join us that will be fixed decision.