Prabhupada and Yamuna devi dasi (Letters, 1971 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"Yamuna" |"Yamuna's"

Notes from the compiler: Quote not yet compiled for: Letter to: ISKCON Calcutta, Subala and others — London 15 August, 1971

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Bombay 21 April, 1971:

For visiting Vrindaban on press affairs, I have sent you already one letter of introduction so you can go and see the place. I think your program in Delhi is going on nicely and things are coming along by the grace of Krishna for our purpose. So just handle thing very carefully and everything will be very successful. When going to Vrindaban, Subaladas Maharaja may also go. Today Gurudasa and his wife Yamuna are going there. You wanted some married couple. They are the best pair and if required they can remain in Delhi to organize things nicely.

Letter to Jaya Jagadisa -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. I was glad to see your letter addressed to Sriman Gurudasa and Srimati Yamuna devi regarding your recommendation for initiation by Mukunda Prabhu. I have decided to accept you immediately as my initiated disciple as you have requested and I have enclosed your set of beads herewith as well.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Bombay 30 April, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated 26th April, 1971 and have noted the contents. Regarding Vrindaban, perhaps by now you have seen the place. Presently Mahantaji wants to transfer the property to us and wants to go there to Vrindaban on the 8th or the 15th May. So now you can decide when to go there so that he can transfer the property to us and at the same time have Sankirtana, preferably for two or three days. So decide amongst yourselves which of the two days is more convenient and write Mahantaji. His address is as follows: Mahanta Dhinabandhudas; Char Samprada temple; Panchavati; Nasik.

When the date is fixed up, you can write both Hamsaduta and Madhudvisa so that some men can come and join you there in Vrindaban. Perhaps you know that Hamsaduta is now in Ahmedabad. His address is as follows: c/o Chimanlal M. Soni; Manekchawk Sankdhishere; Kehjdapol Vithal Niwas; Ahmedabad-1, Gujarat. Probably I will not be able to join you since I am going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then on to Sydney Australia, and will be starting Monday morning.

Letter to Yamuna -- Brooklyn 21 July, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your kind letter dated 2nd July, 1971 and I have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear that you have visited Vrindaban and that my manuscripts are safe under lock and key and that the old business transaction files have all been burned. Thank you very much.

Yes, it is encouraging news that J. Dalmia is favorably inclined toward giving us land in Raman Reti. So let me know when things are finalized. Also two sets brass Deities were promised by the trust. What has happened to them? Another nice news is that all of you women are going out daily for preaching. Very good. Continue it whole heartedly.

Yes, Krishna may wear dhoti: why not? So far as naming the Deities in London, that I will see to when I go there, sometime in the first week of August.

Letter to Yamuna -- ENGLAND 11th August, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 3rd August, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far going to Africa is concerned, I have answered that point in the enclosed letter to Gurudas. It is not advisable at this time.

Frankly speaking the Deities are not as opulent as when They were being taken care of by you. So if you want to come back here and take care of Them I have no objection. But you are taking care of the Calcutta Deities, so what is the difficulty there? Does the 'democratic management' not allow you to go to the Deity room? What is the difficulty? Let me know frankly. Very soon we will have Deities installed in Mayapur also.

The sweet Deities offered you can take and we can install them in some center.

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

Gurudasa and Yamuna shouldn't go to Africa. I have already advised them. Rather Gurudasa and Tamala Krishna should go to Delhi and organize that center. There is much business there so I have advised them to go. The small Deity which Yamuna is receiving may be taken to Delhi in order to make the dharmasala a permanent center. Wherever we go, our Deities must be installed. So they may not go to Africa and waste time. Brahmananda has already gone there. We have got enough business in India. So it is better that Tamala and Gurudasa exert their energy for recruiting members in Delhi. That is still an open field. In Calcutta you are working very nicely so stick to Calcutta and do your best.

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

The Deity should be gorgeously decorated with flowers, ornaments, and new dresses. I think in this connection Yamuna is very expert. For dressing at least Yamuna should be in charge and for offering of bhoga Dayananda may go on with his duties. At least two devotees should take care of the Deities constantly.

Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa -- Nairobi 17 October, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your descriptive letter dated 10th October, 1971 and have noted the contents with interest. I am so glad to know that you are seeing all the MPs and officials in the government service and if you can make each of them a member of our society it will be a great service. Try to do it to your best capacity. I am also very much pleased that Indira Gandhi is now personally well known to you. For your presence only she has given special order for our devotees stay in Delhi. Certainly this is a good achievement. The selected men, namely the MPs who are there, are supposed to be the leaders of the country, are all there. If they can be convinced of our important movement then in India we shall have a very good holding. Actually our movement is so important that without taking to it, no other method, political, social, religious, or cultural, can give relief to the present chaotic status of the worldly situation. The leaders of the society must try to understand this point, that godlessness cannot give any relief to the human society. The whole world is so made that the living entity must serve Krishna; otherwise he has to serve maya. It is the same example that the citizen of the state has to render service to the government in order to become a good citizen. If one does not abide by the government laws then he is put into prison walls and forced to serve the government more tediously. So if we do not perform sacrifice, yajna, which means method of activities for pleasing the lord; as you know it is stated in Bhagavad-gita that any work not done for the satisfaction of the Lord must entangle the doer in the complication of the stringent laws of material nature.

Regarding the Deity worship and how to take care of the marble forms, now you have got practical experience from Jaipur and you can issue a statement to all the centers where such Deities are there. We may require many marble Dieties from Jaipur also. So it is good that you have secured the name and address of a good supplier. The Deities meant for the temple in Delhi may be installed during the Delhi function as we did for our Calcutta Deity. In the meantime somebody may donate a throne like Calcutta or Bombay for the Deities. And in the future we shall see about Jaipur. It is a city of devotees. We can get many vacated temples there in Jaipur just like there are some churches vacated in London also.

On the night of the 19th I am going to Bombay, reaching the next morning at 8:15 am. From there, after four days, I will be going to Calcutta sometime on the 24th instant. (8/30 am)

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

Regarding your cookbook, I have turned it over to Malati and Yamuna Prabhus who are with me in Delhi, along with their husbands, to go over the contents carefully and then I will finish the final editing and send it to you very soon. I will write a brief introduction as you desire.

Letter to Mohanananda -- Delhi 6 December, 1971:

I have no objection if you install marble Radha-Krishna deities. They may be ordered from Yamuna devi in Delhi, she has got some arrangement for very nice murtis from Jaipur. If they are packed very tightly in cotton, they will not break. One thing: Our standard of deity worship must be kept very high. Los Angeles is the standard, so you must make arrangements like that as far as possible.

Letter to Yamuna, Palika -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Dec. 9, 1971 & of your letters hand-delivered by Dravida das from Vrindaban. I am very glad to learn that you are both recovering your physical health & enjoying the transcendental atmosphere of Vrindaban city. I've now come to Bombay, so wherever you remain you don't forget our routine work and hold kirtana at least twice daily, morning & evening. Kirtana is our life & soul, so we must be very concerned to have it no matter where we are and no matter what circumstances are there.

So far that land, the Mayor has promised, so you both also try for it & let me know what is their program. That P. Saraf who also lives in Vrindaban ___ can be given. I've already instructed Gargamuni & Subala in this matter, so you see them & help try to secure some land.

Lalita Prasad says that I have ordered 20 sets of deities, but I wanted him to show me & he didn't show me. So I did not order. Do not confirm this order.

I think that Palika dasi may join her husband, Bhavananda, in Calcutta as soon as she recovers her health, & she may help him there organize things very nicely for celebrating our festival in Mayapur from middle Feb. to end Feb, & she may help organize Calcutta center as nicely as they have done in New York. As for Yamuna, she may rejoin her good husband, Gurudasa, in Delhi for pushing on our program there & making many life-members. I shall be very pleased to hear that you have gotten well & that you have both returned to your duties. It is only because Krishna has somehow or other given me such assistants as yourselves that I have got any success I appreciate your helping me in this way, you are more dear to me than my own daughters.

Here in Bombay we have got good prospects to purchase very large land in Juhu for even, cheap price, just in the middle of a neighborhood. We shall build our camp there & begin constructing temple immediately, & later on we shall develop large hotel & school. There is also chance for getting a nice bungalow in Bombay city also. So in general we shall make our headquarters in Bombay, & build up Vrindaban and Mayapur, that's all. I will take care of everything, you just give me two life-members daily in India, & I shall do the rest.

1972 Correspondence

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.

So I very much approve of your itinerary, and you may do whatever you think best in the matter.

So far the foodstuffs donated by your government, you must secure it and send to Mayapur and Bombay and we shall distribute widely to the poor. I am very much pleased by this program, so kindly expedite.

Regarding the building work, I don't think Ksirodakasayi has got a very good idea for this building work, because he is quoting me fabulous sums. That barbed-wire fencing should not cost more than Rs. 1500. So I think he has got his advice from a contractor, therefore I have advised him don't go to the contractors, do everything personally in complete consultation with you. Also, he is asking me for photos. I have not got any inclination for more such business, so you kindly supply him all the photos he may require.

I am very much thankful for the letter of Yamuna. Now you two work cooperatively for making our Vrindaban a dazzling success, along with others you work nicely, and I think Ksirodakasayi may spend more time on laying out the Hindi BTG and doing that printing and translating work and you take mostly charge of supervising building work. I have requested Saurabha, our new Holland devotee in Bombay, who is an excellent designer, to send you plans for the Vrindaban scheme, but meanwhile you should concentrate on collecting as much cement, sand, stone chips, and steel as possible and stockpile them, along with bricks, etc. Meanwhile Gargamuni is collecting very nicely in Bombay for Vrindaban scheme, so you have not to worry about money as he will be in charge of that department, so you may correspond with him frequently and work together all of you for making this Vrindaban project a heaven on earth.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Tokyo 25 April, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of Gurudasa's letters dated 8th April, 1972, and nil, respectively, and Yamuna's letter dated 9th April, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am much very happy to hear that hut and fence are finished. You may submit the bill to Gargamuni with my approval that he can pay it. I don't think there is any question of Ksirodakasayi's ability to manage everything there, and he is appointed president by me, so what is the question? So far designing the temple is concerned, it is nice that you have got the honourary services of one Mr. Suri to help us. Govindaji temple is there, and a common 3-story as residential quarters may be built, so there is no difficulty for designing. One set of plans should be drawn up of Govindaji's temple, including dimensions, and one copy of them may be sent to Saurabha in Bombay.

So far our books are concerned, Karandhara has just dispatched 5,000 copies of each volume of Krishna Book, paperback edition, or 15,000 books total to Bombay. I shall ask him to send you the full information so you can get CCP immediately so there will be trouble when the books arrive there. All books which we import will be invested in India, it is not that we shall sell and take the money outside. No, the money from sales we shall spend in Bombay, Mayapur and Vrindaban.

In Vrindaban we can begin this prasadam distribution program also. Of course, there are many chatras for distributing, but we shall give them also Krishna Consciousness, that will be unique. And very soon Tamala Krishna is going to Bangladesh, so he shall initiate a huge prasadam distribution program there, so I don't think your estimate has been too high—in fact, we may very soon have to increase it, as they are distributing in Bombay extensively, and if you begin that program in Vrindaban. Cloth also we shall get, enough cloth from Bombay and Ahmedabad mill owners, as soon as the public begins to appreciate this prasadam distribution. So kindly consider it very much important to begin this collection of foodstuffs from your government immediately for dividing among our India and Bangladesh centers.

Regarding Yamuna's questions, if possible, you can have all 8 Gopis of 42" height, but it may be cumbersome. There is one Asta Sakhi Temple there in Vrindaban, you may see how this is arranged there. Krishna may be black, Balarama of white, and the pose of the back of the BTG is very nice. You cannot get Lord Caitanya with all five of His Associates? Formal seated pose of me can be there, Visakha has taken photos for that in Jaipur, but one thing is it possible to be made correctly? If not, it is no good.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tokyo 26 April, 1972:

Ksirodakasayi is in charge of the building and other things in Vrindaban, along with Gurudasa and you are in charge of the financial aspect of Vrindaban project. I have asked that the fence be built, and they have got it done very cheaply. You can sometimes go to Vrindaban to see, but your job is to take the Sankirtana party out for collecting. They shall be able to manage very well there, of this I am sure. So far decorating my rooms, give this job to Yamuna.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Honolulu 13 May, 1972:

So I am very much encouraged by your letters, and I am confident I have entrusted this Vrindaban project, which is one of the most important of our this ISKCON, to the right persons, namely, yourself, your good wife, Yamuna devi, and Ksirodakasayi Prabhu. So kindly offer the others my blessings.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Honolulu 16 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5/5/72, and I have noted the contents. Yes, Tejiyas is a very good worker, and I very much appreciate, you may ask him to write me his report and I shall be very glad to hear from him.

Your plan for collecting Rs. 6000 to 11,000 for each room, that is very nice process. Then rooms will be there always to receive the owners. There is a system, bhetnama, it means the person who contributes, for his lifetime the room is reserved for him and after his demise it goes to the temple. There are many buildings in Vrindaban which are constructed on this principle, and for Delhi men it will be very convenient. It takes only two hours by car—they can come on weekends, associate with the devotees, take prasadam, hear lectures on the philosophy. That will enlighten them. In Vrindaban, we must do something very grand and gorgeous, both in the matter of preaching and accommodating the educated class of devotees.

Try to get that Import License. You can take any amount of books and sell them and utilize the money for building in Vrindaban, Mayapur and Bombay. And if possible, in exchange of the books, because for importing there must be some exchange through the Indian banks, so in exchange for books we can get mrdangas, deities, arati articles, like that, so that wholly or partly the books may be "purchased" by you. And you may get men to donate the deities, mrdangas, etc. That will be good exchange program.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

n.b. Immediately install one strong letterbox for ISKCON outside the Radha Damodara Temple. Syamasundara. has heard from Devananda that 50% of mail coming there is opened by someone else. So advise the postmaster that all mail for us be dropped in our box. Or, better, one man can go daily to the post-office mornings between 8 and 8:30 and he may be introduced to the postmaster to be authorized for taking delivery of all our mail. Bon Maharaja does like that.

ACBS

P.S Ksirodakasayi requested for 4 copies of Vrindaban Temple plans blue copies, so I am sending them per separate regd. post parcel. Now present them to the Municipality and get them passed as soon as possible. They are approved by me.

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

So far your question regarding women, I have always accepted the service of women without any discrimination, so I have no objection if Yamuna devi contributes her ideas on this construction project. Nothing should be done without group consultation. Our work in Vrindaban and elsewhere should be encouraged by good consultation.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972:

Now I understand that Ksirodakasayi is going to London soon, so in his absence you shall be the president and I think if Tejiyas is there, that he can be treasurer, or I have heard that Vaikunthanatha is there, so if it is better arrangement, then he can be treasurer and your wife Yamuna devi, may act as secretary.

I understand from Yamuna that our Gauracand Goswami feels still that we are unfit to render service to the Deity, so let him think like that, we don't care. We are worshiping Deity in 100 places and we become unfit in Radha Damodara? Why we are unfit. If you are beautiful Americans with good education and very pious and pure, and if you have got all qualities of Vaisnava, why you are not fit? We think we are quite fit.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated June 13, 1972, and I am very glad always to hear from you about how the things are going on in Vrndavana. I am especially pleased to hear that Mr. Kenneth Keating is becoming more and more interested in our movement, and that you have received the first allotment of foodstuffs from the American Government. One thing, why the American Government does not give us more help for America's hippies who come to India? They have got tendency to live with us, and we have got every facility for giving them comfortable shelter, clean living, spiritual training and good moral standing. So if the American boys are coming to India to get this philosophy, is it not up to the American Government to give them assistance?

Sometimes before, Ksirodakasayi has made promises many, but then he goes away. So Gargamuni is a little aspiring to be the president of Vrndavana, and he was sorry when he was refused the post because I wanted to give Ksirodakasayi chance. But Ksirodakasayi is not very responsible, so why not make Gargamuni president of the Vrndavana temple to be responsible for collecting the money and making certain that the job gets done on time? If he is given a big task to do, Gargamuni has got determination and he always comes out successful in this matter of raising money and doing some big work with it, just like when he purchased our Los Angeles temple. Main thing is, don't waste any time. Finish it on time.

There is one saying that one should cut the coat according to the pocket. So even we cannot afford the proposed temple project as we have got the plans drawn by Saurabha and that architect, Mr. Suri, still, if we have not got sufficient funds and if there is long delay to get them, better to go ahead and build something little cheaper and very simple. The temple can be made with ordinary bricks if there is no money available, as I have drawn the plan before in the beginning. Unless someone comes forward with money, this structure as you have drawn it will be too much expensive. According to our means and strength we can construct a simple temple of bricks only. But one thing is, you must have somebody who can look after the work who has got some experience or you will be cheated. Jayapataka has got good experience in Mayapur, so he can sometimes go to Vrndavana, give instructions, and go back, like that. So you may write him in this connection and make the proposal. Singhania will not give anything, rest assured. Don't go after him, he is like that, very difficult to deal with. Regarding the revised plans that you have sent me, the side-supports or slabs vertical can be made of stone slabs which are easily available.

Regarding the proposal that Yamuna devi has given of the Deities I shall consider. There is no haste. We have already got murtis in Delhi and I think you told me in one letter that somebody has promised Rs. 30,000 for murtis, whether it is a fact? Another thing, where are the important documents for Vrndavana, like the Deed of Gift, etc.? They should be kept carefully in a safety deposit box at the bank. And what is the present condition of Mr. Saraf, is he still holding the job as treasurer, as originally proposed? And whether the front portion of his land can be included in our garden?

Letter to Gurudasa -- Paris July 22, 1972:

I have recently received several letters from the others there in Vrndavana, wherein they have mentioned there may be some illicit relationship between Devananda Swami and your wife, Yamuna devi. I want to know if there is any substance to this claim, you may be frank and honest with me as much as possible because I am very much in anxiety on this account. Therefore I have asked Devananda to leave India for working as pujari in Nairobi. Also enclosed please find the copy of one letter from the accountant there in Vrndavana. The report is not very good, so you please give me your side of the situation and explain these things.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- London 3 August, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated July 30, 1972, along with letters from Satchidananda and Acyutananda, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be disturbed, now I understand everything. You and your husband live in Vrindaban permanently. I never took the accusations seriously because I did not believe it, therefore I enquired from you what is the situation. Now the matter is clear, so do not be disturbed.

Now your husband and wife develop the Vrindaban scheme. Long ago you wanted to go to Vrindaban, so I think you are perfectly meant to remain there and look after the things. But live carefully, it is India, we must live according to the time, place and circumstances, that is intelligence. On the whole, except with your husband, you should not mix with anyone very intimately, just like Indian ladies do.

So you may not be disturbed that Ksirodakasayi is coming back there, I shall ask him to remain here for developing London center. Today we are looking at a very nice place of 75 acres near London with Mr. George Harrison, who has found the place and wants to have our asrama there. He is coming to see me daily and he is a very nice boy and I like him very much. If we get this place, I shall make London my permanent world headquarters. Practically I am British by training, so I am also trying for dual Indian-British citizenship. I still remember that you both helped me very much by opening this London center, and it is the most important center in the world, so I am very much thankful always. Now go on and develop the Vrindaban centre with full enthusiasm and do not be discouraged by anything temporary setbacks but always work in the spirit of being completely dependent upon Krishna for everything. I shall be returning to India by October.

I shall remain in London through the month of August for holding Bhagavata Sapta discourses in various quarters of the city in Hindi and English languages. Temporarily, I have postponed the Nairobi program, so you may reply me here.

Letter to Acyutananda -- London 5 August, 1972:

So far Yamuna is concerned, I never doubted once her impeccable character, simply I wanted to find out the actual position. There is a saying in Bengali, that whenever there is scandalous talk, there is something to it, so we must be careful always to avoid even what may be mistaken by others for scandalous situation. You know how the things are taken in India so be yourself very careful to always avoid these things and instruct others how to do it also.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- London 11 August, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your two letters from Yamuna dated July 22, 1972, and August 6, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding the plans for Vrndavana, enclosed please find the plans drawn by Saurabha which I like very much. You may submit these plans to the municipal council, as they are drawn. The plan of Mr. Suri is too much burdensome and costly, he simply wanted his 2 1/2% commission, so he has befooled these Americans. Better if our own men design and build the temple in our way. So I like these plans from Saurabha very much, and you may submit them as they are.

Now do everything in Vrndavana very peacefully, and always cooperate with each other at all times. There is some trouble with Satchitananda, he informs me you are trying to drive him away because he has written that letter about Yamuna, so that should not be the case. Better to cooperate all of you and do something tangible for Krsna. Stop this fighting. Have a European preaching center and try to enlist all the hippies and tourists who come to Vrndavana. Give them nice prasadam, engage them in chanting, cleaning the temple, reading our books, and give them all facilities for becoming devotees.

I have received a letter from Acarya das, dated 3rd August, 1972, and you may convey my blessings to him.

Letter to Yamuna -- Dallas 10 September, 1972:

I thank you very much for your letter dated August 20, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very happy to hear that you are having nice programs in Vrindaban of kirtana and lecturing in various places. That will make us well-known in those parts and respected by everyone. I am glad to hear also that you have made my rooms very nicely painted and cleansed. Now I shall be coming there by early October and I want to stay in those rooms, so you may prepare them for me very nicely and decorate with flowers, etc. I think that Tamala Krsna, Bhavananda, and Subala have returned to Vrindaban for assisting Gurudasa in the construction work and for helping Tejiyas to organize the Delhi Pandal program, so you may host them very nicely and see to their all comforts and facilities for swiftly working on these programs.

I have sent up two sets of Saurabha's plans to Gurudasa in Vrindaban. Did he get them? Either one of these plans is just suitable for our purpose, so you may get them approved immediately and begin the work. I want to see something tangible by the time I reach.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your several letters dated November 30 and December 12, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. I am most pleased to learn from you that the work in Vrindaban is going on very nicely, and that you are both happy in Krishna Consciousness. That is the main thing. Of course I know that you are not trained-up for being construction manager, neither that job must be very much tasteful to you, but because you are sincere devotees of Krishna He is giving you all strength and intelligence how to do it. That is wanted, that is advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Not that I must have a very nice place, I must serve like this or like that, otherwise I shall go away. No, Vaisnava devotee means give me simply a place to lay down, little prasadam, whatever little service you have got please give me, that's all. Thank you very much for taking up this difficult work to help me in this way.

Now you are requesting money for supplies, that's all right, but I have not seen the accounts for the money you have spent to date. That you should also supply. But I think Mr. Sarkar is inspired to cooperate with us, and he is very expert, so I do not worry on that account. But record of expenditures must be there, that is standrd procedure. I was informed that the party of Yasodanandana and Mahamsa will forward all collections to Vrindaban, but I do not know if they have done it. Mahamsa is coming to Bombay in a few days time and I shall request him to do immediately. We have completed our pandal programme of Hare Krishna Festival in Ahmedabad and it was very, very successful. On the last night the huge pandal was filled completely, at least 10,000 or 15,000 attendance. So far Yasodanandana's party, I have just got one letter from them and they shall remain at the following address for one month more:

(SECRETARY'S NOTE)

In Mayapur they are also requiring about Rs. 50,000 monthly for the work, and for that they are managing with travelling party and temple collection of Calcutta. So you collect from Delhi and spend, and for the rest these other parties will send. I have got report that Yasodanandana has collected more than Rs. 20,000 for Vrindaban, so you have not to worry about anything. But you must keep accurate accounts how it is spent and send me. So far Saurabha is concerned, I have left him at Hyderabad to design our temple there on the land donated for that purpose in the busiest marketplace of central Hyderabad city. But if you invite him to come there from time to time, I have no objection.

If you can finish the work by Janmastami next, that will be a very great credit for you, and I shall come there from any part of the world just to install the deity. But now you must work very, very hard to make good your promise to me, otherwise I shall be very disappointed and become very, very angry upon you. You may purchase deity from Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust Fund, about that I shall inform you later. One thing is, I have received report that Tejiyas is having difficulty in Delhi because no men are there to assist him. Delhi is the cultural capital of India, but we have not yet done very much to develop in Delhi. Tejyas is very sincere and hard-working boy, so we must encourage him. So I have asked Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara to find some men to go there, and they will do the needful. There are so many intelligent boys and girls in Delhi, that I have marked, and I think there is more potential there than other places in India, so if you and Yamuna go to Delhi from time to time to help Tejiyas with the preaching work, especially preaching to the student class of young persons, that will be nice. If there is shortage of men, we must recruit some men, first-class men, to help us do the work. If that is attempted sincerely, this preaching work, Krishna will provide men to help us. Krishna does not like to see His men suffer or become frustrated and depressed on His behalf, no. If we remain always faithful to Him, working very hard despite all difficulties, very quickly you will meet Krishna face-to-face, you may know it for certain.

Another thing is, I have heard there is no more CCP for getting our books. But now we are holding a huge pandal festival in the Cross Maidan at Bombay, from January 12th to 21st, so we shall need to take our BTG shipment from the Bombay docks, but they will not allow without CCP. So I hope by now you have got it, and if not, try for it immediately, treat it as urgent matter. And if Yamuna wants to come for that Festival here, she may come here for a few days to lead kirtana before my lectures, then return. But I think that Gurudasa may have to stay for the work, or if there is opportunity, he may also come, but the work must not be jeopardized. Hoping this meets you both in good health.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

Your letters of December 23, 1972, are in hand, along with the very nice photos of the Vrndaban work, as well as the balance sheet and account of materials and supplies. I am very very pleased to see the photos how the construction is progressing very rapidly under your expert supervision. It appears that at last something is being done solid work. Now you have promised me that it will be completed by Janmastami next, therefore I am completely relying upon you to fulfill your promise to me. Of course you will have to go quickly before the monsoon by June, but I think by that time there will be sufficient roof to keep everything dry from the rains. If you can construct nice temple in Vrndaban for me in this way, I shall be eternally grateful. Because we are world wide movement of Krsna, and if we do not have any nice place at Vrndaban, then what will be the use? Vrndaban is Krsna's land, and in future so many of our disciples will go there just to see, along with many tourists and other friends, so therefore we must have sufficient place for them. That will be our great contribution.

Now some of our men have met with the Maharaja of Bharatapur here in Bombay, he sent his men to fetch us, and in a bitter mood he requested us immediately to return his idols of silver Radha and Krsna. So let us return them to him, we do not want any ill feeling to be against us. So you may return those deities to him at earliest opportunity, either at Delhi or at Govardhana. He also has requested his book. I do not know which book that is, but he said that Acyutananda has it and he wants it back without delay, so return him.

Regarding the deity at Vrndavana, Malati has just now returned from Jaipur and she has found out one very nice murti of Radha and Krsna more than five feet tall. I want these deities shall be installed in Vrndaban, so Yamuna may make arrangement to go there and see if they are available, what is the cost, and make all program how they shall be transported to Vrndaban, like that. I think these will be just suitable for our Vrndaban temple, and they will save us time also. You may order the Balarama deity to be made also by this Murtiwalla. I think Malati has written you one letter in this connection. And if she gets time, then Yamuna may come also for few days to Bombay pandal, being on this side.

I have inspected the trial balance carefully. Of course I do not know what are the prices and so many other things, but I find one discrepancy which you may please make clear to me. The opening bank balance on December 2 is Rs. 7870.50 and for the month of December I find you have deposited twice, on twelfth instant, one sum of Rs. 2630.00 and Rs. 111.00. So the total come to Rs. 10611.50. So far expenditures are there, there is one check drawn on the 5th instant for Rs. 600, one check drawn on the 12th instant for electrical supplies for Rs. 45, one check drawn on the 14th instant for supplies of Rs. 4665.51, and on the 15th instant one check has been drawn for Rs. 3571.26. Subtracting the expenditures of Rs. 8881.77 from the total bank balance including deposits, or Rs. 10611.50, it comes to Rs. 1727.73 as final balance in bank. But you have declared that your figure for final balance in bank is Rs. 1643.79. That means, according to the figures you have given me, there is discrepancy of about Rs. 85.94. Of course there may be some bank charges, like that, I do not know, or you may have omitted some mention of any other check, but you may inform me why our figures have come out differently.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Jayapataka, Bhavananda -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1973:

We want to display doll exhibitions in every center of our society depicting some narration from Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Caitanya Caritamrta, Bhagavad-gita like that. Just like the picture that Arjuna's chariot is placed by Krsna between the groups of 2 soldiers. The Pictures are already there in our books and they are to be demonstrated by doll exhibition. The Krsna-Balarama Deities if it is very successful you can send one photograph to Yamuna in Vrndavana and if needed they may be sent to Jaipur as a model for carving our Krsna-Balarama Deities to be installed at Vrndavana. If possible you can send me some photographs of the dolls already manufactured and I shall give you further suggestions in this connection.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 May, 1973:

Another thing, I beg to bring to your notice that Janaki, sister of your wife, she's now in Maya. Her husband reported that she is regularly eating meat and doing all nonsense. She's coming to Vrindaban to see her sister, Yamuna. Maybe she is going with poison arrows, so be very, very careful when she comes there. The world is full of danger and still we have to push on our Krsna Consciousness Movement. So always remain fixed up chanting the maha-mantra and following the regulative principles, because Maya is very strong.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 25 July, 1973:

Now Madhavananda and his wife have arrived. Kausalya is an expert Deity worshiper and an important hand in our movement, so she and Yamuna, two sisters can be very useful in Deity worship there. Keep Kausalya comfortable and she can be a great help. Madhavananda can be engaged in collections.

Letter to Indira Gandhi -- New Delhi 6 November, 1973:

I thank you very much for kindly allowing an interview to my disciples Sriman Gurudasa Adhikari accompanied by his wife also, Srimati Yamuna devi. Perhaps your Excellency is aware of our Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. We are not only preaching the cult by chanting and dancing, but also by presenting in the English language the books of the bhakti cult, especially Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the world.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Gurudasa -- Hyderabad 24 April, 1974:

I have received a letter from Tejyas on the same day as yours. I am sending him the checks he has requested for construction, but he has requested one check for "Lalita Prasad", for Rupee 3,000 which you say is a down payment for four sets of clothes for the deity. But we cannot pay for these dresses. It was already agreed that you and Yamuna would collect separately for the deities, not that it would come out of the construction fund, but now you and Tejyas are requesting it come out of construction. Besides that, why go to the tailor? Lalita Prasad charges extraordinarily. We don't want to go to them. Whatever our devotees can make, that is all right. Have you already contracted from them? This check cannot be issued neither is it our plan to pay from construction for the deities. Where is the money you collected for this purpose?

Letter to Tejiyas -- Hyderabad 24 April, 1974:

I am enclosing the list of checks requested by you by Registered post except I am not sending one check for Rs 3,000 for deity clothes to be paid to the tailor Lalita Prasad of Vrindaban. Deity paraphernalia is supposed to be collected separately by Gurudasa and Yamuna, not come out of the construction fund as you have requested. Besides, I have advised Gurudasa not to pay any tailor but to make clothes by our own devotees for the deities.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Melbourne 1 July, 1974:

There is no question of money. Let it be a first class, 1-A arrangement. Krsna will provide all expenditures so try to make it gorgeous. Gorgeous means sufficient stock of prasadam and temple decorations as gorgeous as possible. The internal management of dressing can be done by Yamuna, Madira and Jayatirtha they are all expert. The sastric direction can be from Pradyumna.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Mayapur 11 October, 1974:

One letter from Harikesa has been received regarding getting maintenance money. Gurudasa has all of a sudden left. How will the Vrindaban expenditure be met? Where is the money Gurudasa collected for the Deities? Where is it kept and what is the account? Yamuna is very clever, and I know they have collected huge sum.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 31 December, 1974:

You also organize a party like Tamala Krishna's and preach like that. I like that-more of preaching. If Yamuna has left you, why remain as grhastha? Better take sannyasa like Tamala Krishna Gosvami. I know Yamuna has Krishna in her heart. She'll not be spoiled, but let her have some temporary independence and be more Krishna Conscious. I am glad you have sent the money to India that you have collected. Now, you left Vrndavana on account of Yamuna, but she has left you there also, although you wanted to live with her. Anyway, try to forget all this material attachment and try to be attached to Krishna more and more.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Yamuna -- Johannesburg 22 October, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 11, 1975 and I have noted the contents with care. The picture of the cows shows that they are very nice and friendly.

You have my consent to go ahead with your plan of pratistha for Sri-Sri Radha-Krishna arca vigrahah. You may call them Radha-Banabihari.

The idea of a woman's asrama is good. Those not married, if there is not provision for separate living quarters for them in the temples, they can go there. It is very risky having single women living in the temples, especially where there is no suitable living quarters.

Letter to Palika -- Bombay 13 November, 1975:

Yes, the separation of man and woman is desirable. If Yamuna and yourself can develop such an institution of a woman's asrama, that will be nice. You are all elderly devotees. I think that this will be a good idea.

Letter to Jayasacinandana -- Vrindaban 12 December, 1975:

No! you have made some discovery. All along you have been hearing the recording of Yamuna devi and now you want to change. It is not ordinary singing, it is concert, many people are singing, so it is not bad. Just like Sankirtana, many voices are there, men and women, so it is the same thing, sankirtana. I approve of it. Here in Krishna Balarama Temple we are hearing the same recording every morning, so if it is good here why not there?

Letter to Gurudasa -- Bombay 22 December, 1975:

I always say, man is good, and woman is also good, but when they combine, then they become bad. Before there was so much difficulty, but now you are doing well and Yamuna dasi is also doing well, and I am very pleased with your work. Please continue like this and keep me informed.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Calcutta 13 January, 1976:

Regarding Yamuna and Dinatarine, they want to live independently, that is the defect. A woman cannot live independent. According the the Vedic culture a woman is always to be protected by a man. Why they should purchase a house? We already have Los Angeles. If they want they can have a separate asrama supported independently of ISKCON. Every woman in America has money, so why do they want support? No, the BBT cannot give them loan. You may check that they are chanting and following the rules but do not get involved with their management. So far your suggestion that they sew clothes for the sannyasis Deities it is not possible. Sannyasis may have no connection with women.

Letter to Yamuna, Dinatarine -- Calcutta 13 January, 1976:

I am very pleased to see the nice photos of your Deities Radha Vanebehari. The singasana has also come out very nicely.

You can attract the fair sex community. Most of them are frustrated being without any home or husband. If you can organize all these girls they will get a transcendental engagement and may not be allured to the frustration of life. Your engagement should be chanting and worship of the Deity Jiva Goswami advises that in the Kali-yuga sankirtana is the principle worship. Even if one chants many mantras it must be preceded by glorious sankirtana. Sankirtana is the maha-mantra.

Yes, you are right, women are generally after sense gratification. That is the disease. Chant 24 hours a day and don't dress nicely to attract men. It is better that you don't make a large program. Remain a humble program. In bhakti there is no grotesque program. A humble program is better. We are doing all these grotesque programs to allure the masses. My Guru Maharaja used to say that no one hears from a person coming from a humble, simple life. You remain always very humble.

So far as giving loans, I think it won't be possible because in India we require a huge amount of money for Bombay and Mayapur. We also have to build nice Temples at Kuruksetra and Jagannatha Puri. The Americans are accused of being C.I.A., so counteract this. We want to prove how Americans have constructed very large temples. Certainly it is not for C.I.A. propaganda.

Sita Devi, Mother Laksmi, wife of Lord Ramacandra, went to live with Valmiki Muni in a cottage. Although she was a King's daughter and a King's wife, she preferred to live very humbly in the cottage of Valmiki Muni with two sons in the absence of Ramacandra. That should be the ideal example. Women when not with husband must live very very humbly and simple life.

Letter to Yamuna, Dinatarine -- Mayapur 21 February, 1976:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 4, 1976.

Enclosed please find a true copy of my reply to your letter dated December 24th, 1976.

The thing is cow protection is not possible for women. You can keep two or three cows, but on larger scale it is not possible. You should not try to take care of more. It is not women's business. Women's business is getting milk and making milk preparations. On the whole larger scale is not to be attempted by women. Manage a small asram, but don't try bigger scale, then you require the help of men.

Don't try manual exertion, then again there is mixture and that is not desired. Simply keep yourself aloof from men—chanting, many more times as possible, read books, worship the deity. I am very much pleased with this girl Svati—she has adopted this white dress. She must not be attractive at all. A widow is forbidden to use ornaments, nice sari, decoration, combing the hair nicely. These are forbidden for the woman who is not with husband.

Letter to Yamuna, Dinatarini -- Honolulu 15 May, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letters with photographs enclosed of Sri Sri Radha-Vanabehari, dated May 10, 1976. I am very glad to see how nicely you are caring for the Deities. I am scheduled to be in Los Angeles from June 1 to June 11. I am even contemplating coming to see you there on your farm if you are unable to come to see me. Please continue to develop things there for women devotees as previously instructed.

Letter to Harikesa -- Vrindaban 28 October, 1976:

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 Yamuna -- Calcutta 17 February 5, 1977:

I have received your letter of January 18, and studied the contents.

The picture of your Radha Krishna deities is very good. They appear to be like the Radha Govinda deities of Mullick Thakur which I used to see from my childhood.

Yes, go on with your program. Live a simple life. Take a little milk and food grains, chant Hare Krishna and worship Sri Sri Radha Krishna deity, that's all. That will make you perfect.