San Francisco devotees

Expressions researched:
"San Francisco devotees" |"devotees from San Francisco" |"devotees in San Francisco" |"devotees of San Francisco"

1967 Correspondence

If there is actually a brahmacarini asrama organized by San Francisco devotees, it will be very nice to keep there Jadurani as the leader of the brahmacarinis.

Letter to Mukunda -- Calcutta 4 November, 1967:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 22 and I've noted the contents. I am much obliged to you for sending me the record player which is essential but I could save the customs duty of 120 Rs if you could have sent a note stating that it was an unsolicited gift. Anyway the machine was received intact and I am enjoying it. But I have not heard anything definitely whether I shall wait for the final disposal of your visa application or if I may start immediately.

As you say that my absence is being felt now more deeply than ever, so I also feel to start immediately without waiting. The morning prayer can be recorded when I return. If there is actually a brahmacarini asrama organized by San Francisco devotees, it will be very nice to keep there Jadurani as the leader of the brahmacarinis. I am very glad that two other devotees are waiting for me. Hope you are well.

1968 Correspondence

At the present moment, many devotees from San Francisco, New York (specifically your intimate friend Umapati, is present here) have come here. Today they will observe Vyasa Puja ceremony (my Birthday Anniversary), so from this day, I will be stepping on the 73rd year.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 17 August, 1968:

Last night we celebrated here Janmastami festival very gorgeously, and many Indians in large number attended and they contributed also very liberally. One Madrasi gentleman demonstrated a Krishna dance by his two young daughters, and it was nice. At the present moment, many devotees from San Francisco, New York (specifically your intimate friend Umapati, is present here) have come here. Today they will observe Vyasa Puja ceremony (my Birthday Anniversary), so from this day, I will be stepping on the 73rd year. I hope the remaining days of my life may be utilized to serve you all Western devotees of Krishna. Please pray to Krishna that he may give me the necessary strength to discharge the duty entrusted by my Spiritual Master. Convey my blessings to Kirtanananda, and I hope you are all doing well.

Last night we had very nice performance of Janmastami ceremony and all the San Francisco devotees and some of the New York devotees including Uddhava are all now present here.

Letter to Jayananda -- Montreal 17 August, 1968:

Last night we had very nice performance of Janmastami ceremony and all the San Francisco devotees and some of the New York devotees including Uddhava are all now present here. The Indian public here also took great interest in this program this year. And today they are performing both the Vyasa Puja and Nandotsav ceremony.

The San Francisco devotees are in New York, and so you may not send the Caitanya lila just now, better you finish it nicely. Then we shall see what to do.

Letter to Kirtanananda, Hayagriva -- Montreal 23 August, 1968:

You told me that you will arrange for the electricity immediately, so as soon as electricity connection is there, I shall go and stay in New Vrindaban for some time. Maybe, Krishna desiring, I may make my headquarters there. Your suggestion that Pondicherry was made famous on account of press work, it is good suggestion and my Guru Maharaja's opinion is that press is the brihat mrdanga, or the biggest, or the greater mrdanga. The sound of press goes long long distance, long distant places, so the organization of press and literature and public sales, should be our main business.

The San Francisco devotees are in New York, and so you may not send the Caitanya lila just now, better you finish it nicely. Then we shall see what to do.

Yes, Rayarama is trying his heart and soul to improve the quality of Back To Godhead, so this department should be exclusively managed by him, he has devoted his everything for this Back To Godhead department. I have asked also Janardana to join the editorial department of publication, and he will do translation work in French, of all our literatures, and similarly Syamasundara. may help in translating all the literatures in Germany, and I am arranging to take the mimeograph machine from New York, into Montreal, so that Janardana and other boy, Dayala Nitai, who is French Canadian, they can immediately issue, a French edition of Back To Godhead.

I have carefully seen the contents of the three letters and I understand that you are moving near Hollywood vicinity, and some of the devotees from San Francisco are going to your place to join Sankirtana and I am sure this will be a great successful attempt.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your three letters, dated August 19, August 13, and July 25. I beg to thank you very much for them. After the postal strike is over, there are so many letters congested and therefore, I am sorry that I am late to reply your letter. But I have carefully seen the contents of the three letters and I understand that you are moving near Hollywood vicinity, and some of the devotees from San Francisco are going to your place to join Sankirtana and I am sure this will be a great successful attempt. I also understand that Sankarsana is coming to the temple, but Baladeva. has ceased to come on account of influence of his wife. But if you let me know his address, I can write to him personally.

I hope by this time the San Francisco devotees have already started for London, and I shall be glad to hear if there is any news from them, or about them.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Montreal 26 August, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 22, 1968, and so far Dwarkin is concerned, I got one copy of the letter, dated 4th April, 1968, in which for two different invoices they submitted total value, Rs. 2554, showing a balance in their favor, Rs. 688.33., out of which if the value of one Dulcetina is deducted—So, $50.00 means Rs. 375 approximately. So they want 87.71, and the amount due to them may be 433.33. So approximately it comes to the same amount, namely, 87.71. Anyway, I haven't got all the papers with me. You have all these papers, so you can see what is the actual position and do the needful.

I hope by this time the San Francisco devotees have already started for London, and I shall be glad to hear if there is any news from them, or about them.

Regarding the cover of the Bhagavad-gita as it is: I want to present before a Consulate General this cover when I may be called to visit him, but because you have wanted it back, so I am sending it to you. If you can secure advance order, that is more important business than showing it to a Consulate General. So I am returning it back to you.

The San Francisco devotees especially some of the Indian residents, who have taken interest in our temple, since the Rathayatra festival was performed, they are very much anxious to see me, and they have proposed to cooperate fully with our movement.

Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

You will be pleased to know that I am proceeding to New York tomorrow afternoon, at 4:30 p.m. reaching there at 5:50. And if possible I shall remain there for one week before starting for San Francisco. The San Francisco devotees especially some of the Indian residents, who have taken interest in our temple, since the Rathayatra festival was performed, they are very much anxious to see me, and they have proposed to cooperate fully with our movement. So I think I should go there and encourage them. So I am going there by the end of the first week of September. I have noted down the description of the paintings that you have recently done, and I hope in the meantime Saradia has reached under your care. This girl is very innocent, and nice student; please try to keep her under your care, at least for one year. Then I shall get her married with Vaikunthanatha das Brahmacari. She is also good typist, and if possible she can help the typewriting work and assist Satsvarupa. And I hope everything is going there well, and shall be glad to hear from you at the New York address.

Other devotees from San Francisco have already started for London.

Letter to Sivananda -- Montreal 31 August, 1968:

I am going today to New York and after one week I shall start for San Francisco. Some San Francisco boys who know German language are eager to help you and join you with Mrdanga etc. Please let me know your opinion on this matter. They can start immediately and they have little money also. I have given him the address and most probably he will write you. His name is Krsna dasa Brahmacari c/o San Francisco Temple 518 Frederick St. San Francisco, Cal 90117.

I see in your letter every thing very favorable and it seems that I will have to go first in Berlin then in London. Anyway just depend on Krishna and he will do everything in order. Hope this will find you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Other devotees from San Francisco have already started for London. Mukunda's address as follows

Michael Grant

c/o American Express Co.

Haymarket St.

London. U.K.

I hope you have also received my former letter addressed to you c/o American Express Berlin.

We have safely reached yesterday after noon at 3:00 and there was grand reception, arranged by Jayananda and Patty. Many Indians were present, and I was very much pleased to see the activities of San Francisco devotees.

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

We have safely reached yesterday after noon at 3:00 and there was grand reception, arranged by Jayananda and Patty. Many Indians were present, and I was very much pleased to see the activities of San Francisco devotees. They are doing very well. In the evening, some of the respectable Indian gentlemen came to see me, and they have offered one silver Murti of Krishna, to be installed today. So this evening, I am going to install that Deity, as well as initiate some of the newcomers devotees, as well as offer the sacred thread to Jayananda, Tamala Krishna, and like that, old students. So far our San Francisco business is concerned, they are doing very nicely. I understand Tamala Krishna has collected $1,500 in two months. And people are gradually taking interest in the Sankirtana. They are selling Back To Godhead also, and the whole situation appears to be all Krishna's Mercy.

1969 Correspondence

Please offer my blessings to the other devotees of San Francisco temple.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- England 30 September, 1969:

Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, yes you may begin reading it at kirtana lectures. On someday you should read Bhagavad gita As It Is also, however. There will be an examination on Srimad-Bhagavatam, the entire First Canto, on Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day in February, 1970. Regarding responsive chanting, that is the preferred method, but if you think it will be better to chant nonresponsively at certain times, there is no harm. If you think that people will chant more if you do it non-responsively, then do it that way. It is the chanting that is required. But if it is done responsively, it will sound symmetrical and will appeal to the people. Regarding your final question, once something is offered to the Deity, it may not be offered again.

Please offer my blessings to the other devotees of San Francisco temple. I hope this will meet you all in good health.

1971 Correspondence

The Gujarati Indian devotees in San Francisco wanted to pay $20,000 for the printing of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 22 April, 1971:

Another thing is that we are in correspondence with Dai Nippon; they are trying to mingle the BTG account with my "Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit" (BBFD) account, making them one. So unless you hear from me, you do not send more than $3,986.56 to the BBFD with Dai Nippon, which is the balance due at this time. You can send the BTG payments to them as usual but not any money for my Book Fund. They thought that because I have given $20,000 on behalf of BTG, I should pay off the entire debt of BTG from my Book Fund. So don't send them money for Book Fund until I inform you otherwise. Also, the Gujarati Indian devotees in San Francisco wanted to pay $20,000 for the printing of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. I do not know what is their position now; please let me know about this.