That is my request (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"that is my only request" |"that is my request" |"that is my special request"

1969 Correspondence

You should take only the prasadam of Jagannatha Deva. This practice will so much help you in your spiritual life. This facility you have got in this life should not be missed. That is my request to both of you.

Letter to Dhindro, Vanalata Mullick -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

Another request to you is that because you have so kindly come to see me it is my duty to instruct you about your spiritual advancement of life. Both of you are so fortunate to become the servitors of Sri Sri Jagannatha Deva, installed by your forefathers. The best thing will be to increase your affection for these Jagannatha Devas, and as such, you should not eat anything which is not offered to Jagannatha. In other words, you should take only the prasadam of Jagannatha Deva. This practice will so much help you in your spiritual life. This facility you have got in this life should not be missed. That is my request to both of you. I hope this will meet you in good health. I am awaiting your early reply.

If we show a little disturbance in our own camp that will not be a very good example. Therefore, everyone should be forebearing, tolerant and cooperative. That is my special request to you all.

Letter to Janaki -- Los Angeles 18 January, 1969:

Regarding your unstable condition of mind, I beg to request you to always remember that you have all gone to London with a great mission and responsibility. I am so much pleased with you all six boys and girls who are doing so much for my missionary work. My Guru Maharaja, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura, Lord Caitanya and at the end Lord Krishna Himself all are surely very much pleased for your noble activities. You have already made the city of London feel something about the Hare Krishna movement. This is a great credit for you all and I appreciate it very much. Please do your duty combinedly without any disruption of peaceful attitudes amongst yourselves. We are pushing our movement on the background of a peaceful atmosphere in the world, and if we show a little disturbance in our own camp that will not be a very good example. Therefore, everyone should be forebearing, tolerant and cooperative. That is my special request to you all.

Even if you do not get any assistance from friends, get it translated by Uttama Sloka, and publish. You can at least publish a 5-10 page edition of German Back To Godhead. That is my request.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

When a person is willing to help with our mission, he is also a devotee, so there is no question of him being nondevotee. But they must translate as it is, they must not deviate. Anyway, our motto should be to somehow or other express the objectives of Krishna Consciousness to the German-speaking people. There is a verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam that a book or poetry in which the Holy Name of Krishna is depicted, such language is revolutionary in the matter of purifying the material atmosphere. Even though such literature is presented in broken language or grammatical inconsistency or rhetorical irregularity, still, those who are saintly persons adore such literature. They hear such literature, and chant it and adore it, simply because the Supreme Lord is being glorified in this literature. In other words, we are not meant for presenting any literary masterpieces, but we have to inform people that there is a fire of maya which is burning the very vitality of all living entities, and they should guard against the indefatigable onslaught of material existence. That should be our motto. So even if you do not get any assistance from friends, get it translated by Uttama Sloka, and publish. You can at least publish a 5-10 page edition of German Back To Godhead. That is my request.

Our foremost concern is Krishna. If Krishna's service is well done, then we should try to forget our personal inconveniences. I know you are already advanced in this type of Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will give you intelligence more and more, but you stick to this principle as you have taken your life's vow to improve BTG. That is my request.

Letter to Rayarama -- Hawaii 20 March, 1969:

So far your staff arrangement is concerned I think you have got nice staff to assist you, and Hayagriva has also written you to consult how you can work jointly. I think for Krishna's sake we shall try to work together even at the risk of little personal inconvenience. Our foremost concern is Krishna. If Krishna's service is well done, then we should try to forget our personal inconveniences. I know you are already advanced in this type of Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will give you intelligence more and more, but you stick to this principle as you have taken your life's vow to improve BTG. That is my request. That will make you victorious in achieving Krishna's blessings.

You must fix up in your mind to spread this message to the French population with our BTG and other books, that is my request.

Letter to Dayala Nitai -- Hawaii 23 March, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your very nice letter of March 19th, and I can understand how you are feeling. Yes, you must fix up in your mind to spread this message to the French population with our BTG and other books, that is my request. I thank you for sending me the second copy of BTG French edition. So now my only request to you, and especially both to you and Janardana, that you kindly regularly publish one issue every month of this French BTG. That will make you very much happy and will make me always very much happy. And Krishna will bestow all blessings to you in this endeavor. In this connection, if you think that by printing the yogi literature you will get some monetary help, then I give you permission that you can print it. But my standing request is this: Amongst yourselves there should not be any disagreement. Whatever you do, you do it by joint consultation. Because our center of activities is Krishna, for Krishna's sake we can sacrifice our life, wealth, words, intelligence, everything. Of course, as individuals, we have sometimes disagreements, but that should be adjusted keeping our central attention to Krishna. So what is done is done; hence forward, you do everything jointly and we shall put out at least one issue of BTG French edition every month—even it may consist of one printed page only, still it must be published once monthly. That is my desire.

So kindly try to maintain the present atmosphere, and try to improve it more and more, that is my request.

Letter to Dayananda -- Hawaii 26 March, 1969:

So far L.A. temple is concerned, both you and your good wife Nandarani, desired to see the temple affairs improve, which I understood from your past letters. And you took the risk of 400 or 500 dollars by renting the storefront in Hollywood Blvd. It was certainly very nice, and you were paying $350, but because you very sincerely desired to have a very very nice place, Krishna arranged in a different way. In the beginning we thought that we are losing a nice place, when the landlord wanted to kick out us, but now I can understand Krishna's desire was to give us a still better place, and so we have now got it. So it is not the place alone which is responsible for beautifying the temple; it is the devotees who are actually beautifying the temple. And as president you are in charge of the whole branch, so kindly try to maintain the present atmosphere, and try to improve it more and more, that is my request.

But one thing is you must stop this fighting between brothers. Otherwise the whole program will be spoiled. Yourself, Tamala Krishna, Brahmananda, Satsvarupa—you should do everything combinedly. That is my request.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Hamburg 8 September, 1969:

But one thing is you must stop this fighting between brothers. Otherwise the whole program will be spoiled. Yourself, Tamala Krishna, Brahmananda, Satsvarupa—you should do everything combinedly. That is my request. Gradually, by Krishna's Grace, we are expanding. So if amongst ourselves there is friction, it will be very dangerous. So after my return to the States I shall make it more firm so there may not be any dissension.

1970 Correspondence

Take all these words very seriously and try to propagate Krishna Consciousness with all serenity. It will be a great gift to the human society. You are a learned and intelligent and young man; think over the formula and try to execute to the best of your capacity. That is my request.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970:

These Smarta Brahmanas contest that unless one is born in a Brahmana family one cannot be given these facilities. But Narada Muni says no; a man should be judged by the symptoms of his character. And Srimad-Bhagavatam says that the Kiratas, etc. can be purified by a pure devotee because the influence of Lord Visnu is so strong. Prabha Vishnave means the powerful Lord Visnu; prabha means that the light or heat of Visnu is so strong that it is possible to melt them. Only the devotees of Lord Visnu or Krishna can be purified, not the devotees of any demigod. They will have to wait for their next birth according to their own karma.

So under this formula the whole European and American people who are so intelligent and materially advanced can be converted into pure Vedic Brahmanas, and thus their mission of human life becomes successful, and the whole world becomes a garden of blooming flowers.

Take all these words very seriously and try to propagate Krishna Consciousness with all serenity. It will be a great gift to the human society. You are a learned and intelligent and young man; think over the formula and try to execute to the best of your capacity. That is my request.

If we follow the regulative principles and program as above that pleasure will go on increasing more and more. So chant Hare Krishna Mantra, and be happy. That is my request.

Letter to Dindayal -- Los Angeles 2 February, 1970:

So, in order to protect us from all dangerous elements, we have to chant the Hare Krishna Mantra regularly being humbler than the straw and more tolerant than the tree. Then Krishna, Who is Dindayal, will bestow His Mercy upon us.

Please, therefore, chant regularly sixteen rounds of beads daily, always be engaged in Krishna work in a humble state of mind, follow the regulative principles of no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, no illicit sex life and no gambling or mental speculation and study our literatures and be strictly trained up in Krishna Consciousness with the help and guidance of Jaya Pataka Prabhu.

I am very glad that you are finding in chanting of Hare Krishna the highest pleasure. If we follow the regulative principles and program as above that pleasure will go on increasing more and more. So chant Hare Krishna Mantra, and be happy. That is my request.

I have all my blessings for Jagajjanani Dasi and Prahladananda Das for being married under your care. Train this couple for opening a new branch in one of the places you are now visiting with Sankirtana Party. Try to open as many branches as possible and manage to see them that they are going on nicely. That is my request.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 29 March, 1970:

When Brahmananda came here, I discussed with him that we have now opened so many branches and they should be properly maintained. As I am personally here in Los Angeles, and because Krsna has now given us a very nice church, it will be possible for me to look after the business here to be the ideal for other centers. The church building is very excellent. I am sending herewith two pictures. We have already paid the advance money, $50,000, out of $225,000. Your contribution is very much welcome.

I was to advance $20,000 as loan from my book fund, but Gargamuni has arranged not to take from me more than $11,500. So whatever contribution is received from other centers will go for repaying the loan taken from me and from other centers.

Regarding moving with Sankirtana Party, as Kirtanananda Maharaja is doing now, it will be another impetus for pushing forward our mission. Please do this business very nicely. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also did like that and He presented Himself as a merchant in Krsna Consciousness selling the transcendental commodity in exchange of eagerness of the people. If people simply become faithful to the understanding of Krsna Consciousness, that will be the price for our transcendental commodity, Hare Krsna Mantra.

As you are having many engagements, it is very much encouraging. The clippings which you have sent are very nice. You are going to about a dozen colleges in different places and that is very much encouraging also.

I have all my blessings for Jagajjanani Dasi and Prahladananda Das for being married under your care. Train this couple for opening a new branch in one of the places you are now visiting with Sankirtana Party. Try to open as many branches as possible and manage to see them that they are going on nicely. That is my request.

So Krsna Consciousness Movement is meant for defying both classes of men; namely the karmis and the jnanis or yogis. That is our mission. Now among our students those who are advanced should take up this matter more seriously, and the Movement which you have started may not be stopped for want of adequate preachers—that is my request to you all.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 22 May, 1970:

Your remark on the student demonstration is quite appropriate. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura said that materialistic knowledge is another expansion of the influence of Maya. The result of material education is that the living entity forgets his own identification and takes to the business of a particular type of body which is given to him by the grace of Maya. The Vedic education means one has to understand his real identity as brahman or the spirit soul. Unfortunately the modern educational system is so defective that everyone is educated to accept this body as self. At the present moment they have no clear idea of identification, so much so that even a person who is partially advanced about the importance of the soul does also improperly identify himself with the Supreme Brahma.

So Krsna Consciousness Movement is meant for defying both classes of men; namely the karmis and the jnanis or yogis. That is our mission. Now among our students those who are advanced should take up this matter more seriously, and the Movement which you have started may not be stopped for want of adequate preachers—that is my request to you all. I am very glad to know that Kirtanananda Maharaja has now taken up this matter seriously and is preaching. Similarly I expect our advanced students like you, Rupanuga, Bhagavan das, Brahmananda, etc., may be seriously engaged now for preaching this cult.

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.

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.

Now we want very many Swamis to take up this job. The Grhasthas are to take care of the Temples as well as the general management. I have already formed the Governing Body Commission and your good name is also in the Board. There is no time for creating a crack in our solid formation of Krsna Consciousness Society. Take it now with great responsibility and everyone of you may serve jointly for Krsna's satisfaction. That is my request to you all.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1970:

Our life is very short. The Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for fulfilling one's personal ambition, but it is a serious movement for the whole world. I am therefore going to the Eastern hemisphere, beginning from Japan. We are going four in a party and all of us are Sannyasis. In this old age I am going with this party just to set an example to my disciples who have taken recently the Sannyas order. I think Brahmananda Swami, Gargamuni Swami, Visnujana Swami, Kirtanananda Swami and Subala Swami, all of them, two in a party assisted by other Brahmacaris should form separate Sankirtana Parties and travel all over Europe, America and Canada.

Now we want very many Swamis to take up this job. The Grhasthas are to take care of the Temples as well as the general management. I have already formed the Governing Body Commission and your good name is also in the Board. There is no time for creating a crack in our solid formation of Krsna Consciousness Society. Take it now with great responsibility and everyone of you may serve jointly for Krsna's satisfaction. That is my request to you all.

I think you may reply this letter to me care of ISKCON, Tokyo, Japan.

Whatever mistakes that have been done in the past may be rectified. That is my request.

1971 Correspondence

Read our books, attend classes and go for street Sankirtana and in this way engage yourself in Krishna's business 24 hours. That is my request. Then you will be happy and your life will be a success.

Letter to Anangamanjari (Elaine) -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1971:

I am so glad to hear how you are strictly following the regulative principles, chanting at least 16 rounds of beads daily, and associating with devotees exclusively for the past year. That is our very strength in spiritual life, and if you continue to do so, then your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness is certain. Read our books, attend classes and go for street Sankirtana and in this way engage yourself in Krishna's business 24 hours. That is my request. Then you will be happy and your life will be a success. And you have got such an intelligent and enthusiastic husband. He is a good boy, I know. So give him all encouragement and assistance to execute Krishna Consciousness nicely there in Gainesville, Florida. That is your duty as wife, the better half of the husband. So do it nicely.

So work cooperatively with Bahulasva Prabhu and make our Chicago center a grand success. That is my request to you, so work in that way with full enthusiasm.

Letter to Urukrama (Jefferey) -- Los Angeles 10 July, 1971:

So go on with your devotional activities there in Chicago whole-heartedly and always depend on Krishna. Just like you said that you had been experiencing so many difficulties, but that is Krishna's mercy upon you to make you turn to Him more and more. So work cooperatively with Bahulasva Prabhu and make our Chicago center a grand success. That is my request to you, so work in that way with full enthusiasm. And stay strong in Krishna's service by regularly chanting your rounds, by reading our literatures, by going for Street Sankirtana, etc. In this way go on and you will be happy and your life will know success.

So work cooperatively, husband and wife, and make our Tokyo center most successful. That is my request.

Letter to Sudama -- Brooklyn 31 July, 1971:

I am so glad to hear that you have again come to your senses and are arranging for your good wife Cintamani to return to Tokyo. She is a very nice devotee; that is a fact. And it is your duty to take care of her and see to it that she becomes Krishna Conscious. So work cooperatively, husband and wife, and make our Tokyo center most successful. That is my request.

So you should all work cooperatively to push on this movement there in Texas and make our Austin center a grand success. That is my request to you all.

Letter to Sankarasana (Stephen Bridge), Parasara (Ron), Pulasta (Chris Pinkard) -- London 12 August, 1971:

Visnujana Maharaja tells me that in his absence, while he is opening one center in San Antonio, you three boys are maintaining nicely there in Austin. So you are all very qualified and you have been trained up under the expert guidance of Visnujana Swami. So you should all work cooperatively to push on this movement there in Texas and make our Austin center a grand success. That is my request to you all. Always be engaged in Krishna's business and stay fit in spiritual life by strictly following the regulative principle, by chanting at least 16 rounds of beads daily and without fail, by studying all our books and by regularly going for street Sankirtana. These make for our very strength in spiritual life and if you will follow them faithfully then your going back to home back to Godhead will be certain.

Your husband is one of my most foremost disciples. His life is very important, so take care of him nicely; that is your duty. He should live healthfully and peacefully, so see to it. That is my request.

Letter to Himavati -- London 27 August, 1971:

Always be engaged in serving the Deity; nice dress, nice jewelry, nice prasadam. Let Hamsaduta go for Sankirtana and take care of him. Your husband is one of my most foremost disciples. His life is very important, so take care of him nicely; that is your duty. He should live healthfully and peacefully, so see to it. That is my request. And together you should develop Hamburg center very nicely. There is certainly enough work there now.

Not for a single moment shall we be without ISKCON thought. That is my request to you all.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 1 September, 1971:

Regarding collections, all this collection must go to the building fund. Now we have got good beginning. R.D. Birla has given Rs 25,000/; B.M. Birla another Rs 25,000/ and Bajoria will contribute also. In this way if you simply catch 100 contributors each paying Rs 25,000/ then immediately our Mayapur scheme is successful. To find out such 100 men will not be at all difficult because it is headed by Birla and others will follow. So we have to pick them out throughout India—Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi and Madras. If we spend 25 to 30 lakhs Rupees then our Mayapur program will be a great success. So we have to do it. It will be a world center for teaching spiritual life. Students from all over the world will come and we shall revolutionize the atheistic and communistic tendency of rascal philosophers. So we must be responsible for this great task. Not for a single moment shall we be without ISKCON thought. That is my request to you all.

So take full advantage of this opportunity and perfect your lives; that is my request. Our process is simple. Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra daily, read all our books, go for street Sankirtana and in this way be engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours.

Letter to Sriballavah (Vin Fiocco), Pranaballavah (Bruce Webster), Kamalavati (Elicia Heller) -- Nairobi 13 October, 1971:

I can understand that you are all very sincere and very much qualified devotees and now by Krishna's grace you are engaged whole-heartedly in His service. So take full advantage of this opportunity and perfect your lives; that is my request. Our process is simple. Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra daily, read all our books, go for street Sankirtana and in this way be engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours. Then you will be always thinking of Krishna and in the end go back to Krishna, back to home, back to Godhead.

1972 Correspondence

That much is wanted, sincere men who will become very strong for preaching work throughout the world, on behalf of Krishna. Now you apply yourself to this task very seriously and become learned in all the aspects of our Krishna Consciousness philosophy and take this opportunity in this lifetime to go back to Home, back to Godhead. That is my request.

Letter to Radha-Damodara -- New Vrindaban 2 September, 1972:

I am glad to hear the nice report about St. Louis temple, and also that you are training yourself up nicely to be a serious preacher of this Krishna Consciousness movement. That much is wanted, sincere men who will become very strong for preaching work throughout the world, on behalf of Krishna. Now you apply yourself to this task very seriously and become learned in all the aspects of our Krishna Consciousness philosophy and take this opportunity in this lifetime to go back to Home, back to Godhead. That is my request.

Wherever you may be, it doesn't matter, but don't give up the principles of spiritual life, that is my request. You have become my disciple so I must request you to chant 16 rounds and follow the regulative practices of devotional service, and you may know it for sure that very quickly you will achieve the supreme perfectional stage of your life.

Letter to Mukunda -- Vrindaban 2 November, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 8, 1972, and thank you for your kind sentiments. Yes, I always think of you too. You are one of my first disciples, along with your wife, Janaki, so I am always praying to Krishna to give you His all blessings for bringing you back to Home, back to Godhead. Wherever you may be, it doesn't matter, but don't give up the principles of spiritual life, that is my request. You have become my disciple so I must request you to chant 16 rounds and follow the regulative practices of devotional service, and you may know it for sure that very quickly you will achieve the supreme perfectional stage of your life.

Attract the public to hear our views and plans for practical welfare for the common men. You are American boys and girls, you have got the best brains, now cooperate to place this Krishna Consciousness movement at the front of all others, that is my request.

Letter to Balavanta -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:

You want to place yourself for public office, that is nice. But that will require your best brain how to do it. Try to win, why not? Of course we may utilize the situation to expose our philosophy and ideas, but if there is also competition spirit, that will increase our enthusiasm to preach and try to convince the citizens. So if there is again occasion for voting race, why not invite and organize some of the other devotees in your country who have got some experience to advertise, canvass, make propaganda, like that, and they may come there for few weeks at a time to help you. In this way, make big, big propaganda. Attract the public to hear our views and plans for practical welfare for the common men. You are American boys and girls, you have got the best brains, now cooperate to place this Krishna Consciousness movement at the front of all others, that is my request.

1973 Correspondence

My Guru Maharaja used to be very much pleased whenever there was book distribution. So you just continue it solidly, that is my request.

Letter to Nityananda -- Los Angeles 17 April, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 14, 1973 and was very pleased to read of your Sankirtana book distribution results. That you are sending good amount to the BBT even you have smaller size temple is much appreciated by me. I am very much pleased how all you disciples are distributing my books. Just now Karandhara has informed me that he is printing new editions of Krishna Trilogy, Sri Isopanisad, and NOD, all 100,000 copies each, and Krishna hardback sets, 50,000. So I am very much engladdened by this news. My Guru Maharaja used to be very much pleased whenever there was book distribution. So you just continue it solidly, that is my request.

If you wish to live separately you have to earn your livelihood by business, by taking some employment to maintain your home and family. But not by chanting in the street; this is not a good idea for householders. For example, here at Bhaktivedanta Manor the boys and girls go out every day, including householders who are living in householder quarters within the Manor, and they go door to door and take some collection in exchange for books, and in this way we maintain the establishment. All over the world we maintain our centers by such begging, or selling our books. But this is not allowed independent of our established ISKCON centers, so please do not do it; that is my request.

Letter to Isvara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 17 July, 1973:

I beg acknowledge receipt of your undated letter and I have carefully considered the contents.

I can understand that you wish to remain as householders living outside the temple, and that you have bought your own cottage in Argyll, Scotland. That is perfectly all right. Narottama dasa thakur has sung that it does not matter whether one is sannyasi or householder, simply that one should be always in Krsna Consciousness chanting the holy name. So you describe that you have set up an altar in your home and you are offering prasadam, and this is all approved by me. One thing, however, is that living as a householder you cannot go into the streets and hold sankirtana and sell our books as a means of maintenance. Such sankirtana activity can be done with the devotees of our temple in Scotland, but cannot be done independently. If you wish to live separately you have to earn your livelihood by business, by taking some employment to maintain your home and family. But not by chanting in the street; this is not a good idea for householders. For example, here at Bhaktivedanta Manor the boys and girls go out every day, including householders who are living in householder quarters within the Manor, and they go door to door and take some collection in exchange for books, and in this way we maintain the establishment. All over the world we maintain our centers by such begging, or selling our books. But this is not allowed independent of our established ISKCON centers, so please do not do it; that is my request. As far as opening another center in Argyll, where devotees can come and live and where regular kirtanas may be held for guests, that prospect you can take up with Shayamasundar who is GBC for Great Britain.

For the present go on with your decision to live as householders apart, but concentrate on chanting and reading our books and always offering foodstuff to Krsna by prayers. Live blissfully and peacefully as husband and wife, and if you go on chanting 16 rounds daily, Krishna Who is within our hearts, will direct your further as to best way to advance more and more in progressive Krsna Consciousness. We must never forget that this present life is temporary and may end at any moment. So the purpose of our existence should be to become fully Krsna Conscious and go back to Home, back to Godhead at the end of this present lifetime. I will be glad to hear of your further progress.

Please do not leave Krsna. You will not be happy. That is my request.

Letter to Tusta Krsna , Beharilal -- Bombay 15 October, 1973:

News has come to me that you want to sell our temple to somebody else which I cannot believe. Even that you have been in charge of the New Zealand center, now you have taken it as your personal property and you have demanded from Madhudvisa Swami the price of the temple. This is all amazing to me. I do not know what is your decision. Tusta Krsna has already left and is in Hawaii with Siddha Svarupananda Maharaja.

I never believed that again you would go back to your old habits, giving up the Krsna Consciousness Movement in a whimsical way. Please do not do this mistake. It will be a great calamity for you. If you have any misunderstanding with the GBC member, you should have let me know. But I do not think there can be any misunderstanding.

When I was last at the New Zealand temple, everything was so peaceful and hopeful. Now all of a sudden you have changed that program and taken to your original ways? I am so much aggrieved to receive all this news. For Krsna's sake, do not do these things.

I request Tusta Krsna to go back to New Zealand and take charge of your duties, and when I shall go to Australia, I shall go to New Zealand and see things personally.

Please do not leave Krsna. You will not be happy. That is my request.

1974 Correspondence

I recommend as the best thing that you make a fresh start and stay here in India where there is such a great need. You English boys have good facility here, not having the visa trouble that the U.S. devotees have, so take advantage of this and cooperate with me in this way. That is my request.

Letter to Mahadeva -- Mayapur 3 March, 1974:

I think you should stay in India. Our Mayapur temple is better than any temple in the U.S. and Europe, and everyone is appreciating it as very gorgeous. So there is a full program here and I request you to take on duties here and do not go wandering around. I have heard of the report of your stealing from the temples, and Mukunda has requested that you do not go back there. Therefore I recommend as the best thing that you make a fresh start and stay here in India where there is such a great need. You English boys have good facility here, not having the visa trouble that the U.S. devotees have, so take advantage of this and cooperate with me in this way. That is my request.

Go on with your duties. That is my request.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 19 September, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 10, 1974 with enclosed report of the BBT Loan Accounts. Your resignation will be placed before the GBC meeting at Mayapur and a decision will be taken at that time. I hope in the meantime you will come to your real condition of mind. Your duty is to carry out my orders. There cannot be any question of resignation. If anyone surrenders to Krishna wholeheartedly and engages in His service he cannot say later on I resign. It is not something like material service. Once surrendered, it cannot be withdrawn.

So never mind. Don't be agitated. Any complaint may be put before the GBC meeting. In the meantime go on with your duties. That is my request.

On the whole if there is a slight doubt even, do not make attempt to purchase this land. That is my request.

Letter to Pranava -- Bombay 1 November, 1974:

Even if there is a slight doubt in this land purchasing matter, we shall not purchase. There must be no doubt. This man is legal-minded you say, therefore to my mind it is doubtful. It must be very cautiously examined. Mr. Maheswari must be satisfied, and he must issue a Title Certificate before the conveyance can be made. On the whole if there is a slight doubt even, do not make attempt to purchase this land. That is my request. We cannot risk the money as well purchasing some litigation.

So you stay wherever you are peaceful, but do not forget Krishna consciousness. That is my request.

Letter to Bhurijana -- Bombay 2 December, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 7, 1974 with enclosed check for Dollars 100.00. So you stay wherever you are peaceful, but do not forget Krishna consciousness. That is my request. I have received your check, and thank you very much for it.

1975 Correspondence

Six months in America and six months in India. Such a program of world touring work is very nice, and you are the competent person to execute this program. At the same time chant Hare Krishna regularly. That is my request.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Ahmedabad 29 September, 1975:

Your program of travelling to Europe and then by vehicles to India is a very good idea. I quite appreciate that idea. Do it. Come to India and preach. Six months in America and six months in India. Such a program of world touring work is very nice, and you are the competent person to execute this program. At the same time chant Hare Krishna regularly. That is my request

1976 Correspondence

With folded hands I request you, don't you become hippies again by growing hair. Keep your head cleansed at least once in a month. That is my request.

Letter to Ramesvara -- NEWSLETTER 26 November, 1976:

"So our request is that instead of chastising, with folded hands I request you, don't you become hippies again by growing hair. Keep your head cleansed at least once in a month. That is my request. Neither I can chastise you, I am an old man and you are young men."