Training of Batu Gopala dasa (Letters, 1971 - 1976)

Expressions researched:
"Account" |"Activities" |"BBF" |"BBFD" |"BBT" |"BKF" |"BTG" |"Back to Godhead" |"Batu Gopala" |"Batua Gopala" |"Batugopala" |"Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" |"Book Fund" |"Book Trust" |"Book Trust," |"Book" |"Books" |"Branch" |"Branches" |"Business" |"Center" |"Centers" |"Check" |"Checks" |"Consult" |"Consulting" |"Cooperate" |"Cooperated" |"Cooperation" |"Cooperatively" |"Dai Nippon" |"Debt" |"Debts" |"Deities" |"Deity" |"Deposit" |"Distribute" |"Distributed" |"Distributing" |"Distribution" |"Duty" |"Festival" |"Finances" |"Financial" |"Funds" |"GBC members" |"GBC" |"Governing Board Commission" |"Governing Board Commissioners" |"Governing Body Commission" |"Governing Body Commissioners" |"ISKCON" |"Initiate" |"Initiated" |"Initiates" |"Initiating" |"Initiation" |"Initiations" |"Iskcon" |"Kirtana" |"Language" |"Leader" |"Leaders" |"Leadership" |"Leading" |"Literature" |"Literatures" |"M-V trust" |"M-V" |"M.V trust" |"Macmillan" |"Magazine" |"Magazines" |"Manage" |"Managed" |"Management" |"Managers" |"Managing" |"Manuscript" |"Manuscripts" |"Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust" |"Mayapura-Vrndavana Trust" |"Meeting" |"Mission" |"Missionary" |"Money" |"Movement" |"Organize" |"Our society" |"Preach" |"Preacher" |"Preaching" |"Press" |"Print" |"Printing" |"Program" |"Programs" |"Publication" |"Publications" |"Publish" |"Publishing" |"Rathayatra" |"Report" |"Reports" |"Sankirtana" |"Temple" |"Temples" |"The society" |"Translate" |"Translated" |"Translating" |"Translation" |"Translations" |"Zonal" |"Zone"

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala (Ed Englehart) -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1971:

My Dear Batua Gopala, (Ed Englehart),

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5th July, 1971 and have gladly accepted you as my duly initiated disciple. Please find your beads enclosed herewith and chanted on by me. I have given you the spiritual name Batua Gopala Das Brahmacari. Batua Gopala was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya.

I am so glad to see that Krishna is giving you good intelligence in the matter of executing your duties, previously in Chicago as sankirtana leader, temple commander and treasurer, and now in Detroit as temple commander. Krishna says like that; that simply if you are endeavoring to serve Him sincerely, then He will give you all facility and intelligence for engaging in His service more and more. So continue with enthusiasm and Krishna will surely bless you and give you all facility for pushing on this movement.

I am so glad to note that you are planning a Hare Krishna festival in Detroit, on the order of the ones we held in India (Bombay and Calcutta). We had a very large tent, displayed our literatures, had kirtanas and arati ceremony for Radha and Krishna, spoke some on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and distributed prasadam sumptuously, and not less than 20,000 and as many as 40,000 came daily to participate; it was so successful. And our magic was simply this chanting and dancing; that's all. So you can do likewise in Detroit as far as possible and it will be a great event. Perhaps soon we can such big festivals in all the big cities in your country also.

So far your marriage is concerned, I have no objection, but you must agree that you will never separate but work cooperatively throughout your lives in Krishna Consciousness. This marriage ceremony is serious business and not to be taken lightly. You must remain strong in Krishna's service, then household life is very nice; otherwise to be cast adrift by maya's influence is a piteous thing. So stay strong in Krishna's service by chanting your 16 rounds of beads without fail, reading our literatures, going for street sankirtana, etc. In this way be engaged fully in Krishna's service and you will be happy in life and in the end go back home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Sukhasagari (Candice Kellepoury) -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1971:

I am so glad to note that you are strictly following the regulative principles of devotional life and regularly chanting 16 rounds of beads daily. Continue faithfully, because such chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is our very strength in spiritual life and will keep you always in touch with Krishna. And soon you will be getting yourself married with Batua Gopala Prabhu (Ed), so it is your duty as his wife to help him advance in Krishna Consciousness in every respect. So if you will keep yourself 24 hours engaged in Krishna's service, then surely he will follow suit. Make Krishna the very center of your household life and work cooperatively to serve Him to the very best of your capacity. Then you will be happy and your lives will know perfection.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Delhi 10 December, 1971:

These are all very nice boys and girls, and I have very much appreciated their attitudes of devotion and surrender as displayed in their letters to me. I have replied them under separate cover. Their beads, duly chanted by me, as well as three copies of Gayatri mantra and three sacred threads, also duly chanted on, are sent under separate post. Hold a fire yajna and give Gayatri mantra to Kaliya Krishna das, Batua Gopala das, and Ichhamati dasi. I think you have got a tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra, so use this tape. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear. So the fire yajna can be held for all six devotees. Also, I have sent beads of Sukasagari dasi, duly chanted. In cases when beads are lost, it is not necessary to give new ones to the spiritual master for again chanting. Once the disciple received the Hare Krishna Mantra from the spiritual master, that is an eternal blessing, whether these beads or those beads. If you recommend, then I also approve of the marriage between Kaliya Krishna das and ___ You may please thank them for the sum of $371.00 which they have offered me as daksina, and which has been duly deposited in my Book Fund account in Los Angeles.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- London 1 August, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 24, 1972 and I have noted the contents. I have turned the matter of your temple management over to Sriman Bhagavan Das in Paris, as he has some knowledge of the situation there. All these questions should be directed to the GBC members, as my desire is to simply translate, and leave the management matters for them to decide. Anyway, you can correspond with him in this matter, and he can advise you.

Upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept Elaine as my duly initiated disciple, and to give sacred thread to Audolomy. Enclosed please find one letter to Elaine, and one sacred thread for Audolomy. Her beads are being sent by separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for both of them, and give gayatri mantra to Audolomy. Show him to count on the finger divisions, and have him listen to the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra, repeating each vibration as I say it. You can get this tape from Bali Mardan Goswami in New York. Then hang the sacred thread over his shoulder in the proper fashion. One thing is that the tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear, and the function should be held amongst the devotees only.

Hoping this will meet you in good health. Please offer my blessings to all the others there.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Los Angeles 22 August, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents. So far the fire yajna is concerned, you can wait until Janmastami celebrations in New Vrindaban, and they can take part in that yajna. I am very much pleased to hear how nicely you are presenting Krishna consciousness through your radio program, and I think if you just carry on as you are it will be very successful.

By remaining steady in your chanting, always completing at least 16 rounds on your beads, and studying our books carefully, along with chanting of the Sanskrit mantras in Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, automatically you will become freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and gravity and steadiness will come. You can use your lust for the service of Krishna, and then you will be transcendentally situated.

You get the seed of devotion, and the Hare Krishna mantra through the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna. Similarly, upon your surrender, the spiritual master and Krishna take responsibility for your sins. So if you commit sin again, the spiritual master becomes responsible for your sinful reaction. Therefore, it is the disciple's duty not to commit sin again. Not only Gayatri mantra, but all mantras cleanse one from sinful reactions, but we should not chant these mantras and then commit sin again.

Upon your recommendation, I will be very glad to accept Sriman Paul Zarouny as my duly initiated disciple. He can take part along with the others at New Vrindaban. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Mayapur 22 June, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 15 June 1973 and I have carefully noted the contents.

Yes, it is pleasing and encouraging to me to hear how all your programs, book distributing, temple worship etc., are going on so nicely in our Cleveland Center. That you have distributed 10,000 pieces of literature in the last month is very impressive. It will take some time to convince the people of this highest philosophy and the only means to convince them is distribute our books profusely. By chanting Hare Krsna their rough hearts will be paved. And when we speak about Krsna it will be shown exactly like the cultivator who first of all paves the field and then the seeds are sewn and gradually they get the result.

On your recommendation I have accepted the four students in your temple as my disciples. Their new names are as follows:

Marilee Ash—Mrgaksi dasi

Harvey Mechanic—Mrgendra das

Dan Cunningham—Gatravan das

George Vutetakis—Gopati das

Have them send their beads to Kirtanananda Swami for chanting. You can hold a fire yajna for the initiates and invite many guests. Hope this meets you in good health.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Bombay 23 March, 1974:

I have accepted the devotees recommended by you for first initiations, and their spiritual names are as follows.

Dan McGready—Divyanga dasa

Michelle—Maharajani devi dasi

Paula—Pramada devi dasi

Their beads may be chanted on by Jagadisa Prabhu. Please impress upon them that their chant must avoid the ten offenses, and that they must chant the minimum 16 rounds without fail, and be very careful to keep themselves free of the four sinful activities. They are in your charge so you must set the example.

I am also sending gayatri and sacred thread for Rasikhananda das Brahmacari for his second initiation, and also Gauranga devi dasi.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Vrindaban 16 August, 1974:

My Dear Batu Gopala Das: I have received your letter dated 3/8/74.

Please accept my blessings. It is all right that you have remained there to do your duty. One should not leave a place if there is important business to do. That should be the principle. Here the temple opening has been postponed until the temple and asrama are fully completed. Yes, send the photos of your Deities, and I shall offer my obeisances.

Regarding the art of management, constant changing is not good. Even if there is some fault in management it should be corrected, not changed. Besides that, Vaisnava philosophy is that everyone is addressed as prabhu, or master. Everyone should consider himself the servant of the other. That will make management very nice.

Yes, you remain there in Cleveland permanently and manage it very nicely. That will please me.

Regarding the restaurant, you should not name it as you have suggested, but "Hare Krishna Restaurant." That should be the name. In each restaurant there should be the picture of Lord Caitanya, and the foods should be offered and distributed to the respected customers. There should also be a tape recorder playing the Sankirtana in mild voice.

Regarding the secretary for the Central Zone, I have now re-appointed Jagadisa Prabhu who has returned from India.

Regarding the devotees whom you have recommended, I accept them upon your recommendation and their initiated names are as follows:

John Haslett—Halayudha

Marjorie Haslett—Manovega devi

Chris Hayes—Khangi

Please see to it that they follow the regulative principles strictly. That is your responsibility.

You may send the photos of your Deities here to Vrindaban.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 21, with enclosed photographs. So Kirtanananda Maharaja has installed Deities. But without twenty devotees how you can have Deities? Your men are coming and going so why you are having Deity installation? You must have twenty devotees. Kirtanananda Maharaja, he should supply those devotees since he has authorized the installation. You can name the Deities, Radha-Muralidhara.

Regarding taking the Deities out on sankirtana as advised by Tamala Krsna Goswami, occasionally the Deities may come and go, however you can let Tamala Krsna Goswami guide you in this connection. Regarding having your wife do the management, if there are no men available then what can be done? But now there is some difficulty in the management there is no question of opening up any restaurant. Do not open any restaurant.

I am glad to see that you are living an ideal grhastha life. That is very good. The more you will become Krishna conscious the more you will forget sex life. Sex life is the original root cause of material bondage. When one takes to Krishna consciousness gradually sex at last becomes abominable, then he is fit to enter back to home back to Godhead.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Honolulu 1 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 27, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for distributing my books so enthusiastically. You are right. We must all become ideal in our character and then people will be very impressed with such purity. A devotee is faultless. He has no flaws.

I have accepted the devotees that you have recommended for 1st initiation and their names are as follows: Leon—Lilamohana, Virginia—Venu-Vilasa devi dasi, John—Gurugovinda dasa. Their beads can be chanted on by Kirtanananda Svami. Make sure that all of these candidates follow our principles very staunchly. Train them nicely by your own example.

I have also accepted Madhyam devi dasi and Vajasana devi dasi as duly initiated brahmanas. Their mantra sheets are enclosed herein. Let them hear the gayatri mantra through the right ear from the tape of myself chanting it.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Honolulu 12 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 9, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for selling so many books there. This is very much wanted. Try to sell again more and more each day. Regarding naming your Cleveland center, New Govardhana Hill is a very nice name. But as far as worshiping a Govardhana Sila from Govardhana hill, that we shall see later on.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Honolulu 17 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents. I accept the persons you have recommended for initiation (first). Their names are as follows, Bill—Bhama dasa, Brenda—Brahma-vadini devi dasi, Michael—Mahana dasa. Their beads may be chanted by Kirtanananda Swami. Also, I have accepted Divyanga dasa for 2nd initiation. His thread and mantra sheet are enclosed herein. Let him hear the tape of myself chanting gayatri mantra through his right ear.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Los Angeles 25 July, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 16, 1975, and have noted the contents. Upon your recommendation, I am hereby accepting the following as my initiated disciples:

Shombe Lumkin—Sri Lanka dasa

I also accept upon your recommendation the second brahminical initiation for Murari Caitanya dasa. His sanctified thread and mantra sheet are enclosed. Please have a fire sacrifice and impress upon them that they are accepting vows before Radha Krsna, the Spiritual Master, and the assembled Vaisnavas. The mantra should be heard through the right ear from my recorded tape.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Mayapur 18 February, 1976:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 31, 1976.

I accept Sriman Dhananjaya Pandit das for brahman initiation. You may hold a fire sacrifice and he should listen to the Gayatri mantra in the right ear from the tape. He can be instructed that the duty of a brahman is to maintain cleanliness. Internal cleanliness is always chanting Hare Krishna and external cleanliness is bathing regularly. You yourself must set the example.

Regarding your question regarding your household situation, that is not the spiritual master's business.