I am in due receipt of your letter of the 7th February and am surprised to note that temperature of New York has gone down below Zero and there was a regular snow blizzard for two days. Certainly this situation would have been a little troublesome for me because I am old man. I think Krishna wanted to protect me by shifting here at San Francisco. Here the climate is certainly like India and I am feeling comfortable but uncomfortable also because at New York I felt at Home on account of so many beloved students like you. As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there. May Krishna join us always in His transcendental service. I am very glad to learn that Eric has learnt Krishna Consciousness better than his parents. I thank him very much. This is the example of unsophisticated mind. The child is innocent and therefore he has taken the consciousness so quickly. And he appears to be previously practiced to such consciousness. Please help him more and it is the duty of good parents to help their children advanced in Krishna consciousness. I am glad to learn that devotees at New York are improving especially in the chanting on beads.
Two days (Letters)
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
So long as Hamsaduta and Himavati remain in N.Y. please see that they are well taken care of. There seems to be some difficulty.
I am a little disturbed to learn about your financial position as serious. I think you don't have to pay anything to Boston, as every center should be independent, especially when Satsvarupa and Rayarama are there. If printing BTG is too expensive, then revert to mimeograph. Unless positive gain, we should not take risk about BTG. You will be glad to know that for the last two days I am taking part in the cooking;
I am always aspiring after returning at your care and overload you with typewriting tasks. You have done this work always very nicely and sincerely and a secretary like Satsvarupa Brahmacari is a great fortune for me. I hope we shall very soon meet again and help each other in the matter of discharging Krishna consciousness engagements. I am now 90% alright and I think I can return now safely. This typewriting work is done by me. For two days I am alone and doing everything myself as experiment. This proves that I am now well. Please offer blessing to all the boys and girls there.
So your action was quite all right, but because we are in the public eyes we have to act cautiously so that people may not misunderstand. Anyway, forget the chapter, there is nothing to be lamented. If thousands of Kirtananandas or Hayagrivas come and go. We have to prosecute our real program being sincere to Krishna and Krishna-Caitanya. I am just ready for starting for America but as you know our competent government is very slow in action. The P-form was submitted almost a month ago, but still it is going under red tapism. The visa was granted to me within half an hour. The passage money was deposited within two days but unfortunately the Reserve Bank of India is delaying the matter unnecessarily. I expect the P-form at any moment and as soon as I get it I shall start for your country. I understand that you want Subala to go to Amsterdam but who will take care of the Sante Fe Temple? I think Subala and his wife should take care of the Sante Fe Temple, as much as Dayananda and Nandarani should take care of the Temple at Los Angeles. Once a center is opened it must be maintained. A responsible man for each center must be found out before opening. In your previous letter you wrote something about difficulties in our different centers, therefore you should be cautious before opening any further centers. Regarding Gargamuni and Karunamayi's problem, I have already replied and if required, you can see his letter.
1968 Correspondence
Please write to Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda whether they can distribute the records free to respectable Indian gentlemen, and collect some contributions for purchasing Deities, to be installed in our several temples. For the last 2 weeks I have received no reply from them. I do not know what they are doing there. I thought Jaya Govinda would be intelligent enough to cooperate with Acyutananda, but he is also silent. I do not know what to do with them.
The Canadian Immigration affairs is going on. After one week we shall know what the actual position is.
You have sent me two days ago copies of your letters to UNITED SHIPPING CORPORATION, and one letter to Mr. Renovick in Vancouver. But I have not received these copies. I do not know if they are missing delivery.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 3, 1968. I have heard about your successful execution of Rathayatra festival in San Francisco from so many sources. And I am so glad to hear the news. But till now I have not received any newspaper clippings, or photostats of news articles. I am very much anxious to get them.
Yes, this Jay boy has come here, and I have seen he is sincere in accepting this principles. I have decided to initiate him very soon. They have got a two days' engagement of Kirtana here in the expo pavilion, and they have agreed to pay $150.00 per day. If the two days' program is successful, then they may get more money and more engagements.
Yes, I have received Sriman Vinode Patel's letter, and I have replied the same also promptly. He appears to be a great help to your temple, and please try to keep him nicely. This is the sequence of Krishna Consciousness. He is a foreigner and belonging to a different country and culture, but Krishna Consciousness is so nice that one forgets his material designations and one tries to associate with similar Krishna consciousness persons. This is a Sanskrit word, is called Swajati Snigdha Saya. That means melted on the pure spiritual platform. We hope to bring everyone to such spiritual platform so that everyone will forget his material false identification and come to the real platform of becoming eternally the servant of Krishna.
So, I would advise you not to waste your time in such hodge-podge society, but follow the principles rigidly, and faithfully, and your life will be successful. You say that you do not really know enough about what they are following, because you have not assimilated the philosophy. But if you take the philosophy seriously, certainly you will be able to convince others. I am glad to learn that you are returning to Santa Fe, and I hope you will have good association there and you will be profitted by some sincere workers in Santa Fe. I am glad to learn also that you sometimes fast the whole day, and chant. It is a very good idea and you can follow this principle rigidly two days in a month, namely the Ekadasis. I have got always time to answer the letters of sincere souls because my life is dedicated for their service. So you are always welcome to send your inquiries. And I shall always try to enlighten you to my best capacity. You have kindly asked me what you have to do. That I shall tell you later on, when you are fixed up in our line of thought. So it is Krishna's Grace that you are going to Santa Fe, and try to assimilate our philosophy there, and then, I shall let you know what to do there.
Regarding London-yatra: (like Rathayatra—yatra means travel.) I am contemplating of forming the following party: yourself and your wife, Mukunda and his wife, Gaurasundara and his wife, Hamsaduta and his wife, Pradyumna and Upendra. Maybe we may have to change later on a little bit, but this is my contemplation. Now, I do not know how to make this program fruitful. Here I have gotten some encouragement by recent Kirtana performances in the Expo. For two days they have paid us $300.00, and maybe they will be required to perform Kirtana for a few days more. Similarly I have got one encouraging letter from San Francisco written by Tamala Krishna, that there is good collection in the Kirtana performances led by Mukunda. I have asked Hamsaduta to open correspondence with you to make plans how to go to London. I understand that he has got already 15 to 16 hundred dollars in this account. The thing is that 12 to 15 heads will have to go there. First of all we have to accommodate ourselves in a nice place. And I am so glad you have already written to Anapurna's father, and as soon as some plan is fixed up, we start immediately. It may be that we may not wait even up to the end of August. My special instruction to you all is that you practice Sankirtana very rhythmically and in a responsive way. That means one should chant first, and others should follow him. That is a very nice system. I understand from Gurudasa that you had some meeting amongst yourselves to chalk out the plan and I shall be glad to know what plan you have made, as he has mentioned this meeting in his letter, which I am replying herewith.
Please try to send one copy as soon as possible. you will know about my plan about London-yatra from the letter which I am addressing today of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtana party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtana in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtana. for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.
Your appreciation of the Rathayatra festival and realizing the beauty of Kirtana and Jagannatha as well as the magnanimity of Lord Caitanya in His sublime teachings, are some of the wonderful things that I mark in your progressively advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please try to continue this attitude and you will be more and more happy in your life, and at the end, get entrance into the association of Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna, both husband and wife, regularly, and worship Lord Krishna's Sri Murti, as you are doing, and try to elevate others in Krishna Consciousness, which has nothing to do with academic education; I therefore wish that instead of wasting your time for 2 or 3 years for taking a degree, you may increase your scope of activities for recruiting such boys and training them in Krishna Consciousness. But if your state laws do not allow it to hold any class without such degree then you must get such degree. On the whole you have got a very nice engagement for training children in Krishna Consciousness. And I think you are very fit for it. I am sure if you endeavor in this line of service, Krishna will be very much pleased and will shower His blessing more and more. You are very nice girl and I have got full faith in you and I wish that you can develop this line of service to the society.
I thank you very much for your letter dated July 9, 1968, giving a vivid description of the Rathayatra festival. I understand that Mukunda and Janaki are now living with you, but I have not received any letter from them. Anyway, I understand that Mukunda is leading now a nice Kirtan party in the streets, and there is good response. The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public Kirtan in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed Kirtan for two days, and it is wonderfully successful.
Your appreciation of the Rathayatra festival and realizing the beauty of Kirtan and Jagannatha as well as the magnanimity of Lord Chaitanya in His sublime teachings, are some of the wonderful things that I mark in your progressively advancement in Krishna Consciousness. Please try to continue this attitude and you will be more and more happy in your life, and at the end, get entrance into the association of Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna, both husband and wife, regularly, and worship Lord Krishna's Sri Murti, as you are doing, and try to elevate others in Krishna Consciousness as you are doing. These things are the right line of activities, and you must continue to do so.
I have just returned from a two days stay at our newest center New Vrindaban in Moundsville, West Virginia, near Wheeling. This New Vrindaban is under the direction of Sriman Hayagriva and Kirtanananda Maharaja and promises to be a great step forward for Krishna Consciousness in America.
It has a farmhouse and several other structures, well, streams, hills (govardhana, as named by Swamiji) pasture grounds (a cow will be acquired soon), ghat, pond, woodland, all situated on 138 acres.
Prabhupada has requested that 7 temples be established there. Its main activity will be cow protection and to show the world that simply by living with cows and land and chanting HARE KRISHNA a perfect society will prevail.
A great deal of work is required and Swamiji has requested at least four devotees to go there immediately. New Vrindaban lacks so-called necessities as hot running water and toilets, so that only stout and sturdy devotees are needed, especially those with carpentry experience and can do manual labor.
1969 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 31, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Patita Uddharana was here two days ago, and I had a talk with him about the situation you have brought up in your letter. There will be no objection if you can come here to New Vrindaban. The whole thing has been explained to your son, Patita Uddharana, so you may consult with him and do the needful.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 3, 1969 along with your beads and contribution of $5.00. The letter head stationery is very nicely printed. Your beads have been chanted upon duly and sanctified and are returned herewith. It is very much pleasing to know that Vancouver center is improving daily. Cidananda is a very good organizing leader, Ananda is a good soul, and you are also a sincere devotee, so combinedly together push on this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Surely you will be successful. Regarding the vows and chanting method you have adopted, it is very nice. But do not impose something which will be difficult to execute. There is no need of fasting once every week. Two days fasting per month on Ekadasi is sufficient. Besides that there are other special fasting days. Spiritual realization depends on austerities and vows, but in this age, by the Mercy of Krishna and Lord Caitanya, we need not undergo very severe penances, as we are unable to do it. The rules and regulations which we have already prescribed, that is sufficient for ordinary men. But as you have increased the chanting of beads to 25 rounds daily, that is very nice.
1970 Correspondence
Brahmananda talked with Gargamuni and informed him that one week ago the secretary of Mr. Klein's APTKO (?) record company called our temple and said that the check is ready for you, please come and pick it up. In response to this, Rsi Kumar went to that APTKO Co. and they wanted to give him a check for $1,900. (19 hundred). Rsi Kumar said that we were expecting a check for $19,000 (19 thousand). So the check was mistaken and he did not receive the check.
Then it is learned that two days ago the secretary of Mr. Klein phoned Brahmananda and submitted his regrets that the check was drawn wrongly as $1,900, and he would call him again for delivering the right check. But up to now there is no news from them.
I am just now in receipt of five tapes collected from Detroit. So I think all the tapes that were sent to Detroit and Boston are now within your jurisdiction. In the meantime, I also sent you L.A. Tapes #12, 13, and 16, and today I am sending #17. This means all the tapes recorded in L.A. are now in your custody. So instead of sending tapes anywhere else, the tapes will go regularly to Boston.
Now what I want is that one tape in two days must be finished for being composed. This does not mean that one tape has to be finished so quickly, but the arrangement should be made in such a way that after some time the process will produce at least fifteen tapes completely in one month or 30 days. The process should be in the same way as I have suggested for painting of the pictures. The process is like this:
Suppose on Monday you receive the tape number 17, let it be transcribed in two days by someone "A." Then in the next two days (days 3 and 4) someone "B" edits it. Then in the next two days (days 5 and 6) another "C" edits it for the second time. Then Mr. "D" gives it the diacritical marks, and then it is ready for composing.
With diacritical marks, one copy should come to me for my record. The idea is that this #17 tape takes 7 days to the point of composition. In the meantime, tape #18 is coming into the process just in the same order. So I receive the final copy of tape #18 just 2 days after receiving tape #17 copy. If you follow this process, then ultimately we shall be finishing one tape in two days.
Regarding my going to Hawaii, you are repeatedly requesting me, and formerly also I promised, but at the present moment I am terribly very busy. Brahmananda is in Japan for printing several books, therefore I am regularly making tapes for sending to Boston. Of course you can say that I can make the tapes from Hawaii, but there is difficulty that my whole library of reference books is here and it is not possible to carry them all. Therefore I have curtailed my moving. I shall go to the Rathayatra festival for one to two days only.
From other centers also they want me to go there. I have received letter from Australia to go there. So by the grace of Krsna now we have got 32 branches. From London also Syamasundara desired that I shall go there during Rathayatra festival. So I have curtailed all these programs, and I am concentrating here. So even if I go there to Hawaii, I do not think that I shall be able to stay there more than a week, and for which you have to spend two men's double fare. I therefore request you and Gaurasundara to come to San Francisco during Rathayatra festival with sufficient mangos, and you will see the Rathayatra, and I have got some serious talks with Gaurasundara and yourself for organizing New Navadvipa.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3rd July, 1970, and noted the contents. I am very satisfied to see how nicely you are rendering the transcendental subject matters of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the matter of painting pictures for our literatures. So I am very much pleased with your picture for the cover of The First Step in God Realization and if you continue to improve from this standard that will be very nice.
Yes, I would like each and every one of our books to have pictures as many as possible. That is my desire. Our KRSNA book with pictures has been very much attractive. Brahmananda took delivery of only 25 copies from Japan and immediately within two days all copies were sold. It is simply to the pictures. People become attracted with these unusual transcendental pictures at first, also even without reading the book they become inclined to purchase it. This is one point. Another point is that picture gives the explanation of the passage very quickly. So try to insert as many pictures as possible in all our books and other publications.
Regarding the picture for the cover of Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS, revised and enlarged edition, yes, if the painting for the cover is similar to the picture which you sent from the Bhagavad-gita in Pictures that will be alright. Regarding further pictures for the Bhagavad-gita, if you want suggestions from me then I can give you hints with reference to important verses in the Gita; but whether you will be able to draw pictures simply by taking hints from me?
1971 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 17th February, 1971 and have noted the contents. You have asked for some men so immediately another batch of two men, Revatinandana and Durlabh Das Adhikari are going today carrying this letter. Durlabh Das has got camera films and machine and so he will be very good for your work there, and Revatinandana is very well known Sankirtana leader. Next on the 28th February, 1971 all of us are going to Calcutta, reaching on the 1st March by the 82 Down Express reaching Howrah at about 4:30 P.M. My desire is that all of you should visit Mayapur at least for one or two days during Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's birthday. If the Hamilton House is available, then I shall also go and finish the business of paying them in full as they want. When I shall go, I shall go with full, money for paying them, but in case the transaction does not mature, then I shall not go to Calcutta but go to Bombay and you all my disciples may visit Mayapur and chant Kirtana as many times as possible and return to Calcutta. Most probably Hamsaduta and his party will go to Calcutta by the 10th March.
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.
I have just received the transcription and laid-out pages for tapes no. 1 & 2. It has been done very nicely.
One point though is that Jayadvaita writes that the synonyms for the last 18 chapters of 3d canto and the first seven chapters of fourth canto are not there. Where have they gone? I do not understand. Anyway, I have begun dictating the synonyms, and tape no. 6 was sent directly to Pradyumna. To finish these synonyms will take at least one month.
Arrangements are being made for us to leave for Detroit on the 16th morning. We will stay there for two days and then come to Boston for a few days also. Then we will go to N.Y. so I don't think there will be time for going to New Vrindaban just now. So Kirtanananda Maharaja needn't send tickets.
So far as ordering prints of Krishna from Jayapataka, all the GBC members here agree that it is not such a good proposal. It is much better, first of all, that these prints be gotten from us just as soon as they are printed up. Also it is much more important that you utilize your valuable time and energy to distribute our magazines and books. That is real propaganda work. And the householders can earn their livelihood by distributing our books also. That is one of the points of our new book distribution program and you can get more details from Karandhara or Rupanuga.
On Friday, 16th July, I will be going to Detroit for two days. So if you would come and see me at that time, that would be very nice.
1973 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 18, 1973. I was glad to receive the book distribution results from Toronto and especially the Vancouver Travelling Party. That they sold 100 Bhagavatams in two days is very nice. I think the Bhagavatam is now selling as well as the Gita.. So this is very encouraging to me.
Regarding initiations, I am pleased to accept the following boys and girls as my initiated disciples: Girijadhava Das (Gabor); Taraknath Das (Ted); Dustadura Das (Don); Kasiram Das (Joseph); and Jagatikanda Dasi (Janet); Atigarvita Dasi (Anne). I am also enclosing 12 Gayatri Mantras and 7 sacred threads duly chanted upon by me for the brahminical initiations.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 6, 1973 and have noted the contents. I am glad to learn that your festival preperations are well under way. My program is that by the 25th of October I shall go to Delhi for one or two days and then to Vrindaban up to the 8th of November. I will come to Delhi on the 9th for the festival, and on the 19th or 20th I shall have to start for Nairobi.
Only mediocre Indian men are joining and not the very intelligent class of Indians. But, Delhi is a nice place. Formally you proposed Sundar Nagar. What happened to that? If the book distribution facility is there, then it is a first class place. The more we distribute books, the more we get solid ground of preaching work. So far continuing the Deity worship after the festival, that is a very nice proposal. Try to give it a shape.
So between 20th to 25th instant I am coming to Delhi for going to Vrindaban. So I may stay in Delhi for one or two days, and then come back from Vrindaban during the festival. In the meantime please inquire if from Delhi to Nairobi there is any flight 747.
Bali Mardan is trying to get me a Mercedes car. So he has asked me who will be in charge of it in my absence. So I have suggested your name. So I think in the new building there is garage also.
Another thing, I want a diplomatic passport. Please inquire in this because I am always travelling, and this kind of passport will facilitate my travelling. I am a preacher of Indian culture, why they should not give me this kind of passport.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully. Next time you come to India, you must come to Mayapur in March, not only you but many others. Our Bombay affairs are almost settled by 90%. The conveyance deed is prepared and it will be signed within one or two days.
Now this displeasing of godbrothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it.
Now one thing for Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Appearance Day, I want that there be published one volume of Caitanya Caritamrta. You have got the Ādi lila from Chapter Seven onwards. So at least one volume must be published of 400 pages, hardbound edition. Copies must be there in Mayapur for distribution on the appearance day. So please arrange for this.
Another thing is that now my program is fixed up for going to Nairobi on November 23, instant, and from there I will return to Los Angeles via Rome. I will stop there for two days for meeting with the Pope. So I may request you to send one ticket for Pradyumna (P. . Sherbow) Nairobi-Rome-Los Angeles.
I have two days ago arrived at our Los Angeles Center after going through London and New York.
I have been informed by Karandhara Prabhu that you both are presently traveling and collecting money for our Vrindaban Project. I am very glad to hear this. Just today we have received a letter from Guru das that the construction has stopped there due to lack of funds. Somehow or other we must complete this Vrindaban Temple so in this connection we require at least $10,000 per month from the U.S.A. for one year. Karandhara can manage $5,000 per month for the BBT and M-V Fund so I request that you both remain in America for 1 year further and collect and send a minimum of $5,000 per month to Guru das for the Vrindaban Temple.
I understand that you are both anxious to return to India for preaching but at this time our preaching must be to first complete the Temple construction. After that is finished up then you may certainly return to India. You are both my older disciples and Sannyasis so I am dependent on yourselves for helping me push on this Movement in this way.
1974 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 18, 1974.
Your report is very encouraging to me, that you distributed 110 Gitas in two days in Capetown, South Africa. You also find that there is good preaching to be done there among intelligent Indians and Europeans. And for the people in general you can hold kirtana and distribute prasadam sumptuously.
So I understand you are now at the Bhaktivedanta Manor assisting Mukunda in strictly following the parampara and encouraging all the devotees in that direction. When your work is done there, you may return to South Africa, and I have asked Mukunda to help you with some men for South Africa. I am also very pleased with the reports I am getting from Brahmananda Swami, so please cooperate with him in Africa.
I wish to express my heart-felt gratitude for the kind treatment given me and my disciples, members of the Hare Krishna Movement on our recent two day visit in Tirumala. The special excess we were given for darsana before Balaji is something we will always remember favorably, and for my American and European followers it was a rarely given privilege for which they are fully appreciative. We all left Tirupati feeling very much inspired by the darsana and by your excellent management, and we hope to return when we are able again.
If there is any land available, either for purchase or donation, we would be interested in constructing a cottage for the exclusive use of members of our society when they make pilgrimage to Tirupati. Please advise us on the availability of such land.
I am spending my last two days in Australia and after this I shall go to the U.S.A. In the meantime, I wish to give you some instructions regarding our Janmastami installation in Vrindaban.
The main thing is the ceremony shall be conducted by our own men. We do not have to be dependent on taking help from persons who will not even eat with us, thinking us inferior. All over the world, in Paris, New York, Australia etc., our men and women are worshiping the deity very nicely and I am very proud of their worship. There is no reason why we have to think we are dependent on any Indian goswami in order to conduct our ceremony in Vrindaban. So you understand this and be convinced of it, and let them come as invited but we shall conduct the affair ourselves.
You can also arrange to have the Her Govinda dramatical players and our own players as well. There should be abundant prasadam for whoever comes all day long. The kitchen should go on. So see there is sufficient stock of rice, attar, ghee, etc. The life members should be especially cared for and invited. We shall manage our own affairs. If they come that is good but if not we shall manage. From our side everything should be done nicely.
I am here in Dallas, and after two days I am going to New Vrindaban, and then to London on my way to India. I will reach India by July 26th to arrange for our grand festival in Vrindaban.
I cordially invite you to attend our opening ceremony in Vrindaban because all of our sannyasis will be present there. You also come there as a regular sannyasi and take part. That is my desire.
I am here in Dallas, and after two days I am going to New Vrindaban, and then to London on my way to India. I will reach India by July 26th to arrange for our grand festival in Vrindaban.
I cordially invite you to attend our opening ceremony in Vrindaban because all of our sannyasis will be present there. You also come there as a regular sannyasi and take part. That is my desire.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 19/8/74 and 1/9/74 and have noted the contents. So you can fix up the Hindi High School Program as you have proposed, and we shall go. You can fix it for three weeks from now at the end of September. Regarding Kanpur program I could go for one or two days but in my present state of health it is hard to travel.
Regarding books supply, Giriraja informs that a shipment is due in mid September and they have already received the shipping documents. All titles have been ordered, and I have instructed Brahmananda Swami, Bhagavan, and Giriraja to take immediate steps. You must have sufficient stock of books. You can send your order to Giriraja, and as you are sending Rs. 10,000/- monthly, you should be supplied with the same amount of books.
I am staying now at Mayapur at the above address, and I was very much eager to see you in connection with your land that you have donated to our Society. Now we have to make a program how to develop the place to make it a nice preaching center in Orissa, and for this purpose your cooperation is much required.
I therefore want to see you personally, and it will be a great pleasure for me if you both husband and wife come here. It is a very nice place, and you will like to remain here for one or two days. I hope you can come here, accompanied by one of our men from Calcutta.
It is very good that people are pleading for devotees to come in Brazil. You should send some competent men there to help direct them and establish two centers there if possible.
As far as my coming there is concerned, I can come immediately. And the programs that you mention in your letter would be very nice. Try to arrange many such programs with all different kinds of respectable gentlemen, philosophers, scholars, educationalists, etc. We will be coming by way of London where we will probably stop for a few days. Also we will be stopping in Bermuda on the way from London to Mexico City for one or two days to have a program there if it can be arranged. In this connection we have contacted Rupanuga das. One telegram has already been sent to you to inform you of this and to request tickets immediately. If you have not sent the tickets as of yet please send them without delay. The tickets should be sent to the Quantas office in Bombay. They should be Bombay to London by Quantas Airlines, London to Mexico City by British Airways or Quantas if possible, via Bermuda and Nassau. The tickets should be open so that we can make reservation as is necessary according to our schedule. The tickets should be made out to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Paramahamsa Swami and Neal Gorton Delmonico. Three tickets are required. If you wire them to the Quantas office in Bombay it will only take a few days. If you can arrange nice programs in Brazil then I will also be very pleased to go there. It sounds as though the people there are very eager for Krsna Consciousness. So let us have a program there also.
1975 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 23, 1975 and have noted the contents. You are a very expert book distributer, so I do not want you to give it up altogether. If you like, you can also do some painting, but you should still distribute books two days out of the week (at least).
Always strictly follow all the rules and regulations, rising early, attending mangala arati and classes and without fail chanting 16 rounds daily. This will make you strong in Krishna Consciousness which is the most essential thing. Always be engaged 24 hours a day in the service of Krishna and be happy.
I thank you very much for your letter dated Feb. 5th, 1975, addressed to our Hawaii temple. I started from Bombay on the 24th of January, and then via Hong Kong and Tokyo, I reached Hawaii on the 29th of January. Then, I left Hawaii for Los Angeles and Mexico. From Mexico, I went to Caracas, South American countries, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, and New York. And just last night I arrived in London at the below address. Your letter arrived in Hawaii after I had already left that place and I received your letter redirected to New York only two days ago. So, just now, I am getting the opportunity to reply your kind letter.
A similar letter was addressed to Sripada Sridhara Maharaja inviting him, but he has not objected to the temple being open on the Srim Rama Navami day. Sridhara Maharaja on account of his uncertain health condition will not be able to take any active part in celebrating the ceremony, but he has promised to come provided his health permits. I have therefore entrusted the matter to a learned pandita, brahmana, Bhimasena Vedacarya, a great astrologer and learned brahmana. He has agreed to conduct the ceremony. Details may be discussed as soon as I return to India by the 16th of March in Bombay, then we will have a detailed program. Another thing is that I have invited the Governor of U.P., Mr. Channa Reddy and he has also agreed to join the ceremony. Under the circumstances, I don't think it will be possible to change the scheduled date. If we change the date, the Governor may not be available because he has his program fixed up.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 1st, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. I have also received from Madhudvisa Swami one copy of the Constitution that you have drawn up there. On my way from Melbourne to Honolulu, I will stop in Fiji for two days around the 22nd of May. Madhudvisa Swami will give you the exact dates of my arrival as soon as it is fixed up. When I come there, we shall discuss everything in detail regarding the Fiji program. I am looking forward to seeing you in Fiji.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 14, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the U.S. 226 dollars and the A. 50 dollars daksina. I am very glad to hear that you are keeping yourself busy preaching. Don't become a dead man. Always preach.
It is very nice here in Melbourne. The temple is very beautiful. I will leave from here on the 23rd for Fiji and stay there for two days. Then I shall go to Honolulu and stay for at least one month.
Here we shall observe the Ratha Yatra festival on the twelfth of July and grand arrangement is being prepared with the cooperation of the local authorities. The Ratha will be taken downtown to Chicago as usual.
So after making all these arrangements I shall have to go to go to Philadelphia where I shall attend the Ratha Yatra ceremony, and then I shall go to San Francisco where as usual our Ratha Yatra will take place for the seventh year. The Mayor of the city of San Francisco has declared two days local holiday for this particular ceremony. This will take place on the 20th of July. If you could have found the time to come to Hawaii, I thought I would take you with me to all these places and surely you would appreciate my humble attempts. I thank you very much for your appreciation, "A wonderful job in this country."
Sripada Sripada Sridhara Maharaja also appreciated my service. He said that Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) : prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama, would remain a dream only, but he congratulated me that I have done it practically.
It appears that in the Western countries there is a great demand for real knowledge of Vedic literature. So you are a learned scholar both in English and Hindi, and you can do this completely devoted to the service of Lord Ramacandra.
I have opened many temples all over the world, numbering 100. Enclosed herewith are some of the photos of some of the Deities in some of the temples.
Very recently we have established our temple in Vrindaban at a cost of 50 lakhs of Rupees or more. The Governor of U.P., Dr. Channa Reddy was present for two days for the opening ceremony. All the goswamis and sannyasis like Akhananda Swami all attended the ceremony. We have got a guest house there containing about 80 rooms, and the recent report is that not less than 500 men are coming daily to visit the temple. Prasad is being distributed to the poor, and others are purchasing prasada (pakki) to the extent of Rs. 100/- per day. We are selling our books also.
Now I wish to establish some temple of Ramacandra, Sita Ram. Of course it depends on the mercy of Lord Ramacandra. Therefore I am still requesting you to join our moveme
I am addressing this letter to your Indian address because I could not properly reply your letter earlier because your letter has been redirected to me from the many places I have been on tour. I am also sending a copy of this letter to your address in USA in care of your son. I am very anxious to meet you again. I am returning to India by October, and I am inviting you to come to our Vrindaban temple and live there for some time. I have got a very nice Guest House there, and I would suggest humbly that since you are already retired from service and your sons are well situated, that you may retire from your family life and live in Vrindaban in the vanaprastha order. Our Vrindaban temple is appreciated as the best in this quarter. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh stayed with me for two days recently, so at least for a few days you may come there and live with me.
Learned scholars like you are now needed to represent the cause of Krishna consciousness because without this consciousness the human society is doomed. So I require the help of respectable, learned scholars like you for spreading this movement more and more. According to the Vedic system this body is perishable and the ultimate form of this body is to become ash, stool, or earth. Therefore it is advised by the great pandita Canakya that the body should be sacrificed for a better cause. That is the idea inherent everywhere, especially in India. Everyone is advised to achieve the result of pious activities by engaging this body for such purposes. That is the greatest gain. According to the Vedic varna asrama it is compulsory that one retire from his family life and engage this body for Krishna's service at the end of his life.
"Now Bon Maharaja is prepared to make a proposition regarding allowing the construction of the Gurukula on two acres in his college property. He has assured us that the land will be registered in the Society's name."
I have received your letter dated July 15, 1975, and I have replied from Los Angeles. I am very much anxious to start this Gurukula scheme immediately, and as you have kindly agreed to give us the vacant land for our Gurukula, I am starting for India immediately by cancelling other programs.
From here I shall go to London for one or two days, and from there I shall take one Quantas plane which goes directly to Bombay in eight hours. Then I shall see Bombay affairs where we are constructing a very big temple and residential quarters. There are six houses of two stories already on a spacious land of 20,000 sq. yards. We have already constructed one floor more on each house to accommodate our devotees, and still we are constructing another two towers for receiving guests, as well as a very big temple in that land.
After inspecting for a few days how things are going on there, I shall go back to Vrindaban via New Delhi, and if you kindly give us the land I shall begin the constructing of the Gurukula building immediately.
| Page Title: | Two days (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 22 of Dec, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=43 |
| No. of Quotes: | 43 |