I am very glad to hear that our Krishna Consciousness Movement is meeting with good success already in Oklahoma City. That is predicted by Lord Caitanya, that in every town and village Hare Nama Sankirtana will be well received. It is now an established fact that wherever we go, we will be well received. People are appreciating how pure are our devotees that they are able to abide by the regulative restrictions. Even in your country where sinful activities are the common practice, never the less people are respecting the fact that we are able to follow these principles, while they themselves cannot. So stick very strictly to these principles and chant regularly daily sixteen rounds and you will always remain the topmost position. Have nice Deity program, always have lots of Kirtana, serve ample Prasadam very sumptuously and speak something from my books. If this is done in every center our movement will very soon become the world religion as has now been predicted by one prominent Japanese philosopher in a newspaper here. I have been very encouraged by reports of how the books are being sold so how is the book distribution going on in Oklahoma City? Actually, we have opened our centers to facilitate the spreading of our literatures to as many people as possible, so please give emphasis to this program and try and introduce my books into all the schools, colleges, libraries, and bookstores. Just now Karandhara has gone to Japan to negotiate for the printing of so many books including softback Krsna Book. Bhagavad-gita will also be out soon. So let us try and see that everyone we meet must go away with at least some Krishna Conscious literature and our movement will spread very quickly.
Very soon (Letters 1972 - 1977)
Correspondence
1972 Correspondence
"Our Spiritual Master has given her this nice name." So now your first duty should be to see your children develop nicely. There is no doubt they are advanced souls, so simply being in the association of their parents and other devotees they will very quickly make advancement.
I am glad to know that you are continuing on work on the children's version of Isopanisad. We will require such books for use in our Dallas, Texas school. Please do this work very thoughtfully; Krishna will give you good direction in how to do it. I have seen today the slides of the paintings from our Bhagavad-gita. Many of them are super-excellent. If we introduce these books in all the bookstores, schools, colleges, libraries and everyone's home our religion will be the only religion in the world very soon. This prediction has been made publicly here in one newspaper, by a Japanese philosopher, that within ten years Krishna Consciousness will be the world religion. If you all keep preaching in such a pure way this will undoubtedly prove true. So as the wife of a GBC member you have got the responsibility to help your husband to maintain the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness both in yourselves and in all the other devotees in the Temple.
I thought it was nice and I therefore requested you to go and see it. But from your report that house appears useless. So we can stop the idea of purchasing a house in Agra. So immediately get land in Vrindaban and make a nice Temple. I will be going to Jaipur for our program which begins the 15th January and lasts through the 23rd January. So when I am there you may both come for two or three days.
So far the Radha Damodara Temple, they have occupied the verandah illegally. So we must have the entrance to the verandah. So I am trying to take some action in this matter and the result I shall let you know in a few days. So far Gauracand Goswami, don't bother him. Simply go and come and see that no interruption on my rooms is made. Very soon we shall take steps against Madan Mohan Goswami who has usurped my verandah and entrance. Most likely you will have to fight a case against him with the District Magistrate of Mathura.
I beg to thank you for your letter dated 1st January, 1971.
I am very encouraged by your enthusiasm for preaching. Your proposal to go for preaching to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ceylon, and China is very good. So immediately arrange for your Canadian citizenship, if it will give you more facility to preach widely. You are Sannyasi so preach in this ways and become parivrajakacarya. It may be that very soon I will ask you and Tamala to go to Bangladesh for preaching. They must be preached that this thinking "I am Hindu" or "I am Mohammedan", is not any solution. We want unification of Hindu and Muslim. unification of all faiths and peoples and the method is being done by our Krishna Consciousness Movement. The intelligentsia and leaders of Bangladesh must be preached to, and informed of the activities of our Society. Kirtana will soften their hearts. So this proposal of yours for preaching is very good.
Please take quotation for the printing of a Bengali book—page 5" x 3 1/2", with very nice paper and softbound, about 100 pages long. When I receive the quotation I will send you a Bengali poem that I have written on the Bhagavad-gita called "Gitargan." All of the pamphlets and small books which you mention you would like to print you may go ahead and do so. Try to collect cent percent of the funds needed for printing, but I will pay up to 50% of the printing costs. So print these books immediately. Send me quotations and descriptions of what you want to print. I am prepared to pay you up to 50% from the Book Fund.
So these are the first four sins which I ask all of my students to strictly avoid committing. Practically the entire population of the world is entrapped by these four sinful activities. In our Krishna Consciousness Society we are training our students up to the standard of brahminical culture. So the great respect we are getting here in India and throughout the rest of the world is due to these restrictions. Actually our students have surpassed the category of brahmana because they are Vaisnavas which means they are transcendental to any material position, and brahmana is a material order of life, part of the Varna Ashrama system. Many times I have been told by other so-called holy men that I should not expect that foreigners will be able to avoid these sinful activities. But I have never compromised in any way and as a result of our sticking strictly to our principles our position is unique.
So I hope that very soon you will be coming to Bombay to receive your second initiation. I will be going to Jaipur from the 12th to the 23rd January.
That is most important now. The Japanese people will make very excellent devotees, once you can explain to them our philosophy in their own language. I have seen the last time I was in Japan that the people have great respect still for spiritual persons. And the people are very intelligent. If you remain patient and determined, then it will not be too long before we start to have real success in Tokyo. Now learn the language, that is of first importance.
We have received the 50 sets of tapes you have sent and are recording on them daily. I have written Bhanu instructing him to go immediately to Japan, so very soon he will be coming. Is it true that Karatieya Swami has returned to Japan?
And you must all study very scrutinizingly all of the books so that when the need arises you can repeat in your own words their purport. Also I will be very pleased if you contribute articles to BTG. By writing regularly, what you read will become realized. As much as possible read, chant, and preach. This is our life and soul. If we keep to this simple formula then there is no doubt that we will be victorious wherever we go and very soon we shall become the only religion in the world.
Distributing literatures in German language is the most important task ahead, and it is very good your proposal to print locally—but why it was not done before? Anything local available is better, if the supply is regular. If you can arrange for that, then do it. I do not know why in Europe nothing has been done to print books. So many years you have been there, and still there is no literature in European languages. Why is it that you cannot find out some formula for printing nicely, I think there is no shortage of translators. Better if you turn your attention to this project immediately.
So far a list of all the festivals and how to celebrate them, that I shall send you very soon, within a month.
You have offered to send me any articles, but I do not want to overburden you at this point. Better you organize like Los Angeles, then I shall go there and open your center. But now we are purchasing a large land outside of Bombay city in Juhu for building up an International Hotel for people from around the world to come and get some spiritual life and at the same time enjoy a foreign country. Very soon we shall begin constructing the Temple there, and our devotees from all over India will come there to live in tents and build and collect money. For this collecting money, we shall require that some of our men go every day into Bombay some distance away for seeing rich men and persuading them to give something. And I think for this purpose a suitable van or bus from Germany would be very nice. If you like, you may purchase there and drive here in that van as soon as possible and then go back. Syamasundara has written to Karandhara that he may assist you in sending money to purchase, so you may consult Karandhara.
I am pleased that your distribution of literatures is also increasing. Go on giving this matter your full attention. The more books we sell, the more we ourselves advance in Krishna Consciousness.
Regarding your proposal to open one store, that is not a very good proposal. Our devotees cannot work in that way. Better they are preaching and selling books door-to-door. That man simply wants to take our men for nothing, create some trouble, then drive us away. This has been our experience. If the man wants to open such store and without us working give us some profit, that is all right.
I think I shall be very comfortable in your Cleveland center when I shall come there very soon. I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood.
I was just writing to our European centers that for so many years they have been there and nothing has been printed in European languages. This is not a very good sign. How can there be preaching without books? So I am glad that you are taking steps to organize printing of our foreign books. Please take this matter very seriously and print such books immediately.
I can appreciate very much that you are a sincere and intelligent boy, so I am certain that you are having no difficulty in managing nicely Krishna's affairs and making advancement yourself in Krishna Consciousness. Now I am trusting you all elderly leaders to do everything very responsibly and to the standards we have set, so that I may very soon begin translating fulltime. Thank you very much.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 12-22-71, and I am very much pleased that you are making such nice advancement in Krishna Consciousness and that you are always thinking in so many ways how to best serve the Lord. By fixing your attention in this way, worrying how He will be pleased with me, you will naturally very soon reach the supreme highest perfection of life which is pure Krishna Consciousness. You should be very serious for trying for it, as I think that you are one of my senior disciples and I am very much relying on you now to carry on this mission with full responsibility. We must become so responsible for seriously practicing this art of of Krishna Consciousness, because this world is so full of degrading elements of life for dragging everyone down and down, and if just a few men can perfect the art, they can save the rest of all the people from the greatest dangers. So I count you and your godbrothers among those few men who are treading seriously on the path back to Home, back to Godhead, and now we must maintain such exalted position and not fall back by neglecting our highest standards of devotional practices. In this way, what I have introduced into your Western countries, the pure love for Godhead process of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, will go on increasing more and more to have effect by saving others; otherwise, it will gradually become mechanical and fade away like every other so-called religious movement. So you can understand that I am very much depending on you to become very much convinced yourself of our Krishna philosophy and to take full responsibility for teaching others purely.
If you like you may join Kirtanananda's roving party for some time as manager, I have no objection. But if Hayagriva is requiring you to help manage New Vrindaban, and if you want to return there, you may also return there. In this matter you may consult Karandhara and the other GBC men.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 31, 1971, and with pleasure I have noted that you are rivalling the West Coast centers in the matter of selling books. But I do not think that anyone can do better than they are doing. But you may try very hard, and if you are sincere enough then you may be the biggest distributer of my books and then I shall surely come there to your Cleveland center to live there in that new house. When Krishna sees that His devotee is sincere, there is nothing He cannot do to help that sincere devotee to advance towards Him. So I am engladdened to understand from your words that you are serving Krishna very sincerely, and you may know it for certain that in this way you shall very soon go back to Home, back to Godhead.
So far the meaning of Gayatri mantra, you may refer to Pradyumna and he will help you. Generally, best times for saying Gayatri mantra are when the sun rises and sets, and when it is noon.
There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books—in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna's philosophy—but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? I have given you TLC, what need is there to read Caitanya Caritamrta translated by someone else. You are right to stop such reading.
You are setting the example of determination which others may see and follow. In this way, go on increasing and such sincerity is noticed by Krishna and He is helping you to approach nearer and nearer to His Lotus Feet.
The tapes which you have sent have been duly received, but I think we shall require many more before leaving India, so if you can provide in the same way as before, please do it. You may send marked clearly "Gift Parcel, No Commercial Value" to Bombay address. Each small packet may be marked "Value less than $2."
So far I know, Bhanu is awaiting some money clearance matters to be completed from the Reserve Bank of India and then he will be departing here very soon.
I am happy to hear that Karatieya Maharaja has returned to our camp. Now you give him all good counsel and friendship, and if he somehow develops some enthusiasm by becoming artfully engaged, he is very good boy and will be a great preacher. He always has my blessings.
I think that by now Karandhara is there, so he may write me his report, one copy to Bombay address, one copy to Nairobi.
I am in due receipt of your letter of January 2, 1972, and with pleasure I have noted that you are desiring to be personally present with me again, and I also am looking forward to seeing you all nice boys and girls in Australia again. Yes, you may be my cook when we shall meet at that time. Tomorrow I am flying to Africa for a few days to attend Brahmananda's festival in Nairobi, and I may even stay there for some time if our Mayapur program is cancelled due to government restrictions against foreigners in Nadia district. But I am sure to come there to Australia by springtime.
The Los Angeles temple is our ISKCON standard, so as far as possible you may build in that way. I have had many requests from many students for a list of holidays and festival days. Now we have got Panjika ___, so I shall be compiling such list very soon and I shall send you a copy.
I have received one very nice letter from your good wife, Citralekha, and I hear that she has now joined you there, so I may thank her here for serving me so nicely in India. She has learned a lot about deity worship I think, so she may train up the others there in Australia centers.
So if there is sometimes slight disagreements between devotees, it is not due to impersonalism, but it is because they are persons, and such disagreements should not be taken very seriously. The devotee is always pessimistic about the material world, but he is very optimistic about the spiritual life; so in this way, you should consider that anyone engaged in Krishna's service is always the best person.
I am very pleased that you are assisting your godbrothers so nicely. Yes, this is our real position, to be servants of the servants of the servants. And by your quiet and humble attitude, you shall set the example of Vaisnava so that all may learn from you, and very soon their puffed-up attitude will disappear and they will come to you and seek your advice in matters.
I am also encouraged that you are preaching to many businessmen acquaintances. That is very important work, so speak to them very frankly and with strength and conviction, and they will see, that even you are yourself a big businessman with high position and salary, still, you are a devotee, and they will also become devotees if you ask them. And if only a few of such big businessmen become devotees, they can change the whole world. So it a very great and responsible task, now do it very boldly and Krishna will reward you with all success. The secret is to engage everyone, even big businessmen; so at first engage them in some small way so they will not feel threatened, but they will enjoy that small service so much, automatically they will desire for more, and then gradually you convince them by strong arguments and engage them more and more, and then they will perfect their lives in Krishna Consciousness, and go back Home, back to Godhead.
Now you are being forced by Krishna to advance in Krishna Consciousness, because you must set the perfect example for all others to follow and be always very responsible and sober. I think you will have no difficulty, as long as our routine work is attended to nicely and the highest standards are maintained. Routine work means rising early, cleansing, chanting minimum 16 rounds, having kirtana, reading scriptures, deity worship, like that. Simply always keep yourselves engaged in these matters of regular activity as sincerely as possible, and do not neglect them for a moment, then your all other activities will come out successful, and you can be very certain that very soon you will find yourselves situated on the highest platform of perfectional stage.
I am very much encouraged to hear from you that you are teaching KC in the schools. This is our best field for making demons into devotees, so if you give intelligent presentation of our Krishna philosophy in all the schools and colleges, there will be no end of devotees to push this movement on all over the world. Simply demonstrate chanting and dancing, and induce them to participate, then give them nice philosophy talk, with questions and answers, distribute prasadam profusely, ask them to buy our books and magazines and study them closely—that's all. Try for this program, and that will help me very much. Thank you, for helping me in this way.
This Hindu religion has no philosophy, therefore it has died because in this age people have become very much hardened by material living and they are not much interested in sentimental religions like Hinduism. Sentiments are temporary and they always dry up. But what the people really want is a philosophy to give their life meaning and guide it under all changing circumstances—and the only philosophy available nowadays is profit, where is profit for sense gratification, or Marxism, or this -ism or that -ism. But none of these so-called philosophies have proven very successful in satisfying the people. Therefore, there is trouble all over the world, dissatisfaction, and people are taking to the only philosophy left or hopelessness philosophy. But our Krishna philosophy is bringing real meaning and hope to the modern people, we are opening up the dead churches and temples, so we may be certain that because our philosophy offers the substantial basis for everyone's life and the solution to all kinds of problems of miserable material life, that very soon the prediction of Lord Caitanya will come true and all men of the world will find shelter at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.
So I am very glad that you nice boys are helping me to revive the sleeping souls, in all parts of the world, and if we simply go on in this way, preaching very sincerely, following our routine work very strictly and maintaining always the highest standards of Krishna Consciousness, and by distributing more and more of books and literatures, then there is no doubt about it, that very soon we shall go back to Home, back to Godhead.
That is our most important program: to teach in the schools and colleges and distribute many books and literatures. I have just heard from Sankarasana that you are planning to close down your center there. I cannot understand why this should be done if there is such good field for preaching and if you are having a university course. Our policy is not to decrease, only increase, therefore I do not think it is a good idea to leave Austin just because you have not got a temple house there. Better to stay there and work very hard, and then Krishna will provide a nice house where you may open your center very soon. There have been cases of closing down, but only where the field was absolutely hopeless and there was waste of time. But Sankarasana does not think you should close down, and he has offered to stay as President, and from your report it appears there is good prospect, so I think you should remain there and preach with increased determination.
Upon the recommendation of Visnujana, I am gladly accepting you for 2nd initiation. One sacred thread duly chanted by me, and one copy of Gayatri mantra, are included in a letter to Satsvarupa, and he may come there, since Dallas is not far from Austin, and hold a fire yajna and give you Gayatri mantra. I think he has got a tape of me reciting gayatri mantra. One thing, the tape must be heard through earphones into the right ear.
Actually, that is our policy, once we enter a place, to sit down, then gradually to lay down and occupy everything! So because there is such good possibility there for preaching, especially in the university, then I am recommending that some men must remain there are work very hard to get a permanent center. If the preaching work is sincere, then there will be no lack either of temple or of devotees to fill it. Now you have sat down, and although you are squeezed a little tightly, if you push a bit harder there will be enough space, and very soon you will find yourselves laying down and occupying the big space!
I am especially encouraged that that professor has become my initiated disciple, and because he is very intelligent and has a good position of influence in the university, he can utilize this opportunity to serve Krishna very perfectly by influencing the intelligent students to take up this perfectional science. Also, he has got good income, so I don't see there is any difficulty there, in fact, very soon I think you enlist many students to help and have a thriving KC center. And if you like if I come to Dallas to see, I may also come there to speak to the students, as suggested by Sri Galim.
If you are able to arrange everything so that I can simply sit in my room and be seen by the world and speak to the world, then I shall never leave Los Angeles. That will be the perfection of your L.A. Temple. I am very, very encouraged by your proposal to flood the medias of your country with our Krishna Consciousness program, and see that it is practically taking shape under your hands, so I am all the more pleased. Especially it is nice that because they hear our Krishna Show the people are ordering Krishna Book. This is a very good way to induce the public for accepting our philosophy, because they are prone to believe and accept whatever they hear on the radios and televisions. Now go on in this way increasing more and more, and always stick tight to the point of our philosophy. We should not compromise in any way just to accommodate the public idea, but we can so tastefully present the real thing that we will change the people to accommodate us. Thank you very much for assisting Lord Caitanya so nicely in spreading this Sankirtana Movement.
When I shall come there very soon I will see how things are going on.
You may wait until I arrive there before installing deities. (5) So far foodstuffs offered do the needful. Whatever is available and also very nice, that is offerable, as long as no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onions, or other very objectionable foodstuffs are there. Salads are all right, and there is no condition on which type of rice, the best available under the circumstances, that's all. What matters is that everything is very nicely prepared and offered with great loving devotion, that is wanted.
(6) Yes, I have already informed Upananda (above) that I shall be coming to Australia about end of March or before, so you can expect an exact date very soon.
(7) Psychiatrists are humbug, all humbug. They cannot help. Best thing is to be engaged in continuously chanting and hearing Sankirtana, that will cure anyone of mental disease.
(8) Although there is no GBC man for Far East for addressing your questions, still, as I am now old man and inclined for philosophy and translating, I am asking my disciples to kindly give me some relief from so much administrative work and asking questions. I have appointed this GBC for that purpose, and you are also senior member, and I have given you already everything, so you please consult among yourselves if you have questions. It is said sevon mukha hi jihbado, sayam eva sphurat adah, or "By engaging one's tongue in chanting and taking prasada, simultaneously following the regulative principles, the Lord reveals Himself upon this." In other words, if you are sincere to serve continuously and always chanting, all such questions become answered automatically. I never asked my Spiritual Master one question except one: "How shall I serve you?" So in this way, kindly inform the others that I may be relieved to give you so many more nice books—that is my real desire.
Similarly, why not go from town to town throughout your entire area, even they may be small villages only, and hold such programs. This is real Sankirtana. Also you may inform the other centers of this process of going out to the surrounding small towns on preaching missions, how to do it nicely.
Because you are making so many new devotees and distributing so many books and magazines, therefore I can understand that your routine work is being kept to the highest standard and that preaching work is going on well. This I can very much appreciate. Now never let it slacken or neglect our regular program, and always you will be successful in spreading this sublime movement of Lord Caitanya's, and very soon you will yourself approach the supreme perfection of life.
I am in due receipt of your letters dated 14th and 26th February, 1972, and I had very much hoped to meet you in Mayapur to chalk out a programme for press work in future. But anyway I think I shall be coming to Delhi very soon to settle up our business in Vrindaban in two respects. First, concerning the Saraf land, I want to sign the documents before going to Bombay within a few days from now, and if there is possibility to lay down the corner-stone there I can also do that before leaving from India. This will please me very much and give me great relief to know that we have done something solid in Vrindaban before I leave, and the credit is yours. So I am entrusting that you can arrange everything very nicely about getting the deed prepared for the Saraf land, and you may also prepare one nice foundation-stone and we shall hold a public ceremony and lay the foundation stone. Second thing is, it appears that Madan Mohan Goswami has changed his heart and become favorable to give us the downstairs veranda and some rooms upstairs above my rooms in the Radha-Damodara Temple, so for that I expect to come to Vrindaban from Calcutta as soon as I am informed by Subala Maharaja and your good self, on my way to Bombay for our pandal program there in Juhu. So kindly go to Vrindaban immediately and make all arrangements for the legal documents and cornerstone laying-down, and if Subala needs assistance you may help him also, but one thing is I want to come there immediately, so go immediately to Vrindaban and send me cable when I shall come there. I must leave Calcutta no later than the 8th latest.
I am glad to hear from you that because there was some misinformation that we had got the wrong impression, and actually that everything is progressing in a spirit of mutual cooperation in all respects. This is Krishna Consciousness. Working together to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Practically now it is in the hands of you big guns to manage everything so that there may never be internal difficulties amongst us, and so that we may always go on increasing more and more the influence of Lord Caitanya's philosophy of Sankirtana process upon all the world. That will be your great achievement, and if you go on helping me in this way, you may know it for certain that very soon you will see Krishna face-to-face. In short words, I am very much fond of these booklets, now go on increasing.
I am also pleased to hear that you have eliminated all the book debts from ISKCON Press. I am very much pleased that you are working so nicely. Now you and Karandhara, along with Hayagriva, Jayadvaita and others, you conjointly think how to double and again double our books supply, there is no limit in this respect.
I have duly received, signed, and returned the MacMillan Co. contract to Rupanuga. Has he got it? Also you were to send me a copy of the contract for distributing our other books by MacMillan Co. also. Now Pradyumna is with me, so he and Syamasundara conjointly they will everyday prepare my night's translation work, one transcribing by typing, one with sanskrit corrections and synonyms, and they shall dispatch regularly to you.
So knowledge means to know only that Krishna is the Proprietor of everything, that Krishna is the Friend of everyone, and that Krishna is the Enjoyer of everything. These three things: Proprietor, Friend, and Enjoyer. If somebody knows this, he is actually wise. Therefore because the devotee always knows this, he is more superior person because he has got all knowledge. But even more important than the knowledge of Krishna is the acting upon that knowledge, or devotional service. By the acting he realizes his knowledge and becomes complete. So I am very much encouraged that all you young boys and girls are working so hard to please Krishna, and even I cannot give you any nice thing, still, because you have got some love for Krishna and your Spiritual Master, therefore you have given up everything for selling books door-to-door and working very hard in every way just to push on this movement. For your sincere helping me I thank you all very very much.
I have enjoyed your newspaper articles also, and in general I think that very soon your Cleveland center will rise above all the rest, so much so that I shall have to come to live there and translate for some time.
If you are writing poems and songs, that's alright, you can do it also, but if you can write articles for our Back to Godhead magazine, that is better, that is solid preaching work. No one should write songs of Krishna unless he is self-realized soul, that will spoil the value of the whole thing. But try to use your writing and singing talent for Krishna's preaching work, by writing articles, singing the kirtana, like that. Than you will be happy, and I think you should without further delay try to become devotees as the others are doing and live with us and practice the regulative principles of brahmacari life. In this way, become determined to fix your all attention for seeing Krishna face to face by the Krishna Consciousness process and than you shall qualify yourself for writing songs about Krishna and you chant always this Hare Krishna mantra you can come to the highest point of seeing Krishna very soon, you may know it for certain.
I am in due receipt of your letters dated March 22, 28, and 29, 1972, and I have carefully noted the contents. We are now in Australia and I am very glad to report to you that everything is going extremely well here, and I am much satisfied with the progress being made in western countries like Australia. Now in India you must develop things also very nicely, especially for attracting overseas visitors to come there and enjoy Indian special atmosphere of spiritual life. Our Indian boys and girls are not very much interested to become devotees, but I am seeing that these fair-skinned Americans and Europeans are like angels by coming to Krishna Consciousness increasingly more and more, and that very soon the whole world will become filled with such angels, and so I am very optimistic that if we continue in this way by sticking very tightly to our pure standards that the Lord Caitanya's prediction will very soon be realized all over the world. So I am very much encouraged by our program in Vrindaban, especially the plan to cooperate with Cox and King's and have guided tours for foreigners, to be led by you. The main point is to acquaint by explaining them about Krishna and trying to sell them Krishna Book. So receive them nicely, and do same work as the pandas do. We have got our panda there, so you can take help from him. you can take help from Purusottama Brahmacari also. Whenever you go out with the tourists, take one known panda with you. but sight-seeing is secondary. We may advertise sightseeing to attract them, but main thing is to give them nice prasadam and instruction, then try to sell them our Krishna book. Then you will be successful with this program. We are now propagandising Krishna consciousness, so that many here will be interested to come to Vrindaban. So just like there is Dalmia dharmasala for foreigners, so we shall now have also such place, and we may eventually get bus and offer all facilities to them.
I beg to inform you that very soon I shall be going to Tokyo from here, and I wish to arrange with Dai Nippon to send many of our books to India, via Bombay, for selling in India. It has proven to be very troublesome to send money from America to India, but you can get books as many as you like, sell them there to the public at large, and in this way you can raise funds for our Mayapur, Vrindaban and Juhu projects. So I do not know about our CCP license, whether permission further is needed to import these religious textbooks? So kindly enquire in Delhi what is the present position, and if there is further work to be done to get the permission, please do the needful and inform. I shall be sending the books very soon, so we should be certain that they will allow them without any difficulty like last time.
There is one Ish Kumar Puri, who is at the firm of Atma Ram & Sons, Kashmere Gate, Delhi-6, and I think you and Tamala Krishna have had some dealings with him before, and I think he has promised to help us in this respect, so kindly also visit him and take his help. In this regard, you please correspond with Mahamsa and Giriraja in Bombay, and with Bhavananda in Calcutta, and all of your work conjointly.
So if you like I can come there after leaving Hawaii, before coming to Los Angeles, where I shall end my touring. So we are going to Honolulu from Tokyo on May 6th, 1972, and I think we shall remain about two to three weeks in Hawaii, then we can come to Mexico City direct from there, say, near end of May. Is that all right? You may correspond with my secretary, Syamasundara, in this regard, and make all arrangements with him. I think we can stay in Mexico City about one week or ten days before we must return to Los Angeles.
I am sending one of our new sannyasis, Hanuman das Goswami, to South America. He is here with me now, but he shall leave by ship very soon, so if you have got any Spanish-speaking devotees there who can assist him in preaching throughout South America, you can tell them to write him here at the above address, and they can make arrangements to meet for performing this great task of pioneer preachers on South American continent.
So far your wife is concerned, you have given her one son, so that is sufficient—now she will always have some engagement to raise the child and train him in Krishna Consciousness, so you can be free to devote yourself more fully in spreading this Krishna Consciousness movement.
I have received one report from Bombay that things are going on nicely, so unless there is urgent necessity I shall not want you to go back to India. Rsi Kumar was anxious to go to S. Africa. I have already advised him to go to South Africa and if he's still willing I wish that he may be helped in that respect. My desire is that you be in charge of East Africa and he may be in charge of South Africa, and this way you both organize the African program very nicely.
Just now I am on the plane towards Hong Kong (Apr. 19th), where I shall stay overnight, and tomorrow I shall go to Japan. Our preaching in Australia and New Zealand was very successful, and in New Zealand we shall very soon have our own temple, as our new disciple there, Gaura Krishna das, has already given 3 acres of land in Auckland.
I am very glad to note that you are increasing always by enrolling many Life Members. That is the heart of our expanding progress in Africa, making Life Members, so go on like this and make many many hundreds and thousands of Life Members in Africa.
So far our books are concerned, Karandhara has just dispatched 5,000 copies of each volume of Krishna Book, paperback edition, or 15,000 books total to Bombay. I shall ask him to send you the full information so you can get CCP immediately so there will be trouble when the books arrive there. All books which we import will be invested in India, it is not that we shall sell and take the money outside. No, the money from sales we shall spend in Bombay, Mayapur and Vrindaban.
In Vrindaban we can begin this prasadam distribution program also. Of course, there are many chatras for distributing, but we shall give them also Krishna Consciousness, that will be unique. And very soon Tamala Krishna is going to Bangladesh, so he shall initiate a huge prasadam distribution program there, so I don't think your estimate has been too high—in fact, we may very soon have to increase it, as they are distributing in Bombay extensively, and if you begin that program in Vrindaban. Cloth also we shall get, enough cloth from Bombay and Ahmedabad mill owners, as soon as the public begins to appreciate this prasadam distribution. So kindly consider it very much important to begin this collection of foodstuffs from your government immediately for dividing among our India and Bangladesh centers.
Regarding Yamuna's questions, if possible, you can have all 8 Gopis of 42" height, but it may be cumbersome. There is one Asta Sakhi Temple there in Vrindaban, you may see how this is arranged there. Krishna may be black, Balarama of white, and the pose of the back of the BTG is very nice. You cannot get Lord Caitanya with all five of His Associates? Formal seated pose of me can be there, Visakha has taken photos for that in Jaipur, but one thing is it possible to be made correctly? If not, it is no good.
We must be very careful not to slide back into whimsically doing everything. You are GBC, and I see by the results of your being there that you are able to do these things, why you do not help Rupanuga and do them?
We have found Chapters 17, 18, 19 on one tape left by Aravinda, but chapters 14, 15, and 16 (part) are still missing. I do not know where Aravinda has gone, I have asked Bhagavan to find out his parents in Detroit and enquire from them. Or there is chance the missing parts are in a trunk we have sent from Bombay to Los Angeles. So I am very much disturbed that I shall work so hard and the manuscripts are lost. If they are not in that trunk, then I shall have to translate 14, 15, and 16 (part) again? Pradyumna is typing the chapters 16 through 20, so he shall be sending them very soon.
I want now that all of my GBC secretaries do my work. Let me sit tight in Los Angeles and write my books. Now you be always travelling here and there, visiting the centers in your zone, seeing how things are going on and how the students are making spiritual progress. That is our real concern, the spiritual progress of life. That is duty of GBC. Practically, this ISKCON organization is there because I have been always travelling. I never sat down in my old age, no. So you follow my example and preach widely all over the world, that is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's version. We are re-apportioning the GBC zones, so now I may ask you to go to some other part of the world to see how the things are going on, that I shall settle up very soon. Will you have any objection?
I am very much encouraged by the results of your re-organizing of temples, so go forward in this way, never mind we may sometimes have to concentrate in order to make further progress. I have heard from Srimati dasi that she has purchased your deities in Jaipur and they are being shipped to you from Bombay. Now I want the worship of Sri Sri Radha Krishna to be very seriously undertaken by you, and try to see they are always satisfied in every way. This is the ultimate in arcana worship, so the standard must be the highest. Kindly certify this will go on at the highest standard.
I am glad to see that you are trying for some cars for India. We need immediately some cars and vans. I was just talking with Gaurasundara how this can be done. I think Scindia has got ships to Detroit, so if you can find this out I can arrange for some shipping to India. You can contact Tamala Krishna in Mayapur for getting photos and information from him about our food-distribution program there and how we are feeding the needy persons in that area daily not less than 2000 persons. The USA government is giving us free foodstuffs and grains for distribution, so why such big motorcar companies should not also help if your government is agreeable? Even they cannot donate, we can purchase at cost price or for some token price, but immediately I want that some cars and vans be sent to India, there is so much need for them there.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 9, 1972, and you have done very nicely in the meeting at Navadvipa. You have done right, that is the proper spirit. Sometime ago you asked my permission for accepting some disciples, now the time is approaching very soon when you will have many disciples by your strong preaching work. Stick to the line of our strong preaching method and many misguided persons will be blessed by your proper guiding.
I have already advised Tamala Krishna Goswami to go to Bangladesh and if you also sometimes join with him and preach this Krishna Consciousness movement amongst the Mohammedans in Bangladesh, it will be a great service. So far the practical side is concerned, as it was possible to attract so many Christians and Jews to this movement in your country, similarly, it is possible to attract the Muslims in Bangladesh by administering the right medicine. So try your best and Krishna will help you. You keep in touch with me like this and I shall try to give you direction as far as possible. But it is a good attempt and we may continue the adventure, praying always Lord Caitanya may bestow His blessings.
You have been offered to be secretary of some committee to protest against Jagabandhu and others claiming to be incarnations. So keep that position, it will be a great credit for our institution. I am enclosing the copy of one letter I have sent to Golan Ahmand Murtuza for your consideration. Thank you very much for helping me in this way.
Now you kindly consult with your father and if you are serious to take up the matter, then I will send you the matter for your immediate attention. If you are interested to publish my works that will be very much suitable to me and profitable for both of us, But if that is not possible, you please introduce us to one nice press and we can print on our own account, and you can be the selling agent. In both ways I am very much anxious to revive the old connection.
Now our society is well known both in India and around the world and in India we have got our headquarters in Bombay, Vrndavana, Calcutta, Mayapur and very soon we shall have our center in Delhi also. Besides that we are exporting our Hindi books especially to Africa, Malaysia, Hong Kong and other places where there are Hindu communities in the world. So if you get opportunity to see any of our places either in India or we have got over 100 centers in other parts of the world, I cordially invite you to stay with us and see how the things are going on.
So kindly take this responsibility to heart and be always jolly and determined. Now you must be the perfect example for others to follow.
Yes, if you can get a new and larger place that will be very nice. Also, I am coming to London this summer for Ratha-yatra Festival and if all of the European devotees come there I shall be very glad to see you all again. Yes, you may name your new son Caitanya dasa. So now be happy and chant Hare Krsna and take Krsna Prasadam, and in this way you shall find your life becoming more and more perfect and you will meet Krsna face to face very soon, rest assured.
A gorgeous temple means many flowers, beautiful decorations, and prasadam distribution. Some sort of kirtana must go on continuously. Further, chanting 16 rounds must be completed, that is our spiritual strength. And I am very much stressing nowadays that my students shall increase their reading of my books and try to understand them from different angles of vision. Each sloka can be seen from many, many angles of vision, so become practiced in seeing things like this. If we are selling the books but we do not know what is inside the book, that will be a farce, especially if you are preaching and selling books to the students of Edinburgh.
Now I am coming to London very soon for your Rathayatra Celebration, and I shall be very happy to see you all, my beloved disciples there in England. You mention one very large festival being held there in Edinburgh from July 20 to August 9, so if you can arrange some big, big, meeting for me to speak there and address the public at large as well as the students, that will be very nice. One thing, I am already scheduled to speak in Paris on July 21, 22, 23, so if you arrange some meetings at the Edinburgh Festival, you should schedule them for last part of July or early August accordingly.
Yes, by having some faith in me and in this Krishna Consciousness process, that is the first and only requirement for getting actual wisdom. If there is faith, understanding will follow. And as your understanding increases, so will your disgust with the spell of illusory energy and when you voluntarily give up your entanglements in the material world, then the progress is assured.
I think we are just now typing up the tapes of those conversations we held in Mayapur, and we shall be publishing them into a book very soon. It will be called "Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers." I shall be sending you one copy as soon as they are ready for distributing. Meanwhile, I shall be stopping in New York for two or three days on my way to London for the Rathayatra Festival there. I am not certain yet when I shall be arriving in New York, but it shall be some time in the early part of July, and you may keep in regular contact with Bali Mardan regarding the arrival date, and I shall be very much engladdened to meet with you in New York once again. Again we shall discuss if you have got any questions.
Ahmedabad is a great industrial city. It has got more than 100 big, big mills and if all of the mill-owners and officers become our members, from Ahmedabad and other cities in Gujarat, such as Baroda, Surat, Dvaraka, Rajkot, like that, you can collect millions of Rs. Also, I remember in Bombay at Akash Ganga there was some invitation from some important persons living near Dakot in Gujarat sometimes before. Whether they have been contacted? If we can open a Center in Dvaraka or Dakor, that will be very nice. In Gujarat State we can open a Center in every city because the people are so much dedicated to Krishna. In Gujarat we can very soon make our movement very popular, because by nature they are devotees of Krishna.
There is no question of selling the flats, as you had proposed this idea before of our own men owning the flats and leasing or renting them to devotees. Somehow or other, all of our tenants should be our devotees, and we can give them concession rents, but they should be devotees and at least in our colony there should be no violations of our rules and regulations. Actually make it a Hare Krishna land or a pilgrimage for Vaisnavas and the Indian people in general. I am very much especially pleased that you have had such a nice meeting with Sumati Morarji. She is our old friend and benefactor from long years back, and always she has desired for us to live as her close neighbors. She used to tell me in Bombay two years back that she wanted we should build our temple somewhere nearby to her place. She also assisted Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara to try to find one house in Juhu for our headquarters several times. So you can mention this fact to her that now we have fulfilled her desire and we are living in close proximity to her, so she should take advantage of Krishna's blessing her with such an opportunity for serving the Lord by herself building our Juhu temple. Encourage her to attend the meetings every day, and if you make the Deity worship very, very opulent and gorgeous, she will automatically be attracted to them. She has no children of her own, so why not she should take Radha and Krishna as her Children? So you can propose gradually and tactfully that she can alone build up a wonderful temple in our property and we shall name it "Sumati Temple" or "Sumati Hall".
So because we are engaged in many fields of activity I am especially relying upon that knowledge of my GBC assistants and secretaries to manage everything properly. But if we do not take time to understand how the financial matters are going on, then at any moment we may experience some calamity due to our inattention to these matters. Therefore, you should try to keep yourself always informed how the financial matters are improving and keep your watchful eye on every feature of our Krishna Consciousness activity. That is also part of preaching work. I am also preaching daily. But I am at the same time managing everything, seeing the statements of accounts, going to the bank, giving advice on every topic, like that. Just now I have purchased one apartment house with seven apartments just adjacent to the L.A. temple and very soon we shall invest in similar properties. So practically there is no question of my neglecting the financial matters of the society, and similarly, you shall do as I am doing. That is your real business. So far your question, Yes, it is good to be prepared with a well-thought lecture in advance. However, we must be able to preach effectively at a moment's notice or under any conditions or circumstances also. As you begin to study the Sanskrit words, in each word you will find a treasure house of different understanding.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated June 19 and June 30, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Ksirodakasayi Prabhu has delivered to me the Check Book no. PGL 971801 to PGL 971850, as well as the Pass Book for Vrindaban Building Fund account. The Check Book please find herewith. The Pass Book and a further letter will follow very soon, along with an advice to the Punjab National Bank written by Ksirodakasayi.
I wish to publish with your firm less expensive editions of our existing English language books, keeping as far as possible to the high standard we have established, and also to print Hindi language books.
In this connection, I am requesting two of my disciples there to either correspond or meet with you to discuss the matter thoroughly. Sriman Gurudasa Adhikari, President of our Vrindaban ISKCON center, can supply you with all samples of our literature, etc. His address is c/o Radha-Damodara Mandir, Seva Kunj, Vrindaban, U.P. In addition, the editor of our Hindi publications, Dr. R. P. Rao, Reader-in-Chemistry, 20-K Hirapur, Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, U.P., will be contacting you very soon regarding the work in Hindi language.
After you have studied the matter thoroughly, kindly send me your lowest quotations for printing the books listed herewith. I shall be in London at the above address until the 20th of this month, and after that you may write me at my New York temple-headquarters, 439 Henry Street, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. 11231.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 10, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am very glad to hear that the building work is going on with full speed, including both day and night shifts of workers. Do not worry, I am sending you two first-class men from England, both of them have got good experience in engineering and building work. They are named Smarahari das and ___. They shall be arriving very soon in India, and you can train them to help you there full-time. Besides, you may ask Giriraja if Saurabha das can come from Bombay from time to time to assist you there and see how the things are going on. He is experienced man.
Regarding Gitar Gan, do it conveniently. Regarding Lalita Prasad Thakura, as I have advised Acyutananda above, unless he keeps his promise than we are not interested to publish any of Bhaktivinode Thakura's books. That animosity against Guru Maharaja is going on, so we shall have nothing to do with it.
I have received your letter from Dvaraka dated July 17, 1972, and with great pleasure I have noted the contents. I am very glad to hear that your Sankirtana party is having such great success all over Gujarat province and I am very much pleased upon you. This is actually Lord Caitanya's movement, this Sankirtana party for preaching and chanting. So do it nicely, and I shall try to help you as much as possible.
Hamsaduta has promised to arrange for getting one German van for your party in India, and he will send some men there by driving it to India very soon. If so many men are coming forth to offer you all cooperation, why not take collection from them for new slide projector? That is not very big thing, so I think you can manage. In Bombay they have got very big work to collect for their Juhu building scheme, so they may not be bothered ___ small thing of slide-projector, but I have requested Giriraja ___ give you all cooperation and whatever you want you give __ and I am enclosing one copy of that letter to Giriraja. __ likewise must also try to assist him and work together ___ for the success of our mission as a whole, not that ___ is more important than another—they are all important ____ work in that spirit and do the needful for pushing ____ all over the world progressively, you have got _____
The murti is already installed, and you ______ etc. I have already told you to do it. So ___ ____ to help you, why is this still going on? _______ But anyway I have written to Giriraja and we ________ prove. But one thing is, cooperation takes ___ ____ if we always see that it is my defect if no ________ me. In this spirit, try to woo Giriraja into ________ also help you both.
I told you at least two must sign, but in the last request from Bhavananda, even he did not sign, the letter was not even signed by one person! Try to be very careful in these matters at all times, we are doing very responsible work. And so far the maintenance, Calcutta is taking care, so there is no problem. Yes, you are correct, all membership and book collections shall be sent to Bombay, donations for maintenance may be kept there and spent locally, unless they are very sizeable, then they can go to Bombay.
Very soon you will be receiving many, many books. I shall instruct Giriraja to send you as many books as you shall require for selling there for raising fund for Mayapur project. I do not wish to send more funds from here, but we shall send you free of charge many books and the whole money collected from them may be spent in building.
I am glad to hear that you are purchasing more land for expanding. What about our former land purchased from some Ghose that is on the left side of our land? From so many wonderful varieties of vegetables, you will get very soon full of vitamins. Keep a cow, then there will be no question of scarcity or relying upon somebody else for your maintenance. Now you have got a big hall on first floor, so keep rice stock there to protect from floods.
I have handed over these copies to Mr. George Harrison who is enjoying them very much. Yesterday he has taken me to one 75-acre farm near London which he has found for our London asrama. If we take this place then I shall make London my world or European headquarters, and I am applying also for British residential status. I have cancelled the program temporarily in Nairobi for completing my business in London, so I shall remain here until the end of August, and then fly to New Vrindaban as scheduled.
I am very happy to understand from you that the printing work is going on prolifically, that is our first business, to print and distribute this Krsna knowledge very widely. I am expecting very soon the delivery of Bhagavad-gita As it Is* and you may dispatch many copies to England also. I am very happy to hear of your daily walk through that Brooklyn neighborhood with the deities. That is customary in India, and all of the neighbors come out and offer incense, garlands and other gifts for Radha and Krsna, so you may encourage your neighbors there to also make offerings and chant with us, and their lives will be very much improved.
I have received your letter from Vrindaban dated July 29, 1972, and I am not very much pleased to note that you are leaving our ISKCON Society forever. I have not received report from Dinanath or anyone else in this matter, so I do not know what is the real position, but such kinds of disturbances are not at all desirable. So you can come here and live with me immediately. You have nothing to do, simply chant and take prasadam. Do not be disturbed by the other devotees. Or, I am coming to India very soon, at least by October, so you please wait for me either in Bombay or Vrindaban or Mayapur, until I come back. Or if you cannot wait, you can come and live with me.
So never mind there may be some inconvenience in family life for the time being. Your husband is doing the highest service. You may assist your husband very nicely by concentrating all your time and efforts in raising your child in full Krsna consciousness. That will require all of your attention, and in that way you will be giving your husband the best assistance. This spot life is merely a platform for us to make progress toward going back to home, back to Godhead, therefore we should not be too much concerned with family matters. We are never alone in Krsna consciousness; you have got so many wonderful brothers and sisters who are really your family, and besides that the spiritual master is always in his instructions, and Krsna is there within your heart, so you need not feel you are ever alone. Make Krsna your husband and always think of Him, raise your child up very nicely, chant without fail sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna mantra daily, read Srimad-Bhagavatam at least one hour daily, and in this way without any doubt you will very soon become very happy, and your life will be sublime.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 10, 1972, and I am very much pleased to hear that you are making spiritual progress and you are more serious to attend to the real matter of your life. Go on in this way, reading, chanting, worshiping the deity, and offering the fruits of your labor to Krishna, and attend Mangala Arati at the temple and classes as much as possible, and very soon you will feel yourself becoming perfectly happy. This spot life is meant for becoming God conscious and there is no other purpose or meaning to life outside of this. So now you have got the right spiritual master, the process I've given you, so now it is up to you. If you really want to achieve the goal of your life, then become very serious to always pursue it at every moment and not be distracted by anything false. Sukadeva is the president now in Seattle temple, so if you can assist him in his management and other programs, kindly give him your help.
Thank you very much. Your ideas are not exactly imagination. It is factual, because the leaders of the society should have taken Krishna Consciousness in such serious attitude as described by you. The president of the United States, the Queen of England, the Communist leaders, all business magnates, all should have taken this movement seriously for the upliftment of human society, but because most of them are miscreants, rascals, lowest of the mankind, and lost of all real knowledge, they are still unaware of the importance of the Krishna Consciousness Movement. Indeed, however, it is our duty to enlighten them in different ways through our Sankirtana movement, so that one day may come very soon that they may be enlightened and take this movement with all seriousness and do the best thing for humankind.
I thank you for two checks, one for $111.00 and one for $5.00. I am so glad that things in Australia are settled up, and I am confident that Mohanananda is a good boy although for the time being he is little disturbed, but if a good devotee like yourself can entreat him on my behalf, certainly he will come back and join the movement with fresh enthusiasm. I am so glad to learn that your Sankirtana movement is going on nicely. In this part of the world also, we have got several buses which are going all over your country and doing nicely. Yesterday I have seen one Sankirtana bus presented by Rupanuga Maharaja, complete with kitchen, shower, and deity room. It is completely self-sufficient and can keep 8 to 10 men. Their program is to remain on the road going from town to town and village to village. Lord Caitanya wanted this business, so by the parampara system through my Guru Maharaja and my humble self, the matter is handed over to you. Now it is up to you American boys and girls to do the needful.
I think that you may come to meet me there and we shall discuss everything at that time. While you are in Philippines you can see how things are going there and then go to Hong Kong and other places in your zone for making inspection. Bhurijana and his wife I have also invited to meet me in Philippines.
So far Mohanananda is concerned, I have asked him to go to Bogota, Colombia, South America, for helping Hanuman open one center there. I think that would be his good engagement as he is expert in opening centers.
I am very much pleased to hear that you are distributing so much of our literature and books and I think if you go on like this that very soon you will become the number one book distributers in the whole world. At least I want that. I have already advised Caru in the matter of the legal business in Sydney, and I do not think there is any need for going to court and spending so much money. We are prepared to hold sankirtana on the street or in the jail, it does not matter, wherever we are, we are able to vibrate Krsna's name and be happy. So gradually they will grow tired of persecuting us and just like in London and other places we shall become established with our sankirtana party.
Thank you very much for your letter dated Sept. 21, 1972, and I have noted the contents with great encouragement. I am especially happy to hear that you have got one Chinese boy there who is doing some translating work. Yes, the Chinese-speaking portion of the world is very huge and it requires to infiltrate gradually, especially by distributing our literatures widely in Chinese language. So his service is the greatest to Krsna. Try to recruit any such local men there for helping you spread this movement in Indonesia and other places nearby, because it will not be possible to always import our men. Better is that you convert the local people and train them nicely in our philosophy and send them off for preaching party.
Now I am going to India very soon from Los Angeles and I shall be stopping for three days in Philippines, Manila* before going on to Delhi. I don't know if it is possible, but if you like you can come there to meet me. Otherwise, I shall be happy to visit you in Djakarta on my return from India next year.
All of this appears to be very complicated, and Giriraja is finding difficulty, from his letter I can understand. So I think you have to revive your position as GBC again and look after all the business of India affairs nicely. May Krsna bless you with all good sense. Your program submitted by you all jointly is tentatively accepted by me. Our meeting time in New Delhi will be informed very soon by letter and telegram both.
Regarding the Bharatapur house, try to convince the present king that everything will be in his name, that is, we shall name it ISKCON Bharatapur Temple or ISKCON Bharatapur House and we shall fix up a marble plaque in the front. For renovating we shall spend for all the three or four houses and they will be used for the same purpose, as a Radha-Krsna Temple and for accommodating foreign visitors and devotees. This movement is so great and ISKCON is propagating Krsna Consciousness all over the world, so why not Bharatapur Maharaja donate the building for this great purpose? They have lost their kingdom but still they have these buildings, so if they are given in our hand it will perpetually commemorate their nice gift to the ISKCON institution and thus to the world. We are purchasing a very palatial building in London and the Maharaja will be welcome to stay there as long as he wishes, or in any one of our places, especially in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, London, Bombay, etc. In this way try to induce him.
Syamasundara is in London now for settling up the London house, and he will fly to Bombay very soon on his way to meet me in Delhi, so why not take his help to finish this business?
I have read the clause 11, in the original Agreement for Sale and I do not find any mention of there being any six month time limit for obtaining the Charity Commissioner's approval, as you have told Syamasundara. So there is only some delay, that's all. That will not be sufficient grounds for him to rescind the contract. Rather, our position is very strong so long we are in possession and we have paid him the earnest money and more. So best thing is to consult Mulla and Mulla and proceed accordingly. If there is need to pay off the twelve lakhs, we can do it by giving him four lakhs immediately and the balance eight lakhs we shall arrange with Mr. Jayan very soon. But Mulla and Mulla have said it is suicidal unless there is settlement of the Chhaganlal business first. So we shall not be willing to pay the twelve lakhs unless this matter of Chhaganlal's lawsuit and the registration of the conveyance deed and payment of capital gains tax by Mr. Nair are peacefully settled without any risk to us. Try to fix up some arrangement acceptable to Mr. Nair for paying him, but we shall not risk that we may lose everything to Chhaganlal or some other of Mr. Nair's cheating dealings. So best thing is to follow the advise of Mulla and Mulla and stick to our position very securely. If there is no possibility of settling with Mr. Nair without any risk to ourselves, then we shall stick to the terms of the original agreement and take the matter to court. How he can say we have defaulted? He has purposefully delayed, so if we take the matter to court he must reply to these charges. One thing is, that the whole trouble is due to Deewanji's misdealings. He should be brought before the Bar Association and exposed. We shall deal with him later.
Now you have got one very nice Jersey cross-bred cow, so take care of her very nicely. Feed her nicely fodder and she will give more milk.
Never mind coming here, I shall come very soon to Mayapur and speak thrice times what I am speaking here. I am coming there soon to live with you, so do not be anxious.
Regarding the KLM Airlines, Syamasundara is corresponding with them in this connection and he shall write to you separately. We are trying to get one very huge and beautiful Palace of the Maharaja of Bharatapur, just on the Kesighat by Yamuna River in Vrindaban, and our devotees are living there now. He has promised to donate, so we shall know very soon if he is sincere. If we get this place, many many foreign tourists and devotees can be accommodated, it is so nice. So try to assist Syamasundara from your side to attract many foreign tourists to stay with us in India.
I can understand from your letter that you are doing very nicely and everything is going well. But you did not inform me what is the progress on our new building in New York, whether there is any new proposal? You have loaned London the $30,000 for deposit on their new place, and they shall repay you, but if you require some money for deposit on some new place in New York I can immediately help you. Now go on collecting very vigorously and distribute books as many as possible, I think New York is the best field in the world for collecting money, and very soon Krishna will give you suitable place.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 14, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. Yes, we shall base our preaching work on Lord Caitanya's formula: sankirtana. After all, He is God, and if He recommends, what is the question of failure? that is not possible. If we simply stick to this programme as I have done it since the beginning, namely, kirtana, preaching, kirtana, distribution of prasadam—if you do like this only that will be sufficient. Of course, you may make the kirtana as nice as possible, with dancing, many kholes, karatalas, conches, and if you preach sincerely, anyone will listen and become convinced. The potency of Krishna Consciousness movement does not come from some outward showing, no, it is the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Krishna Mantra and the words of Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, like that. So now go on and develop the things in this spirit, that will be nice. We are not interested to attract millions of men to see some show. Better we attract one sincere soul to join us in ecstatic chanting and hearing, that will be of real value. And distribute books, as many as possible. If anyone hears something philosophy from us, that will help him. But if he purchases one book that may turn his life. So selling books is the best preaching activity. Sell books, hold the kirtana in public places like schools and colleges, preach—if you practice these things, and try to improve them more and more simply by your practicing sincerely, that simple programme will please Krishna the most and you will see that very soon.
If only one person daily, if we sincerely preach to such one person in a day, that is sufficient, never mind big, big programmes. So my request to you is that you do not be bothered by these things, and I have instructed Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara to send you men, so they will do it, rest assured. Krishna does not like to see His sincere devotee suffer or become frustrated or depressed. He will not stand idly by in any such case, so do not fear on that account. Krishna has got some plan for you, always think in that way, and very soon He will provide everything to your heart's desire.
Yes, I have seen Vaikunthanatha in Ahmedabad and he appeared very sickly. So he may have to go back, that's a fact, but I shall send you some other good men to assist you. So far Dvija Hari is concerned if he is acting in that way, that is abominable. He has collected some money, so my direct order for him is that he should immediately leave Delhi and return to his country, using the money has got. He may go to Los Angeles and stay in the temple there, taking instruction and help from Karandhara. If he tries to commit any further harm to you or attack you physically, inform the police and have him arrested. Or he may use that ticket of Vidura and give Delhi temple the money he has collected, that is better idea. You may inform him like this. If he has got question, he may write me, but I think he should leave at once without further delay. In Los Angeles there is better facility for making film, that he should know.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 3, 1972, and I have very much appreciated hearing from you the news of your successes in preaching tour. You are the pioneers preachers in South India. That is very important portion of India, and there is much to do there in future, so you are paving the way. I know that you are both best preachers and you will not stand by idly and listen to any nonsense ideas or mayavadis. That is very nice.
My Guru Maharaja was also inclined toward his bolder preachers. Therefore I am requesting that both of you, with your party, join me very soon at the Hare Krishna Festival in Bombay Cross Maidan, at least you should come by January 1st. This is our big opportunity to emphasize our preaching strength to the big men of India and population in general. There is arrangement of "Questions and Answers" tents for the general public, just by the main street of the city, wherein we shall conduct throughout day and night preacing by my disciples by answering any and all questions put forward by the public. I think that you will enjoy preaching in that way, and I want to place my best preachers there for that purpose of defeating all challengers. Kindly oblige and do the needful.
So these books should be given at cost-price only, not wholesale price, and you may cash some of my bonds to pay the total cost-price of the above books to Dai Nippon and ISKCON Press. They shall pay me back here into one M-V Trust Fund Account at the rate of ten rupees per dollar, plus they shall give me some profit. So you may inform me what is the cost per book for each of the above, and the total cost you are having to deduct from my bonds. All books should be sent to India as quickly as possible.
Regarding the work of Pradyumna, now he is working very hard to finish those missing portions, and he will send you very soon. Actually, whatever else he may be doing, I very much appreciate Pradyumna's work. Everyday he gives me some solid work, at least something every day, so I am very much appreciating. I was in Ahmedabad preaching daily in the morning and evening for last two weeks, and at least ten thousand were coming to hear. From January 12th our second Hare Krishna Festival will go on in the Cross Maidan in Bombay, and Tamala Krishna and Syamasundara are planning something very gorgeous just to push on the preaching work. Meanwhile I am little resting behind the scenes for few days, and one Karatieya Mahadevia has been very kind to give us his place all to ourselves just by the seaside on Warden Road. Many big men of Bombay are coming to see me daily for confidential talks, and they are beginning to very much become inclined to our philosophy. I think in this place, it is very restful and there is no interruption, so I think I shall be able to increase my translations work.
That is the first qualification to attain the supreme perfection of your life: enthusiasm. If there is always keen enthusiasm for serving Krishna, and if there is also patience and determination, then everything will be successful. So try to every day chant as much as possible Hare Krishna Mantra, read our books regularly, and engage your energy for this business of building temple, making Life Members, like that, and then you will always remain enthusiastic, and gradually more and more you will feel yourself advance in Krishna Consciousness. In this way, you may know it for certain that you will meet Krishna face-to-face very soon.
Now I am in Bombay until about 23rd of January, at the above address, and we are preparing a very gorgeous Hare Krishna Festival for the Cross Maidan from January 12th to 21st instant. So I am free up to 10th January, so if in the meantime everything is settled up then I can go to Hyderabad and lay down the foundation-stone. So far books are concerned, I have told Tamala to send as many as possible so he will see to it. There is shipment of 10,000 BTG's in Bombay harbor, and we are waiting for CCP license to clear them, then part of that shipment may be sent you, immediately. Meanwhile, I have ordered 5,000 to 10,000 each of each of our books for India, so in future there will be sufficient supply. This distributing of books is our most important business. So I am very much pleased upon you that you want to help me in this way. Now go on increasing books distribution, and utilize your fertile brain how to do it more and more. Krishna has given you every facility, so if you use that facility and intelligence for Krishna, just to please Him by your preaching assistance, that will satisfy you completely and it will be the best help to your countrymen, your family, and to all living entities in general. May Krishna give you His all blessings.
Because you are so much qualified and advanced in Krsna consciousness, therefore Krsna is giving you great strength and pleasure is being derived by you from your working in this way. By this traveling and preaching in the schools, colleges, youth clubs, like that, selling books, this program is very very much appreciated by me, and I think that you are accomplishing more good preaching result than anyone. Yes, let the good men go with you to preach all over England, and the less advanced devotees may stay at the London temple and become trained up to the point of becoming experts and then they also may go out for preaching in traveling party. And I think if you continue as you are doing in this traveling and preaching program in British Isles that very soon the entire population of that place will become our good devotees of Krsna. I am very much pleased upon you for your working and helping me in this way. It is the highest achievement of this human form of activity.
1973 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 1, 1973, and I am very happy to learn from you about all of the progress in Vrndaban and Delhi. You are coming to Bombay very soon, so we will speak at more length when you see me. When you come we shall discuss with Mahamsa and Yasodanandana about the funds for Vrndaban building work. I am very glad to hear that Puranjana has been able to obtain the CCP Certificate for Rs. 2 lakhs. That is very important business. Without books we will make no progress in India, because practically everything we have done so far in this country has rested on these books. So I am very glad to hear that they are selling nicely in Delhi also, now try to tax your brain for finding new ways and better ways for distributing our books widely to the intelligent men of Delhi city.
Yes, when I used to live in Delhi the Americans purchased many copies of my Bhagavatams and they left standing order for any further books which I might publish in future. So you may approach them and they will take minimum 18 copies per volume, as per our former agreement. When you come here you can discuss further with Yadubara all these things, such as the Thompson Press work and other things regarding the books. I have made order from Dai Nippon for 5,000 of each of our big books and 10,000 of each smaller book for distributing in India. We shall henceforward concentrate our full energy in this program of distributing books in India. We shall not be very much concerned any more with properties and big big temples, now we have got our place at Vrndabana and our place at Mayapur, that is sufficient, now let us spend our hard-earned money for printing Krsna's books and distributing widely all over India. If someone steps forward to donate us land or building, that is another thing, but we shall not be very much interested to spend for that.
Your letter dated January 4, 1973, is just now received by me. Yes, we shall be happy to come that side while leaving India sometimes I think in April, and when we come there we shall install the Deities, after consulting with Brahmananda whether you will be able to maintain them properly. You may request Brahmananda to send me his opinion in the matter also. But I think we can install if you both agree. So I am sending Rsi Kumar, Yasodanandana Swami and Gurukrpa Swami from Bombay to Nairobi very soon, they shall reach there by ship, and they will remain with you for the month of February to help you prepare everything and enhance the preaching work amongst the Africans population. By March they may be freed for going to South Africa to arrange things there for my coming there also, after I leave Nairobi. You all big leaders make these arrangements however you think best, by your mutual consultation. But one thing is, you should send the three plane fare-tickets from India, I think we shall be at Delhi at that time, to Nairobi, and then from Nairobi to Johannesburg and other places, for three men including myself. Rsi Kumar has told me they would pay for some portion of the tickets in South Africa.
So kindly credit this amount to Rsi Kumar and debit his bill for the amount of $700.
Enclosed find also the copy of one letter which I recently sent to Rsi Kumar, wherein I have approved his request to get 15% discount on books sent to South Africa. Because it is a new field and there is more than 15% of import duty and shipping cost, it will be difficult if he has to pay the full amount. Therefore you may credit his account the $700 plus 15% of the total amount which is due to you to date. Very soon Rsi Kumar and Yasodanandana and Gurukrpa will return to South Africa to arrange the program for me to come there after leaving India some time in April. Meanwhile by 1st February I have received the tickets to go to Australia and other places from Madhudvisa. But I shall be returning by March 1st to Mayapur.
I have received your description of the books sold during three-day Christmas period, and I am very much pleased upon all of the nice boys and girls who have helped me in this way. I could never have thought it was possible to distribute so many of our literatures. Therefore I can understand it is simply Krsna's blessing us for your sincerely working on His behalf. Actually, that is the secret of my success, not that personally I have done anything wonderful, but that because those who are helping me are sincere, they have done the work, that is the reason for our success all over the world where others have failed. A little sincerity is very difficult thing in this age of hypocrisy and bluff, but I am so fortunate that Krsna has sent me all of you nice boys and girls who are sincerely working. Please convey to all of them my deepest appreciation.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice report dated the 20th of february and I have carefully examined the contents. Your plans for increasing book distribution are very good. If so many books are being sold then very soon we will be finished the second edition. Distribution of all these books is making a firm basis for our movement.
The educated gentleman you mentioned who has now become a nice devotee should develop into a very good preacher. Your policy of encouraging his chanting is good, gradually Krsna consciousness is developed, that is natural.
That London doctor that Kesava mentioned to Rupanuga Maharaja is bogus. Depend on Krsna and consult a general doctor. Nobody can guarantee life. It is a little hellish but without
Krsna nobody can be a saint or relieved from distresses.
Regarding Pyari Mohan, Ramacarya, and Nanda devi dasi taking second initiation, if you recommend, that's alright. But now they must keep very clean and never break the regulated principles. Purity is the force and if the people in general notice that we are clean both inside and outside that is to our credit. Regarding your last question, yes, you may call Their Lordships Radha-Gopivallabha.
Please accept my blessings. Am in due receipt of your letter dated 4/6/73.
I am still in New York, but if the climate is not suitable, I may be going to Los Angeles very soon.
Your program for traveling on the West coast holding festivals at schools and communes is approved by me. Especially you must try to convince these students to join us. There is nothing else that will save the world from destruction and it is our responsibility to recruit these young educated boys and girls before they become spoiled by the degraded conditions of this so-called human society.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 30 and am very pleased by the report.
Many students from America will very soon go there to learn the art of doll making as desired by you. It is better to go there and learn the art instead of the teacher coming here. Mayapur is already wonderful being the transcendental birthplace of Lord Caitanya. By utilizing western talents to develop this place certainly it will be unique in the world. As in Vrndavana we have named the temple Krsna-Balarama Temple, similarly I suggest that our Mayapur temple be know as Mayapur Candra temple or Mayapur Candrodaya. Whichever sounds better we should advertise from now.
I know there are many weavers who daily go from this side of the river to Navadvipa side for working in handweaving enterprise. So if we can employ some of them along with our own men for manufacturing first class saris we can purchase all these saris produced by you. Such small scale industries are also supported by the Bengal Government. Tarundada is in charge of such industry. I have consulted with Karandhara that we can purchase the saris and the government will be glad to cooperate with us for exporting Indian goods to outside of India. Similarly we can import nice dolls here. Gradually as our men become expert they can manufacture the same thing here. So Mayapur inhabitants can be engaged in such a small manufacturing enterprise as well as farming to become self sufficient. Side by side increase our spiritual consciousness by attending to the temple routine work, Deity worship sankirtana, attending class. The idea is we must have the necessities of our life as far as possible independently. But we should not be business minded. Our main business is to develop our dormant Krsna Consciousness. Side by side we may take to such enterprises as will maintain us very nicely.
And because we are not at the stage where we can chant and do nothing else all day, there are so many other engagements. So you have sufficient engagement there? Because if we are not fulltime engaged then the mind is free to do its fickle business of rejection and acceptance for sense gratification. Maya will immediately enter—we do not even have to call her—the moment we are not absorbed in Krsna's devotional service.
But if there is something further which is specifically causing you so much difficulty then please disclose it to me.
While writing this letter, your package has just arrived with various dried fruit and vegetable; so I have turned it over to my servant, Srutakirti and he shall be using it very soon in some of my preparations; thank you very much; How is Gaurasundara?
1974 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 3, 1974 and also the juicer. Regarding the meeting you propose, you may arrange it, and I shall come. For Janmastami I am already engaged here, but your proposed meeting is very encouraging. So when you expect me, let me know, and I shall make my program. The Indians there have been cheated by so many rascal swamis who have come simply to collect money and then leave. So our work will be done locally.
Regarding the plans for the temple, I have just now spoken with Saurabha and you shall be getting the plans very soon.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 24, 1974 with enclosed check for Dollars 500.00, color photos, building plans, and one letter and check for Dollars 50.00 forwarded by you. I was thinking that I have not received any check from Kirtanananda since considerable time passed, so immediately Krishna has sent the check. Thank you.
Regarding New Vrindaban I was very happy when I was there, not only myself but all devotees and GBC members all enjoyed the atmosphere of New Vrindaban, especially the cow protection scheme. May Krishna give more facilities to advance the cause of New Vrindaban, and I am expecting very soon to go there and live in my proposed palace at least for some time.
From the pictures anyone will see that you have organized New Vrindaban very nicely. It is just like Krishna's Vrindaban. Now they are happy in New Vrindaban both animals and men. Here in one picture is Kirtanananda instructing the cow to chant Hare Krishna. In another picture the boys and the cows are being taken equal care. Everyone is living very peacefully and eating very nicely. There is so much land. This is real Vrindaban life. In Vrindaban Krishna calls the cows each by his own name. When cows were purchased in the beginning I have seen them crying because the calf was taken for killing. They can understand. Not that they are animal and cannot understand. The neighboring farmers come and they are astonished at the nice preparations made from their milk. I see in the small cottages they are living very, very happily. The cows are grazing, and the male members are doing the work. Local flowers are used for the garlands. Yes, New Vrindaban is almost a small state. Some of the rogues are envious. Rogues are always envious when they see something nice. Even Hayagriva will not leave that place. He is living very happily there.
The plans for the palace are very nice. It is a temple, like Jagannatha temple. It is very calm and quiet there. I like it. In the beginning when Hayagriva purchased, I immediately gave him the idea of New Vrindaban—cow protection. On the whole our New Vrindaban scheme is successful.
I have sent you one cable on November 21 reading as follows: PLEASE STAY AT LEAST ONE MONTH DO NOT LEAVE IT SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED I AM GOING TO SEE THE SITUATION STOP BHURIJANA MAY ALSO BE PRESENT COPY MADHUDVISA—AC BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
So you have not acknowledged that you have received this cable. So you stay there in Hong Kong and struggle for Krishna. I received today also the Chinese literature On the Way to Krsna. One Chinese literature is 1000 times better preaching than worshiping in the temple. But we to have a place and the worship must go on. Without having a sitting place, how will people come to see us and talk with us? So try to distribute and publish as much as possible. I am coming there very soon, so please arrange for it.
If it can be continued why close it? The book you have published is real preaching. At least the Chinese will have some idea of Krishna. So I will come and see how things are going on.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 27, 1974 with enclosed Spanish BTG and have noted the contents very carefully and looked through the new Spanish BTG. This new BTG is done very nicely. The printing is very beautiful and I thank you very much for doing such a nice job. I am very glad to hear you have printed 100,000 copies of this magazine. Now give them to everyone. Also I am very happy to hear the other books will be coming out very soon. If you can finish Bhagavad-gita As It Is in Spanish and show me at the Mayapur festival that will be very sublime. Please print as many books as possible, this is my real pleasure. By printing these books of our Krsna Conscious philosophy in so many different languages we can actually inject our movement into the masses of persons all over the world, especially there in the western countries and we can literally turn whole nations into Krsna Conscious nations. Thank you for representing me there in LSS by stressing the importance of attendance to the morning and evening programs and following all of the spiritual practices. This is wanted. Without these things there is no devotional life. And by your example many others will also become strong.
Regarding my coming to Mexico City and Caracas, yes I want to come there very much. Now we are in Bombay trying to get permission from the government to build our temple. And it appears that we will possibly be getting the permission next week. If this works out then I will immediately be going to Honolulu and from Honolulu I can go directly to Mexico City, then Caracas, and then to Australia by the end of Jan. If the Bombay situation is not settled up I may have to stay till mid-Jan. or so and then in mid or end of Jan. I will be going to Australia to stay for one month. After Australia we had planned to go to S. Africa for two weeks, but if this does not work out then I could come to Mexico City and Caracas at that time. Anyway I will let you know as soon as our plan becomes definite. I am always anxious to hear your reports of new book publications and sales.
1975 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-1-75 and have noted the contents. I am very glad that you are eager to see our foreign temples and that you wanted my advice in this connection. So, I am now on tour and very soon, by the 15th of March, I will return to India. Maybe, by the 20th I will be in Calcutta and you can see me there. I shall advise you personally. You are also invited to participate in our Mayapur festival during Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance day ceremony, as well as the opening celebration of our Krishna-Balarama Temple in Vrndavana on Rama-Navami day. The governor of U.P. will also come there to participate and many other important and respectable gentleman will also be coming. I hope you will also come with your wife and son and mother, and encourage us by taking part in the festivals.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Feb. 12th, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. I am very soon going to London and I shall meet with Hamsaduta and other secretaries there. I shall seriously see that all such undesirable things may not happen in the future.
While I am in Australia (Melbourne) at the above address, I received your Hindi newspaper "Vraja-Garima," but unfortunately, I don't see anything written about Brajendra-nandana, Krishna. So far we are concerned, we are preaching the glories of Krishna throughout the world, to glorify Brajendra-nandana Hari. Our Krishna Consciousness movement is going on in the Western world very appreciatively. We have published about 50 books of 400 pages each and they are going well. Recently, we have received a report from our headquarters in Los Angeles, California, USA, how our books are being accepted by the authorities. I think if you want to glorify Vraja, as you like to say, "Vraja-Garimi," then we can co-operate very nicely. We can publish many books in Hindi translated from our English books, and distribute them to the Hindi knowing public, both in India and abroad. If you are interested, please correspond with me at the following address; where I will be going very soon: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 21st, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for the $200 (Australia) and your kind sentiments. From your letter, I can understand that you are reading my books nicely and understanding our philosophy. This is wanted. By reading my books carefully, you will become enthused to distribute them more and more in greater quantities. If you continue in this way being very much determined to achieve success in this lifetime, following all the rules, chanting at least 16 rounds, and reading my books, then all of your desires to advance in Krishna Consciousness will be fulfilled and you will surely attain spiritual perfection and be able to go Back to Godhead, very soon.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 24-5-75 and have noted the contents. Regarding Acyutananda's preaching, what is the use of criticizing Sai Baba and creating some enemies? Do not do this in public meetings. It is different to do it in a private meeting. You can discuss all details about the farm with Hamsaduta and then do the needful. He will be coming there very soon. Anyway I am forwarding your report to him for his information. Regarding registration with the Endowments dept., you can discuss this with Gopala Krishna.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 5, 1975 and have noted the contents. Regarding the Life Member collection, Rs. 20,000/- collected locally is not a joke. To collect so much from visitors is Krishna's grace. This is very good. If you simply please the visitors, you will get so many Life Members. Simply I want that by the local collection and the receipts of the Guest House you maintain everything. We are considering to get a temple in Kuruksetra, so the collection from Delhi may be employed there. So it is a good sign that the visitors are becoming Life Members. So follow this policy, and very soon your temple will become self-sufficient.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 10, 1975 and I have read the contents in entirety. So I thank you very much for your sentiments. Why not stick to Vrndavana. I am coming there soon and again we shall associate. Now you should extend your visa and stay there and stick to that holy place. Ultimately Vrndavana is our goal of life.
I am glad to note your program and that you are also studying Hindi. This is very good. I very much appreciate your service. In the kitchen you should please see that nothing is wasted.
Yes, you will be blessed by Vrndavana-Isvari. I am coming there very soon and things will be adjusted.
So one month you defeat him and another he can defeat you and in this way Radha-Damodara service will be increased by transcendental competition. This is very nice.
Regarding San Diego temple, from the pictures it appears very nice. So you can get this building. It is a good house. They are all selling to ISKCON, the Christians and the Jews. They are all going to liquidation. So take it without any doubt.
I am very pleased with the distribution that the new Dvaraka temple is going. When I hear of your advancement of devotional service by book distribution, it invigorates me although I am an old man. Although I am traveling all over the world, my mind is always in Los Angeles. So do everything very nicely so that very soon I may go there and see the improvement. The mrdanga-making is very important. The new bhaktas, they can be engaged in the mrdanga-making and also help Bharadraja with the doll-making. The nursery school program is very good. That is good that the mothers are being freed to increase their devotional service. It is not that women should only produce children, but they are meant for advancing in devotion. The sign Hare Krishna Colony is very good idea. You can add, the words Come and Join. Why are the French books not being composed on our own equipment? We have got so many nice machines there. I think it will be better if we do it on our own machines and save money.
1976 Correspondence
I received your kind letter dated March 7, 1976 which was hand-delivered to me. Very soon I shall be able to see you and talk. Kindly chant Hare Krishna, and follow the regulative principles, see the Deity in the temple, and take Krishna prasadam.
I am in due receipt of your letter with enclosed check and I thank you very much.
The only way that we can overcome maya is by seriously and sincerely taking shelter of Krishna. Daivi esa guna mayi mama maya duratyaya, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te (BG 7.14). So chant very sincerely and follow the four regulative principles strictly and very soon you will be able to find shelter from the miseries of material attachment.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3.6.76 which was addressed to Los Angeles now redirected to here. Therefore I am late in replying to your letter.
By reading your letter, it seems that you are very fortunate. Krsna has given you the best opportunity for developing your Krsna consciousness and certainly He wants to help you. Therefore He has advised you to approach me. As it is the desire of Krsna it is my duty to help you in every respect.
At present I am in Europe, France, and very soon I shall return to Bombay; the latest by the 15th August, 1976. My Bombay address is as follows:
Hare Krishna Land
Gandhi Gram Rd.
Juhu, Bombay 54
INDIA
I shall be very much pleased to see you in person in Bombay and certainly Krsna will give us the opportunity to engage you fully in Krsna conscious service. You are naturally a devotee of Krsna. Pray to Him always for help and chant the maha-mantra; Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Certainly very soon you will get all possible facilities for advancing in Krsna consciousness.
I thank you for your letter from Canada dated 1st September, 1976. I hope you have seen all our temples in Canada, especially Toronto where we have got the biggest temple in Canada. Very soon we shall have another big temple in Ottawa. I am hoping to stay in India for some months, and hope to meet you in this time.
I am very much perturbed to hear you are suffering from maleria in Delhi. So don't be worried, you'll very soon recover, but I think it is a hindrance for you going to Europe. I therefore request you not to proceed to Europe immediately, but stay and recoup your health, and then we shall think over your going abroad. In the meantime deposit the money in my account at State Bank of India, Connaught Place. Tejiyas knows the bank and he will do the needful.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 5/10/76.
Yogesvara is supposed to come there very soon to check on the situation and then report back to me. You may please keep in correspondence with him.
That is the way to introduce, the transcendental sound vibration will act. Utilize this approach. Gradually try to convince them that this movement is the perfection of Communism. Go on singing Krsna kirtana. That is our program. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to go out chanting. He never spoke philosophy in public, only among higher circles. The chanting is very effective. Along with tampura and mrdanga played very rhythmically let them chant. Perform this musical demonstration and sell books as far as possible, and feasting. Then everything will be successful. It is good that they do not like these bogus yogis and they like Hare Krsna mantra. Give them the chance to chant the Hare Krsna maha mantra somehow or other, then very soon good results will be visible.
I am not very much in favor of Gurudasa coming here. Let him know that his former wife, Yamuna, is here, therefore he should not come. Why is he so adamant to come here. He can come later during the Mayapur festival. Why doesn't he join with you until Mayapur at least?
I'm very much pleased for your proposal to devote your life for Krishna's service. You are a qualified man. Anyone can become a pure devotee by engaging himself in the business of glorifying the Supreme Lord (Sankirtana movement). So long we have got this material body the problems of birth, death, old age, and disease will continue. Therefore, to help the devotees when they're in bodily ailments is also a great great service. If you so desire you can join our Movement. We have got very good centers, especially in Mayapur, Bombay, Sri Vrindaban, Hyderabad, etc. If you decide to join, we can give you all facilities for rendering this service. At present I am staying at Hyderabad center and very soon I shall go to Bombay by the end of the month. Our Bombay address is as follows: Hare Krishna Land, Juhu Road, Juhu, Bombay 400 054. I shall be glad to hear from you. Thanking you once more for your offering service to Lord Krishna.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4/12/76.
Regarding the construction of the boundary wall you may consult with Jayapataka Swami and Bhavananda Goswami. They'll do the needful, I have already advised them. Please work very closely with them in all matters.
Hoping this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
very soon I shall go to Bombay and send you the new plan.
1977 Correspondence
You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.' " (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Ch. 8 Text 67)
The purport is, don't become over intelligent. Just hear from the self-realized soul. If you sincerely, seriously hear from the realized soul, then one day, although nobody can conquer Him, you will be able to conquer Krsna.
It is very good news that the temple will be ready in late March. I have now instructed Ramesvara Swami and Bali Mardan dasa Adhikari, who I have sent to Australia to help manage there, to make all the final arrangements for the Deities, pujaris, etc. Ramesvara will contact you very soon about these details. So far my going for the opening of the temple, and installing the Deities, if my health is physically fit, then I can come in late April or early May, and if the temple can be opened then. So please go on and do everything nicely and I will try to see you then.
They will provide immense funds for this purpose, because they have got interest for improving Indian and Chinese relations for their business. So preach widely and enthusiasically to Chinese population, especially to the young people, and they may not respond quickly, but they are very sober-minded, when they decide to join us that will be fixed decision. So in this way go on and make some Chinese devotees, then they will manage things and spread further to other places in China. After all, a large portion of the earth's population is Chinese origin, so why should we neglect them? If you can turn only one or two men to be devotees, they can do the rest themselves. There is one boy here in India, I think he is going to Malaysia very soon, Lalita Krsna, and he is Chinese boy. Why not invite him there to help you open nice center in the Chinese neighborhood so the preaching will go on? Otherwise you yourself consulting Madhudvisa Swami, try to make some solution to the problem. If we cannot persuade at least one local man to come forward, then we have missed the point. But if you try for that, praying to Krsna for helping you remain strong, He does not like to see His devotees upset or frustrated, so if you are determined and sincere Krsna will do everything, you needn't worry for anything. At least one will come out to take up Krsna's mission, that is sure.
You can leave it if you wish, but Laksmi-Narayana would be better.
B.G. 16/5&21. Radha and Krsna may remain. Similarly with B.G. 15/1-2. Introduction, pp.34 is also all right.
So all your questions are good sign. You are always welcome to question me. It is my duty to guide you also, and I am always prepared. How else you will do your work? And this is also utilization of my valuable time, to give you suggestions. So far as Mahabharata is concerned, there is a Hindi translation, but I do not know of any English translation. But never mind. You can go on asking me as you have done in the past.
Please offer my full blessings to all the artists there working with you. I am so much pleased upon you all and very soon I shall be going to N.Y. and thank you all personally also.
| Page Title: | Very soon (Letters 1972 - 1977) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 17 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=94 |
| No. of Quotes: | 94 |