August 17, 1971
Berkeley
My Dear Locan Das,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12th August, 1971 along with the check for $10.00 as daksina. Thank you very much. Your ideas for toys are nice, but I don't think that is a very sound proposal. You have to engage your time in that way where you could better be selling magazines and books. That is better utility of your valuable time. Our Krishna Conscious children are not very much after toys and playthings. They are given from the very beginning beads and they are happy chanting in that way. So I don't advise you to do this since it will take up too much of your time. Anyway, do you think they would be saleable on the market? I don't think there would be demand on the general market for them.
Just this morning I received your charcoal portrait of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and it is done very expertly. This means you have got special talent for this. So you should go on painting pictures of the acaryas. There are so many centers that they can be sent to. I think ___ you will find more facility because there you can have your own room for painting whereas in N.Y. already it is so much congested. Painting requires some solitary place. Anyway, if you think that you will want the association of the N.Y. artists then I have no objection if you go.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/adb