Prabhupada and Palika devi dasi

Expressions researched:
"Palika" |"Palika's"

Notes from the compiler: Quote not yet compiled from: Letter to: ISKCON New York: Bhavananda and others--15 August 1971

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Past is all right. Have you received any news from Bombay?

Brahmānanda: Yes, there's two letter from Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. Pālikā brought them. Pālikā has come.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So what is the position there?

Brahmānanda: Well, I haven't read the letters yet, but she was saying that on the whole Mr. Matri now is diminishing. They have met with his superior in the party, and the superior is very much, he's not happy with Mr. Matri's activities and his reputation, and he says that in the forthcoming election he may not even put him on the election ballot.

Prabhupāda: That will be right punishment for him. Then he will understand. That will be more than death. Yes. Politicians, if they are refused political seat, that is more than death.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Prabhupāda: And what about the N.O.C.? No-Objection Certificate?

Brahmānanda: I don't know the details, but Pālikā said that they are..., the holes have been dug and they're expecting to put the foundation in before the monsoon. And that there was some attempt to stop the some digging. but that has been defeated. When I was there there was question about getting the No-Objection Certificate for the already-existing temple.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Hayagrīva: But before you send them, make a tape, make a recording of them so you can check them over if you want to check them over. 'Cause I don't have time to do that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So taping, recording, that does not take much time.

Hayagrīva: No. Somebody can do that for you.

Prabhupāda: You can keep it and record. Yes. So manage in that way. We have to train so many things. So tactfully you have to do that.

Hayagrīva: Then he does the first editing. After it's typed up off the dictaphone, Satsvarūpa does the first editing. Then I go over what he has gone over and check the manuscript...

Prabhupāda: Yes. What you do, he goes. And what he does, you go. Then final. In this way. But the last editing should be checked twice. The dictaphone, then checked by him and then by you. Or checked by you and then by him. That's all.

Hayagrīva: Yes. And Pradyumna does the Sanskrit after.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's all. That is printing department.

Hayagrīva: And then Jayadvaita does the composing.

Prabhupāda: Jayadvaita and others.

Satsvarūpa: Pālikā and Arundhati.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- November 1, 1973, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: So you can make few puris and kittri. That's all.

Brahmānanda: Śrutakīrti! Prabhu.

Śrutakīrti: Pālikā is already cooking.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Brahmānanda: Puris, he said.

Prabhupāda: Cāpāṭi can also be...

Śrutakīrti: Puri or parāṭā, I think, would be...

Prabhupāda: Parāṭā can do.

Śrutakīrti: Yes, she is...

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 13, 1974, Vrndavana:

Guru dāsa: I came back a little ahead because they wanted to make sure Pālikā was all right.

Prabhupāda: How many of you went?

Guru dāsa: Most everyone, about twenty-five.

Room Conversation with Bhurijana dasa and Disciples -- July 1, 1974, Melbourne:

Satsvarūpa: ...have to strain the juice from this mango?

Prabhupāda: And did you do it?

Satsvarūpa: No. I've seen Pālikā do it with a cloth and then mix it with a little milk.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 19, 1975, Vrndavana:

Guest (1): Yes, Prabhupāda Mahārāja, very nice prasāda.

Prabhupāda: Who is preparing?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've given the list to the chief cook.

Guest (1): My wife is there and then Pālikā, Devaśakti, your sister. Everybody is there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Do it very nicely. Now it will be examined who can cook very nice. If they say, "Oh, it is very nice," then good certificate.

Guest (1): Prabhupāda, everybody is praising prasādam.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Everybody praising. Now the governor should praise. Then it will be praising. We can praise ourself, mutual praising society. You are very good, and you say I am very good, that's all. "Mr. Such and such is very good," and another man says, "Mr. Such and such very good." That is mutual praising society. Others must praise. Outsider must praise.

Morning Walk -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:

Rādhā-vallabha: I went to the press right after maṅgala āratrika, and one of the composers had already run out the door of the temple room, and she was composing already.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (break) Pālikā is also doing?

Rādhā-vallabha: She's going to school now. she's learning how. She will start tomorrow, I think.

Rāmeśvara: In a few days.

Prabhupāda: She is very expert. (break)

Rādhā-vallabha: ...all night long and they are not getting tired.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Spiritual energy does not get tired. That is spiritual. When we get tired, that is material. Spiritual means one would not feel tired. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Vardhanam means increasing.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: This is their favorite place.

Prabhupāda: All, they are living in the same tree?

Mādhavānanda: Yes. Seven of them.

Pālikā: These peacocks are very friendly here. They stay together. They lay here altogether in the sun.

Prabhupāda: Birds of the same feather flock together. (laughter)

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: You can make little chewra.

Pālikā: Same way Hari-śauri is making?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Pālikā: Same, chewra.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Hari-śauri: We can teach you how to cook very expertly.

Scheverman: Very good.

Devotee (1): Chick pea flour, butter and sugar, nuts, dried fruit.

Pālikā: They're very nice.

Scheverman: May I take it with me?

Pālikā: Oh, yes.

Scheverman: All right, thank you.

Prabhupāda: Take more also, give him one more.

Scheverman: They're very good. I'm afraid I won't be very enlightened if I eat all this.

Hari-śauri: You have the Fathers' shoes?

Scheverman: We'll get them when we go down. It's a great pleasure. May the Lord bless you in your work. Continue.

Pālikā: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very nice to meet you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Hari-śauri: When we were in Los Angeles, Pālikā made some baṛā and it tasted... Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja wouldn't eat it. He said it tasted too much like fish.

Prabhupāda: With urad ḍāl, you can prepare fishy taste.

Hari-śauri: Someone told me that your Guru Mahārāja said that.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. Anyone who is not taking urad ḍāl, he must be taking fish silently, secretly.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Pālikā, you came before here?

Pālikā: Six years ago. There was just that one small, original farm.

Prabhupāda: Now it is a big property. And when the palace will be ready, many people will.... You simply advertise "Come and see palaces in New Vrindaban." It will be a combination of Western and Eastern culture. For the profit of the whole human society. So Vṛndāvana-candra will come here? No. Vṛndāvana-candra Deity?

Kīrtanānanda: No.

Prabhupāda: His palace will be different.

Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Where did you go, to take bath?

Pālikā: This house just across.

Prabhupāda: There is water? Well? No.

Pālikā: There are barrels there, filling them daily.

Prabhupāda: Why not well? Have a big well?

Kulādri: They are getting water also, Śrīla Prabhupāda, from this well. Your well is also going to that side.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Have several wells in all places. That is nice.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Devotion means to engage your energy and time for Kṛṣṇa. Anyway you do that, that is utilized. Sarvopādhi-vinir... tat-paratvena. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). So if you can serve Kṛṣṇa by your hand, by painting about Kṛṣṇa, that is service. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you hear the chanting, that is also service. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu, about Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of pleasure, ānandamayo 'byāsāt. So these things are producing ānanda. If it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa, then it is service. (aside:) So, Pālikā, you can take these fruits, cut into pieces and distribute it.

Room Conversation -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pālikā wants to ask you something.

Pālikā: Would you like to take fruit now, or prasādam as regular?

Prabhupāda: No, no, I have taken breakfast.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Bhagavān: Yes. You have a cook here? Your temple was cooking?

Jayatīrtha: No, Arundhatī is cooking. I think Palika should come? Palika should not come for cooking?

Prabhupāda: She has come?

Jayatīrtha: Should she not come? She wants to come.

Bhagavān: There are so many cooks. Malati is there, and we have.... You've never had problem with cooking in France before.

Hari-śauri: Harikeśa can cook also.

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: What is this, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Salt?

Prabhupāda: No, it is simply nim leaf.

Hari-śauri: Nim leaf boiled in ghee.

Harikeśa: This is not the same.

Prabhupāda: It was not properly done. I asked Pālikā.

Harikeśa: It was very good that other time. It was completely merged in the ghee and it was very nice. I cooked it for three hours.

Prabhupāda: The water portion should be abolished. Then it will go not bad.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: If the water portion is?

Hari-śauri: Abolished.

Harikeśa: The secret is cooking it for a long time.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, yes, of course, it should be dry. Then it won't go bad.

Prabhupāda: If the water portion remains, it will decompose.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you have come, it is good.

Pālikā: Would you like to take some fruit now?

Prabhupāda: I'll tell you. Not now.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ask somebody to call Saurabha.

Pālikā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: What is this?

Pālikā: Some sweet one girl has made here.

Prabhupāda: Not everyone should make. She is initiated?

Pālikā: Yes. I will generally make, but I just arrived today so there was not time.

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So where is the puffed rice? Somebody is bringing it?

Harikeśa: Pālikā is...

Prabhupāda: Why Pālikā, huh?

Harikeśa: Pālikā is in the kitchen taking care of it.

Prabhupāda: No, bring it to... Why you making there, puffed rice? There is... It is too late now. (long pause) So what she is doing?

Harikeśa: I will check.

Mahāṁśa: She is cooking prasāda.

Prabhupāda: Cooking? What she is cooking?

Mahāṁśa: Only puffed rice.

Prabhupāda: No, no, what she is cooking?

Mahāṁśa: I'll just...

Hari-śauri: Here it comes. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Pālikā was just wondering if you wanted anything tonight.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If she can... She can make little vegetable, potato, tomato.

Hari-śauri: Puris?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Or one paraṭā. One paraṭā.

Hari-śauri: Just potatoes and tomato?

Prabhupāda: Yes, tomato, potato, one vegetable.

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: We wanted to ask you about... He was training up Prema-yogi to do the editing, but there's no one to do the transcribing. We'll have to send the tapes...

Prabhupāda: Transcribing? No, why?

Pradyumna: Why can't Pālikā do?

Hari-śauri: She can do it? I don't know.

Prabhupāda: Yes, she can do.

Hari-śauri: Pālikā can do it? That will be all right, then.

Prabhupāda: You also learn.

Hari-śauri: Typing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: In case there is none, you should do.

Pradyumna: Pālikā's done it before.

Prabhupāda: No, Pālikā can do. I know that.

Akśayananda: She is expert.

Prabhupāda: She is expert in typing. Amongst the women, she is expert typist. She is expert in so many things. Only defect is that she is woman. But Kṛṣṇa says, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyaḥ: "Never mind woman. If she is devotee, she also comes to Me." Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā, "no one barred." Especially naming, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśya te 'pi yānti parām. Everyone is to be.... Kṛṣṇa is so kind. There is no restriction. Everyone is open to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is open to all living entities. There is no restriction. And so long this body is there, material, there is distinction between this and that. Otherwise, when you come to the platform of spiritual understanding, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18), then there is no restriction.

Room Conversation -- November 20, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (knock on the door devotee enters with prasādam ) That little dāl, daliya,(?) bas.

Pālikā: Nothing else?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Pālikā: Nothing else?

Prabhupāda: No. If I take anything else it becomes overburdened. Better take little less, just to satisfy that I am not starving. (laughter) Better to starve. That is better. But we are habituated, so better give some consolance, "No, no, you are not starving." Otherwise starving is better.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Pālikā: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This morning you would like to take your breakfast after the program or after resting? Because I do not want to prepare the idli...

Prabhupāda: Later.

Room Conversation -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Can you make one cāpāṭi?

Hari-śauri: I should make it, or Pālikā or...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Pālikā.

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you can make idli? What is called? Is it called?

Pālikā: Tonight?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Pālikā: No. Because I have to grind... It has to soak, then I have to grind it. Then it has to sit for six or eight hours. I can prepare it now for tomorrow night.

Prabhupāda: All right, for tomorrow night.

Pālikā: Anything else you would like tonight?

Prabhupāda: No. I wanted to take that idli, one or two cakes.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That one thing is that this sort of publicity and this, this dress, is very nice. Girls who have no husband, they should dress like this, not attractive dress. A dress sometimes attracts the opposite sex. And women are... By nature they dress very nicely. (laughs) That is everywhere—to attract. The nature is that they are dependent, woman by nature. Do you admit or not?

Pālikā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And the Western countries, they have been taught to become independent. That is artificial. That is all artificial. So, woman by nature... Manu-saṁhitā says, na striyaṁ svatantram arhati: "Women should not be given independence." They must be protected by the father, by husband, and by elderly sons. They are not independent. No independence. Even Kuntī, the mother of such big, big sons, she was not independent. The sons were sent to the exile; mother also went. Sītā... The father-in-law never said that "You also go with your husband." No. He requested Rāmacandra that "Your stepmother wants that You should be exiled. So please accept it. Accept this." And Rāmacandra said that "You are not exiled." But Sītā said, "I may not be exiled, but I am dependent on You. If You go to the forest I must..." You see? Just see, dependent.

Jagadīśa: Most of the women, or at least many of the women in our society, have neither father, husband or sons.

Prabhupāda: It is very precarious condition. So we want to give them, all of them, "Come and live." But when you come here, if you get husband we have no objection. But don't canvass. That is not good. And that is making our sannyāsīs fall down. Of course, it is difficult, that young men, young women living, intermingling. But it is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to reform everything. Even there there is such desire it should be checked. And that can be checked if one is strictly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise not possible.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now Kīrtanānanda has sent so nice sweets.

Hari-śauri: And ghee.

Prabhupāda: You have given something all other devotees?

Hari-śauri: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Give him some.

Hari-śauri: Pālikā hid them somewhere. I don't know where they are. Pālikā hid them away so no one would take them. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: All right then. Preparing first class.

Hari-śauri: Kulādri has a box.

Prabhupāda: First class.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm. I want to show again.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Pālikā's in there now.

Prabhupāda: So why Pālikā is not helping her to get the beads?

Hari-śauri: She's already got it on. I don't know why she didn't come out.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi—woman answers in Hindi) Call Pālikā. Just teach her... Take her in the kitchen and teach her how to make tilaka.

Pālikā: How to make tilaka, yes.

Prabhupāda: Tilaka, dvādaśa-tilaka. You just go and learn.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So who has gone for the beads?

Hari-śauri: She's just got some beads.

Jagadīśa: Oh, she's got?

Prabhupāda: Let her come.

Hari-śauri: She was just trying to put them on.

Prabhupāda: So there is no woman here?

Devotee (1): No.

Prabhupāda: She can help her tilaka. Call Pālikā.

Jagadīśa: Tilaka is already on.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Pālikā: What kind of dahl would you like today?

Prabhupāda: You can make like yesterday.

Pālikā: Also, I have brought (indistinct) from the bazaar.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Pālikā: In which subji should I put?

Prabhupāda: Put in the posta. But you must (mash?) take out the skin.

Pālikā: Yes.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: You have got sugar candy?

Hari-śauri: I don't think she packed any. Oh, sugar? She must have packed it. I'll have to find Pālikā, 'cause she has everything.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Hari-śauri: (in background) Is Pālikā in there? Listen, Prabhupāda wants some... Have you got any of that mango candy? Can you cut some fruit for Prabhupāda?

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So both Arundhati and Pālikā, they're in period. So this girl...?

Hari-śauri: Abhirama's wife.

Prabhupāda: Wife. She knows?

Hari-śauri: She knows how to cook, yes. She got trained up by Pālikā.

Prabhupāda: In the cooker. And she'll cook today?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: This was suitable.

Rāmeśvara: What to do? Every month this happens. They both at the same time every month?

Hari-śauri: Not usually.

Prabhupāda: No... So the today's standard is nice. So she must take instruction or you do it. This was all right. We shall continue this standard for the time being.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Lunchtime you'll make some cāpāṭi, very thin. I think I shall take cāpāṭis, a little rice. I'll give you instruction.

Pālikā: And what?

Prabhupāda: And at the time I shall tell you. Not any of the same thing. (chuckles) Everyone wants to cook for me.

Room Conversation -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Hm? (break) Pālikā has gone? No?

Hari-śauri: Yes. She left this afternoon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rangoon she's going to.

Hari-śauri: She should be back in four days.

Prabhupāda: In Rangoon we have got any place?

Hari-śauri: No.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "Pālikā, being the manager, is very active and happy and busily engaged in keeping all the files properly."

Prabhupāda: Now she has got right appointment. She's very intelligent girl. And give her proper assistance. She can do very nice work.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- London 3 November, 1969:

I thank you for your letter dated November 18, 1969 and have noted all the points carefully. I can understand that the composing program is not going as planned. Therefore, I think Palika Dasi may immediately be trained to help with this task. For layout work I have already asked Aravinda to come to Boston to do that work. So these two devotees will be posted in Boston for the time being to centralize the activities. Then we shall see how to pick up further men.

Letter to Harer Nama -- London 6 November, 1969:

For some time I have been anxious to hear from you, and now that you have written I am encouraged to learn of your nice activities in Colorado. I am pleased also that Bhavananda, Palika Dasi and Prabhavati Dasi are all working so sincerely and steadfastly to promote this Sankirtana Movement, and surely Caitanya Mahaprabhu will bestow His full blessings upon all of you.

Letter to Advaita -- London 19 November, 1969:

I am very sorry to learn that our press is lying idle, and your remark in this connection that we have purchased the cart before the horse is appropriate. I have immediately asked Aravinda from Los Angeles, to go there for doing layout work. I have asked also Pradyumna why the composition work is going so slowly. I have received one letter from Satsvarupa also in this connection, so all the composition and layout work must now be centralized in the press. For editing, already Satsvarupa is there, and Hayagriva will send his editorial matters without any delay. The actual difficulty is composing and layout. Satsvarupa informs me that there is a girl, Palika Dasi, who is a good typist, and Satsvarupa also agrees to purchase another machine. So if possible, immediately purchase this composing machine and begin the composing work for Krsna.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Palika -- ISKCON Fort, Bombay 7 June, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your letter dated 4th April, 1971. Please excuse this late reply. Due to my touring program, I have only just recently received your letter.

Yes, very soon I am going to New York. Presently I am in Bombay. From here I shall be going to London and possibly to Moscow also. After that I shall be going on to N.Y. without a doubt.

I am very glad to learn that you are organizing your press work more cooperatively. That gives me so much pleasure. When I go there I shall give you so much work that it will be an over-burden, so that you will be so much engaged. All my senior disciples are requesting me to revive my translating work and I would like to do so for the remaining days of my life. So you have to help me to get Srimad-Bhagavatam and the other translating work done as quickly as possible.

I have not received your handkerchief as of yet. Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Letter to ISKCON Press, Advaita and others -- London 15 August, 1971:

I beg to thank you very much for your kind feelings of appreciation of my humble service unto you. You are all helping me in pushing forward this mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, coming down by disciplic succession to my Guru Maharaja. So whatever you have spoken, it is simply due to them. I am simply the via media to receive them, on behalf of my Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada.

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

Yes, arrange for Hindi BTG. I am expecting your quotation. The following are going to Delhi from here: Tejyas and his wife Madira; Palika and Dinadayadri have gone there yesterday. So far Mayapur is concerned, as soon as the rains stop then we shall start our work.

Letter to Yamuna, Palika -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Dec. 9, 1971 & of your letters hand-delivered by Dravida das from Vrindaban. I am very glad to learn that you are both recovering your physical health & enjoying the transcendental atmosphere of Vrindaban city. I've now come to Bombay, so wherever you remain you don't forget our routine work and hold kirtana at least twice daily, morning & evening. Kirtana is our life & soul, so we must be very concerned to have it no matter where we are and no matter what circumstances are there.

So far that land, the Mayor has promised, so you both also try for it & let me know what is their program. That P. Saraf who also lives in Vrindaban ___ can be given. I've already instructed Gargamuni & Subala in this matter, so you see them & help try to secure some land.

Lalita Prasad says that I have ordered 20 sets of deities, but I wanted him to show me & he didn't show me. So I did not order. Do not confirm this order.

I think that Palika dasi may join her husband, Bhavananda, in Calcutta as soon as she recovers her health, & she may help him there organize things very nicely for celebrating our festival in Mayapur from middle Feb. to end Feb, & she may help organize Calcutta center as nicely as they have done in New York. As for Yamuna, she may rejoin her good husband, Gurudasa, in Delhi for pushing on our program there & making many life-members. I shall be very pleased to hear that you have gotten well & that you have both returned to your duties. It is only because Krishna has somehow or other given me such assistants as yourselves that I have got any success I appreciate your helping me in this way, you are more dear to me than my own daughters.

Here in Bombay we have got good prospects to purchase very large land in Juhu for even, cheap price, just in the middle of a neighborhood. We shall build our camp there & begin constructing temple immediately, & later on we shall develop large hotel & school. There is also chance for getting a nice bungalow in Bombay city also. So in general we shall make our headquarters in Bombay, & build up Vrindaban and Mayapur, that's all. I will take care of everything, you just give me two life-members daily in India, & I shall do the rest.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Bhavananda -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1972:

I am expecting your long report about Mayapur project. Meanwhile, I hope this meets you and your good wife Palika devi in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I think that Malati, Sarasvati, and Srimati are coming there to Calcutta. Why not these girls can assist your wife in worshiping the Deities?

Letter to Palika -- ISKCON London 14 July, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 4, 1972, and I am very much pleased to hear that all the preparation for Rathayatra Festival are very nice. Regarding the Jagannatha deities, They can be placed on the altar, that is sufficient.

Letter to Bhavananda -- Unknown Place 28 August, 1972:

Letter dated Aug 28, 1972

To Bhavananda,

"My special blessings for Palika and Kausalya prabhus who are doing so much for our Lord and they must be specifically blessed to go back home, back to Godhead without any delay for waiting for the next life. Thank them very much on my behalf."

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Palika -- ISKCON Calcutta 28 January, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1/17/73 and have noted the contents with great care. You may be pleased to know that your husband has now taken sannyasa order of life for preaching the message of Lord Caitanya. Similarly you have gone alone to Hyderabad for pushing on the preaching work and I am very glad to hear that you have arrived safely.

Regarding the two girls from America, I have no objection to them coming to assist you if they agree. It would be good service for all of them, especially Kalindi has suffered some difficulty since her husband has taken sannyasa. But I know that you are very strong in Krsna Consciousness. So very strictly now maintain our principles by chanting 16 rounds on the beads, reading our books, working in every second of your life for serving Krsna. this sincere attitude will make you more and more advance and one day Krsna will reveal Himself to you face to face.

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

You have written that you are not sure what Krsna wants you to do and that Palika dasi has invited you to go to Hyderabad to come help with the deities. So I think that is a good idea that you go to India and you can do so as soon as possible. We require many more devotees now in India so it will be very nice if you can go.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 14, 1975 with enclosure hand delivered by Palika dasi, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, I have received your letter dated May 26, 1975.

Letter to Palika -- Bombay 13 November, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 27, 1975. Yes, the separation of man and woman is desirable. If Yamuna and yourself can develop such an institution of a woman's asrama, that will be nice. You are all elderly devotees. I think that this will be a good idea.

If you produce milk, you should not drink milk very much. Rather, you should save it and convert it into ghee and then sell it to the householders and centers and thus maintain your asrama. The excess quantity of ghee may be exchanged by trade. Kirtana is our first duty. The Deity worship should be simple and the eating should be as meager as possible.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Palika -- India Unknown Date:

I am in due receipt of your letters of 17th and 25th March, 1972, and shall answer as follows: 1. There is no question of bathing Caitanya deity. Of course He is bathed many times daily by Hare Krishna Mantra, but for bathing of such deities requires Salagrama Sila, and I have not introduced yet, but I shall do so later. Of course you should always cleanse Him with dry or damp cloth from time to time, but no daily bathing process is recommended by me for the time being. 2. You may dress Him in the same manner as Lord Krishna. 3. Deities should be changed in early morning, after mangala arati, before noon offering, and before Sundara arati They should be put on Their fine dress. 4. The Govardhana rock should be returned to Mt. Govardhana as soon as possible. I am very glad that you are doing such a nice service by worshiping Radharani and Krishna so nicely and giving Them so many nice clothes and ornaments and taking such nice care, so now I am very much relieved to know everything is going well in Calcutta during my absence. Now you make Mayapur into a gorgeous palace for Radha and Krishna, and I shall come there immediately and sit down there permanently to stay by Them.

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Please have my Bengali book Gitar Gan composed by some printer there in Calcutta in the next two or three days, and immediately send it to ISKCON Tokyo. I will correct it personally and hand it over to Dai Nippon for printing. I have asked Jayapataka Maharaja to do this, but he has not done anything yet, so you do it immediately and please do not delay. Books are being sent to our branches in India from Japan, at no cost to you. You may sell them and use the profits for our building funds, 50%, and book fund, 50%. I do not know if we may require the COP permission, so you may inquire this from Gurudasa.