Training of Gaurasundara dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1969)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 5 November, 1967:

I have already sent you my congratulations for improving the get-up of BTG and I am sending news to Gaurasundara for his wonderful service to the cause.

Letter to Jadurani -- Calcutta 12 December, 1967:

I am so glad to learn that Rayarama, Satsvarupa, yourself, Gaurasundara, Govindarani and others are doing so much for improving BTG. I quite appreciate your endeavours and you must continue the Mahajana series, and whenever necessary you can ask me for necessary informations.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 30 December, 1967:

So far my health is concerned, Gaurasundara is keeping me quite fit by massaging and Govinda dasi is supplying me upma. Perhaps you have never tasted what is upma. But if Jadurani can prepare it I shall send the formula.

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 31 December, 1967:

Here, all the students, especially Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi are taking my personal care. Upendra and Uddhava they are personally cooking for me, and Mukunda is personally looking after my permanent visa. So I see all round hopes; there is nothing to be disappointed in my service to Krishna. Let us go on with our work for Krishna for His satisfaction and for the benefit of the whole world. Thank you once more for your great service.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 13 January, 1968:

Please send me full photostat copy of the original Brahma Samhita. I shall begin writing my own commentation after my Guru Maharaja. Gaurasundara will be helping me prepare this Brahma Samhita. After you finish transliteration of Brahma Samhita then we shall see for Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1968:

I am keeping quite fit under the personal guidance of Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi. I think as soon as your new store is complete, I shall return to S.F. and begin our new classes there. It is most gratifying that you say there is no financial worry, you will manage. I am sure Uddhava and Upendra will join you in this enterprise. You are sincere servitor and therefore Krishna is giving you more and more opportunity for service. Please organize this center nicely, I think it is very nice for our purpose.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 17 January, 1968:

I have sent you one tape today. You will find the explanation there, and enjoy it. Yes, if it is possible to send carbon copies of Srimad-Bhagavatam tapes to other centers; please do so. Also, please send a copy to Gaurasundara of Bhagavatam tapes, and also lectures if possible, c/o of this address.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

Let Pradyumna live there in Boston; I have given him some tasks and he will do them. Yes you can send the plant. I shall suggest your vibrator to Gaurasundara; and he will do the needful, because he takes care of my body.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1968:

My dear boy, lecturing for Krishna has nothing to do with this body. If I would not have lectured, how you would have come? So as far as possible I am taking care of my health, but Krishna's service must be executed, even at the risk of life. A living entity gets millions of opportunities to get a type of body, but hardly he gets opportunity to serve Krishna. The service of Krishna must be executed at all risks, but do not worry; I am taking care of my health by the help of Gaurasundara.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 4 February, 1968:

Mrdanga playing as you are doing at present will make you more and more expert as you go on playing. Here also I see Gaurasundara simply by playing is improving. If all the members keep their faith in Krishna and tries to please Him, certainly everyone will be pleased by hearing our Kirtana. It is sure and certain.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 February, 1968:

I am so glad that somebody has donated sufficient funds to construct the throne. Your design appears to be very nice, nicer than the design which I gave you drawn by Gaurasundara; but the former design was made with the proposal of covering it with silver foils. To make it less expensive because the whole thing has to be covered by silver foils, I made it plainer.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1968:

Presently I am using one copy of the Gita Press version of Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with my translating work, but in due course I may send it to you and you may transliterate the second and third cantos at that time. So if you can do this transliteration we have enough assignments. You may work together with Gaurasundara in this connection.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1968:

I am glad that the devotee has joined us who is a sculptor. I am trying to carve one Radha Krishna Sri Murti in wood, done by Gaurasundara, but Gaurasundara is not a sculptor, still he is trying to do it. But if this boy is actually a sculptor, he may immediately begin to carve one Radha Krishna Sri Murti in wood, 24" high.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1968:

I am glad to understand that Lord Jagannatha is being repaired, and after this he will begin carving Sri Radha Krishna Murti. I am getting one Pair carved by Gaurasundara. Please find out if this boy Bob has got any knowledge or experience of casting, or any such equipment. I want to make 100 Murtis, probably in hard rubber, for our Temples.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

I am in due reciept of your letter dated Feb. 29, 1968. With reference to your Gaurasundara das letter, "I am being overloaded with mail lately" is not meant for you. I must have sufficient correspondence with the main pillars of the society. You are one of them, so you are at liberty to write me as many letters as it is required. Sometimes I receive many letters from devotees with questions which could be solved in the Istagosthi meetings.

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 23 March, 1968:

So far BTG is concerned, if Gaurasundara is not able to help in this matter, you can take help from the other artists who have been working in cooperation with Jadurani for now. You can suggest to them and I am certain they will be able to do it.

Letter to Mukunda -- San Francisco 26 March, 1968:

Aniruddha is here and he is waiting for the statues of Radha and Krishna which is being expedited by Gaurasundara, and most probably he will be starting back for L.A. on Friday morning. How Umapati is feeling there? I have not heard anything from him. In the meantime I have received one letter from Hayagriva, and he was anxious to come to San Francisco during his summer vacation.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- San Francisco 28 March, 1968:

When I go to Montreal, I shall take selected pictures from Jadurani and as well as some of the pictures by Gaurasundara and Govinda published in our BTG. Jadurani has now become a nice preacher. I have report from Satsvarupa that she gives lectures very nicely. If we open a pavilion I shall take Jadurani also at that time, so she will deliver nice lectures. I shall probably be coming there to Montreal by first week of June.

Letter to Subala -- San Francisco 30 March, 1968:

The Radha Krishna statues prepared by Gaurasundara have been dispatched to Los Angeles through Aniruddha, and they are going to be cast in yellow brass. If one pair is successful then we shall get many pairs and one of the pairs shall be installed in your Santa Fe temple.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 2 April, 1968:

My ticket is already for American Airlines, so you please refund the prepaid ticket you sent for United Airlines, and send the value in postal money order to Gaurasundara, in the name of Gary McElroy, so that he can see to purchasing two student fares with discount cards. Please expedite the matter as it is very important, so that we can come together in one party.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Allston, Mass 27 May, 1968:

Till now I have received no reply from the Canadian Immigration Department, and I have just now received one letter from Janardana stating therein that even if I go to Montreal pending my immigration application, there will be no difficulty. Therefore I have decided to start for Montreal just after the second of June any day. I have sent Gaurasundara to the temple to contact him by phone informing this matter, as well as I have sent him one letter by airmail just now. So my going to Montreal is now fixed up.

Letter to Dayananda -- Montreal 7 July, 1968:

So far I am concerned, I wish to live the major portion of my remaining days of my life in the Western world to propagate this movement, but I could not obtain my permanent visa on some technical ground. Some lawyers advised me to appeal but I did not like the idea. Here in Canada, I may get a permanent visa but the difficulty is that during the winter the severe cold here may be unbearable for me or for my attendants. The male attendant, Gaurasundara, may agree, but the female attendant, Mrs. Gaurasundara, is not agreeable.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Montreal 15 July, 1968:

Regarding London-yatra: (like Rathayatra—yatra means travel.) I am contemplating of forming the following party: yourself and your wife, Mukunda and his wife, Gaurasundara and his wife, Hamsaduta and his wife, Pradyumna and Upendra. Maybe we may have to change later on a little bit, but this is my contemplation. Now, I do not know how to make this program fruitful.

Letter to Nathan Baruch -- Montreal 7 August, 1968:

And concentrate your energy making this art perfection. So far Radha Krishna Murtis are concerned, you have many pictures in San Francisco, and you can do accordingly, and so far Caitanya Mahaprabhu Murti is concerned, I am giving you a rough diagram herewith. (Murari has got one diagram drawn by Gaurasundara under my supervision which you can also see.)

Letter to Upendra -- Montreal 14 August, 1968:

As he has invited me to live with him, since immediately we have no apartment of our own, you must see personally whether my living with Mr. Renovich will be suitable. Because you know that wherever I live, I live separately and my cooking and everything is done by my devotees. And under the circumstances, if the apartment of Mr. Renovich is too crowded, for Gaurasundara and his wife and myself all,* still you will have to do everything for me. That is, I cannot eat with Mr. Renovich, my food must be prepared separately, etc. So whether such facilities are available at Mr. Renovich's apartment, you must see personally all these points, and then let me know, whether or not I shall start.

Hoping you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*If so desired Gaurasundara and his wife may wait till we have our own apartment and I can go alone for the time being. So let us know what to do.

Letter to Balai, Advaita -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

It was so kind of you that you have sent me a Birthday cake, and you will be pleased to know that Govinda dasi and her husband Gaurasundara, decorated the bread with nice different kinds of candles, and it was offered to Krishna and then I enjoyed the bread, part of it, and the rest was distributed to the devotees.

Letter to Kirtanananda, Hayagriva -- Montreal 23 August, 1968:

P.S. The goat can be named Revachhagai, and the cow can be named as Surabhigai. Also you will be pleased to note that I've asked Gaurasundara to make a layout of the whole land and I shall place 7 different temples in different situation, as prototype of Vrindaban.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

I hope yesterday Gaurasundara talked with you, in telephone, and whatever I had to say, you have been informed. But today, I may let you know that the idea of opening centers in large cities in USA, is quite welcome, and we have got opportunities to do that. But at the same time, as you two have gone to Vancouver, I think you should not come back defeated. That will not be good.

Letter to Aniruddha -- San Francisco 9 September, 1968:

You can inform Nandarani about her letter which she addressed me in Montreal, and I received that letter, redirected from there. And I shall reply her in detail. In the meantime, I have requested Gaurasundara and his wife to go to Florida, as suggested by Nandarani, if they are able. If not, I shall try some other boys to go there, as we must have a center at Florida. That is my great desire.

Letter to Mukunda -- San Francisco 14 September, 1968:

So I am asking Gaurasundara to go to Hawaii or Florida. Gargamuni has already started one center at Seattle and Ananda Brahmacari from Montreal has gone to Vancouver. And New Vrindaban is being taken care of by several devotees.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

I am sending Gaurasundara to Hawaii, and probably I shall send Cidananda to Florida. And I have received letter from Sivananda that in Germany, there is good prospect, and he is already trying to rent one very nice storefront, 300 marks rent per month. And two boys, Krishna das, and Uttama Sloka (a German boy) are going there very soon. So of course we do not expect to sell English books in Germany very much, but maybe somebody will be interested. But in England we can sell some books. So in this way, try to distribute and let us risk. But they must give us 60 days sight, and we shall take delivery 5000 copies in three installments. And they must allow us 50%, discount, not 47%. On these conditions you accept. And bank reference I shall give.

Regarding Mr. Wade's promise to Gaurasundara, to pay $225-$250, they must keep their promise. Otherwise, it will be not possible to do business with them, if they change their word of honor. You must say Mr. Wade like that. In business principle, what is promised, that must be kept. If the promise is not kept, then we are not going to deal with them, with such business firm, even it may be very big. That should be our principle also. So I think on this principle we can arrange with them, and I shall give you bank reference when they require.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

Hope this will cover all your enquires and you will do the needful. By the by, I am inquiring that you know two addresses in Hawaii, one university professor, and another gentleman who came to our temple and took records. So if you send the addresses to Gaurasundara immediately, either by letter or by phone, then he can utilize their friendly connection.

Letter to Jaya Govinda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

You will be pleased to learn that Sivananda from Montreal has gone to Berlin for opening center there. Mukunda has gone along with Gurudasa and Syamasundara. and their wives to London, to open a center there. Gaurasundara is going to Hawaii for opening a center there.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Seattle 22 September, 1968:

I have sent Gaurasundara to Hawaii to open a branch there, and I have received letters from London that the 6 devotees there are prosecuting their regular duties, namely kirtana in the morning, and on the weekdays as we do generally, and they are having love feast also, although not in our own place, but in different places.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Seattle 27 September, 1968:

I was very much anxious to hear from you, and I am so glad to receive your letter dated Sept. 24, 1968, and it is very encouraging. It is by Krishna's Grace that you have gotten a job as desk clerk. This is another good news. Please continue in that job and try to organize a center in Hawaii, whose description appears to be very attractive like India. The description you have given is exactly corresponding to the eastern and western coast of India. I think Mahapurusa will join you very soon. And Murari is also arranging to go there, so you will get the cooperation and help of your God-brothers, and you are also situated in a job, and when Govinda dasi goes there, I think she can also have a nice job. So, combined together, you will be able to develop a very nice center, perhaps our own temple of Radha Krishna in that good spot, which is very attractive for me at least.

Regarding the mrdanga: You should make a statement to the authority that they did not allow you to take it with you, and forced you to keep it with the baggage, although it was known that there was every chance of it being broken. And at last they have broken it—so they must pay $200.00 damages. Claim it, and we shall fight with these nonsense people. I do not know in future how we can take mrdanga there. Is there any marine shipping service from San Francisco or from India to there?

Please keep me informed of your activities there, and I hope this meets you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I am feeling your separation but that does not matter we must do our duty in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 27 September, 1968:

Please continue to send our Back To Godhead to all persons, I have given you list—especially to Sumati Morarji at Bombay, because she is coming again to help our activities. You can send copies to Hawaii also to Gaurasundara to the following address: Gary McElroy; room 5066; Armed Services Y.M.C.A., 250 South Hotel Street; Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813.

Letter to Murari -- Seattle 8 October, 1968:

While I was in San Francisco you were arranging for going to Hawaii. Now I understand that you have gone to New York, so I do not know whether you have changed your program. If not, I shall be glad to know when you are going to Hawaii. I understand from the letter of Gaurasundara that expert carpenters can get immediately good job there, at least $5.00 per hour. So if you go there, I think there will be no difficulty for you. Anyway, I shall be glad to know your program, whether you are going to Hawaii in the near future or not.

Gaurasundara is doing there some work, but that is not sufficient even for maintaining an apartment. He is of course searching for a better job, but I do not think alone he can start a center there. He writes to say that the rents there are very expensive. So I shall be glad to hear from you.

Letter to Dayananda -- Seattle 9 October, 1968:

Mr. Fugate in Florida has refused to accept Mahapurusa das Brahmacari who reached there yesterday. Most probably he will come back or he may go to Hawaii to join Gaurasundara there. In fact I wish that our students, husband and wife may take charge of each center, as you have taken charge with the Los Angeles center. I am trying to entrust the Hawaii center to Gaurasundara and his wife Govinda dasi, assisted by brahmacaris and other householders also, most probably Murari and Lilavati will go there. So we are trying to organize a nice center in Hawaii.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated 11th Oct., along with Gaurasundara's. So I am enclosing one letter for you received from Nandarani. The incident in Florida is to be forgotten. Now, with new energy, and in good cooperation with Gaurasundara, please try to establish a nice center in Hawaii. In the meantime, Murari might have gone there, so combined together, please try to establish a nice center there. Regarding your requirement, I am handing the note to Upendra, and I hope he will do the needful.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

I am very much glad to receive your letter dated the 11th Oct., and it is good news that you have got a nice room for residential purpose. And you have got now good assistant, Mahapurusa, so combined together, try to establish a very nice center in Hawaii. You organize the center in such a way that we can in future open centers in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Fiji, Bangkok, Sydney, and New Zealand, and all neighboring Pacific islands. And Hawaii will be our center for spreading Krishna Consciousness in the Pacific.

I may be going to Vancouver or Montreal from here, for a day or two to take my immigration visa, and then I may go to Santa Fe, and from there, I am going to Los Angeles. Please send me at least one letter in a week, the report of your activities there, and I hope Krishna will help you in your nice endeavor.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 8 November, 1968:

The Grhastha disciples, just like Syamasundara., Mukunda, and Gurudasa, with their wives, are doing very nicely in London. Similarly Dayananda and his wife Nandarani are doing very nicely here. Similarly Satsvarupa and his wife Jadurani are doing very nice in Boston. Another Grhastha, Gaurasundara, has gone to Hawaii, and his wife may go there also, and he will organize the Pacific Region.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 16 November, 1968:

At the present time of course Gaurasundara has gone there without any money, so he has no sufficient means just now for her to go there. At the present moment she is living at night with Nandarani and in the daytime she is assisting me as my secretary. Formerly when Gaurasundara was with me, she was living at night here also, but since he has gone with great responsibility for organizing a Hawaii center, he cannot be called, although I am feeling his separation because he was always helping me day and night. So after all it is an experiment, I do not know how the future program shall be fixed up, but if Purusottama's service is absolutely needed in New York, then he may go back again.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

Yes, henceforward, as I have already told you, that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be ultimately seen by you, before being printed. That will keep consistency, I quite agree with you. My present plan is to stay in Los Angeles, perhaps at least for more than a month, which will cover Christmas holidays. And so, during that time, if you come here, it will be very nice. In January I may go to Hawaii, if Gaurasundara takes me there.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 2 December, 1968:

I have just today received your most recent letter of November 30th, 1968 and have noted the contents with pleasure. We have registered the Hawaii address given by you.

I am pleased with the progress that you, Mahapurusa, and Murari are making in establishing our Hawaii temple and also I have noted that you are making arrangements for accommodating me in January. You are making arrangements for me but also I think you should make arrangements for calling your wife. The husband and wife must live together for helping one another in developing Krishna Consciousness. So I think that you may write to your wife and request that she join you in your temple at Hawaii.

I thank you so much for your regular reports of progess you are making. I hope that this finds you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Your drawings on Prahlada Maharaja are being published in London papers regularly. It has ____ nice. I hope you have received the copy.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1968:

You will be pleased to know that our London center has managed to have one local newspaper devote a two-page spread to a comic book feature of the story of Prahlada Maharaja as depicted by Gaurasundara and Govinda Dasi. This is very nice propaganda so as much as possible we should try for overflooding publications with similar of our stories. We have so many artists now in Boston and also New York so if someone can work on this idea it will be very nice.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 10 December, 1968:

I have received your letter of 7, December 1968 and have duly noted the contents.

Regarding my plans for January I can not as yet give a definite answer because I have recently been invited to visit the South American country, Guyana at the beginning of the new year. So this too is undefinite and I will have to see whether they provide for our visit or whether will not before I can decide if I may go to Hawaii in January. I am sending the letter out today asking for confirmation of this invitation and just as soon as I hear word, I will let you now so you may make your arrangements. I have included a copy of my letter to Mr. Dindayal who is the person who has extended our invitation.

So I am pleased that you are all working very hard to help us in this great mission. Please convey my blessings to Mahapurusa, Murari, Lilavati and to their child Subhadra. Hope you are all well.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 17 December, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 12, 1968 and I have noted the contents. I am glad that you have also received my previously sent letters. I have also handed over your letter for Govinda Dasi.

I am very sorry to learn that this girl Madhavi Lata has gone there and created some disturbance. If she is still there, ask her to live separately and she may come only during kirtana performances. This girl appears very disturbing and every place she goes there seems to be some trouble. Please try to keep her away carefully and ask her to come back here because immediately there is no chance of my going to Hawaii. Just today I have got one press conference in the temple and after this there will be more propaganda work. There is scheduled another press conference by January 22, 1969, so at least for one month more there is no chance of my going to Hawaii. If I leave abruptly now the program here will be disturbed. Better is I wait until we finish the engagement in Los Angles. In the meantime I will try to pick up some devotees to join you. I am glad to note that an asrama will attract interested students from all over the world. Please try to organize this asrama in cooperation with Murari. I am asking Purusottama and others to search out some brahmacaris to go there to assist you.

I am also still more encouraged that you propose to build a temple and secure some land in the main island of Hawaii. I think that my presence in Hawaii will be nice when you are still more in sound footing there. So you arrange your program in that way.

Better would be that you and my other dear disciples try to manage all centers as far as possible independently. For me, in my old age, moving constantly does not suit my health. The Los Angeles climate is not unsuitable for me so I am thinking of making my head-quarters here because it is very important city also. But as soon as there is the need of my presence some place I must go where I am required. On this principle please prepare to work. Regarding Govinda Dasi, she can immediately start for Hawaii if you send her the passage fare.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 28 December, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 24, 1968 and I have noted the contents with pleasure.

I am so encouraged that your activities in Hawaii are going nicely and I will be looking forward to seeing you again when I am able to go there. You had been having problems with Madhavi Lata, and Krishna has solved the problem because she is now in the Halawa Jayal and preaching very nicely. I received one letter from her yesterday and she describes that some of her acquaintances there are already considering initiation, so Krishna has arranged to release you of any burden you were feeling and also she is having the opportunity to do service.

I have seen the Istagosthi notes of your meetings which were sent by Lilavati, and you are doing very nice in speaking on the principles of Krishna Consciousness. So with your speaking talents there is so much valuable preaching work that you will have opportunity to do to relieve the burden of the suffering humanity. So more and more try to develop this skill, such able speakers as yourself are a great boon to spreading this movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Thanking you once more for your letter, I hope that you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Govinda Dasi is preparing herself for going ___, to you at Hawaii.

Page Title:	Training of Gaurasundara dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1969)
Compiler:	Visnu Murti
Created:	27 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=98
No. of Quotes:	98