Training of Hamsaduta dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1969)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana, Hamsaduta, Himavati, Pradyumna -- New York 28 June, 1967:

While on my sick bed I was so much encouraged by your successful carrying on the Montreal Branch even in spite of the absence of Kirtanananda. There is a verse in the Bhagavad gita tenth chapter that anyone who serves the Lord sincerely with love and affection is certainly instructed by the Lord from within. The Lord helps us in two ways: internally as paramatman, and externally as Spiritual Master. So I think your sincere activities are being appreciated by the Lord from within and He is dictating you all for advancement of Krishna Consciousness. I hope that I may be able to go to San Francisco on July 5th, and from there if I get my permanent visa I shall go to Vancouver where there is every possibility of opening a new branch. There is a friend who is prepared to cooperate, and I understand that there are many Indians also. From Vancouver I may come to Montreal, perform the opening ceremony of installation of Radha-Krishna Vigraha. Then I may go back to India for six months, as there is a program for construction of an American house for training preachers at Vrindaban. Vrindaban is the only solitary transcendental abode within this universe where Krishna Consciousness automatically reveals. Therefore I have a great hope to train some of my disciples for preaching work, even in my absence. I am now old man, and attacked with serious disease; I may be overcome by death at any moment. Therefore I wish to leave some trained preachers so that they can do the work of Krishna Consciousness in the western world. That is my ambition. I hope you all pray to Krishna so I may be able to execute my duty properly.

Letter to Satsvarupa, Hamsaduta -- Vrndavana, India August 1967:

...but that we all dedicate our lives or our consciousness (no matter in what capacity) to Lord Krsna. If things can be worked out nicely within the temple, that's all right. But family life requires a certain amount of privacy and convenience, which may not always be available. I am simply concerned that you be happy and contented, so you can prosecute the most important thing, K.C., without being disturbed. Rupanuga and Damodara are both doing nicely in this regard, and I wish the same for you.

Your appreciation of my Spiritual Master is very commendable. One who understands and appreciates the disciplic succession is certainly advanced, and we should always be very careful to give full respect to those who have so carefully handled this Divine Fruit of transcendental knowledge before us. Even a slight change will spoil it. That is why I have always been so careful to give you only those things which I have heard from my Guru Maharaja

Please extend my blessings to Himavati and any others who may be with you. Hope you are all well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhus:

Thank you for your letters. I am indeed enjoying my stay here in Vrindaban, and fully appreciate the great opportunity and responsibility that has been placed on me. My love to all.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 15 August, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8/9/67, and I have noted the contents carefully, and I can see that you are a little disturbed in mind. Don't be. Everything will be all right, by Krishna's Grace; we are Krishna's property, but now we are seated in these bodies of maya, so it is sure that from time to time there will be disturbances—just like I am experiencing now. So don't worry about it, just go on chanting Hare Krishna and engage your energy for Krishna in the best way open to you.

I am also very happy to learn that Himavati is going to have a baby. A child is a rare gift given by Krishna, but at the same time a great responsibility; every parent has the responsibility to see that his child grows up K.C. I know that you understand this, and will always make Krishna the center of your home.

Now as to what you should do: there are a number of courses of action open to you. First of all, you are a family man, and usually at this point a man must think about providing for his wife and child. So if you like you can take a job in N.Y. or elsewhere and settle as an ordinary householder, like Rupanuga and others; or, if you prefer, you can continue to work within the Temple, either at Montreal or wherever there is sufficient space to accommodate you. But you must think of your health. I had already noticed a deterioration when I was in N.Y., and now you say it has gotten worse. That is not good, and you must correct it. So do the needful. Above all don't be worried. Krishna will help you. If it is necessary to go to work in order to maintain you wife and family nicely, Krishna will give you all support necessary.

At any rate, I shall be back by the end of October, and then everything will be all right.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Vrindaban 15 August, 1967:

So long as Hamsaduta and Himavati remain in N.Y. please see that they are well taken care of. There seems to be some difficulty.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 29 August, 1967:

Thank you for your recent letter. I am glad to know that you are comfortable in Boston, and that you are engaging your energy there in making nice Krishna prasadam. I am also very pleased to know that Himavati is definitely going to have a baby. It is a very wonderful thing, and surely Krishna will bless your home with His presence, as both you and your wife and His sincere servants; The best preparation for the coming of the child is just for the parents to remain perfectly Krishna Conscious, and of course, the best means for that is by chanting the holy Names and listening to Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. I very much appreciate that you enjoy helping to open various centers, and that is certainly laudable on your part. You must fully consider, however, your wife and child; your first duty now as a householder is to provide nicely for your wife and child

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Lord to give up fighting; rather he was encouraged in his occupation but at the same time, he was to do it for Krishna. That is the secret of Krishna Consciousness—not that we all have to become preachers, but that we all dedicate our lives or our consciousness (no matter in what capacity) to Lord Krishna. If things can be worked out nicely within the temple, that's all right. But family life requires a certain amount of privacy and convenience, which may not always be available. I am simply concerned that you be happy and contented, so you can prosecute the most important thing, K.C., without being disturbed. Rupanuga and Damodara are both doing nicely in this regard, and I wish the same for you.

Letter to Himavati -- Delhi 23 September, 1967:

My advice for the present is that during your time of pregnancy you should eat very simple foods, hot or spicy foods are not to be taken and also sexual relations are forbidden. All blessings to Hamsaduta and yourself.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Delhi 6 October, 1967:

I can understand the hint which you give me about Himavati and Hamsaduta. As a matter of fact woman is like fire and the man is like the butter pot. They must keep apart for healthy atmosphere. But in your country the social system is different. In fact in our society, at least, we should make separate arrangement of residence for the boys and girls. Gradually we have to organize like that.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Calcutta 13 October, 1967:

I have received your letter of Oct. 5. "Money is the honey" goes so far as it is employed for Krishna consciousness. The body is undoubtedly a material vehicle but when it acts for Krishna Consciousness it becomes spiritualized. By the grace of Krishna material energy can be transformed to spiritual energy & spiritual energy is never deteriorated. To be in Krishna Consciousness means to be in Spiritual energy. More in my next.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your very encouraging letter dated January 3, 1968. Because you are a sincere servant of Krishna, Krishna is giving you gradually facilities to advance in your engagement of Krishna Consciousness. I am so glad to learn that now you have nice apartment of 4 rooms, and also a nice job for meeting your all necessary expenses. Take them as benediction from Krishna and utilize them for Krishna Consciousness business. If you can provide yourself by independent handwork then you can give up your present job, otherwise you continue with your job, even it is nonsense. The thing is, we must have sufficient time for executing Krishna Consciousness business, so you have to select which one will be suitable for you. If you think that by carving Jagannathas or painting you will have sufficient income, it is very nice. Otherwise do not give up your present job for some future hope. Rayarama's suggestion to open an asrama is very nice. If it is possible to keep sufficient number of cows in the asrama, there can be very nice milk business and that may make sufficient income for maintaining one institution for educating children in Krishna Consciousness. Actually the modern educational institutions are different grades of slaughter houses. If you can open an ideal institution for the future children of our associates, it will be a great service. Actually as I have already discussed in my Srimad-Bhagavatam, for economic problem one requires a little land and a few cows. Then the whole economic problem is solved. We should utilize our time for elevating ourselves in Krishna Consciousness than for so-called economic development. If we are satisfied with plain living, with minimum time and the balance time is engaged for elevating our Krishna Conscious program, then every man can be transferred to Goloka Vrindaban, just in this very life. The modern civilization has encumbered the mode of living and people are engaged all the time in the matter of eating, sleeping, defending, and mating. Both yourself, and your wife Himavati are good combination. If you can develop such an institution for future children of the society, or outside the society, it will be great service for the humanity. I am sure Krishna will give you more and more intelligence in this matter, if you seriously think on the subject by gradual evolution. Offer my blessings to your good wife and I pray to Krishna for your all round prosperity.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1968:

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Jan. 16, 1968, and noted the contents with pleasure. The idea of opening an asrama in the near future is certainly a wish of Krishna's. To develop our institution to its fullness, we require such an asrama without doubt. Child is the father of man, so the basic principle of any type of life is to instruct to the children from the very beginning. Krishna Consciousness. Children grow to be the topmost leaders of the human society. In the Bhagavatam it is said that the Brahmanas are the head of the social body, the Ksatriyas are the arms of the social body, the Vaisyas are the waist of the social body, and the Sudras are the legs of the social body. The legs may be placed in a lower position than the head ephemerally, but actually the legs are as important as the head for maintaining the body as it is. It is not that the legs should not be taken care of and just the head should be cared for. But it is a fact that if there is not a head it is a dead body. The modern civilization is a sort of a social body without a head, or actually it is a dead body. The body is dead since the very beginning of it's birth, and it is the spirit that keeps it moving. Therefore, spiritual enlightenment is the basic principle of civilization. The modern civilization is lacking in that respect and there are so many disadvantages on account of this deficiency. So we have to grow children to become the head of the human society and there is great need for this. I pray Krishna that you may give a starting to such an asrama in full Krishna Consciousness. In the asrama there must be a grand temple as the deity of the asrama.

Another proposal is I want to form a sankirtana party in which two members will play mrdanga, eight will play the cymbals, two will play on tampura, and one harmonium, besides that there will be the leader of the party. This party will be so trained that exhibitions of our chanting and dancing along with distribution of prasadam will be performed on a stage and for this performance we will sell tickets to the public. It will be known as a spiritual movement. Suppose if we begin it from New York and there is good response from the public, then our attempt will be successful prior to our traveling all over the world. We will earn money by stage exhibitions and attract attention of the elite public and move from one station to another. A shorter type of this exhibition was held during our television show and the performance was very much appreciated. So I want to train such a party immediately. I do not know where such training will take place, but I want to do it immediately in my presence. So consult with Brahmananda and others about this proposal. Give me your return suggestions about this proposal.

I quite approve your plan for manufacturing Jagannathas and do some profit out of it for maintenance of our temple. Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. I think you can save money for this Ashram as much as possible. The Ashram may be named as "ISKCON-Nagari" or New Vrindaban and a separate a/c may be opened in the Bank.

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

I thank you very much for your letter dated January 1, 1968; and I am so proud to have such spiritual sons and daughters like you, who are so humble in their dealings but who are so high in their spiritual understanding. Lord Caitanya instructed us to be more humble than the grass on the street, and more tolerant than the trees, and to offer all respects to all, demanding no respect for ourselves. All these nice qualifications make one worthy to chant Hare Krishna. Just try to follow these principles and keep staunch faith in Krishna and in Spiritual Master, and your life will be successful without any doubt.

Regarding Kirtana Party: My idea is that at least one dozen persons should form a Kirtana Party. Two persons play mrdangas, eight persons play karatalas, one person playing tamboura, and one person playing melodious harmonium. The person who will play on tamboura will be leader singer. You have just calculated what I want, when you suggest that the leader should sing as I do, and the others will respond. That will be very nice. But all the members of the party will be pure devotees. None of them should be outsiders. We do not want any outsiders as far as possible. 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. When such Kirtana will be demonstrated, only the harmonium player may sit, and all the others may stand up and join the Kirtana and dancing properly dressed. This is actual idea and I hope if such Kirtanas are performed even on public stage, we can sell tickets. That will be a source of earning to maintain our activities.

I am glad that Purusottama is trying to get our Society recognized in the U.N. as a non-government organization. And if it is successful, then we shall be able to perform Kirtana in the U.N. stage. And if we are recognized by the representatives for different nations, then we may be invited from different parts of the world, then our Sankirtana movement will be successful. Our process will remain the same eternally, namely, to begin with Sankirtana and prolong it at least for 1/2 hour, then speak something from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahma Samhita, etc. and invite questions and answer them. Then again concluded by chanting. This is my dream or idea, and I shall be glad if you, Brahmananda, Purusottama, Rayarama, and others can give this idea a practical shape and life, then I shall be very much thankful to you. Please convey my blessings to your good wife Himavati, and I hope to meet you very soon.

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

I have received your nice letter of January 28, and I thank you very much for it. The proper spelling of your spiritual name is LABANGALATIKA. The meaning of Labangalatika is delicate, sometimes Radharani is addressed as Labangalatika.

Please continue in your nice service attitude and Krishna will always be pleased with you. Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Send through Hamsaduta

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1968:

Regarding your proposal for opening a center in London: I am prepared to go there at any moment. Even I do not mind the severe cold there. I have asked Hamsaduta to organize a Kirtana party of 12 heads, so I wish to go there with a strong party for Kirtana and lecture.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1968:

I think by the Grace of Krishna my working has produced some sincere souls like yourself, Brahmananda, Hamsaduta, and others. Now we have to chalk out a solid program by consulting together. In the Western countries, there is no dearth of men and money, as well as intelligence, simply to get them together and our program will be successful.

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

I am in due receipt of your letter of Feb. 8, 1968, and have noted the contents. I thank you very much for your sincere appreciation, and for your feelings of imperfectness. The more you think as imperfect, the more you make actual progress in Krishna Consciousness. This hankering after perfection is seen in even the most perfect devotees. So we should never think of being perfect at any stage. Actually, Krishna Consciousness is unlimited, because Krishna is unlimited, so we do not know at which point the perfection is there. Even Krishna Himself thinks that he is imperfect to understand Radharani's feelings of devotion; and to understand the devotional feelings of Radharani, He became Lord Caitanya, to worship Krishna in the feelings of Radharani. So transcendental activities are so nice that it is all perfection, and still there is no perfect satisfaction. That is the duty of spiritual life. Please stick to your principles as you are now doing and serve Krishna to your best capacity, and Krishna will give you all protection undoubtedly.

I am very happy to hear you are making nice arrangements for the Kirtana Party; I am anxious to see the idea take shape. Yes, the more you develop the attitude for service sincerely, the more opportunities Krishna will give you to serve Him, in so many varieties of ways. And I am so happy to hear that you are finding strength to be determined to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world; my Guru Maharaja wanted like that, especially the Western world, and my only request is that you all sincere boys and girls, to spread this Krishna Consciousness to every home, to every village and town, and to take this mission very seriously.

Please convey my blessings to your good wife. Hope you are both well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. organization of the Kirtana party for world tour should now be given our first consideration.

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

I am very much ambitious for leading a Kirtana party, especially all over your state, and Europe. Hamsaduta is trying to organize this party. If you can move with this Kirtana party, say a batch of 12 to 15 heads, all over the States, as well as Europe, I am sure we will be more popular than the so-called yogi Maharishi Mahesa.

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

If printing of Bhagavatam is done here and a Kirtana party is organized then I shall never go back to India. I shall stay here in your good care till my death. Hamsaduta will help me in establishing a New Vrindaban in the West. Please inform Hamsaduta that I have received his encouraging letter: I am glad to learn that Sriman Umapati is coming to see me. He is heartily welcome. Kindly care of the shipping affairs from India.

Letter to Hamsaduta, Himavati -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

I thank you very much for your nice letters, one dated the 23rd of Feb. and the other undated. I have noted the contents, and your attitude of service is so nice. I am pleased to hear that you have begun practicing for the Kirtana party; please keep me informed how you are progressing. Yes, if you like, you can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head. Responsive chanting is very nice; one good singer may lead, and the others may join in. That is the system in India. It is very good for two reasons especially: One, the chanter gets to rest, so he does not become tired, and two, you get to chant and hear, that is the process. You may also have melodious accompaniment instruments, and amplifiers. Blowing of the conch shell and horns is very nice.

Yes, to be determined that the child will have his last birth into ignorance is very good. It is true that one should become a parent only if he can deliver his ward from the clutches of death. And that is possible only with Krishna Consciousness. This is a very great service for Krishna, to give all opportunity for the child to be trained up in devotional service, and it is very good that you are thinking very seriously on this.

The more one feels imperfect in Krishna's service, the more he is advancing in Krishna Consciousness. Even the topmost devotees feel they are inadequate in their service to the Lord. So it is good to feel inadequate, and to try harder to please Krishna with better service. But one should never feel, oh, I have seen Krishna, and so I am reached perfection—this is not Krishna Consciousness.

Please continue your very good service, and do not feel any feeling of uselessness. It is true that Krishna has given some the opportunity to serve Him by nice writing, some by good business ability, some by nice cooking, and so on, but these various services are all accepted equally by Krishna. On the transcendental plane, one service is as good as another. There is no question of higher or lower. We are very tiny, and so we cannot really do very much. Simply we can engage our time and energy, and that is all Krishna sees. He sees this boy or girl is spending his time in My Service, and He is pleased.

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

I offer the same to my daughter, Himavati, and I hope she is doing well. I am very glad that Krishna is already dictating you how to make perfect the SANKIRTANA party. I completely agree with you about the program of our traveling across the country, being booked in several places. And I am glad that our friend, Allen Ginsberg, is helping you. There is no doubt about our success if we can make this Kirtana party successful. The most important point in this connection is that we shall never be professional; that is to say, we shall try to make the Kirtana party perfect from the point of view of Krishna Consciousness. The idea of introducing Panca-tattva in the kirtana party was also contemplated by me. Not only that, we have to prepare different dresses for Radha and Krishna, and Their eight confidential Associates, Sakhis. Sometimes you have to dress somebody as Nrsimhadeva and Prahlada; in this way, we shall have varieties of show along with the kirtana, and all the varieties will be picked up from Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. We have to teach the Brahmacaris and the Brahmacarinis to speak in Sanskrit some of the verses in this connection, and we explain the verses by singing, chanting, and speaking also. Sometimes in the middle of chanting and singing, we shall speak also. So, all these varieties show will be so attractive with melodious musical sounds, and above all our good behavior and advanced Krishna Consciousness, will make this show very successful. In the meantime, you train the Kirtana party as you are doing, and the responsive method is all perfect. I have already written you in my last letter in this connection, and again I say that the responsive method should be practiced. There may be more than one singer, just like you may take the leader's seat, sometimes Jaya Govinda may take the leader's seat, sometimes others may take the leader's seat, but the method of chanting and responding, then chanting, should always be followed. When I come to New York certainly we shall devise plans on this touring program, not only traveling within the States, but also traveling all over the world. And when we go to India in course of our travel, we shall collect some Indian devotees also to join us. Not only Indian, we shall gradually collect devotees from all over the world without any discrimination. Our Krishna Consciousness movement must be all-pervading, as Krishna is all-pervading.

You will be glad to know that in San Francisco they are trying to purchase one house. I have already suggested Rayarama for a regular printing press for printing our books. And some of the Brahmacaris may be engaged in the publication work, some of them may be engaged in the Kirtana party preaching work, and some of them in distributing our literature. That will make our mission perfect.

Just today we had one meeting in the California State College at Long Beach, Cal., they issued the enclosed pamphlet which may be published in Back to Godhead.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 21 March, 1968:

I am especially interested in the Sankirtana party, for this purpose, which is understood to be being molded up by Hamsaduta. We have got invitation from a Bombay friend for our Sankirtana party, and if Hamsaduta's Sankirtana party is made up then, with whole party we will go first to England, then to Holland, then to Germany, then to Bombay, and make the program right and earnest from now

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 23 March, 1969:

I have written also to Hamsaduta about the Sankirtana party, and I think our books, paintings, and the Sankirtana party can give us enormous help if we can organize it very nicely. I want therefore a permanent residential quarter at New York, so that my personal supervision of these things may go on.

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

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 7, 1968, and I thank you very much for your encouraging news of the Sankirtana party. Please confer my blessings upon your very good wife, Himavati, and I am so pleased that she can sew nicely, and make the costumes for the Sankirtana party. It is very wonderful that you have secured already some engagements for our party, and it is indication that it will be great success. It has just begun, and already there are so many engagements. I am so glad that you have organized the Sankirtana party, and it is very satisfactorily progressing. And at present, I am counting upon you more than anything else, because my program is, after going to New York for some days, then I shall go to Boston, to Buffalo, and to Montreal, and I shall take the Sankirtana party with me, and make an experiment how we get response. I shall then proceed with Sankirtana party to England, then to Holland, to Germany, and to any other countries, and/or directly to Bombay. One of my Bombay friends has written me as following: "I am pleased to receive your letter dated 3rd March, 1968, and have noted the contents. We are already doing Kirtana on Sundays and that is a part of our curriculum. This can be made extensive by your team of followers from America arriving in India. The best place for continuous Sankirtana is Vrndavana. Please let me know when you would come to India, with the devotees, so that we may arrange a reception and have a suitable program. Yours sincerely, Hari Krsna dasa Aggarwal." So, if we can reach Bombay with our Sankirtana party, and as promised by my friend, some Indians join us, then we shall make an extensive tour of India with the party, and we shall invite all kinds of religionists to join us. The Indian government is particularly secular government, and if we can present unified form of Krishna Consciousness—one God, Krishna; one scripture, Bhagavad-gita; one mantra, Hare Krishna; and one work, His service, then certainly we shall get very good encouragement from Indians also. My future contemplation is to have tours all over the world for 6 months, and sit down in a nice place for the balance 6 months, for training boys and girls as well as editing our publications. You consult with Brahmananda and he may consult with Mr. Kallman how this program may be given real shape. But I think this program will be solid one for propagating our Krishna Consciousness all over the world. And in spite of New York City's so many faults, I have got a natural inclination to make my headquarters in N.Y.C. Most probably I am going to get my permanent visa, from your government, and in that case, I want a very nice place to stay in N.Y., and make it my permanent headquarters for editorial office, as well as training Sankirtana party and preachers.

So far the advertising is concerned, you can follow the example of the enclosed advertisement, which is very nice.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Allston, Mass 14 May, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 13, 1968, and noted the contents. It is very good news that you are getting one bus for traveling with the Sankirtana party. Our first plan was like that—that we should have a nice Sankirtana party and travel all over the country. But since you said that you could not organize such a party, I requested you to go to open a center in Germany. Now our principle business and aim is to preach this Krishna Consciousness movement, and wherever we get the opportunity, we should take advantage of it. Now, it is up to you, to settle up—whether you should go to Germany or travel about here in this country. If you have got at least 6 members for your party, then I would advise you to travel in this country with the Sankirtana party. But if you have no members to assist you, then you can try to open a center in Germany, as our good friend Subala is trying, struggling alone in Sante Fe, and still pulling on. Our only business is to spread Krishna Consciousness to the best of our possibility, and Krishna has given us discrimination and judgment. So, Krishna is within you, you chant and ask Him, Krishna and He will give you proper instruction.

So far from my side, I can say that if you have got a party who can travel with you, then you can travel with them for some time with the Sankirtana party. If you go in the bus with your Sankirtana party, then we must sell our literatures, magazines, books, records, etc. The whole institution is not in very sound financial position, so we should always remember this position and try to sell our articles so that we may again publish our books and literatures. Back to Godhead is already in difficulty for financial matter. It is giving me some anxiety. Back to Godhead may not be stopped publication—it will be a great setback for our missionary purpose.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of May 27, 1968, and noted the contents carefully. As you are married, there is no need of separation as you are practicing artificially. You must live just like a respectable married couple and earn money as a Grhastha, and spend 50% for Krishna—that is the real program.

If you have no sufficient men to form the Kirtana party at the present moment, you can go on chanting as usual in the temple. There is no need of becoming hasty. One or two boys from S.F. can join you at any moment, that is not a problem. But you must have some men locally. The process should be at least 4 to 6 men must be competent to begin the chanting with instruments and the members of the audience should be requested to join them. If you can make this practice successful, you can go anywhere. Four to six men, and the members of the audience will join together, and then it will be very successful Kirtana performance. Just try to practice like this. I am going to Montreal next week and after reaching there I shall consider when and how to go to London, or any other part of Europe. At present it is not yet fixed up.

Letter to Upendra -- Allston, Mass 1 June, 1968:

I am going to Montreal on Monday, June 3rd, and if I find Montreal quite suitable, I shall call you and some other students to assemble there to practice Sankirtana in a systematic way. Of course, chanting Hare Krishna does not require any artificial artistic sense, but still, if the procedure is presented rhythmically, then the people may be attracted more by the transcendental music. So, Hamsaduta asked me about you and I have said that you will be able to come as soon as I call you, so first of all let me go there, then I shall let you know what to do.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Montreal 7 June, 1968:

So it is almost certain that I'm going to London by the month of August. And if you all wish to come there, then you can prepare for the trip. So far I remember that you know German language as well as Dutch language, so after we have started our London branch, you shall have to go to Germany and I think Hamsaduta can help you there, because he also knows some broken German.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Montreal 21 June, 1968:

Just now I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 18, 1968, and thank you very much. I am replying separately to Hamsaduta along with this letter. To the UNITED SHIPPING CORPORATION you can reply as follows:

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Montreal 21 June, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated June 18, 1968, and I am so glad to note the contents. I think Krishna is giving you the required intelligence how to spread our transcendental movement. This is the right way, as you have adopted. To chant Hare Krishna, very nicely, with musical instruments and mrdanga, speak the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, and sell our literatures like books and magazines. That process will make our mission successful. Please try to do it very nicely.

Regarding the bus, the best thing will be to dispose of and get some money. One thing, you must be very careful that we should not divert our attention for money making too much. If we can make money by the process which you have now adopted, that is very nice. But we cannot divert our attention to such things as running on the bus, etc. This is not good. The bus should be sold to get out of the botheration. If the bus was in good condition, we could have it to utilized to move ourselves, but that is not possible. Under the circumstances, better that you dispose of it at highest possible price and get out of the complication.

Yes, that is all right, Himavati can sew nice things for selling. And your advice for the boys in San Francisco is very nice. They can also go out everyday into the Golden Gate Park and hold kirtana and so many people will come.

Yes, Vamanadeva can stay as your assistant, and can come here when you come. There is no objection.

Money making schemes should be easy; we cannot divert our attention for money making activities. We require some money for prosecuting our activities, and if we get that money by contribution that is best, otherwise, we can sell our literature and books, etc. But if we direct our attention like others, then it becomes karma. And karma is very dangerous for persons who want to go back to Godhead. Therefore, in Bhagavad-gita karma yoga is advised. On the whole, we can endeavor for money making if it doesn't hamper our devotional service. And otherwise, we shall prefer to starve and chant Hare Krishna. That should be the pivot of all our activities.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 27 June, 1968:

This system should be followed and you will be successful. Because in New York also Hamsaduta is following this system, holding Kirtana at Central Park every day, and he is collecting in the same way. All together he is collecting 50 to 70 dollars by contribution and by selling Back To Godhead. This is actually our successful propaganda. We want to distribute our literature and books within as well as our prasadam, and injecting our Hare Krishna medicine within the ear.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Montreal 3 July, 1968:

Yes, I quite agree with you, on this money subject. This subject matter I have discussed here also. The difficulty is that in your country the Brahmacaris cannot go and beg from door to door, therefore the process which is now adopted by Hamsaduta is coming to be very hopeful. But boys who are not engaged in the temple service during daytime must try to get some money be working or some other way. Without money it is not possible to exist in the material world.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 5, 1968, and regarding the Kirtana collection, I have talked with Hamsaduta who has arrived here last evening, and as proposed by you, that the contribution should be divided 50% for the temple, and 50% for the Sankirtana fund, is quite all right.

Letter to Umapati -- Montreal 13 July, 1968:

In this connection you can consult Hamsaduta in New York, and Satsvarupa in Boston how they are successfully carrying on. Here also the Brahmacaris are chanting in the Expo, and the arrangement is they will get some lump sum of money, and they have already gotten $300.00. Hamsaduta has also collected, by chanting, $150.00. So if there is no jobs at all, then you can fully engage yourself in Krishna's job by chanting in the parks and public places, and certainly Krishna will send you salaries. Krishna provides all living entities and why not his sincere devotees? Therefore, we have to become simply sincere in our Krishna Consciousness movement, and all other things will follow.

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. Here I have gotten some encouragement by recent Kirtana performances in the Expo. For two days they have paid us $300.00, and maybe they will be required to perform Kirtana for a few days more. Similarly I have got one encouraging letter from San Francisco written by Tamala Krishna, that there is good collection in the Kirtana performances led by Mukunda. I have asked Hamsaduta to open correspondence with you to make plans how to go to London.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Montreal 17 July, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter and check duly. I have already sent necessary instructions through Hamsaduta. You are all my limbs of my body. Unless you cooperate, my life will be useless. The senses and life are correlative. Without life the senses cannot act and without sense, life is inactive. I have advised Hamsaduta to cooperate fully with you. The 50% arrangement is agreed.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Montreal 17 July, 1968:

Henceforward our plan should be to push Sankirtana and sell our publications. For books, Brahmananda, for magazine, Rayarama, for Sankirtana, Hamsaduta and Mukunda, and for suggestion, my humble self. Please let us concentrate this integration and I am sure our movement will be successful.

Letter to Mukunda -- Montreal 17 July, 1968:

I think Krishna is dictating us to adopt this method for propagating the Sankirtana movement all over the different cities, towns and villages on the surface of the globe, because that was the prediction of Lord Caitanya. The exact words in Bengali poetry are as follows: "Prithi vite acche yata nagaradi gram. Sarvatra pracara haibe more nama."

I have already asked Hamsaduta to open correspondence with you. Please do expedite the arrangement for London Yatra by mutual correspondence.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 25 July, 1968:

Yes, we are planning to go to London as a Sankirtana party of 12 heads, by the month of September. And Mukunda in San Francisco and Hamsaduta in New York, they are combinedly planning this scheme. But I think you have got better responsibility in India than to come here and join them. As they are doing the Sankirtana program here nicely, similarly, you can also combinedly do the same work in India to attract the westerners who go there for some spiritual enlightenment. I think you will understand me right and try to do your best to give a shape to this idea.

Letter to Upendra -- Montreal 3 August, 1968:

I am very glad to receive your letter suggesting a branch in Vancouver, and it is very encouraging. Please negotiate with your friends as soon as this postal strike is over, and if there is a suitable place to open a center, I am agreed to this proposal. In the meantime, Hamsaduta is coming and I shall consult with him also, and if possible we will go to Vancouver.

Page Title:	Training of Hamsaduta dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1969)
Compiler:	Visnu Murti
Created:	20 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=99
No. of Quotes:	99