Devotees from San Diego

Expressions researched:
"devotees are coming there in San Diego" |"devotees from San Diego" |"devotees in San Diego" |"devotees. It's quite large temple near the ocean in San Diego"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Oh.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Devotee: (enters) There is one gentleman, Mr. Saxena, he is retired inspector of schools from Rajasthan.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he has come?

Devotee: Yes, shall I call him?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jagadīśa: He wrote me a letter. He met one of our travelling parties and he heard that I was here and he was interested to, in our educational program. So I invited him to come here, perhaps to teach Hindi, and so he's here.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee: Prabhupāda, this is some honey, this is from my wife. And this is from Viśakha, Yadubara's wife from Los Angeles. She asked us to... And this is from all the devotees in San Diego, this is ghee.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Guest: Cow ghee?

Devotee: Yes. They heard that you were in need of some ghee, so they have... (indistinct) (pause)

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (Hindi conversation) (break)

Guest: (Hindi) ...doctor, high specialist. He's in charge of high department. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...ācari prabhu jīveri śikāimu, you cannot teach others if you are not fixed also. Otherwise it will be useless. It is useless, āpani ācari prabhu jīveri śikāimu. If you are fixed up in principles, then you can teach others that principle. That will be effective. If you smoke, and if you tell others that "Don't smoke," that is useless. That is useless. (break) ...first of all give up this habits, bad habits then you can teach, it will be effective.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

San Diego, we have got a temple.

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: All right. (break) San Diego, we have got a temple.

Jayādvaita: Oh, yes. We have... They just moved to a nicer location, nicer building. They have maybe seventy devotees. It's quite large temple near the ocean in San Diego. They have... Every year at Govardhana-pūjā they have a very nice festival in the park. They have chanting and discourse and distribute prasādam. Then in the spring again they have a very nice festival. You were there one time. You spoke. Your Divine Grace spoke at one festival in the park in San Diego. They also go to preach just over the border in Mexico, and many Mexican boys join our San Diego temple, Mexican boys who've come to America. They join our temple in San Diego. The Deity there is very beautiful and very nicely dressed also in San Diego.

Pañca-draviḍa: Their new temple is very nicely decorated, with arches and everything. Rādhā-Giridhārī.

Jayādvaita: The president is Guṇa-grāhī Prabhu. He's been a devotee for a long time. The management is also very nicely going on. (break) You sent Bhavānanda there many years ago when they were in Brooklyn and ordered him to make the devotees happy. And ever since then, they've been peaceful... (indistinct) Even before that. I remember when I first came to New York, when the storefront was there. I came on Sunday, and there were so many different preparations. Haṁsadūta Mahārāja was cooking. And so many different preparations. And after taking that feast I decided that I would not leave—"This is too nice." So they're going on, still very opulent, sumptuous prasādam. And people are deciding that "Oh, this is very nice. Let us not leave. Let us go on taking prasādam." And in the restaurant very respectable people come. (pause)

Prabhupāda: You read some more.

Jayādvaita: Yes, with great pleasure. Teachings of Lord Kapiladeva.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa.

Jayādvaita: Kṛṣṇa book. Any particular part that you'd like to hear, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Anywhere. From Second Part.

1974 Correspondence

I shall be glad to see you and the devotees from San Diego at our grand meeting in Mayapur for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Honolulu 26 January, 1974:

Regarding Second initiation, I have been asking the presidents to reconsider the devotees they want to put forward for brahmana before asking me to accept them. The criteria is that they must be initiated for one year, and during that time they have to be following the prescribed chanting of at least 16 rounds, and all the regulative principles. I am also asking that they write a statement before you in all seriousness stating that they have not broken any of the promises of the first initiation, and that they will go on steadfastly chanting the prescribed rounds. In this way I am hoping to stop whimsical recommendations for second initiation. So please follow this rule. You can ask me freely to make devotees initiated for first initiation provided they are enthusiastic and following the rules, but be very cautious before awarding second initiation, even though you have a need for brahmanas in the temple.

Regarding Rathayatra, I think there is no need for you to have a separate festival since you are so near San Francisco. But you may hold other festivals in San Diego, as you describe in your letter. That will be very pleasing for everyone.

I shall be glad to see you and the devotees from San Diego at our grand meeting in Mayapur for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.

So many new devotees are coming there in San Diego. Now instruct them carefully and keep them in your care.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Bombay 13 April, 1974:

Regarding Srinivasa Svarupa it is very pleasing to hear that this Indian boy wants to surrender his whole life to Krsna. There is no harm if he finishes college and gets his degree. If possible, he can live in the temple and attend the university daily. At any rate, he should carefully follow all the regulative principles and associate with his fellow devotees as much as possible. The university is well known for demonic association, but if he is able to keep up his devotional practices and protect the creeper of devotional service, then he may complete his degree. I think there is more advantage in Bir Krsna remaining fully engaged in his temple duties than in going back to college. What would be the practical benefit of such degree?

So many new devotees are coming there in San Diego. Now instruct them carefully and keep them in your care.