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Ideal (Letters)

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952:

Even the famous Canakya Pandit who was the Prime Minister of India during the reign of Candragupta, used to live in a cottage and draw no salary from the State. Such simple habits did not deteriorate his high intelligence and dignity and as such he had compiled many useful literatures which are still read by millions for social and political guidance. Thus the simplicity of Brahmanical culture was an ideal to the subordinate others of the society and in the Deductive way the subordinate orders, namely the the Ksatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Sudras would follow the instruction of the cultured Brahmin. Such ways of approaching the Truth is always simple, plain and perhaps the most perfect.

Letter to Gosvami Maharaja -- New Delhi 16 September, 1955:

I have noted your remark about the cover of the monthly and I have already suggested so many things to Sripada Ramananda Prabhu for appraisal. Sripada Ramananda Prabhu and many others along with me want to see the paper just fit for the foreign countries. In that case we must get it printed on nice paper in a very good up-to-date Press. It all depends on the expenditure that we are able to meet but the ideal must be for its many sided desirable improvements. When you come back we shall see to it because in your absence it is not also possible to change the press. When we cannot change the press immediately it is useless to change the paper or the cover.

Letter to Gosvami Maharaja -- New Delhi 5 October, 1955:

I am glad that Sripada Sridhara Maharaja has advised you to purchase a land at Mayapur. Yes we we must have a temple at Mayapur. If every one of us possess a temple there, the importance of Sridhama Mayapur will automatically increase and we must have this ideal in view always. I am also glad to learn that you are securing some good land on long lease from the Port commissioners for our Howrah Math. Howrah is a good place for preaching our cult and it behooves that we have a decent Math there.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

Do you think that horseless carriage or telephonic or radio communication or any other such ephemeral facilities of life, can bring in material prosperity? No it cannot. Material prosperity means that the people must have sufficient to eat or to maintain the body and soul together in sound health for further development in spiritual consciousness which is conspicuous by its absence in the sense gratificatory life of the animal. Do you think that your different plans have brought in that standard of material prosperity or that modern western civilization can bring in that ideal prosperity? Even they are given all the facilities of material need yet the unrest will continue to go on till there is spiritual satisfaction of life. That is the secret of peace.

Letter to Brother -- Jhansi November 1958:

So do not become a madman in false conviction. Do not remain in ignorance for your problems. Be just like a fully developed conscious man and acknowledge that you have never been happy in the true sense of the term neither your ideal of happiness has ever been fulfilled.

Letter to Sri Puri -- Vrindaban 1 June, 1962:

Yesterday evening I have come to Vrindaban for a flying visit and shall return to Delhi on Monday 4/6/62 to attend the Jayal meeting on Tuesday 5/6/62 morning. I am glad to see that my Thursday lectures have brought some changes in the mind of the young offenders. If the lectures are continued I am sure to turn these offenders into saintly characters. The means which I have adopted is spiritual and it works quickly than any material means. If you give me chance to speak to all the members of the Jayal, it is quite possible for me to turn them into ideal characters.

Letter to Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, President of India -- Vrindaban 9 July, 1963:

At present I am at Vrindaban. Last time (Feb. 9th 1963) when I met your Excellency to present my Srimad-Bhagavatam, you promised to read it to see what is there in it.

As Srimad-Bhagavatam is combination of philosophy and religion it is a great need of the day. It is a fact that at the present moment only philosophy and religion can bring about a __ of humanity. I think you must have ___ the required ideal.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Madhava Maharaja -- New York 1 August, 1966:

for this cooperation programme. Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do everything in complete cooperation and thus I am inclined to have full cooperation in this great attempt of preaching in the foreign countries. All the camps of our various camps may at least cooperate in the matter of special activities and I may be able to provide any number of men who may be now inclined to come here and work under my direction. There is great possibility of Lord Caitanya's cult being preached amongst the younger section of the Americans and some of them are hearing me very seriously to accept the philosophy. Our men in the ideal line of activities chalked out by Srila Prabhupada will be great help to me and the persons who are now seriously attending my classes.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 21 March, 1967:

Please accept my blessings. Regarding your question about the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi or Vrindaban it is to be understood that Vrindaban is the original abode of Lord Krishna as He is the original Personality of Godhead. In that transcendental plane He has His transcendental associates in different exchange of humor. For ourselves when we are in perfect stage of devotional service, we can know our eternal relation with Krishna and as such one of the associates of Lord Krishna becomes our ideal leader. This acceptance of leadership by one of the eternal associates of the Lord is not artificial. Do not therefore try it at present it will be automatically revealed to you in proper time.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1967:

On the whole, the American boys who come here become first depressed, so I do not know how far our American house in Vrindaban will be successful. I am negotiating with the Revenue Minister of Rajastan government to have some place in the very nice temple of Jaipur. This temple is very ideal place for our imagination of an American house, and it is almost 50% settled that the house may be partly occupied by us. But in any case, at least two American boys must live here and take charge of the management. I am old man. At the same time sick. Even if I am well, it is not possible for me to look after the affairs of the American house. I want to remain free, being taken care of by all of you. In your states I was happy being taken care of by you, and that enjoyment is liking to me in this old age. Anyway, ask Brahmananda what to do in this connection.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- San Francisco 16 December, 1967:

The only thing you have to assured to get the splinters or the thin sticks. If you think it will be possible to get, then immediately start the work. The ingredients are the splinters, charcoal, starch or gum and essential oils. It will be very lucrative business and the profits will be sufficient to maintain the center once you begin the work. I will give you many business ideas by which you can accumulate nice profits. For business four things are required. Namely place, labor, capital and organization. For incense we have already organization. Little capital you are gathering. The poverty place means you can get cheap labor and the place you have already in your possession. Guidance, I am present. So do it immediately and there will be no scarcity of money. I hope you understand me right.

Be an ideal couple of husband and wife in your country. Be Krishna Consciousness by full cooperation of husband and wife and you be happy both in this and the next life also. Hope you are well.

1968 Correspondence

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

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.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 24 February, 1968:

Regarding printing in India, I have already sent you a specimen copy of printing which is being done in India, and if so desired, such printing work can be done in India without difficulty. But, if Dai Nippon Co. agrees to your letter of which you have sent me the copy then you can hand over the manuscript to them as early as possible. Regarding the purchase of press, I do not know what is the condition of the press but I want a full complete press where all kinds of books can be printed. If our men can take charge of a nice press either in New York or in India, that will be an ideal proposition, but the press which you propose to purchase is not equipped for printing our books. If Mr. Kalman can equip the press for printing our books, Bhagavatam esp., and other books also, and if our boys and girls can efficiently take up the printing work, that will be very nice. If we have got a press in our control with full equipment it will be a great boon.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:

Yes, everyone of us should be ideal to the other so everyone can get impetus to make progress more and more. The college engagements sound very nice; I shall reach there by the first of May. Hoping you are all well.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

It may be an ideal village where the residents will have plain living and high thinking. For plain living we must have sufficient land for raising crops and pasturing grounds for the cows. If there is sufficient grains and production of milk, then the whole economic problem is solved. You do not require any machines, cinema, hotels, slaughterhouses, brothels, nightclubs—all these modern amenities. People in the spell of maya are trying to squeeze out gross pleasure from the senses, which is not possible to derive to our heart's content. Therefore we are confused and baffled in our attempt to eschew eternal pleasure from gross matter. Actually, joyful life is on the spiritual platform, therefore we should try to save our valuable time from material activities and engage them for Krishna Consciousness. But at the same time, because we have to keep our body and soul together to execute our mission, we must have sufficient (not extravagant) food to eat, and that will be supplied by grains, fruits, and milk. So if you can develop this place to that ideal life and the residents become ideal Krishna Conscious men, in that part of your country, I think not only many philosophically minded people will be attracted, but they will be benefited also.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

On the other hand I was thinking that if I get permanent visa in Montreal, I shall make Montreal my headquarters and at that time I may require your help in so many ways. As we passed correspondence previously, that we should live together either in India or in this part of the world for publication of so many Vaisnava literatures. But if you want to develop New Vrindaban, I can spare you for that purpose, and it may be that we can live there together. For the time being, if you actually want to develop such ideal asrama, we must have sufficient land, and all other things will gradually grow. For raising crops from the land, how many men will be required—that we must estimate and for herding the cows and feeding them. We must have sufficient pasturing ground to feed the animals all round. We have to maintain the animals throughout their life. We must not make any program for selling them to the slaughterhouses.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

They get wheat and other cereals produced from the field. There is milk and vegetables and the fuel is cow dung, and thus, they are self-independent in every village. There are hand weavers for the cloth. And the country oil-mill (consisting of a bull walking in circle round two big grinding stones, attached with yoke) grinds the oil seeds into oil. The whole idea is that people residing in New Vrindaban may not have to search out work outside. Arrangements should be such that the residents should be self-satisfied. That will make an ideal asrama. I do not know these ideals can be given practical shape, but I think like that; that people may be happy in any place with land and cow without endeavoring for so-called amenities of modern life—which simply increase anxieties for maintenance and proper equipment. The less we are anxious for maintaining our body and soul together, the more we become favorable for advancing in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Himavati -- Montreal 14 June, 1968:

Yes, you can teach the Brahmacarinis sewing very nicely, and it will be a great help to the society. Of course, if they can remain Brahmacarinis, it is nice. But it is difficult also. It is not good for the Brahmacarinis to associate with householders; similarly it is not good also for the Brahmacarinis to mix with Brahmacaris, but in your country the boys and girls are accustomed to mix freely. Therefore, we cannot put any deadline restriction. In my opinion, if the boys and girls get themselves married just like ideal Vaisnava householders, that is very good. But, if by the Grace of Krishna, both the girls and boys can live separately, that is still better, but it is not possible. If it is possible to divert the whole attention for Krishna's service it is quite possible to remain single even for the whole life. So you have got now good engagement so remain engaged in that work and train the Brahmacarinis also, chant Hare Krishna and pull on your sewing machine.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 16 June, 1968:

Vasudeva was also in agreement with Kamsa that he would deliver all his sons to his hand, as soon as the child is born. But in the case of Krishna he broke his promise. The point is that Krishna appeared as the full fledged Personality of Godhead. But Ramacandra appeared as an ideal king. Therefore in the Lila of Ramacandra, principles of morality and ethics as they are to be followed by ideal king and ruler was followed. In the same sense, He banished Sita in order to prove Himself as an ideal king who wanted to make His subjects always happy. The whole program was on the basis of an ideal king. But in the case of Lord Krishna, He played as full independent Supreme Personality of Godhead. Apparently, therefore he transgressed so many moral and ethical principles. These comparative studies on the life of Krishna and Ramacandra is very intricate, but the basic principle is that Ramacandra appeared as an ideal king and Krishna appeared as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 3 July, 1968:

So when Sukaracharya advised him contrary to his previous instructions, specifically, he checked Bali Maharaja in the matter of worshiping Visnu, and thus Sukaracharya became at once fallen down from the position of becoming a spiritual master. Nobody can become a spiritual master who is not a devotee of Visnu. A brahmana may be very expert in the matter of performing Vedic rituals, accepting charities, and distributing wealth—all these are exalted qualifications of the brahmanas, but the Vedic injunction is, in spite of possessing all these qualities, if somebody is against Lord Visnu, he cannot be a spiritual master. So when Sukaracharya advised Bali Maharaja against Visnu, he at once became unqualified for becoming a spiritual master. Bali Maharaja disobeyed such unqualified spiritual master, and therefore, he is accepted as Mahajana. Mahajana means a personality whose footprints should be followed. So, his exemplary behavior in rejecting a non-Vaisnava spiritual master being ideal to the bona fide students, he is considered a Mahajana.

Letter to Balai -- Montreal 4 July, 1968:

Yes, this is very nice sentiments. All parents should think like that. Maharaja Prahlada, Dhruva Maharaja, they are ideal child devotees and everyone's children should be trained in the ideal of such great personalities.

Yes, during pregnancy you should live very carefully.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:

So far I could understand on the letter of Kirtanananda, that we had no freedom of action because the land belongs to Mr. Rose, who wants to develop an institution appealing to all sections of seekers in spiritual enlightenment. Such ideal of impersonal views can never be successful. That is the distinction between impersonalism and personalism. The impersonalists ultimate goal is something void, and therefore, any attempt for self-realization ending in voidness is all the same for the impersonalists. But we the personalists, we do not agree that all systems of self-realizing process ends in the same goal. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is explicitly said that the worshippers of different demigods ultimately reach the planets of respective demigods; the worshippers of forefathers also go to different pitri planets, respectively; the worshippers of mammon remain in the mammonish world; and the persons in Krishna Consciousness, ultimately reach to the planet of Krishna loka.

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

I am so pleased to learn that Kirtanananda, you have already attracted neighboring devotees by your presentation of Prasadam. I am sure this Prasadam attraction will make our neighbors friendly and surely they will come in number in future so that New Vrindaban will be ideal place for visiting from the neighboring provinces, counties, I think so and it will be done nicely. I am so glad to learn that you are feeling too much engagement in New Vrindaban, and this a spiritual inspiration. Our society should never be a devil's workshop, but it should be certainly the most magnificent platform for spiritual activities.

Letter to Roland Michener (Governor-General of Canada) -- Montreal 24 August, 1968:

The aim of ISKCON is not to found a new religious sect, but to invoke the living entity's dormant love of God, and thus provide the human society of all faiths with a common platform of clear theistic knowledge and practice. Members of ISKCON may retain their own respective religious faiths, as ISKCON is meant to establish a clear, practical common formulation of the common ideal of all theists, and to defeat the unnecessary dogmatic wranglings that now divide and invalidate the theistic camp. This common ideal of theism is to develop love of God.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

So my conclusion is that Buffalo is doing well because you are doing well. I am so glad to see that one of my sincere disciples has sacrificed everything for spreading Krishna Consciousness, and I am so pleased upon you that you are showing the example of an ideal householder. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura was also a householder, but he lived in so perfect Krishna Consciousness that he is better than many Sannyasis like us. So far I am concerned, I could not live like Bhaktivinode Thakura because I was disgusted with my family members and I was obliged to give up my family life. But Krishna is so kind that although I left my few children born out of this physical body, Krishna has sent many nice beautiful obedient children for propagating my mission. And you are one of them. So I am very much obliged to you.

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

In the meantime, I have just talked with Krishna das and the German boy, Uttama Sloka das, and they are prepared to join you by the end of this month. Sriman Uttama Sloka is already initiated, and he is a German scholar also. He has shown me his translation work on my essays in English, and it appears that he will be a great help in the Berlin center. I am trying to inject in him the basic ideals of Krishna Consciousness philosophy and this morning we had one nice discussion. So the Berlin temple will be one of the most important centers in Europe, and I hope that in the future we will be able to train many Germans who are very intelligent personalities in the European countries.

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

I hope our books, Bhagavad-gita, as it is; Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Srimad-Bhagavatam will in the near future be translated into German language and distributed to the noble nation of Germany. You may not think for the time being of any other branch, at least for the coming one year. And as soon as Krishna das and Uttama Sloka go there, please make combined effort to popularize this Krishna Consciousness movement in that country. They will take with them a mrdanga drum. And I understand that in Germany they make very nice harmoniums. Please take information of them and let me know immediately, otherwise, Krishna das will take a harmonium from here, along with mrdanga. This Krishna Consciousness movement through music, philosophy, spiritual culture, and personal behavior culminating in ideal character of the devotees. All these heavenly contributions combined together will certainly bring about a major change in the life of Western people.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Seattle 7 October, 1968:

Regarding your enemy, Mr. Lust: I have noted the difficulties, but we should always remember that Krishna is stronger than any demon, and Mr. Lust, or his father or his grandfather, nobody can do anything provided we take shelter of Krishna very tightly. Now so far your personal matter is concerned, you are a Brahmacari, you can marry at any time, and in New York, all the nice girls, they are actually very suitable for our students, and I encourage that all the Brahmacaris may be very responsible, and marry one of the girls. Because generally the girls desire good husband and a good home, children, that is their natural propensity, so we want to show some ideal householders also. But the proposal that marriage will solve the question of lust, is not practical. Neither wife should be accepted as a machine for satisfying our lust. The marriage tie should be taken as very sacred. One who marries for subduing lust is mistaken. Because lust cannot be satisfied simply by indulging in sense gratification.

Letter to B. N. Jariwala -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

The humble service which I am rendering to the American people, in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, is undoubtedly being responded nicely by the American younger generation, and recently we are getting from educational circles also, from the college students and professors good response, so there is good potency for spreading Krishna Consciousness in the western world. And you know that we have got already fifteen branches as follows: New York City; Boston; San Francisco; Vancouver, B.C.; Canada; Honolulu, Hawaii; New Vrindaban, an ideal Krishna Consciousness community; and London, England; and Berlin, Germany. The London branch and the Berlin branch are doing very substantial work, and most probably I shall be going there from America to the European countries.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

So we do not neglect anything, because everything is manifestation of Krishna's energy. Krishna's energy means Sita, and Krishna is Rama. So all material energy that are working in the material world, can be engaged in the service of the Lord. Actually, if your father fortunate, and I think he is fortunate, because he has got two nice sons, so Krishna is certainly pleased on him. His present demoniac qualification is no bar for getting mercy of Krishna, because you are two sons present for his salvation. Just like Prahlada Maharaja—his father was atheist, and he was always inimical to his great son, but still the son was so good that he arranged for the salvation of his father. So Vaisnava son in a family can give the best service to his family members, and you are ideal two brothers in this country, and you show the example how everything can be adopted, in the service of Krishna. So I am glad that you have got all these ideas, and Gargamuni has got the energy and your father is also willing, that you should cooperate, so let us take this good chance, and try to utilize it for Krishna Consciousness movement.

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

Regarding opening of the press, my idea is that unless we are fully independent, in all departmental works of the press, we should not attempt it. Your suggestion that the papers may be sent to Holland for binding is completely utopian. If we print we must bind ourselves also. This is not practical proposal that we shall print in our press, and send for binding in other countries. Therefore it is essential that some of our boys may learn about binding also. When we start our own press, we must simply print our own publications and magazines and books. We shall not accept any outside work, and by selling books and magazines, we shall have to maintain the family of our devotees, or the brahmacaris. That should be the ideal work. We shouldn't depend for maintaining the workers by accepting outside job works. So for the time being, the Dai Nippon business must be finished immediately. Then after getting Teachings of Lord Caitanya, along with Bhagavad-gita, we will try to start our own press by the sales proceeds.

Letter to Janaki -- Los Angeles 9 December, 1968:

I think also that it is good sign that Krishna is delaying to give us a nice London temple because when it finally will come it may be the most ideal temple for our purposes. So none of you be discouraged but go on with your engagements and everything will come automatically very nice.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Los Angeles 27 December, 1968:

If you take charge of the children of our devotees and give them nice education strictly on Krishna Consciousness principles, it will be a great help to the preachers, just like our six students, husbands and wives, who are preaching in London. One of them has got a child and as soon as she is at least two years old, she may be sent under your care. New Vrindaban is just the suitable place for keeping cows and children. It will be an ideal residential quarter, completely for spiritual life and I hope for the future the Americans must evaluate this enterprise as very very valuable.

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Los Angeles 28 December, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 24, 1968 which was sent from the Halawa Jail. It is nice that you are doing preaching work there, but you should know that such practices like stealing are against the principles of Krishna Consciousness. I always want that my students should be very ideal in character and not discredit our society. Actually, one who is in Krishna Consciousness automatically develops all of the good qualities which are possessed by the demigods. So we should always try to develop in this way by becoming fully surrendered to Lord Krishna. For Krishna we can execute any activity, but this is not free license to act whimsically. Arjuna was able to fight on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra because this was Krishna's desire, not because it was simply his whims. So please try to remember this and Krishna will help you surely as you are sincere soul.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Mrs. Levine -- Los Angeles 10 January, 1969:

Regarding your initiation, I do not know whether your husband is also willing to be initiated with you. This first initiation can be performed by mailing your beads, but if conveniently you can come to see me with your husband, that would be very nice. I am so glad to know that you have become so interested in Krishna Consciousness, and it is pleasing to note that you are hearing from Hamsaduta and Himavati. They are an ideal pair amongst my disciples. There are many pairs like them and all of them, husbands and wives together, are engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord. Similarly, if I find you and your husband engaged in that way it will be a great pleasure for me. I have come to your country for preaching this Krishna Consciousness movement, and the younger generation especially is now cooperating with me. Similarly your cooperation will be very welcome.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1969:

I thank you very much for your assurance that I will find London a most flourishing center for our world Sankirtana movement. That is my ideal of life, to form a nice group of devotees to perform Sankirtana and to distribute our books in wider circles. Here, Tamala Krishna's group has proved a very nice Sankirtana Party, and we can combine with your group which is also a very nice Sankirtana Party. Then we could immediately take the responsibility of a round the world trip, and I am sure it will be successful. You can let me know by return mail if my services in London are immediately required. I am prepared to go.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

It is very nice that you are wishing to remain as a brahmacari. In London they are ideal householders. So actually it doesn't matter if one is householder of brahmacari. Sincerity of purpose is the only qualification for Krishna Consciousness. Sri Narottama das Thakura says that he hankers after the company of any person, never mind whether he is in the renounced order of life or in householder life, just as long as he is merged into the ocean of Krishna Consciousness. That is the one qualification.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 22 February, 1969:

I have received the booklet known as Paramahamsa Sarasvati Goswami issued by the Gaudiya Mission of London. I can understand that this brochure was written by my godbrother, Professor Sannyal, but the essay is not very practical. It contains some ideal discussions only, and I know that this Professor Sannyal is personally deviated from all of these ideas. So I don't think it is very much valuable for publishing in Back To Godhead.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Hawaii 10 March, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of March 5th, and you can take it from me that I give you clear sanction to get yourself married to Kancanbala dasi, at the earliest possible date. From her side, her mother has agreed, and from your side, I have agreed. So Kancanbala is an ideal girl, Krishna Conscious, and I want that some ideal families of Krishna Consciousness should be established in your country, so that people can see that our movement is not one sided or dry. So we do not want dry renouncers. Krishna Himself married so many wives as a Ksatriya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu although He was to take Sannyas at the age of 24 years, still He married twice within 20 years. Lord Nityananda Prabhu also married. Advaita Prabhu and Srivas Prabhu, they were also householders.

Letter to Himavati -- Hawaii 18 March, 1969:

So this Arcana Siddhi program is given in the Narada Pancaratra especially for the householders. Householders cannot undergo strict disciplinary activities of austerity, therefore for every householder the path of Arcana Siddhi is very much recommended. According to Vedic system, all householders are ordered to keep Deity at home and follow strictly the worshipment process. That makes the home pure, body pure, mind pure, and quickly promotes one to the pure platform of spiritual life. The temple is also specially meant for the householders. In India, in every town, in every village, in every neighborhood, still there are Visnu temples for the convenience of the surrounding householders. So I am pleased that you are ideal householder. And you are doing very nicely combined together husband and wife. Please do it as you are doing and gradually Krishna will give you all facility.

Letter to Tosana Krsna, Bhurijana -- Hawaii 19 March, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am very happy to be in receipt of your nice letter of March 6, 1969, and thank you very much for it. Yes, you are two ideal ones for preaching there, and I can understand that things are going very nicely. This is very much encouraging to me. Hold kirtana and serve Prasadam, and gradually people will come, more and more. That is the program. And you are both sincere students, and very intelligent boys, and Krishna will supply you all facility for your preaching work if you try sincerely.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I hope all is well there, and I am very much encouraged by all the nice letters I an receiving from New Vrindaban, that the inhabitants there are very happy and living in Krishna Conscious surroundings. This is very ideal example for all.

Letter to Satyabhama -- Hawaii 30 March, 1969:

If we can keep cows sufficiently and grow our necessary foodstuffs, then we shall show a new way of life to your countrymen . . . completely spiritual life in healthy atmosphere in divine consciousness. And you will have ample opportunity to educate children and write books for them because there is sufficient matter for publishing such books from the Puranas, Mahabharata, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and many other allied literatures. There are thousands of ideal historical events, which if we can put with suitable pictures, it will be a great idea and people will like to have such literature. I have got many ideas for developing the new Vrindaban scheme and if Krishna gives me opportunity I may be able to show something very wonderful in your country. Unfortunately I have no money neither the richer section of your countrymen have taken any serious view of our movement. Otherwise there is more than sufficient money and if one or two men of your country gives a little attention, with this we can develop many New Vrindabans.

Letter to Advaita -- Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 23, 1969, and I think your deliberation is right. I am advising Brahmananda to submit the manuscripts to Messrs. Dai Nippon under suitable arrangement, and whatever you can all get together for contributing to this purpose may immediately be handed over to Brahmananda for deposit in my book fund account. Your letter is very much encouraging, and it is worth exhibiting to all grhastha disciples, and not only to disciples, but to people in general who are simply interested in the matter of sense gratification. Our members of Krishna Consciousness society should be ideal human beings, and if they try to follow the principles, surely they will be the ideal men in the world.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1969:

The Sankirtana Party must always work regularly; that is our life and soul. You have given nice opportunity to Subala das. He is very sober and honest devotee. You are going every afternoon for one hour and that is very nice. Four or five men in the temple for kirtanas is sufficient. The temple is an ideal institution, and people should come to learn, because if they can make every house like our temples, then their lives will surely be successful. Regarding your proposal for contacting a subsidiary publisher, we are prepared to pay the fee or the cost of the production if they can produce our books of the same quality as Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and at the same price.

Letter to Mukunda -- New Vrindaban 22 May, 1969:

Here in your country all the branches are doing very nicely, and this New Vrindaban is an ideal place for improving Krishna Consciousness. We have got enough land here to construct temples and accommodate for the devotees, so in the future we may develop this New Vrindaban very nicely. There is surely an atmosphere of Vrindaban life actually, although many of the devotees here are quite new and differently cultured. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Yamuna -- New Vrindaban 27 May, 1969:

Our real purpose is to spread Krishna Consciousness. This means that there is one God; Krishna, there is one scripture; Bhagavad-gita As It Is, there is one mantra; Hare Krishna, and there is one work; service of Lord Krishna. We want to preach this cult all over the world, and I am sure people from all groups of religion will join us. If we establish a temple on the principles of Mataji, it is also very nice, we may draw the attention of a section of Hindus, but we cannot really execute our ideals. So we cannot be very much enthusiastic in this connection. She is undoubtedly a good devotee of Krishna, but she has to learn the science of Krishna Consciousness, I hope this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1969:

You say that much of your time will be engaged in earning money, but that does not mean you have to cease your service to Krishna. You are praying for Krishna's blessings in order to serve me better, but when Krishna speaks through me, you hesitate to accept the words. I do not know why you should work at all if you want to remain brahmacari. Here is an ideal brahmacari with me. He works day and night with me. Why don't you become a brahmacari like him and come here? One who is a householder, he has to work because he has to maintain a wife and children at home. But for a brahmacari, why should he take the botheration of working simply for the matter of satisfying the belly? So far as belly satisfaction is concerned, that is already arranged by Krishna. Krishna is supplying food to the birds and beasts, so why should He not supply a brahmacari? Food is not a problem.

Letter to Cidananda -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated June 24, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Madhudvisa has already gone there as desired by you, and I am sure he will be very helpful. He is now a veteran trained man, and the Los Angeles temple is now an ideal place for all centers to take example. Now I hope you will be able to make San Francisco as important as Los Angeles temple in cooperation with Madhudvisa and the other devotees there. Please convey my blessings to Jayananda, who is helping so much now in organizing for the Rathayatra Festival. Regarding Karatieya, if he wants to go to Germany, he can go, but if you require him in San Francisco at present, don't encourage him to go at present. But in Germany there is a need for brahmacaris, and Karatieya knows a little German language.

Letter to Sacisuta -- Los Angeles 5 July, 1969:

I want to see my disciples very happy in Krishna Consciousness, therefore, those who are feeling some sexual disturbance are requested by me to get themselves married. Another principle is that those who are brahmacaris, they should sacrifice all of their income and collection for the Krishna Consciousness Movement, whereas those who are married should work, earning money as much as possible, and at least 50% should be spent for the Krishna Consciousness Movement. So we have no objection for allowing you to get married, but it is up to you to consider if you will work hard and earn money both for Krishna and for your family. You cannot get married, and at the same time do not earn money. Of course, by preaching Sankirtana Movement, if you are satisfied with a small income, that is also nice. I think that your God-brother, Rupanuga is an ideal householder, and you should try to follow him.

Letter to Mr. Kair -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1969:

The present government policy to kill religious faith of the people is resulting in frustration of religious life because it is not organizedly taught. But by nature the people of India have a hankering for spiritual advancement, and therefore the present situation is a natural result of the clash between two opposite ideals. In this case also the best treatment is to give the people scientific religious ideas which are very clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita. But unfortunately, unscrupulous and rascal so-called scholars, religionists and philosophers have misinterpreted the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, and they have misled the whole population. Bhagavad-gita is popular not only in India, but also all over the world. Unfortunately, the real idea has been distorted.

Letter to James Doody -- Los Angeles 10 July, 1969:

That means that Krishna Consciousness is so sublime and happy that it surpasses the pleasure of sex life. In the material world, because there is no information of Krishna Consciousness, sex life is taken as the highest pleasurable situation. Anyway, in our philosophy we prohibit illicit sex life and not sex life itself. In Krishna Consciousness there are many illustrious householders. So to marry and to become an exemplary householder is the ideal life of Krishna Consciousness. If the girl who is willing to marry you becomes Krishna Conscious, and as I think you are already Krishna Conscious, it will be a nice combination, provided you live under bona fide guidance. I am very much pleased that you wish to live under my guidance, and if you actually follow, then I can nicely direct you, even in your married life.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 7, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Rather then answering your points now, I think when we meet again in San Francisco Rathayatra Ceremony we shall discuss things. But one thing is that I have a very nice place in mind where yourself and Himavati may go to help start one temple. In Detroit there is one very nice household couple, Bhagavan das and Krishna Bhamini, and I am thinking that you would be ideal to go there and organize the temple as the president and propagate Sankirtana Party. So we shall discuss this at length in San Francisco.

Letter to Balai -- Los Angeles 21 July, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you so much for your letter of July 15, 1969, and I think of you very often that you are a most ideal devotee wife. Your husband, Advaita, is working very hard and nicely in Krishna Consciousness, and when the husband is executing his activities very nicely it is credit not only to the husband himself, but it is a credit to his wife also. In materialistic marriages generally there are too many troubles and frustrations because the basic principle for both the husband and wife is their own personal sense gratification. Therefore there is inevitable conflict and divorce petition.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

I am so glad to learn that Mr. Ted Berk, the American poet, is now living with you as brahmacari. Let him become now a Vaisnava poet. There are so many Vaisnava poets in India. Now as Krishna Consciousness is spreading, I think there must be some western Vaisnava poets, and Mr. Ted Berk may be the first one. So far as Trivikrama is concerned, he is a super first-class brahmacari. His service attitude, his submission is very nice although he is still a new member. The thing is that he had the association of Rupanuga who is an ideal householder devotee. I am feeling very much proud personally because my so many householder devotees are preaching Krishna Consciousness so nicely.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 6 August, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. In further reference to your letter of August 2, 1969, now that you have procured this big house, I think it will be ideal for beginning our printing department in Boston immediately. You have written that there are two big halls, so do you think one of these halls will be nice for printing machines and workshop? You may immediately write to Advaita and Vaikunthanatha in New York and invite them to go there to Boston to begin printing operations.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- England 30 September, 1969:

The present temple is nice, but I think the accommodation is not sufficient. Under the circumstances, we must find out some bigger place to accommodate all our devotees. I am glad that you appreciate the behavior of Sriman Gaura Hari Brahmacari, and please see that everyone of you becomes ideal devotee so people may see your exemplary character. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that one who is in Krishna Consciousness, all good qualities of the demigods develop in him automatically. So see that everyone of you chants the prescribed rounds and follows the rules strictly along with chanting and dancing. Then you will see Krishna fulfill all of your desires. As you know that we are now opening a press in Boston, we shall be requiring a $20,000 investment in this connection. So if I need some money, I may ask you. Otherwise you may keep your money for investing in the house affairs.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tittenhurst 29 October, 1969:

You will find all these descriptions in our book Krsna how they remained compact in thought of Krishna. So this is the highest ideal of Krishna Consciousness, and we should try to follow their footsteps. Everyone has to adjust things in his particular way, but I again repeat that at least one hour should be set aside for chanting the beads. I hope this will help you both ways and I pray to Krishna that He will give you all protection.

Letter to Bhagavan -- London 9 November, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 26, 1969. It is very encouraging that from the very beginning of your center you are successfully executing your entrusted duties. Krishna will be very much pleased upon you and your wife, Krishna Bhamini. In our society we want to see some ideal householders as you are, so that preaching may go on with great speed. From the very beginning of this movement the associates of Lord Caitanya were all householders. All four of the principal associates; namely Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, and even Lord Caitanya Himself—They were all householders. So we are not impersonalists or voidists. Our program is to enter into the association of Krishna.

Letter to Madhusudana -- London 23 November, 1969:

I am very glad that Kancanbala is performing the regulative principles and worshiping and helping you to become an ideal Vaisnava householder. Regarding sannyasa, yes, according to Vedic principles, as a married man, you must give your wife at least one boy child. And when he is grown up, after you are 50 years of age, you can take sannyasa. The grown up boy may take care of your old wife. That is the Vedic system.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 7 December, 1969:

The boy should be trained to be a nice brahmacari, but it is risky to keep a boy of this age away from the public schools. In your country the law is very strict to send such minor children to school. The best thing will be to send him to New Vrindaban to be taken taken care of by Kirtanananda, Ranadhira, Satyabhama, Syama Dasi and Paramananda. They are already taking care of some young boys who are there. They are trying to develop a school of our ideal in that place. So after some time, if the mother sticks to our principles, the child may be sent to New Vrindaban and she can remain in the temple and gradually be initiated. In the meantime, encourage her to read our literature and books, and be engaged in some service as above mentioned.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970:

The arati articles may be returned to the same places, especially the conch shell, but the deeps, lamps, should be set down from their places because they must be washed.

I am very glad to learn that the three girls from France are advancing nicely under your tutelage. Please continue to train them up to chant regularly and to always keep engaged in Krishna activities. As ideal householder girl, you are giving them the best example of Krishna conscious life. Please offer my blessings to them and to all the devotees.

Letter to Anil Grover -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

The Krishna Consciousness Movement has a basic philosophy in view, which is propagation of the ideal of One God, one religion, one scripture, one hymn, and one human society. So far we Indians are concerned; we are ordered to preach the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness throughout the whole world, after personally realizing what it is. This means that as we have different types of limbs for different functions, but at the ultimate end all the different limbs of the body cooperate for the maintenance of the whole body. Similarly, if we accept the human society as one, then different sections of the human society may act differently for the one purpose of growth of human civilization.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

Try to convince in the meeting that the difference between animal society and human society is that the human society has in some form the ideals of Krishna Consciousness or God Consciousness. That is religion. Religion without God Consciousness has no meaning. And God Consciousness means that we are eternally related with Him. He is the Father, and everyone of us is the part and parcel or son. He is the Supreme Leader, and we are subordinates. He is the Supreme Maintainer, and we are completely dependent on Him.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

I am very glad to know that you are so eager to start a center when you get married. That is very nice. We want to open hundreds and thousands of centers in every town, village, neighborhood, and everywhere. And we want to show ideal householder life also. If one pair of nice Krishna Conscious householders are there, so many people derive benefit out of their behavior. So when you decide to marry we shall find out a suitable devotee husband for you.

Letter to Subala -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

Try to convince in the meeting that the difference between animal society and human society is that the human society has in some form the ideals of Krishna Consciousness or God Consciousness. That is religion. Religion without God Consciousness has no meaning, and God Consciousness means we are eternally related with Him. He is the Father, and everyone of us is the part and parcel or son. He is the Supreme Leader, and we are subordinates. He is the Supreme Maintainer, and we are completely dependent on Him.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 29 March, 1970:

When Brahmananda came here, I discussed with him that we have now opened so many branches and they should be properly maintained. As I am personally here in Los Angeles, and because Krsna has now given us a very nice church, it will be possible for me to look after the business here to be the ideal for other centers. The church building is very excellent. I am sending herewith two pictures. We have already paid the advance money, $50,000, out of $225,000. Your contribution is very much welcome.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

Our men will take charge of maintaining the temple, so what is the objection about his sparing this nice place for turning into Krishna temple. My idea is that you six boys and girls who have gone there remain there and help George as far as possible, but you maintain a regular temple there so that people may come see an ideal place of worship and surely that will be a great advantage for George and the visitors who come there.

Letter to Damodara -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Arati, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on, and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers that activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Sudama -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Los Angeles 4 May, 1970:

Now at the present moment, I am concentrating my energy in this Los Angeles Center as ideal for all other centers in respect of Deity worship, Aratrik, Kirtana and other necessary paraphernalia. As I have curtailed my moving program, I wish that you may come here at your convenience and stay here for a few days and see personally how things are going on; and by meeting with me personally for necessary instruction, I hope simultaneously in all Centers the activities will be of the same standard.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1970:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good wife, Arundhati, and your firstborn son, whom you may give the name Aniruddha. This is very good news. Now you must take the responsible post of both husband and father to guide both these good souls, your wife and son, to the perfection of human life in Krsna consciousness. You and your wife are both intelligent and advanced in devotional science, so work conjointly to raise your son in the best atmosphere of ideal family blessed by Krsna in Krsna consciousness.

Letter to Vamanadeva -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:

You are an intelligent and educated boy and highly skilled carpenter as well as devotee and your wife is well qualified similarly. I want that you should continue our program as you are already doing and in this way you will advance in Krsna consciousness more and more. So you set the ideal standard of householder life for the benefit of others and they will gradually be influenced to follow your example of sincere service on Krsna's behalf.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

I have been informed by Devananda that your wife has borne you one nice son. So this is very good news. You may give him the name Nirmala Candra. Nirmala means without any flaws or without contamination and Candra means moon. So the name Nirmala Candra refers specifically to Lord Caitanya who is known as the Spotless Moon of Gauda. Now you husband and wife must work together combinedly with great responsibility for raising your new child in ideal Krsna consciousness. Children learn by imitation of their parents, so if you both set Krsna conscious example the child will very naturally and easily become advanced in Krsna consciousness by following. Please offer my blessings to your good wife, Laksmimoni, and your son.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

This site situated in the midst of the beautiful West Virginia mountains provides an ideal setting for demonstrating the simplicity of naturalistic living based on brahminical culture and cow protection in Krsna consciousness. Cow protection practically solves the problems of sustenance and the greater portion of time of the devotees, being not engaged in the frantic scramble of materialistic competition for food and shelter, is kept engaged in the pursuit of spiritual perfection.

Letter to Jayapataka, Acyutananda -- Tokyo 20 August, 1970:

I understand that nowadays many strikes are being observed in Calcutta. These are not new things because from our childhood we know Bengal is the origin of all political agitation. Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal and He said that simply by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra everyone will have perfection by one's idealistic way of life. Now it is the time for the Bengalis or for the Indians to understand that this Hare Krsna Mantra will also bring in the perfection of communistic ideas. If you can therefore arrange a small meeting with the Bengali Communist leaders, I can try to convince them how Krsna Consciousness Movement is very much congenial for their purpose.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 26 September, 1970:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Sept. 10th, 1970 and noted the contents. I have not yet received the bead bag sewn by your good wife, but I beg to thank you for the check of $100 forwarded to my book fund. I am so glad that you are now together, husband and wife, engaged in serving Krsna as an ideal Krsna Conscious householder couple.

Letter to Daivisakti, Nayanabhirama -- Calcutta 4 October, 1970:

I hope everything is going on well with you at your center in Philadelphia. Please set the example of our ideal householder life in Krsna Consciousness. This will be very highly appreciated by all persons who will come in your contact and you will also be benefited. So please see that you all stick to the regulative lines of our devotional practices and keep up the standard of purity as it has thus far been established in our progressive functions in Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Bombay 8 November, 1970:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27, Sept. I'm very pleased that you're opening a nice center in the important city of Pittsburgh. Please develop the Pittsburgh and New Vrindaban plan conjointly. If Pittsburgh center can help contribute financially to our New Vrindaban, that will help relieve many financial problems. I am often thinking of New Vrindaban and I'm so much glad that you have taken the initiative to establish that program. Before I came to your country, I was thinking to establish an ideal Vedic community. So please work very hard to make New Vrindaban grow.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 13 November, 1970:

Your plan of the Buffalo Temple is very nice. Please develop it more and more for serving the Lord. It is a very good house. The picture in which your wife and child are engaged in preaching work—it is simply wonderful. You are ideal householder and you are teaching the world who to live with wife and children as a householder. My Guru Maharaja generally used to make a Sannyasi from Householder, but I have created householders for preaching work and your example is proving my attempt successful.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Bombay 15 November, 1970:

Regarding Russia, I am very anxious to establish a center there in Moscow and if I am invited, I can go there. In the meantime, I think you should be the only one to hold correspondence with the Indology Professors, no one else. This correspondence should be conducted very cautiously with Russia. You can ask them some questions, like: What is the ultimate goal of life? What is your ideal ultimate goal of life? What is the difference between animal and human life? Why is religion accepted by all kinds of civilized societies? What is your conception of the original creation? In this way questions may be put to find out what is their standing. We do not grudge an atheist provided he has got some philosophical standing. In this way try to elicit some answers from the Professors. If you can finally establish one Moscow center, it will be a great credit to you. So far studying Russian language, it is not necessary, but if you do so it is alright. I want very much a center in Russia, so for the time being I shall desire that Moscow Center.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Vrindaban Candra -- Allahabad 8 January, 1971:

I am so glad to hear that our Philadelphia temple is running so smoothly, "filled with love and truthfulness." Such an atmosphere is so congenial for advancement in Krishna Consciousness and if the Prabhus there continue their devotional activities in such a spirit, so many people will be attracted. Also I am glad to note that you and your wife are cooperating so nicely in Krishna's service. So you should set an ideal example of household life in Krishna Consciousness for all to follow. In this way continue your program there in Philadelphia and Krishna will surely bless you.

Letter to Paramananda -- Allahabad 27 January, 1971:

Please accept my blessings and I thank you very much for your kind letter dated 28th December, 1970. I am so glad to hear that your son Premananda is already walking and already chanting Hare Krishna. That is very good. So Krishna has blessed you with a nice Krishna Conscious wife and a devotee son and good atmosphere for raising a family in Krishna Consciousness. You are one of the main members of our New Vrindaban scheme. So be very serious to develop it nicely so that we can show the world how the ideal God-conscious community is working.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Allahabad 27 January, 1971:

It is encouraging to hear that already you are distributing BTG so nicely, so continue in this way. Also you should widely distribute our books, especially to the schools and libraries. We have also initiated a life membership program for distributing our books and you can inquire about this program from Karandhara. I have noted how you already have been invited into peoples homes for Sankirtana program. Such engagements are ideal for making life members and distributing our literature. That has been our program in India and it has been very successful. So continue this program.

Letter to Mukunda -- Allahabad 4 February, 1971:

In regard of Regent's Park land we are taking steps to contact Sri Karan Singh, who is already known to Gurudasa and that way of obtaining royal favor is very good. I think Sri Singh will like to help us in this matter, so let us see what Krsna desires. In the meantime continue to work from your end as far as possible. I am so glad that you have decided to return as President of our London Temple. I consider London as our prime center for spreading Krsna Consciousness Movement, so it is very important center and I therefore wanted that you take charge of the affairs and see that things are always improving. Simply offer all your talents and energies in this service of the Lord and know that Krsna promises that for one who surrenders fully unto Him, He fully protects such devotee from all kinds of material distresses and sinful reactions. I hope that Janaki will join you in this work, and you set the example of ideal householders in Krsna Consciousness. I have also received one letter from Janaki and I am replying her separately.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Gorakhpur 19 February, 1971:

He has sent me some photos also. But our long outstanding program for opening a center in Paris is still in oblivion. I understand that Jaya Govinda is now very much interested in family life. Similarly Umapati has also left Europe and gone back to the U.S.A. The wife is maya but at the same time a great friend. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked that the wife is the goddess of fortune somewhere and somewhere she is a witch. Anyway, you are very strong and an ideal grhastha and therefore instead of being influenced by your wife, you have influenced her to take to Krishna Consciousness. I expect every one of my students to come to your standard and remain steadfast in pushing on this movement of Krishna Consciousness. Mandali Bhadra has changed his wife because he was also being deviated by his former wife and I hope he will stand on this point steadily.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Saradia -- Bombay 4 April, 1971:

Now you have gone to Guyana. Dr. Balwant Singh has written me how well you are being received there also. So take advantage and immediately open a center. It is a good field for selling our literature (5000 BTG per month to start is very encouraging) and the inhabitants are cooperative, so it is the ideal opportunity to open a center. So Trinidad or Guyana, one center should be established very nicely. Just like we have got our L.A. center and so many smaller centers. Similarly, in that quarter of the world there must be one very nice center. So concentrate your efforts in that way and when things are ready I shall send you Deities. And when the situation is favorable, I shall go there also.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 9 April, 1971:

Yes, the new thrones are actually super-excellent. So the 24" high Deities might have reached L.A. by this time, so when I return I shall hold like installation ceremony. I wanted that thrones be constructed like this, so you have introduced it. Personally I have already instructed and you are following. So make L.A. the ideal temple for all our temples to follow, in every respect. For this purpose, I purchased that house. I hope the installments on the house account are being paid regularly. I have not received the latest receipt since a long time, but I hope you are doing the right thing. This is a great responsibility. I think out of the $11,500.00 which I advanced during the purchase of the house has been fully paid except $1,700.00. Please check to see if I have it right. Besides that, from during Brahmananda's time, I am due to realize from BTG department about $8,000.00. $2900.00 was advanced to Iskcon Press in your presence and $5,000.00 Brahmananda was to pay but it was withheld on account of imminent expenditure. Please see to this.

Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 11 April, 1971:

I am so glad to hear how you are increasing your program at the schools and colleges and teaching classes there also. That is very encouraging. This university teaching should be vigorously done and our literatures introduced as well. It is an ideal opportunity to do so. And you are getting free ghee from the city school system. That means support of the local government. That is very nice. If you can gain the sympathy there of the government, local state or national, that will so much enhance our prestige. So go on trying for it.

Letter to Krsnakanti -- Bombay 11 April, 1971:

Push on your program at schools and colleges, vigorously, as you have been doing, and try to teach classes there also. That affords the ideal opportunity for introducing our books. Try and get KRSNA book and Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS recommended by the professors. Door to door Sankirtana is very nice program also, and a very nice means for distributing the books, so increase it more and more. And incense business is also picking up. These are all different opportunities to render service to the Lord. From now on all BTG and book fund collections should be remitted to Karandhara in L.A.

Letter to John Milner -- Bombay 22 April, 1971:

It is so much encouraging to hear how you are introducing this Krishna Consciousness Movement in the schools and colleges there. Especially this is an ideal opportunity for distributing our books also, so you should make all serious endeavor in this connection. These books are so potent that anyone who reads them is sure to become Krishna Conscious. So it is a very valuable service to distribute our books.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 25 April, 1971:

Yes, please offer my blessings to your good wife Laksmimoni and son Nimala Candra. Please make them ideal Krishna Conscious family members. That will be a great example for our society.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 30 April, 1971:

Your newspaper and magazine clippings are very nice. They arrived on a day when our life members were meeting and they were appreciated by all. Your ideas for new dramas sound nice, so you can put them into action. And Princeton sounds like an ideal place for our temple, so why not open it immediately?

So far as the Finnish film student arranging for engagements, etc. in Helsinki, you may inform her that by the end of June I may very well be in London, so she can contact me there. And all your parents are becoming members. That is very encouraging. That means that they are appreciating their sons' career as spiritual students.

Letter to Paramananda -- Delhi 18 November, 1971:

Purchase it immediately and we shall construct there a model school for molding children in the perfect way of life. I know that you are the fit person for carrying out his plan, so I am entrusting you to see that everything is done very nicely and up to standard. This project of opening a school for young children may be expanded to include inviting children of respectable families for some tuition fee to come there for an ideal education including the basic requirements of reading and writing, but giving them also real spiritual knowledge of how to live perfectly—what other school of learning can offer such wonderful educational opportunity? There has also been suggestion of a kind of summer camp for children from crowded cities. What do you think?

I am pleased to note the birth of your second son. Now kindly deliver him to Krishna and your life will be perfect. Actually, you are an ideal householder couple, and I want that such grhastha couples should manage things as they have a tendency to organize and manage, and so I am confident that you will help me deliver these children back to Home, back to Godhead. Yes, you may call your son Madhavendra das.

Letter to Govinda -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

This is very good that these leaders of this local yoga group have joined with us. This is great credit. All the hippie groups can be transformed into Krishna Consciousness by your regular preaching. You have already experienced that our transcendental mantra of Hare Krishna and distribution of prasadam will make us successful all over the world. Those who are intelligent can read our books very seriously and their lives will become perfect. Our method is very simple. The preacher should also be ideal, sincere, serious and strictly adhering to our principles, chanting 16 rounds and following the restrictive rules.

Letter to Mohanananda -- Delhi 6 December, 1971:

Distribute our books to them, prasadam, like that. Our program is the same everywhere, chanting, dancing, and feasting on Krishna prasadam. As soon as we get some opportunity, no matter Texas or China, we contaminate the place with Krishna, that's all. It is a good idea that you propose to hold a very nice Bhagavata Festival to inaugurate New Naimisaranya. Do it very nicely, and invite all of the citizens from Dallas city and the surrounding area, especially the younger class, and read and lecture very palatably from Srimad-Bhagavatam, and in every way demonstrate to them the ideal Krishna Conscious community. A little land, some cows, enough. Balance of time chant Hare Krishna and be happy.

Letter to Vamanadeva, Indira -- Delhi 8 December, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 11/20/71, and I have noted the contents. I am very pleased that you have opened another Center for spreading Lord Caitanya's sublime Krishna Conscious Movement all over the world. I know you are very expert in this business of opening temples, because you have done very nicely in St. Louis temple. Now you simply carry out our routine program very nicely there in Oklahoma City, and you will meet with the same success. I am encouraged especially that my householder disciples are carrying out this task of opening centers all over the world. Such position of leadership and organization is regarded as Krishna's special favor upon you, because you are forced in this way to become very responsible and set the ideal KC example, and in this way you will make very nice advancement in spiritual life.

Letter to Balavanta -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

Yes, it is a very good proposal that you should run for Mayor in Atlanta. I very much approve of this plan. We should always set the perfect example of Krishna Conscious person in all fields of activities, why not in politics? Let the people see you as the ideal politician engaged in real programs for the

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1972 Correspondence

Letter to Von Paul Reed -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:

Your proposal for establishing a Krishna Consciousness community on the land which you have is very good. Whenever we get some land available we should take the opportunity to develop it into an ideal community as envisioned for New Vrindaban. We can have a great many such communities all over the world so that people everywhere can see how by leading a pure and simple life of Krishna consciousness, all one's needs in life can be satisfied. Actually, the so-called civilization of the Kali yuga with its over industrialization, has not been able to give to man the happiness he is seeking. So as you say that your land is very suitable for cow protection and for Tulsi to grow, then Krishna is giving you the opportunity to develop this program. Protect some cows, grow crops, and if possible provide fresh milk and butter for the Temples nearby. And the rest of the time chant Hare Krishna and read my books. In this way you can live very peacefully without any disturbances from anyone.

Letter to Yajnesvara -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:

Just like Krishna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sometimes He also had to also fabricate something in emergency situations. Although He made promise not to interfere in the Battle of Kuruksetra, He was forced to break His promise just to save His pure devotee. So there is no prohibition one shall never tell lie, because for business of carrying our propaganda work sometimes it may be necessary. Krishna Consciousness means practical living, not something utopian or idealistic and vague. We simply do the needful, whatever pleases Krishna most, that's all. Gradually you will understand what it means to please Krishna and what it means to displease Krishna. That you will learn by studying our books and by yourself engaging in practical devotional service. In the material dealings there is always there is always something undesirable, but even so you cannot give up your occupation. Just like fire is very pure, still there is some smoke. You cannot avoid it.

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- Nairobi 25 January, 1972:

Regarding householders living in the temple; in India no woman is allowed to stay in the temple at night. But for our preaching work I have permitted women to stay in the temple. But, in the temple, husband and wife should live separately. There are many young brahmacaris and Sannyasis in the temple and men and women living together is simply a source of agitation, so therefore this is my order; ideally the husband and wife can live separately in the temple. If this is not possible they should live together close to the temple and attend temple arati etc . . . and if this is not possible the last alternative is to live away from the Temple and conduct your own deity worship etc. It is best to do the most ideal thing but whatever mode of living you chose the most important thing is to always remain one hundred percent in service of Radha-Krishna. The initiation of Michael Stein is approved and beads are being sent in separate cover.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Madras 14 February, 1972:

Regarding that house, I think it may be a little idealistic, but if you think it is suitable why not purchase it? There is need for a centralized European continent headquarters, just like our Bombay branch is the headquarters for India zone, so if you think this place may be suitable, and if the owner is very friendly with us and offers us very good terms, then all the European centres may cooperate to try for it. But one thing is, I don't think the government will support, because they will want to give us their syllabus and we will not be able to preach in our own way. So far purchase of press is concerned, that is a GBC matter for which you must consult the others.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Sydney 11 April, 1972:

Recently I have received from one Sannyasi complaint about another Sannyasi who is not chanting regularly. So our view is that we shall be strictly following the rules and regulations. Monetary matters are secondary. On principle, we should better starve than neglect our rules and regulations. We are trying to present an ideal Society to the world, so although we are very rigidly following these principles, still, we are very liberal to everyone. For this reason we are being appreciated everywhere. So anyway, I am not at all dissatisfied with you, but it is my duty to point out the mistakes. You are in charge of the Germany organization. Please do it nicely there, not very much on the material side, more on the spiritual side. Example is better than precept. Every one of you must be the perfect examples, then everyone will follow.

Letter to Mahatma -- London 16 July, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of July 6, 1972, and I have noted the contents. If you have taken a wife for grhastha life, why are you neglecting? That is not Vaisnava. Vaisnava means he is very much responsible, and if he is householder, then he must be responsible. I cannot give sannyasa to any devotee who has not proven himself to be responsible in all respects. Better you prove yourself first by being ideal householder and forget all this nonsense.

Letter to Prthu -- Unknown Place 28 August, 1970:

Please accept my blessings. Upon the recommendation of Sivananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. Your beads have been duly chanted by me and they are sent by separate post. I have given you the spiritual name of Prthu dasa Brahmacari. King Prthu was the ideal ruler of the citizens, so you should also set the example of ideal person and spread this ideal very widely to all the citizens of your country.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 23 September, 1972:

You are experienced devotee, and you know how to do things well, so kindly train the others and distribute your experience widely, and organize. If such festivals can be held in different places continuously then my dream will be fulfilled. Your program for traveling to the colleges is nice, try to sell as many of our books and literatures as possible and lecture to all the students what is the real purpose of their education of life. If students become interested, they may come to New Vrndavana and stay with you for some time, and you can instruct them in our philosophy. Gradually try to develop that place, there is immense potential and immense land for development. I saw so much land, but there were no men working the land or raising crops. That is our purpose for keeping so much land, to utilize it in the service of Krsna. So next year you can raise so many kinds of fruits and vegetables there and keep cows, and that will be the ideal Krsna Conscious community of living.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 29 September, 1972:

I am especially interested in your college program for the students, because they are intelligent and inquisitive to understand the higher things of knowledge, so try to approach them nicely and lead them gradually into Krsna Consciousness or the topmost knowledge. I am surprised to hear that the universities are freely allowing us to reside on campus and propagate Krsna Consciousness, this is a very good sign. I am going in a few days to San Francisco to speak at the San Francisco State University there on the topic of "Krsna Consciousness: The Best Alternative Life Style, the Ideal Community, the New Social Order." The professors and students at the University intend to "examine particular new movements in depth. The basic issue underlying the study of these movements is whether they comprise the beginning of a trans-national world culture, and what long range social and political effects might result from them." So we shall reply in this manner and illustrate that the Krsna Consciousness movement is the best solution for solving all these problems and that it is the best trans-cosmic culture for making everyone happy.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 4 October, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated September 27, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am greatly relieved to hear from you that the bank is likely willing to loan us Rs. 5 lakhs or Rs. 10 lakhs. That is the ideal solution. Best thing is to take loan. We have paid two lakhs, so take twelve lakhs from bank and finish the business. That will be nice. Otherwise, we shall go to the court with lawyer and get out a criminal case against him. That is the lawyers business. Take loan and give him, that is the best solution.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

This constantly changing managers is not good. We shall develop more progressively by sticking in one place and working, not that one week we have three presidents, that is not good. Our managers should be very responsible for developing their centre to the topmost standard, why this restlessness? It is just like one man is holding government post by getting votes, so today or tomorrow or next day, but he will have to go out, then another man comes, then another, another—in this way, democratic system, no one becomes responsible for the welfare of the citizens, only they want to take for themselves as much as they can before they have to get out, so they do not take real interest in their duty. It is a little like that. My idea is that the leaders must agree to stick at one place, even they may have to remain their life-long, that is the ideal leader, one who is conscious of his duty.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 24, 1972, and I have noted that you have returned to Gurukula to take over the managing because Stoka Krsna has left to go to Los Angeles at his whim. This is not good, this unsteady position. I have never been in favor of this practice of many times changing the responsible officers, three times in one week changing presidents, this will ruin the whole thing. From now on if someone takes the leading post, he must agree to stick and not go away just because it is difficult from time to time. That is ideal leader. He is responsible and he knows his duty. Just like I did that. My Guru Maharaja gave me a task and always I was discouraged by my god-brothers, but I did not forget him even for a moment, and I was determined to follow my duty, even though sometimes I did not like to do it. But this always changing means no sense.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Calcutta March 7, 1973:

I have received from Kirtiraja the specifics and plans of your proposed building, the Columbia Club property, and it is ideal for all of our purposes so I am anxious to hear of any progress in securing it.

I am approving of second initiation for Hari-puja dasi as you requested.

My plans are to go to Mayapur as soon as they have finished my quarters and to remain there until the 22nd.

Letter to Turya -- Calcutta March 8, 1973:

Yes, the name Gokulananda for your new son is approved by me, now raise this Sankirtana man up very carefully in Krsna consciousness. Now you can be an ideal householder and one of our Society's leaders, so kindly follow the regulated principles strictly.

Letter to Kirtiraja, Haripuja -- New York 12 April, 1973:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 12, 1973 with enclosed daksina of $100.00. I am very pleased with your activities, how you are leading householder life, Krishna conscious. This ideal I want to show your countrymen is only possible on the Krishna conscious platform. You remain steady on this platform, and this will be your benefit.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 10 December, 1973:

Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha? You are not paramahamsa that you can do whatever you like. So my advice to you is that you remain ideal Vaisnava internally and externally, and everyone will respect you. Don't be agitated. They will come back because they are chanting maha mantra. You keep your standard and try to help them, but don't become influenced by them. Regarding the Deity worship, it must go on nicely. Govinda dasi was doing very nicely. Decorate with flowers and incense and have arati and offer bhoga.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1974:

Regarding what to do with the skim milk after the ghee has been produced. So far I have experience in India, after churning the butter the remnant is called gohle this gohle is called sour milk. Sour milk can be taken by the members of New Vrindaban along with food. In India in villages they have enough milk and sour milk is taken in place of water or in dahl with salt and pepper. So sour milk should be taken by the devotees and ghee used. Cheese is very valuable. Sometimes it is used by sweet meat shops in India and it is called khurcha. If you like you can make cheese but we require much quantity of ghee. My idea is that in India there is a great scarcity of ghee, but I don't think it is practical to send ghee from New Vrindaban to India. Anyway, go on developing New Vrindaban into an ideal community, and I shall be pleased to see the new additions when I come there.

Letter to Mahadeva -- Mayapur 3 March, 1974:

We will present our program at Bhaktivedanta Manor exactly in the line of Lord Caitanya, by kirtana, prasadam distribution and speaking from Bhagavad-gita. We cannot deviate even an inch in order to attract the followers of the ecology philosophy or any other materialistic, utopian movement. You say you know a number of influential leaders of this group, but what is the use of knowing them, since you yourself found them deficient and left them? Our ideal Vedic community will attract everyone on its own merit, and we shall be glad to welcome and accept everyone who comes without our compromising in order to attract them.

Letter to Bhaktijana -- Bombay 10 April, 1974:

Now that the building there is complete, we are making it an ideal asrama. So if you go back there, you must find a suitable engagement. It is not a place simply for sleeping. If you think you can find suitable engagement there and stay always engaged either in chanting, reading, cleaning or some other work, then it will be nice. As far as funds for returning there, you will have to take collection there in New York. So I think this plan, as suggested by you, is best.

Letter to Niranjana -- Hyderabad 23 April, 1974:

You are asking what should your preaching work be now that you are attending the university. So the first preaching work is that yourself should become an ideal devotee. Lord Caitanya said that one should first make himself perfect and then attempt to instruct others. There is no point in telling another man to stop smoking if you yourself are smoking cigarettes. Even though you are mixing with all kinds of the student class at the university, you must strictly refrain from the four prohibitive sinful activities, and as an initiated student you must not let a day pass when you do not chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krsna Mantra. If you can follow just these things nicely that in itself will be strong preaching by behavior. You should also always wear Kunti beads around the neck and wear the marking of tilak. People will inquire from you and you can tell them about Krsna Consciousness and sell them books also.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead orders that there must be four division in human society, a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class, like that, and the 1st must be ideal. If the whole society is full of rogues, thieves, drunkards, cheaters and demons, where is there question of decent government. There must be division so the lower class men may aspire to be second class men. So far we are concerned we are trying to train first class men. How much great responsibility we have to follow regulative principles, chant the beads, live with personal character etc. Regulative principles means to especially execute devotional service in terms of the revealed scriptures under the direction of the spiritual master. By fulfilling the regulative principles you come to the platform of spontaneous love for Krsna. Spontaneous love for Krsna is there already but is covered by the influence of Maya.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974:

The GBC must be vigilant by following the regulative principles and teach by ideal character the presidents of the centers, and the presidents by their ideal character must teach the others then automatically all members of the whole institution will be ideal to the human society. Then we can dictate to administrators or sometimes take hold of the administration. In the absence of competent leaders we may take the post. But we must be very careful in the flow of the political movement we may not forget our ideal life. For example, Parasaram was a Brahmin but when he found the ksatriyas were mismanaging he killed them twenty one times and some of them fled to European countries. This is the history. So far we are concerned we shall keep ourselves in ideal brahminical position and if need be if no ksatriya or Vaisya is here we can take up their work as emergency. Our business is to create ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas but beyond that our real business is to keep ourselves as ideal Brahmins. If we are not ideal we cannot create others as ideal. Training is required for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes of social constitution. Persons who are not fit for being advanced by training are sudras or less than that. At the present moment in the world state, there are sudras and less than that. There are no ideal brahmanas or ksatriyas. But these four divisions are imperative. So our business is to keep fit as brahmanas and to train others to be ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas for advancing the whole society.

Letter to Govinda -- Bombay 30 April, 1974:

To you my advice is, because you are very intelligent and educated girl, you forget your relationship with Gaurasundara. Now you become mixed up in Krsna business and live like a chaste Hindu widow woman. There are many ideal young Hindu widows who do not dress nicely at all, do not comb the hair, and who take bath three times daily in the Ganges, wear white sari and are engaged 24 hours a day in chanting Hare Krsna Mantra. The vivid example is Visnupriya devi, Lord Caitanya's wife. When Lord Caitanya left home accepting the renounced order of life, sannyasa, at that time Visnupriya was on the summit of youth, 16 years old, but when her husband became sannyasi she also became greater than sannyasa.

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

The impression of Lord Caitanya's feet which you brought from India may be kept in a picture, not that it is worshiped as a deity. Keep it as a picture. I will look forward to your regular reports. I know you have multifarious and complicated affairs to manage in our Los Angeles Center, and I know you are doing your best there. Just pray to Krsna to give you intelligence how to manage it all. The most important thing is that we must be ideal Krsna Conscious persons, and then we can attract others. This means chanting, reading my books, going on sankirtana, following the regulative principles and worshiping the deity. Whoever take part in these things, no matter what he has done of sinful activities before, will automatically advance in spiritual realization. This is the simple process and if we follow it we will become ideal. Otherwise, they will become victims of women and wealth.

Letter to Mahatma -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

Regarding your wanting to give up household life for vanaprastha you may do it and spend your time positively by going on traveling sankirtana, provided it is recommended by the temple president and there is facility for taking such a party. Taking of sannyasa order is in one sense only a formality. I was preaching and writing for eight or nine years as Vanaprastha and then in 1959 I took sannyasa. So if after a few years as Vanaprastha your behavior is ideal sannyasa can be considered. If you actually are serious about taking out a travelling party your main activity should be to distribute books. By this most powerful preaching we are becoming very influential in your country and people are seriously reading the books and considering the importance of Krsna Consciousness. It does not require that you be sannyasi to take a travelling sankirtana party, nor do you have to be vanaprastha for that matter.

Letter to Acarya Prabhakar Mishra -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

If you take up this principle then the educational department should be divided into four divisional departments for advancement of knowledge. There are many departmental institutions for giving education just like medical, engineering, legal, administrative etc. But there is no educational institution where real ideal Brahmanas are educated according to Srimad-Bhagavatam brahminical culture, or to educate a certain section as ideal, perfect persons is essential in human society. At the present moment all over the world, hardly you will find such ideal men on top of society. So this class of men is essentially required if we want to keep peace and harmony with one another. I am trying to do this work and now we have got a very nice place in Bombay. I invite you immediately to come and see the place and I am prepared to amalgamate or affiliate your institution with ours. I think when I was in Delhi I went to this place Kirti Nagar and stayed two or three days with you.

Letter to Trivikrama -- Bombay 1 May, 1974:

You have dedicated your life for Krsna and therefore you should be ideal. We are introducing Krsna Consciousness movement for the harmony and good will of humanity. But if you yourselves are suffering from the very ills we are trying to remove, how can the people be influenced favorably? Stop this fighting, tolerate, chant and read our books. Use the intelligence and do some service for Krsna. My request to you is to not fight anymore.

Letter to Caru -- Bombay 9 May, 1974:

Your entering politics is good. You should make political propagation on the basis of reforming the whole human society. The leaders must be an ideal class of men, with ideal character, free from the four sinful activities: no meat eating, no gambling, no illicit sex and no intoxications, as well as chanting. They should chant the names of God. This is essential for leaders. Leaders must be ideal men so others will follow them. So make propaganda on this basis. We are Krishna Conscious candidates, so our political propaganda must be 100% Krishna Consciousness. As to importing the HARMONIST or doing one locally, do as suitable. It is a nice proposal to distribute such a newspaper.

Letter to Trai -- Rome 27 May, 1974:

Upon your recommendation I have accepted Neal Buyers as my initiated disciple and his new spiritual name is Niranjana dasa. Keep him carefully now. Krsna Consciousness means to create ideal men, so you must set the example in following the rules and chanting Hare Krsna mantra and see that others are doing it also.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Geneva 4 June, 1974:

As far as Brazil, why not go in first with sankirtana parties, distribute books in Portuguese, and then we can see later about opening a center.

As far as counsel is concerned, simply keep up your fresh utsaha or enthusiasm for service. That will accomplish wonders. And always remain ideal yourself by strict adherence to the bhakti principles.

Letter to Nrsimha Caitanya -- Geneva 5 June, 1974:

Do not worry about past mistakes and falldowns. Krsna has given you a new chance in taking care of one of His ISKCON temples, so the future is very bright. There is nothing to worry about, simply yourself be ideal to all the devotees there by chanting as much as possible and following carefully all the regulative principles.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Paris 9 June, 1974:

It is pleasing to me to here you are happily engaged in devotional service and living as an ideal grhastha. Please go on as you are doing: keep your business separate and wherever you remain keep your family in Krsna Consciousness always chanting Hare Krsna and observing the regulative principles. Cultivate your business for Krsna, remain happy in Krsna Consciousness and always serve Krsna.

Letter to Amarendra -- Paris 10 June, 1974:

I can understand that you want to run for political office, but we can not spend money even if we have money. If you have money of your own and you want to spend it for running for office you can do that. But for running we not only have to draw on the society's money but also on our men. This is not desirable. By competing with the politicians we may drop from our spiritual ideal. Our actual business is to become brahminical. We want to train some ksatriyas but that we can do in our own communities. Where is the money for this political work, that is my main question. And also, so much attention paid in this area is a diversion from our spiritual life.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Frankfurt 17 June, 1974:

It is very good news that there are persons there who want to cooperate to help us start a Varnasrama College Project and that they may supply us land for living as an ideal community producing our own food from the land. So this should be followed up carefully.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Vrindaban 31 August, 1974:

So I am glad to learn that you are with your wife and doing very nicely. Combine together and do everything well together. Raise your children in Krishna consciousness and be an ideal household couple. Your wife is a good devotee, that I know. But one thing, do not pick up any childish quarrels together, live peacefully and go on with your Krishna conscious business. You deserve all good encouragement for the work you are doing there.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated nil and have noted the contents. So you may remain wherever you may be peaceful. You may resume your GBC duties as secretary for the Central U.S.A. Zone. GBC means that one must be ideal Vaisnava. That means there must be strict observance in following all the rules and regulations. This is your main responsibility, and then to see that all others are following strictly. Then everything will be all right.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1974:

I am glad to see that you are living an ideal grhastha life. That is very good. The more you will become Krishna conscious the more you will forget sex life. Sex life is the original root cause of material bondage. When one takes to Krishna consciousness gradually sex at last becomes abominable, then he is fit to enter back to home back to Godhead.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 12 September, 1974:

I am not in favor of closing even a small temple. It is not a plaything to close a temple or to start a temple. When we open a temple we are inviting Krsna. So you can't say to Krsna, go away. You have no feeling what are the ideals of a temple. You should always consider that we have invited Lord Caitanya, Lord Jagannatha, and Radha Krsna, and if we close it, it is an insult. How can we call Them, and then say get out. We should always feel when we open a temple that the Deity is living and not dead stone or wood. It is a great offense. Before opening a temple it must be considered a hundred times, and after opening it cannot be closed. It must be maintained.

Letter to Giriraja -- Mayapur 1 October, 1974:

Regarding the tax exemption for research, we are doing actual research of the Vedic literatures. In this connection you can give the quotations from the many professors in America regarding how they are receiving my books which are heretofore unknown and unavailable to Western readers. Furthermore we are doing active research. We are demonstrating how people can live peacefully and simply, according to the correct civilization. Our ideas are not man-made imperfect ideas, but perfect scientific conclusions. In addition I have a number of Doctorate students in various fields of science, Dr. Svarupa Damodara, Dr. Wolf-Rottkay, Dr. Rao, and others. They can act as the Heads of the research. We are presenting ideal living on Vedic principles of purified life of no illicit sex, no meat eating, gambling or intoxication.

Letter to Tulsi -- Mayapur 12 October, 1974:

Recently I have visited our Gurukula school in Dallas, and I was quite satisfied how the boys and girls are being trained up to be ideal Vaisnavas. This training from an early age is important, and I also was fortunate to have received such training when I was a child. So why not send Karnapura to Dallas, and come yourself to stay here at Mayapur.

Letter to Subala -- Mayapur 24 October, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 7, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am glad that you have arrived there on my order and have already begun the preaching. Krishna will supply everything to you, according to your capacity for preaching purely the message of Lord Caitanya. There I have found the Indians very cooperative for our movement, and you have had good experience in India preaching, so you are the right man to go there. You are sannyasi and the people will automatically respect you. So be ideal in behavior following strictly the rules and regulations. Now you are getting more men, so organize everything carefully, and inform me what is the progress.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Bombay 31 October, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 26, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to note that you are seeing that the devotees are maintaining the devotional practices. This is the secret to success. Therefore I am stressing it. And, if you also stress it and show yourself as an ideal Vaisnava, then you are my representative in fullness. We are not after titles and designations. Lord Caitanya made it a principle that we must teach by personal example. This is what I have tried to do. So if all of you my disciples do this, then the future of our movement will be glorious.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 8 November, 1974:

Regarding Abhirama, in your letter you mention that in Miami it is so important center, 65 devotees, growing each day, ideal location. So Abhirama, has done this. He has done much service. He cannot be removed whimsically. Sex disturbance is the permanent disease of the Western people. Anyway I have already written you that the local members must agree for him to be removed by you, according to the "Direction of Management." Regarding his divorce enclosed is one letter dated 1/10/74 regarding this.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 6 December, 1974:

Actually what is our aim? Our aim is to create men of ideal character. And, if our men are distributing books on this account, they are doing the best service to the society. Because someone has said something in the airport, that is not very

important. What we are doing that they must see. See their sacrifice, what is behind their life, how they are living; how they have sacrificed everything for the welfare of society. In our society there is no distinction between black or white, Hindu or Muslim. Every living being is welcome to take to this cult, and make his life a successful affair.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Bombay 12 December, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 8, 1974 and have noted the contents. So in your letter you are not finding fault with anyone. So you are good Vaisnava. You do not find fault with anyone. This is the qualification. We should always think ourselves very humble and meek. This you must know.

So we have to all cooperate amongst ourselves, otherwise what will people think if we ourselves fight with one another? A devotee is always ideal in behavior.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 18 December, 1974:

Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don't like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide. Your farm in Pennsylvania sounds very nice. As far as Bali Mardan being involved with the management he will have nothing to do with that. The two men you have appointed, Paramananda and Devakinandana Prabhus, are both capable and experienced men from New Vrndavana and I am sure they will manage everything very nicely there.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Bombay 23 December, 1974:

You should send a copy of that document to me immediately of if Hamsaduta is coming to Bombay you can send it with him. Please keep me informed of the position with Mr. Mody and also of Mr. Kewal Krishan. I hope things are going on well there. I am depending on you as one of my elder disciples to set a nice example for the others to follow. This is very much wanted. You must become ideal in all respects, following all of our principles; rising early, chanting 16 rounds, attending classes, eating only Krsna prasadam, etc. This simple formula will make everything perfect.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Bombay 10 January, 1975:

Yes, I'll come there, but the first opportunity may be in April. I am also hankering to go there. Please take great care, you are experienced. Co-operate with Prabha Visnu and make an ideal place for devotional service there.

Regarding the incident with Mr. Mody, it was a mistake by Kausalya. Don't commit anything which will cause mistrust. This is not at all desirable. Keep peaceful situation with all men. There is no question of taxing someone for a donation. They can give donation and we will accept on friendly terms. Nobody should be pressured for contribution.

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Honolulu 1 February, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 27, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for distributing my books so enthusiastically. You are right. We must all become ideal in our character and then people will be very impressed with such purity. A devotee is faultless. He has no flaws.

Letter to Dayananda -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

The thing is, you must see that the meaning of the verse is in no way altered or changed. Simplification is alright but do not change anything. I have accepted Brenda and Gary Wallis for 1st initiation. Their names are as follows: Balavati devi dasi and Gaurasarana dasa. Their beads may be chanted on by Kirtanananda Svami. I have also accepted Kamanagari dasi, Jyotir dasa, and Svarga devi dasi as my duly initiated brahmanas. You can perform the fire yajna and let them hear through the right ear the tape of myself chanting the gayatri mantra.

Please continue working nicely there training all of the children to become ideal Vaisnavas.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 12, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. Thank you for the 1,000 dollars (in checks). I am very happy to hear your report. Krishna is giving you facility there to develop a very nice varna-asrama society in New Zealand. Try your best to develop an ideal society there to set a perfect example for the human society of how one can live very simply, chanting Hare Krishna and developing love for Krishna. Make sure that you keep the whole program pure by carefully following all of the rules and regulations that I have given, rising early, attending mangala arati and holding classes, chanting 16 rounds daily, observing the four basic principles, no intoxication, meat-eating, etc. Then everything will be a great success. You are an intelligent boy, so, I think you can understand how to manage things very nicely there. I hope to be seeing you in Mayapur this year. The festival begins about the 25th of March.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Detroit 3 August, 1975:

Anyway without court permission we shall not take the land. In the meantime it is all right that you invest only in moveable property. Of course you should not be thinking to sell any of the crops for profit. That is not our purpose. The village organization is that the local people produce their necessities like grain, vegetables, milk, and cloth; and for recreation they have the chanting of Hare Krishna. They should live there comfortably and have spiritual recreation. They should not come to the cities. I wish to introduce this ideal now. Then if we are successful this cheating civilization will stop. They have made these cities as hell.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 6, 1975 with enclosed photos of the farm. I like that place and wish to go there. As soon as you call me I will come. If this scheme is successful, it will be a great fortune for us to capture Indian ideals and the support of the Government. Yes, Hamsaduta can supply Rs. 2 lakhs for irrigation. Also I am asking that he may request that English devotees may be sent. The Nature Cure Hospital as you have described it is all right.

Letter to Arvind Shah -- Bombay 30 September, 1975:

Please accept my best wishes. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 12, 1975 and have noted the contents. I cannot quote immediately from sastra, but psychologically we can understand that there is no such things as Hindu religion, but according to the Vedic sastra there is varna-asrama, the religion of varna and asrama. The whole varna-asrama system discourages sex life. Circumcision is a facility for sex life. So in other systems of religion or throughout the whole universe the tendency is to enjoy sex life, whereas the varna-asrama system discourages sex life. Sex life is the cause of bondage of the conditioned soul to remain in the material world. If one can conquer over the sex impulses voluntarily, he conquers over the influence of material nature. So the ideals being different, I think in the Vedic system such circumcision is prohibited.

Letter to Kartikeya K. Mahadevia -- Johannesburg 19 October, 1975:

Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. Please think over these points very seriously and as soon as I return we shall take up the program. My beloved sannyasi disciple Swami Pusta Krishna has promised to give me a car, and as soon as I get it I shall move from village to village along with some selected assistants and organize this farming village development program.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:

You say that you may be a broken gong, but you will never be broken. You are standing solidly by the grace of Krsna. Have faith in guru and Krsna and your attempt will be successful. You know how I started in the U.S.A. with faith both in the spiritual master and Krsna and they are certainly helping me. I am always praying to Krsna that the New Vrndavana attempt will be more and more successful and ideal for your country. That is my only prayer. I am glad to note that Indians are coming and that you are constructing a large kirtana and prasadam hall and also guest rooms. Yes, so you should do it and it will actually be a New Vrndavana in America. According to our program we will have to construct seven temples, Govindaji, Gopinatha, Madana-Mohana, Syamasundara, Damodara, Gokulananda and Radha-Ramana. And later on if possible, Rangunatha also. These guests rooms, it is very good you are constructing because they were needed.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 18 November, 1975:

So we should be compassionate to every living being, accepting them as sons of the Supreme Being. That is the real communistic idea, perfectly enunciated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So any communist country, if they take help from us, their communistic ideal will be perfect. Let the leading men of any communistic country come and talk with us about our philosophy and they are sure to make him convinced about this loftiest philosophy of Krsna consciousness. We do not criticize the communistic idea, but we want to make it perfect.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Aksayananda -- Nellore 6 January, 1976:

The other piece of land near the Kailash Temple is the most important place in Kanpur. Please enquire from Mr. Kapur what is the actual size of the land and what would be the conditions for transferring it to our name. That land would be most ideal for establishing our center in Kanpur.

I am very glad to hear that Sri Mungturam Jaipuria wishes to stay at our Guesthouse when he visits Vrindaban. He is a very big man, one of the big industrialists like Birla and Dalmia. Please deal very nicely with him, for if he is pleased with us he can be very helpful.

Letter to Brisakapi -- Nellore 7 January, 1976:

As far as your desire to have Sita Rama Deities, it is a good idea, but you should wait for some time. First see that you have sufficient brahmanas who are very well trained and qualified, then you can consider to install Sita, Rama, Laksmana, and Hanuman. They are the ideal King and it will be very suitable that They reign over the capitol of America. Now you have got Gaura Nitai Deities, so you can go ahead and get Prabhupada and Bhaktisiddhanta Deities immediately. Guru and Gauranga worship is standard for all our temples.

Letter to Visvakarma -- Bombay 10 January, 1976:

Yes, it is the mercy of Krishna that we have got such an important building in Toronto. It is a top-most triumph. If you can fix up a neon sign always moving with the maha-mantra Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, that will be a great achievement. The sign can be on from evening to mid-night, that will be the proper utilization of such an ideal building and location. Christianity is now declining, therefore they are having to sell all their churches to us. Because they have got no clear idea of God, people are not satisfied with them. But we can explain what God is, so people are appreciating more and more our Movement. Now by Krishna's grace you have a beautiful Temple, use it to preach very vigorously. If you all strictly follow the principles and chant sixteen rounds, your spiritual strength will be insured, and our Movement will become increasingly prominent.

Letter to Yamuna, Dinatarine -- Calcutta 13 January, 1976:

Sita Devi, Mother Laksmi, wife of Lord Ramacandra, went to live with Valmiki Muni in a cottage. Although she was a King's daughter and a King's wife, she preferred to live very humbly in the cottage of Valmiki Muni with two sons in the absence of Ramacandra. That should be the ideal example. Women when not with husband must live very very humbly and simple life.

Letter to Sri Karani -- India 18 February, 1976:

Recently we have received many acclaims by prominent educators, scholars and scientists throughout the world for our books. Dr. R. E. Asher, Professor of Linguistics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland said, "It is axiomatic that no book can be expected entirely to satisfy all it's potential readers. Her is one, however, which can be said to come remarkably close to ideal...Here we have the ideal of what an edition of a Sanskrit text for a western audience should be...It is beautiful planned and printed..."

Letter to Sevananda -- Honolulu 15 May, 1976:

A disciple promises to refraim from the four pillars of sinful life: no illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating. In addition, one must chant at least 16 rounds of japa daily and in this way progress in Krsna Consciousness. One promises before the spiritual master, the Deity, the fire, the devotees, the Supersoul, so it should very strictly be followed. You can have Gurukrpa Maharaja chant on his beads before the Fire Sacrifice, and present his beads to him at the time of the sacrifice. His spiritual name is Satyasena das. See that everyone is strictly following by presenting an ideal example yourself, and try to distribute these new Chinese Bhagavad-gita as much as you can.

Letter to Dr. Chatterjee -- Vrindaban 27 September, 1976:

But there is also difficulty of getting students because the parents and the guardians are not interested. Before going to America I approached many respectable friends for giving me at least one boy from each family to be trained up in this line of self-realization, but I was not successful. The parents had no interest—the same difficulty of sudra mentality. Anyway, we are attempting again this Gurukula program, so why not begin from this small endeavor and gradually develop to the ideal university. On the whole if you can arrange such university there will be no financial difficulty. So I think if you kindly begin from this Gurukula attempt and then develop to the International University, that will be very practical.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Danavir -- Bhuvanesvara 26 January, 1977:

You yourself must be ideal in following the rules and regulations, rising early, and restricting eating and sleeping. The less a person is concerned with material enjoyment such as eating, sex and sleeping, the more he is spiritually advanced. If the "devotee" himself lives like a hog or dog how can he preach?

We are planning to construct a temple here in Puri and I was instructing the GBC that we can invite anyone to come and stay with us for three days and we shall supply room and board. In that time, however, he should rise early and attend our programs. After three days if he likes he can stay with us permanently, become shaven headed, engage as we request him, and we shall take care of all his necessities.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Bombay 29 April, 1977:

The letter which you have sent from the student, Charles, is wonderful. I have asked that it be published in our English Back To Godhead as well as in all of the Indian language Back to Godheads here in India. Charles' letter shows that he is very intelligent and has begun to understand our philosophy. It is very encouraging. Take care of all of these good souls that Krsna is sending you. By your own exemplary behavior, train them all as ideal Vaisnavas. This will greatly please me, and if it is possible for me to come to Kenya, I shall be very glad to meet all of them. The photographs which you have sent are also very good and we are going to display them here for all visitors to see. The program which you are now conducting should be expanded more and more. By prasadam distribution and kirtana everyone will become attracted to Krsna consciousness. I am also enclosing a letter to Jayanta which I hope will encourage him.

Letter to Vasudeva -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 6 September, 1977:

In his letter Ramesvara has written, "Our plan is to continue expanding book distribution and try to get literally thousands of Hindus to begin chanting japa. In short, my report is that Fiji could easily become the first country in the world to have a Krsna conscious government, and Vasudeva is the perfect devotee to help accomplish this task." May Ramesvara Maharaja's words come true. By your example teach all of the citizens to become ideal Vaisnavas, faithfully following the regulative principles and chanting regularly the Hare Krsna mantra. Worship the Deity very gorgeously with full attention to regularity and cleanliness. Distribute ample quantities of sumptuous prasadam to everyone who visits Kaliya-Krsna. This program will make us successful. And in the morning and evening hold regular Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita discourses, but do not allow any rascal professional receiters to discourse in our temple. Only initiated disciples should be allowed to speak on the subject matter of Krsna consciousness.

Page Title:Ideal (Letters)
Compiler:SunitaS, Mayapur
Created:27 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=168
No. of Quotes:168