Milk (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"buttermilk" |"milk" |"milk's" |"milkbag" |"milkbags" |"milked" |"milkers" |"milkfat" |"milking" |"milkless" |"milkmaids" |"milkman" |"milkmen" |"milks" |"milky"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 2 October, 1951:

Philosophical ways are practical and it is no use simply by indulging in speculation without any practical result just like to keep a cow without any milk. We must always seek a practical value from philosophy for the benefit of all.

Letter to Brothers -- Allahabad 1 January, 1955:

(7) The inner members will be served with Prasadam after "Mangalaratric" (mostly some milk-preparation)

(8) After partaking the "Mangalaratrik" Prasadam, he shall attend the morning class of "Path Kirtana" in which chanting of the holy name of God along with musical instruments, will be sung before and after reading of "Srimad Bhagavad-gita" "Bhagavatam" etc. This function will continue from 6 to 8 in the morning.

(9) After this a cup of milk along with other foodstuff will be served to the inner members as break fast.

Letter to Brothers -- Allahabad 1 January, 1955:

(14) At three in the after noon there will again "Baikali" ceremony in the temple which the members will be requested to attend. And again at the end of the "Baikali" ceremony at about 4, the members shall be served with Prasadam consisting of a cup of milk & some fruits.

(15) the member shall then attend the Path Kirtana class from 5 to 7 in the evening as is done in the morning.

(16) from 7 to 8 pm there will be "Sandhyaratrik" ceremony in the temple & the members will be requested to attend to this.

(17) At nine in the night, there will be again Bhogarati ceremony which members will be requested to attend. After this "Prasadam" will be served consisting of capatis or rice with dal, currys & some milk preparation at the end.

Letter to Mr. Banerjee -- Bombay 28 July, 1958:

Please accept my Namaskara. As advised by you the other day I went to see Mr. Mangumal at Kalvadevi but he did not entertain the idea of missionary work. I talked with him and found him perfect gentleman but he has spiritual realization of the lowest rank. According to Bhagavata a person who is attracted by the Arcana Marga without any knowledge of the science of Vaisnavism is called the Kanistha adhikari Vaisnava. He has of course honoured me with Rs. 11/- and a glass of milk for which I have thanked him very much but mission is not fulfilled.

Letter to Harbanslal -- Bombay 2 August, 1958:

According to Indian way of thought, every one is advised to do good to others namely not only to the human society but also to living beings other than human being. The Indians are not cow worshippers as others wrongly interpret it, but the Indians are gratitudeful to the species of cow for supplying milk to the human babies and the sentiment is so fine that simply for supplying milk the cow is accepted as one of the seven mothers. That is called Indian cultural mission. We should learn to look upon every living being as our own brother and treat him in that love. Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy began from this philosophy of universal brotherhood which is not restricted to the human kind but to all the species of life. That is the sign of real intelligence.

Letter to Sally -- New York 13 November, 1965:

So I am not very fixed up what to do or not. The first consideration is that I must be in New York at least for ten to fifteen days more for deciding the publication affair and then I may leave this place for India or California. But the place where I am living now has so many inconveniences which I do not wish to narrate in this small letter. Yes I am taking my meals once only for this inconvenience. In the evening I take some milk and fruit and nowadays the night being very long, I feel sometimes for this night starvation.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 21 December, 1967:

please accept my blessings. My first concern is that you are not eating well. It is a case of anxiety. Please don't eat dal and spices. Simply boiled vegetables, rice and a few capatis. Take butter separately and eat only as much as you may require for taste. Drink milk twice, morning and evening. Don't eat at night. Eat some fruits in the evening. Use some digestive pill after each principle meal. I think soda-mint tablets will help. Be careful about your health first. This information is not only for you but all my noble sons. I am an old man. I may live or die it does not matter. But you must live for long time to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement.

1968 Correspondence

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

If you can provide yourself by independent handwork then you can give up your present job, otherwise you continue with your job, even it is nonsense. The thing is, we must have sufficient time for executing Krishna Consciousness business, so you have to select which one will be suitable for you. If you think that by carving Jagannathas or painting you will have sufficient income, it is very nice. Otherwise do not give up your present job for some future hope. Rayarama's suggestion to open an asrama is very nice. If it is possible to keep sufficient number of cows in the asrama, there can be very nice milk business and that may make sufficient income for maintaining one institution for educating children in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Los Angeles 7 March, 1968:

At the meeting everyone should try to speak something on Caitanya Mahaprabhu's life, teachings, and philosophy. You can take quotations from the above mentioned books, and have discussions.

Fasting should be continued up to evening, then you may have food like on Ekadasi, fruits, milk, etc. On the next day you may observe festival. Janardana consulted me and said he thinks Sunday feasting would be best, so you may do that if you like. Or you may do both days, as you feel best.

Letter to Balai -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:

So far the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya is concerned, I have written a full suggestion to Montreal, in which the main points are that we should all observe strict fasting up till moonrise, and at that time, an offering is made to Lord Caitanya of Ekadasi foods, fruits, peanuts, milk, and so forth. Then, on the next day, Friday the 15th, a full-scale feast is held to celebrate His Advent Day. On the 14th, chanting, reading of Srila Bhaktivinode's book, Life and Precepts and Caitanya Caritamrta, Introduction to Bhagavatam, may be held all the day in the Temple.

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

Milk and salt should never be mixed, it is improper, and will cause leprosy. But salt can be mixed with yogurt.

As I am leaving on the 17th, please try to send the kit before then, otherwise you send to N.Y.

Hope you are 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:

Go means cows, and kula means congregation. Therefore the special feature of New Vrindaban will be cow protection, and by doing so, we shall not be loser. In India of course, a cow is protected and the cowherdsmen they derive sufficient profit by such protection. Cow dung is used as fuel. Cow dung dried in the sunshine kept in stock for utilizing them as fuel in the villages. 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 Aniruddha -- Montreal 16 June, 1968:

So the Lord can eat as many times as you can offer. But only thing is whatever is offered must be with respect and devotion. (He is neither hungry nor poor, nor unable to eat, but He accepts everything, when such eatable is within the groups of vegetables, fruits, flours, milk, water, etc. is offered to Him with love and devotion, and faith. He wants our love only, and that makes Him hungry for eating as many times as you may offer. He is absolute, therefore, all contradictory points coincide in Him. He is hungry and satisfied simultaneously. So the purport is that everything should be offered very cleanly and pure things should be given.)

If a preparation is cooked all together, then offer all together. But if it is prepared separately, then the milk, the sugar and the cereal should be offered separately. But if the milk, sugar and grains are all cooked together, that can be done.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 12 July, 1968:

Some source of income by honest endeavor must be there, otherwise, how a nice Brahmacarini asrama can be maintained? In the asrama we must supply all inmates necessary nutritious food. Especially in your country, because they were accustomed to take meat and some protein food, just like regular supply of dahl, capatis, rice, fruits and milk, must be properly administered. There is no need of eating more than necessity, but the minimum demands must be supplied. But if you can organize such nice Brahmacarini asrama it will be a great success of our society. There is a great need for this. And I wish sincerely that except for husband and wife, everyone should live separately, man separate from woman, and woman separate from man. I shall be glad to hear from you about further developments. But one thing can be very nicely utilized, if the Brahmacarinis learn typographic machine. That will be a great help because printing is one of our most important line of activities. And if the Brahmacarinis help us in the making of letter printing sheets for photo offset printing, that will be a great help.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 14 July, 1968:

I am very much anxious about your health. Is it due to the place that you are having hay fever? It sometimes so happens that moist places causes such disturbances. Are there many mosquitoes? The best thing I can suggest that you try to keep your bowels cleared, and take more fruits and milk. That will keep you healthy. I hope you will soon feel better,

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 17 August, 1968:

My idea of developing New Vrindaban is to create an atmosphere of spiritual life where people in bona fide order of social division, namely, Brahmacaris, Grhasthas, Vanaprastha, Sannyasis, or specifically Brahmacaris and Sannyasis, and Vanaprasthas, will live there independently, completely depending on agricultural produce and milk from the cows. The life should be simplified without being hampered by laboring day and night for economic development, without any spiritual understanding. The New Vrindaban idea is that persons who live there will accept the bare necessities of life to maintain the body and soul together and the major part of time should be engaged in development of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 1, 1968, and some of the important points that you have tried to discuss, I am replying as follows: The first thing is that in the meeting of Dr. Spock, you should eat there. But you simply eat vegetarian dishes, like fruits, nuts, boiled potato, biscuit, milk, etc., and remembering Krishna. As you will pay for the dinner, for the fooding, you can offer them to Krishna within your mind, then eat them as Krishna Prasadam. Any foodstuff when it is paid for, it becomes purified. There is a verse in Vedic literature, Drabyamulyena Suddhati. The source of receipt of the thing, may be not very good, but if one pays for it, it becomes purified. So, vegetable diet when it is paid for, you can offer it in your mind to Krishna and take it. But this Drabya means eatables, and eatables meaning vegetables, grains, milk, flowers, fruits; meat is not considered an eatable—it is considered untouchable. Just like if somebody purchases some stool, that does not mean it is now purified. So meat is like that. This Drabya means vegetables, etc. And this Drabyamulyena Suddhati is only in special cases like this. It is not to done ordinarily, or unless in special circumstance. We should prepare our own foodstuff and offer as much as possible, of course.

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:

Next point, the foolish idea that animals or plants or other living entities have no life, is the basic cause of human sinful activities. Next point, one should be satisfied only to fulfill the belly, that is the eating process. If you can satisfy your belly by such things as grains, vegetables, fruits and milk, you have no right to kill another animal for satisfying the taste of your tongue. The human society is meant for living on the natural production, namely, grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk. They should not indulge extravagantly for other things. And if actually they are Krishna Conscious, they know the art of how to prepare thousands of palatable dishes only from the varieties of vegetables, grains, fruits, and milk. If anyone takes more than he requires then he is to be understood a thief. Nobody should accumulate for future consumption of family, society, or nation, more money or more grains or more vegetables or more eatables, one should have only as much as he requires. If there is greater production, that should be distributed to persons who need them. Because food grains, especially, they are meant for all living entities, they should not be spoiled. Next point, therefore, one who spoils food grains unnecessarily, he is criminal. And one who accumulates more money than is actually required, he is also criminal. And according to the law of nature, or according to the law of God, such persons are surely to be punished.

Letter to Muralidhara -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:

Regarding your question, what color is the ocean of milk, it is white. You can make it bluish shade in order to distinguish that it is water. Visnu's color is sky blue, and Laksmi's color is just like gold, molten gold. Laksmi is not always with Visnu, there are many Visnu forms Who are alone. That form is called Vasudeva Visnu. No demigod remains with Visnu. Demigods are destined to live within the material world.

Letter to Syama -- Seattle 21 October, 1968:

Regarding your questions, you want to offer something in the evening to Krishna besides fruit and milk, so there is no harm. Because Krishna can eat as many times as you give Him to eat, because He is unlimited. He can eat unlimitedly, provided we can supply foodstuff unlimitedly. But that is not possible for us. Therefore, we limit the supply. But anyway, if you can increase the offerings it is very nice. But one thing is that whatever you make routine work to offer Him food stuff, that should be continued. Do not change it. So if you can continue to offer foodstuff like fruits and milk in the evening, you can introduce that system.

Letter to Kris -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

I have noted your questions carefully, and regarding your question about the Prasadam recipes; Krishna is offered foodstuff in goodness. The foodstuffs in the modes of goodness are wheat, rice, pulse (beans, peas), sugar, honey, butter and all milk preparations, vegetables, flowers, fruits, grains. So these foods can be offered in any shape, but prepared in various ways by the intelligence of the devotees. The ingredients are always the same as above, whether you fry them, boil them, bake them, powder them, or whatever way they are combined or cooked, the idea is that they must come from this group of foodstuffs. So you can make your own recipe if you like, so long as the ingredients are within this group. This foods group is stated by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, and we follow accordingly. Now the thing is that you must consider by whom you are being taught what is healthy and what is not healthy. What is their authority? Actually, this healthy and non-healthy is a material consideration, and we are simply interested in what Krishna wants, so we offer to Him to eat whatever He wants. And He asks for food preparations from within this group. I hope this will clarify the questions about Prasadam preparations for you to understand.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

That requires tactful handling. You can give it a political etc., headline, and then end it with our philosophy. This is Visokumbham Payomukhan. That means to give somebody a jar of poison with a label of nectarine or milk preparation on it. So we have to become politician in this way, just like in old politics there was presentation of Visokanya. This visokanya is a poison beautiful girl. The idea was that a baby girl was from the very beginning administered little doses of poison everyday, which she could tolerate. And gradually increasing the doses, culminating in large doses when she was youth. Such girls were engaged in killing enemies. The enemy will be received as a guest, and this girl will be engaged for looking after his comfort, and when they are friendly, as soon as the enemy will kiss the girl in the mouth, the poisonous effect will immediately affect, because with tongue the poison is very quickly effective. And the enemy would die.

Letter to Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 26 November, 1968:

Regarding the Christmas Day meal with your family, I do not think you should partake of the food prepared by non-devotees. Better you should prepare your own foodstuffs and offer to Krishna and then, if you like, you may offer these remnants to Lord Jesus. I think that Lord Jesus will also appreciate this. Of course you may sit down with your family and take fruits and milk which they offer but rather than taking the foods which they have prepared, you may prepare and offer your own prasadam for Lord Krishna, and then offer the same to Lord Jesus.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 14 December, 1968:

It is just like that in the milk, there is butter, but if you want concentrated butter, you have to churn milk and take out the butter. Similarly, Krishna is spread everywhere by different potencies but when there is question of love, we have to be in direct touch with Krishna. That is personalism. The heat of the impersonalist sunshine and the heat in the sunglobe is far different. One who is in personal touch with Krishna, their spiritual bliss is incomparable. The spiritual bliss derived from impersonalist realization is just like a drop of water in the presence of the Atlantic Ocean. That is the difference between personalism and impersonalism.

Letter to Uddhava -- Los Angeles 19 December, 1968:

From your letter it is clear that as of yet you have no idea of how much the price will be to print our books. This is a very important factor and I think that now that Vaikunthanatha and Patita Uddharana are in NY to help you you should utilize their labor to arrive at some figure. As you know, Dai Nippon is printing our books for a price of approximately $1.20 per book with shipping paid so I do not know if our own press will be able to compete with such price. I there is good milk available plentifully in the market place there is no need to keep a cow. So similarly, if we can get our books printed and cheaply and with no trouble of labor then it is an adequate arrangement. From the beginning Advaita and yourself have been very sincere and enthusiastic about this project but now I think we must be very businesslike in investigating the price which will be required to print our books. So immediately you should look seriously into this question and inform me of your findings as you are able.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Unknown Place 1969:

From Bhagavad-gita we understand that the Vaisya community is specially responsible for giving protection to the cows as much as the ksatriya kings are responsible for giving protection to the citizens of the state. As such, if you can organize-and I believe you can do so, because by Grace of Krishna, you are in good position amongst the mercantile community—big dairy farms with large pasturing grounds, then the problem of milk supply and cow protection will automatically be done. I do not know how much you will appreciate my this suggestion, but if you can do such organization, it will be a great service to the country and to the animals, and to this cause of Krishna Consciousness. If you be serious on this point then I can help you with all of my possible energies.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

1. Nanda Maharaja (an old man of not less than 50 years) is observing celebration. Many cowherd boys are coming with milk and curd on a balancing stick on their backs (see enclosed picture). Nanda Maharaja, who is the chief amongst the cowherd men, is giving them presentations of cloth, ornaments, fruits, etc., and there is feasting going on. Some of them are enjoying by throwing butter upon their friend's bodies.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 28, 1969 regarding Jadurani's sick health. She requires complete rest. All of her work should be suspended, and she should be given liquid foods, just like barley water mixed with milk. Purchase pearl barley from the market, and the recipe is 1 cup of barley and four cups of water to be boiled for at least 1/2 hour. That liquid preparation may be mixed with milk and sugar, and she may take. Jadurani must not exert herself in any way. She should take complete rest and chant Hare Krishna. When she next wants to begin work, she must take my permission. For the time being, all work must be suspended.

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1969:

So even scientific knowledge has to stand on the evidence of authority. He admits that we are all spirit soul inside the body entrapped, and he believes this body is composed of various chemicals about which we know a great deal. But unfortunately, with all this chemical combinations combined together, we can not produce a body like this; this is also a scientific fact. Just like rasgulla is a milk product everyone knows. But how to make a rasgulla from milk requires expert further knowledge. Therefore, simply to know that this body is made of chemicals is not sufficient knowledge. When one can reproduce a similar body with the known chemicals, then he is to be considered as the expert scientist.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 12 February, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 7, 1969, and I have noted the contents. Regarding Jadurani's diet, let her take fruits, vegetables, milk, capatis, and also when she is hungry she may take a little rice and some thin mung dahl. Please keep me informed of her progress.

Regarding your idea of having an installation ceremony for the Deities, it is very good suggestion, and you may also have the sacrificial fire. The Deities should be bathed with milk, and while bathing, They must have covering of thin cotton cloth, and the whole Body and the clothing should be wet by pouring the milk. You can see the picture of this in the new Back To Godhead, and perhaps you saw the ceremony when it was held in New York. The Deities should be decorated with sufficient flowers and nice gorgeous dresses and ornaments. Beforehand, you should polish the Bodies with a mixture of tamorind pulp and fullers earth. Apply the pulp on the Bodies, then rub it and then polish nicely with tissue paper. This will gave a very good shine. Then bath the Deities with milk, and dress very nicely with ornaments, and place Them on the throne with flowers, candles, etc.

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1969:

Regarding your headaches, your bowels are not clear. This is the cause of the problem. So you should take more milk and fruits, and eat less wheats and rice. If sandalwood oil is available, you try to massage on your shaved head. Let me know how this trouble is improving. A brahmacari should not have any complaint of bodily disease.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1969:

Lord Caitanya's advent day is on the 4th of March 1969. On that day you should keep fasting up to the moonrise in the evening, and the whole day may be utilized in performances in kirtana and reading of Lord Caitanya's teachings. In the evening after ceremony of kirtana is observed, light refreshments like fruit and milk, boiled potatoes may be taken and the next day general feasting and distribution of Prasadam to public may be observed.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

In the absence of such four preliminary necessities of life, it is not at all material advancement—just try to understand. According to Vedic civilization, a man is supposed to be rich when he has got sufficient grains and cows. Here we have neither sufficient grains or cows, but you have got sufficient quantity of papers only—falsely thinking that it is money. When there is some catastrophe, this bunch of papers will neither supply milk or grain. They will be seen only and the man will starve.

Letter to Dayananda -- Hawaii 23 March, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. Regarding your letter asking me permission for taking prasadam comprising fruits, nuts, milk product and green leaf vegetables,—if the __ to your health for rendering service to Krishna with more energy, then you must take such Prasdam instead of cooked food. If required you can take raw cereals soaked in water overnight that is also good. The thing is you must accept such food as will keep you fit. Not more nor less that is the injunction of Lord Krishna in the B.G. Hope you are well.

Letter to Sivananda -- Allston, Mass 4 May, 1969:

I am very much anxious to know about Jaya Govinda. I have not heard anything from him since about a month. Please let me know immediately whether he has reached Hamburg by this time. Regarding your need for a warm beverage to drink while you are working, milk is the best. Take hot milk with little sugar, stir it very nicely, and drink it when it is warm sufficiently, tolerable by you, and with bubbles on the surface. That is the best hot beverage available in the world. You can also prepare some halevah. That is also very nice for a cold country. Add to it some raisins, almonds, etc.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 10 June, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 5, 1969, sent along with the article printed in the Cosmos, and I have noted the contents in both of these items. The article was very nice, and I can appreciate how you are assimilating this Krishna philosophy and conveying it nicely to others. Your descriptions of the Dadhibhanda Celebration sounds very thrilling, and here in New Vrindaban there is also nice supply of butter, ghee, milk and cheese due to the cow that they are keeping here. Regarding the draft lawyer, please try to expedite the matter, because there are many of our boys who may take advantage of this facility of being excused from the draft service. So when you are able to arrange for this it will be a very important achievement for our society. Regarding your suggestions for my travel plans, your ideas are very nice, and if I do not go to London, you can expect me to come to Los Angeles directly from New Vrindaban by the 10th of July.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind attention for me continually for one month, and I was so happy to remain in New Vrindaban. Yesterday afternoon, we safely reached Los Angeles, and Tamala Krishna has rented a very, very nice entire house for me, with compound and garage, at $350 per month. So I am very comfortably situated here. Two brahmacaris, Purusottama and Sridama, are always taking care of me, but at the same time, I am always thinking of your New Vrindaban. The first thing I find in the taste of the milk. The milk which we are taking here is not at all comparable with New Vrindaban milk. Anyway, there must be a gulf of difference between city life and country life. As poet Cowper said, "Country is made by God, and city is made by man." Therefore, my special request is that you should try to maintain as many cows as possible in your New Vrindaban. The first thing is that whether the girls and women who live there are agreeable to work as I have suggested; namely 1) to take care of the children, both from health and educational point of view, 2) to keep the whole temple, kitchen, etc. very clean, (At the present moment, things are not kept very clean. You are right that if some outsiders come, they will view our situation as not very hygienic.), 3) cooking, 4) churning butter. If they agree to all these four principles, that is to say, if they cooperate with the boys, then surely very quickly New Vrindaban will develop as nicely as possible.

So far as milk is concerned, I can arrange for financing in the matter of purchasing cows. The arrangement will be like this, that I shall ask all the centers to finance at least for one cow, and you will have to pay them back the price by supplying ghee.

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

The formalities are as follows: You should take a vow not to have any illicit sex life. That means sex life should be accepted only by married couples. You should not take anything beyond the group of grains, fruits, vegetables, flowers, milk and milk products, and that also only after offering to Lord Krishna. You should not accept any kind of intoxication, including drinking coffee, tea, or smoking cigarettes, chewing pan, etc. Finally, you should not take part in any gambling, including so-called sports, cinema, theater, or any such entertainment.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

But I can understand the financial position of New Vrindaban so the best thing will be to stop any more influx in New Vrindaban until the place is self-dependent. The whole idea of New Vrindaban is that men who are living there should produce their own food, of which milk is the principal thing. Unless that position is achieved it will not be advisable to ask anybody to go there. Better to ask them to go there if they are willing to work and produce their own food. Otherwise, nobody should be advised to go there. Besides that, I have received letters from the girls there that they are feeling inconvenience. Therefore, without having adequate place to live there, nobody should be advised at the present moment to go there. I am glad that the boys have been working for the house and the project will be completed satisfactorily. My advice is that you make the place very peaceful. You should admit only such persons who can work without any disturbance. For the time being you may not admit any more men and ask them to pay you $25 per month. That will not sound very nice.

Letter to Bali-mardana, Sudama -- Tittenhurst 3 October, 1969:

I could not understand what you mean by a cart from India. The Japanese are good carpenters, so is it not possible to get such cart made locally? I do not know if Acyutananda will be able to help you in this connection. Here in England the Sankirtana Movement is getting very popular, and the Party here is getting numerous calls, even from European cities. So we are very much hopeful here also. I am anxious to know how you are eating, whether you have got the facilities for cooking nice Prasadam. Japanese rice is very cheap, so if you take nice rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, and little milk, that will keep your health nice. Bali Mardan, you have asked how the Sankirtana activities become more relishable every day. It is due to Lord Caitanya's benediction. All Glories to Sri Krishna Sankirtana!!

Letter to Bharadraja -- Tittenhurst 21 October, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 4, 1969 and have noted the contents carefully. I hope by now your bodily ailment is subsiding. Regarding the diet which the doctors are giving you, it is all right if you do not take milk for some time. Vegetables will do. Regarding your going to Santa Barbara to help open a center there, this idea is all right. Consult with Tamala Krishna in this matter. You have got good ideas, you are intelligent and have got qualifications, but you must learn to be more responsible. I was not very happy when I saw your wife last. She is so nice girl. You are married; you must be responsible for the maintenance of your wife. As you are qualified, you can work as a musician; but you must maintain her nicely and help her to progress in Krishna Consciousness. So far as the musical group you have described in your letter, you may consult with Tamala Krishna and see what his idea is in this connection. I cannot advise in this matter.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tittenhurst 29 October, 1969:

The living example is the Gopis. They were householder wives, young girls having children to feed, carrying out the order of superiors; father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, satisfying the whims of the husband, executing so many household duties from morning to night. Still they practiced in such a way Krishna Consciousness that they did not forget even for a second Krishna. While mopping the floor, while washing the dishes, while milking the cow, while feeding the baby, while taking with friends, while cooking in the kitchen they were always thinking of Krishna. 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 Gargamuni -- London 20 November, 1969:

Regarding your expenditures, we do not mind if there is no saving. Our policy should be to collect millions of dollars and spend also millions of dollars or sometimes more. But we should be very careful that we may not be extravagant. For necessary expenditures we have no grudge. I do not know what you are eating, but the eating program should be nutritious and simple, not luxurious. That means capatis, dahl, vegetables, some butter, some fruits and milk. This is necessary for keeping good health. But we should not indulge in sweetballs or halevah or like that daily. Too much first-class eating may stimulate our sex desires, especially sweet preparations. Anyway, eat Krishna Prasadam, but be careful that we may not indulge in luxury. For Krishna we can offer the most beautiful preparations, but for us Prasadam should be very simple.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Boston 25 December, 1969:

Regarding purchasing things in the market, these items are considered as purified when we pay the price for them. That is the general instruction, but when we know something is adulterated, we should avoid it. But unknowingly if something is purchased, that is not our fault. Things which are suspicious, however, should be avoided. It is for this reason that in our Vedic culture the people used to keep a number of cows without any expenditure, and the milk drawn out of them was utilized for so many purposes, very, very useful in life. Lord Krishna in His early Childhood life is the vivid example of this way of social life.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

The program of the Temple worship is as follows: Early in the morning, before sunrise, there is Mangala Aratrik. At 8:00 a.m. there is dressing and decorating of the altar daily. Then, between 11:30 and 12:00 N., Bhoga Aratrik. At 5:00 p.m., opening of the door and Dhoop Aratrik as well as Boikalik Bhoga offering. In the morning we offer fruits and milk to the Deities, and at noon we offer rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, milk, sweet rice, and many other varieties. In the Boikalik Bhoga Aratrik we offer fruits again. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after dusk; and at 9:00 p.m. we offer Bhoga of Puri, vegetable, milk, sweetmeats, etc. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after which the Deity rests. This is the general program of worship. We decorate the thrones with profuse flowers, changing the dress and ornaments daily, and as far as possible the Deity platform and the Temple room are kept neat and clean always.

Letter to Harer Nama -- Los Angeles 11 February, 1970:

Any foodstuff suspected to contain untouchable ingredients should never be used in the temple. Yogurt can be prepared in the temple, it is not very difficult. Boil the milk at night, put a little yogurt in it, and next morning you will find it full of yogurt. You can ask New Vrindaban, they are practically preparing all these things.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1970:

Regarding authorized songs, you may inform George that authorized songs means the songs which were sung or composed by self-realized Acaryas. It is an injunction in the Vaisnava regulations that unauthorized songs or statements should never be heard. The comparison is given that milk, although very nutritious food, if it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it acts like poison. So I am giving herewith a few lines of authorized songs which you may deliver to George.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 3 May, 1970:

Regarding the color of Balaramaji, He is colored like milk white with little bluish tint and rosy luster. Our idea of whiteness is of the milk foam. Regarding whether ivory is offerable to Krsna, yes, ivory is pure. Although it is a bone of an animal, still it is as pure as the conchshell which is also the bone of an animal.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 17 May, 1970:

Thank you very much for the silver for sweetmeat preparations and also the milk massala of ginger base; I have kept it for future use as you have suggested.

Yes the Brhat Saman is meant for the demigods—devotees are demigods—but people are not so advanced that they can sing Brhat Saman so nicely in this age, therefore Hare Krsna Mantra is recommended to be chanted without diversion. You have already mentioned yajnanam Japaya jna'smi on the head of your letter, that the Hare Krsna Mantra is the best yajna sacrifice.

Letter to Himavati, Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1970:

Regarding Lord Jagannatha, it is alright to install Him as you propose with fire ceremony. Bath Him with water and milk mixed and scented, accompanied by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra. Regarding the picture of Radha Krsna in Vrndavana, if it is a nice picture, then it can be hung elsewhere on the wall, and the backdrop to the Deities' Throne may be painted simply Vrndavana woods—that will be nice.

I hope Vasudeva is painting very nicely. So he should be encouraged to paint the Pancatattva pictures and Acarya pictures; they will be required in our different centers. In Australia they have requested such pictures, so ask Vasudeva to paint and send them there—this is his first assignment. It does not matter if they are a little crude, but he will improve with practice.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 4 August, 1970:

The Gayatri is chanted morning, afternoon, and evening. The pujari chants Gayatri at each offering. Regarding the "Sayyothana" ceremony. In that part of the year it is very hot so they pour water mixed with milk over the Deities. Lord Jesus Christ is a saktyavesa Avatara, an empowered living entity or jiva. In order to attain such a position one must be pure, so in this sense Lord Jesus Christ was a pure devotee. Of course, humanitarianism is not a sign of the pure devotee, but unless he did like that no one would hear him. So Lord Jesus Christ was acting a part suitable for the particular circumstances.

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

Please accept my blessings. I am pleased to hear that the paintings for Vol. I Canto II have been finished and that more paintings for Vol. II have begun. At least from 50 to 100 paintings should appear in each volume, and that will be the perfection of your service for Lord Krsna. In reply to your specific question, there is no ocean of milk, rather they are standing on a normal ocean. I am always showing your paintings in Krsna Book to respectable Indian gentlemen and ladies and they are very much impressed that my American disciples have taken to this process with so much love and determination. Hope this meets you in good health.

Letter to Ben -- Bombay November 22, 1970:

I am very much pleased to know that you are trying to set a fine example to your young son, Joseph, and your good wife. It is the duty of our students who are married men to train both their wife and children in devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The easiest program is that you add to your daily schedule a Kirtana chanting of Hare Krsna Maha-mantra both in the evening and the morning with your family and after chanting you can read something from our Bhagavad Gita As It Is or Krsna Book or our other literatures. You are already offering service to Lord Jagannatha and offering Him some nicely prepared fruits, milk, sweet smelling flowers and incense. That is the way for householders. For householders it is prescribed that one should hear the Bhagavad-gita or other transcendental texts of which we now have ample supply from the lips of the devotee of the Lord, one should accept a Bona fide Spiritual Master and follow his instructions and one should install the Deity in his home and carry on worship there. These three items will make your life perfect.

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 1 December, 1970:

If you can keep cows, it is very good. You'll get fresh milk. That's a great benefit. To take care of the cow is a religious function for the Hindus but actually if care is taken for cows, it delivers us the miracle food—cow's milk, which is so valuable. And because we drink cow's milk, we should accept the cow as our mother. That is etiquette.

Someday when the opportunity comes for film-making you can do so. If you can make bona fide films it is welcome. Then I can help you by directing. So far as exporting films that is not possible.

Letter to Sudama -- Surat 30 December, 1970:

I am very glad to learn that Krishna has given you such a nice new temple with so many nice facilities. If you can get one cow that is very auspicious. Then you can have fresh milk and butter. Also the garden mentioned by you should be cultivated. In India the system is that no matter how poor a man is, still, if he has a little land, he can grow some flowers or vegetables and offer to the Deity. In this way take advantage of all that Krishna has so kindly provided. In addition if you can begin production of of spiritual sky incense there, that will be helpful. Your temple can be named as New Gaya.* Gaya is the province where Lord Buddha flourished. Japan is Buddhist country and we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of God.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Calcutta 19 May, 1971:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to the other artists. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8th May, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. So far as your questions are concerned, they are as follows: The demigods mentioned by you appear just like man, but very beautiful and very nice features also. They are having fair complexion with golden hue. Golden means milk mixed with a tint of reddish color or yellowish color. Lord Siva has two arms; Garuda is yellow in color; Kapiladev looks like a human being, as does Kalki. Kalki is bluish. Matsya is a full fish, bluish in color. Kurma is tortoise color.

Letter to Acyutananda -- London 28 June, 1971:

From Calcutta I went to Bombay and then to Moscow. We stayed there for five days. There are many younger Muscovites who are very much anxious to join our movement. Unfortunately the government is so strict that it is difficult to take their cooperation for starting a center there. Every thing is strictly under government control. Still we are trying to open a center with the help of local men. The city is very big and there are many nice buildings, roads, etc., but life is not very happy. One cannot live according to his own choice. Fruits and vegetables are very scantily supplied, but milk, butter and yogurt are amply available. From Moscow I went to Paris. Paris is a very nice city, better than London. All historical buildings are here and they are very gorgeous and panoramic. So we have got a very nice center there. The address is as follows: 26 Rue Etienne d'Orves; Fontenay aux Roses; Paris 92. I stayed only one day on my way to L.A. but still they arranged some nice meetings and a press conference and the people are favorably impressed. They admitted in different papers that our movement is genuine, along with other information.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- London 28 June, 1971:

We stayed there for five days. There are many younger Muscovites who are very anxious for joining our movement. Unfortunately the government is so strict that it is difficult to take their cooperation for starting a center there. Everything is strictly under government control. Still we are trying to open a center with the help of local men. The city is very big and there are many nice buildings, roads, etc., but life is not very happy. One cannot live according to his own choice. Fruits and vegetables are very scantily supplied, but milk, butter and yogurt are readily available.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. You will be glad to know that we arrived safely in Moscow and stayed there for five days. There are many younger Muscovites who are very much anxious to join our movement. Unfortunately the government is so strict that it is difficult to take their cooperation for starting a center there. Everything is strictly under government control. Still we are trying to open a center with the help of local men. The city is very big and there are many nice buildings, roads, etc. but life is not very happy. One cannot live according to his own choice. Fruits and vegetables are very scantily supplied. Milk, butter and yogurts are amply available, though.

Letter to Makhanlal -- Los Angeles 14 July, 1971:

m so glad to hear that, because the sales manager of Darigold dairy is sympathetic to our Krishna Consciousness movement, you are being supplied 20 gallons of fresh milk weekly and free of charge. He is a good friend so keep him posted of our activities and encourage him sufficiently. Perhaps he will become our life member also. I have received one letter from Gaura Hari about his travelling sankirtana party across Canada and have given my blessings for such venture. And also I have noted how nicely Tulsi Devi is growing there in Seattle. Already she is three feet tall. That is a true credit to your devotion. Thank you very much.

Letter to Himavati -- London 27 August, 1971:

For your hair you can try a little castor oil. So far the milk fast, if possible you can observe it. But these things are not so important. For preaching work we have to make so many adjustments.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Kenya 15 September, 1971:

Eating is the basic principle for keeping one's health. Eating too much or too little causes disease. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says yuktahara vihara. Simply eat to keep fit. That is one important business of those in Krishna consciousness. Generally hepatitis is a disease on account of eating too much fatty and spicy foods. So we must use always simple food stuff and a little milk. Not very much puris and halava and sweet balls and sweet rice, like that.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Nairobi 9 October, 1971:

If not the manuscript may be used to teach the students. The important matter is that the children are taken care of nicely. Bhavananda was talking with me that in New Vrindaban students were very much neglected. Therefore they were immediately transferred to New York. Every parent wants to see that their children are taken care of very nicely. That is the first duty. If they are not healthy then how they can prosecute their education? If they are undernourished it is not good for their future activities. They must have sufficient quantity of milk and then dhal, capatis, vegetables, and a little fruit will keep them always fit. There is no need of luxurious fatty foods but milk is essential. A big building is also very good for the children's health. They can move freely and run and jump.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 1 January, 1972:

You may also see the Maharaja of Bharatapur and try and convince him to give us the house. Mr. Banasal or his manager are expecting you and they will take you to see the house and the maharaj. Mr. L. D. Bansal, Bansal Building, Subhash Bazar, Agra-3. So as soon as you see this house report to me what is your opinions. I think if it is possible you should get a Post Office Box or if that is not possible then make a letter box. Then we will be sure to receive all mail properly.

Eat sufficient vegetables, little milk, curd and ___ Don't overload. And not much rice. That kind of diet will ___ you healthy.

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

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 Atreya Rsi -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your very nice letter of January 10, 1972, and I am very much pleased by the sentiments expressed therein. It is not so much that because there may be some faults in our godbrothers and godsisters, or because there may be some mismanagement or lack of cooperation, that this is due to being impersonalists, no. It is the nature of the living condition to always have some fault. Even in the Spiritual World there is some fault and envy—sometimes the Gopis will quarrel over Krishna's favor, and once Krishna was so much attracted to Radharani that by mistake he tried to milk the bull instead of the cow, and sometimes when the Gopis used to put on their dress and make-up for seeing Krishna, they would be too much hasty and smear kumkum and mascara in the wrong places and their ornaments and dresses would appear as if small children had been trying to dress themselves and they were not very expert, like that.

Letter to Chaya -- Calcutta 16 February, 1972:

A woman's real business is to look after household affairs, keep everything neat and clean, and if there is sufficient milk supply available, she should always be engaged in churning butter, making yogurt, curd, so many nice varieties, simply from milk. The woman should be cleaning, sewing, like that. So if you simply practice these things yourselves and show examples, they will learn automatically, one doesn't have to give formal instruction in these matters.

Letter to Koumadaki -- Australia March 27, 1972:

Because this body belongs to Krishna, and we are using it in His service, it should be kept in good working order. A little dal, a little rice, some vegetable and a few chapatties is a substantial diet, along with a little fruit and milk. Two cups of milk a day is sufficient. The Ayurvedic system of eating is to decide how much you can comfortably eat, then take half of that amount, filling the remaining half one quarter with water and leaving one quarter for air. This simple, regulated diet along with strict cleanliness will keep one healthy, strong and free from disease.

Letter to Damodara -- Honolulu 9 May, 1972:

So far your management of different centers in Eastern Zone, I have already advised Rupanuga to do the needful; if there is waste then you can merge various centres. You can thin milk by adding water and you can make it thick by boiling. Now is the time for us to begin the boiling process. Now you know everything how to be a Vaisnava brahmana, now you must practice these thing or the whole thing will be a show only. Better to develop the small number of devotees we have, make them truly Krishna conscious boys and girls than to go on getting many followers who do not understand and practice the real principles. Better one moon that many stars.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Honolulu 9 May, 1972:

Yes, I have no objection if some men go from Europe to India, but now I have received reports that the 30 men which you have sent there are not being engaged properly, so don't send any more until I hear that they are very much required and that the men already there are being properly engaged and utilized nicely. Now I want that we shall concentrate on making our devotees Krishna conscious and ourselves becoming Krishna conscious, and not be so much concerned with expanding ourselves widely but without any spiritual content. Just like boiling the milk, it becomes thicker and sweeter. Now do like that, boil the milk.

Letter to Surasrestha -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1972:

In answer to your questions, the red incarnation who appeared in the Treta-yuga is Yajnapati. Lord Mohammed is accepted by us as Saktyavesa Avatar, but we do not recognize the Bahai faith. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears once in the day of Brahma or whenever He is required to come. So far attending pujas at the houses of the Hindus there we can go and hold our kirtana but we should not take prasadam there. We can accept raw materials and take them to our temple but we should not accept any prasadam prepared by them. However, if they insist then we can take fruits and milk and offer them to Krishna. Cocoa and chocolate are not to be taken as they are intoxicants.

Letter to Stokakrsna -- Los Angeles 20 June, 1972:

Yes, you have got the right idea when you say that your preaching work shall be directed toward the children and the devotees and not so much to the Dallas public. We may thin the milk till it becomes useless, or we may boil it until it becomes thick and sweet, so now we have got enough followers, let us train them up perfectly in the philosophy and activities of Krsna Consciousness way of life. Unless all of my students become very much fixed up in their spiritual progress, what is the use of so many programs for expansion? So you are the leader at Dallas, now it is your task to become very, very responsible for the spiritual well being of all of the students there, so Krsna will give you all intelligence and facilities to serve Him nicely if you are very much sincere to do so. This will please me very much.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1972:

In this way, by constantly engaging our tongues in the service of the Lord, either by discussing His philosophy or by chanting Hare Krishna, the truth is that Krishna Himself will reveal Himself to us and we shall understand how to do everything properly. Now we have got so many students and so many temples but I am fearful that if we expand too much in this way that we shall become weakened and gradually the whole thing will become lost. Just like milk. We may thin it more and more with water for cheating the customer, but in the end it will cease to be any longer milk. Better to boil the milk now very vigorously and make it thick and sweet, that is the best process. So let us concentrate on training our devotees very thoroughly in the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness from our books, from tapes, by discussing always, and in so many ways instruct them in the right propositions.

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Los Angeles 13 September, 1972:

* The Secretary may secure food grains and powder milk from U.S.A Government for distribution to the poor people in India for expanding Seva-Puja department in the matter of "Prasad" distribution.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Vrindaban 22 October, 1972:

Regarding the preparation of rice by steaming and then drying, we can offer such rice even it is twice-cooked. Gaudiya Math offers, even during the presence of Prabhupada it was done, so there is no wrong. It is called sidha. I never took sidha except in Gaudiya Math.

Now you have got one very nice Jersey cross-bred cow, so take care of her very nicely. Feed her nicely fodder and she will give more milk.

Never mind coming here, I shall come very soon to Mayapur and speak thrice times what I am speaking here. I am coming there soon to live with you, so do not be anxious.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Vrindaban 27 October, 1972:

So far starting a trust fund, yes, that is very good idea, so that the deities may never be neglected. The thing is, there must be continuous income, so if there is income from land that is all right. In Los Angeles we are getting income from rents from two apartment houses because there is always certain income.

As for bathing the deities in milk from time to time, that is not required. The smarta or caste brahmanas, they think if someone inattentively touches deity it becomes impure, so they bathe. But that is not needed by us, only when they are installed.

Letter to Bhanutanya -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

So if one cannot manage in that way then he is not fit as teacher. If a child is trained properly in Krishna Consciousness, he will never go away. That means he must have two things, love and education. So if there is beating of child, that will be difficult for him to accept in loving spirit, and when he is old enough he may want to go away—that is the danger. So why these things are going on _ marching and chanting japa, insufficient milk, too strict enforcement of time schedules, hitting the small children? Why these things are being imposed? Why they are inventing these such new things like marching and japa like military? What can I do from such a distant place? They should run and play when they are small children, not forced to chant japa, that is not the way. So I have given you the guiding principles, it is not that I must be consulted with every small detail, that is the business of the in-charge, but if no one is there who can manage in the right way, what can I do? Now if you have got the right idea how to do it, you may go there again and take some responsible post for correcting the situation, that will be your real duty, not that there is some disagreement and I go away disgusted, no. That is not Vaisnava standard. Standard should be that, never mind there is some difficulty, my spiritual master has ordered me to do like this, now let me do it, that's all.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Hladini -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973:

As your devotional service becomes mature you shall see Krsna more and more, and more and more you shall realize the qualities of the holy land of Vraja. This modern civilization is always artificial. You are actually learning in New Vrindaban the self-sufficient mode of living, simple living, high thinking, that is our policy, and as long as Krsna remains in the center of all these activities, then you are actually in Vrindaban. And the more you please the Deities there with your service, the more they shall reciprocate by bestowing upon you love for Sri Sri Radha Krsna. So I am always looking forward to coming back to New Vrindaban, and I remember very fondly the sandesh, milk, and other nice products that the devotees are preparing there. Thank you very much.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Jayapataka, Bhavananda, Gargamuni -- Melbourne 10 February, 1973:

Please accept my blessings. While travelling here to Melbourne I was thinking how wonderful our Mayapur project is and how it can be developed in the future. I want that Mayapur be self-sufficient by having its own production of grains, vegetables, fruits and milk products etc., to the extent that you will be able to feed at least 500 men daily. This will be better than trying to arrange for maintenance funds to come from outside. So we can make some scheme for purchasing sufficient quantity of land. The land there is very fertile and if our men can manage the program then we can go ahead. The low land we can purchase at 600 rs./bigha and the high land at 800 rs./bigha. So now you all make inquiries for purchasing as much land as we shall require and immediately inform me how much money shall be required.

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 Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1974:

I am going back to India via Honolulu on next Monday. I am very much encouraged by your activities in selling books. So not only you shall supply ghee in exchange of books supplied by Gargamuni Swami. In the future we may need large quantities of ghee in our different centers because after going back to India I shall see that in every temple food distribution goes on nicely. Australia is famous for producing wheat and milk products. My question is whether you can supply as contribution to our ISKCON centers in India, wheat and ghee in exchange of books. If it is possible then consult with the Trustees of BBT and consider the matter and do the needful.

Letter to Madhukara -- Vrindaban 19 August, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 25th 1974 and thank you very much for your nice sentiments. Just as you were pleased that I was able to visit New Vrndavana, so did I also enjoy my visit to New Vrndavana. You are producing nice vegetables from the earth and ample supply of milk from the cows so what more do you want? Just chant Hare Krishna and everything will be alright.

Regarding the two twenty dollar checks that you had sent previously. It has not been recorded because of the change of secretaries. I suggest that you contact your bank whether or not the checks have been deposited and you can inform me.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 4 September, 1974:

Regarding the Buffalo project, New Vrindaban is the example. You should develop in a similar way. Have milk, vegetables, simple living, and chanting Hare Krsna. The whole world is engaged in unnecessary hard labor with their factories. It is a brain killing civilization. Let them come to free life. Spend time chanting Hare Krsna, reading books and making their lives successful. This is very essential propaganda. People must be informed.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1974:

Regarding the farm, the exhibition is there in New Vrindaban. Kirtanananda Maharaja has organized very nicely. The same principle you can follow and organize it in Germany. Let the people be happy with self sufficient food grown in the field with milk products. When I was in Frankfurt round our place I was so happy to see the farms and the cows. Unfortunately they will kill the cows. So if we organize a farm without killing any cows, that will be a great example in that country. Instead of killing cows, if we let them live, we can get so many nutritious foodstuffs filled with vitamins. I have seen in New Vrindaban how happily our devotees are living there with fresh air, fresh vegetables, and ample milk. Simple living in cottages. What you want more? We should not neglect the upkeep of the body, and we should save time to chant Hare Krsna. This mission should be propagated. Save time and chant Hare Krsna.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Mayapur 5 October, 1974:

When cows were purchased in the beginning I have seen them crying because the calf was taken for killing. They can understand. Not that they are animal and cannot understand. The neighboring farmers come and they are astonished at the nice preparations made from their milk. I see in the small cottages they are living very, very happily. The cows are grazing, and the male members are doing the work. Local flowers are used for the garlands. Yes, New Vrindaban is almost a small state. Some of the rogues are envious. Rogues are always envious when they see something nice. Even Hayagriva will not leave that place. He is living very happily there.

Letter to Madhavananda -- Mayapur 6 October, 1974:

From the pictures it appears that the Deity worship is going on very nicely. Krishna is very satisfied by His face. He looks very healthy. He is very fond of milk and butter. He is a butter thief. You have now got cows, so offer nicely. I have asked that the picture be framed. I think that the Deity worship is almost better than our Los Angeles center. The Life Member room is very nice. They should have like that here.

Letter to Frederico -- Mayapur 24 October, 1974:

Yes, as you have understood, prasadam is offered only from the category of fruits, vegetables, grains, milk products, and sugar. This is according to the Bhagavad-gita wherein Krishna states what He accepts. We have four rules that all my students follow. They do not take any meat, fish, or eggs; no gambling, no intoxicants, including coffee, tea, or cigarettes; and no illicit sex life. Try to follow these four rules, and Krishna will bless you with quick advancement in spiritual life.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Bombay 28 November, 1974:

Bali Mardan says that taking milk is also the same as eating meat, therefore you can eat meat. Therefore does it mean that because what I eat all turns to stool, then I should eat stool? If everything I eat turns to stool, does it mean I should eat stool? Is this sound logic? He was a sincere boy, but he has fallen down by bad association. Still I can rectify both of them, provided they agree.

Letter to Parvati -- Bombay 17 December, 1974:

Thank you for your kind sentiments. You should try to become expert at making these nice milk products. The cow is the most wonderful animal and she is so beneficial for human society, giving so many gifts in the form of milk products. And you can turn all those milk products into wonderful preparations to offer to Radha-Krsna and thus your life will become perfect. Please continue advancing in Krsna Consciousness by this wonderful method; reading our books daily, chanting 16 rounds daily, following the regulative principles, rising early, etc. Thank you.

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.

What do you think of exporting nice United States cows such as the ones you have there and in New Vrndavana to India so we can raise them in our Vrndavana and Mayapur projects and provide nice milk? Is it possible?

This isolation that has been imposed on the New York temple that you speak of is not good and it should be dissolved. Your program of travelling to the nearest temples is a good program. You should continue that. Our GBC members should always visit the different temples to see that everything goes on well, and to see that the management is being done very nicely.

Letter to Parvati -- Bombay 27 December, 1974:

Thank you very much for trying so hard so many times to send me milk sweets, like sandesh, etc. Unfortunately this last time they went bad on the way here, therefore they were not in offerable condition. The fact that you have offered them to me is what counts. Not so much whether I have personally eaten them or not. So thank you for your sincere efforts in pleasing me. Under all circumstances you must remain in the association of devotees. Do not let yourself fall out of this association. Even if it is very difficult and there may be many problems or disagreements still simply by remaining in the association of devotees and follow our regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds, rising early etc., you will become purified. If you leave the association of devotees to follow these regulative principles will be very difficult. Therefore stay in the association of devotees and continue making nice milk preparations for the Deities. And when I come there this spring I will be glad to accept them three times a day.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 28 December, 1974:

Regarding Gurukula I am very happy to hear that the financial crisis has passed. That is very good. This is real management. As far as the children are concerned, people are accusing us sometimes that our children are undernourished, underfed and note cared for properly. So it is good that you are seeing that they are happy and healthy. They should be given milk at least 8 ounces a day if possible 16 ounces a day. Dahl, capati, rice, vegetable this will keep them fit. If possible a little bit of fruit also. As for fixing up the Deity house in Dallas with marble altars, this is not necessary for now. We shall see later on. For the time being organize the health, education and care of the children and continue the Deity worship as it is going nicely now. Deities are satisfied with bhakti not marble. Therefore try to increase the bhakti.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Prabhavisnu -- Bombay 4 January, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated Dec. 17 and Dec. 27th, 1974 and have noted the contents. Your festival sounded very nice. Go on like this. Regarding book distribution, this is my foremost desire to have my books circulated profusely. I have just discussed with Hamsaduta about lowering the prices for England. Keep the grounds there nicely. That is important. I am glad to hear how nicely the cows are doing. Send some milk here.

Letter to P. S. Garg -- Bombay 16 January, 1975:

Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 6th, 1975 and have noted the contents. I thank you for your concern for my disciples' health. Actually, they are getting ghee and other milk products daily along with capatis, dhal, and rice. They are also taking fruits and vegetables daily. Some of them are getting very fatty. Any way the food is there, if they are getting skinny and thin, it might be some other cause.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Bombay 19 January, 1975:

So far the Nellore property is concerned, that is a nice proposal. Now, we should have self-sufficiency. This means to make our own food grains grow and to weave our own cloth—like in Mayapur. If we have food grains, milk, and cloth life becomes easy and we can save time for preaching and chanting. Not that everyone should do these activities of farming, but if one is less intelligent, or not intelligent enough to preach nicely, he can do. If one is capable, then he should preach. On the whole, our society should be divided into 4 divisions, but such divisions are not material. Just like Krishna belonged to the Vaisya community, but he is worshiped by the brahmanas. We shall utilize everything for Krishna's service.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 21 January, 1975:

Try to get some nice farm. That will be very good. If we can produce milk products and grain, there will be grand success. I was so much pleased with your book distribution there. I am sure that the coming year will be even better. I am very much encouraged by big book distribution. I have received information from Ramesvara that 50,000 big books will be distributed every month in 1975. Introduce the books as far as possible. That is the success of our mission.

Letter to Prof. O.P. Goel -- Perth, Australia 10 May, 1975:

Your proposal for co-operation with ISKCON is welcome. I very much appreciate your proposal. The mass problem at the present moment in India is actually a food problem. I have therefore decided to start some village organization program—namely, people should be invited to live in the village, produce their own foodstuff (grains, fruits, and vegetables), maintain a sufficient number of cows to get a large quantity of milk, produce their own cloth, eat sumptuously for keeping fit in health, and then they can regularly sit down and chant the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. I shall arrange for the irrigation of the land and the people living there should give their labor for their own food and clothing, and then chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and cultivate Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Radheswaranand Goswami -- Perth, Australia 10 May, 1975:

Regarding opening a center in Saurastra, it will be my pleasure to do it immediately if the local important men like you will co-operate with me. I wish to open centers in the villages. The mass problem at the present moment in India is actually a food problem. I have therefore decided to start some village organization program—namely, people should be invited to live in the village, produce their own foodstuff (grains, fruits, and vegetables), maintain a sufficient number of cows to get a large quantity of milk, produce their own cloth, eat sumptuously for keeping fit in health, and then they can regularly sit down and chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra.

Letter to Hasyakari -- Honolulu 26 May, 1975:

This program is very very important. If you can help to organize our cow program in Mayapur, it will be a great credit for you. We must be able to grow our own fodder for the cows. We don't want to have to purchase food for the cows outside from some other party. That will run into a great expense. Cow protection is the business of the vaisyas and along with our preaching, this is the most important work. We must have a good section of Brahmanas in our society and we must also have a good group of vaisyas who can grow grains and tend cows, and thus supply the society with food-grains and milk products from the cow like ghee, curd, cream, etc. If you can help in Mayapur it would be very much appreciated.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Honolulu 31 May, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 23, 1975 and have noted the contents. Your report is very nice to hear. If you give the right protection to the cows, then they will give so much milk, that the ground of New Vrndavana will be muddy with milk. European and American civilization will be finished on account of this sinful activity of killing the cows. Actually, one should not circumambulate when the Deity is open. It is stated in the Nectar of Devotion. I think you can close the doors to the Deity room during Tulasi puja and then open them again afterwards.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Honolulu 9 June, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 6, 1975 and have noted the contents. Your report is very nice. It is wonderful to hear that you are distributing 1000 magazines and collecting $1,000 daily. Now, you have plenty of money, milk, fruits, flowers, grains, everything, and you are living in the jungle. What more could you want? I may be coming there immediately after the Philadelphia Rathayatra, and I shall stay until after Janmastami.

Letter to Nityananda -- Denver 1 July, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 28, 1975 with the enclosed photos. Your farm appears very nice, open plain land. The cows are very nice and so are the sheds. This farm project you should consider very important. The idea is that people can be self sufficient and raise their own foodstuffs and have sufficient milk to save time and chant Hare Krishna. Why should they work so hard in the hellish factories? Let everyone live simply and be Krsna conscious.

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. If people do not cooperate with them, then how will the factories run on? And, if the people are satisfied by this arrangement, then what will the communists do?

Letter to Giriraja -- Detroit 4 August, 1975:

You can present to them for the exemption that all over the world in different parts we are training men to live in the interior parts of the country and to produce their own food grains, sufficient milk, and produce cloth also. The attraction is Krishna consciousness, spiritual enlightenment. The foreigners in Europe and America is where we have already started such centers. In Hyderabad, India we are attempting such a center.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Vrindaban 31 August, 1975:

I am glad to know that you are getting nice cows for your farm. If you have good cows then you will have good milk, which is the most important food. We are giving cow protection in the very place where they are eaten. At Bon Maharaja's Institute there is enough land for also keeping cows.

Letter to Minister for Land & Revenue -- Vrindaban 31 August, 1975:

I have been told by Sri Ram Pandey who is the Editor of INPF Samachar Samiti, Allahabad, and the District Youth Counsellor for the District Planning Office, Allahabad; that there are enough barren lands that are not suitable for agricultural use that are lying unused in Allahabad District. If you could kindly give over these lands to use we could develop it into a self sufficient community producing foodstuffs, grains and vegetables, milk products, and cloth involving the local peoples for their greater benefit, as we are already doing at our Mayapur Candradaya Community Development Project in West Bengal, Dist. Nadia, and which we are now planning near Hyderabad, Andra Pradesh.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1975:

Regarding the libraries taking the books, they can be given up to 25% discount. We shall take a standing order from them, and supply whatever we can, and the balance by and by.

Yes, you can rotate the profits from the milk products and agriculture for future developments.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Ahmedabad 29 September, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 19, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. What is the street address of the new building in New York? The consent letter has been sent from Vrindaban. You should minimize the expenditure and increase the income, otherwise how will you liquidate the debts? I understand that you are saving on the milk bill by supplying your own milk from the farm. This is wanted. If these farm projects are successful, then all this industry will be closed. We do not have to make propaganda, but automatically people will not want. The people are innocent. The rascal leaders say it is primitive to remain on the farm, but to do business in the city and become rogue and rascal, that is advanced. They have dog race, horse race, gambling, coca cola, pepsi cola—all unnecessary. There is no use for it but the business is going on. They take to cigarette and T.V. because they have no good engagement. They are chewing the already chewed. That is nice that the parents are donating. They will donate more and more, because they see here is something good.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Ahmedabad 29 September, 1975:

So you get from all the farms all your necessities, then it will be successful. Fodder, milk, grains, vegetables, and animals and man will be satisfied, and you can chant Hare Krishna. No unnecessary cow killing, and no unnecessary needs of the body. The woman's SKP party, that is very good.

Letter to Revatinandana -- Durban 6 October, 1975:

Our principle is to simply repeat what we have in our books. But, it is very dangerous to live outside the association of devotees. If you must live a more solitary life for some time, then you can go to our temple in Mayapur or Vrindaban, and they can give one small room there and you can chant and read. I can advise the temple authorities there to permit you to do so without disturbance. In either case you can take boiled vegetables, boiled rice, a little milk, once a day, and this is very easily digestible. I am also taking like this. Living outside the association of devotees is dangerous and unnecessary. You must, however, give up the association of Jamadagni and Kanupriya. Their company will not be beneficial to your Krsna consciousness.

Letter to Visvambhara Dayala Agarwal -- Johannesburg 20 October, 1975:

3. Whether temple management is going on without any loss of money.

Herewith please find one letter for Digambhar Singh Chowdhury your friend. The letter speaks for itself, as you will see, and now we have to hold meetings for organizing the Krsan community, better the Vaisya community, for producing food and milk. I have given the idea, now you have to organize it properly.

I hope that this will meet you in good health, and please reply this letter along with Digambar Singh Chowdbury's reply to Bombay address where I am returning by the end of this month. Please offer my blessings to all your friends, especially Sethji Bisanchand and Kasiramji.

Letter to Digambar Singh -- Johannesburg 20 October, 1975:

. In this respect, I am counting upon your good help. On my return to India I wish to hold immediately one meeting of Krisans or agriculturist society. The idea is that the land is there and Krisans may be engaged to grow food both for men and for the animals, namely the cows. The cow should be maintained very healthy so that they can give sufficient good milk. The Krisans shall live comfortably in the cottages. They should produce their food, their milk, and their cloth. Everything produced will be used by themselves. If there is any excess production then the question of trade will arise. That we shall see later on. All the products produced will belong to Krishna-Balarama. Everyday at least thrice, all the Krisans meet in the local temple of Krishna-Balarama, chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, and take prasadam. In this way they should live peacefully locally without going outside for their livelihood. This is the general program.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

Regarding Atlanta, everywhere again expenditures more. Why was the airport distribution closed down in Atlanta? I am glad that their farm project is successful. Milk, fruits, flowers and also food grains can all be produced in the farm. Cannot flowers be produced in the farm? This will reduce their expenditure and tulasi also.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

Regarding Miami, it is very good news that they have gotten their land and they have got cows and it is good news to know that the cows will live on eating the mango leaves. This is the injunction of Krsna in Bhagavad-gita to produce enough food both for human beings and the animals and you become happy. The animal is happy. If the animal is happy he will produce enough milk so what is the use of killing them.

By these activities I am must trying to satisfy my spiritual master and you are all trying to help me, so I am very much obliged to you. This is real co-operation on the platform of love.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

The farming and opening the restaurant are correlative—in farming you produce enough milk and milk products, at least ghee, and the ghee is dispatched to the restaurant in the city and with that you prepare first-class samosas, kacoris, vegetables, halava—so many things people will like very much. The principle is that not a drop of milk should be misused.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:

I am glad also that you have a new gosala. Let other farms see what is our behavior for the cows and how we derive benefit from them and that will be the living example to persons who are using cow flesh rather than cow milk.

Regarding the palace, when will you expect to finish it so I may go there.

I am glad to note that Pittsburgh temple management is going on nicely. This is wanted. We want cooperation. Why there should be non cooperation between ourselves. That is not good. Regarding your desire to be relieved of managing these other centers, I may request you to continue until the next Mayapur meeting and then you can make some other arrangement conveniently.

Letter to Palika -- Bombay 13 November, 1975:

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

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

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 14 November, 1975:

That means there is very good reception. When are you going to print the next edition? Yes, try to place the books in stores and libraries. Are you liquidating your debts for the farm? You borrowed money on the farm. Are you repaying the loan? It is very good that the farm will be providing foodstuffs for both the farm and the temple in Paris. That is wanted. The farm program should be: grow your own food, produce your own milk, cloth and everything and chant Hare Krsna. It is good that you are repairing the buildings. They are dilapidated, but they can be repaired very nicely.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 7 December, 1975:

Our cows are happy, therefore they give plenty of milk. Vedic civilization gives protection to all the living creatures, especially the cows, because they render such valuable service to the human society in the shape of milk, without which no one can become healthy and strong. In your country the dog is protected, and the cow is killed. The dog is passing stool and urine in the street, he is considered the best friend of man, and the cow is all pure, stool, urine, and milk, but they are taken to the slaughter house and killed for food. What kind of civilization is this. Therefore we have to preach against all this nonsense.

Letter to M. N. Chaudhuri -- Bombay 17 December, 1975:

The bearer of this letter is my secretary of our Mayapur establishment, and he will explain to you about our activities there. It will be a great satisfaction if you kindly visit our Mayapur establishment to see how things are going on there. We are developing a plan there to be self sufficient. Namely to produce our food grains, maintain cows for drinking milk, and weave cloth for garments, and for this purpose we want a considerable tract of land. For this purpose I wish that the government may acquire some land for us so that we may develop our plan, and I hope you can help me in this connection.

Letter to Rocana -- Bombay 17 December, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. Thank you for your letter dated November 30, 1975. First of all produce your own food grain, milk and vegetables, eat as much as absolutely necessary, don't eat more, and in this way keep your health. Follow the regulative principles and then if there is time left over you can divert your attention. But I think you should not waste your time in any other thing except Devotional service and maintain the body in proper order. Unnecessarily you should not waste your valuable time.

Letter to Tulsi -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your nice letter. I can understand from your letter that you are very intelligent. Generally India people are not taking up this movement, although it is their original culture, they are now in favor of economic development and technological advancement which can never do any good to the people in general, neither material nor spiritual. After all a living being lives by the grace of God. He cannot eat nuts and bolts, however nicely they may be manufactured. We live by food grains, vegetables and milk products as it is stated in the Bhagavad gita "All living bodies subsist on food grains which are due to rains come by proper proformance of sacrifice" Human life is meant for sacrifice to please Visnu. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam, sarva-loka-mahesvaram (BG 5.29), "The sages knowing me to be the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices, the Supreme Lord of all planets, and the well wishing friend of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries"

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Chaudhuri -- Mayapur 23 January, 1976:

The bearer of this letter is the secretary at our Mayapur establishment, and he will explain to you about our activities there. I am presently at Mayapur and it would be a great satisfaction if you could kindly visit our establishment and see how things are being conducted. We are developing a plan to be self-sufficient. Namely, to produce our food grains, maintain cows, for drinking milk, and weave cloth for garments. We have plans for erecting a magnificent international city based on this Vedic culture. For this purpose we want a considerable tract of land, and I therefore wish that the Government may acquire some land for us so that we may develop our plan. I hope you can help me in this connection. I would be very glad if you could come to Mayapur, see our activities, take noon-day Prasadam and discuss with me.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Mayapur 21 February, 1976:

Yes, this supplying of milk to the temple is wanted. Thank you. In the way that Atlanta is doing, every center must have a farm so we can get all milk and if possible vegetable, even fruit, flowers and milk.

They are getting a flat-bed truck, then no blocking. They can sit comfortably and chant and people will hear. He (Madhava das) is giving a class at MIT, that is very good. I challenged them where is the technology to understand the distinction between a dead man and a live man.

Letter to Yamuna, Dinatarine -- Mayapur 21 February, 1976:

Enclosed please find a true copy of my reply to your letter dated December 24th, 1976.

The thing is cow protection is not possible for women. You can keep two or three cows, but on larger scale it is not possible. You should not try to take care of more. It is not women's business. Women's business is getting milk and making milk preparations. On the whole larger scale is not to be attempted by women. Manage a small asram, but don't try bigger scale, then you require the help of men.

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

Please accept my blessings. The proposed farm project in nothern California is approved by me. Such projects as well as constructing temples, protecting cows, gathering milk, then making ghee, then opening Hare Krishna Restaurants are all good programs for grhasthas.

Letter to Krishna Mahesavari -- New York 11 July, 1976:

Please accept my greetings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter (Hindi postcard) addressed to my Vrindaban Mandir address. You'll be pleased to learn that along with the Hare Krishna Movement in the foreign countries, we are taking care of cow protection very vigorously. There are already dozens of such centres and farms where we are protecting cows like our New Vrindaban community in West Virginia, Bhaktivedanta Manor in London, altogether over 14 such projects have been started throughout the world to date. We are giving protection to the cows with great profit. We are getting huge amounts of milk from which we are preparing lovely yogurt, dahi, sandesh, rasagulla, gulabjamon, etc. We have sufficient quantity of ghee for preparing kachori, samosa, and other very palatable confectionaries. The people of this country are gradually taking this idea very seriously for vegetarian diet and stopping cow killing in a practical way. We have got more than 100 temples all over the world and attached to every temple we are opening farms and in many cities restaurants, and all of them are going on very successfully.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Hyderabad 23 August, 1976:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of 10 August 1976 and have noted the contents. Your idea and completion of the kirtana hall etc. is very nice. You can visit our farm projects at New Vrndavana and the New York Farm in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. They do everything very nicely and you can develop your farm on their model. That you are growing all your own grains is very good. It is my ambition that all devotees may remain self independent by producing vegetables, grains, milk, fruits, flowers, and by weaving their own cloth in handlooms. This simple life is very nice. Simple village life saves time for other engagements like chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 28 November, 1976:

You say we must have a gosala trust, that is our real purpose. krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya karma svabhava-jam, (Bg 18.44). Where there is agriculture there must be cows. That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade. This is a no-profit scheme. For the agriculture we want to produce our own food and we want to keep cows for our own milk. The whole idea is that we are Iskcon, a community to be independent from outside help. This farm project is especially for the devotees to grow their own food. Cotton also, to make their own clothes. And keeping cows for milk and fatty products.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Kunja Behari -- Bhuvanesvara 19 January, 1977:

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter dated January 4th and have noted the contents. My instruction is that whatever food they serve, you should not eat meat, only bread, some butter, milk, vegetables and fruit if available. And always chant Hare Krishna. Then, it doesn't matter whether you are in heaven or hell. Yes, it will be a great service, even in prison, if you can preach there. You should inform the authorities for protection if other prisoners attack you. We have no business there except chanting Hare Krishna.

Letter to Yamuna -- Calcutta 17 February 5, 1977:

The picture of your Radha Krishna deities is very good. They appear to be like the Radha Govinda deities of Mullick Thakur which I used to see from my childhood.

Yes, go on with your program. Live a simple life. Take a little milk and food grains, chant Hare Krishna and worship Sri Sri Radha Krishna deity, that's all. That will make you perfect.

Letter to Nityananda -- Mayapur 16 March, 1977:

If you are getting enough milk from the cows simply by pasturing them, then that is all right. But if you require more then you may have to feed them special grains. We want to do whatever is easy and save time for Krishna consciousness.

As far as you are able to adjust to a natural way of life, do it immediately. Our principle is that we are against nothing and for nothing. Only for Krishna. We want whatever is favorable for Krishna.